Irish Rock Bands: Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats

Bob Geldof, one of many notable Irish singers, was with Irish rock band Boomtown Rats.  He may be just as well known for his political and humanitarian activism as he is for his affiliation with an Irish rock band!

Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof, KBE (Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire), was born in 1951 in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland, where he was also raised. His father was the son of a Belgian emigrant and an Englishwoman. His mother died of a brain hemorrhage at age 41. Bob Geldof worked as a laborer at various jobs, then went to Vancouver, Canada to work as a music writer for a weekly publication. In 1975 he joined the band, the Boomtown Rats as the lead singer.

Geldof wrote the Rats’ hit song, I Don’t Like Mondays.  It was controversial, as it was written about a mass shooting by 16 year old, Brenda Ann Spencer.  In 1979, Spencer fired on the elementary school across from her San Diego house, wounding 8 children and 1 police officer, and killing the principal and school custodian.  Regarding the shootings, Spencer stated, “I just did it for the fun of it.  I don't like Mondays.  This livens up the day.”  

Geldof caused controversy in an interview by Gay Byrne on Ireland’s The Late Late Show.  He was vocal about his views on Irish Politicians and the Catholic Church.  It is said due to the fallout from the interview, the Boomtown Rats never played in Ireland again except for one concert in 1980. 

Another reason you may know Bob Geldof is his portrayal as “Pinky” in the 1982 Pink Floyd movie The Wall.

Remember the guy that shaved off his eyebrows and was taken off for psychiatric care? Yep, Bob Geldof.

Pink’s performance of In the Flesh? in The Wall was actually by Geldof. Roger Waters of Pink Floyd did not like this, being of the opinion that Geldof’s voice was too distinctively Irish.

Bob Geldof is known as an activist, particularly for his work for relieving hunger and poverty in Africa.  He and Midge Ure of Ultravox co-wrote the song Do They Know It’s Christmas?, which is one of the best-selling singles ever.  The song was recorded We Are the World-style by a gathering of stars, under the name Band Aid. 

Geldof and Ure teamed up again to spearhead the Live Aid Concert in 1984 for famine relief in Ethiopia.  It was staged simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.  Phil Collins took the Concorde in order to play both shows.  Apparently Geldof’s use of strong language, and perhaps some brow beating for donations, created controversy.  But Live Aid raised over 150 million pounds, and Geldof was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.  All’s well that ends well I guess. 

Geldof left the Boomtown Rats in 1986 to pursue his solo career.  He wrote a best-selling autobiography, Is That It? and write a book.  One of his early solo hits was This is the World Calling, a song co-written with Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart.  He performed occasionally with other artists, including Irish band Thin Lizzy.  He also performed with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour.  He appears on the 2002 DVD David Gilmour in Concert, performing Comfortably Numb with Gilmour. 

In 2005 Geldof and Ure headed up the Live 8 Concerts to raise awareness of African issues.  Concerts were coordinated around the world in major industrialized cities.  Roger Waters played with Pink Floyd in London, the first time since 1981.  The timing was set to coincide with the G8 economic summit.  Again controversy swirled.  He was criticized for the lack of African artists in the concerts.  Geldof countered that the African acts would not draw the attention and donations that the internationally known bands that played would.  There was also media criticism that the concerts would have no impact on the economic summit proceedings. 

Geldof had devoted extensive time to his various political and charity activist causes since 2000. After Live 8, he returned to music. In 2005, he released a boxed set of his solo albums, Great Songs of Indifference- The Anthology 1986-2001.

Despite controversy, Geldof has garnered numerous awards and honors, including Nobel Peace Prize nominations in 2006 and 2008. He serves on two organizations founded by Bono, fellow Irishman, for fighting global poverty. He has also been a major voice for the Fathers’ Rights Movement. Geldof is a single father of four girls borne by Paula Yates.

Paula Yates was a rock journalist, and appeared on the shows The Tube and The Big Breakfast.  Paula was a fan and follower of the Boomtown Rats.  They became a couple in 1976.  They had a daughter Fifi Trixibelle in 1983.  They married in 1986 in Las Vegas, with Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon standing as best man.  Geldof and Yates had daughter Peaches in 1989, and Little Pixie in 1990. 

Paula Yates left Geldof in 1994 for INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence, whom she had interviewed on her shows The Tube and The Big Breakfast.  The pair had a daughter, Tiger Lily in 1996.  Hutchence died in 1997, presumed suicide from hanging.  Geldof fought for and was awarded custody of his three daughters, and directed some of his passion for causes to the rights of fathers.  Yates died of drug and alcohol overdose in 2000.  Geldof was awarded legal guardianship of Tiger Lily, believing that it would be best for her to grow up with her half sisters.  Geldof adopted Tiger Hutchence-Geldof in 2007. 

The Geldof household currently includes his French girlfriend Jeanne Marine, an actress, Pixie and Tiger.  They live in South London. 

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