Queen’s Roger Taylor is defending the Band Aid charity after it received criticism for its decision to release a 40th anniversary remix of the charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”
The original “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” was spearheaded by Bob Geldof and released in 1984, featuring a collection of U.K. stars that included U2‘s Bono, Sting, Phil Collins, Duran Duran and Paul Young. The song was later revived in 1989, 2004 and 2014, each time with artists who were popular at that moment.
The remix mashes together vocals from the different versions of the song over the years. But when it was announced, Ed Sheeran, who appeared on the 2014 version, wrote on Instagram that if he had known about the remix, he would have denied Geldof permission to use his vocals. He cited an Instagram Story by Ghanian-English musician Fuse ODG, in which Fuse wrote that such all-star charity projects “perpetuate damaging stereotypes.”
Taylor has now taken to social media to share how he feels about being on the single, and he can’t understand the criticism.
“Proud to be a part of this. It’s probably one of the greatest moments in rock ’n’ roll history actually having an effect on the world!” he shared on Instagram next to the Band Aid 40 logo. “How anyone can criticise such a magnificent and charitable project, which continues to save so many lives from famine is beyond comprehension. They need their heads examined and their values readjusted. #bandaid40.”
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