July 5, 2005
What's Live 8?
Here is an interview I did with two Addis Ababa university students about the Live 8 concerts that happened in London, Philadelphia and other cities over the weekend. The Live 8 events followed on from the Live Aid concert for Ethiopia 20 years ago. They were organised to increase pressure on G8 leaders meeting in Scotland this week to double aid to Africa, fully cancel its debt, and deliver "trade justice" for the continent - all subjects close to Ethiopians' hearts. But the latest concerts have had hardly any coverage over here. As you will see, even some of the best informed people in the capital have hardly heard of them.
The photo shows Meron Berhane, aged 29 (L) and Sophia Nesri, 27 (R) looking at a CD by star Ethiopian singer Teddy Afro in Irie Digital Entertainment music store in the Kazanchis district of Addis Ababa. They are both journalism and communication students at Addis Ababa University. Irie is one of the best known music shops in Addis. The owner broadcasts a hugely popular music radio show on the state-owned 'FM' station every weekday.
Interview excerpts:
Have you heard about these Live 8 concerts?
M: No, nothing.
S: No. I've read something on the internet about Bob Geldof and another artist but I forgot. Is that it?
Do you think Live 8 is a good idea? Will it make a difference?
S: It depends on the audience. If the concert was happening here, it wouldn't have a lot of impact because most of them, the bands and singers, are anonymous here. There have always been these things for Africa. But look where we are. I don't think aid is the thing to develop us. We don't need aid. We need governance.
M: It's a good idea that they've got some oldies, reggae, some new singers. They've got a good mix. And they can attract different audiences.
Should there have been a concert in Addis Ababa?
S: In this situation? People can't even get together to demonstrate at the moment [referring to the current ban on public meetings and demonstrations following the elections].
M: We can not get together for anything. I'm sure if you held a concert at the moment people would use it to hold a demonstration. But apart from the political situation, it's always nice to have concerts.
Here is the London Live Aid line-up. Do you recognise any of them?
Summary
No: Annie Lennox, Coldplay, Dido, Joss Stone, Keane, The Killers, Ms Dynamite, Pink Floyd, Razorlight, REM, The Scissor Sisters, Stereophonics, Snow Patrol, Travis, Velvet Revolver
Yes: Bob Geldof, Elton John, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Snoop Dog, Sting, U2, UB40
Comments on artists
Madonna
M: "She's alright - for her time. [Should she be in a concert promoting Africa?] Yes, recently, she's been a family woman. Her image has changed. She's not a sex object any more. I think she has changed her attitude so, she's OK. If you'd said Madonna before, I would have said ... no.
S: Sade's not there? No! Erykah Badu has to be there. She's the queen of Africa.
S: Pink Floyd? Pink as in 'pink'! No
S: Snoop Dog is raising money for Africa!? With Bob Geldof!
M: I love UB40. Everybody loves UB40 here. I've always suggested them to people who bring bands to the Sheraton. Why don't they bring UB40? Everybody loves UB40. You can hear their songs in every bar in every taxi. For the first place, everybody loves reggae. And there's is easy to listen to and everyone likes them. And a 'UB40' is a UK unemployment form - right? They know what it means to be unemployed so they should be there.
If you were arranging a concert to raise awareness of Africa's development, who would you invite to take part?
S: It should be African artists for Africa.
M: Because their point of departure is the same. They feel what we feel.
S: Michael Jackson - he's the only artist people everyone knows - our mothers know him, we know him, probably our kids will know him, you know. If you go in the streets and say 'Jennifer Lopez' probably 10 people would know her. But Michael Jackson is just a figure that everybody has been acquainted with in some parts of their lives. If he did a concert for Africa, that would make a difference. For sure.
S: If Bob Marley was alive - Bob Marley (laughs).
How about some local artists?
S: Teddy Afro.
M: He is the new Bob Marley. He sings Reggae. The beat is common to everybody. So most of his songs are reggae beat.
S: And he is the guy who brought the new generation to Amharic music. Because the new generation was just listening to rap, Jennifer Lopez. But now they have started listening to Amharic songs.
M: He has fought globalisation through localising. and also his sings have real content. He sings about real things. He is a revolutionary, like Bob Marley.
Do you remember Live Aid or Band Aid? What did you think of those events?
S: ‘We Are The World' - Everyone here knows that. But ‘Do They Know It's Christmas?' No. It was a concert to raise money for Africa, for the famine. But everyone says hardly any of the money came through. They said only 20 per cent of the support came through.
The general feeling is that foreign governments don't do anything for nothing. There is a strategic agenda behind everything. There must have been some self interest. That was people's general reaction to the Live Aid concert.
M: There are people they can help in their own countries before they come to Addis. I mean we've seen images of Americans in the streets begging.
Posted by aheavens at July 5, 2005 5:41 AM