I suppose if I had to go to a Geldof concert, which I finally did tonight after some half hearted attempts in the distant past, then the least that could happen would be three Rats on stage.
Fortunately, the day before I had nabbed a couple of front row seats right in the middle of the stage. My only fear was it may be a little too close for comfort. Cadogan Hall is possibly the most pristine venue I have ever watched a rock 'n' roll show at, only seeing Pulp at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane back in 1994 came close. In my combat trousers, trainer and sweatshirt I feel very underdressed as all the staff were immaculately turned out and incredibly polite, a million miles away from the rude obnoxious security staff you often encounter at gigs. Even the bouncer who threw one enthusiatic fan off stage was very polite about it!
For the most part, the concert was a lot of Geldof solo material. The best live songs were not just the Rats songs, but some of the songs off the last couple of solo albums which was a bit of a surprise for me.
Of the Sex Age & Death songs, Mudslide and One for Me sounded far better live and the awesome Scream in Vain more than lived up to expectations. Scream in Vain had such a long rambling introduction that I was able to get to a distant bar and bring back a couple of beers as they started to play it.
Other highlights were the superb Systematic Six Pack and a top notch Here's To You dedicated to his mates in the audience. The Great Song of Indifference bookended the gig to great effect. I have to confess that
sat in my comfy front and centre seat with a couple of beers, the remainder of the solo material washed over me, leaving me distracted enough to look around and see the venue was more or less sold out.
Now I was mainly there for the older material which took a little while to come. I had never heard When The Night Comes live and understandably it did differ from the studio version, particularly the guitar solo. Johnny Turnbull's electric and Vince Loveday's mandolin (well I think it was a mandolin) made the song sound different, and it's fair to say that Geldof didn't quite hold the melody as well as he could. However it was good to hear this song aired again. Banana Republic had a long rambling introduction referring to when the Rats played Leixlip and Geldof's damning of the Irish establishment. This was a really great rendition to the point when the indulgent play off took things down a little. Next up was I Don't Like Mondays which sounded like it had passed its sell by date. When people are laughing at the pause when the lesson today is how to die, you sense no one really needs to hear it again.
But the highlight of the evening was close at hand. Suddenly Gerry Cott appeared on stage. No one saw him walk on, he simply materialised. Even Geldof seemed unaware he was stood right behind him as he was introducing him. They did Mary of The Fourth Form followed by Joey's On The Street Again and then Rat Trap. This was fifteen to twenty minutes of pure magic, which brought the audience to its collective feet and was worth the price of the admission on its own. Pete Briquette, who cooly ambled around the stage all evening, looked delighted to have his old friend back on stage with him, and the bon homie with Geldof suggested that past differences have been forgotten.
Had Geldof and co left it at that, no one could have complained, but they came out for a couple of encores. They started the encore with the bland Silly Pretty Thing, but great rendidtions of Diamond Smiles, Here's To You and finally The Great Song of Indifference when the whole band came to the front of the stage rounded off the evening superbly.
When all is said and done it was a good show and I'm really glad I went despite certain reservations on seeing Geldof solo. For Geldof, with the audience approaching the capacity of 900, this more or less fulfilled his ambition of playing a 2,000 seat venue and been able to walk home and sleep in his own bed.
Geldof should consider getting people standing up to watch him play in a more intimate venue like The 100 Club. Oh and of course, he should get Garrick and Simon to tag along next time and play a few more Rats songs. Flying Fingers over from Japan may be too much to expect.
Mike Odlum, an old school friend of Roberts and Crowe has joined the new Rats lineup as vocalist and bassist. At this juncture, it is not clear if this is a permanent change to the line-up.
Friday 2nd September 2011 The Varsity music venue, Stafford Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LZ.
If you would like to purchase advance tickets for £7 then please send an email to tickets@boomtownrats.co.uk
This is like the gig from heaven. It's the Rats, it's cheap, and there's fcuking loads of beer! Get in there! Also it is a easy trip on the train for me. Even my son (showing my age!) fancies it, so we might just camp for the night!
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!!!!!!!
Brentwood Centre, Doddinghurst Road, Brentwood,Essex CM15 9NN
Fri 8th July
DOORS OPEN 1600 HRS
DJ'S WILL BE PLAYING FROM 1800HRS.
1900 - 1945
2000 - 2045 SQUABBLER
2100 - 2145 DOUBLE TROUBLE
2200 - 2330 BOOMTOWN RATS - The Rats will be here performing all of their hits from Rat Trap - Diamond Smiles to the haunting I don't like Mondays.
I have been informed this (along with the York date) have been postponed,and is showing as cancelled on the Factory ticket sales site .
No reasons have been given for the cancellation/postponement though it seems a bit premature to have been the result of poor ticket sales which have led to a number of Rats and Geldof concerts to be cancelled in recent years.
Best check with the venue if you have bought tickets and require a refund.
The Rats will be playing FAC251. In homage to the Happy Mondays they won't be playing I Don't Like Mondays! (as if)
Also playing a gig in York the following evening.
March
Friday 11th March FAC251 (The Factory) 112-118 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7EN
Saturday 12th March Fibbers, 8-10 Stonebow House York, YO1 7NP.
