The Boomtown Rats

A band formed in 1975, started by Garry Roberts, Johnnie Fingers (John Moylett), and Bob Geldof, followed by [in no particular order] Pete Briquette (Patrick Cusack), Gerry Cott, and Simon Crowe. Their first album (self-titled) was released in the September of 1977, with producer Robert John Lange.

Their next album, A Tonic For The Troops, was released in June of the following year. Out of this album their first big hit singles were released – “Rat Trap”, “Like Clockwork”, and “She’s So Modern”.

The next year, their most popular album, The Fine Art Of Surfacing, would be released. The Rats’ biggest hit came out of this album, titled “I Don’t Like Mondays”. The other singles on this album are “Diamond Smiles” and “Someone’s Looking At You”.

Before Cott’s departure from the band in 1981, The Boomtown Rats released Mondo Bongo. The singles on this album are “Banana Republic” and “The Elephant’s Graveyard (Guilty)”.

The Rats’ next album, V Deep, was released April 15th, 1982. This album was not to be a success, and the only single from the album that had some popularity backing it, was “House On Fire”.

The band’s final album, “In The Long Grass”, was released in 1984 (UK) and 1985 (US). The single “Dave” was changed to “Rain” in the US, in fears that it would not sell as well, because at the time, a man singing about another man was taboo.

The Boomtown Rats broke up in 1986, and have since reformed in 2013 without Johnnie Fingers or Gerry Cott.