Bob Geldof | My Camden

Bob Geldof

Profession: Singer-songwriter, Actor and Political Activist
Place/Date of Birth: Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, 05 October 2020
Associated with: Paula Yates, Peaches Geldof

January 05
Geldof’s achievement Bob Geldof is to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Brits. Bob, who began his career in 80s band The Boomtown Rats is to be awarded the highest Brits honour - a Lifetime Achievement award - for once collecting an award for his musical career rather than his campaigning one. The award coincides with the re-release of all six Boomtown Rats albums.

Brother Teresa! - 18/06/03
Chelsea resident Bob Geldorf reckons his musical credibility is down the pan, thanks to his ’brother Teresa’ image.

Many supporters of Bob’s commitment to charity are not really into the music that he likes to make today, however Bob says he doesn’t mind.

He said ’By now, I can do very well without those who only knew me from Live Aid. As long as my albums satisfy me and the critics, I’m happy.’

Sir Bob and Bono visit Blair - 21/05/03
Rock stars Sir Bob Geldof and Bono had breakfast talks on Africa with Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street.

Sir Bob and Bono attended the one hour meeting with Mr Blair and international development secretary Baroness Amos in the hope to urge world leaders to unite in the fight against the Aids epidemic.

Geldof drops Celebrity lawsuit - 25/04/03
Chelsea based Sir Bob Geldof has dropped legal action against the makers of the hit TV show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

Sir Bob’s production company, Castaway Television, had claimed I’m A Celebrity... copied its show, Survivor.

But Castaway has now withdrawn its claim for damages and an injunction, according to Granada, who make I’m A Celebrity...

After the first series, Sir Bob said it was too similar to Survivor, in which contestants were filmed trying to win a reality TV show in a wilderness location.

Geldof co-owns the rights to Survivor with Waheed Alli and producer Charlie Parsons.

The second UK series starts on Monday.

Sir Bob receives Lifetime Achievement Award - 04/03/03
Sir Bob Geldof received a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Meteor Ireland Music Awards, which took place last night in Dublin.

The Irish musician was responsible for organizing 1985’s Live Aid benefit concert for Ethiopia for which he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

He has since been involved in campaigning against third world debt.

Bob backs cricket tour protest - 28/01/03
Sir Bob Geldof is backing a bid to help the England team to pull out of their controversial World Cup game in Zimbabwe.

Geldof has teamed up with human rights organisation the Aegis Trust in a bid to raise £1million to meet any financial penalties incurred by England should they withdraw from their game against Zimbabwe in Harare on February 13.

"On a day in which perhaps thousands will die of state-sponsored famine, the English nation as represented by their cricket team will be guests of their perpetrator Robert Mugabe," Geldof told the Evening Standard.

Without financial help from the Government to fund compensation the ECB refused to pull out of the match, but the Trust’s offer of support could change their stance.

Geldof puts stop to cover of Band Aid - 30/12/02
Sir Bob Geldof has revealed he put a stop to the stars of Fame Academy and Popstars recording a cover of Do They Know It’s Christmas.

Sir Bob said he was approached by representatives from both shows about the possibility of them teaming up to record a cover version of the Band Aid song. But he says he denied the request he believed they did not have time to do the song justice.

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Biography

Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof was born on October 5 1951 in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin to Catholic nationalists, a stance he has open disapproval of. With early work as a pea canner, a slaughterman and a road navvy Bob eventually got himself a job as a music journalist in Vancouver, Canada, working on Georgia Straight.

In 1975 Bob decided he would rather be on stage than in the crowd and became the singer of The Boomtown Rats upon his return to the UK. The band were soon noticed and in 1978 scored their first number one with Rat Trap. Their most famous single remains I Don’t Like Mondays, a song which sparked controversy as it detailed an attempted massacre at an American elementary school.

Bob began his forays in to charity work in 1981 when he appeared on The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball for Amnesty International alongside Midge Ure of Ultravox. In 1984 the pair again came together to produce Live Aid, probably the most well known charity concert of all time, and the accompanying Band Aid single. Since the concert Bob has become an outspoken activist, being involved with several charities and regularly travelling to Africa to raise awareness. In 2005 he organised Live 8, a repeat of the Live Aid idea to run alongside the G8 summit on global poverty.

In 1986 Bob left The Boomtown Rats and persued a moderately successful solo career, however in 2006 he cancelled concerts after only 29 tickets were sold, perhaps cementing his fate as far as a further musical career is concerned. However, Bob needn’t worry his business interests in Ten Alps Communication and the sale of television company Planet 24 for an estimated £7million have made sure Bob will be comfortably off for the future.

Married to Paula Yates in 1986 the couple had three daughters, Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom and Little Pixie before splitting in 1994 when Paula fell in love with Michael Hutchence. When first Paula, then Michael, died Bob took sole custody of the three children and Paula’s daughter with Hutchence, Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily.

Often referred to as ’Sir Bob’, Geldof was awarded a knighthood by the Queen, however, as he isn’t a member of the British empire he isn’t actually eligible to be a ’Sir’. The KBE is just one of the nods to Bob’s charity work, he has also been nominated for the Noble Peace Prize.
updated January 2007

November 2007