I guess this "Queen" appearence in this 46664 campaign is a good way for washisng old debts after the controversy and the condemn by the international community for the concerts in Sun City. They also were black-listed by the United Nations and Live Aid didn't change it.
I congratulate Mandela for his efforts in the past, and for letting Roger and Brian play in his concert. Maybe he could have said: "You played in South Africa with the Apartheid and you didn't care, so you are out now". But he didn't, and that demonstrates that he's a really great man.
But one thing is going round in my mind. Queen always defined themselves as a "non-political group". And now what? Stoping AIDS is not a political statement?
I think you've got it all wrong. Queen played Sun City while there was apartheid in SA - and had a multiracial audience I might add - because they wanted to show that music was above the politics that were going on at the time. This, seems to me, is just exactly the sort of thing Mandela would want to support...?
And you can't elect AIDS. It is only a political issue insofar as government leaders need to be onboard if it is ever to be stopped.
AIDS is first and foremost a health issue. Matters of life-and-death should always trump politics. And why is it that Brian and Roger have to be strictly held to statements they made 10, 15 or 20 years ago, as if people are never allowed to change their minds? Particularly as applies to the AIDS issue - they may not have seen themselves as a political band 20 years ago, but insofar as AIDS is concerned, something rather big happened to them in the intervening 20 years - Freddie died. That might cause someone to re-examine their point of view, and justifiably so.
While the other members of Queen made it seem like they were a non-political group and they didn't support apartheid, Freddie kinda fucked it up when he said...
"There's tons of money to make there".
"I think you've got it all wrong. Queen played Sun City while there was apartheid in SA - and had a multiracial audience I might add - because they wanted to show that music was above the politics that were going on at the time. This, seems to me, is just exactly the sort of thing Mandela would want to support...?"
Talk about being in a state of denial! lol!
Anyway, I wonder if there is a connection between Paul Simon's absence and the political criticism he faced for his Graceland album?