Boomtown Rats
WouterThe Boomtown Rats are an Irish rock band who achieved worldwide fame in the 1970s. They were a part of the UK’s New Wave movement. Fronted by Bob Geldof, they achieved fame in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The band broke up in 1986, but reformed again in 2013. Their first album, Boomtown, was released in 1977.
The Rats’ sound resembles a mix of ’70s rockers with a dose of Queen’s bombast. The songs are upbeat and catchy, and there are few duds on the album. For example, “Blind Date” has a clunky chorus that declares “We belong to Rome”. The song “Adolf Hitler Never Loved Eva Braun” mentions living on an island.
While the band’s popularity has diminished over time, their legacy is still undeniable. The band’s albums were remastered and released in 2005. The remastered versions of the albums were released along with DVDs of the band’s performances. The live DVD was mixed by Briquette and the album’s extra tracks were mixed by Francesco Cameli.
The Rats’ second album, I Don’t Like Mondays, was a worldwide hit. It was inspired by the tragic murder of Brenda Spencer, a school principal, and injured other students. However, their subsequent albums followed a more mundane pop/rock path, with the band disbanding in 1984. The band’s lead singer, Bob Geldof, kept a high profile and even masterminded the successful Band Aid.
