Alcalá 1986

ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT ENTl

SWEET CHARITY

Charity was in, and the celebrity wichouc a cause . whether oppo icion co apartheid or a cure for AID . was a singer without a song. This year che music industry flexed electronic mu de and became a medi– um with a message. The chorus wasn·c the rebellion of che ·60s or the sensuality of the ·10s. Instead musicians eemed suf– fused with a ense of moral mission, donating their talents for records like ..We are the World .., produced

Some 50 country and rock performers wirh actor emcees put on a 15-hour sho.,._ in Champaign, IL, to harvest SIO mil/ion and legislati>e support for American farmers.

MUSIC che niper incident in this Ctty) was busy organiz– ing fellow British musicians into BandA1d. The group recorded the ong .. Do They Know It's Christmas Time.., and che ong itself wa a huge success. Mose would think chat was quite an accomplt hment, but it was only the beginning. The Bntains were on the leading edge of a trend, as they have been known co be before. Ot co be outdone, U..A For Africa was formed here in che tates and their song has al o old incredi– bly well, but those crafty American added a new twist. Popular artists, such as Bruce pringsteen and I luey Lewis and che ews, recorded hie ongs on the album ..We Are The World... Locally, radio Statton 91X raised over one hun– dred thousand dollars in pledges in a weekend fund drive and an Diego personalities ( including our illustriou Mayor Roger Hedgecock) got to· gecher for che SandAid album, all the proceeds of which went co the BandAid fund . Then came che granddaddy of all concerts, LiveA1d, which actually cook place on two con– tinents, che entire world was abuzz. Probably the

" Did you know chat we·re dropping napalm on El Salvador'!!"' asks Ted Stewart, guitari cfvoca– list/ songwmer for the ocio-political new wave iazz rock ensemble Resistance. That 1s a very controversial topic you don't hear much about, but chose types of idea could very well be che coming trend in music. For year some bands have made known their views on the e taboo subiects, and most have not enioyed the financial success their more mainstream counterparts have found in che music industry. The Ii c includes many unknowns, ome lesser knowns, and a small number of well knowns (the Clash come to mind). Most artist , such as the ever popular Bruce pringsteen, have ongs chat invite people to think about certain 1s ues ( such as the song .. Born in the USA.., which reflect upon the life of a Vietnam veteran), though that 1s not the bands focal point. tep back in time around Christmas last year when Bob Geldorf, leader of che Boomtown Rats ( who e own song ..I Don't Like Mondays" was banned in San Diego because of its retelling of

For the starving, 45 ofthe hottest produced the USA of Africa ab/um, poster, video and S37 million plus.

in January, and for such event a the Live Aid concert in July, 14 hours of nonscop rock chat produced 70.5 million dollars to save lives in Africa. The fans funded the effort, buying tickets, T-shirts and records, calling in pledges during spin-off videos. Fashion designers and opera star held benefits. Even snydicaced cartoonists goc into the act when Doonesbury's Gary Trudeau convinced them co deal with hunger in their Thanksgiving Day scrip . Together these groups raised $135 million . and the con cious– ne s of a world .

Hear 'N Aid, 40 metal heavyweights, cut a single for famine reliefin May. Writer RonnieJames Dia said, "Life i more than partying your brains out."

Hermanos, a brotherhood of 6o Larin artist held a recording session in April to raise money for the hungry in Latin Ameri a and Africa.

In August, at the Arena of Verona in Italy, 22 >Dices presented Opera for Africa, coring nearly I million.

.H6 Int rtarnmtnt