Geldof the jealous prick (aka Clash Wars)

SmokeM · Mary of the 4th Form

Geldof the jealous prick (aka Clash Wars)

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

RE: Geldof the jealous prick

SmokeM · Mary of the 4th Form

Joe passed away in December of 2002. The Boomtown Rats compared to The Clash...........ya must be jokin'.........ya half wit.

Strummer / Jones forever!!

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

No there is no comparison. I love the Clash, but they don't touch the Rats. The Rats were the best band ever.

are you sure you've come to the right message board, we are Geldof fans around here...

I also think somehow you'll find that Bob Geldof has changed lives in one way or another

That aside The Boomtown Rats' music certainly changed my life, The Clash didn't.

MJ · Tonight

quote:
Originally posted by: ArrGee
" Err, you do know he died last year, don't you?

ArrGee, you're killing us here!

SmokeM, if you're gonna come here and insult Bob, you could at least do us the courtesy to quote the source where you heard (or read) what he said that insulted you so bad. Some of us are not in the UK and we have no idea what you're talking about.

-- Edited by MJ at 18:12, 2005-03-07

SmokeM · Mary of the 4th Form

MJ try :

www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/geldof%20the%20clash%20were%20st

As for offending Geldof fans on this site that's part of my point. You all dig this guy when in fact you should all realize what sorry ol' soul he is if he has to resort to attacking a seminal rock n roll outfit like The Clash. It has got to be quite embarrasing for fan's such as yourself's to listen to such utter nonsense.

Now tell me why I don't like Mondays. Oh and by the way I'm in Chcicago not europe. YOU MUST NOT ACT THE WAY YOU WERE BROUGHT UP! JS 1952 - 2002 RIP

franna · V Deep

quote:
Originally posted by: SmokeM
Musically you sounded the Bruce Springteen's E Street band.

I'm going to stay out of a serious Rats/Clash debate.

However...."Musically you sounded [like] ... Springsteen"? You've GOT to be kidding. As far as I know, there's a total of ONE Rats track that sounds anything at all like Springsteen, and only because of the horns. While I wasn't a huge fan of early Springsteen, Clarence Clemons, the foremost member of the E Street Band's sax department, always worked for me.

I say we revive the Springsteen joke/misunderstanding. What the hell, it's only 30 years down the line....

By the way, this is a hilarious thread.

Oh, and long live The Ramones.

Edited to add: From the referenced hyperlink where BG bitches about the Clash:

"All that 'Hey right! The revolution!' tripe drove me mad! F**k off, you c**t. JOE (STRUMMER) and MICK (JONES) wanted to be MICK (JAGGER) and KEITH (RICHARDS)!"

Well...who doesn't want to be Mick and Keith? Long Live Jagger/Richards.

Edited one more time to add:

Thanks. You inspired me to dig thru my vinyl and put on "Born To Run". I haven't listened to it in probably 20 years. It seriously passes the test of time. I mean, right up front there's:

"So you're scared, and you're thinkin' that maybe we ain't that young anymore. Show a little faith, there's magic in the night. You ain't a beauty, but hey, you're alright. And that's alright with me." Thunder Road > Born To Run > Bruce Springsteen (c) 1975.

-- Edited by franna at 19:13, 2005-03-07

-- Edited by franna at 19:33, 2005-03-07

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

quote:
Originally posted by: franna
" Oh, and long live The Ramones. "

Long live Kurt Cobain!!!!

franna · V Deep

quote:
Originally posted by: ArrGee
" Long live Kurt Cobain!!!!"

Excellent.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

quote:
Originally posted by: SmokeM
"Joe passed away in December of 2002. The Boomtown Rats compared to The Clash...........ya must be jokin'.........ya half wit. Strummer / Jones forever!! "

"Strummer himself was born John Mellor, in the Turkish capital Ankara, the son of Ronald Mellor, a second secretary in the British diplomatic service. He was reluctant to talk about his background and boarding-school education at the City of London Freemen's school in Surrey, scarcely the most plausible credentials for a punk rocker.

However, school holidays gave him the opportunity to visit his parents in such exotic postings as Cypus, Cairo, Mexico and Tehran."

So credible, isn't he? Tourist tosser who could always count on daddy.

half wit? You're the muppet who said "long live Joe Strummer!"

Why don't you fcuk off back to your kinda town slum? Cnuts like you should be banned from decent forums like this.

-- Edited by ArrGee at 20:18, 2005-03-07

SmokeM · Mary of the 4th Form

Enough ARGEE.............Read a book and educate yerself stpid.

Try teaching me about the ultimate rebel rocker...catch yerself on mate.

LONG LIVE JOE STRUMMER!!!! you sad sack.

Controlled in the heart and controlled in the mind of the drugs we can't find.

Yeh Joey's on the ****in' street again.............so ****in' what?

Support Rebels ............LONG LIVE THE POPE

MMbullybuddyGP · Drag Me Down

I agree with Fran, this thread is pretty funny/amusing to read.

SmokeM, yes, we all are entitled to our own opinions, so I personally don't mind you attacking Geldof here if you want to be an 'eye opener' or whatever. However, you implied: how are we 'digging this guy' if he's such a 'sorry ol soul' about dissin' the Clash or whatever?...well, most of us here appreciate Geldof for various reasons. We don't think he's a god, and I think every one of us here can find at least one thing 'wrong' with him/something we don't like about him, whether it be his personality, or how he says things, or certain types of music he plays/has played, or his stance on father's rights/marriage laws, etc. Everyone in this world has his/her flaws, but we like 'em anyway...and even if maybe some of us disagree with Geldof's Clash bashings, or some other random flaw, it won't change all the good we see in him, and the talent he does posess in some form.

I can't resist pointing this out....you said:

"Enough ARGEE.............Read a book and educate yerself stpid."

How can we take educational advice from somebody who can't spell "stupid"...?

Tony_Adams · Mary of the 4th Form

quote:
Originally posted by: ArrGee
" "Strummer himself was born John Mellor, in the Turkish capital Ankara, the son of Ronald Mellor, a second secretary in the British diplomatic service. He was reluctant to talk about his background and boarding-school education at the City of London Freemen's school in Surrey, scarcely the most plausible credentials for a punk rocker. However, school holidays gave him the opportunity to visit his parents in such exotic postings as Cypus, Cairo, Mexico and Tehran." So credible, isn't he? Tourist tosser who could always count on daddy. half wit? You're the muppet who said "long live Joe Strummer!" Why don't you fcuk off back to your kinda town slum? Cnuts like you should be banned from decent forums like this. -- Edited by ArrGee at 20:18, 2005-03-07"

Joe saw his parents maybe twice a year as a kid, does that sound like he was "counting on daddy"? Do your homework before slagging someone off.

The Clash were one of the greatest bands ever, and I think they've done more than just London Calling to prove it. They're certainly undeserving of Bob's ire. What's the point 25 years on, with one of them dead? Had Bob not said anything, you lot wouldn't be having to read posts from irate Clash fans, would you?

-- Edited by Tony_Adams at 22:41, 2005-03-07

SmokeM · Mary of the 4th Form

Yo MMBULLY .....my point exactly stpd

you Geldof fans are bright bunch

MMbullybuddyGP · Drag Me Down

well maybe you're right, I'm confused lol. what exactly is your point?

