Say Anything Blog

Hmm...

SIR Bob Geldof will today announce the glittering line-up for music spectacular Live 8 - but the Spice Girls will not be in it.

The decision by concert bosses to axe them from the concert will be a bitter blow to the five stars who had hoped to re-form and play together for the first time since they split in 1998.

Geri Halliwell, 32, Victoria Beckham, 31, Melanie C, 31, Melanie B, 29, and 29-year-old Emma Bunton.

A source said: "The girls will be gutted by the decision."

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But Live 8 organisers were adamant their style of music did not fit in with the serious political message about world poverty the transatlantic event hopes to portray.

A BBC spokesman said: "Many of the biggest rock stars in the world have agreed to take part, and the Spice Girls just don't fit.

"It's a political rally to put pressure on world leaders and their kind of pop act didn't seem right for this kind of event. There was also a practical problem that with so many great international rock stars and bands wanting to do their bit, there just won't be time for the Spice Girls.

The Spice Girls don't fit in with the "serious tone" of these concerts, but Outkast, Eminem, Linkin Park and Mary J. Blige do?

I wonder if there is something else going on here that we don't know about. Geri Halliwell is, I believe, right-leaning in her politics. She once said that Margaret Thatcher was "the original Spice Girl." Could Sir Bob be excluding entertainers he disagrees with politically?

Or maybe Sir Bob just thinks the Spice Girls suck. If that's the case, I'd be inclined to believe him. But the Spice Girls have sold one hell of a lot of records, and their reunion on stage would undoubtedly attract a lot of attention to the Live Aid concerts. Isn't that what Geldoff wants? Lots of attention and thus lots of money flowing in for charity?

This is just speculation on my part, but I'm at a loss for a better explanation.