In an interview with the Exeter Echo and Express 27 October Simon Crowe responded:

What is the plan for 2015?

We have quite a few festivals lined up next year. We will probably get together to do a few recordings between now and then and get a few other gigs on the calendar.

He also said there 'is a growing willingness for us to do something more' and 'we gave done some recordings'. Not sure if the latter is a reference to Ratlife ep, bit overall maybe it's the hint that there may be a new album. Not sure either how many 'quite a few' is, but fingers crossed, the Rats machine keeps rolling on.

Read more: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Interview-Simon-Crowe-Boomtown-Rats/story-23625337-detail/story.html#ixzz3HXuJCpHa 

-- Edited by noelindublin on Wednesday 29th of October 2014 02:03:26 PM

Jules wrote:

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Carfest South completely sold out. CarFest North has sold out day only already. Didn't get one

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 More tickets will be available in April.

Interesting possibilities here, especially given recent thread on Germany and relative lack of travel outside UK since reunion.

http://www.rockartistmanagement.com/page/the_boomtown_rats

ArrGee wrote:

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May 29 Wiesbaden, Schlachthof Germany Tbc

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 Which translates to Slaughter House (or Meat Factory for The Five Lamp Boys).

ArrGee wrote:

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• May 27 Munich, Backstsage Werk Germany Tbc
• May 29 Wiesbaden, Schlachthof Germany Tbc
• May 30 Cologne, Palladium Germany Tbc

 

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 These all look like pretty decent sized venues.  Maybe the Rats are quite popular in Germany...

suss wrote:

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Interesting possibilities here, especially given recent thread on Germany and relative lack of travel outside UK since reunion.

http://www.rockartistmanagement.com/page/the_boomtown_rats

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 Any idea what the addition "RAM" might mean..?

Jun 27 or 28 Pencil RAM

July 10 Newquay Tbc (RAM)

Joke wrote:

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Interesting! Making plans already suss? ;)

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I am, one might say, 'saving the dates'

Not booking anything until confirmed though. End of May could be a cracking short break, and I've never been to Finland!

Fingers crossed they happen. 

ArrGee wrote:

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suss wrote:

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Interesting possibilities here, especially given recent thread on Germany and relative lack of travel outside UK since reunion.

http://www.rockartistmanagement.com/page/the_boomtown_rats

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Just to clarify I am not planning any further excursions outside the M25 never mind outside the UK!  

The most interesting is Pencil RAM which is the Glastonbury weekend. Or the Killarney Festival of Music & Food festival.  Or The Marquee in Cork. I may be tempted to travel to the latter two...

For those who are too lazy to click through...

• May 27 Munich, Backstsage Werk Germany Tbc
• May 28 Swiss festival Winterthur, Switzerland
• May 29 Wiesbaden, Schlachthof Germany Tbc
• May 30 Cologne, Palladium Germany Tbc
• Jun 5 Helsinki, Kivenlahti Rock Finland
• Jun 7 Lets Rock Bristol
• Jun 27 or 28 Pencil RAM
• July 10 Newquay Tbc (RAM)
• Jly 31 Carfest North
• Aug 8 Rebellion Festival, Blackpool
• Aug 9 Rewind Chester
• Aug 23 Brussels Summer festival - TBC
• Aug 28 Carfest South
• Aug 29 Watchet Somerset (RAM)
• Sep 13 Reload festival, Norwich RAM

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/festivals.php?year=2015&from=307  (goto prev and next for other festivals at the same time)

And a cool new logo.  Looks a little like In The Long Grass with rat replacing woodlouse. 

 

It would be cool if they had a Rats Hits 40.  Dunno where I've seen that kind of thing...

 

Though I should be careful when I write that, they'll be releasing another compilation.  

To conclude a very rambling post if they do have to do a Rats Hits 40 then just original single mixes and b-sides, especially all that stuff not released pre-2005.  They can fix up Joey on the Streets(sic) Again while they are at it (e.g. slow it down and spell it right).  Oh and a nice 4LP vinyl set to go alongside the double CD.

 

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Agree with you 100% here. And what a cool poster 

ArrGee wrote:

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Echoes of....

 

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Yeah see where your coming from. But not only are the Rats better looking they are much cooler And Geldof is a much better singer Ha ha 

Jules wrote:

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Ooh might consider Brussels. It's my 50th birthday. What a way to spend it . Interesting.