Garrick Roberts is the new Jack Black! For those about to rock, we salute you!
Garrick demonstrated his unique style of electric guitar playing to over 300 puils at a workshop at a Solihull school. Garrick gave a talk on the history of the blues and spoke about being a member of the Rats, before treating his audience to hits like 'Rat Trap' and 'I Don't Like Mondays'.
Garry said: “I have been fascinated by the electric guitar since I was 12 years old and I believe it to be one of the most beautiful, versatile and expressive instruments.
“I am keen to show the exciting potential of the guitar to young people who are about the age I was when I began playing, as this is the time when they are ready to begin exploring and developing their own creative potential.”
The gob is back and in full flow. Three press interviews of note that all have something in them that is worth reading even if it's just the outrageous quotes, particularly in the Quietus.
My favourites ...
"Stop talking about The Boomtown Rats because guess what? It was 30 years ago."
What? Never! I suppose it was all a bit half-arsed from 1981, so I'll give him that. But then he goes on and talks about The Rats outselling The Clash and The Jam, before discussing Red Wedge, Dr. Feelgood, The Ramones, Bob Marley and Dylan...
Bit rich from someone who sings I Don't Like Mondays at the drop of a hat to not want to discuss stuff from 30 years ago.
I suppose I better stop writing here. Sigh - what will I do?
"The sum of my ambition is to play a 2000 seat venue in London. If I could do that and sell it out, I'd like that but that's not possible and I know that."
Well no one is stopping him playing a smaller venue, are they?
And maybe if he plays well people might recommend him to their friends next time and he might get a progressively bigger audience.
I suspect that's the way it went with the Boomtown Rats, though best not talk about them - sore point.
"Creatively, Britain is the only place to be in the world."
Ah yes.
There are no artists anywhere else
nor theatre
nor film
nor software companies
nor television drama
nor televison comedy
nor authors
nor music.
I mean, look at what Britain is doing creatively these days it's the home of the X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, Harry Potter and a whole host of wannabes.
Oh bollocks! Get me out of here!
This is one of those things where Geldof may or may not play, who knows he might want to give an audience a taster of his new album. Anyway, should you be in London and willing to hang around from 7.30pm you can see what happens for free.
Electro-punk maverick Quilla Constance will perform at You Bloom Music Awards presented by Sir Bob Geldof and A&R genius, Nigel Grainge.
Other acts performing:
Neev Kennedy, Marina V Her and The Colours Intermission Renny C Joseph Dean Osgood The Guilty Ones
The Cobden Members Club, London Thursday 10th February 2011 from 7:00pm
Price: £7.00 on the door with flyer / £5.00 before 8:30pm / Free before 7:30pm For tickets or further information, please call the box office on 020 8960 4222
Geldof's fifth effort to match the glory days of the Rats. The working title was 58½, his age - though he's now 59¼. Apparently he changed the album title after finding this book by Leslie Shepperd on the top of a piano.
Bar the throwaway single, Silly Pretty Thing, which is the only truly awful track on the album, it is something of a minor triumph. All in all the best Geldof solo album, but not a patch on anything by the Rats.
The highlights are Blowfish with its heavily distorted blues which evokes the spirit of Jimi Hendrix; Systematic Six Pack, which sounds like it should be on the soundtrack of a Tarantino western, the video with Rhys Ifans is a nod and a wink towards it. Here's to You is the most pleasant and pleasing song Geldof has ever written, even if it borrows very heavily from The Beatles. Rounding things off is a hidden track, Young & Sober, that is a throwback to DUN LAOGHARIE and The Great Song of Indifference chronologising the life of Geldof over the last fifty odd years.
Available at all good (and probably bad ones as well) record stores, download sites, and of course Spotify and We7 if you want to have a listen for free.
Track Listing
1. How I Roll
2. BlowFish
3. Just Get On
3. She's A Lover
4. To Live In Love
5. Silly Pretty Thing
6. Systematic 6-Pack (58½)
7. Dazzled By You
8. Mary says
9. Blow
10. Here's To You (Hidden track: Young & Sober)
12. The Fields Of Spring
13. Too Late She Cried
14. Baby's Going Down
According to Geldof, thirty one songs were recorded, so there are another twenty that could be released. The album will be released on 15th March 2011 in the USA and launched at SXSW where Geldof will perform and headline as keynote speaker. So it's possible the tracklisting may differ for the US release.
On the album's international release there appear to be four additional tracks, these have been listed here, though struck out until they are confirmed. These tracks were also part of the original track listing when the album was originally due to be released in mid-2010. There were snippets of these tracks on the BBC website, but sadly they are no longer there.
Geldof's website has been relauched in the style of a kindle book to coincide with the release. Funnily enough they have restored the link to this blog. Probably an accident. I give it a week before I upset them all again and it gets quashed.
There is another track that seems to have missed the cut, though it could have been a working title, or simply the Comic Relief song he did with Stephen Fry and Midge Ure.
Banker's Song
Now all we need is the Rats to release something and everyone, bar Fingers who is too busy having fun in Japan, will have done something in a twelve month period.
Heavens above! A rat in a church. I didn't attend so have no idea what was played or how well the concert went.
