From live-aid.info
The list of those who refused or were asked but did not have the chance to play
ABBA
AC/DC
Bananarama : We hadn’t done any touring, so we didn’t have a band. We weren’t invited to do it.
Big Country : Everybody was sure they had disbanded and nobody cared to check this. They appeared at the finale in London and are interviewed on the BBC
Culture Club : their manager didn't answer before the dead line.
Def Leppard : not because they didn't want to. With Rick's horrific accident and the uncertain future of the next album taking priority, manager Peter Mensch politely told Live-Aid organizer Bob Geldolf, no.
Depeche Mode
Eurythmics : were to play at Wembley but Annie Lenox suffered serious throat problems and cancelled
Foreigner : they wanted to play but Bill Graham refused because there was no free place on the bill for them
Frankie goes to Hollywood : (from Holly Johnson 2001) "We were invited and I wanted to do it but all of the other members of the group and so called manager didn't want to do it. This was the biggest management mystake of Frankie's carrer".
George Harrison & Ringo Starr : didn't want to be forced in a Beatles reunion
Huey Lewis and the News : visit this page for more details link
Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder : They even tried to organise a boycott of the event. (Also from Joan Baez memory)
Waylon Jennings
Billy Joel
The Kinks : In fact they tried to play at Live Aid, but were refused because "organisers only wanted famous acts" ... Funny because the Kinks are quite famous, but maybe not so much at the time.
Kris Kristofferson
Cindy Lauper : She was invited (she was to do a duet with patty LaBelle) but refused. We don't have the exact resaon of her refusal. In her memory book, Joan Baez writes about "a mysterious abdominal surgery that she never discusses." She also declined to sing on the Us Finale.
Julian Lennon (is annonced on ABC tv as playing with Sting and Phil Collins in Wembley ABC) : Would have been afraid to be forced to appear in a Beatles reunion.
Marillion : The band was asked to perform for the Band Aid single and refused (they had a concert). When Live Aid was planned, the band offered their services to the Wembley show, but the primary concern of the organisers was to get the guys who were actually singing on the record. Visit [ link ] for the complete interview transcription.
John Mellencamp : "turns down the offer to play in Live Aid stating concerts that just raise money aren’t a good idea". End of quote. Ironically he would form Farm Aid in September 1985 ;-)
Peter , Paul & Mary : they wanted to play and the organization invited them to join Bob Dylan in the finale, playing together Blowin' in the wind. Remember that Peter, Paul & Mary played the song in the sixties and made it a success. A few days before the show, Dylan tell the organizers that would be Wood & Richards his companions on stage. Mary dragged down. But Peter, Paul & Mary appeared in the US Finale, singing "We are the world".
The Pointer Sisters : they were on tour
Prince : Didn't played live but sent the "That's Just for the Tears in Your Eyes" video
Diana Ross : She was on tour
Paul Simon
Bruce Springsteen : As explained in Bob Gedlof's biography Bruce Springsteen was just out of a big tour and maried some days before. He then admited that he regretted not having bumped in at the last minute and said the rotative stage of Wembley was his price for being absent. Also to be noted that the final date was decided to coïncide with one of his free days.
Rod Stewart : wasn't able to get a band on time. (He is pictured in the US program)
Donna Summer : she was recording in the studio
Tears For Fears : lost two members of their backing band two days before the concert. (The band
I decided to do some search on this.
On some website (though it doesn't look quite reliable), they say that the reason why Michael Jackson decided to boycott Live Aid was because they didn't feature enough black artists.
But now, why would he wanted a boycott when he allowed on of his songs ('State Of Shock') to be performed by Tina Turner and Mick Jagger.