Montgomery Spliffed · Mary of the 4th Form

Didn't Bob use a similarly cheap trick a year or two back in a vain attempt to promote a tour or an album or something?
It's worked up to a point, due to a recent flurry of activity the official Rats/Geldof forum now has exactly half the number of registered users as the fictional Alan Partridges forum. Not bad for thirty years graft is it? Plain to see exactly who stood the tet of time now!

What p!$$es me off most about the guy are his self contradictions http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/geldof%20slams%20false%20perception%20of%20boomtown%20rats
Were they or were they not a punk band? Gandalf himself seems confused.

Just google News with the word Geldof if you are in doubt as to just how bitter and hypocritical Bob has become. "Bored with Africa", "sick of being nice" Blah!, blah!, blah!, slags off Paul Weller, The Clash and Gwen Stefani amongst others.

"Ashamed of scruffy appearance".......... Now you're talking sense Bob though the cynical amongst us might suspect it's a delibarately cultivated look.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

quote:

Originally posted by: Tony_Adams

Joe saw his parents maybe twice a year as a kid, does that sound like he was "counting on daddy"? Do your homework before slagging someone off.

The Clash were one of the greatest bands ever, and I think they've done more than just London Calling to prove it. They're certainly undeserving of Bob's ire. What's the point 25 years on, with one of them dead? Had Bob not said anything, you lot wouldn't be having to read posts from irate Clash fans, would you?

"-- Edited by Tony_Adams at 22:41, 2005-03-07"

Better to see your dad twice a year with him funding your education than never seeing your mother. I still see Strummer as a tourist (Geldof to be honest is little different having attended Blackrock), and find the fact the Clash wouldn't sell out for TOTP funny, as they quite happily sold out to Levi Jeans!

As for this SmokeM he deserves all the slagging off he gets. That cnut started it. He talks about meaning in songs, Should I stay or should I go? says a lot doesn't it? And Rock The Casbah!!! Ain't exactly Banana Republic is it? I quite like the Clash, though I feel they aren't as good as many bands/acts from that era, and London Calling apart, I'd rarely listen to any of their albums {Give 'em enough rope gets an odd airing}. But wnakers like SmokeM should fcuk off to the NME forum and his Clash loving mates. A discussion I'm up for, but his initial post was offensive and he should expect a reaction. Still that's Chicago for you.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

quote:
Originally posted by: Montgomery Spliffed
" It's worked up to a point, due to a recent flurry of activity the official Rats/Geldof forum now has exactly half the number of registered users as the fictional Alan Partridges forum. Not bad for thirty years graft is it? "

ho hum, a little history lesson. This forum has only existed since the turn of the year. There used to be an official forum with hundreds of registrations that disappeared about six months ago. Check the oldest post on the board.

There is another more exclusive Rats forum (invite only) that has hundreds of members that has been around for a while.

Tony_Adams · Mary of the 4th Form

Well, maybe the boys felt differently in 1991 to how they did in 1977, it's hardly a crime is it?

But seriously, I don't know how Bob can slag off the Clash's music with a straight face.

As for SmokeM, whilst not being able to speak for him personally, I could guess that he, like others, is more than a little upset by Bob's recent words. we know Bob wasn't the greatest fan of their music, he said so in his autobiography which I read and enjoyed, why do it again now? And in such aggressive terms..

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

quote:
Originally posted by: Tony_Adams
"Well, maybe the boys felt differently in 1991 to how they did in 1977, it's hardly a crime is it? But seriously, I don't know how Bob can slag off the Clash's music with a straight face. "

The problem I have with the Clash is the rhetoric didn't match the background. Personally selling out to corporate America is a bigger "sin" than appearing on Top of the Pops. But it's easy to lose your principles when faced with a big pile of ca$h (not that Geldof would have turned it down, having heard some of the US rewrites on the latter stuff).

I think it is easy to slag off the Clash & the Jam for Geldof as at the time they were both praised to high heaven for some mediocre output, whilst the Stranglers, Sham 69, The Boomtown Rats and others were panned because they dared to have proper hits.

If Geldof was (and is) jealous of anyone it was/is Costello, Sting and Bono. I think Geldof always thought that without the Rats, he would be a successful solo artist, but it didn't really happen.

BTW Great handle (assuming you're not Victoria's dad!)

-- Edited by ArrGee at 23:58, 2005-03-07

Tony_Adams · Mary of the 4th Form

Cheers.

No it's a Joe Strummer/ Arsenal reference...

franna · V Deep

quote:
Originally posted by: SmokeM
"............LONG LIVE THE POPE "

Well, now that we've brought the Pope into it....

I seem to remember watching Sinead O'Connor rip up his photo (and kill her career) on SNL. Was this before or after the Geldof TOTP John Travolta incident? Who inspired whom?

Cultural idea of the week: Waddya say Damien Hirst makes art of the Pope?

franna · V Deep

quote:
Originally posted by: ArrGee
" Still that's Chicago for you."
Hey, Chicago has great hot dogs, interesting pizza, and some very cool architecture. On the other hand, they're a bunch of sports freaks. Still, it IS a decent city.

franna · V Deep

quote:
Originally posted by: ArrGee
" Personally selling out to corporate America is a bigger "sin" than appearing on Top of the Pops."
Not selling out to corporate America might be one of BGs biggest regrets.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

quote:
Originally posted by: franna
"Hey, Chicago has great hot dogs, interesting pizza, and some very cool architecture. On the other hand, they're a bunch of sports freaks. Still, it IS a decent city."

Oh, it's just the odd wnaker who lives there then!

To be honest, I haven't got a clue what Chicago is like, but if I do go over there, SmokeM had better watch out He'll be easy to spot, he'll be the public schoolboy slumming it.

takethe5th · Mary of the 4th Form

I've read how Bob was there at the birth of punk. Funny that he was never recognised.

I've read that Bob invented the punk movement. Strange he was never given any credit.

I've read that Bob was the inspiration behind it all. Odd that the Pistols and The Clash didn't mention it (or anyone else).

I've read that Bob is a sad deluded fool........ Can't see anything wrong with that statement.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

quote:
Originally posted by: franna
"Not selling out to corporate America might be one of BGs biggest regrets."

Ah, integrity!

You see one of the things I do admire about Geldof is his refreshing honesty no matter what the cost. Personally I think the game for up for the Rats long before that incident in San Diego

His Springsteen comments, the **** on your fans, not to mention the whole Mondays thing had pretty much done for the Rats.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

quote:

Originally posted by: takethe5th
"I've read how Bob was there at the birth of punk. Funny that he was never recognised.

I've read that Bob invented the punk movement. Strange he was never given any credit.

I've read that Bob was the inspiration behind it all. Odd that the Pistols and The Clash didn't mention it (or anyone else).

I've read that Bob is a sad deluded fool........ Can't see anything wrong with that statement."

Where did you read all that?

A lot of people were there at the start, I don't think Geldof claimed to invent or inspire punk (from the UK point of view that was the Pistols, though the Ramones, Stooges and New York Dolls may claim otherwise across the water).

Wish I was a sad deluded fool like him.