Gerry Cott will play a series of one-off performances of Urban Soundscapes in acoustically and architecturally interesting venues.
The first of these performances will be held at 7.30pm on 27th November 2010 at the 12th century Norman church of St Andrews, Church Road, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3EJ
The Boomtown Rats played at the Whyteleafe Football Club tonight.
For a very small venue and given the extreme cold, the concert was well attended with between 100 and 150 people turning up. By the end the place was rocking with a dozen or so people on the dance floor.
They played, not necessarily in this order as I wasn't taking notes...
Mary of the 4th Form
Close As You'll Ever Be
I Can Make It If You Can
Like Clockwork
Neon Heart
Joey's On The Street Again
Someone's Looking At You
Diamond Smiles
She Does It Right (vocals by Garry Roberts)
Riot in Cell Block #9 (vocals by Simon Crowe)
Looking After Number One
Rat Trap
She's So Modern
I Don't Like Mondays
Fortunately the concert ended shortly before the last train out of Whyteleafe to London (via East Croydon) so I was able to make it home in the wee small hours (yawn).
Bob Geldof played at The Hay Festival in Trivandrum, Kerala.
Sting got up on stage with him and they sang A Hole to Fill. See it here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturevideo/8135373/Sir-Bob-Geldof-and-Sting-at-Hay-Festival-in-India.html
Sting - "I flew to Thiruvananthapuram to see Bob. It was a high point of my life performing the number with him. I am happy to perform with Bob and it's always a pleasure to hear him sing."
Geldof also played Banana Republic and, inevitably, I Don't Like Mondays.
An Interview with Geldof can be found here
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main47.asp?filename=hub201110That_balmy.asp
A busy month for the Rats. Particulary looking forward to the Surrey date which I will be attending.
Saturday 13th November Essen Grugahalle, Germany Sunday 14th November Landungsbruecken theatre ,Gutleutstrasse 294,Frankfurt am Main.Germany Wednesday 24th November The Pavillion, Rhyll, as special guests to The Blockheads. Thursday 25th November Walkabout, Barnsley Friday 26th November Whyteleafe Football Club, 15, Church Road, Whyteleafe, Surrey CR3 0AR.
Rats guitarist, Darren Beale, will be playing with the reformed Pooh Sticks at Indietracks at the Midland Railway Centre this weekend (23rd-25th July). Catch them on the Indoor stage form 20:15 - 21:10
No - I have never listened to the Pooh Sticks. Listen to them here www.myspace.com/thepoohsticks
01 Liverpool: Eleanor Rigby 02 Munich: Central Station to Seeg 03 Merritt: Last stop before Vancouver 04 NYC: Cab Ride 05 London: The Southbank Nighttime 06 Santander: Looking out on a stormy sea 07 Tokyo: Walkways 08 Kiev: Big cars darkened windows 09 San Francisco: Up The Down Staircase 10 Maui: The road to Hana 11 Dublin: Empty streets with distant echoes 12 Scarborough: Going to the fair 13 Carrickfergus: Looking back
Looks like Gerry took on board my comments of picking up the guitar again a couple of years ago when I met him at the 100 Club. Sadly he has not rejoined the Rats (boo!), but he has made a solo guitar album entitled Urban Soundscapes (hooray!).
"I always was an acoustic guitarist masquerading as a rocker.". Indeed. The album kicks off with an impressive version of Eleanor Rigby so far with Gerry's distinctive lyrical style of playing. I have to confess for fans of the Rats this record may not rock your boat. Though the guitar playing is technically good and shows off Gerry's abilities, it is incidental music that is ideal background for doing the dishes or other household tasks, but unlikely to hold your interest nor move you.
Of course, you can make your own minds up and purchase the CD at the Gerry Cott Homepage or get it on iTunes . The album is also on Spotify.
You can listen to Eleanor Rigby and Cab Ride in his entry for the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition. The album is also available on
On May 24, 2009, award winning multi-instrumentalist and producer Jay Bennett passed away. Although Jay is probably best known for his work in Wilco, he was also a very sought-after producer, collaborator and solo artist, and was the owner of the Champaign, IL-based music studio.
Jay’s posthumous record, Kicking at the Perfumed Air has been released for free download. While the download is free, donations are currently being accepted to benefit the Jay Bennett Foundation or one of its partner charities.
The title track, Diamond Smiles, is a cover of the Boomtown Rats track from The Fine Art of Surfacing. The track is done in a very different style, even though Jay's vocal are somewhat remincient of a raw youthful Geldof. The song ends with a twinkling homage to the introduction of I Don't Like Mondays.
Given their influence on Rats, see the originals on BBC tonight!
9:00pm Oil City Confidential Director Julien Temple's film celebrates Dr Feelgood 10:50pm Sight and Sound in Concert Pete Drummond introduces a concert from Queen Mary College with Ian Dury and the Blockheads and Dr. Feelgood 11:50pm If it Ain't Stiff Adrian Edmondson narrates a documentary chronicling the story of Stiff Records 1:20am Oil City Confidential As above
A lavishly packaged 4cd set contains singles and Peel session recordings by some of John’s favourite artists including The Boomtown Rats, he was a fan in the early days, but I think he changed his mind about the Rats as time went on....