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 Amazing.My brother lives in Brussels and let's say he was more than  acquainted with the Rats having me for a brother. I was actually over there in September visiting him. I sent him an email telling him about the concert, so let's hope it goes ahead.

Brussels is a very nice city, great architecture and historic buildings etc.I actually missed all these European dates, but great that the are scheduled to go ahead. Wished they could play in Amsterdam as well.

noelindublin wrote:

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Jules wrote:

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Will probably do Bristol and Carfest South but I'm sure they won't sell out immediately.

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 Someone should do a Trainfest for all the rail enthusiasts. Maybe some railway town like Swindon with XTC headlining. In my dreams.

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 Or just have the gig on the train.

Lisa wrote:

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ArrGee wrote:

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noelindublin wrote:

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 Someone should do a Trainfest for all the rail enthusiasts. Maybe some railway town like Swindon with XTC headlining. In my dreams.

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 Or just have the gig on the train.

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 http://www.watercressline.co.uk/product.php/10/real-ale-train-r-a-t

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That is brilliant. Ride The Rat and get Rat-Ar$3d.  I really want one of those glasses.  Sadly sold out for Valentine's night, could have treated Mrs. ArrGee

Line up for Macclesfield (Rewind North) announced including Human League,  ABC,  OMG,  Howard Jones, Soul to Soul,  Imagination, Hue and Cry and Bananarama Republica.

OK,  not Republica (we've seen them with the Rats already) but I couldn't help myself. 

By the way,  RAM are calling this Rewind North (Chester). Other side of the county,  Macclesfield is about 45 miles from Chester.

That's like billing something Rewind Glasgow and holding it in Edinburgh!

Any chance of Rats Hits 40 becoming a reality?  31/10/15 will soon come and wouldn't it be great to see the original single mixes and all the b sides together with other selected cuts. What say we email RAM or wherever and plant the seed or water it? 

If 31/10/15 is simply a release date for Rats Hits 40,  what's to worry about? !

If there's a gig clash,  I know who I would drop to go see the Rats and so do U2 

Mark L wrote:

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Any chance of Rats Hits 40 becoming a reality?  31/10/15 will soon come and wouldn't it be great to see the original single mixes and all the b sides together with other selected cuts. What say we email RAM or wherever and plant the seed or water it? 

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That was just my thinking out loud.  The single mixes + b sides would be more than 40 tracks so selected cuts are unlikely.  Would have to get rid of some tracks to make 40.  An Icicle In the Sun, Hard Times and When The Night Comes are just the album tracks anyway, so that leaves...

1. Looking After No.1
2. Born To Burn
3. Barefootin' (live)
4. Mary of the 4th Form
5. Do The Rat 
6. She's So Modern
7. Lying Again 
8. Like Clockwork
9. How Do You Do ?
10. D.U.N. L.A.O.G.H.A.I.R.E.*
11. Rat Trap
12. So Strange 
13. I Don't Like Mondays
14. It's All The Rage 
15. Diamond Smiles
16. Late Last Night 
17. Someone's Looking at You
18. Banana Republic
19. Man at the Top
20. The Elephants Graveyard (Guilty)
21. Real Different
22. Never in a Million Years
23. Don't Talk To Me
24. House on Fire
25. Europe Looked Ugly
26. House on Fire (dub mix)
27. Charmed Lives
28. No Hiding Place
29. Nothing Happened Today (Live)
30. A Storm Breaks (Instrumental)
31. Tonight
32. Precious Times
33. Walking Downtown
34. Drag Me Down
35. Up All Night (extended)
36. She's So Modern
37. Dave
38. Lazun Gemmun (Banana Republic (Live)/Close As You'll Ever Be (Live))
39. A Hold of Me
40. Say Hi To Mick

 Of course that ignores the Ratsh!t ep...

RATLIFE EP

• The Boomtown Rats
• Back To Boomtown
• Ratified
• Ratlife

As an aside, The Rats at The BBC would be a far more interesting proposition.  Two Peel Sessions plus Mastertapes plus the best of four or five live shows...

I was thinking more of the 40th anniversary of the group rather than 40 tracks, although the double entendre works well. A 2 cd package at 80 mins each cd could accommodate Arrgee's excellent list plus selected cuts?  

A lot of the single mixes are between 3 and 4 mins long for radio play so would fit?

