LOS ANGELES (Island/Mercury/UMe) - The largest and most complete "best of" album from The Boomtown Rats, one of punk rock's - and Ireland's - greatest bands, and the group that launched Bob Geldof, receives its U.S. debut on August 31, 2004.
The 19 tracks on BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS (Island/Mercury/UMe) were chosen via an Internet fan poll and then personally approved by Geldof. Each selection has been digitally remastered from the original tapes and the package includes a booklet featuring photos and a personal reminiscence by renowned Irish novelist and Rats fan Joseph O'Connor.
Spanning all six of the band's albums, 1977 to 1984, BEST OF THE BOOMTOWN RATS is highlighted by a pair of the era's most-recognized songs, the band's two U.K. No 1s, "Rat Trap" and "I Don't Like Mondays," one of MTV's earliest hits and a song inspired by a California teenager who went on a killing spree and justified her murders with the title line.
The Boomtown Rats formed in 1975, a time when Ireland was not on the rock 'n' roll map. They played fast, furious and loud, celebrating punk's arrogance and anarchy, disdain for convention and disrespect for authority. Before 10 years passed, singer-songwriter Geldof would be one of the most famous people in the world, having organized the famine relief efforts Band Aid and Live Aid.
In the interim, the group had moved to London and its debut single, 1977's "Lookin' After No. 1," became the first of nine straight to reach the U.K. Top 40. Their self-titled debut album that year also featured "Mary Of The 4th Form," "Joey's On The Streets Again," "Neon Heart" and the surprising ballad "I Can Make It If You Can." TONIC FOR THE TROOPS (1978) boasted their first U.K. Top 10, "Like Clockwork," and "Rat Trap" as well as "She's So Modern" and "(I Never Loved) Eva Braun."
Heard on THE FINE ART OF SURFACING (1979) was "Someone's Looking At You" (U.K. Top 10), "When The Night Comes," "Diamond Smiles" and "I Don't Like Mondays." The latter was their only hit not produced to that date by Robert John "Mutt" Lange (Def Leppard, AC/DC). With Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex) at the helm, "Fall Down," "The Elephants Graveyard" and the band's final U.K. Top 10, the reggae-influenced "Banana Republic," a devastating attack on Irish society, appeared on 1980's MONDO BONGO. "Never In A Million Years" graced V DEEP (1982), and "Dave" and "Drag Me Down" IN THE LONG GRASS (1984).
In 1984, Geldof organized the star-studded Band Aid and co-wrote its "Do They Know It's Christmas," then the biggest-selling single in U.K. history. The next year he led the massive Live Aid concerts. When The Boomtown Rats disbanded in 1986, Geldof launched his solo career and he has continued to fight hunger around the world.
Meanwhile, the songs of The Boomtown Rats remain some of punk's most beloved.
