David Bailey's Live Aid Photographs to Auction
George Michael on his own (signed)
Images captured by photographer David Bailey at Live Aid in 1985 go under the hammer at Sworders later this month. The 13 images, signed by the artists themselves, were chosen at the time for a benefit auction.
Bailey was backstage at Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1985, when the benefit concert, brainchild of Bob Geldof, was organised at breakneck speed to raise funds for the relief of famine in Ethiopia. The event was held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia with a television broadcast watched across 150 nations by an estimated 40% of the global population. Backstage, the cream of British rock and pop music from Paul McCartney to Bono, hung out together.
Highlights in the sale depict:
- The Who (signed on reverse by Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Kenny Jones, estimate: £1,000 - £1,500)
- George Michel and Elton John (signed by both, estimate: £2,000 - £3,000)
- Bob Geldof and Paula Yates (signed by both, estimate: £1,000 - £1,500)
- George Michael on his own (signed, estimate: £4,000 - £5,000)
- the four members of Queen (signed on reverse by Freddie Mercury, Brian May Roger Taylor and John Deacon, estimate: £2,000 - £3,000)
- U2 (signed on the front by Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. (estimate: £800 - £1,200)
Printed in editions of just three each, they were sold at auction later in the year as part of a charity event at Sotheby's.
The large-scale photographs are to be offered in the Out of The Ordinary auction at Sworders Fine Art in Stansted Mountfitchet on July 30.
“For people of my generation, Live Aid was unforgettable," said sale curator, Mark Wilkinson, "the most impressive live concert they had ever experienced. These striking black and white images, taken by David Bailey, give great insight to life behind the scenes."
