# Bob Geldof - Live Aid Ruined my Career



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Even with Live Aid, I am sure he could have come up with one song in over 25 years. The Boomtown Rats were not exactly A listers either



> Live Aid' hero Bob Geldof fears the 1985 charity super-gig has forever "damaged" his ability to achieve solo success.
> The rocker, who organized the record-breaking aid concert, is convinced he would be a respected elder statesman of music, like Sting or Paul Weller, if he hadn't been such a big part of the world's largest show.
> He tells London's Evening Standard, "It's (Live Aid) completely damaged my ability to do the thing I love. If it hadn't happened I think I would have been able to make the transition from (band) The Boomtown Rats to a solo thing more like Paul Weller or Sting."


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Even with Live Aid, I am sure he could have come up with one song in over 25 years. The Boomtown Rats were not exactly A listers either



Moment of honesty. I never could stand the guy.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

keeperofthegood said:


> Moment of honesty. I never could stand the guy.


I submit to you, and to him, that if not for Live Aid nobody would even know who Bob Geldof is. So he should be happy about it


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I submit to you, and to him, that if not for Live Aid nobody would even know who Bob Geldof is. So he should be happy about it



Yes his 15 minutes lasted 14 minutes too long as it was.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Bob doesn't like Mondays...


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

To rank himself in the same league as Paul Weller or Sting is more than just a little conceited, it borders on delusional.


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## Guest (May 30, 2012)

I think Tarbender summed it up nicely: dude's ego is far bigger than it should be.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

If it wasn't for having to go to work & look after my home I'd be as good as Shawn Lane. Well, OK, that may be pushing it. I'd be as good as Buckethead.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Roryfan said:


> If it wasn't for having to go to work & look after my home I'd be as good as Shawn Lane. Well, OK, that may be pushing it. I'd be as good as Buckethead.












9kkhhd


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I can't fathom what Live Aid has to do with it. He could have had a solo career anyway if he just wrote and performed enough decent songs often enough. Reverse the situation...for example, there are many touring, relatively unknown singer/songwriters who would kill for the publicity granted by any Live Aid connection. 

Egomaniacal, that what it appears to be to me.

Peace, Mooh.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

It wasn't Live Aid, but rather his pursuit of subsequent Africa-related activities that followed _from_ Live Aid. I'm sure Brad Pitt could do a zombie movie, and come back to a career in other kinds of roles. But do 4 or 5 zombie movies in a row, and you get typecast. (People have probably forgotten by now that Pitt was in a vampire movie AS a vampire.) Geldof stuck with the charity thing (and that's NOT a criticism, just an observation) long enough that he got himself typecast.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

1 (ONE!) hit single is all it would have taken. Apparently incapable of writing or picking or getting the right producer for 1 (ONE!) hit single, outside of the 'Mondays' thing, which is more a novelty song anyways. How many acts are now touring, whether singly or as part of a package tour, and making a living based off 1 (ONE!) hit single, anywhere between 30 and 50 years in their past?

Sorry Bob, no dice no purchase. 'Elder statesman'? Puh-leeeeeze. No cred.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Mooh said:


> I can't fathom what Live Aid has to do with it.


Exactly what I was thinking. I'd like to hear his opinion on how exactly Live Aid has kept him from having a solo career. I could name dozens of people who were part of much more successful bands, but who also failed, despite their best efforts, to generate a solo career. And none of them had any connection whatsoever with Live Aid.


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Live Aid didn't ruin his career, Sucking did!


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## Intrepid (Oct 9, 2008)

Now that is absolutely bang on! Geldof is delusional. Just last week someone mentioned to me and a couple of my friends that Geldof was going to be in Kingston or Belleville (in that general area I think)for a "show" this summer and three of us responded "what's he going to do at the show?" I think that pretty much sums up his career.


Tarbender said:


> To rank himself in the same league as Paul Weller or Sting is more than just a little conceited, it borders on delusional.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I don't think he meant to put himself on a pedestal with respect to quality of creative output, or sales. The Weller and Sting references are to illustrate people, known to British audiences, who were part of a band that broke up, and still managed to create a solo career for themselves afterward. People say all kinds of crap in interviews on the spur of the moment, just to convey a point, much of which makes them slap their forehead after the interview and think "Jeez that was stupid".

I think it is completely fair for someone who had enjoyed some limited success and notoriety to feel like they took some detours that may have been ill-advised in the grand scheme of things. The guy_ isn't _on a pedestal screaming "Why can't you rotters see how brilliant I am?". You will note that it is the _writer_, *not* Geldof, who says "...is convinced he would be a respected elder statesman of music, like Sting or Paul Weller".

The guy got known for Live-Aid because, with the exception of George Harrison and the Concert for Bangladesh, musicians tended not to be associated with large-scale benevolent initiatives prior to that period. People went "Hmmm, imagine that. A pop star mounting a huge event like that for African famine relief." And because he stuck with it for a bit, people went "Bob Geldof. Isn't he that African relief guy who used to be a musician?".