(why have all these Clash fans decended on this site? Is there a edict on a Clash MB to come here and post on this thread? Maybe SmokeM has lots of buddies in Chicago? )

-- Edited by ArrGee at 00:33, 2005-03-08

franna · V Deep

quote:

Originally posted by: Montgomery Spliffed
" What p!$$es me off most about the guy are his self contradictions."
Originally posted by: ArrGee

"You see one of the things I do admire about Geldof is his refreshing honesty no matter what the cost."
That's exactly what keeps me amused. However, sometimes when he's shooting his mouth off, I just want to slap him. For instance, a while back I happened to catch BG doing a short, early morning CNN interview when he was in town to give a talk on Africa at the (I think) Council for Foreign Relations. Naturally, he insulted the journalist doing the interview. Great way to use the airtime, Bob! AAAAAARGH!

I don't think Bob understands America yet; I guess he never will. Sad, really.

takethe5th · Mary of the 4th Form

Saw him on a tv interviw a while back saying that he started Punk before The Pistols were even a twinkle in Mclarans eye. What a sad deluded w*****.

FurQ · Lookin' After Number 1

quote:
Originally posted by: ArrGee
"
The problem I have with the Clash is the rhetoric didn't match the background.-07"

A bit like Live Aid then Huh? There's Bob demanding that children from ordinary working people send their pocket money whilst in the background hospitality there is a huge cocaine, champagne, caviar and backslapping shindig....more of each was consumed at this party than at any other in the history of the world.

He should be nutted not knighted.

MJ · Tonight

Look! The Troll brought friends! We got ourselves a Troll Party! Weee!

MMbullybuddyGP, very well said. Too bad your point was lost in the insult crossfire.

quote:
Originally posted by: ArrGee
"There is another more exclusive Rats forum (invite only) that has hundreds of members that has been around for a while."

Hey, I never got invited to no super secret Rats forum! What's up with that?!

quote:
Originally posted by: franna
" Well, now that we've brought the Pope into it.... I seem to remember watching Sinead O'Connor rip up his photo (and kill her career) on SNL. Was this before or after the Geldof TOTP John Travolta incident? Who inspired whom?

Don't you get it yet? The Clash inspired both, of course.

quote:

Originally posted by: franna
However, sometimes when he's shooting his mouth off, I just want to slap him.

I'm thinking he just might like that.

*Goes back to the peanut gallery*

franna · V Deep

quote: Originally posted by: MJ
"Don't you get it yet? The Clash inspired both, of course."

Oh! Duh! How silly of me! Thanks for pointing that out.

"I'm thinking he just might like that."

Ya think? Hmm..... I've never gotten into such stuff, but then, I've never been similarly inspired.

More importantly...how the hell did you do a multiple quote thingy in one post? I couldn't figure out how to do that, and I did try!

hector · Lookin' After Number 1

who's Bob? was he the guy from the Wall? oh, thats awesome. Thas scene when he smashes the Tv and shaves his eyebrows.. that was cool. Why's everyone making a fuss about an actor? Is a sequal coming out? man, if you take acid and watch that film... its crazy. he goes nuts. what a great actor. Was he the actual singer for pink floyd? thats cool.

ponchus pilot · Like Clockwork

Can anyone remember anything remotely interesting, of any note or impact, worthy of quotation or reaction that Joe Strummer ever said ? Get my point.

Steve · I Don't Like Mondays

I loved the Rats and liked the Clash and have all of each others records. The first two Clash albums were ok, certainly nothing special. Now London Calling and beyond (apart from Cut the Crap) were great albums, LC in particular is a classic. However I can see Bobs point . The Clash were fawned over and could do no wrong, despite having two very average early albums. Plus they did play up the punk attitude, despite the fact that they were desperate for success. In fact this very attitude gave them success. Now for Bobs point about Keith and Mick, well there is certainly something in that. Certainly by the time Combat Rock came out and the Clash were doing Shea stadium they were well on their way to being the Rolling Stones. I believe their is a rumour that Mick wanted the clash to go that way (ensuring greater success) and that was the reason why Joe sacked him.

Like I said, I like the Clash music, but I never bought into Joe and Micks message. I've got Joe on DVD and to be honest he comes out with a load of old crap. Then again I didn't buy the CDs for the message, I bought them to entertain me. I bought the Rats and all my other records for the same reason. If I wanted a message or some political rant, I'd join a political party.

Just one point. If we are talking about punk credentials of not conforming, to go against the system, to think for your self and not to go with the flow, then despite whether you agree with his points or not you must agree that Bob is certainly PUNK. NME stick that where the sun dont shine

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

quote:
Originally posted by: takethe5th
"Saw him on a tv interviw a while back saying that he started Punk before The Pistols were even a twinkle in Mclarans eye. What a sad deluded w*****. "

Where was this? Anyway we all know the Ramones invented Punk Rock (or was it the New York Dolls or the Stooges ?)

http://launch.yahoo.com/ar-261125-bio--The-Ramones

Lene · Lookin' After Number 1

Does it really matter who invented punk?

SmokeM · Mary of the 4th Form

Argee ........I know this will sound childish but I'm going to say it any way. You make comments about Chicago without knowing anything about the place much like you make comments about The Clash and Joe Strummer. Sure Joe Strummer contradicted himself many times but always owned up to it and encouraged thought without slagging other artist in public except for the odd heavy metal gits in the late 70's early 80's. Strummer walked it like he talked and had a heart of gold. He was not a bitter man even though he had every right to be bitter with the way The Clash went. Instead he realized his mistakes brushed himself off and stuck to his standards of being a decent human being in the face of a ****ed up world. As for you and your tired ass rhetoric "kiss my ass" I await you in Chicago for all thats worth and for your public schoolboy comment slumming it I'm not quite sure if that supposed to offend or not. The thread started over your half arsed pop star wanna be Bob Geldof Slagging The greatest rock n roll outfit of all time, if you think that is going to go without contention you dead wrong. Us Clash fans are different than the rest, you see for all of our differences we understand one common bond and that bond is strong and cannot be broken........... for we are The Clash in Chicago, NYC, LA, Boston, Philly, Manchester, Belfast, Leeds, Glasgow, Tokyo and the world. Clash , Clash, Clash City rocker......nothing stands the pressure of the Clash City Rockers. **** Arggeeee ...Clark & Madison I'll be the guy with The Clash t-shirt waiting on the corner. God Bless you.

Derek The Dane · In the Long Grass

SmokeM and ArgGee I think you should both calm down.Music is a great and passionate thing,and like all things it has it`s ups and downs.Me I am glad that I lived my youth listening to such BRILLIANT music.The Boomtown Rats, Clash, The Jam, Police, the list can go on.All "lead singers" say a lot about each other(for good and bad)but that is just a part of the music industry.Tonight I am going to open a cool beer and watch the Boomtown Rats dvd.And thank god for lifes good pleasures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Tony_Adams · Mary of the 4th Form

Hector- No Bob wasn't the singer in Pink Floyd.

As for these accusations about the Clash selling out to corporate America... how, exactly?

They dared not to implode after one album, ala the Pistols?

They dared to sign a contract with CBS which ensured far more people would have heard of them then had they signed to a small indie label?

They dared to take their sound on and bend it in all forms and directions, resulting in albums like London Calling, Sandinista and Combat Rock?

They dared to manuva CBS into releasing London Calling as a double album and Sandinista as a triple, agreeing to forsake royalties on the first 200,000 copies of Sandinista at great expense to themselves?

They dared to split at the peak of their powers?

