BiografieBOOMTOWN RATS
Seminal Irish punk band formed ´75, led by verbose vocalist Bob Geldof (b 5 Oct. ´54, Dublin), with Johnny Fingers, keyboards; Pete Briquette, bass; Gerry Cott and Gary Roberts, guitars. Top 20 hits during ´77--8 incl. ´Looking After No. 1´, ´She´s So Modern´; breakthrough came with ´Rat Trap´ (no. 1 UK ´78), then controversial ´I Don´t Like Mondays´ (no. 1 UK/73 USA ´79), titled after an excuse for mindless murders by a San Diego schoolgirl; single also notable for early use of promo video. LPs Tonic For The Troops ´78, Fine Art Of Surfacing ´79 showed more ´rockist´ tendency than among other punk acts. Geldof was always centre of attention in live performance, nearest the new wave had to a Mick Jagger figure; an ex-freelance on music weekly New Musical Express, he gave as good as he got in interviews. Shoddy reggae-infl. ´Banana Republic´ (no. 3 ´80) saw decline; Mondo Bongo ´81, Five Deep ´82 and In The Long Grass ´84 were perfunctory; compilation Ratrospective ´83 incl. all their best stuff, a good selection of late ´70s singles. Geldof was evangelical about the group, but diversified into acting; role of Pink in Pink Floyd´s The Wall ´82 well received, No. 1 ´85 (with Ian Dury) less successful; meanwhile worked tirelessly ´84--5 on Band Aid project: with Ultravox´s Midge Ure he got music people to work together feeding starving Africans in the most successful charity project in history; toured Africa, saw that the money went to famine victims, took no nonsense from politicians, nominated for Nobel Prize, knighted ´86; he organized Live Aid ´85 and was criticized for incl. Rats on grounds they were no longer a big enough name. His work inspired similar projects around the world; autobiography Is That It? ´86 was a best-seller, called the best-ever book by a rock star (meant to be a compliment). Having done all he could for famine relief, he went back to music; solo Deep In The Heart Of Nowhere ´86 incl. hits ´This Is The World Calling´, ´Love Like A Rocket´, co-ordinated by Dave Stewart, contributions from Eric Clapton, Maria McKee, Alison Moyet, album The Happy Club ´93 on Polydor. Marriage to Paula Yates ended ´96 when she ran off with a more fashionable rock star.

Quelle: http://www.theboomtownrats.com/Discografie
Great Songs Of Indifference : The Best Of Bob Geldof & The Boomtown Rats
by Bob Geldof & Boomtown Rats
Sony
Released: 22 April, 1997





Tonic for the Troops
by Boomtown Rats
Phantom






Boomtown Rats - Greatest Hits
by Boomtown Rats
Sony
Released: 25 October, 1990





Tonic for the Troops
by Boomtown Rats
Polygram Int´l
Released: 13 November, 1995





Loudmouth : Best Of The Boomtown Rats
by Bob Geldof/The Boomtown Rats
Polygram Int´l
Released: 09 May, 1994







Best of
by Boomtown Rats
Eagle
Released: 13 October, 2003





Mondo Bongo
by Boomtown Rats
Sony
Released: 29 December, 1990





Fine Art of Surfacing
by Boomtown Rats
Sony
Released: 25 October, 1990





Tonic for the Troops
by The Boomtown Rats
Sony
Released: 19 December, 1989

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