"We keep getting sessions planned with them, new sessions for us which, for one reason or another, they don't seem to be able to do. Perhaps we've got one lined up for early in the new year, perhaps they'll do one. It would be very nice if they did anyway because, although they're famous and so on, it would still be nice to get a session out of them."
Anyway, they did a couple and Looking After No. 1 does feature on disc 1 of Kats Karavan. If you don't have the Crazy single, here's your chance to grab it. (Available for single download at Amazon) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kats-Karavan-History-John-Radio/dp/B002N1BNXC
Friday 30th April 2010, Pokey Hole, Netherseal near Derby.With special guest John Williamson (from Animals and Friends) and Mike Bowdens http://www.thepokeyhole.com
Saturday 12th June 2010, The Regent Centre, Christchurch. With special guest China Crisis http://www.regentcentre.co.uk
July 2010
Sunday 18th Dordrecht- Big River Festival Holland.
August 2010
Sunday 1st New Quay Festival. South Wales, Featuring Dave Sharpe The Alarm
Saturday 14th Reepham 10 Summer Festival.Norfolk
Saturday 28th Upton Town Festival. with special guests The Blockheads and Ex Simple Minds.
Sunday 29th Mathew Street Festival Liverpool. 12.00 on stage
September 2010
Saturday 11th Kamenz, Hutbergbuhne, Germany
November 2010
Saturday 13th Essen Grugahalle, Germany
Wednesday 24th The Pavillion, Rhyll, as special guests to The Blockheads.
Thursday 25th Walkabout Barnsley
Friday 26th The Paladium Club, Bideford.
----------------------
January 2011
Friday 21st Tivoli Theatre,Wimborne. as special guests to The Blockheads.
May 2011 Friday 27th Halle, Peiznitzinsel, Germany
Wednesday 2nd December 2009 Cleethorps Beachcomber with local support Thursday 3rd December 2009 Homfirth Picture Dome with local support Friday 4th December 2009 DNE Club Wakefield with special guests China Crisis Saturday 5th December 2009 The Mick Jagger Centre, Dartford. with special guests Eddie and the Hot Rods Sunday 6th December 2009 Whithaven Civic Hall, with special guest, Dave Sharp from The Alarm Wednesday 9th December 2009 Key Street, Clitheroe. with special guest, Dave Sharp from The Alarm Tuesday 8th Thursday 10th December 2009 The New Tavern, Wigan, with special guest, Dave Sharp from The Alarm Thursday 10th December 2009 Rock City, Nottingham. with special guests China Crisis Friday 11th December 2009 Victoria Hotel, Largs Saturday 12th December 2009 The Roadhouse Birmingham, with special guest, Dave Sharp from The Alarm Sunday 13th December 2009 Ropetackle Centre. Shoreham with special guest, Dave Sharp from The Alarm Wednesday 16th December 2009 Norwich Waterfront as special guests of The Blockheads also featuring Dave Sharp from The Alarm Thursday 17th December 2009 Electric Ballroom, London as special guests of The Blockheads and Eddie and The Hot Rods Friday 18th December 2009 TJ's Newport with local support Saturday 19th December 2009 The Lights. Andover with special guest, Dave Sharp from The Alarm Saturday 19th December 2009 Pigs Nose Inn, East Prawl. Devon with local support Sunday 20th December 2009 Mr Kyps. Poole, with special guest, Dave Sharp from The Alarm Monday 21st December 2009 The Tunnels, Bristol as special guests of The Blockheads also featuring Dave Sharp from The Alarm Tuesday 22nd December 2009 Oran Mor, Glasgow. Scotland. With Special Guests Eddie and The Hot Rods Wednesday 23rd December 2009 Move Music Venue, Galashiels. Scotland. With Special Guests Eddie and The Hot Rods Sham 69
Summer Tour 2008
Saturday 26th July2008- Pigs Nose Inn, East Prawl, Devon Monday 4th August 2008 - Key Street Music Bar, Clitheroe Wednesday 6th August 2008- The Robin, Bilston, Wolverhampton, WV14 7LJ Thursday 7th August 2008 (+ THE VIBRATORS) 100 Club, 100 Oxford Street, London W1 Friday 8th August 2008-Rebellion Festival, Empress Ballroom, The Winter Gardens, Church Street, Blackpool. On stage 10.20pm Saturday 9th August 2008-The M Club, Crewe. POSTPONED to Friday 23rd January Saturday 15th November 2008 Charter Hall, Market Street, Okehampton. with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Wednesday 17th December 2008 Swansea Sin City with Eddie and The Hot Rods RESCHEDULED to 3rd February 2008
January 2009
Thursday 15th Key Street, Clitheroe TBC Friday 16th The Cluney Newcastle with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Saturday 17th Theatre Royal Wakefield with special guest Blackheart Andy Watts from The Seahorses Wednesday 21st Leeds Irish Centrewith special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Thursday 22nd Corn Exchange, Bedford. with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Friday 23rd M Club Crewe with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Saturday 24th Corn Exchange, Newbury. with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Sunday 25th Rock n Blues Festival, Skegness with Eddie and The Hot Rods, Dr Feelgood, Wilko Johnson,The Hamsters etc
Strictly speaking the year of the Rat ended on 25th January 2009
Monday 26th Exmouth Pavillion with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Tuesday 27th The Musician, Leicester with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Wednesday 28th The Arts Complex, Solihull with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses. Thursday 29th The Playhouse Alnwick with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Friday 30th The Buccleuch Centre, Langholm, with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses Saturday 31st The Platform Morcambe with special guest Andy Watts from The Seahorses
