The Boomtown Rats

The Boomtown Rats
The Boomtown Rats at Knott's Berry Farm in 1981
Background information
Origin	County Dublin, Ireland
Genres	New wave, punk rock, pop punk, post-punk, alternative rock
Years active	1975–1986, 2013–present
Labels	Mulligan, Ensign, Mercury
Associated acts	Band Aid, Live Aid, Live 8
Website	www.boomtownrats.co.uk
Members	Bob Geldof Pete Briquette Simon Crowe Garry Roberts
Past members	Johnnie Fingers Gerry Cott

The Boomtown Rats are an Irish new wave band that had a series of Irish and UK hits between 1977 and 1985. 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). The Boomtown Rats broke up in 1986, but reformed in 2013, without Johnnie Fingers or Gerry Cott.

All six members originate from Dún Laoghaire, Ireland. Having been booked for their first gig under the name "The Nightlife Thugs," the group agreed on the name change, when Garry Roberts threatened to resign if they were called that, to the "Boomtown Rats" after a gang of children that Geldof had read about in Woody Guthrie's autobiography, Bound for Glory . They became a notable band, but one whose accomplishments were overshadowed by the charity work of frontman Bob Geldof, a former journalist with the New Musical Express.

The group moved to London and signed with Ensign Records in 1976. Their first single, "Lookin' After No. 1", came out in August 1977. It reached the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart, the first of a long string of successes. The album The Boomtown Rats was released the next month. it included another single, "Mary of the 4th Form".Music journalist Martin C. Strong commented, "Geldof's moody charisma helped to give the band a distinct identity".