Radiohead turn down Bob Geldof's Live 8

Radiohead have turned down Bob Geldof's request to play Live 8, the concerts he is staging in several cities on 2 July. Murray Chalmers, the band's spokesman, told BBC News today that they were asked but cannot do it. Jonny is out of action because he and his wife have just had a baby and the rest of the band are spread out all over the place at that time.² He did not know, he added, whether the band endorse Live 8 and its aims.

The London show is in Hyde Park, with U2, Coldplay, REM, Madonna, Elton John and Paul McCartney on the bill. Thom Yorke has campaigned for trade justice, one of Live 8's causes, and he and Jonny both appeared on the Band Aid 20 single last winter.

Bono, talking to Jo Whiley for BBC Radio 1 before a U2 show in Belgium, in an interview broadcast on 13 June, said he respected the decision and that people could do whatever they wanted. They are that great, they're that special to me. If they don't want to do this, then fair play to them.³ He would still love to see them play, and told Yorke so on air. Thom if you heard this, I've a little missile on the way.³