I'd prefer the UK original V Deep version of Up all Night instead of the extended one. I'd also like to see Joey on there, Wind Chill Factor, Go Man Go (Irish single), He Watches it All and the superb Hard Times from In the Long Grass. There's no need for Eva Braun to be on another compilation.

Would we email rockartistmgmt@aol.com or are they just tour-related?

Mark L wrote:

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A 2 cd package at 80 mins each cd could accommodate Arrgee's excellent list plus selected cuts?  

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I was thinking more of 4 LPs, but I'm probably the only one who'd buy that!  Probably with a bonus 7" Ratlife ep.

well maybe Derek would buy ten copies.

With a slight reordering for the She's So Modern Alternative Version...

LP1

Side One

1. Looking After No.1
2. Born To Burn
3. Barefootin' (live)
4. Mary of the 4th Form
5. Do The Rat

Side two

1. She's So Modern
2. Lying Again 
3. Like Clockwork
4. How Do You Do ?
5. D.U.N. L.A.O.G.H.A.I.R.E.*

LP2

Side One

1. Rat Trap
2. So Strange 
3. I Don't Like Mondays
4. It's All The Rage 
5. Diamond Smiles
6. Late Last Night 

Side Two

1. Someone's Looking at You
2. Banana Republic
3. Man at the Top
4. The Elephants Graveyard (Guilty)
5. Real Different

LP3 

Side One

1. Never in a Million Years
2. Don't Talk To Me
3. House on Fire
4. Europe Looked Ugly
5. House on Fire (dub mix)

Side Two

1. Charmed Lives
2. No Hiding Place
3. Nothing Happened Today (Live)
4. A Storm Breaks (Instrumental)
5. She's So Modern (Alt Version)

LP4

Side One

1. Tonight
2. Precious Times
3. Walking Downtown
4. Drag Me Down
5. Up All Night (extended)

Side Two

1. Dave
2. Lazun Gemmun (Banana Republic (Live)/Close As You'll Ever Be (Live))
3. A Hold of Me
4. Say Hi To Mick

Mark L wrote:

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Line up for Macclesfield (Rewind North) announced including Human League,  ABC,  OMG,  Howard Jones, Soul to Soul,  Imagination, Hue and Cry and Bananarama Republica.

OK,  not Republica (we've seen them with the Rats already) but I couldn't help myself. 

By the way,  RAM are calling this Rewind North (Chester). Other side of the county,  Macclesfield is about 45 miles from Chester.

That's like billing something Rewind Glasgow and holding it in Edinburgh!

 

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 Must be sponsored by Ryanair, taking liberties with the Chester/Macc locations. I think one of the Ryanair airports is about 90 miles from the city in serves, somewhere in Italy.

http://www.reloadfestival.co.uk/news/reload-2015-lineup REload confirmed with Level 42 and the wee screechy scotch man.

Jules wrote:

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These ones have now been confirmed on BG website

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 So awaiting confirmation of the following

• Jun 27 or 28 Pencil RAM
• July 10 Newquay Tbc (RAM)
• Aug 23 Brussels Summer festival - TBC

Pencil RAM is the most interesting one.

Jules wrote:

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Everyone keep their fingers crossed for the Brussels one, for me! I want that one

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 My brother growing up was very into Prefab Sprout. He now lives in Brussels. While reading through the Prefab Sprout forum doing some research I spotted that someone, though not him, had taken the moniker Brussels Sprout, very clever, whoever it was.

suss wrote:

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That Somerset festival is very reasonably priced I must say; a mere £20 for a day ticket. No need for a second mortgage for once

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 Wow, hadn't even bothered to look at the festivals, assuming they'd all be an arm and a leg, but that's more like it. Tempting...

ArrGee wrote:

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Jules wrote:

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These ones have now been confirmed on BG website

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 So awaiting confirmation of the following

• Jun 27 or 28 Pencil RAM
• July 10 Newquay Tbc (RAM)
• Aug 23 Brussels Summer festival - TBC

Pencil RAM is the most interesting one.

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 probably not Glastonbury...

The gig in Cologne has been relocated from the Palladium to the Live Music Hall (which is smaller).

Jules wrote:

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Well according to the Rats page on FB the Rats will be at Latitude this year. No formal/official confirmation though.

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 Not on FB at work so any update on which day? My guess is Friday as I've heard of the headliners for Sat and Sunday but not Friday. Alt J??? Sounds like a keyboard command...