If that's what you mean by selling out, then yeah, I guess they did.

As for Bob's comments about having their clothes designed, for what little it matters... so they had a friend who helped them do that. I hardly think they're so deserving of derision just because of that.

*End rant*

SmokeM · Mary of the 4th Form

THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT WITHOUT GUITARS.

I've noticed that this particular thread is the most popular on the board. What on earth would you all have to talk about if it wasn't for your boy Bob spouting off about The Clash. What a sorry sod.

YOUR STREETS AWAY FROM WHERE IT'S THE ROUGHEST...YOU AIN'T BEEN THERE.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

you've all gone mad

Scotty247 · Lookin' After Number 1

For christ sake! How anyone can compare the rats to THE CLASH is beyond me. I liked some of the rats stuff but at the end of the day, They werent fit to lick Mick Jones boots! It doesnt matter who or what Joe Strummers father was, The big question at the end of the day is.... "Who was the better band"? THE CLASH are legends, While the rats were a nice pop band. Says it all really doesnt it? Ok, This is a GELDOF site, But if he is gonna run down the greatest band ever to grace a stage, Then expect a bit of flack. It all boils down to one word... JEALOUSY.

hector · Lookin' After Number 1

so he's not the singer for pink floyd? damn. i thought he was. are you sure? it looked like he was really upset.

Tony_Adams · Mary of the 4th Form

Why do you thinkhe was?

Trust me, he wasn't. He sang with the Rats and that's it. I believe Dave Gilmour and Roger Waters handled all the Pink Floyd vocal duties. Post Syd Barrett anyway.

Montgomery Spliffed · Mary of the 4th Form

Hear Syd Barrett is doing the new Intel Centrino ad. Now that really is selling out to Corporate America .....or making it big depending on your viewpoint.
As for Bob being in Pink Floyd can't be 100% sure he wasn't since he hasn't slagged them off yet but he was in a band or a film or something called the hobbit if that's any help.

takethe5th · Mary of the 4th Form

SmokeM · Mary of the 4th Form

HEY BOB GELDOF !!!!! Suck on that....you cheeky jealous ****.

THE CLASH ...............aaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!

Bob Geldof · Lookin' After Number 1

Hi fans.

Exciting fockin news today. Been on to the rest of the fockin Rats to arrange a comeback tour. They all told me to go fock myself so I'm going to do a solo tour instead.
Been busy writing new fockin songs what do you think of this one?

I'm not interested
I don’t focking care
I found fame at one time
Now it’s only when I swear
I sold out to the mainstream,
Pawned myself to the world
In my chic West End surroundings,
I'm no longer out on a limb.
I'm sinking in a straight line,
I'm sinking for the last time
My mouth is bleating oh so fast
I feel the others cashing in
The ideas were all mine!... like punk rock
And Band Aid and Ready steady cook!

I think its fockin great and should easily get you punters parting with your cash for tickets and merchandising.

I couldn't think of anything else to write about because I'm sick to death with Africa and Bono called me a cnut when I asked him to help but I think Paul Weller is my mate cos he said something like "He wouldn't **** on me if I were on fire" but he didn't help either.
Still after such a long time away from the cutting edge of the fockin music industry one song is better than none so if anyone wants to come to my gig it's round my mate Brians house since he's got a bigger dining room than me.

ps I've been slagging off other bands who were better than us so you'd better come early as the media induced frenzy is bound to produce a great demand for tickets.

Katharina · Dave

quote:
Originally posted by: SmokeM
What on earth would you all have to talk about if it wasn't for your boy Bob spouting off about The Clash.

You know, we're just not used to having guests as illustrious as you guys.

Rude Boy · Lookin' After Number 1

I just heard about Bob's snipe at Joe and I found this website with the intention of flaming Bob's fans, the next best thing to being able to throw a beer on St. Bob. But after reading the thread I'm too busy laughing to flame. I'm sure Joe would be laughing too if he could read this. Thanks to takethe5th for posting the picture, which says it all.

-- Edited by Rude Boy at 21:45, 2005-03-09

MMbullybuddyGP · Drag Me Down

holy crap I don't visit this forum for one day and there's so much I could say from all of these posts lol

you know, I liked this forum b/c there was no immature 'troll' sh!t going on, but now I guess there is. it's very lame. I don't mind a good debate over different Geldof aspects but when it gets to the point of petty insults and flipping the bird, etc etc it's boring, goes nowhere, and the debate loses any credibility it may have had. and here I am feeding it so moving on...

MJ - thanks for your compliment

Spliffed...about Geldof being self-contradictory - I, too, find that with some things and him, but not with the examples you gave. About the whole punk band thing, I am no expert on music genres at all, but, he has said more often (I believe) that the BTR were not a punk band, because they all wanted fame and fortune, while 'true' punk bands were against the whole success thing. Also, they had more experience from touring in BTR founding-place Ireland playing in a band together than many of the punk bands who were just 'thrown' into the spotlight, so, I'm not saying the BTR were more talented (that's a matter of opinion) but, they were more experienced in playing music before they came to Britian. I know nothing about the Clash by the way, so I'm only going by what Geldof's said about punk bands in general. Also, while many punk bands' main purpose was to be anti-government in their songs, the BTR had political lyrics, but it wasn't completley what they were about. Again, their purpose was to get famous (and, rich and laid, for Bob anyway), not to be a part of some political movement.

now about Africa. I think I'd get pretty darn bored and extremely frustrated too if I've been trying to relieve Ethiopian debt for years, yet nothing has really been improved, overall, over there. That does not mean he's going to quit working for Africa, that is just his opinon of the whole thing for now. I don't think expressing a negative opinion about Africa's monery state is hypocritical. If he started taking money from Live Aid/Band Aid funds for his own pockets, then that would be very sleazy and hypocritical.

about being sick of being nice - I believe that was in context of all the petty handshaking and formalities and crap that goes on before important meetings. He'd rather just get to the point at hand and cut the happy BS, basically. (If I'm wrong, let me know, I don't quite remember.) I also don't see how this is hypocritical. Geldof was never into being falsely polite when it comes to important matters to him. He'll do it if that's what absolutely needs to be done in order to get to the 'higher ups' of things, but he'd really rather not.

bashing other bands/musical artists is also not self-contradictory, in my opinion. those are just his opinions.

about his scruffy appearance - he has said that growing up pretty much on his own, his dad working long day hours, his mom dead, and his sisters grown up or in school, with no one telling him what to do or how to look, he didn't give two sh!ts about how his hair was. if no one cared that his hair looked like crap, why would he, being the non-vain, self-depricating boy that he was, bother to make it look good? so that's carried on through to his age today. now part of it I'm sure is because yes, since he is famous, he can get away with it, so dammit he's gonna do it, or whatever. perhaps it's also a comfort level for him in some subconcious way...he does use it in his 'defense' a lot when describing himself ('who am I, just a scruffy haired pop singer, to....[insert some important task here]?'). Those who are insulting of their own appearances anyway all their lives have no problem admitting it to the world. I'm kind of losing track of my thoughts on this now.........but another reason why he keeps it the way it is is because he has a lady in his life who loves him for who he is, which boosts his crushed (by Yeates) image-ego. If Jeanne likes him no matter what, why should he care about how his hair looks? then we get into meeting important people....it's as though he's become so comfortable with his ghetto hair that he forgets that other people/strangers to Geldof notice it and may look at him negatively because of it...thus perhaps the hair's in need of a change.

