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Bob Geldolf - why the hate?

24567…10

Comments

  • #32
    Legs.Eleven
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,987 ✭✭✭Legs.Eleven


    I think he seems alright although I haven't heard him talk in years and I appreciate he tried to do something with Live Aid. Has done more than I will ever do in my lifetime. He has the most South Side accent I've ever heard. I'm supposedly related to the drummer from The Boomtown Rats, so I couldn't really hate him as he's almost family....kind of.


  • #33
    anncoates
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,925 ✭✭✭✭anncoates


    Candie wrote: »
    Not a Rats fan generally, but I like Rat Trap

    I forgot about that tune. I actually like that too.


  • #34
    Red Pepper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,567 ✭✭✭Red Pepper


    I love Bono and Geldof.

    The world is a better place with both those men in it. Which is more than I can say for some of you crazies!


  • #35
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    anncoates wrote: »
    Always in two minds about this.

    There's something profoundly irritating about being lectured by a millionaires and tax dodgers on world poverty but part of me also thinks that for all the self-serving cringe of Live Aid, it did far more - in a bottom line sense - for famine victims than all the hot air in the pub or AH (of which I absolutely am a part of) could ever hope to do.

    Plus I'm also ironically aware that if millionaires shouldn't have views on the plight of the developing world, then you and me probably shouldn't either seeing as we - while not being rich - enjoy a standard of life that is inconceivable to the people of the developing world.
    Exactly. It's fashionable to criticise Live Aid/Band Aid just because... The whole cynicism for cynicism's sake thing.

    The thing is: he still did something for the starving people in Ethiopia, unlike his detractors. I don't like everything about the way he went about it ("Just give us the f*cking money!" was obnoxious, and making demands of anyone and everyone, e.g. "Some 13-year-old girl in Wigan" as Morrissey put it :pac:) but Band Aid and Live Aid were fantastic achievements, which inspired lots of smaller copycat movements, and fair play to Geldof for using his clout to organise them. Live Aid was a global event - that is some accomplishment. People whinge about there still being starvation in Ethiopia - I don't think Geldof ever claimed he was gonna wipe it out completely ffs.

    Geldof wasn't exactly a massive superstar either. The guy who made lots of royalties out of one song was hardly Michael Jackson.


  • #36
    Duggy747
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,295 ✭✭✭✭Duggy747


    I thought it was fairly well known that he never actually said "give us the fúckin' money"


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  • #37
    chopper6
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,214 ✭✭✭chopper6


    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    Exactly. It's fashionable to criticise Live Aid/Band Aid just because... The whole cynicism for cynicism's sake thing.

    The thing is: he still did something for the starving people in Ethiopia, unlike his detractors. I don't like everything about the way he went about it ("Just give us the f*cking money!" was obnoxious, and making demands of anyone and everyone, e.g. "Some 13-year-old girl in Wigan" as Morrissey put it :pac:) but Band Aid and Live Aid were fantastic achievements, which inspired lots of smaller copycat movements, and fair play to Geldof for using his clout to organise them. Live Aid was a global event - that is some accomplishment. People whinge about there still being starvation in Ethiopia - I don't think Geldof ever claimed he was gonna wipe it out completely ffs.

    Geldof wasn't exactly a massive superstar either. The guy who made lots of royalties out of one song was hardly Michael Jackson.


    The whole Live Aid di nothing whatever to address the underlying causes of the famine and anarchy of that area.

    It was a sot to the middle-class and an excuse for certain fading musicians to revive thier flagging careers and line thier own pockets.


  • #38
    Muise...
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,512 ✭✭✭Muise...


    Duggy747 wrote: »
    I thought it was fairly well known that he never actually said "give us the fúckin' money"

    Yeah, it's a misattributed quote. What he actually said was "Play it again Sam, and let them eat cake."


  • #39
    wretcheddomain
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,094 ✭✭✭wretcheddomain


    I don't believe Geldof's sincerity in trying to alleviate the poor.


