THE man who masterminded two successful Christmas number one campaigns is going for the festive top spot once more.
Jon Morter, from South Woodham Ferrers, will resume his battle against the X Factor with a reworking of The Farm's 1990 song All Together Now.
"I had just got sick of seeing X Factor winning it every year and I knew a bit about Christmas songs, so I thought I can take them on," said the 40-year-old.
"It's a pantomime, so as long as people know it's almost scripted TV entertainment it's OK, but this year a lot of people are saying the quality is not up to scratch."
Jon was behind the social media campaign to get the 1992 Rage Against The Machine song Killing in the Name to number one, ahead of X Factor's Joe McElderry in 2009.
After this success, Jon, who had no previous experience working in the music industry, was then called upon by other music moguls, including Simon Cowell, to run their online marketing.
He has since got the Justice Collective's charity tribute to the victims of the Hillsborough stadium disaster in 1989, He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother, to the Christmas number one in 2012.
Jon has also worked with the Rolling Stones, and was behind their re-released album Exile in Main Street getting to the top of the charts in 2010.
He is locking horns with his nemesis Simon Cowell once again, as well as Bob Geldof with his new Ebola Band Aid single, with a song recorded by The Peace Collective.
The song marks 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War and is about the Christmas Day truce in 1914 between Britain and German soldiers, when football was played between the two in No Man's Land across various parts of the Western Front.
"It's going to be incredibly hard for us to win, but just like the Rage Against the Machine single, it's all about being determined and we have some amazing artists involved," said Jon.
Some of the singers and musicians who have joined the collective of an "alternative Band Aid" include Suggs from Madness, Eurovision crooner Engelbert Humperdinck, John Lennon's son Julian, Gorgon City, Clean Bandit, Mick Jones from the Clash, Sting, The Proclaimers, Leo Sayer, Suzi Quatro, David Gray, Gabrielle, Amelle Berrabah from The Sugababes, previous X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and Amy Winehouse's cousin, Dionne Broomfield, as well as the song's original performers, The Farm.
The track also features a backing choir of 60 schoolboy footballers from the Premier League and German Bundesliga.
The song was given its first public outing at the England Women v Germany Women game at Wembley on Sunday.
While Jon knows the X Factor and Band Aid brands are extremely successful, their popularity may be waning, he feels.
"I can't knock anyone trying to raise money, but Band Aid has suffered a bit of a backlash and many see it as a bit condescending these days," said Jon.
"The first Band Aid song was great and raised a lot of money, but it was of its time and the later ones have been terrible.
"A lot of people have raised the point that if some of the celebrities taking part donated the tax they'd avoided paying to the Government, it would help much more."
The single will be released on Monday, December 15, and money raised will go towards the British Red Cross and the Shorncliffe Trust, an education foundation that seeks to protect Britain's heritage.
Visit www.facebook.com/peaceforxmas or text GET PEACE to 84222 to support.
