Bob Geldof bandmate faces ruin in song row

Ex-Boomtown Rats keyboard player Johnnie Fingers has launched a lawsuit claiming he is owed royalities for the band’s chart-topper I Don’t Like Mondays. 

Fingers, now known by his real name John Moylett, claimed he co-wrote the song with Geldof but was pressured into not taking a writing credit by the singer who then promised him a fair share of the song’s earnings.

The High Court in London yesterday heard Moylett could face financial ruin and homelessness over the legal action.

He has been forced to put the house he shares with his autistic daughter on the line to pursue his claim.

The 60-year-old, who now lives in Japan, is suing Geldof, claiming he contributed the instantly recognisable piano intro and the lyrics “Down, down, shoot it all down”.

Geldof, 65, who is a multi-millionaire, has demanded “not less than” £750,000 for costs security should his former friend lose the case.

Moylett has offered £25,000 after borrowing the cash from his sister and brother-in-law along with half of his house, worth £200,000.

He claims he cannot offer any more. The musician shares the house in Tokyo with his wife Yoko, their young son and autistic daughter.

Costs of the trial, which is due to take place next March, have been estimated at up to £1million. 

The pianist’s barrister Romie Tager said putting the house up as security would lead to the “eviction of the autistic daughter as part of that process”.

He said no one would buy just half a house and the family would be forced to move out.

Mr Tager also denied a claim that his client could borrow more money from family members.

Moylett’s sister and brother-in-law will not lend him any more because Geldof has threatened to pursue them personally for costs if he wins, he said.

Mr Tager described Geldof’s application as “ridiculous” saying it was launched to try to stifle the case.

Thomas Delamare, for Geldof, said Moylett was not being honest about his finances. He said on top of the £25,000 lent to him by his sister and brother-in-law he had £15,000 in an offshore account in Guernsey.

The pianist earns about £50,000 a year, including £4,500 annually from songs recorded with the Boomtown Rats, the court heard.

He moved to Japan and runs his own company, Smash Corp, which manages Japanese music stars.