February 2009
Sunday 1st Martletts Hall, Burgess Hill. with special guest Dave Sharp from The Alarm Tuesday 3rd Swansea Sin City with Eddie and The Hot Rods Wednesday 4th Huntingdon Hall Worcester with special guest Dave Sharp from The Alarm Thursday 5th The Castle Wellinborough with special guest Dave Sharp from The Alarm Tuesday 10th Baby Blue Club, The Albert Dock, Liverpool with special guest Dave Sharp from The Alarm Thursday 12th Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon with special guest Dave Sharp from The Alarm. Friday 13th The Brook Southampton with special guest Dave Sharp from The Alarm Saturday 14th The Playhouse, Harlow with special guest Dave Sharp from The Alarm Sunday 15th The Robin Bilston with special guest Dave Sharp from The Alarm
Friday 17th April 2009 SPIRIT OF 77 FESTIVAL West Coast Bar, King Street, Margate. £13.50 http://www.westcoastlive.co.uk/ Saturday 18th April 2009 Hailsham Pavilion with support Thursday 23rdApril 2009 Rothes Hall, Glenrothes. Fife. Scotland with support tba Friday 24thApril 2009 Motor Cycle News (MCN) Festival. Skegness Saturday 25thApril 2009 Didcot Arts Centre Monday 25th May 2009 Darwen Town Festival (Free Festival) Saturday 13th June 2009 South Shields Ampitheatre (Free Festival)
Wednesday 30th September 2009 Monte Carlo, Monaco Le Moods with special guests The Damned From The Jam Thursday 1st October 2009 Paris with special guests The Damned From The Jam
I just read about a demo tape from the Rats pre-record contract. Interesting that the only songs to ever make it to record were Neon Heart and Born to Burn. Menage A Trois did get an airing on BBC Radio 1 back in 1979, but there are few unknown Rats songs. It is also possible that these tracks changed names and are familiar. However, I don't have any idea on that.
I guess no one has this. Do they? You know it's Christmas soon? Should you have it or a copy, let me know. But don't expect me to pay for it, I've given out plenty of rare MP3s/videos so I'm due some payback!
You can get a flavour of the tape from the originals. Use Spotify to construct a playlist, unless you happen to have all the tracks. I bought Burnin' by the Wailers yesterday, so bar a couple of tracks I have most of them somewhere.
There are 22 tracks on the tape with seven Rats originals. Dave Moloney (of Vipers fame) plays drums on the first 10 tracks, Simon Crowe on the rest.
In general, I have gone for the version The Rats are most likely to have copied rather than the true original.
And he can see no reasons 'Cos there are no reasons What reason do you need to be shown?
Tell me why I don’t like Mondays I wanna shoot the whole day down
I Don't Like Mondays is the most famous Rats song vying with Do They Know It's Christmas? as Geldof's most well known composition. The story behind the song is pretty well known. On the morning of Monday 29th January 1979 in San Diego, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, Brenda Spencer, took the .22 calibre gun her father had given her as a Christmas present and aimed it at the school playground directly opposite her family home. She killed two men and injured eight children.
Her explanation for doing this was "I don't like Mondays, it livens up the day."
The silicon chip inside her head Gets switched to overload And nobody’s gonna go to school today She’s gonna make them stay at home And daddy doesn’t understand it He always said she was good as gold
Geldof claims he was doing an interview in Atlanta with Johnnie Fingers when the news story came through on the telex and started writing the song the same day. However when Mondays was performed for the first time in San Diego itself on 27th February 1979, he claimed to have read about the incident in the newspapers and saw it on the televison in London. The first rendition
To quote Geldof from the San Diego concerts....
San Diego 27th Feb 1979 - ."..about a month ago we read in the paper in England about Debbie Spencer...."
San Diego 28th Feb 1979 - "...what happened was we were watching the box in London and next minute san diego came on the tv screen and there was a picture of this girl I think Brenda Spencer....."
http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/boomtown-rats/
This is a more likely, if less interesting, explanation, especially as Geldof was probably not in the US at the time. Geldof and Fingers did tour the US in January 1979 and visited a number of radio stations but at the time of the incident it is likely they had returned to London.
The alternative account from Is That is? is littered with inconsistencies such as the incident happening four months previous rather than just one month. This is Paul Vallely, his ghost writer, using his creative licence.
The Telex machine is kept so clean And it types to a waiting world
The most famous rendition of the song was at Live Aid in 1985 when Geldof paused to dramatic effect on the snippet -
And the lesson today is how to die
Which was an apt statement for the day, albeit in the context of a song about a spree killer. Interestingly, this was the first school shooting of its kind, a phenomenon that culminated in the infamous Columbine tragedy.
