The stars have come together as a part of charity supergroup Band Aid, which was founded in 1984 by Geldof, 63, and Midge Ure to raise money for anti-poverty efforts in Ethiopia by releasing the song 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'.
The artistes have recorded a new version of the same song under the name 'Band Aid 30'. It will be released on Monday, reported Guardian.
The chancellor, George Osborne, confirmed on Saturday that he had agreed to waive VAT on the single. "Just spoke to the remarkable Bob Geldof. Told him we'll waive VAT on BandAid30 so every penny goes to fight Ebola," he tweeted.
"It very much reminds me of 30 years ago. Everyone is bleary - pop singers, as George Osborne said, they are not very good in the morning, are they? - (but) it is cool. People are excited and that excitement builds. They are glad to be here.
"The record, it's a song, it's a track, but it's an event, and the next stage now is to turn this into a phenomenon like it was in the '80s, and the only way to do that is to get people to buy the thing," Geldof said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