So just overall, he is pretty honest in my opinion about most things that are important to him, and also honest with his opinions of different musicians, and also consistant with them. As he continues to live his life and look back on it, maybe, yes, he does have different opinions today than he did 25 or whatever years ago, but that's ok, isn't it? As long as he justifies them well, I think it's fine.

about that exclusive Rats forum, lol where is that?? I dunno where it is either...

hector and Tony Adams - some corrections/clarifications:

Bob Geldof actually did sing in some parts from "The Wall" movie only. Geldof never sang in "The Wall" album, that was all Pink Floyd, a band which Geldof is not a part of. But in the movie, against Geldof's wishes and changing the original plans of Geldof not to sing in the movie, he was eventually coaxed by director Alan Parker into singing both "In the Flesh" songs, and also the song "Stop." Other than that, the rest of Pink/Geldof's 'singing' was Roger Waters from the original album (made before the movie). In the song "One of my Turns," it is Geldof who screams "Take that, f^^kers!" (or "next time, f'ers!", I've read both) at the end of the song, leaning out of the window.

just for trivia purposes, hector, Geldof actually does not like Floyd's music at all (Spliffed, he did 'slag them off' in his autobiography, "Is That It?" FYI). He did the movie in order to try something new, to get money, and to get a break from making music for his band The Boomtown Rats. I also thought he did a superb acting job in that film. Geldof is primarily a musician, not an actor. He's only acted in "Wall" and a movie called "Number One." He had an extremely brief cameo in "Spice World" but just as himself, not a character. There is no sequel to The Wall as there is no sequel album from Pink Floyd.

SmokeM - this is a popular thread, but not just because 'our boy' (cute BTW) dissed the Clash, but because there are differeng opinions of Geldof's personality, viewpoints, etc. Again, it's nice to have discussions with people from both sides (likes vs dislikes Bob for whatever reason), but not when it gets immature and meaningless (like this thread is becoming).

That's my two million cents for the day

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Clash Wars

franna · V Deep

RE: Geldof the jealous prick (aka Clash Wars)

MMbullybuddyGP · Back To Boomtown

franna wrote:

ROFLMAO We are getting desperate for a little fun, aren't we?

Looking back it's a really good thread. I accidentally deleted it back then (I intended to edit it when I was given Admin rights, but pressed the wrong button). I was quite surprised it was still there

From MMbullybuddyGP's final post "...meaningless (like this thread is becoming..." Rubbish! One of the better ones and with Geldof himself turning up on their MB

Now if we can just persuade Bob to wind up the fans of other erstwhile acts....

I nominate Paul Weller for a start. Jam Wars?

Tango · In the Long Grass

no way...paul wellers too cool.perhaps jonathon ross...a bit of a dweeb and so fun to rip off

franna · V Deep

ArrGee wrote:

Now if we can just persuade Bob to wind up the fans of other erstwhile acts.... I nominate Paul Weller for a start. Jam Wars?

It's better when BG insults the dead. How about Joey Ramone?

(I'm assuming Paul Weller is alive, given that I have no idea who he or The Jam are....)

Tango · In the Long Grass

what!you dont know the jam.hes the leader singer of style council from british live aid.hes alive as far as im aware

http://www.mtv.com/bands/az/jam/audvid.jhtml

i advise you listen to 'thats entertainment' and 'going underground'

-- Edited by Tango at 15:01, 2005-10-25

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

franna wrote:

It's better when BG insults the dead. How about Joey Ramone?

Interesting idea, but as far as I can gather The Ramones and The Boomtown Rats were mutual admirers who toured together.

Maybe Geldof can do another death announcement ala Ian Dury.

franna wrote:

(I'm assuming Paul Weller is alive, given that I have no idea who he or The Jam are....)

The Jam, mod revivalists who thought they were The Who. Massively overrated, especially given how poor their early albums were, but to be fair like the Clash they did improve even if their two biggest hits, Start and Town Called Malice were more or less note for note rips of Taxman and You Can't Hurry Love. That's Entertainment is a wonderful track.

Paul Weller then formed the Style Council (who I thought were better) before going solo. The self-style modfather is much admired by dad-rock acts like Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene et al.

Also noted for his involvement with Red Wedge and Old Labour.

So plenty for Bob to get his teeth into (though he has mainly said nice things about him since 1984).

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

franna · V Deep

ArrGee wrote:

Maybe Geldof can do another death announcement ala Ian Dury.

Brilliant! Especially since [insert name of band member, because I can't remember who it is at the moment] apparently still plays with the Blockheads.

The self-style modfather is much admired by dad-rock acts like Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene et al.

One of the best sentences I've read in ages, though I haven't a clue what you mean. That's OK, simply reading it gives me a laugh, and perhaps a hint of a clue...(Ocean? Colour Scene? I don't think I need to know, Oasis is bad enough.)

Tango · In the Long Grass

The Jam, mod revivalists who thought they were The Who. Massively overrated, especially given how poor their early albums were, but to be fair like the Clash they did improve even if their two biggest hits, Start and Town Called Malice were more or less note for note rips of Taxman and You Can't Hurry Love. That's Entertainment is a wonderful track. Paul Weller then formed the Style Council (who I thought were better)

they were an awesome band.though i am someone looking back so they might not have been as good at the time.and i have to agree that i prefer the style council.Weller was so cool

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mouse wrote:

Hell Arrgee...You do get really defenceless! Understandable! lol. Im still laughing

Defenceless? moi? (You do mean defensive, don't you?)

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

franna wrote:

One of the best sentences I've read in ages, though I haven't a clue what you mean. That's OK, simply reading it gives me a laugh, and perhaps a hint of a clue...(Ocean? Colour Scene? I don't think I need to know, Oasis is bad enough.)

Ocean Colour Scene, The Verve, Travis, and Oasis were the mainstays of what was to become known as Dad Rock. Basically rehashes of all the stuff from the not so distant past.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/mikejh/pwobserver.htm

'an audience who think Paul Weller represents the cutting edge of music today and that Travis “rock”.'

http://ilx.p3r.net/thread.php?msgid=1011029

Dad Rock

is Reef, Paul Weller, Cast, Oasis, Shed 7, Kula Shaker, Ocean Colour Scene - all retrogressive music - that took their influences from the sixities and early 70s - hence the old reference - of dad - i.e dadrock.

Dadrock - focuses on dull conformity of their retro influences, it refuses experimentation and new ideas.

Dadrock, was what brit pop morphed into from 1996 onwards.

Ocean Colour Scene - have often been labelled dadrock. For their ghastly plodding music. A truly disgusting horrible vile dadrock outfit, and the english equivalent of the bland Hootie & the Blowfish, Matchbox 20. Music so horrible- just hearing their music can induce vomitry.

Dadrock values are little englander, warm beer, laddish behaviour, loaded magazine, music conformity, waving the union jack while abroad looking for fights, conservatism, thinking Chris Evans is with it etc

in 2000 dadrock is on the slide - with only Toploader emerging, and they were utter ****e.

franna · V Deep

ArrGee wrote:

A truly disgusting horrible vile dadrock outfit, and the english equivalent of the bland Hootie & the Blowfish, Matchbox 20. Music so horrible- just hearing their music can induce vomitry. Dadrock values are little englander, warm beer, laddish behaviour, loaded magazine, music conformity, waving the union jack while abroad looking for fights, conservatism, thinking Chris Evans is with it etc in 2000 dadrock is on the slide - with only Toploader emerging, and they were utter ****e.

