Good Geldof/ Roberts radio interview yesterday

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Good Geldof/ Roberts radio interview yesterday

Scottie · Loudmouth

Seemingly Pete had been on earlier.

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=9%3A20159934%3A4502%3A22%2D02%2D2013%3A

Derek The Dane · V Deep

Great interview,my god Bob can babble on.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Derek The Dane wrote:
Great interview,my god Bob can babble on.

Keep your trap shut Geldof, let Garry have a word. biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin biggrin

Mark L · Loudmouth

Great interview, but I thought Like Clockwork was actually the first song to break the top 10.

Nice to hear Banana Republic will be in the set as not sure Simon and Garry et al played this as the Rats. So much of the Mondo Bongo stuff is excellent and often forgotten in the light of the first 3 albums. Would love to hear Elephant's Graveyard, Hurt Hurts, Go Man Go, Real Different etc

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
Great interview, but I thought Like Clockwork was actually the first song to break the top 10.

It was, but when Geldof's opinions change the facts change smile

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

ArrGee wrote:
Mark L wrote:
Great interview, but I thought Like Clockwork was actually the first song to break the top 10.
It was, but when Geldof's opinions change the facts change

Some things need to be taken with a pinch of salt. One time when he used to request, I called out Dave. Bob said that was his favourite too

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Yes, a very good interview, well worth a listen. I see they misspelled both of their names on the radio link page though: Bob Geldoff and Gary (one R) Roberts!!

noelindublin · Loudmouth

I thought the most interesting part of the interview is when Geldof admits that his own versions of the Rats songs are half a***d, and that he would have felt cheated if he went to see the Stones, without the original players doing the songs. He has come around to the opinion that the guys who played those songs all those years ago are what fans want, and that music has to be authentic rather than a watered down version that can never really satisfy.

I don't buy too much into Geldof's claiming credit for outing Ireland as a corrupt country during the seventies. Geldof was more concerned with being a pop star, and none of the songs really address concerns about corruption in Ireland. The Rats were even photographed with the then Irish Prime Minister Jack Lynch, larking about rather than having any pressing social concerns.

Even the claim of being 'banned in Ireland' is total hype. I think they could not play at the Phoenix Park because of concerns for safety etc, rather than being some threat to the social order. Ireland was not a police state. The best of the Rats music avoids politics and just deals with character vignettes that tell a story, no heavy preaching, but believable portraits of people caught up in existential binds, life situations etc.

Don't get me wrong, I loved Geldof's bluster, a lot of it was sheer exaggeration. Trying to claim that he had some sort of big influence of Irish society as a exposer of shady political dealings is to me a bit of a grandiose view. The brilliant songs are good enough, without the need to be more than a semi- genious songwriter in an extraordinary band. I get the distinct impression from Garry's comments, that he too thinks Bob is overstating his importance. Modest Bob is back.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Lisa wrote:
Yes, a very good interview, well worth a listen. I see they misspelled both of their names on the radio link page though: Bob Geldoff and Gary (one R) Roberts!!

Gary or Garry, not sure it is a big issue. I have seen both even on official Rats press releases. His real name is Garrick.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/the-john-murray-show/podcasts/

Download show here....

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

ArrGee wrote:
Lisa wrote:
Yes, a very good interview, well worth a listen. I see they misspelled both of their names on the radio link page though: Bob Geldoff and Gary (one R) Roberts!!
Gary or Garry, not sure it is a big issue. I have seen both even on official Rats press releases. His real name is Garrick.

Yeah I guess you're right, OrrGee, just one of my pet hates - I should have got a job as a proof reader!

biggrin

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Lisa wrote:
ArrGee wrote:
Lisa wrote:
Yes, a very good interview, well worth a listen. I see they misspelled both of their names on the radio link page though: Bob Geldoff and Gary (one R) Roberts!!
Gary or Garry, not sure it is a big issue. I have seen both even on official Rats press releases. His real name is Garrick.
Yeah I guess you're right, OrrGee, just one of my pet hates - I should have got a job as a proof reader!

No probs, Isla.

suss · In the Long Grass

OrrGee in the forum? Sounds like something out of I Clavdivs...

I really enjoyed the interview. Was like the clock had wound back at times.

Maybe we're getting a bit more cynical, or perhaps just wiser, but did strike me too that BG more than ever refused to let the truth spoil a good story. He always did present a fairly robust, if not compelling, argument though. He says it's red when it's blue smile .

The top ten thing was irrefutable (pedantic...us??), and I'll forgive him for changing his view on favourite song. To be fair, he did pause for quite a while to think, and there must be some amongst us who have changed their mind about the favourite down the years.

