The Boomtown Rats, “the greatest rock’n’roll band in the world… from Dún Laoghaire!”, as

Geldof indisputably proclaims at the top of every live Rats gig, celebrate an extraordinary

rock’n’roll birthday this year with the release of The First 50 Years: Songs Of Boomtown

Glory –  which will be available on the Universal Music Recordings label on 19th September,

shortly before the band hits the road for their ‘Happy Birthday Boomtown’ tour.

Long before Live Aid hero, Sir Bob and ‘conscience of the world’ Bob, there was a band called

The Boomtown Rats fronted by a scrawny, Jagger-lipped, mouthy paddy called Bob Geldof

along with his mates Pete Briquette on bass, Simon Crowe on drums, Garry Roberts on guitar,

Johnny Fingers on piano and Gerry Cott on guitar.