Bob Geldof

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Image:Bob Geldof.jpg Robert Frederick Xenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE (born October 5 1951) is an Irish singer, songwriter, actor and political activist. He is sometimes called 'Saint' Bob as a result of his high profile charity work.<ref>http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/21235311</ref>

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Early career

Geldof was born Robert Frederick Xenon Geldof in Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin to parents of Irish and Belgian extraction. He attended Blackrock College near Dublin, a school whose staunch Catholic nationalist ethos he disliked. After work as a slaughterman, road navvy and pea canner, he started as a music journalist in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for the weekly Georgia Straight publication. He became lead singer of the Irish band Boomtown Rats in 1975, a rock group closely linked with the punk movement.

In 1978, they had their first Number 1 single with "Rat Trap", which was the first New Wave chart-topper in the UK. In 1979 the group shot to international fame with the follow-up, "I Don't Like Mondays." <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2941142.stm</ref> This was equally successful, as well as controversial; Geldof wrote it in the aftermath of Brenda Ann Spencer's attempted massacre at an elementary school across the street from her house in San Diego, California at the beginning of 1979. It was later covered by rock group Bon Jovi when Geldof joined them for a duet of the song on June 25 1995 at a concert in Wembley Stadium in London, almost exactly ten years after Geldof performed the song at Live Aid.

Geldof quickly became known as a colourful spokesperson for rock music. The Boomtown Rats' first appearance on Ireland's The Late Late Show led to complaints from viewers. He had limited success as an actor, his most notable role being the lead in the 1982 film Pink Floyd The Wall, based on the Pink Floyd album The Wall.

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Charity work

Geldof's first major charity involvement occurred in September 1981 when he performed as a solo artist for Amnesty International's The Secret Policeman's Other Ball benefit show at the invitation of Amnesty show producer Martin Lewis. He performed a solo version of I Don't Like Mondays. Other rock artists performing at the show included Sting, Eric Clapton and Phil Collins. All of these became people that Geldof called on later for Live Aid Geldof sang back-up vocals on the all-star version of Bob Dylan's I Shall Be Released alongside another musician he met at the show - Ultravox singer Midge Ure. The show and its spin-off albums and movies raised considerable sums of money for Amnesty and raised public consciousness about human rights. Geldof was proud of his small involvement in the benefit - and noted the impact that a group of rock musicians assembled by one person could have on a cause... (Another future Geldof associate U2 singer Bono noted of the 1981 Amnesty show in 1986 that it had "planted a seed" and it appeared to have affected Geldof in a similar manner.)

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The Band Aid single

By 1984 the Boomtown Rats' career had declined sharply. In November Geldof saw a BBC news report by Michael Buerk on the famine in Ethiopia and vowed to use the situation to do something. He called Midge Ure from Ultravox, and together they co-wrote the song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?".

Geldof kept a November appointment with BBC Radio 1 DJ Richard Skinner to appear on his show, but instead of discussing his new album as planned he used the airtime to publicise the idea for the charity single. This generated intense media interest in the subject.

He put together a group called Band Aid, consisting of leading British and Irish rock and pop musicians, all of whom were at the top of the industry.

The single was released just before Christmas 1984 with the aim of raising money for the relief of the famine. Geldof's somewhat cautious hope was for 70,000 pounds. Ultimately, however, the song raised many millions of pounds and became the biggest-selling single in UK chart history (until 1997). The song was re-recorded and released in 1989 under the Band Aid II banner, featuring artists such as Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. It was re-recorded again and released just before Christmas 2004 with a new group of musicians called Band Aid 20. The band's efforts suffered some criticism as the new generation of singers, who differed greatly from those that appeared on the 1984 original, endeavored to fit their talents into a 20 year old template.[1] Joss Stone, born 2 years after the release of the original single, wasn't initially aware who Bob Geldof was.[2] The media reported that she repeatedly referred to him as Bob Gandalf.[3] This was perceived as highlighting his irrelevance to a younger audience.[4] Despite any criticism the single became the UK's biggest seller of 2004 as well as the Christmas Number 1.[5]

The original idea was emulated in the United States a few months later, with the song "We Are The World", co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, who was Geldof's first point of contact. It topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. Geldof attended the recording, which took place immediately after the January 28, 1985 American Music Awards, and he sang on the chorus at the end.

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The Live Aid concert

Using the enormous success of the Band Aid single, Geldof went on to organise (and perform with the Rats at) the massive charity concert Live Aid, which raised unprecedented sums for the cause in July 1985. He travelled to many places, raising money. He even challenged Margaret Thatcher, leading to a major re-evaluation of British government policy towards famine relief.