What I found least convincing was the response(s) to 'you said this (reunion) would never happen'. Not going to quibble though - just bl00dy glad he changed his mind before it was too late!

One thing that is indisputable....he can still command (and takeover biggrin ) airtime like very few others. I really hope this reunion gathers some real momentum, for everyone's sake.

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

ArrGee wrote:
Lisa wrote:
ArrGee wrote:
Lisa wrote:
Yes, a very good interview, well worth a listen. I see they misspelled both of their names on the radio link page though: Bob Geldoff and Gary (one R) Roberts!!
Gary or Garry, not sure it is a big issue. I have seen both even on official Rats press releases. His real name is Garrick.
Yeah I guess you're right, OrrGee, just one of my pet hates - I should have got a job as a proof reader!
No probs, Isla.

I might adopt that as an alias - sounds more sophisticated than Lisa

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

suss wrote:
One thing that is indisputable....he can still command (and takeover ) airtime like very few others. I really hope this reunion gathers some real momentum, for everyone's sake.

I just hope he doesn't talk too much during the gig though ... And also that the others get their share of the limelight.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Lisa wrote:
suss wrote:
One thing that is indisputable....he can still command (and takeover ) airtime like very few others. I really hope this reunion gathers some real momentum, for everyone's sake.
I just hope he doesn't talk too much during the gig though ... And also that the others get their share of the limelight.

I totally agree Lisa. Bob has become a bit of a story teller in stage. He should just be in the moment and play the songs, rather than telling about how it was thirty years ago, and why he wrote the particular song. I think with the others on stage Geldof will not be so self indulgent, and allow the dynamics of a live performance to play out rather than it being a type of stage review with long spoken reminiscences.

Or as they say on 98 FM "More music, less talk". (Funny how it's always the other way 'round though)

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Lisa wrote:
suss wrote:
One thing that is indisputable....he can still command (and takeover ) airtime like very few others. I really hope this reunion gathers some real momentum, for everyone's sake.
I just hope he doesn't talk too much during the gig though ... And also that the others get their share of the limelight.

Back in the late seventies, he used to spend at least a minute between songs and sometimes longer. As for the limelight, well, he hogs that as well. Only person I know to speak more is Jarvis C0cker.

Best hope for less talk is to have a medley of the songs, like they used to do with Rat Trap/Kicks/Joey.

Personally, I like the chat. I have enjoyed the press in recent weeks. I reckon Geldof should tour solo without playing any songs at all, he'd probably get a big audience

As long as they get on the Cork stage early, he can talk away. If there is no support, they could potentially play for over 2 hours and have half an hour of chat.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
Lisa wrote:
suss wrote:
One thing that is indisputable....he can still command (and takeover ) airtime like very few others. I really hope this reunion gathers some real momentum, for everyone's sake.
I just hope he doesn't talk too much during the gig though ... And also that the others get their share of the limelight.
Back in the late seventies, he used to spend at least a minute between songs and sometimes longer. As for the limelight, well, he hogs that as well. Only person I know to speak more is Jarvis C0cker.
Best hope for less talk is to have a medley of the songs, like they used to do with Rat Trap/Kicks/Joey.
Personally, I like the chat. I have enjoyed the press in recent weeks. I reckon Geldof should tour solo without playing any songs at all, he'd probably get a big audience
As long as they get on the Cork stage early, he can talk away. If there is no support, they could potentially play for over 2 hours and have half an hour of chat.

My ticket says "doors 6.30 onstage 8pm" or something around that timeline. It might help if there was a good support band, but it is the Rats comeback and lets have no bowing down to anyone.

I think a Pulp/Rats double bill would go down well, maybe Jarvis and Bob doing a duet at some stage. As re Geldof was slightly amused when he mentioned the Magdelene Laundries in the John Murray show :"we knew what was going on..." I don't remember him writing any songs about it, more like trying too hard to show concern. What's that about wanting to get rich, famous and laid?

If they write some new songs then perhaps we won't get a regurgitation of the same old story.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

On at 8pm, and curfew at 10.30pm, so it will be a long set. 2 hours music plus 30 minutes chat. Superb. Might be the best gig since Pulp's 2011/2012. Will be seeing Stone Roses a month before and they ain't even got two hours worth of material.

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Certainly not averse to hearing Bob chat! Hung onto his every word when a teenager, and still enjoy hearing/reading his interviews, just that I would rather hear more of the music at the gig. Obviously good to have some connection with the audience as long as it's not too much chatting and not enough playing the songs and doing them justice. Also it's been good to hear Simon and Garry talk and introduce stuff as the Rats, and they seem to have a good rapport, so it would be nice if they had a turn too. And I would guess if there is a "new" audience to be won over, they would prefer to hear the songs and not just someone on a soapbox!