The Boomtown Rats formed in 1975 in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland. They went by the name
Nightlight Thugs, but later changed their name and relocated to London in '76. They released their first album, Boomtown Rats, in 1977 - their first single was
Lookin' after No. 1 which charted at #11. Their album was also the first punk album to be playlisted by the
BBC. By 1981 they had released nine consecutive top twenty singles (their final U.K. top ten single would be
Banana Republic).
The Boomtown Rats were moved by reports of the famine in
Ethiopia, Bob Geldof, the bands frontman, and with
Ultravox's Midge Ire cowrote and released
Do they know it's Christmas?. Recorded in a single 24 hour session which included
Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Boy George, Sting, and many others - they single sold over two million copies world wide in 10 days, charting at #1. The song still remains the biggest selling single to date in the history of British Pop. All the procedings went directly to famine relief.
Geldof and the Boomtown Rats played to host the 1985's
Live Aid which included
David Bowie,
U2,
Duran Duran.
Led Zeppelin,
Queen, and
Madonna - all proceedings went to world hunger.
In earling 1986 the Boomtown Rats split up.
Bob Geldof was nominated for a
Nobel Peace Prize
Boomtown Rats
Discography:
Looking After No.1 (EP) -
1977 Ensign
The Boomtown Rats - 1977 Ensign
A Tonic For The Troops -
1978 Ensign
The Fine Art Of Surfacing -
1979 Ensign
Mondo Bongo -
1981 Mercury
House On Fire (EP) -
1982 Mercury
V Deep - 1982 Mercury
Charmed Lives (EP) - 1982 Mercury
Ratrospective (EP) -
1983 Columbia (U.S. release)
In The Long Grass -
1984 Mercury
Tonight (EP) - 1984 Mercury
Dave (EP) - 1984 Mercury
A Hold Of Me (EP) -
1985 Mercury