Monday, December 22, 1975

The 1975 Demos

  1. Oh Yeah a.k.a. Doin' It Right
  2. My Blues Away
  3. Sad Boys a.k.a. A Second Time
  4. Fanzine Hero

Now I can't tell you exactly when these tracks were recorded or even where, but it is safe to say they were probably done between the debut gig on Halloween and Christmas. Barefootin' was recorded live at Moran's in Dublin around this time as well.

Oh Yeah starts with a guitar from Chuck Berry’s You Never Can Tell, and then turns into something the early Stones would have been proud of. That very distinct lyrical guitar solo from Gerry Cott is there as well.Kicking in with a Wilko Johnson-like guitar riff and harmonica,

My Blues Away echoes early Dr. Feelgood. Ultimately it comes out as a fast paced (She’s Gonna) Do You In even down to the Harmonica break in the middle of the song and the obligatory R’n’B guitar solo.

Another prototype here in the shape of Sad Boys which sounds like I Can Make it if you Can, more influence from the Stones this time from the Exile on Main Street/Goats Head Soup era in the early seventies. Piano and Hammond to the fore, and a great guitar solo. Plenty of nice harmonies off the lead vocal.

As urgent as Lookin’ After No. 1, Fanzine Hero launches off immediately at a breakneck speed. And then suddenly, the song comes down a honky tonk piano solo, straight out of the Jools Holland repertoire before it starts off again with an almost country-like guitar solo and then back to the relentless drive of the song. Unlike the other tracks here, Fanzine Hero was broadcast on Boxing Day 1979 as part of Paul Gambachini's Year of the Rat on BBC Radio 1, along with other rare Rats material.

It is extraordinary that such good tracks never saw the light of day until the reissues at the start of this year. However the material on the debut album is so strong, and there was no more than about 40 minutes to play with on a conventional vinyl LP.

Thursday, November 20, 1975

Moran's Hotel Dublin

The date of this gig (and the other monthly gigs) is not quite known, but one gig is known for the recording of Robert Parker's Barefootin'

If you were there (at any_, please post a comment!

Friday, October 31, 1975

Bolton Street College of Technology, Dublin

The Nightlife Thugs were billed to play Dublin's Bolton Street College of Technology on Halloween 1975. This gig was arranged by Gerry Cott and after some prompting from Bob Geldof, he negotiated a fee of £60 (£10 each!). After playing for over an hour the band took a break. On their return, Bob Geldof scrubbed The Nightlife Thugs from the blackboard where their name was displayed and replaced it with The Boomtown Rats.

So successful was the gig, that Geldof got his first rock and roll shag that same night!

http://www.bobgeldof.info/Articles/parkinson.html

Forum

Garrick Roberts

Garrick Roberts (born 16 June 1954, in Ireland) was a guitarist with the Irish new wave band, The Boomtown Rats.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Roberts

Bob Geldof

Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof, KBE, known as Bob Geldof (born 5 October 1951), is an Irish singer, songwriter, actor and political activist.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Geldof

Simon Crowe

Simon Crowe (Drums) b. 14 April 1955, Dublin, Eire

Gerry Cott

Gerry Cott (Guitar) (b.15th October 1954, Eire; guitar)

Pete Briquette

Pete Briquette is the stage name of Patrick Andrew Cusack (born 2 July 1954, Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan, Ireland). He was the bassist for The Boomtown Rats.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Briquette

Johnnie Fingers

Johnnie Fingers (real name John Moylett, born 10 September 1956 in Ireland) is a pop pianist, and was a founding member of the New Wave band, The Boomtown Rats. He was notable for his stage costume of striped pyjamas as well as his melodic piano style.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Fingers

The Boomtown Rats


Blog Index

Biography
The Boomtown Rats
Bob Geldof
Garrick Roberts
Gerry Cott
Johnnie Fingers
Pete Briquette
Simon Crowe

News Items
Rats sign to Ensign Records
Rats Sue Geldof

Discography
LPs
The Boomtown Rats
A Tonic For The Troops
The Fine Art of Surfacing
Mondo Bongo
V Deep
In The Long Grass
Singles
UK Singles
Looking After No. 1
Mary of the Fourth Form
Compilations
The Best of The Boomtown Rats
Loudmouth
20th Century Masters
Greatest Hits

Bootlegs
Don't Believe What You Hear

Viedography
Hammersmith Odeon 1978
Someone's Looking At You

Live
Bolton Street 1975
Leeds Polytechnic Student Union 1977
Middlesex Polytechnic 1978
Hammersmith Odeon 1978
Hammersmith Odeon 1982
Dublin 1986
San Diego - The first time Mondays was played
The Rain in Spain Falls Mainly on....
Arrivederci amore, ciao
Fort Manoel on Manoel Island, Malta
Geldof back at the Irish pub in the middle of the fucking desert
Rats come across Irish Sea and invade Ribchester
Geldof at the Hay Festival
Geldof at Hay Festival Colombia

Studio
1975 Demos

Biblography
Is That It?
Songbook - Loudmouth
Songbook - The Boomtown Rats
Having My Picture Taken

Radio/TV
John Peel Radio Sessions
Rock Goes to College
The Year of the Rat 1979

Bob Geldof
Geldof Live Postponed
Great Songs Of Indifference
UK Singles

Gerry Cott
Singles

Gung~Ho
10
UK Singles

Jiggerypipery
The Drift
Jiggerypipery



Associated Artists
Tom Petty
Marc

Miscellaneous
Colours are Brighter




Boomtown Rats - Greatest Hits
Loudmouth - The Best of The Boomtown Rats & Bob Geldof
The Last Live Performance
Rat Trap makes number one in Ireland with Dustin the Turkey!
Cambridge Corn Exchange
Songbook - Loudmouth. The Best of Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats
Rock Goes To College/Don't Believe What You Hear
King Biscuit Flower Hour
Geldof Solo - UK Single Discography
The Best of the Boomtown Rats
46664
Live At Hammersmith Odeon
John Peel Radio Sessions
The Boomtown Rats - The Debut Album
The Boomtown Rats - UK Singles Discography
The Fine Art of Surfacing
Fingers Speaks!
Geldof gets his Brit!
Geldof on Parkinson - ITV
In The Long Grass
Mondo Bongo
On Film 1976-1986 - Someone's Looking At You DVD
Dwnload-only Single - Rat Trap: Live At The Dominion Theatre 1985
Rats Albums in the US/UK Charts
A Tonic for the Troops
V Deep
Live At Hammersmith Odeon, 1978 DVD
Rats are 26th in People's Choice Top 100 Irish albums...
Rats at Glastonbury CND Festival
Rats Sue Geldof
Gerry Cott Speaks Out!
Crowded World
The First Gig
Great Songs of Indifference - Geldof Solo Anthology 1986 - 2001
Is That It?
The 1975 Demos
Bob Geldog (sic)
Geldof Live - London - POSTPONED
Bootlegs
I Don't Like Mondays - Channel 4
Rats on BBC Radio 6
Vote Geldof for the NME Hero of the year
Geldof is Hero Of The Year!
Freedom of Dublin for Geldof
Geldof gets IRMA award
Barwell Court - The Rats' House!
A small crowd at the back of an Irish pub in the middle of the fucking desert
Down By The Jetty
Links to Rat Sites
Knobbled!
No one loves Geldof (ok, maybe 45 people do!)
Tom Robinson stands up for Geldof
Garrick the Plumber Turns Nasty!

Geldof Moves Out To The Country With Jools Holland
Bootlegs! (Courtesy of HappyFanClub)
Tonic Wallpaper