Larry, Edge, Bono, Adam
U2 emerged from humble beginnings in the isolated Irish music scene of the mid-1970s to become one of the most vital and original bands in the history of this thing we call rock n' roll. By extolling virtues that were, in essence, the antithesis to drug-addled, bad boy rock, they attracted an intensely fanatical following which has grown to global proportions.
Even in their early days, U2 displayed a passionate need to communicate, to reach as many people as possible. But there was something else; an almost indefinable feeling when something really connects, sending the proverbial shiver down your spine.
To get a clear understanding of this unique band, we have to go back to the source. U2 originated in a country where traditional Irish music and show bands reigned supreme. Only the likes of THIN LIZZY and the BOOMTOWN RATS had broken out of this stifling climate of musical conservatism to make an impact elsewhere. Four Dublin schoolboys attending one of the country's few liberal and non-denominational schools, Mount Temple, were aiming to change all that.
The band evolved in response to an ad placed in the school notice board by a certain Larry Mullen. The LARRY MULLEN BAND was formed, consisting of Larry on drums, Paul Hewson (Bono) on vocals, Adam Clayton (bass) and brothers Dave the Edge and Dick Evans. Dick later left to join "Dada transvestite Provocateurs," the VIRGIN PRUNES.
The four remaining members changed their name twice, first to FEEDBACK, then to HYPE, before settling on U2. They were four contrasting characters, but likeminded souls. They became firm friends.
As there was no dominant rock tradition culture in Eire, the act couldn't identify with the UK punk explosion. The group might have been charged up by the accessibility and raw energy of punk, but were repelled by its anarchic and nihilistic attitude. U2 were far too romantic, optimistic, and ambitious for that. They wanted to heal, not destroy.
These qualities were to serve them well, as they had to overcome initial local apathy. But by playing everywhere they possibly could, the band soon established a strong following. They won a cash prize of £500 in a talent contest that allowed them to record a demo. However, their biggest hurdle was looming on the horizon, securing that elusive record deal. The group did manage to secure an interim deal with CBS Ireland who would press and release 1,000 copies of their demo. U2-3 was released in September 79 on a 12-inch format and sold well. The songs "Out of Control," "Boy/Girl" and "Stories for Boys" had a charming, albeit amateurish, naivety. Fortunately, Island's new press officer, Rob Partridge, had seen U2 in person and eventually managed to persuade his A&R department, who had previously turned them down, of their worth. In April 1980, the band signed in the ladies' toilet of London's Lyceum Ballroom. The hauntingly powerful "11 O'clock Tick Tock" was their first Island release.
The Boy album was recorded in Dublin's now legendary Windmill Lane Studios with Steve Lilywhite, who incidentally went on to produce their next two albums at the same studio. Lilywhite's recording skills and empathy with U2 showed on the vibrant production and the band's vitriolic playing, epitomised in the single, "I Will Follow." They essentially may only have used three chords, but Boy had a great deal of depth and swirling moods. Fundamentally, it charted a course through the turbulent waters of late adolescence.
October was fraught with difficulties and riddled with tension. A conflict arose. U2 shared Christian beliefs, with the exception of Adam Clayton, and began to feel their beliefs contradicted the reality of life in a band. Initially, this isolated Clayton, but eventually the others decided to continue. On a more practical level, they faced the problem of having only three weeks in which to record the music and lyrics, a position further weakened after Bono's book of words was stolen.
Those events seeped into the album, which was charged with an almost oppressive intensity. Still, it spawned their first UK Top 40 hit, "Fire," and stirring, moving songs like "Tomorrow," where traditional Irish instruments were used to stunning effect, and the single "Gloria," a burst of white noise that seemed to spiral skywards. On reflection, October wasn't one of U2's more complete works, but it was one of their most affecting, and certainly their most religious works.
The band, having learned from the turmoil of the hurried October, took more time out to prepare for their next studio album War. January 83 saw the uplifting single "New Year's Day" crack the UK top 10. Two months later, War broke out and shot straight to number one in the UK, going gold in America. The band were surprised and delighted.
Later that year, a mini-LP Under a Blood Red Sky followed, charting at number two in the UK. It partly captured the thrill and power of their live shows, but the video release, shot at the dramatic live setting of Colorado's Red Rocks, best represented the band.
Some critics felt the band were metamorphosising into bombastic stadium rockers. Irrespective, you two, with their strong instincts and restless nature, were already in transition and redefining their aims.
Inside Dublin's Slane Castle in the summer of 84, U2 were ringing the changes with a new production team of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Egghead Eno was no fan of the Irishmen's music, initially turning them down. But impressed by their persistence and flexible, open-minded attitude to recording, he eventually succumbed. The Unforgettable Fire's texture was that of a sonic dreamscape, a vast, expansive sound. It certainly wasn't exploiting their stadium rock status. The only exception to this was the UK top five anthemic hit "Pride."
