Bob Geldof is an Irish singer-songwriter and political activist, born in 1951.
He rose to fame as the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, known for hits like "I Don't Like Mondays."
Geldof co-wrote the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia.
Biography
Early Life
Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof was born on October 5, 1951, in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, Ireland. He was raised in a family with a diverse heritage, including Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant roots. Geldof faced personal tragedy early in life when his mother passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage when he was just eight years old. He attended Blackrock College, where he experienced bullying, which shaped his rebellious spirit. After various jobs, including working as a slaughterman and a road navvy, he ventured into music journalism in Canada.
Musical Career
Geldof returned to Ireland in 1975 and became the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, a band that emerged during the punk rock movement. The group achieved significant success with hits like "Rat Trap" and "I Don't Like Mondays," the latter inspired by a tragic school shooting in California. Geldof's outspoken nature and controversial interviews made him a prominent figure in the music scene. In 2013, he announced the band's reunion, continuing to influence the music landscape.
Activism and Charity Work
Beyond music, Geldof is known for his activism, particularly in response to the Ethiopian famine in the 1980s. He co-wrote the charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" which became a massive success, raising millions for famine relief. His efforts extended to organizing the Live 8 concerts, aimed at raising awareness for poverty in Africa, although he faced criticism for the lack of African representation at the events. Despite the controversies, Geldof's commitment to humanitarian causes has left a lasting impact on global awareness of poverty and social justice issues.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
How to Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell2011
- 1.How I Roll3:03
- 2.Blowfish4:18
- 3.Just Get On4:04
- 4.She’s a Lover4:30
- 5.To Live in Love4:05
- 6.Silly Pretty Thing4:02
- 7.Systematic3:32
- 8.Dazzled by You2:41
- 9.Mary Says4:54
- 10.Here’s to You4:04
- 11.Blow4:56
- 12.The Fields of Spring4:18
- 13.Too Late She Cried3:44
- 14.Baby’s Going Down9:34
Great Songs of Indifference: The Anthology 1986–20012005
- 1.This Is the World Calling4:27
- 2.In the Pouring Rain4:32
- 3.August Was a Heavy Month5:08
- 4.Love Like a Rocket4:53
- 5.I Cry Too4:29
- 6.When I Was Young5:02
- 7.This Heartless Heart4:13
- 8.Beat of the Night4:57
- 9.Truly True Blue1:20
- 10.Pulled Apart by Horses4:30
- 11.Words From Heaven4:39
- 12.Good Boys in the Wrong5:19
- 13.Night Turns to Day4:55
- 14.Deep in the Heart of Nowhere1:18
- 15.Life Is the Hardest Thing3:13
- 16.Friends for Life5:30
- 17.August Was a Heavy Month (instrumental)4:02
- 18.Dig a Ditch4:29
- 19.A Gospel Song5:22
- 20.Love or Something4:41
- 21.The Great Song of Indifference4:41
- 22.Thinking Voyager 2 Type Things8:21
- 23.Big Romantic Stuff4:06
- 24.Crucified Me2:06
- 25.The Chains of Pain3:44
- 26.A Rose at Night5:43
- 27.No Small Wonder4:43
- 28.Walking Back to Happiness7:29
- 29.Let It Go4:40
- 30.The End of the World1:51
- 31.Out of Order3:29
- 32.Hotel 753:56
- 33.One of the Girls2:29
- 34.The Original Miss Jesus3:45
- 35.The Vegetarians of Love1:20
- 36.Sunny Afternoon3:45
- 37.The Great Song of Indifference (French version)3:38
- 38.Room 19 (Sha La La Lee)5:16
- 39.Attitude Chicken4:37
- 40.The Soft Soil7:30
- 41.A Hole to Fill5:06
- 42.The Song of the Emergent Nationalist6:56
- 43.My Hippy Angel5:30
- 44.The Happy Club4:06
- 45.Like Down on Me5:59
- 46.Too Late God3:47
- 47.Roads of Germany5:12
- 48.A Sex Thing5:12
- 49.The House at the Top of the World4:13
- 50.Shine On4:11
- 51.Huge Birdless Silence3:24
- 52.Maybe Heaven5:52
- 53.One for Me5:00
