Bob Geldof's Live Earth rant

May 14, 2007, 11:20 GMT

Sir Bob Geldof EPA/SOEREN STACHE

Sir Bob Geldof has slammed global warming awareness concert Live Earth.

The musician ' the organiser of the Live Aid and Live 8 concerts which raised money and aid for the Third World - is furious he has been linked with the eco-friendly event, and has branded it a waste of time.

Geldof raged to Holland's De Volkskrant newpaper: "It sounds like Live 8. I'm getting lots of responses from people who think I am organising it.

"I would only organise Live Earth if I could go on stage and announce concrete environmental measures from the American presidential candidates, Congress or major corporations.

"They haven't got those guarantees, so it's just an enormous pop concert or the umpteenth time that, say, Madonna or Coldplay get up on stage.

"I hope they're a success. But why is Gore actually organising them? To make us aware of the greenhouse effect? Everybody's known about that problem for years. We are all f***ing conscious of global warming."

Former US Vice-President Al Gore said Live Earth would mark the beginning of a long campaign to fight global warming and insisted the concerts were a good way to launch the project because "the task of saving the global environment is a task we should all approach with a sense of joy".

The headliners of the London Live Earth show at Wembley stadium are expected to be Madonna, the Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Keane and Foo Fighters.

At the US concert, to be held at Giants Stadium outside New York, Bon Jovi, the Dave Matthews Band, Kanye West, Rihanna, John Mayer, the Smashing Pumpkins and Fall Out Boy are all expected to perform.

The concerts will be broadcast in the US by the NBC network and on more than 120 networks around the world. It will also be streamed live online.

(C) BANG Media International