The song entered the UK charts at number 15 and reached number one the following week and stayed there for four weeks. It didn't fare so well in the United States thanks to the song being more or less banned from the radio, and peaked at number 73.
It also represented the commercial peak of The Boomtown Rats, A Tonic for the Troops re-entered the UK album charts on the back of the success of I Don't Like Mondays. For a short period they were arguably the biggest band in the British Isles.
Cover of "Chicago/Change the world" by Crosby Stills and Nash sung by David Gimour, Chrissie Hynde and Bob Geldof in support of "Pentagon Hacker" Gary Mckinnon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Mckinnon
Dave McHale, 58, died in late May 2009 in Frankfurt after losing his battle with cancer.
Dave played on Mondo Bongo and V Deep and toured with the band in the early eighties. He was thought of as the unofficial seventh member of The Boomtown Rats. Dave played keyboards and saxophone and was a session musician of some repute.
The Midsummer’s Gig for Dave aimed to raise funds to erect a bench in his home town of Monkstown, County Dublin in his memory.
Garrick Roberts, Pete Briquette and Bob Geldof took part in a one-off musical tribute at Blackrock Rugby Club and sung Dave, from the In The Long Grass LP, the song that he wrote about his friend's plight .
Geldof was inspired to write 'Dave' after McHale's girlfriend died suddenly. "We had dropped Dave off in London after a tour," he explained. "He had a row with his girlfriend and she took off. Then he found her dead from a five-pound bag of heroin. I wrote this song the next day."
Geldof certainly seems to like it out there. His annual St. Patrick's date at the Dubai Irish Village takes place on Friday March 13th. Tickets available from www.itp.net/tickets
Entry Charges: Dhs100 Opening hours: Door open 7pm show stars 9pm
This is a great streaming service along with www.we7.com that will allow you to listen to a vast back catalogue of music including ALL the Boomtown Rats albums, among many others. Pretty much everything from Bob Dylan to Pulp (well except The Beatles). There are some advertisements but other than that it's all FREE!!!
Starting today people in the UK will no longer need an invitation to join Spotify, you can register for the free streaming service directly from the website.
Toni Weekes presents... Original Boomtown Rats Garry Roberts and Simon Crowe with Peter Barton and Darren Beale present The Rats In Concert Sat 14th February 2009 - 7.30pm Main Auditorium Featuring Special Guest Dave Sharp from The Alarm.
Some dates by Geldof in Norway. I had no idea he was so popular in Scandanavia!
9th December Lillestrøm Kultursenter http://www.rb.no/lokal_kultur/article3981992.ece (or maybe not according to the reviews/comments) 10th December Skien Ibsenhuset http://www.ta.no/pulsen/article3984562.ece (seemingly popular in Skien) 11th December Nøtterøy Kulturhus 13th December Tromsø Kulturhus - so far north, it is more or less in perpetual darkness in December! http://www.nordlys.no/kultur/article3991104.ece 14th December Oslo Gamle Logen AS http://tb.no/article/20081212/KULTUR/443990649/1011/NYHETER
A re-release on DVD of a Rats gig from 1985. Was previously available on VHS and also on the now deleted Someone's Looking DVD . I'd advise tracking that down rather than getting this, unless there are a host of previously unavailable extras.
Led by the inimitable Sir Bob Geldof (and totally overshadowed by his later charity work on the Band Aid and Live Aid projects), the Boomtown Rats were nevertheless an important and notable band who were a real force in the charts and active between 1975 and 1986. 5 of the band's Top 40 singles, including 2 Number 1's, are included in this rousing performance to a rammed crowd filmed at The Dominion Theatre, London in 1985.
Tracklist:
1. Elephant's Graveyard 2. Charmed Lives 3. Lucky 4. Neon Heart 5. Someone's Looking At You 6. Dave 7. Hold Of Me 8. I Don't Like Mondays 9. Talk In Code 10. Rat Trap 11. Drag Me Down 12. Looking After no 1
Garry Roberts and Simon Crowe were back, but this time they had two new recruits. Peter Barton and Darren Beale.
Peter Barton is a strong R'n'B vocalist who added depth to the vocals on a bunch of classic tracks. Barton even wore his pyjama bottoms lest anyone miss Fingers' sartorial style. He was aided and abetted by Darren Beale whose virtuoso guitar made up for the lack of horns, strings and keyboards. There was the majestic drumming of Simon Crowe holding it all together, and the authentic sound of Garry Roberts, providing the main riffs that made the Rats sounds from 1977 -1979.
The audience were treated to a run through of many of the Rats finest moment from the late seventies.
They played (Peter Barton on lead vocals except where stated) ....
Close As You'll Ever Be
Looking After Number One
Neon Heart
Mary of The Fourth Form
Joey's On The Street Again
Someone's Looking At You
I Can Make It If You Can
She Does It Right (Lead Vocals : Garry Roberts)
Like Clockwork
Riot in Cell Block #9 (Lead Vocals : Simon Crowe)
She's Gonna Do You In
All Through The City (Lead Vocals : Simon Crowe)
Rat Trap
She's So Modern
I Don't Like Mondays
Gerry Cott was also in attendance to watch his former band members going down a storm with the enthusiastic crowd.
