Bob Geldof - Geldof Attacks Albarn's Live 8 Criticism

LATEST: Campaigning rocker SIR BOB GELDOF has lambasted BLUR frontman DAMON ALBARN for complaining next month's (JUL05) LIVE 8 charity concerts are predominantly made up of white artists raising awareness to combat African poverty.

Albarn is incensed that so few black artists are appearing at the London leg of Geldof's historic event, and insists their omission is "the greatest oversight".

SNOOP DOGG, MS DYNAMITE and YOUSSOU N'DOUR are currently the only black stars confirmed to perform in London on 2 July.

But former BOOMTOWN RAT, Geldof insists skin colour is irrelevant to the line-up, and that the only factor they took into consideration was the popularity of the artists involved.

Geldof says, "Simply because you have black skin, or orange skin, or white skin, or lime green skin does not give you a passport on to the Live 8 stage, it just can't.

"The only thing that can do that is whether you sell records across the globe, and therefore the globe will watch."

Albarn famously made tea for Geldof and a galaxy of other stars during last year's (04) recording of supergroup BAND AID 20's DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? charity single.