Recognising Bob Geldof

Press, 12 June 1986, Page 20

Recognising Bob Geldof

Whatever the world of pop music may think of formal, State honours, the distinction given to Mr Bob Geldof should please a lot of people. His drive and ideas set in motion a huge fund-raising effort that was to assist starving people in Ethiopia and elsewhere. The scheme was carried through amid great enthusiasm. Certainly it ran into difficulties when the time came to deliver physically the support that millions of dollars had bought. In this, the Geldof Band Aid and Live Aid projects have not been alone. Official recognition was won after a lot of fuss in Britain, partly because Bob Geldof himself is not a British citizen and because honours are rarely approved by the Monarch for people outside the Commonwealth; partly, also, because Mr Geldof is a blunt, sometimes

rude fellow who offends people in high places. Now people in high places have made him an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, a distinction bestowed for having rendered “important services to the nation.” Among these must be his readiness, rudeness and all, to stir millions of people, particularly young people, to contribute money to aid funds.

A fine argument can be had about how much has been achieved; about how many lives have been saved or made better. The point remains that someone did something over and beyond what was already being done by the usual agencies. That is Bob Geldofs real distinction; though official as well as popular recognition of it matters too.