- 54.$6,000,000 Loser4:23
- 55.Pale White Girls4:59
- 56.The New Routine5:25
- 57.Mudslide4:51
- 58.Mind in Pocket4:38
- 59.My Birthday Suit2:58
- 60.Scream in Vain5:00
- 61.Inside Your Head4:39
- 62.10:153:22
- 63.A Summer Day (London ’95)2:49
- 64.Sighs and Whispers3:10
- 65.Voodoo Child3:57
- 66.Two Dogs3:23
- 67.Harvest Moon3:29
- 68.A Summer Night (London ’95)3:12
- 69.Pale White Girls (French mix)3:48
- 70.Cool Blue Easy4:56
- 71.Pity the Poor Drifter2:15
Sex, Age & Death2001
- 1.One for Me5:00
- 2.$6,000,000 Loser4:23
- 3.Pale White Girls4:59
- 4.The New Routine5:25
- 5.Mudslide4:51
- 6.Mind in Pocket4:38
- 7.My Birthday Suit2:58
- 8.Scream in Vain5:00
- 9.Inside Your Head4:39
- 10.10:153:21
Loudmouth: The Best of Bob Geldof & The Boomtown Rats1994
- 1.I Don’t Like Mondays4:17
- 2.This Is the World Calling4:23
- 3.Rat Trap4:51
- 4.The Great Song of Indifference4:35
- 5.Love or Something4:32
- 6.Banana Republic (edit)3:30
- 7.Crazy4:30
- 8.The Elephants Graveyard3:43
- 9.Someone’s Looking at You4:23
- 10.She’s So Modern2:57
- 11.House on Fire4:46
- 12.The Beat of the Night5:06
- 13.Diamond Smiles3:49
- 14.Like Clockwork3:38
- 15.Room 19 (Sha La La La Lee)3:42
- 16.Mary of the 4th Form3:30
- 17.Lookin’ After No. 13:08
The Happy Club1992
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Vegetarians of Love1990
- 1.A Gospel Song5:24
- 2.Love or Something4:40
- 3.The Great Song of Indifference4:38
- 4.Thinking Voyager 2 Type Things8:21
- 5.Big Romantic Stuff4:07
- 6.Crucified Me2:09
- 7.The Chains of Pain3:44
- 8.A Rose at Night5:42
- 9.No Small Wonder4:46
- 10.Walking Back to Happiness7:29
- 11.Let It Go4:40
- 12.The End of the World1:52
Deep in the Heart of Nowhere1986
- 1.This Is the World Calling4:29
- 2.In the Pouring Rain4:30
- 3.August Was a Heavy Month5:08
- 4.Love Like a Rocket5:24
- 5.I Cry Too4:26
- 6.When I Was Young5:52
- 7.This Heartless Heart4:13
- 8.The Beat of the Night5:33
- 9.Words From Heaven4:41
- 10.Night Turns to Day4:54
- 11.Deep in the Heart of Nowhere1:19
Chicago / Change the World2009
Tracklist not collected yet.
Pale White Girls2002
Tracklist not collected yet.
Rat Trap1996
Tracklist not collected yet.
Crazy1994
Tracklist not collected yet.
My Hippy Angel1992
Tracklist not collected yet.
Room 19 (Sha La La La Lee)1992
Tracklist not collected yet.
A Gospel Song1990
Tracklist not collected yet.
Love or Something1990
Tracklist not collected yet.
Show all 11
The Great Song of Indifference1990
Tracklist not collected yet.
This Is the World Calling1986
Tracklist not collected yet.
Love Like a Rocket1986
Tracklist not collected yet.
Loudmouth (4‐Track Album Sampler)1994
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Polydor Records
Achievements
- Award
- Great Golden Medal of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
- Award
- Order of the Two Niles
- Award
- Peabody Awards
- Award
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Award
- North–South Prize
- Award
- Steiger Award
- Award
- The Nichols-Chancellor's Medal
- Award
- Patron’s Medal
- Award
- Amadeus Austrian Music Awards
- Award
- M100 Media Award
Groups
Played together with
- Garry RobertsThe Boomtown Rats · guitar, original
- Gerry CottThe Boomtown Rats · guitar, original
- Gung-HoThe Boomtown Rats
- Johnnie FingersThe Boomtown Rats · keyboard, original
- Pete BriquetteThe Boomtown Rats · bass, original
- Simon CroweThe Boomtown Rats · drums (drum set), original
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Bob Geldorf
Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof is an Irish singer-songwriter, political activist, television producer and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead singer of the Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, who achieved popularity as part of the punk rock movement. The band had UK number one hits with his co-compositions "Rat Trap" and "I Don't Like Mondays". Geldof starred as Pink in Pink Floyd's film Pink Floyd – The Wall (1982).
All links
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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