Bob Geldof

The Profile

Irish singer-songwriter and activist, former frontman of The Boomtown Rats. He launched Band Aid and organized Live Aid and Live 8, and has a substantial solo catalog blending rock and folk elements.

Born 5 October 1951 in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland; co-founded Band Aid and organized Live Aid (1985) and Live 8 (2005); received an honorary KBE in 1986; notable solo releases include The Vegetarians of Love, The Happy Club, Sex, Age & Death, and How to Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell.

Two DeBaser reviews cover Bob Geldof’s Irish-tinged folk side and a rain-battered MTV Day appearance in Bologna. The Vegetarians of Love is praised for lively, acoustic folk with a warm, rough-edged voice. The live write-up nods to Geldof’s onstage solidarity talk amid a drenched crowd. Overall tone is appreciative with a wry smile.