Well, I have no patience whatsoever for Oasis and the Verve, but from the little I know of them, I don't hate Travis. All the rest needs some research on my part, but I can certainly agree with the statement that Hootie and Matchbox are hurlworthy. And I thought I'd like music that takes its references from the 60s and 70s....hmmm....

While you're at it, please define "Little Englander", "laddish behaviour", "loaded magazine", Chris Evans and Toploader.

Katharina · Dave

ArrGee wrote:

Ocean Colour Scene, The Verve, Travis, and Oasis were the mainstays of what was to become known as Dad Rock. Basically rehashes of all the stuff from the not so distant past.

Though I know I like all of the bands mentioned, I'd never heard of the expression dad rock! You learn something new every day!

If asked I'd have guessed that Dire Straits were dad rock. Well, not so close!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

franna wrote:

quote: Originally posted by: ArrGee" Still that's Chicago for you." Hey, Chicago has great hot dogs, interesting pizza, and some very cool architecture. On the other hand, they're a bunch of sports freaks. Still, it IS a decent city.

Fatties! Just watched Supersize Me and they were the lardiest city in the US (which is saying something).

Hope SmokeM doesn't come after me, he'll just crush me.......

franna · V Deep

Never seen Supersize Me. Kinda surprised that Chicago wins the prize, I'd have expected somewhere in the South. But Chicago DOES have food worth eating!

As John Belushi used to say: CHEESEBURGER!! CHEESEBURGER!! CHEESEBURGER!!

franna · V Deep

AH! I FINALLY found this this thread again!

Kath - I meant to point out that Dire Straits WAS a (late)1970s band. As far as I'm concerned, their earliest work (aka work from that era) was their best. Maybe they're just too early to be considered Dad rock? Or am I still missing the point of the term?

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

The Clash have just released a 19 CD or 19 7" singles box which looks pretty good.

Costs £30 @ www.hmv.co.uk or just £25 with a voucher.

Enter CA8795 into the promotion field when you have £30+ items in your basket.

Of course you can use this code to buy anythimg you want!

PS To get multiple uses of teh voucher, register different accounts like I did!

Mark Boyle · House on Fire

ArrGee wrote:

The Clash have just released a 19 CD or 19 7" singles box which looks pretty good.

Costs £30 @ www.hmv.co.uk or just £25 with a voucher.

Enter CA8795 into the promotion field when you have £30+ items in your basket.

Of course you can use this code to buy anythimg you want!

PS To get multiple uses of teh voucher, register different accounts like I did!

Or alternatively, just wait for it to appear in the bargain bucket or your local second hand record store or "Twok Convertors" this time next week when the More-Money-Than-Sense students (particularly the ones that join the Socialist Workers or any of the other Toytown Revolutionary Front parties because they think it'll make them hard and cool) buy it 'cos the NME tells them they have to, then realise they've been conned & try to reduce their losses.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

From Andy Kershaw. Geldof not liking the Clash? Get away! smile

//www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2010604/Id-blind-date-Courtney-Love--I-ready-face-mad-dictators.html#ixzz1R8eusc4Z

One day in the student union building I heard a tearing sound and a raised voice. There was a bloke ranting and ripping down a poster for a forthcoming Clash gig. Id had the posters printed with the words: The return of the worlds greatest rock n roll band.

The vandal was Bob Geldof, then singer with the Boomtown Rats, who were to play that night. What the hell do you think youre doing? I said.

Worlds ****ing greatest rock n ****ing roll band, my ****ing a***, he explained, scattering drawing pins. I told him to leave the posters alone. This was met with more eloquence from the future spokesman of a voiceless continent and honorary KBE and candidate for populist canonisation.

That evening, I wanted to hand over the bands cheque to the tour manager and went looking for him. Geldof, just off stage, flew at me again.

This is the worlds ****ing greatest ****ing rock n roll band, he snarled. The band looked sheepish. Then he was right in my face, eyes bulging, spraying me with spit. He shoved me in the chest the band pulled him back. I thanked them, told Geldof he was charmless and paid the manager.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2010604/Id-blind-date-Courtney-Love--I-ready-face-mad-dictators.html#ixzz1R8eusc4Z

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mr Kershaw should have realised this was the frontline ofthe punk rock wars and not the local vicars tea party he was promoting. Geldof was right, the Rats were the greatest rock n roll band ever. Whats it with these Clash fans? Their band is deified in the music press for thirty years while great bands like XTC, Magazine ,Wire, or the Boomtown Rats are studiously ignored, especially from front covers and decent writeups. A lot of it is due to the internal politics of the music press.

Remember Geldof was a hot headed twenty something when this incident happened, probably under a lot of pressure. I always found Geldof's assertiveness as regards the Rats pretty inspiring- there were enough ill informed people around who put the band down. Bobs shooting his mouth off was to me justified on account of the quality of the music. Sure a lot of it was bluster and looking tough- but for anyone who actually bought the records the songs were always high quality and worth defending. Even to the point of being over assertive.

Good to see Andy Kershaw is out of jail and behaving himself (I hope). PS How did that P work escape the sensor?

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Remember Geldof was a hot headed twenty something when this incident happened..
PS How did that P work escape the sensor?

I reckon this occured in 1982, which would have Geldof a hot headed thirty something! More interesting is how both bands were on the university circuit at that juncture. The glory days had gone!

Prick has numerous meanings and normally wholly innocent. The profanity filter is a law unto itself. You can't write C0cker nor Scnuthorpe unless you spell as badly as me smile .

One of those things you just have to live with on activeboard (like ads) unless you pay. Guess it's like a swear box!

noelindublin · Loudmouth

As no date was given I presumed this incident with Andy Kershaw happened in the early days of the band ie around '77 or '78.

Looking at the Rats known tour dates it was unlikely to be 1982. That year they had released V Deep and did a big tour of nearly thirty major Uk towns and cities in April and May. Just prior to this they had played a number of European cities and also toured SE Asia in Feb 1982.

The dates for June 1983 involves playing at lots of Polys and universities around Britain so maybe it was summer 1983.

I'm sure many a sign saying S****horpe has had the S removed by local pranksters!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
As no date was given I presumed this incident with Andy Kershaw happened in the early days of the band ie around '77 or '78.
Looking at the Rats known tour dates it was unlikely to be 1982.

Nope, definitely 1982, as Kershaw became Ents secretary in 1980....

The Boomtown Rats at The Refectory, Leeds University 17 June 1978
The Boomtown Rats at The Refectory, Leeds University 30 Apr 1982
The Boomtown Rats at The Refectory, Leeds University 13 Feb 1985

http://www.boomtownrats.co.uk/the-boomtown-rats/known-tour-dates.html

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Yes ArrGee you are correct. But the vast majority of the gigs on that tour of April, MAY 1982 were in proper venues if you look at the other dates, rather than Universities.