  • #40
    Knight who says Meh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 464 ✭✭Knight who says Meh


    chopper6 wrote: »
    The whole Live Aid di nothing whatever to address the underlying causes of the famine and anarchy of that area.

    It was a sot to the middle-class and an excuse for certain fading musicians to revive thier flagging careers and line thier own pockets.

    If it saved one life then it did something. It saved a good deal more than one life.


  • #41
    Warper
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,377 ✭✭✭Warper


    I say Geldof is alright. His accent makes you want to punch his head in though


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  • #42
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 36,496 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    In reality, feeding starving Ethiopians just resulted in a population boom and more staving Ethiopians.


  • #43
    anncoates
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,925 ✭✭✭✭anncoates


    chopper6 wrote: »
    The whole Live Aid di nothing whatever to address the underlying causes of the famine and anarchy of that area..

    Whereas your searing analysis will end famine and anarchy there by teatime tomorrow?


  • #44
    hansfrei
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 915 ✭✭✭hansfrei


    If he was American we'd call him something cool like Boff and post pictures ofhim shaking some ejits hand on Facebook.

    Begrudgery.


  • #45
    anncoates
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,925 ✭✭✭✭anncoates


    Warper wrote: »
    I say Geldof is alright. His accent makes you want to punch his head in though

    Every time I see him, I always instantly hear PHONE WRECKERS ARE IDIOTS in my mind.


  • #46
    Fighting Irish
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,062 ✭✭✭Fighting Irish


    MadsL wrote: »
    It always strikes me that there is fair bit of hostility in Ireland towards Bob. Why is that, is it the Banana Republic criticism of Ireland whilst living in London, the "Sir" Bob thing, the silly names for the kids or just the whole "give us yer f*cking money"?

    I grew up bopping around the living room to the Rats so he's a hero to me - I'm always suprised to hear him getting dissed.

    What gives AH?

    The same reason irish people dislike people like bono and michael o'leary, jealousy


  • #47
    chopper6
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,214 ✭✭✭chopper6


    anncoates wrote: »
    Whereas your searing analysis will end famine and anarchy there by teatime tomorrow?


    Very droll.


    Africa is none of my business...i don't pretend to be interested in it.


  • #48
    dd972
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭dd972


    StompToWork wrote: »
    Or, it could just be the D4 accent!!

    Geldof has always struck me as trying to put on a bit of a ''Duuublin'' drone to fool the Brits that he's some roughneck from Oireland, a sort of Hiberno-Mockney if you like, when in fact he went to Blackrock College and would probably be some Barrister or Accountant if his life panned out differently.


  • #49
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    He did say "Give the f'ucking money" - there's footage of it. He was in a studio with a couple of other heads and the presenter was getting uncomfortable with his swearing.
    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    It's fashionable to criticise Live Aid/Band Aid just because... The whole cynicism for cynicism's sake thing.
    Exhibit A:
    chopper6 wrote: »
    The whole Live Aid di nothing whatever to address the underlying causes of the famine and anarchy of that area.

    It was a sot to the middle-class and an excuse for certain fading musicians to revive thier flagging careers and line thier own pockets.
    I don't know what a sot is but even if fading musicians flagged their careers and lined their own pockets, Geldof still did a lot more for the cause than "edgy" cynical bluster will ever do.
    wretcheddomain wrote: »
    I don't believe Geldof's sincerity in trying to alleviate the poor.
    Why? There really is no solid reason to genuinely believe he wasn't sincere.


  • #50
    justforlaugh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 182 ✭✭justforlaugh


    Seasan wrote: »
    The only thing I like about Geldof is the fact that he is an Atheist.
    Always hated him for turning his back on Ireland and changing his nationality(then again I hate any Irish person who does that).Apart from that I just can't listen to his constant bitching and moaning.

    Bob Geldolf paternal grandfather was a Belgian and his paternal grandmother was an English Jew from London. Maybe why he don't have a deep affection for ireland


  • #51
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    hansfrei wrote: »
    If he was American we'd call him something cool like Boff and post pictures ofhim shaking some ejits hand on Facebook.

