Music

Geldof and Fingers reach settlement over ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’

Keyboardist’s name added to copyright details for 1979 Boomtown Rats hit

The Boomtown Rat’s biggest hit had been credited to Bob Geldof alone. File photograph: Alan Betson/ The Irish Times

Aine McMahon
Sat Jan 26 2019 - 11:12

Boomtown Rats members Bob Geldof and Johnnie Fingers have reached an agreement in their dispute over who wrote the band's 1979 hit, I Don't Like Mondays.

Mr Geldof and Mr Fingers reached a financial settlement out of court and Mr Fingers’s musical contribution to the song has now been recognised, Channel 4 News has reported.

The band’s biggest hit is credited to Mr Geldof alone, but Mr Fingers, whose real name is John Moylett, has claimed for a number of years that he co-wrote the song.

Keyboard player Mr Fingers has now had his name added to the copyright details for the song on documents registered with the Performing Right Society, according to the report.

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In 2016, Mr Fingers began legal proceedings claiming he had co-written the song with Geldof.

Active from 1976 to 1986, The Boomtown Rats had a string of top 10 singles and albums, winning Brit Awards, Ivor Novellos and Grammys along the way. They were the first Irish rock band to have a UK number one, with Rat Trap, and had a global smash with the follow-up, I Don't Like Mondays.

The Boomtown Rats reformed in 2013, without former members Johnnie Fingers and Gerry Cott in the line-up.

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