It was brilliant! Go and see the Rats! Next stop Blackpool.
“We asked but Bob politely declined. He said he's doing his own thing now,” said Simon. “Bob's gone in a different musical direction and we're about taking it back to basics."
Simon wants to make sure I make it clear that it's just two of the original line-up reuniting — himself on drums and Garry Roberts on guitar. They're being joined by The Animals' Peter Barton on bass and Darren Beale on lead guitar.
“I wouldn't say 'just' two of us though,” said Simon. “We'll be playing the songs we used to play when we first started off in 1975 — all the early stuff that really defined the Rats, We're drawing the line after the second album.”
“Garry and I talked about it before but although we could have got a few pub gigs we didn't really have the contacts in the music business to make it work from a commercial sense,” said Simon.
Simon and Garry contacted the other Rats but they were all too busy.
“We thought we'd just carry on anyway,” said Simon. “The music comes naturally to me and Garry but the new guys have had to do a bit of homework. It's not been a problem though. They're such good musicians they've slipped into it.”
“We did a gig in Devon the other day and the place was hopping — it was absolutely electric. It was so long since it's happened like that I forgot the feeling.”
The band hope to record a new album in 2009 but they're not getting carried away.
“We're taking one step at a time,” said Simon. "We're just going to get out there and see what reaction we get. But the message is watch this space. We're back, we're in action and it could be Boomtime again.”
Hundreds were turned away and left outside the Pigs Nose Inn , East Prawl, Devon for the return of The Rats. A set comprising of early songs and Dr. Feelgood covers went down like a storm. A great night out for those who happened to be on vacation in that part of the world. The rest of us have a few opportunities to catch them in August and early next year.
But while the event is unashamedly based on Glastonbury, Fuji Rock is a totally different experience.
"It might be inspired by Glastonbury, but done in a Japanese way," says the festival's international organiser, Johnnie Fingers.
Fingers' real name is John Moylett, but he is better known to many as a founding member of The Boomtown Rats. He has been working in the Japanese music scene for 15 years, and has been part of the Fuji Rock team for six of them.
'Fuji experience'
"We call it the Fuji experience. It is like Glastonbury, but has been perfected in that Japanese way," he says.
"The biggest difference is that is so clean. Everybody cleans up their own mess.
"It is also so secure and safe. People leave things out without worrying about theft."
Fingers adds Fuji Rock - named after the mountain which played host to the first festival in 1997 - has set itself apart by keeping sponsorship to a minimum, concentrating on the festival's spectacular setting in a steep mountain valley.
"Japanese people are so used to being surrounded by advertising and sponsorship, so we have tried to make this feel like a weekend away in the countryside," he explains.
The festival attracts a mainly Japanese crowd, with about 90% of revellers being local.
A final question for Johnnie Fingers - has he persuaded any of his old Boomtown Rats bandmates to visit Fuji Rock yet?
He shakes his head: "Not yet. Bob Geldof was over here recently and we had dinner. It was the first time I'd seen him in 20 years - but he mainly wanted to talk about the G8."
Bobby the westie is hailed by critics as the real star of the capital's Wizard Of Oz show
Toto is played by Bobby, a West Highland terrier who has something of a showbusiness pedigree - he is the protege of former Boomtown Rats guitarist Gerry Cott.
Mr Cott, who founded the group with Bob Geldof but quit before their fifth album was released, has coached Bobby to perform tricks that leave audiences open-mouthed
Mr Cott, 55, who lives with his wife Cathy and sons Harry, 19, and Sonny, 11, near Leatherhead, said: 'He has integrated so well with the cast because he is so calm and relaxed.
Our method of training works on the dog's character and confidence, which means they can be comfortable even on stage in front of hundreds of people.
'It is a bit like, "Look at me, look at me,"' said Mr Cott.
'It was a little unfair of him to muscle in on such a lovely moment in the play.'
He and Harry, who is working as Bobby's chaperone during the show's run, spent a week integrating the dog with the cast and teaching Sian Brooke, who plays Dorothy, a series of silent cues to prompt his performance.
Mr Cott, who was born into an Irish farming family, said he enjoyed working with animals and that his time with the Boomtown Rats had helped him gear his training towards the film, music and television industries. He said contrary to some rumours, Bobby was not named after Geldof.
The Cotts, who own dress designing company Phoenix Cobham as well as running Dog Training One2One and A-ZAnimals, have helped coach thousands of animals using an American training method Mr Cott refers to as 'dog whispering.'
His last scheduled date this year. Unless he's planning to join the Rats...... Expect the usual of undue amounts of solo material and a rendition of I Don't Like Mondays.
• Ann Hampton Callaway & Novosibirsk Big Band • Return To Forever: Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al Di Meola & Lenny White • Metro Special Edition feat. Randy Brecker & Dave Weckl • Bob Geldof
His participation in tonight's final may have already ruffled a few feathers, but Dustin the Turkey yesterday received the heavyweight backing of Bob Geldof in his bid for Eurovision glory.
The musician and co-founder of Live Aid said it would be nothing short of "rank poultryism" should "one of the greatest talents this country has ever produced" fail to be selected to represent "our glorious musical heritage" on the world stage.