The tour of June 1983 was more of a slumming it tour of the polys, or maybe they were trying to appeal to a, at least in theory, intelligent crowd.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Yes ArrGee you are correct. But the vast majority of the gigs on that tour of April, MAY 1982 were in proper venues if you look at the other dates, rather than Universities.
The tour of June 1983 was more of a slumming it tour of the polys, or maybe they were trying to appeal to a, at least in theory, intelligent crowd.

They never came near my university between 1982 and 1986. We got Marillion, The Fixx and Toto Coelho disbelief And worse.

When you think about it though it made sense because at that point all the 14/15 year olds who heard the Rats in 1978/1979 would be at college.

JoanOfArc · The Fine Art of Surfacing

I don't get why some people like to have a dig at our Bob......... to pick on him out of all the rest of the pants celebrities that are about is truly weird.

He's about the only one that really shines imo.

if all celebrities were like Bob i wouldn't feel so bored, uninspired, sick and ill when i switch my telly on!

oshora · CRAZY

Hi Franna,

Bob blew it when he first came to America; really did not impress the people he needed to impress. I think he is OK with being big in Europe and not the US. I think he does OK in Canada. That's where I first saw him in concert.

Like many have said; he is full of contradictions... hmm

O'Shora

noelindublin · Loudmouth

I think the BoomtownRats were too quirky or idiosyncratic to gain widespread appeal in the United States. They did have a certain East Coast and West Coast following but breaking Middle America would probably have meant compromising their music, something the Rats never did, erring on the side of being too experimental [V Deep/Mondo Bongo] rather than turning into some rock band parody, coked out of their heads.

Its nice to hear from fans in the USA, and know that they like Ireland greatest export! Seems that at least two people in Atlanta have heard of the Rats and BG.

oshora · CRAZY

Too quirky? I wish I could of seen the BTR's live. A lot of people liked the sex pistols in America; you can't get more quirky than that! I think it was Bob's attitude. He can be a bit gruff at times (says what's on his mind) and it comes off very wrong. I like that he is that way but would be a little intimidated by him if I met him in person...he appears to have strong opinions!

O'Shora

noelindublin · Loudmouth

oshora wrote:
Too quirky? I wish I could of seen the BTR's live. A lot of people liked the sex pistols in America; you can't get more quirky than that! I think it was Bob's attitude. He can be a bit gruff at times (says what's on his mind) and it comes off very wrong. I like that he is that way but would be a little intimidated by him if I met him in person...he appears to have strong opinions!
O'Shora

I'm not sure how much early airplay the Rats received in the USA. By quirky I mean songs like Mary Of the Fourth Form or Like Clockwork are much more culturally British/Irish than American. Why did Rat Trap or maybe Joey's On The Streets Again not become even minor hits- surely these songs have universal appeal as songs of urban alienation and certainly are brilliant songs musically?

Geldof tells many amusing tales in his autobiography about trying to break the US market- many involving amusing stories of local radio dj's saying things like " And now welcome Brad Gandolf from london ....."

In Geldof's defence he was quick to shoot his mouth off about rubbish music and a lot of the American music scene lagged well behind the punk/new wave scene in the Uk in the late seventies- notwithstanding great American bands like Blondie and The Ramones or Television etc.

JoanOfArc · The Fine Art of Surfacing

When i met bob, well it wasnt a meeting as such, he walked past me and put his hand on my shoulder when i called out 'hi bob'.

i do get why some might find him intimidating i remember as i smiled and cheerily said hello i got a pretty foul look HAHA dont ya just LOVE him hehe

JoanOfArc · The Fine Art of Surfacing

'Hi Bob, i just wanna slag you off cos its the only effective way i can deal with my sad little life'

thats all

thanks :)

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

JoanOfArc wrote:
I do get why some might find him intimidating i remember as i smiled and cheerily said hello i got a pretty foul look HAHA dont ya just LOVE him hehe

I have always found the Geldof effect on people quite interesting. On the Stranglers forum, people quite seem to quite like the music, but Geldof himself isn't very popular. I suspect a lot of it has built up over the years from Paula Yates through Live Aid to his offspring, but there is a considerable anti-Geldof sentiment out there

Stranglers fan wrote:

BOOMTOWN RATS bootleg from Sweden 1978...It's a shame that Bob turned into such a bigmouth as it stops a lot of people listening to them...The early stuff 1977-1979 is really good

Stranglers fan wrote:

They always did better than people expected of them.A bit like Geldof with the Rats.Great tunes but you just can't take them seriously.

I only went to their forum because I was listening to Black & White this morning and as much as I believe the Rats are underrated, their fans have a point.

CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC AWARD LONG OVERDUE

The Stranglers were a far more interesting band than The Clash, with some out and out classics (No More Heroes, 5 Minutes, Duchess and their Mondays moment, Golden Brown)

noelindublin · Loudmouth

What about that paean to casual sexism, Peaches, by the Stranglers? Re"Great tunes, but you can't take them seriously" don't think the Rats were ever wanton in writing great lyrics, or tackling serious subject matter, and why should the Stranglers necessarily be better than the Jam or XTC. Just because they had a Kung ku fighting bassist?

A lot of the time with these punk/new wave acts its just a matter of a slightly different approach. They would never admit it but they had a lot more in common than they would like to say publicly.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Re"Great tunes, but you can't take them seriously" don't think the Rats were ever wanton in writing great lyrics, or tackling serious subject matter..

I think The Rats were pretty serious all the way from Looking After Number 1 through to Dave. Their musical credentials were sound, especially in the wake of touring with The Ramones and having

I think it was Geldof who stopped been taken seriously and in turn led to the Rats not been regarded too highly. It seemed to happen late 1979 as the Geldof/Yates publicity machine cranked up after Mondays was a massive hit. Instead of reading about the band in the music papers, it was reading about Geldof and Yates in ths tabloids. Geldof had become a celebrity and frankly no one really cared about the music too much. This was accompanied by the personal attacks from the music press. The subsequent charity work and the celebrity lives of his daughters hasn't helped Geldof attain any gravitas as an artist either.

I find there are a large number of people who have listened to them like A Tonic for the Troops and The Fine Art of Surfacing. However for many the Rats are a one-hit wonder, whose hit is quite possibly their least represenative song.

(I must be bored - this is simply preaching to the converted!)

JoanOfArc · The Fine Art of Surfacing

i think the fact that so many people seem to sort of dislike him (for want of a better word) makes him seem even more real and human.......... i mean tbh its just seems more realistic that he's disliked by people..........basically because there ARE a lot of complete nobheads around.......... if he was liked by everyone it would, indeed, be really weird since there are so many ****s around.

to the people that just want to criticise and see bob's flaws only, I would say '**** off' and go save a somalian somewhere and lets see how you manage that, Bob's efforts would be the equivalent of you spending the day running a charity stall or walking up to people in the street and asking them for money for somalians, so why not? i'll tell you why - cos you're a silly shmuck. Bet these people do sweet f.a. for charity unless its something made easy for them, they certainly wouldnt go where no man has been before like Bob. Bob is a leader, that much is ****ing obvious, and the only reason he is a leader is cos people like the people that despise him so much are such shmucks that they need to follow others all the time, in other words crappy lil half-arsed attempts to be charitable, cos without people that can't lead themselves to help others we wouldnt need the bobs of this world, the hard fact is we do need them cos of all the very shmucks that slag him off.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

There is a lot of truth in the old saying that there's a thin line between love and hate [Also Pretenders song title btw].

