Year: 2020
Country: UK
City: London
Label: Sony
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 10
Time: 40 min.
Genre: rock
Style: New Wave
Firstly to mention that original artwork, inspired on the brutalist architecure soviet era. Secondly, a presentation of this irish rock band, formed in 1976 in Garry Roberts' kitchen in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, the group originally took the name The Nightlife Thugs. They changed it during the interval of their first gig on October 31st 1976 to The Boomtown Rats, after Woody Guthrie's term for oilfield workers. The group is led by vocalist Bob Geldof. The other members of the original line-up were Garry Roberts (lead guitar), Johnnie Fingers (keyboard), Pete Briquette (bass), Gerry Cott (rhythm guitar) and Simon Crowe (drums).They produced six studio albums and a string of succesful singles, remaining together until just after the 1985 Live Aid concert of which Bob Geldof, KBE, was the organiser.
With it being something like thirty-plus years since the last Boomtown Rats studio album, this has been, if not hotly anticipated, a record that a lot of people were probably not that bothered about. The Rats have been pretty much excised from the history of punk rock (a bit like The Stranglers were for a fair old time) and their late seventies/early eighties heyday is seen through the prism of Live Aid, Geldof’s later celebrity status and an almost daily presence in the gutter press following the tragic events that haunted him for years.
This ignores a few long-lost facts; firstly, The Boomtown Rats were one of the biggest selling and most popular bands of the original punk wave (again a bit like The Stranglers) and were loved by provincial youth as much as The Pistols and Clash for (albeit) a short time. Secondly, they were an absolutely solid-gold singles band; those speed-thrill R&B-influenced seven-inchers that had elements of The Pretty Things, the early Stones and Them in among the buzzsaw punk and Geldof’s sneering lyrics were totally of, and in the moment. Thirdly, as a live band (they were the third real-i.e. not a local- band I saw after the Stranglers and The Clash) they were peerless and Geldof as a frontman was often untouchably enigmatic. The Boomtown Rats have always shown that rock is another form of activism. (Contiue to read this review Joe White ).
Discogs , Lastfm , Download , Wikipedia , Web , Facebook , Twitter , InstagramWith it being something like thirty-plus years since the last Boomtown Rats studio album, this has been, if not hotly anticipated, a record that a lot of people were probably not that bothered about. The Rats have been pretty much excised from the history of punk rock (a bit like The Stranglers were for a fair old time) and their late seventies/early eighties heyday is seen through the prism of Live Aid, Geldof’s later celebrity status and an almost daily presence in the gutter press following the tragic events that haunted him for years.
This ignores a few long-lost facts; firstly, The Boomtown Rats were one of the biggest selling and most popular bands of the original punk wave (again a bit like The Stranglers) and were loved by provincial youth as much as The Pistols and Clash for (albeit) a short time. Secondly, they were an absolutely solid-gold singles band; those speed-thrill R&B-influenced seven-inchers that had elements of The Pretty Things, the early Stones and Them in among the buzzsaw punk and Geldof’s sneering lyrics were totally of, and in the moment. Thirdly, as a live band (they were the third real-i.e. not a local- band I saw after the Stranglers and The Clash) they were peerless and Geldof as a frontman was often untouchably enigmatic. The Boomtown Rats have always shown that rock is another form of activism. (Contiue to read this review Joe White ).
"Tales of Boomtown Glory" is a collection of the complete lyrics from Bob Geldof's Boomtown Rats and solo albums, accompanied by an introduction and 25 song stories written by Geldof, and exclusive scans from his notebooks over the years. The stories provide a witty and honest account of the background, inspiration and context of the songs. Lyrics to the 188 songs include previously unreleased material as well as the upcoming 2020 Boomtown Rats album. "This man is more in charge of the English language than anyone I've ever met." Bono, musician "What set the Rats apart was the strength and intelligence of Geldof's writing. It should be in every anthology of late 20th Century Irish literature." Joseph O'Connor, novelist "His songs historically will be looked back on as incredibly important things" Jools Holland, musician, broadcaster.