BOOMTOWN RATS: German Review

It is not very certain that the name of the Boomtown Rats recalls something the majority of people on this earth. Also, editing a DVD and a CD devoted to a concert by the group in Germany in 1978 is a great opportunity to restore their rights Boomtown Rats in the legend. To clarify things a bit, it must be borne in mind that the Boomtown Rats were led by a singer named Bob Geldof . That's it, the click is  : Bob Geldof has remained famous in history for its activities and its humanitarian activism, made ​​famous with the organization of the concert giant Live Aid for Ethiopia in July 1985. The concert, broadcast on all the TVs in the world, brought together the glories of the time, as Queen, Elvis Costello, U2, David Bowie, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin survivors or Duran Duran. And of course The Boomtown Rats had also made ​​an appearance at this concert.

It was at the time their swan song as they would separate the following year, after a short career filled with six albums. This career began in 1976 in Dun Laoghaire, a small coastal town in the east of Ireland, around Garry Roberts (guitar), Johnnie Fingers (keyboards), Pete Briquette (bass), Gerry Cott(guitar), Simon Crowe ( drums) and Bob Geldof (vocals). The latter, born in 1951, has three or four years older than the rest of his comrades. He returned from Canada where he was a journalist for a local newspaper, after having been employed in a slaughterhouse, in a canning factory or construction worker. The Boomtown Rats will thus achieve the albums "The Boomtown Rats" (1977), " A tonic for the troops "(1978), "The Fine Art of Surfacing" (1979), "Mondo Bongo" (1981), "V Deep" (1982) and "In the long grass" (1984). Some successes are staking their careers, like the hits"Looking after No.1" , "Mary if the 4th form" (respectively 11 and 15 in the UK in 1977), "She's so modern" , "Like clockwork" , "Rat Trap" (No. 12, 6 and 1 in 1978) and especially "I do not like Mondays" , No. 1 in 1979 and tells the story of a massacre at a college in the United States by crazy killer.

The 80s see success diminish gradually as and as new singles are always placed lowest in the rankings. In the end, the first three albums released on the label Ensign remain the most recommendable, those published at Mercury tucking the Boomtown Rats in the group of new wave and post punk groups of the 80 During the 1977-1979 years the Boomtown Rats skillfully wielded punk, pub rock and rock 'n' roll in the game charismatic Directed by Bob Geldof. We can realize this with the DVD "Live Germany '78" , released on the label Gonzo Multimedia. An audio CD of the same concert is served in bonuses but these are the pictures that count. The show is filmed Boomtown Rats on behalf of the German emission Musikladen , which was between 1972 and 1984 the equivalent of the English program Top Of The Pops (and the issuance Chorus in France between 1979 and 1981). In a small room crowded with spectators sitting quietly at tables, more or less furious groups were accustomed to occur.

Another famous show on Musikladen is the Ramones in 1978, shot in conditions almost similar to that of the Boomtown Rats  : the group makes every ground to an audience likely placid selected by the channel not to cause trouble. On this scene, the Boomtown Rats commit a magnificent performance. Geldof, tall and lanky, jumped on tables towards the camera while her guitarists are fizz chords and frenzied solos. A small mechanically bassist played with a game scene similar to that of Dr Feelgood Wilko Johnson. There is also that of lookalikes on these boards  : the lead guitarist Garry Roberts looks like Paul Weller, the other guitarist is a copy of Johnnie Ramone, keyboardist Johnnie Fingers in the head with Topper Headon of the Clash and striped pajamas ballad (in Germany, it makes good kind ...) and drummer ... like a punk rock drummer. The group lines up with the speed of a robbery a series of titles mainly from their first album and incidentally their second. We remain captivated by the energy of despair deployed by this edgy band, completely in their music and spending lavishly.

The contrast is striking with the audience when the audience sees the first row completely amorphous and contemplating the show as we watch TV. The hard-hitting power of all such securities ( "Close as you'll ever be" , "Neon heart" ,"Kicks" , "She's so modern" , "Do not believe what you read" , "Do the rat" , " Mary of the 4th Form " or "Looking after No.1" ) gives only one desire, that of acquiring the band's first album to pass on a healthy dose of punk rock in the ears. For cons, the two videos bonus from 1980 and 1982 allow us to understand where we must stop with the Boomtown Rats. "Banana republic" and "House on fire" , always filmed for broadcast Musikladen reveal fell into a group of reggae nonsense, to flee imperatively.But what is the main concert, this DVD is a marvel that will discover or rediscover a group somewhat underestimated the classical period of punk.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO

Live in Germany '78 DVD/CD - £14.99