Live Aid killed us off, without a doubt

As The Boomtown Rats prepare to hit the road for a 50th anniversary UK tour, bass player Pete Briquette on their breakup, surprise reunion and why, unlike some of his old bandmates, he doesn't begrudge Bob Geldof's solo success

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"Live Aid killed us off without a doubt. But I would never be more happy than to be killed off by that. We never objected. We never said it's unfair. Because what was happening in Ethiopia was by far more important than the dwindling careers of a couple of dodgy pop stars."

A sellout crowd of 72,000 people watched Live Aid at Wembley Stadium. Pete says he and his bandmates were involved from the beginning and he holds fond memories of the day.

"It didn't feel like we'd been ripped off. We didn't feel like we were losing Bob. I kept in contact with Bob right through the whole Band Aid and Live Aid thing and I was forever supportive of it," he says.

"I can't speak for the other members of the band, but for me, there's no doubt that this is what he had to do. And if the Rats ended up no longer being the Rats, that's what it is."

The band, formed in Dublin in 1975, scored five top 10 hits between 1977 and 1985.

But they lasted just one more year after Live Aid, while Geldof became further immersed in his charity work. Their final performance came at Self Aid, a May 1986 concert in their native Ireland to raise awareness of unemployment.

After 12 albums and six singles, including two number ones, the group who took their name from folk singer Woody Guthrie's boyhood gang mentioned in his autobiography were done. They all went their separate ways, with Pete continuing to work with Bob on his solo projects.

Garry Roberts co-wrote songs for Kirsty MacColl before leaving the music business to sell financial services.

Johnnie Fingers became a successful record producer in Japan, as well as a member of the Japanese band Greengate.