Bob Geldof wants to release Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran’s solo versions of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas Time?’.
The artists taking part in Band Aid 30 – which is raising money for the Ebola crisis in West Africa – recorded vocals for the entire song, with their lines chosen at the end and the organiser was so stunned by some of the performances, he wants to release them as stand-along tracks.
He said: "There has to be individual versions of this. I was staggered by the voices.
"With Sam’s version, Ed’s version, you’re just going to go, ‘Wow’. They do it so different to what’s in my head."
And Bob also praised the "passion and rage" of Sinead O’Connor’s version of the track in an interview with Capital FM.
Earlier this week, Bob reacted angrily during a TV interview on Sky News when quizzed by newsreader Jayne Secker about the hypocrisy of certain musicians taking part in the single due to their history of tax avoidance, retorting, "I think you’re talking b******s".
The Boomtown Rats singer and the collection of singers on the single have now been defended by showbiz commentator Rick Sky, who insists it is a great thing that they chose to give up their time to help the fight against Ebola.
During an appearance on Jeremy Vine’s show on BBC Radio 2, the BANG Showbiz Managing Director said: "Yes there are loads of questions about tax, but we’re straying off the point. I’m sure these people are donating themselves and the fact these people are giving their time is important. If you work out how much Bono is worth, if he spends a day in the studio that’s worth a lot of money to him. I’m happy for Bono to give a million pounds to this cause and I wish he would. But we’re picking on a group of people and castigating them for doing good, if you keep on castigating people they won’t do good in the end. Millions and millions of people donating a pound each is maybe better than Bono donating a million pounds himself. Ultimately, Geldof has got up off his backside and has done something and hopefully we’re getting somewhere."
Bob Geldof wants solo Band Aid tracks