Jules wrote:

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What's your last post ArrGee, it's just a blue ? for me!!

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 The poster for Latitude.

http://www.latitudefestival.com/sites/live.b.latitudefestival.com/files/images/line-up-posters/latitude_2015_line-up_april_announcement_full_line-up-web_65.jpg

So looks like an early slot on Sunday then...Alt J must be bigger than I thought

Wonder what time the Adnams brewery tours are...

suss wrote:

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So looks like an early slot on Sunday then...Alt J must be bigger than I thought

Wonder what time the Adnams brewery tours are...

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 Biggest  gig since Iow? Where is Latitude based  Suss or anyone?

suss wrote:

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Just inland from Southwold on Suffolk coast. Beautiful little town, but very pricey. Think it'll have to be a day trip for me, day ticket is £91!!

Do they lay on cushioned chairs with champes for the festivalgoers or something?

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Merci beacoup

No carfests for me,and not sure about latitude being sold out. Seems with the Manics, and Noel Gallagher tickets may be hard to come by for that as well.

The June gig in Bristol seems the best option but the line up, apart from the Rats is appalling , so even that is  not something I wanna rush into.

It's still early, so there is the chance of more gigs, maybe even in  Ireland.

noelindublin wrote:

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Seems with the Manics, and Noel Gallagher tickets may be hard to come by for that as well.

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At a tenner short of a ton I think your chances are enhanced. Lot of dosh for a likely sub hour Rats set though. At least as you say the rest of lineup on the day has some appeal compared to Rewinds/Reloads/Let's Rock etc.

Just shows what good value the Butlins weekender is, and all with similar genre music.

suss wrote:

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Just inland from Southwold on Suffolk coast. Beautiful little town, but very pricey. Think it'll have to be a day trip for me, day ticket is £91!!

Do they lay on cushioned chairs with champes for the festivalgoers or something?

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No chance of me paying £90 plus travel.  Anyway, Mrs. ArrGee wouldn't be too happy as it is our anniversary that weekend and I'd have to cancel our theatre trip.  Makes the £50 for blur and the £50 for The Who/Weller/Marr/Kaisers look like bargains especially as I can get home from them on the tube.

No, but it is supposed to be a very good festival full of middle aged parents and kids.  Perfect for the Rats.  Only thing lacking is TV coverage but the audience are highly likely to have heard of them so they should get a good reception.

suss wrote:

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Lisa wrote:

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OK well if I'm honest maybe hoping there'll be torrential rain and hail and tornados and then I can feel smug that I'm nice and cosy at home 

 

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 At which point my guilt trip and benevloent thoughts about letting you perhaps have my ticket evaporated....

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 Oh that would have been SO kind!  But I hear the inclement weather forecast is here to stay - and the sky will be darkened by flying pigs apparently! 

Lisa wrote:

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suss wrote:

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Lisa wrote:

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OK well if I'm honest maybe hoping there'll be torrential rain and hail and tornados and then I can feel smug that I'm nice and cosy at home 

 

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 At which point my guilt trip and benevloent thoughts about letting you perhaps have my ticket evaporated....

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 Oh that would have been SO kind!  But I hear the inclement weather forecast is here to stay - and the sky will be darkened by flying pigs apparently! 

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For years, every outdoor gig/festival I ever went to was accompanied by driving rain.  Pulp, Stone Roses and Elvis Costello/Ray Davies did break that trend, but I am quite prepared to ditch my tickets for Hyde Park this summer if the forecast looks bad.

Jules wrote:

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ArrGee, please avoid the ones I go to in that case

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 Unless you are planning a trip to Hyde Park you will be safe.   Even with outdoor gigs I stay well within the M25.  If I get wet at least I don't have a tent to sleep in.

Jules wrote:

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ArrGee that isn't entirely true! 

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Nearest I ever got to going outdoors abroad (outside London) was the tent in Cork.    It's a shame they haven't done that again, the best Rats gig since the reunion.  I might even go to something like that.

suss wrote:

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Lisa wrote:

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 Oh that would have been SO kind!  But I hear the inclement weather forecast is here to stay - and the sky will be darkened by flying pigs apparently! 

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 What that lot that had a Christmas number one with Only You? Are they playing there too? Didn't even know they were still going. 

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 No, the pigs had a number one with Every Breathe You Take.   They started being called the flying pigs after Stung the eco warrior started jet setting it between the rain forests.