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The Live 8 concerts

Image:Geldofpope.jpg On March 31, 2005 Geldof announced the Live 8 project to raise awareness of issues that he claims burden Africa, such as government debt, trade barriers, and AIDS issues. Geldof organised 5 concerts on Saturday July 2, 2005; in London with Elton John, U2, Coldplay, Madonna, Paul McCartney; another in Paris with Andrea Bocelli, Youssou N'Dour; in Rome with Duran Duran, Faith Hill; in Berlin with Brian Wilson, Green Day, Audioslave. Crosby Stills & Nash; and, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews, Sarah McLachlan, and Stevie Wonder and Barrie, Ontario, Canada with Neil Young, The Barenaked Ladies, Bryan Adams, Deep Purple, Gordon Lightfoot and the Tragically Hip.

The seminal rock band Pink Floyd also performed together in London, in its classic lineup, for the first time since 1981.This was considered by some to be the highlight of the chorus of shows.

The shows were free, and were scheduled just days before world leaders gathered in Scotland for the G8 economic summit, on July 6. "The boys and girls with guitars will finally get to turn the world on its axis," Geldof said in a statement<ref>http://www.live8live.com/media/index.shtml</ref>.

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Criticism of Live 8

Although part of the Make Poverty History campaign, Live 8 was accused of hijacking Make Poverty History by planning its concerts on the same day as the giant Make Poverty History march in Edinburgh. The march was said to be the biggest social justice march in Scottish history.

There was criticism too at the lack of African or black artists scheduled to play at some of the concerts. However Geldof responded that only the biggest-selling artists would attract the huge audience required to capture the attention of the world in the run-up to the G8 meeting and that there was insufficient public interest in African music among the concert's target markets in Europe and the United States. Including African artists at the expense of recognised artists would have been tokenist, he said, and would have undermined the effect of the concert.

In the lead up to the G8 Gleneagles summit Geldof fronted Tony Blair's Commission for Africa, emphasising public private partnerships, free trade and foreign direct investment. Geldof labelled critics of the summit "a disgrace". Some leading African campaigners have asked Geldof to stand down from the global anti-poverty movement and the New Internationalist (Jan/Feb 2006) says "It would be long overdue if he did."

There were also accusations that Live 8 gave unqualified support to Tony Blair's and Gordon Brown's personal and political agendas, particularly in the lead up to an election. Though many felt that it was the British politicians who had accepted Geldof's agenda, rather than the other way round, this led to accusations that Geldof had compromised his cause<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5220235-103677,00.html</ref>. In contrast with the media support given to Live Aid, Live 8 was subject to criticism by some sections of the media.

The promises made for Africa at the Gleneagles summit were widely praised: "the greatest summit for Africa ever" (Kofi Annan), "an important, if incomplete, boost to the development prospects of the poorest countries" (Prof Jeffrey Sachs) or "a major breakthrough on debt" (Kevin Wakins, until recently head of research at Oxfam). But many aid agencies pronounced they were disappointed with the outcome, which led some cynics to claim that Live 8 had been more about rehabilitating the careers of aging rock stars, including Geldof himself, than it was about the poor people of Africa.

However Geldof has made no attempt to revive his music career - somewhat disproving this accusation.

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Business interests

In 1992 he co-founded Planet 24, a television production company that has made "The Big Breakfast", "The Word" and "Survivor". The company was sold to Carlton TV in 1994 for an estimated $7 million while rights to "Survivor" were retained. He then launched an online travel business which sold in 2001 for an estimated $17 million. His company Ten Alps Communications is a media, entertainment and marketing venture in which he retains 8%. A subsidiary of Ten Alps creates "branded environments" and has worked for BP, Glaxo Smithkline, Microsoft and the British Foreign Office.

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Career after the Boomtown Rats

He left the Boomtown Rats in 1986 to launch a solo career and release his autobiography, "Is That It?"

After Live Aid Geldof returned to his career as a musician, successfully releasing a series of solo albums. He also performed with David Gilmour (such a performance - Comfortably Numb - is documented in the David Gilmour in Concert DVD) and Thin Lizzy. Along with U2's Bono, he has devoted much time since 2000 to campaigning for debt relief for developing countries.

He has also worked as a DJ for XFM radio. (In 1998 he erroneously announced the death from cancer of Ian Dury, possibly due to hoax information from a listener disgruntled at the station's change of ownership. The incident caused music paper NME to call Geldof "the world's worst DJ".)

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Grumpy Old Man

In 2003 Geldof was featured in a BBC documentary called Grumpy Old Men. The show featured men of the baby boom era airing their grievances about life.

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Fame and infamy

After Live Aid, Geldof became one of the world's most recognisable people. He became particularly known for his use of strong language in conversation, regardless of his target audience. It was widely claimed that he exhorted viewers to "give us your fuckin' money" in the course of an afternoon session at the BBC's Wembley studio during Live Aid. However this is an urban myth. He actually said "People are dying NOW. Give us the money NOW. Give me the money now." Shortly afterward he said "Fuck the address, just give the phone, here's the number..." when trying to emphasise the point of Live Aid as a fundraising event.

