Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby sloopjohnc » 16 Jan 2018, 18:18

The Prof wrote:I like them more than I should but surely The Jam and The Clash are more successful bands to come from the punk school.


The Clash and Boomtown Rats cracked the US in a strong way. You couldn't turn on MTV or the radio w/o seeing or hearing I Don't Like Mondays.

The success of the single didn't propel them to further success.

I bet a lot of Americans equate Boomtown Rats with Men at Work as one hit wonders from abroad.

I always find it fascinating to listen to the Brits talk over how they viewed artists and bands during this time. I used to keep track of the UK charts, but that only tells you so much.
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby naughty boy » 16 Jan 2018, 18:55

'I Don't Like Mondays' is an interesting one. We should be talking about that - fuck 'Rat Trap'
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby starstruckbabystarstruck » 16 Jan 2018, 19:00

Harvey K-Tel wrote:Holy moly! Hiya Starstruck!


hey there!

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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby copehead » 16 Jan 2018, 21:43

Darkness_Fish wrote:
Copehead wrote:
Darkness_Fish wrote:By the way, I've checked the facts, and it does appear that The Boomtown Rats were the worst of all the chancers jumping on the punk bandwagon. Even Rat Trap doesn't actually hold up.

Sorry, guys. Facts can't be argued with.


Good god there were worse band wagon jumpers, Squeeze, Costello, The Stranglers. Not sure if the Rats were a better band than any of them though.


There's something really deadening about the sound all those later bands had, isn't there. I mean if you compare any of those to The Pistols, The Ramones, The Damned, The Buzzcocks, there's just that absence of energy, something very musty and fetid about their songs' overall production. No spark.

Although "Up the Junction" is a great pop song. On the downside, Jools Holland.


To be fair to Jools there are times when his style hits the spot. He was fine in Squeeze and The The's Heartland, it is just when he is left in charge that things go wrong and he boogie woogies over everything.

Some of the later bands kept up that energy because they were original punks at a remove, usually provincial bands like The Undertones, SLF and some of the Scottish bands etc. But you are correct that the later "bandwagon" bands sound flat compared to the originals.
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby copehead » 16 Jan 2018, 21:47

The Modernist wrote:
Copehead wrote:[

And if you think Banana Republic isn't an important political record you have obviously either never read or not understood the lyrics.
.


Of course I haven't sat down and read the lyrics. Why the fuck would I , or anyone else, do that?

Writing about important issues does not equate to making great records. If it did The Human League's "The Lebanon" and The Cranberries "Zombie" could take their place alongside "Banana Republic" as some of the greatest records ever. :lol:

Honestly your arguments are getting so silly ( I have no idea if you actually believe any of this stuff you're spouting) that it's a waste of my time to continue with it. Toodle pip!


Musically it is horrible, but it had a massive impact in Eire for very similar reasons to Anarchy in the UK did in the UK. To dismiss that because it is a cod reggae plod is what is silly, it is an important record because of the lyrics' resonation in the Eire of the early 80s.

You don't appear to get what I am saying. The majority of people probably think that AitUK is unlistenable noise. That doesn't affect its impact in the UK.
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby copehead » 16 Jan 2018, 21:49

The Prof wrote:I like them more than I should but surely The Jam and The Clash are more successful bands to come from the punk school.



Critically without a doubt and with good reason. But I imagine financially the Rats made out like bandits in comparison. And perhaps that was more important for St Bob OBE
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby copehead » 16 Jan 2018, 21:51

fucken OCTO-ARM wrote:'I Don't Like Mondays' is an interesting one. We should be talking about that - fuck 'Rat Trap'


Absolutely. It is their key song and peak.
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby soundchaser » 17 Jan 2018, 08:59

I really liked Rat Trap at the time...but that was before I got into Bruce Springsteen.

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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby naughty boy » 17 Jan 2018, 09:12

Copehead wrote:Musically it is horrible, but it had a massive impact in Eire for very similar reasons to Anarchy in the UK did in the UK. To dismiss that because it is a cod reggae plod is what is silly, it is an important record because of the lyrics' resonation in the Eire of the early 80s.


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Absolutely incredible.
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby copehead » 18 Jan 2018, 09:45

OCT wrote:
Copehead wrote:Musically it is horrible, but it had a massive impact in Eire for very similar reasons to Anarchy in the UK did in the UK. To dismiss that because it is a cod reggae plod is what is silly, it is an important record because of the lyrics' resonation in the Eire of the early 80s.


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Absolutely incredible.


It is amazing how many people who proclaim themselves to be fans of popular music are unaware of this.

It suppose it is a bit niche but you'd expect people to have an understanding that it was Eire's Anarchy in the UK moment.

And then you get Coan coming along lolling at his profound ignorance, which is what the profoundly ignorant do I suppose
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby clive gash » 18 Jan 2018, 10:02

And “Like Clockwork” started Ireland’s tech explosion as millions of young punks opened their digital watches (condemned by the Church as the devils work) and explored!

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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby copehead » 18 Jan 2018, 13:02

nev harp wrote:And “Like Clockwork” started Ireland’s tech explosion as millions of young punks opened their digital watches (condemned by the Church as the devils work) and explored!

Thanks Gandalf!


Humour failure, please try again

And Gandalf? wtf? Is that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby naughty boy » 17 Feb 2018, 20:34

GET IT FILED :lol:
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby Deebank » 17 Mar 2018, 11:29

Funnily enough that BBC4 Irish rock programme last night seemed to back up my bro's take on Banana Republic.

Thanks John for bringing this up again! :)
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby naughty boy » 17 Mar 2018, 17:54

I watched that prog too.

The Rats were actually even worse than I remember - clueless arseholes flailing about behind that cock Geldof, flitting from genre to genre, all totally unconvincing and thoroughly worthless.
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.

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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby The Modernist » 21 Mar 2018, 10:28

Unward Brank wrote:I watched that prog too.

The Rats were actually even worse than I remember - clueless arseholes flailing about behind that cock Geldof, flitting from genre to genre, all totally unconvincing and thoroughly worthless.


Absolutely. The doc made me respect Rory Gallagher more though, and it also reminded me how little genuinely great music Ireland has produced.
Also rewatched The Undertones doc, now they were a great band.

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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 - The Boomtown Rats

Postby naughty boy » 21 Mar 2018, 11:07

The Modernist wrote:
Unward Brank wrote:I watched that prog too.

The Rats were actually even worse than I remember - clueless arseholes flailing about behind that cock Geldof, flitting from genre to genre, all totally unconvincing and thoroughly worthless.


Absolutely. The doc made me respect Rory Gallagher more though, and it also reminded me how little genuinely great music Ireland has produced.
Also rewatched The Undertones doc, now they were a great band.


It really upped my love for that band. Lovable kids, really, with no great ambitions - but so many great tunes!
Matt 'interesting' Wilson wrote:So I went from looking at the "I'm a Man" riff, to showing how the rave up was popular for awhile.


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