Hear ‘N Aid - Stars

When Ronnie James Dio felt dissed by not getting invited to sing for “Do They Know it’s Christmas” and “We Are the World,” he organized his own all-star heavy metal charity fundraising song - “Stars”

For the January 2023 “ReCOWmendations” post, I picked the recent Showtime documentary about heavy metal icon and legend, Ronnie James Dio, Dio: Dreamers Never Die.

One ten-minute section of the film, a moment in time that I had completely forgotten about, featured the creation of Hear ‘N Aid, the heavy metal response to Band-Aid‘s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” put together by Bob Geldof and Ultravox vocalist Midge Ure in 1984, and USA for Africa’s “We Are the World,” organized by Quincy Jones and written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie in 1985.

Although “Stars” was released in 1986 and included vocalists and guitarists from many of the most popular metal bands of the day — KISS, Scorpions, Rush, Motorhead, Quiet Riot, Judas Priest, Motley Crue and many more, it didn’t make nearly the same impact on the larger world-saving public. Perhaps we’d developed charity fatigue. Maybe Dio didn’t grease the palms of the right rich folks who control such matters.

Whatever it was, none of it took away from the intention of generosity and awareness that Hear ‘N Aid was all about.

The back of the record sleeve of “Stars” says the following:

“On May 20 and 21, 1985, 40 artists from the hard rock music community gathered at A&M Records Studios to participate in the making of a record called "Stars", as part of a very special project known as Hear 'N Aid. The "Stars" single, coupled with the album, a video documentary on the making of the record, and other ancillary products will raise money for famine relief efforts in Africa and around the world. 40 artists and hundreds of volunteers donated their time and talent over four months to make Hear 'N Aid a reality. "Stars" is a plea for unity in the fight against world hunger."

Because of contractual issues with some of the artists, the song wasn’t released until a year later, in 1986. It is estimated that “Stars” and the larger Hear ‘N Aid project raised more than 3 million dollars according to Wendy Dio, Ronnie James Dio’s wife (and widow; RJD passed away in 2010 from stomach cancer).

I imagine that a shorter, edited version of the song is the one that was sold most widely around the world, but, as you will see in the video below, the original is more than 10 minutes long. Six minutes of which is filled with a mammoth tag-team guitar solo.

I find this so badass, and I am not the biggest fan of the extended guitar solo. But if you are going to do an extended guitar solo, might as well really extend it. Might as well include 12 of the greatest metal axe-men in the rock world.

Yes, I unfortunately said axe-men.

If there is a blight on this project — and it’s a big blight — it is the exclusion of hard rock female vocalists and guitarists. No Joan Jett, no Lita Ford, no Suzi Quatro. No Pat Benatar. The metal world was quite the boys club, especially in the 1980s, but it seems extra exclusive from the view from 2023.

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To learn more about many of the unsung women in rock and roll (and other genres), check out my friend and fellow Substack writer Charles’ posts on this very topic. Here’s one of my favorite essays from Zapato’s Jam: Music Without Borders.

Joan Jett: Queen of Rock and Roll

“Stars” is more than a collection of whammy bars and speedy fret-work though. The lyrics have to stand out too. Dio was never going to get a Pulitzer Prize for his poetic wordplay a la Bob Dylan, but for a dude most known for writing about demons and dragons and holy divers, Dio dug deep into his generous heart here. Of course, songs like this are loaded with cliches, and “Stars” is no exception.

Here’s a lyrical sample, along with who sings each line. Be sure to keep a tissue nearby.

Eric Bloom (Blue Oyster Cult):
We can be strong
We are fire and stone

Paul Shortino (Quiet Riot, Rough Cutt):
And we all want to touch a rainbow

Geoff Tate (Queensryche):
But singers and songs
Will never change it alone
We are calling you, calling you

Don Dokken (Dokken):
We're the beating of a heart
The beginning we're the start

Paul Shortino:
Forever we will shine
Yeah

Chorus (vocal leads: Paul Shortino, Don Dokken, Ronnie James Dio, Geoff Tate):
We're stars
We're stars

I joke about the tissue, but hey, I don‘t claim to know what makes each of you tear up. I did tear up watching this video, though it had nothing to do with the lyrics. It was seeing this snapshot of time, the very short period during the mid-80s when hard rock and hair metal took over the airwaves and MTV. Before grunge would come and wipe that all away.

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I had moved on from the world of heavy metal by then and was immersed in the punk rock and new wave scenes, but memory and nostalgia have a way of blurring our histories, of layering them atop one another. Music is music is music and all of it has the power to dig into the hearts of audiences, regardless of genre, regardless of size, regardless of amount of aqua net hairspray the artists’ use.

When “Stars” was released in 1986, I likely mocked the corniness of the song, as that was what I thought I had to do in order to fully embrace my new punk rock self and attitude. I didn’t have the wisdom or confidence or perspective to realize I could love all of it.

I didn’t want to be seen as a poseur. Though I definitely was just that.

But isn’t that what being young is all about?

Posing is trying on different clothes, different personas, different scenes as a way to figure out who we are. As a way to express our many selves. Eventually we come to a place where we can wear anything and still be true to our hearts. For me today, that is sweat pants and threadbare t-shirts. And sandals with black socks.

At our core we are all stars. And we all want to touch a rainbow.

Thanks for reading!

Do you remember this song, “Stars”? Do you have a favorite song that was written as a way to fundraise for a cause?

I didn’t mention this above, but I loved that Michael McKean, aka David St. Hubbins from Spinal Tap, was invited to perform for “Stars.”

Steve