The Boomtown Rats arrived in punk-drunk Britain in early 1977, self-aggrandizing Dubliners with a serious taste for classic rock, but dripping such vehemently snot-nosed arrogance that it was hard to hold that against them. Certainly their first major London show, opening for the newly ascendant Tom Petty, gave the passive onlooker plenty to think about -- graffiti that insisted "Rats Eat Heartbreakers" appeared all across town and, on-stage, they did. "Lookin' After No. 1," the band's...   [ read more ]

CD $14.23

Before Bob Geldof became a world-renowned humanitarian and added a "Sir" to his name, he was just another loud-mouthed Irish lead singer in an up-and-coming punk band. The Boomtown Rats -- taken from Woody Guthrie's novel {-Bound for Glory} -- had loftier pop ambitions than most late-'70s U.K. punks. Their energetic R&B-infused blend of new wave and rock & roll spawned a number of British hits between 1977 and 1980, all of which can be found on Mercury's {^20th Century Masters - ...   [ read more ]

CD $9.45

CD $14.23