The shimmering melancholic title track, the epic "Bad" and the lush romanticism of "A Sort of Homecoming" were fine examples of the band's widescreen sophisticated approach. No dominant lyrical themes stamped the record, though songs like "Elvis Presley and America" and "MLK," as well as "Pride," hinted at the band's growing interest in the US. Though some of the material was a little half-baked and blurred, their bold new direction was generally successful.
The word on U2 began to spread like a forest fire, but it was the worldwide beamed Live Aid in 85 that brought them to a truly global audience; performing "Bad" and choked with emotion, Bono saw a girl calling at him. He leapt impulsively into the pit and pulled the girl out and onto the stage. In the aftermath, the band felt they had gone OTT. Self-doubt crept in, but it soon became clear that thousands in the stadium and millions around the world felt U2 had captured the mood of the occasion and won many hearts in the process.
Post-Live Aid, they were involved in various humane charitable causes, most notably Amnesty International's Conspiracy of Hope tour. On an individual basis, Bono duetted with CLANNAD's Marie Ni Broanian on the ghostly hit single, "In a Lifetime," as well as penning a song, "Silver and Gold," for the Artists Against Apartheid LP Sun City .
The Edge linked up with the likes of JAH WOBBLE, ex-PIL, on a left-of-field dance album, Invaders of the Heart. Back in Dublin, Adam and Larry were helping to nurture the Mother Records label founded by the band in 84 to encourage new Irish talent.
In March 87, The Joshua Tree emerged, widely regarded as U2's tour de force. Eno and Lanois were once more at the helm, honing the sounds achieved on the previous album. The record was more song-oriented than its predecessor. "With Or Without You," "Where the Streets Have No Name," and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," not only reached the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic, including two number ones in the US, but were emotively sculptured songs that didn't pander to the commercial mainstream.
Much was made of The Joshua Tree being the band's 'American album.' Granted, much of the imagery and symbolism was influenced and inspired by the vast interior landscapes of North America, that would equally apply to the biblical references prevalent. Moreover, set against this vague, ambiguous symbolism, were a variety of themes ranging from the global perspective through to the deeply personal, with all the inherent contradiction and conflicts that involved. Two songs illustrated U2's conflicting view of the US, "Running to Stand Still" and "Bullet the Blue Sky," the former, although about Dublin's heroin problem, featured subtle use of the band's interest in American roots music, while the latter attacked an uglier side: U.S. imperialism in Central America.
In April, the band graced the cover of Time magazine, a feat only achieved by a select few bands like The Who, The Band, and The Beatles. By the year's end, The Joshua Tree had sold over 12 million copies. Love them or loathe them, U2 were undoubtedly Rock's hottest ticket.
The US leg of the consequent world tour was captured by the cameras and made into a full-length film, Rattle and Hum, which along with the accompanying soundtrack charted U2's voyage of self-discovery. The group readily admitted to indulging themselves as they explored, from Memphis to Harlem, the roots of gospel, country, soul, the blues, and rock n' roll. The record itself was a sprawling mishmash of live tracks, including covers of the BEATLES' "Helter Skelter" and BOB DYLAN's "All Along the Watchtower." New songs were also included in the shape of them working in tandem with blues legend B.B. KING on "When Love Comes to Town," Bob Dylan, "Love Rescue Me," and the gospel reworking of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." "Desire," with its BO DIDDLEY beat, also gave them their first UK number one. Rattle and Hum was a snapshot of a band in transition, of a band not resting on its laurels.
During the climax of the "Love Town" tour in Dublin, at the fag end of the 80s, Bono talked about going away for a while and dreaming it all over again. U2, hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as the most influential rock band of the 80s, faced an uncertain future. But with the ability to transcend and innovate, it promised to be an intriguing future.
November 1991 saw the release of their eighth album, Achtung Baby, already having spawned a number one single in the UK, "The Fly," which ran into a wave of controversy due to the way it was marketed. U2 will once again hit the road to promote the album, and 1992 should see them back at the top of the rock tree, bigger than ever.
Mark Liddell
Riff Raff
January 1992
To get a clear understanding of this unique band, we have to go back to the source. U2 originated in a country where traditional Irish music and show bands reigned supreme. Only the likes of THIN LIZZY and the BOOMTOWN RATS had broken out of this stifling climate of musical conservatism to make an impact elsewhere. Four Dublin schoolboys attending one of the country's few liberal and non-denominational schools, Mount Temple, were aiming to change all that.
