Nerves, regrets and egos...backstage tales of Live Aid

On July 13, 1985, some of the planet's greatest musicians banded together for one of the most memorable gigs the world would ever witness.

- BY SANJEETA BAINS

Put together by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, Live Aid was broadcast to 1.9 billion people and raised more than €132million for the famine-stricken people of Ethiopia.

Such were the nerves backstage, none of the artists seemed keen to kick things off at Wembley.

That was until model pros Status Quo stepped into the breach, having viewers Rockin' All Over the World.

Frontman Francis Rossi, 76, says:

"Nobody wanted to go on first. There were lots of egos. I remember asking our manager if anybody had decided yet.

"I said we would gladly go on first, because everybody was arguing.

"We thought we would be out of there in 15 minutes and home, and didn't think the whole thing would be anywhere near as important as it became."

That importance was not lost on Dee C Lee of The Style Council, who were next up.

Fans assumed she was wearing shades because of the sun.

In fact, she was so nervous that she had vomited just before the band, led by her future husband Paul Weller, took to the big stage.

Dee, 64, says:

"Travelling to Wembley felt pretty much like travelling to perform at any festival.

"But once we got there, it all got very real very quick.

"Before we went on, the nerves had properly kicked in, to the point I had thrown up just before walking out on to the stage. This explains why I had to perform in dark glasses, as my eye makeup had run. Not my normal practice!"

Speaking on BBC Sounds' Live Aid: Fans' Story, Dee is celebrating that magical day's 40th anniversary.

She also sang on the Band Aid single, Do They Know It's Christmas?, which raised around €9m for the famine and was the precursor to the show.

Dee, who went on to have two children, Nathaniel and Leah, with Paul before their 1998 split, says: