In 1978 , The Boomtown Rats had their first No. 1 single in the UK with " Rat Trap " , the first new wave chart-topper in Britain . In 1979 , they gained international attention with their second UK No. 1 , " I Do n't Like Mondays " . This was both successful and controversial . Geldof had written it in the aftermath of Brenda Ann Spencer 's attempted massacre at an elementary school in San Diego , California in 1979
in the aftermath
Cleveland Elementary School shooting (San Diego)
Bob Geldof