The band evolved in response to an ad placed in the school notice board by a certain Larry Mullen. The LARRY MULLEN BAND was formed, consisting of Larry on drums, Paul Hewson (Bono) on vocals, Adam Clayton (bass) and brothers Dave the Edge and Dick Evans. Dick later left to join "Dada transvestite Provocateurs," the VIRGIN PRUNES.
The four remaining members changed their name twice, first to FEEDBACK, then to HYPE, before settling on U2. They were four contrasting characters, but likeminded souls. They became firm friends.
"The best thing about this band is that it's built on friendship, and that, in a way, is exactly what's moulded the U2 sound," Bono astutely observed years later.A journalist friend recommended them to Paul McGuinness, a film technician with previous experience in band management, advertising and, TV. McGuinness was initially doubtful of U2's merit, but recognised their potential becoming their manager in 1978. The embryonic U2, despite their limited musical technique, were already forging a very distinctive sound. The charismatic Bono's soaring, dramatic vocals, the Edge's atmospheric ringing guitar style, Adam Clayton's unorthodox bass playing, and Larry's taut militaristic backbeat.
As there was no dominant rock tradition culture in Eire, the act couldn't identify with the UK punk explosion. The group might have been charged up by the accessibility and raw energy of punk, but were repelled by its anarchic and nihilistic attitude. U2 were far too romantic, optimistic, and ambitious for that. They wanted to heal, not destroy.
These qualities were to serve them well, as they had to overcome initial local apathy. But by playing everywhere they possibly could, the band soon established a strong following. They won a cash prize of £500 in a talent contest that allowed them to record a demo. However, their biggest hurdle was looming on the horizon, securing that elusive record deal. The group did manage to secure an interim deal with CBS Ireland who would press and release 1,000 copies of their demo. U2-3 was released in September 79 on a 12-inch format and sold well. The songs "Out of Control," "Boy/Girl" and "Stories for Boys" had a charming, albeit amateurish, naivety. Fortunately, Island's new press officer, Rob Partridge, had seen U2 in person and eventually managed to persuade his A&R department, who had previously turned them down, of their worth. In April 1980, the band signed in the ladies' toilet of London's Lyceum Ballroom. The hauntingly powerful "11 O'clock Tick Tock" was their first Island release.
BOY (1980)
The Boy album was recorded in Dublin's now legendary Windmill Lane Studios with Steve Lilywhite, who incidentally went on to produce their next two albums at the same studio. Lilywhite's recording skills and empathy with U2 showed on the vibrant production and the band's vitriolic playing, epitomised in the single, "I Will Follow." They essentially may only have used three chords, but Boy had a great deal of depth and swirling moods. Fundamentally, it charted a course through the turbulent waters of late adolescence.
"A very impressionistic record, an angry record, but full of love," Bono fondly recalled years later.U2 had used Rock's four primary colours, guitar, bass, drums and vocals, to create an album that was, despite its limited commercial success, both memorable and different.
OCTOBER (1981)
October was fraught with difficulties and riddled with tension. A conflict arose. U2 shared Christian beliefs, with the exception of Adam Clayton, and began to feel their beliefs contradicted the reality of life in a band. Initially, this isolated Clayton, but eventually the others decided to continue. On a more practical level, they faced the problem of having only three weeks in which to record the music and lyrics, a position further weakened after Bono's book of words was stolen.
Those events seeped into the album, which was charged with an almost oppressive intensity. Still, it spawned their first UK Top 40 hit, "Fire," and stirring, moving songs like "Tomorrow," where traditional Irish instruments were used to stunning effect, and the single "Gloria," a burst of white noise that seemed to spiral skywards. On reflection, October wasn't one of U2's more complete works, but it was one of their most affecting, and certainly their most religious works.
WAR (1983)
The band, having learned from the turmoil of the hurried October, took more time out to prepare for their next studio album War. January 83 saw the uplifting single "New Year's Day" crack the UK top 10. Two months later, War broke out and shot straight to number one in the UK, going gold in America. The band were surprised and delighted.
"It quickly dawned on me that touring was really a very important part of the process," said The Edge, acknowledging one of the key factors in their success.In contrast with the abstract quality of their previous albums, War was focused and militant, stripped-down, urgent rock, The much overlooked, aching ballad, "Drowning Man," being one of the few exceptions. U2 confronted and tackled troubling global issues, as well as problems closer to home in "Sunday Bloody Sunday." The song's rabble-rousing quality was foolishly interpreted by some as being pro-IRA. Many others felt that U2's raucous approach on war was too overbearing. But, as the band put it, war is a slap in the face.
UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY (1983)
Later that year, a mini-LP Under a Blood Red Sky followed, charting at number two in the UK. It partly captured the thrill and power of their live shows, but the video release, shot at the dramatic live setting of Colorado's Red Rocks, best represented the band.
