I was saddened and shocked at the news of the death of Peaches Geldof yesterday. I do not pretend to know her but I rubbed shoulders with her mom and dad in what seems like another lifetime. I have always had respect for Bob Geldof and his family. Peaches was a similar age to my eldest daughter Frankie.
Back in the day Geldof was just another punk rocker in a band. Tall, Irish, the singer and a loudmouth was all I knew about him. I was living in Camden and working as a photographer for NME so I would see him around town and see his photo in the press. It was part of my job to know who was who.
Back stage at the Hammersmith Odeon they had a tiny bar for the band and guests. I finally got to meet him there at a Squeeze gig, or were Squeeze supporting Dr. Feelgood? I could research it but it’s not that important.
I recognised Geldof straight away and he flicked his hand towards his friend and simply said ‘Paula’. We discussed the band and the beer and it was time for me to go to work.
Whilst I was trying a carve out my career in London my friend Jane was doing the same in Newcastle. She had landed the job as designer for Chanel 4’s new live music show The Tube. It was difficult to get up there on Friday nights for obvious reasons but I did make it the night they had Iggy Pop on live. Paula Yates was the co-presenter with Jools Holland who tinkled the ivories for Squeeze. Geldof was there too.
That nights show was a success so we all adjourned to the local pub which was The Rose & Crown. The beers kept coming and the balls on the pool table got potted. Through nearly 40 years and rose tinted glasses the memory and mind may have embellished that night but it left me with an affinity to Bob and Paula. I fully anticipated they would fade away into society as quickly as they had been thrown up.
The rest, of course, is history. Geldof touched us all with Live Aid. Paula burned brightly and they had a family under the full glare of the media.
I read an article in MOJO only last weeek about Geldof and was interested to hear his thoughts on his music and how he had arrived there.As a father, as a father of daughters, my thoughts are with him and his family at such a tragic time. It really is beyond pain for the man.
#RIPPeaches #beyondpain #geldof
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