It’s more than 30 years since that day. The day that changed my life, the day it really all started – when I had just 100 days to organise the biggest mass participation event the world has ever seen.

What followed were years of blood, sweat and tears, exultation, happiness, triumph, depression and then despair, when it all came crashing down to earth.

The best days of my life, the worst days of my life.

So, why write about it at all?

I’ve thought about writing this book a million times and a million times I’ve found a reason not to.

At first, I screamed in frustration and anger at the nonsense of all that had happened. I so wanted to say something, but just couldn’t.

You can’t tell the truth.

Then, Live 8 came. Bob back up where he belonged, leading another line-up of bands on a global stage. Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on July 2, 2005. They were timed to precede the G8 conference and summit held at Gleneagles. It also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid. It was designed to lobby policymakers at the G8.

Four days later, the IOC announced London had won the 2012 Olympic games. One day after that, the London bombings occurred.

Live 8 seemed forgotten.

I couldn’t help but think back to my time and wonder what might have been.

Why now when you had this opportunity all those years ago?

It pissed me off.

Almost everyone remembers Band Aid.

Many remember Live Aid.

Few remember Sport Aid and Run the World.

Does that bother me?

You bet the f**k it does.

It bothers me that so few remember just how much a handful of young people helped change the world back then.

It bothers me that 30 years on, an entire generation has no living memory of it and yet exists in an increasingly divisive world that should seek change now, more than ever.

Populations grow, wars and hostility rage, refugees are constantly displaced and religion continues to divide us. Stubborn disbelievers ignore the reality of climate change, melting glaciers and warming oceans.

We live in dangerous times, or so it feels.

Not just a feeling.

My children . . . your children . . . our grandchildren . . . face unprecedented global crises within their lifetimes as humanity continues to live on the edge.

Finding a remedy is a matter of survival and that solution lies with all of us, not just our elected representatives – the policymakers of our world.

We can and must, change the world in which we live.

That’s why I decided to write this book.

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