"The mere fact of his being a turkey should give Ireland the edge," suggested Geldof. He said it should not be claimed that "simply because this giant is a turkey he is somehow unfit to represent his country".If the Eurovision Song Contest was known for anything at all, he added, "it is the vast number of turkeys it produces each year . . . Sure won't he gobble them up!"
Asked to comment on Bob Geldof's support, Dustin said he was glad to have the support of someone who, "like meself does a little bit of charity work in his spare time". He added: "I really am chuffed. We couldn't get Christy Moore."
Best thing Geldof has done since, err, the Great Song of Indifference.
Geldof is abandoned by his chauffer at a remote pub in the north of England. A lookalike competition is taking place which Geldof competes in order to win the cash prize and get to Scotland. Geldof has to compete with a Geldof lookalike singing a duet of I Don’t Like Mondays, which would be a splendid promo in its own right, and answer questions on Geldof. With a running time of around 19 minutes, this is a little gem that is well worth taking a look at.
Watch it http://www.comedybox.tv/index.aspx?filter=picks&clip=10249
Not a lot I can add other than there were two free concerts, an audience turned up and Geldof did as well.
1-Sep Warsaw 2-Sep Lubin
http://www.warsawvoice.pl/view/15646
Irish singer and charity campaigner Bob Geldof performed with Polish rock musician Lech Janerka at a Music for Peace concert on Warsaw's Teatralny Square Sept. 1. Geldof always wrote rock music with lyrics that never stayed indifferent to reality, and so his involvement in the Warsaw concert is no coincidence. Like Geldof's, Janerka's music is rebellious and expressive. With the Klaus Mitffoch band, which he formed in 1979, Janerka recorded an album titled after the name of the group that was hailed as one of the most important in the history of Polish pop and rock. The lyrics dealt with the reality of communist Poland in the 1980s, and many of the songs criticized the regime of the time.
Geldof off causing trouble in Libya. Rumours that the rioting started when he gave some of his solo material an airing are grossly exaggerated! Those Libyans have exemplary musical taste :-) . Word to the wise, stick to the Rats material in the future.
No one knows why Geldof was out there for an unannounced concert at a politcal rally for Gadaffi's son. Maybe it was political, maybe just financial. The band almost lost their equipment to boot. I suspect the next time Geldof is back in that part of the world it will be in the Irish pub in the middle of the fucking desert.
... the young people suddenly awoke with the arrival of Bob Geldof, the celebrated rocker and anti-poverty campaigner. Before starting, Geldof suggested the soldiers leave. Things then started to get nasty! The crowd chanted ("Libya! Libya! "), the spectators rained projectiles onto the stage, forcing Geldof and his musicians to wrap things up quickly.
... when Sir Bob Geldof then took to the stage to play a rock concert, talking in the language Libyans had been kept from learning and which they needed most in interacting and trading with the outside world, the crowd protested. Sir Bob tried to calm them, but their contempt grew even stronger. For days after streets were cordoned off in Benghazi, where many young men had been stirred.
What remains difficult to understand, however, is what was Geldof doing there in the first place? Accepting an invitation to play after the dictator's son's speech suggests support of a regime that has oppressed the Libyan people for 38 years.
Sir Bob Geldof's appearance on stage brought all this back; reminded us of what had been taken from us and was now being returned, by the very regime that had imposed this narrow interpretation of who we were, without apology or even an explanation, and in the grotesque form of a pop concert.
Simon Crowe is back on the road with Jiggerypipery with two dates in Scotland this weekend.
"I think the Boomtown Rats was a pop band really. We invented our own style – we were out to be successful, but not in the sense of wanting to be celebrities – though that was possibly an ambition of Sir Bob's. But we got to go around the world a couple of times – and we sold a lot of records!" Highland Times Article
There are even some MP3s available so you can listen to what Simon is up to these days Listen to Jiggerypipery
Bob Geldof in Concert Featuring: House band, back from Colombia and Spain, play infectious, danceable Irish folk-rock. Frontman talks the talk. Sponsored By: The Granary Price: £17.00
1. The Great Song of Indifference 2. Love or Something 3. A Sex Thing 4. When The Night Comes 5. Walking Back To Happiness 6. Banana Republic 7. Harvest Moon 8. One for Me 9. Mudslide 10. I Don't Like Mondays 11. Birthday Suit 12. Attitude Chicken 13. Someone's Looking At You 14. Joey's on The Street Again 15. Rat Trap 16. Room 19 17. Chains 18. Beat of the Night 19. Diamond Smiles
Bob Geldof is back at the Irish Village in Dubai a year after his last visit. The event is free and the crowd thickens, but there is enough standing room for all. Some laze on the lawn and enjoy the breeze and the timeless voice wafting though it. “The same old shirt, the same old suit, the same old place and the same old song,” says Geldof to an uproarious crowd. “I never thought we’d celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Dubai with a sandstorm,” he quips. “But it’s a balmy night.” He croons to a crowd that can’t seem to get enough of him — some old favourite numbers, one that he wrote during a trip to a remote Africa, that was never recorded, and a nice mix of loud and fast numbers and soft and sensuous ones.
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