London, UK - Gonzo Multimedia will be releasing an unreleased live
DVD/CD by rock legends The Boomtown Rats featuring Bob Geldof titled
"Live In Germany '78" on June 8, 2015!
In 1975 friends Garry Roberts, Simon Crowe, Johnnie Moylett, Patrick
Cusack and Gerry Cott formed a band in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland. Bob
Geldof was originally invited to be the band's manager, but he soon
found himself nominated to take on the role of lead vocals by
guitarist Garry Roberts, who originally had that job and didn't want
it.
The band's early influences were Dr. Feelgood, The Rolling Stones, The
Who, The Doors and Bob Marley, among many others. Gerry and Pete
arranged the band's first gig for Halloween 1975 under the name of The
Nightlife Thugs, at the Bolton Street Technical College, where they -
and Johnnie, were studying Architectural Technology. Just before the
band went on stage, they changed their name to The Boomtown Rats, who
were a gang mentioned in Woody Guthrie's autobiography, "Bound For
Glory".
The Rats were soon causing a buzz throughout the whole of Ireland. In
1976 The Boomtown Rats relocated to England in search of a record
deal. They turned down a million pound deal from Richard Branson's
Virgin Records, and decided instead to sign for a new label that had
been set up by former Phonogram man Nigel Grange and DJ Chris Hill.
The new label was called Ensign.
The Boomtown Rats played their first ever UK gig on May 6th. 1977 at
the Lodestar Club, Ribchester, Blackburn, Lancashire. The supporting
acts were Demolition, and Disco-Punk Chris Graham. Having undertaken a
hectic schedule of touring including gigs with Tom Petty, and The
Ramones, The Boomtown Rats debut single "Looking After Number One"
entered the UK charts in it's first week of release at No. 78. The NME
made it their single of the week. The Rats did their first TV show, a
turn on The Marc Bolan Show. Marc tragically died 2 weeks later in a
motor accident. "Looking After Number One" peaked at No.11 in the UK
charts and The Rats were invited to do their first TOTP appearance.
The band had now arrived. The Rats released their debut album, the
imaginatively entitled "Boomtown Rats". The album reached 18 in the UK
charts.
In 1978 the single "She's So Modern" reached No.12 in the UK charts,
more gigs, more tours, more exposure. Geldof was now becoming as well
known for his motor-mouth as he is for his music, picking up the
nickname "Bob The Gob" by the music press for his outspoken views. The
Rats second album "A Tonic For The Troops" produced by Robert Mutt
Lange reaches No.8 in the album charts and hangs around for 44 weeks.
There was more TV, a promotional trip to America and November saw The
Rats reach the top, when the single "Rat Trap" knocked John Travolta &
Olivia Newton John off the No.1 spot.
The Boomtown Rats made history as the first Irish band to have a UK
No.1 hit. "Rat Trap" is also recognized as the first New Wave song
that made No.1 in the charts. In January 1979 Geldof hears the story
on the news of the Californian schoolgirl, Brenda Spencer who shot and
killed her principal of the school and injured many of her school
mates. When interviewed and asked why she did it, she replied "I Don't
Like Mondays". This quote proved to be inspirational to Bob Geldof &
Johnnie Fingers. The ensuing single became a smash hit world-wide,
reaching the No.1 spot in 32 countries and quite rightly became an
all-time classic. The Boomtown Rats undertook a world tour, taking in
America, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The American leg of
the tour ended at The Palladium in New York. The Boomtown Rats third
album "The Fine Art Of Surfacing" reached No.7 in the UK album charts.
In 1980, a Dublin court canceled a Boomtown Rats concert. Bob Geldof
rejected the court's decision and The Boomtown Rats battled on for 2
weeks to be allowed to play in Ireland. The Boomtown Rats held the gig
at Leixlip Castle to fourteen thousand fans... with Bob Geldof
claiming a Boomtown Rats victory.
In 1981 The Rats recorded their new album "Mondo Bongo" in Ibiza with
producer Tony Visconti who had previously produced albums with T Rex,
Bowie, Thin Lizzy, The Stranglers, Iggy Pop, to name but a few. The
album "Mondo Bongo" went gold again. Now a recurring event for each
new Rats album. The album featured the classic hit "Banana Republic"
which has been called Ireland's alternative national anthem! Lead
guitarist Gerry Cott now left the band, who continued as a 5-piece.
Geldof stars in director Alan Parkers classic film of Pink Floyd's The
Wall. The Rats tour Thailand, India, Japan,Malaya, Hong Kong and
Singapore.
In 1982 a new generation of bands breaks through and The Rats new
album "V Deep", again produced by Visconti becomes The Rats first
record setback. The single House On Fire does well in the UK charts.
The Rats tour of the UK to promote the album however is a complete
sell-out. In 1984 The Rats brilliant single "Drag Me Down" limps into
the Top 50.. The Geldof masterpiece "Dave" sinks without trace,
although Pete Townsend of The Who said Dave was "the best single of
1984".
In late October 1984 Geldof watches he Ethiopian famine on the BBC
News and decides to "do something". The other Rats wholeheartedly
support him.
In 1985 The Boomtown Rats sing on the Geldof/Midge Ure penned Band
Aid record "Do They Know It's Christmas". In its first week of release
the single became the UK's fastest seller of all time, entering the
chart at number one and going on to sell over three million copies,
making it the biggest-selling single in UK history up to that point.
On July 13th 1985, The Boomtown Rats were just one of the greatest
artists in rock 'n roll history to play the Live Aid Concert in front
of billions of people.
In 1986 , and so The Boomtown Rats play their last gig in Ireland for Self-Aid.
Unlike 10 years previously when The Rats understood precisely what
they stood for, who they were and what their intention were, by '86
this had now become unclear. Where could they go musically after all
that had been achieved as a group both musically and socially. There
were few battles left to fight that they hadn't already won. And so
they went their separate ways.
In 2013 The Boomtown Rats re-group and once again overwhelm the tens
of thousands at the Isle of Wight Festival. The songs had not only
lasted but had over the years attained a newer relevance and power.
Hearing them afresh the critics were amazed at how contemporary the
Rats, their music, their songs and their attitude - unchanged after
all those years still were. And are!!
And now, comes an unreleased live concert from Germany 1978 on DVD/CD!
Here is the undiluted towering energy, speed, anger and sheer joy of
playing in one of the great British/Irish bands of our time at their
peak and in their prime.
Watch the promotional video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5elub4Pqjgc
Tracks:
Close As You'll Ever Be
Never Bite The Hand That Feeds
Neon Heart
(It Feels) So Strange.
Kicks
She's So Modern
Joey's On The Street Again
Don't Believe What You Read
(She's Gonna) Do You In
Do The Rat
It's All The Rage
Mary Of The 4th Form
Looking After Number 1
For more information: http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/product_details/15843
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