That'll cut back on your bookings pretty good.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

I remember him (and knew him then) as Pink from The Wall.


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Even with Live Aid, I am sure he could have come up with one song in over 25 years. The Boomtown Rats were not exactly A listers either


_Live Aid' hero Bob Geldof fears the 1985 charity super-gig has forever "damaged" his ability to achieve solo success.__The rocker, who organized the record-breaking aid concert, is convinced he would be a respected elder statesman of music, like Sting or Paul Weller, if he hadn't been such a big part of the world's largest show.__He tells London's Evening Standard, "It's (Live Aid) completely damaged my ability to do the thing I love. If it hadn't happened I think I would have been able to make the transition from (band) The Boomtown Rats to a solo thing more like Paul Weller or Sting."

I think he should give me most of his money,assume a new identity and seek his fame and fortune in the world of musac.
Urban Dictionary: musac


_


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

Didn't he become SIR Bob Geldof somewhere along the line or did he just give himself that title I remember reading somewhere about this astonishing feat.


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## Intrepid (Oct 9, 2008)

fredyfreeloader said:


> Didn't he become SIR Bob Geldof somewhere along the line or did he just give himself that title I remember reading somewhere about this astonishing feat.


Since he is Irish and NOT British, the Queen could not bestow a real Knighthood on Mr. Geldoff. He was only granted "Honourary Knighthood " status and therefore cannot be referred to as "Sir".



"Is often referred to, and credited - incorrectly - as Sir Bob Geldof. While indeed he was awarded a K.B.E. (Knight of the order of the British Empire) by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, as he is an Irish citizen the award was honorary and he cannot be referred to as 'Sir'. Instead he is more correctly addressed as Robert (or Bob) Geldof K.B.E."


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## hummingway (Aug 4, 2011)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I submit to you, and to him, that if not for Live Aid nobody would even know who Bob Geldof is. So he should be happy about it


I confess that I did know who he was before Live Aid but I probably would have forgotten by now were it not for Live Aid.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Just watching Live Aid is what did it to me. I'm sure if I hadn't watched it, I would have gone on to the greatest solo career of the 20th century. I guess the same thing has happened to the rest of you guys here at GC since only one of you that I know of has had any notoriety from the music business. I am correct?


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Steadfastly said:


> Just watching Live Aid is what did it to me. I'm sure if I hadn't watched it, I would have gone on to the greatest solo career of the 20th century. I guess the same thing has happened to the rest of you guys here at GC since only one of you that I know of has had any notoriety from the music business. I am correct?


You know, you may be right! I never saw Live Aid, but I certainly heard about it - and it was around that time that my meteoric rise to stardom ground to a halt...


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## Guest (May 31, 2012)

I'm in disguise you stupid tart! - professor Anthrax


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

Tarbender said:


> To rank himself in the same league as Paul Weller or Sting is more than just a little conceited, it borders on delusional.


and i'm guessing thats why he was cast for The Wall...the delusional part


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

What a Maroon. I know Farm Aid really did in those guys who started it... who were they? Oh Yeah, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, and John Mellencamp. Absolutley DESTROYED their careers. LOL!


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## avalancheMM (Jan 21, 2009)

Poor honorary Sir Geldof - I have used this term before, and I believe it stands as true in this particular case - cranial rectal inversion.

Regards


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I knew who Geldof was, I had the Boomtown Rats record(s). I actually remember thinking at the time that *THAT GUY *is doing live Aid?, impressed that he was even able to do it. He hadn't yet risen to superstardom anyway, and in my opinion hasn't yet. Granted, his perspective is much closer to the situation, but in my experience reality is much closer to the ground where us little music consumers eke out our existence.

It would be much easier to wish people well who don't already have inflated egos.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Even with Live Aid, I am sure he could have come up with one song in over 25 years. The Boomtown Rats were not exactly A listers either


+1
TBH, I think his charitable activities significantly increased his profile...without them, he would not have been knighted, almost a household name etc....just a forgotten flash in the pan like the singers from other early 80's british acts....Split Enz, Vapors, Dexys Midnight Runners, Devo- actually Mark Mothersbaugh has had a much more prolific career than Geldof., and is far less "recognizable".
Grass is always greener...

I have a pet peeve about holier-than-thou celebs preaching to the working class about how we have to give more to the poor....while they live on massive estates with a fleet of Rolls royces, and hide their millions from paying the taxes that the rest of us cant avoid, in foreign tax havens.
my recommendation, sell all your luxury assets, keep a million or 3 in the bank, and live in a 2500sq ft home like the rest of us. then, you will have credibility and a truly clear conscience. Does that really sound so awful a way to live?


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

DEVO!!! They were here last year at Sound of Music WAY FUN SHOW OMG wish they came back this year but this year doesn't look too interesting :C


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