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Awards and honours

Geldof has received many awards for this work, including an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. As he is not a citizen of a Commonwealth realm, Geldof is precluded from using the title "Sir". Regardless, the nickname "Sir Bob" has stuck, and even media reports will frequently (and erroneously) refer to him as "Sir Bob Geldof".

Geldof works closely with DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa), an organization founded by U2's Bono to advocate for Africa.

In February 2006, Geldof was among the 191 nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize. <ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060224/en_nm/nobel_peace_nominees_dc</ref>

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Political views and controversies

Bob Geldof adopted an anti-euro stance by appearing in an advertisement against the single currency <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2080930.stm</ref> in 2002. Geldof also criticised the European Union (EU) in 2004 for what he called its 'pathetic' response to Ethiopia's food crisis <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2939878.stm</ref>. Glenys Kinnock, an MEP (Member of the European Parliament), has accused Bob Geldof of getting his facts wrong <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/2947560.stm</ref>. During a visit to Ethiopia, Geldof also praised President George W. Bush's proposal to fight AIDS in Africa <ref>http://www.peopleandplanet.net/doc.php?id=1960</ref>. This proposal has been criticised from aid groups due to its heavy emphasis on Christian morality and sexual abstinence <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1447713,00.html</ref>. Many on the political Left have charged Geldof with hypocrisy due to his conspicuous lack of support for causes such as the UK miners' strike (1984-1985) and the anti-war movement. Some critics have also claimed that Bob Geldof is becoming the acceptable face of euroscepticism<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/netnotes/article/0,6729,748092,00.html</ref>. Geldof is also an active fathers' rights spokesperson in the United Kingdom. above.<ref>http://www.parents4protest.co.uk/_private/bob-geldof-fathers-rights.htm</ref>.

In December 2005 Geldof became adviser on global poverty to the British Conservative Party<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4563258.stm</ref>. He stated, however, that he was uninterested in party politics and would continue to "shake hands with the devil on my left and the devil on my right" in order to achieve results.

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Relationship with Paula Yates

As Geldof became world famous, his personal life was affected by bitter tragedy. He had met long-term partner Paula Yates when, as a rock journalist, she became an obsessed fan of the Rats in their early days. They got together as a couple when she hopped on an aeroplane to Paris to surprise him when the band was playing gigs there.

The couple married in 1986 after a long and happy relationship. They had two more daughters, Peaches Honeyblossom and Pixie Frou-Frou (the latter named after a celebrity daughter character from Celeb cartoon in the satirical magazine Private Eye, itself a lampoon of Geldof's earlier children's names), to follow their eldest, Fifi Trixibelle, who was born prior to their wedding. Simon Le Bon (of Duran Duran) was Geldof's best man.

Yates, former presenter of cutting-edge music show The Tube, left Geldof for Michael Hutchence, singer with INXS, whom she met when interviewing him on The Big Breakfast, the show produced by Geldof's production company after it won the contract to provide a morning news and entertainment show for Channel 4.

Yates had a daughter (named Heavenly Hiraani Tigerlily) with Hutchence. When Hutchence was found dead in a hotel room in 1997, Geldof went to court and obtained full custody of his three daughters. His experiences at the time of his divorce have led him to become an outspoken advocate of fathers' rights. After Yates's death from an overdose, Geldof became the legal guardian of Tigerlily, believing that she should be raised with her three half-sisters.

Geldof is profitably involved in business activities and was rumoured for a time to be considering seeking election to the office of President of Ireland in 2004. The rumours were later dismissed as the product of inaccurate media speculation.

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Genealogy

In his 1986 autobiography (with Paul Vallely) Is That It? (ISBN 014009363X), Geldof notes that his surname is extremely rare in Ireland and first appeared with his grandfather, who immigrated from Belgium at the start of the twentieth century.

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Wealth

Ten Alps, a PR, Broadcast and Television company, whose current client list includes BP, JP Morgan, Ford, The UK Foreign Office and Ministery of Defence, EMI, Disney and many more, was founded by Alex Connock, Bob Geldof and Des Shaw. Alex bought Planet 24 Radio for £1, on the day that Carlton TV acquires Geldof's previous TV company Planet 24 for a reported £15m. Ten Alps is Planet spelled backwards. Ten Alps posted profits of £600,000 last year, on turnover of £37,000,000.

Geldof's wealth was estimated by Broadcast magazine in 2001 to be £30m [6], a position of 18th in a list of UK broadcasters.

He is currently embroiled in a legal wrangle with his former bandmates in the Boomtown Rats, who accuse him of withholding from them substantial profits from the bands' recordings.

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Actor

Image:Geldof wall.jpg Geldof played the central character Pink in the film of Pink Floyd's "The Wall", and made a cameo appearance as himself in the pop music satire "Spice World."

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Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions				Album
Year	Title	US Hot 100	US Modern Rock	US Mainstream Rock	UK	Album
1990	"Love or Something"	-	#24	-	-	Vegetarians of Love