    Begrudgery.
    The cynicism towards him came from other countries also, so give the "Typical Irish begrudgery" myth a rest.
    Fighting Irish wrote: »
    The same reason irish people dislike people like bono and michael o'leary, jealousy
    You need new material. What's there to be jealous of btw?
    chopper6 wrote: »
    Africa is none of my business...i don't pretend to be interested in it.
    And Geldof is interested in it, so... what's your point again?


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  • #52
    cletus van damme
    Closed Accounts Posts: 960 ✭✭✭cletus van damme


    wretcheddomain wrote: »
    I don't believe Geldof's sincerity in trying to alleviate the poor.

    I think he was sincere.

    but he is an awful moan. giving out about ireland as if his opinion is somewhat important.

    I'm sure he is a nice guy but his public persona and pronouncements make him difficult to like.
    When I've heard him he gives out , rather than suggest a solution and rally people to a cause.
    he is like the office cynic who ****s on every plan but offers f-all in an alternative.


  • #53
    Cienciano
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,208 ✭✭✭✭Cienciano


    I can see why people don't like him, he can come across as a bit of a tosser. But a good tosser, I like him and he does seem to know what he's talking about. I think most people have no problem with Bob.

    Bono, on the other hand comes across as a total knobend. And after watching the documentary It Might Get Loud, the edge is right up there with him.


  • #54
    My_Sharona
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25 ✭My_Sharona


    Sure didn't he lose all his money in that Live Aid thing?


  • #55
    foxyboxer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,528 ✭✭✭foxyboxer


    He's the kind of guy who believes he's a lot smarter than he thinks he is by spouting pseudo-intellectual bolloxology.

    And people like that annoy me.


  • #56
    chopper6
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,214 ✭✭✭chopper6


    My_Sharona wrote: »
    Sure didn't he lose all his money in that Live Aid thing?


    He did in his arse...he made a fortune for his production company to say nothing of his biography,television appearances and renewd interest in his band.


  • #57
    Agricola
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,547 ✭✭✭Agricola


    Its the accent, the hair, the outspoken attitude...... We like to be outspoken ourselves and rip the balls out of politicians and the "til be grand" Irish thing, but woe be tide some D4 tosser who went off to make millions and got a knighthood from 'them across the water' to boot.

    Graham Norton would be similarly disliked if it wasnt for that whole Fr. Ted thing. :D


  • #58
    Loopy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,220 ✭✭✭✭Loopy


    Wabbit Ears wrote: »
    Ive never heard any thing said negative about bob. He gave his kids stupid names but that's about it.

    Aw c'mon man it was the 80's....

    Did you hear the drug squad called to his house way back then and said they were looking for magic mushrooms.. Bob replied 'she's in school and won't be home till 3'.


  • #59
    dicey_riley
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 24 ✭dicey_riley


    Borderfox wrote: »
    Hes not as bad as Bono, but thats not saying a lot

    at least U2 were once a great band

    Geldof cant - could never sing and was part of a crap band who happened to be lucky enough to arrive during the punk thing when it didn't matter

    he,s an insufferably smug , self regarding tosser of epic proportions

    just goes to show however that an enormous ego trumps ability almost every time


  • #60
    dicey_riley
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 24 ✭dicey_riley


    Legs.Eleven wrote: »
    I think he seems alright although I haven't heard him talk in years and I appreciate he tried to do something with Live Aid. Has done more than I will ever do in my lifetime. He has the most South Side accent I've ever heard. I'm supposedly related to the drummer from The Boomtown Rats, so I couldn't really hate him as he's almost family....kind of.

    according to gay byrne , Geldof practically invented the D4 accent , apparently such an accent did not exist prior to 1970 or thereabouts


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  • #61
    Wattle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,075 ✭✭✭Wattle


    Well he got Roger Waters and Pink Floyd back together for Live 8 so that's a plus. I also admired the way he kept a dignified silence when his wife ran off with Michael Hutchence.


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