Some critics felt the band were metamorphosising into bombastic stadium rockers. Irrespective, you two, with their strong instincts and restless nature, were already in transition and redefining their aims.
THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE (1984)
Inside Dublin's Slane Castle in the summer of 84, U2 were ringing the changes with a new production team of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Egghead Eno was no fan of the Irishmen's music, initially turning them down. But impressed by their persistence and flexible, open-minded attitude to recording, he eventually succumbed. The Unforgettable Fire's texture was that of a sonic dreamscape, a vast, expansive sound. It certainly wasn't exploiting their stadium rock status. The only exception to this was the UK top five anthemic hit "Pride."
The shimmering melancholic title track, the epic "Bad" and the lush romanticism of "A Sort of Homecoming" were fine examples of the band's widescreen sophisticated approach. No dominant lyrical themes stamped the record, though songs like "Elvis Presley and America" and "MLK," as well as "Pride," hinted at the band's growing interest in the US. Though some of the material was a little half-baked and blurred, their bold new direction was generally successful.
The word on U2 began to spread like a forest fire, but it was the worldwide beamed Live Aid in 85 that brought them to a truly global audience; performing "Bad" and choked with emotion, Bono saw a girl calling at him. He leapt impulsively into the pit and pulled the girl out and onto the stage. In the aftermath, the band felt they had gone OTT. Self-doubt crept in, but it soon became clear that thousands in the stadium and millions around the world felt U2 had captured the mood of the occasion and won many hearts in the process.
Post-Live Aid, they were involved in various humane charitable causes, most notably Amnesty International's Conspiracy of Hope tour. On an individual basis, Bono duetted with CLANNAD's Marie Ni Broanian on the ghostly hit single, "In a Lifetime," as well as penning a song, "Silver and Gold," for the Artists Against Apartheid LP Sun City .
The Edge linked up with the likes of JAH WOBBLE, ex-PIL, on a left-of-field dance album, Invaders of the Heart. Back in Dublin, Adam and Larry were helping to nurture the Mother Records label founded by the band in 84 to encourage new Irish talent.
THE JOSHUA TREE (1987)
In March 87, The Joshua Tree emerged, widely regarded as U2's tour de force. Eno and Lanois were once more at the helm, honing the sounds achieved on the previous album. The record was more song-oriented than its predecessor. "With Or Without You," "Where the Streets Have No Name," and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," not only reached the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic, including two number ones in the US, but were emotively sculptured songs that didn't pander to the commercial mainstream.
Much was made of The Joshua Tree being the band's 'American album.' Granted, much of the imagery and symbolism was influenced and inspired by the vast interior landscapes of North America, that would equally apply to the biblical references prevalent. Moreover, set against this vague, ambiguous symbolism, were a variety of themes ranging from the global perspective through to the deeply personal, with all the inherent contradiction and conflicts that involved. Two songs illustrated U2's conflicting view of the US, "Running to Stand Still" and "Bullet the Blue Sky," the former, although about Dublin's heroin problem, featured subtle use of the band's interest in American roots music, while the latter attacked an uglier side: U.S. imperialism in Central America.
In April, the band graced the cover of Time magazine, a feat only achieved by a select few bands like The Who, The Band, and The Beatles. By the year's end, The Joshua Tree had sold over 12 million copies. Love them or loathe them, U2 were undoubtedly Rock's hottest ticket.
RATTLE AND HUM (1988)
The US leg of the consequent world tour was captured by the cameras and made into a full-length film, Rattle and Hum, which along with the accompanying soundtrack charted U2's voyage of self-discovery. The group readily admitted to indulging themselves as they explored, from Memphis to Harlem, the roots of gospel, country, soul, the blues, and rock n' roll. The record itself was a sprawling mishmash of live tracks, including covers of the BEATLES' "Helter Skelter" and BOB DYLAN's "All Along the Watchtower." New songs were also included in the shape of them working in tandem with blues legend B.B. KING on "When Love Comes to Town," Bob Dylan, "Love Rescue Me," and the gospel reworking of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." "Desire," with its BO DIDDLEY beat, also gave them their first UK number one. Rattle and Hum was a snapshot of a band in transition, of a band not resting on its laurels.
During the climax of the "Love Town" tour in Dublin, at the fag end of the 80s, Bono talked about going away for a while and dreaming it all over again. U2, hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as the most influential rock band of the 80s, faced an uncertain future. But with the ability to transcend and innovate, it promised to be an intriguing future.
November 1991 saw the release of their eighth album, Achtung Baby, already having spawned a number one single in the UK, "The Fly," which ran into a wave of controversy due to the way it was marketed. U2 will once again hit the road to promote the album, and 1992 should see them back at the top of the rock tree, bigger than ever.
Mark Liddell
Riff Raff
January 1992
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