The popstar-turned-charitable-hero still bemoans the state of the world, more than 40 years after his anger at the state of the world sparked one of the most memorable charity campaigns ever.
In a 30-minute chat withthe Herald, the f-bombs are numerous and the rage is more palpable than ever. Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the rise of social media are in his sights these days.
The 73-year-old, who labels himself “f**king old”, returns to New Zealand this weekend for shows in Auckland and Wellington, sharing the songs and stories of his life. And what a life it’s been.
It was in 1984 when Geldof, singer of the Boomtown Rats, watched a 10-minute BBC News item on the famine in Ethiopia. Thousands were dying each day.
“[Reporter] Michael Buerk barely spoke. And when he did, his voice was seemingly dispassionate, choked with fury, disgust and shame,” Geldof remembers.
“That translated perfectly to me. I just thought you’ve got to do something about this. You can’t just see it and accept it.”
Geldof channelled his rage to gather a collection of the world’s biggest stars to record charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas? alongside Ultravox frontman Midge Ure. It raised millions for the starving.
It was a mammoth effort that raised and continues to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in the absence of sufficient international aid.
But could it happen today? Faced with the images of children dying, could such large swathes of the global population be spurred into action?
“That shared experience is no longer possible. That’s the corrosive impact of social media at play,” Geldof said.
“That shared experience found expression in the phenomenon that everyone bought this record. Every single pressing plant in Europe was pressing this one record. And the workers were working free all night. The truckers were distributing it for free. The distributors were distributing for free. The record companies, the lawyers, the publishers were all doing it for free, because everyone had seen this thing.”
Eventually, Geldof saw the horror with his own eyes, venturing to Ethiopia himself in early 1985.
“I was very confused about what was going on with me. I’m Bobby Boomtown, the guy, you know, who goes nuts at the front of a great rock and roll band. And now suddenly I’m Captain Africa, which I never wanted to be.
George Michael, concert promoter Harvey Goldsmith, Bono, Paul McCartney, Bob Geldof and Freddie Mercury on stage at the Live Aid famine relief concert in London in 1985.
“This was my first time in Africa and it’s my first time encountering anything like this. Plus, I had to assimilate vast amounts of information. I had to meet all these leaders and I had to constantly respond to the press who were following me, etc, etc. So there was a lot on my plate.
“I was very, very confused.”
Forty years on from that trip, the problem of poverty hasn’t gone away.
The recent dismantling of the US international aid programme has infuriated Geldof.
“It’s a purposeful policy of almost declaring war on the most vulnerable and weak people on our planet.
“I’m reading every f**king morning the latest horror, and in particular the consequence of what Trump and Vance and Musk so enthusiastically and with glee do every day.”
So what about New Zealand? When Geldof last performed in the country in 2006, he slammed the “pathetic and shameful” aid contribution of New Zealand’s government. It drew an angry response from then-Foreign Minister Winston Peters.
Back then we contributed 0.27% of our gross national income. Today it’s 0.31%. Is it enough?
“Five million Aids victims are counting out their last remaining pills. US food aid has stopped. The last grains of food are being snatched from hungry children’s mouths by those people.
“So God bless New Zealand if it can increase its f**king aid budget.”
Eventually the conversation returns to the reason for the interview; his shows in New Zealand. Geldof says audiences shouldn’t expect too much politics. The show will be more about his life.
“Someone said, why don’t you do ‘an evening with’? So I am.
“I’d seen Springsteen’s one-man show and I’d seen Bono’s and, name drop alert, they’re both friends of mine and they’re both Irish. So I thought if they can do it, I can f**king do it.”
I ask him about rumours his show in Sydney lasted four hours. He says they are true.
“So I advise anyone coming in New Zealand to bring their f**king sleeping bag.”
An Evening with Bob Geldof: Songs and Stories from an Extraordinary Life is at Auckland’s Bruce Mason Centre on Friday March 28 and Wellington’s St James Theatre on Saturday March 29. Tickets from Ticketmaster.
Ethan Griffiths is the executive producer of Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills on Newstalk ZB. He is a former Herald reporter with experience covering local government, courts and music.
