I want to perform in India again: Geldof

Oct 12, 2007, 15:34 GMT

New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) Legendary singer Bob Geldof loves visiting and performing in India and is sure that with the rising popularity of the Indian music and films will probably see an Indian artiste organise something similar to Live Aid and Live 8 concerts for humanitarian causes.

'Bollywood is so big and is simply getting bigger by the day. For instance, in Nigeria people don't know Hindi but they love Hindi film music. The thing here is that the lingua franca of the world is not language but music,' Geldof said Friday on the sidelines of Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in the capital.

'That's why I believe that someday an Indian artiste will organize a concert like Live Aid or Live 8 for a humanitarian cause.'

The lead singer of the hugely popular band Boomtown Rats, a rock group closely associated with the punk movement in the 1970s, Geldof had organized two concerts, Live Aid in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005, where he brought together the best in the music world to raise money for humanitarian causes in African nations.

Live Aid raised more than 100 million dollars for famine relief in Africa.

Geldof, who has worked with artistes like Madonna, U2 and Pink Floyd, believes that the 'artistes don't have to care about such causes at all'.

'It doesn't really mater if artistes don't care about such burning social issues or causes. All that I care about is to get access to their huge fan following and get across my message.'

'Pink Floyd has been separated for the last 25 years. They simply can't stand each other. But for the Live 8 concert, I got all the guys together. By that one persuasion, I got access to 90 percent of America.'

Geldof scoffs at the suggestion that these artistes come together to gain popularity.

'Do you think Madonna wants more popularity? Or U2? Or Pink Floyd? These guys are already huge. Simply by a little persuasion, they are ready to come forward and perform. They get no money, and are not on the lookout for more popularity,' he said.

Geldof and his band had come to India in 1978 and had performed in Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai.

'I remember someone telling us that India didn't have a big rock following but we were amazed at the huge response we got.'

'What I most miss today is not being able to sing, perform and play music. I would love to come to India and play here,' he said.

© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service