War Child has shared a reissue of the landmark 1995 charity album ‘Help’, and those who contributed to the record have opened up about the legacy it left behind.
Watch the video celebrating the re-release above.
First released three decades ago, the ‘Hurt’ charity compilation album was made to support War Child and recorded across a single day in September 1995. It was mastered by Brian Eno, featured artwork from John Squire, and was released a week later to help raise awareness and donations for the children affected by the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
With contributions from iconic names in the British music scene, including Radiohead, Orbital, Portishead, Massive Attack, Suede, Sinéad O’Connor, The Boo Radleys and more, the album also became deeply tied to the Britpop hype of the mid-‘90s.
Not only did it see Manic Street Preachers‘ return to the studio following the disappearance of their former lyricist and guitarist, Richey Edwards, but it also had Oasis and Blur appear on the same record for the first and last time as they were knee-deep in their infamous chart battle.
Other memorable moments of the album included The Charlatans and The Chemical Brothers teaming up on ‘Time For Living’, and Paul McCartney, Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher and more sharing a rendition of The Beatles‘ ‘Come Together’ under the name The Smokin’ Mojo Filters.
War Child announce 30th anniversary reissue of ‘Help’. Credit: Press
Last month, War Child confirmed that the album was going to be reissued as a limited, numbered 7” boxed set for its 30th anniversary. Today (Friday October 31), some of those involved have spoken out about the legacy the album generated, and the importance of the efforts made by the charity.
Speaking about how ‘Help’ went to symbolise something bigger than itself, Ben Knowles, Former War Child Director of Music, said: “It captured British music at an incredible moment, and a moment which I think is beyond how Britpop is perceived now, 25 years later.
“It wasn’t just Oasis and Blur and Suede, it was Portishead [and] Massive Attack… it was this incredible, diverse collection of British music that was captured on the record,” he added, also highlighting how the album saw iconic moments like The Stone Roses recording “a track in 24hrs when they had taken five or six years to get into the studio to record an album”, and arrived at the “cusp” of Radiohead becoming a household name.
Sice of The Boo Radleys also shared how the record was one of the most memorable charity efforts of the ‘90s, and that the work done by War Child is needed now more than ever.
“We’re now 30 years on from the heart of the 1990s, and amongst the nostalgia for all things Britpop, it should be remembered that the most important thing to have come out of that period was the War Child album ‘Help’,” Sice said.
“At the time, the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina was at the forefront of our minds. Now, nearly one in five children worldwide live in areas affected by conflicts. That’s a rise from 10 per cent in the 1990s to almost 19 per cent today.”
War Child announce 30th anniversary reissue of ‘Help’. Credit: Press
Stereo MC’s Rob Birch shared a similar sentiment, adding: “It’s with a sense of sadness and urgency that War Child is more relevant today than it was 30 years ago. Acknowledging the fact that the number of children affected by war and conflict has almost doubled in this time.
“If your heart is broken by the stream of images of child amputations, starvation, and hostility, and our government’s indifference and complicity, please support this cause, invest and donate,” he added. He also explained how the record brought together “artists rich in diversity and integrity, as well as popularity” for a “compilation rarely seen before”.
The 2025 reissue of ‘Help’ for the 30th anniversary is out now and available to buy here.
The reissue consists of 10 x 7” LPs, each of which contains two iconic tracks from the original 1995 charity album. Orders that are made directly through the War Child store will include a special postcard captured from the 1995 album recording session.
Also included are three exclusive postcards featuring never-before-seen images shot by Lawrence Watson at the recording sessions at Abbey Road 30 years ago.
Find the tracklist below.
War Child announce 30th anniversary reissue of ‘Help’. Credit: Press
The tracklist for War Child’s ‘Help’ 30th Anniversary Reissue is:
LP1
Side A. Oasis and Friends – ‘Fade Away’
Side B. The Boo Radleys – ‘Oh Brother’
LP2
Side A. The Stone Roses – ‘Love Spreads’
Side B. Radiohead – ‘Lucky’
LP3
Side A. Orbital – ‘Adnan’
Side B. Portishead – ‘Mourning Air’
LP4
Side A. Massive Attack – ‘Fake the Aroma’
Side B. Suede – ‘Shipbuilding’
LP5
Side A. The Charlatans vs. The Chemical Brothers – ‘Time For Livin”
Side B. Stereo MCs – ‘Sweetest Truth (Show No Fear)’
LP6
Side A. Sinéad O’Connor – ‘Ode to Billie Joe’
Side B. The Levellers – ‘Searchlights’
LP7
Side A. Manic Street Preachers – ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’
Side B. Terrorvision – ‘Tom Petty Loves Veruca Salt’
LP8
Side A. The One World Orchestra featuring The Massed Pipes and Drums of the Children’s Free Revolutionary Volunteer Guards (aka The KLF) – ‘The Magnificent’
Side B. Planet 4 Folk Quartet – ‘Message to Crommie’
LP9
Side A. Terry Hall and Salad – ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’
Side B. Neneh Cherry and Trout – ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5’
LP10
Side A. Blur – ‘Eine Kleine Lift Musik’
Side B. The Smokin’ Mojo Filters – ‘Come Together’
The 1995 edition of the album helped raise over £1.25million for charity to help children affected by the Bosnian conflict, and was reissued in 2020 to celebrate the 25th anniversary.
English (US) · 