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by Andrew Catlin (Author)
In 1985 as a young freelance photographer Andrew Catlin was asked to photograph Live Aid at Wembley for Melody Maker magazine. It became the biggest televised concert ever staged - it is estimated that 40% of the entire population of the world tuned in to watch the show.
It was an exhausting day, filled with energy and emotion, followed by an all night rush to select and print the photos ready for an editorial meeting at 9:30 the next morning.The pictures tell a powerful story of the intensity of the day and the strength of feeling of both the performers and the audience.
The impact of Live Aid has continued to resonate over the intervening 40 years. It was the largest show of global public support for a cause that had ever been seen - a startling wake up call for politicians who had been ignoring the issue of the famine in Ethiopia.
The platform that Live Aid created has been used to great effect, by Bob Geldof and Bono in particular, giving them access to some of the most powerful policy makers in the world. This influence has been used to secure humanitarian aid and debt relief for African countries that by now has reached hundreds of billions of dollars.
The book shows the event through one pair of eyes, as a personal act of memory by the photographer. It is a tribute to all the organisers, to the musicians who participated, and to the audience that gave their collective voice to the principles of humanity.
The day stands as a beacon of hope, showing that people of all kinds can find common ground, and the power of music to unite people.
