by Anura Guruge
on June 18, 2024
I will confess SHEEPISHLY that I ONLY discovered ‘Bob Geldof‘, KBE, c. 2015 — 30-years after ‘Live Aid’ & way, way past the heyday of ‘The Boomtown Rats‘! Yes, such gaps are NOT unusual when it comes to I & some matters cultural. What is crazy is that he & I were contemporaries in London mid-1970s into mid-1980s. Yes, we would have been in very different circles, but in the 1980s I too was known to frequent some of the London hotspots.
In the 1980s I was not into PUNK. That has to be the most obvious explanation. In those days I was very much into the British ‘Electric Folk’ scene. So, that explains why he never appeared on my radar.
c. 2015 I happened to see ‘When Harvey Met Bob‘ on TV. It had me riveted. Yes, I knew of ‘Band Aid’ & ‘Live Aid’. Yes, I was in the U.S. by then, & was crazy, crazy busy.
But, after seeing ‘When …‘ I started watching ‘Live Aid’ videos on ‘YouTube’. Still do to this day.
“I Don’t Like Mondays” is one of my favorite songs alongside “Manic Monday“! That two of my favorite songs both feature ‘Monday’ is weird to say the least.
I wanted to learn more about Bob. I got the book. Not bad at all. Some bits are BRILLIANT. I enjoyed it. Was very inspirational. He is quite THE MAN. I am in awe of him. So much talent & such a great heart.