Personally I don't keep a Geldof cretit/debit spreadsheet logging reasons to like or dislike him. Most of the time he ticks my boxes, but again sometimes he can be a bit puzzling. Maybe all human relationships are like this. Heroes always have feet of clay.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Monday 1st of August 2011 12:55:20 PM

Derek The Dane · In the Long Grass

Didn´t Bob tell a couple of hundred radio djs to fcuk off when the Boomtown Rats played their first concert in America.After that most djs refused to play them.I remember reading that Bob got the stagecrew to turn the lights on them so the crowd call tell them what they thought of local radio stations.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Derek The Dane wrote:
Didn´t Bob tell a couple of hundred radio djs to fcuk off when the Boomtown Rats played their first concert in America.After that most djs refused to play them.I remember reading that Bob got the stagecrew to turn the lights on them so the crowd call tell them what they thought of local radio stations.

That's probably what was written afterwards, but why not listen to what he actuallly said in San Diego...

http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/concerts/concerts.html?rpp=50&pg=10&srt=1

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Up to recently these Wolfsgang vaults were subscriber only so I never go a chance to listen and am hearing the Boomtown Rats recordings for the first time. Just listening to Blind Date from San Diago shows how explosively brilliant the band was.

Really interesting to hear the first two live playings of Mondays on subsequent night from San Diago. Geldof tells us the song is a work in progress while to me it sounds just like the finished version and totally different from the "reggae" type version the had recorded around the same time. Bob is in no doubt what he thinks of Brenda Spenser calling her an a#####e. Geldof tells us the court case or her first appearance in court had just taken place that day so the recording is quite historic. Bobs only "concession" is that Spencer should not be tried as an adult, which is what happened. She was sixteen at the time.

The fourteen minute medley is preceded by Geldof lambasting American radio and the men in the satin jackets who control what music is played. Listening to this I'm reminded just how important the Boomtown Rats were as a band, and Geldof as a guy that was not afraid to open his mouth. No wonder he divided opinion and no wonder the Rats never broke in America if Geldof was to continue on this tack.

I read in a few placed that the American radio playlist was controlled by record companies who often gave out samples of "nose powder" to various Djs to ensure that their records were played. No wonder there was so much crazy disco music around in the seventies- but some of it was good, to be fair!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Really interesting to hear the first two live playings of Mondays on subsequent night from San Diego. Geldof tells us the song is a work in progress while to me it sounds just like the finished version and totally different from the "reggae" type version the had recorded around the same time.
The fourteen minute medley is preceded by Geldof lambasting American radio and the men in the satin jackets who control what music is played.
The "reggae" version is probably the version recorded with Gus Dudgeon. You may also note that Geldof mentions hearing about the story in London rather than the ficticious Atlanta telex machine.
Also his lambasting wasn't quite as bad as reported at the time nor as detailed in his autobiography.
I think the main reason they failed to break the USA was that Surfacing was not a strong enough album in terms of radio play and hence hit singles. The tour in early 1979 wasn't that extensive. It was the tour in early 1980 was meant to break them. However with no hit single (Mondays was effectively banned from the radio so they could not chart as playlists contributed to chart placings), they simply fizzled out. I think Geldof has overplayed the San Diego gig in the big scheme of things.
Only Elvis Costello and The Clash (and late on with Combat Rock) could really point to any sort of success in the US. The rest of the class of 77 pretty much all failed. The Boomtown Rats did better than most in making some impact with Mondays.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

I'm not too well up on what approach the band took to conquering America. Funnily the were often compared to Bruce Springsteen, lazily, because the used a bit of brass and sax on Joey and Rat Trap. Joey and Rat Trap perhaps should have been US hits and the themes relate to urban alienationand apply almost universally.

Geldof was a bit gobsmacked perhaps at the Americans not taking to the Rats. I think he thought the British music scene was superior- a bit like the Premiership being better quality that the Italian league so he had come from somewhere where people liked and bought the records and the Americans should sit up and take notice. I like his bluster-maybe the whole satin suits thing was exaggerated but its a good story, and he wasn't gonna play some silly game just to be a star in America. It was take or leave us.

America is way too big a country with different geographical musical tastes. I should check out the US album charts from the late seventies to see what was selling. Always remember My life by Billy Joel from that time!Rte made a documentary called the Boomtown Rats in America which I didn't see, and I'm not sure if its still in the archives- knowing RTE some guy said " That music is rubbish, destroy that videotape" and play proper music like Big Tom!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqbd8tVz3z4

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Joey and Rat Trap perhaps should have been US hits and the themes relate to urban alienationand apply almost universally.
Geldof was a bit gobsmacked perhaps at the Americans not taking to the Rats. I think he thought the British music scene was superior- a bit like the Premiership being better quality that the Italian league so he had come from somewhere where people liked and bought the records and the Americans should sit up and take notice.
Rte made a documentary called the Boomtown Rats in America which I didn't see, and I'm not sure if its still in the archives

The record executives in the US wanted something like Joey and Rat Trap because both of them did get a fair amount of airplay; Joey was on the US Tonic for that reason. I vaugely remember Geldof being reported as saying that when they gave them Mondo Bongo, that they really wanted another Rat Trap. Of course the strange thing is that Up All Night from the US Mondo Bongo was probably the most played Rats song on US radio and is possibly the most widely known song in North America (so much for record execs).

I'm not sure Geldof would believe that the British music scene was superior (I believe he admired the bands originating from CBGBs, probably more so than his peers from this side of teh pond ), but the US FM radio of the late 1970s was playing little of any interest. Hence he and Fingers were generally visiting college radio stations. The whole point of breaking the USA was to make some serious cash, but Surfacing sold well enough in the rest of the world anyway.

That documentary was supposed to have been on the Someone's Looking DVD. I suspect it is out there but like Rock Goes To College from 1978, I bet I never get to see it.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

RE The American music scene the CBGB type acts were just a tiny fraction of what was happening in America- you were more likely to come across the Doobie Brothers or Barry Manilow or Liberache- that was Geldof's point. The vast majority of what was played was either disco [not knocking this], country and western, are lazy rubbish rock muzak.

Remember all this was just before MTV started and most "music markets" would have been very localised eg San Francisco, New York, Seattle. Often acts in one part of America were unheard of a few states away. Probably the Rats focused on the more "liberal" or open societies of the east and west coasts. There are photos of the band taken in Middle America in the Peter Stone book Having Their Picture Taken. I remember the audience seemed quite into it, from what I can remember.

I've got an interview with Geldof taking about his experiences with the US record companies and he says that on hearing In The Long Grass they asked his why he couldn't go back and make a record like Oingo Boingo! It seems they were always in the wrong place at the wrong time regarding America.

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

-- Edited by noelindublin on Thursday 4th of August 2011 12:49:20 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
The vast majority of what was played was either disco [not knocking this], country and western, are lazy rubbish rock muzak.
Probably the Rats focused on the more "liberal" or open societies of the east and west coasts.
he says that on hearing In The Long Grass they asked his why he couldn't go back and make a record like Oingo Boingo!

I think US FM radio was pretty much wall to wall Eagles, REO Speedwagon and the like.

Most likely they did, I know they played Texas, but suspect most dates were on east/west coast.

I probably mixed that up with them wanting another Rat Trap when they heard Mondo Bongo. I believe you are correct and I am wrong.