The year is 1976. The venue is St. Fintans School in Dublin, Ireland. Four young and (probably) innocent lads take the stage to perform. They had been known at the time as Feedback, followed by The Hype though how much of it they generated at the time is unclear. More than 100 Million albums and a quarter of a century later, the venues are somewhat larger, the name U2 and the hype has never been equaled by an Irish band.

By Alphonsus O'Flaherty

LARRY MULLENS' NOW INFAMOUS SCHOOL BOARD note was the catalyst for an unforeseen future and some of those who applied to the notice may have initially given Larry a feeling of despair. Having settled on a lineup of Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullens, the band took to the roads in and around Ireland, playing such modest venues as the Dandelion car park in Dublin and the Arcadia in Cork. Lack of both finance and interest in the band may have discouraged others but these lads felt they had something to give and with a little encouragement and help from some industry contacts, they set about giving it. Although a little rough around the edges, they stood out for their stage presence as well as their sound. However, covering other people's songs seemed to leave a void within the group who felt they had their own voice and wanted to perform their own material. In 1978, the band got its first big break by winning a talent contest sponsored by Guinness. Later that year, they attracted the attention of The Stranglers' manager, Paul McGuinness, who would become their first and only manager to date. The year however, was to end on a sour note, as the band failed to make an impression at an audition for CBS Records.

By 1980, having signed with Island Records the previous year, the band released their first album, Boy, which was in kind, a testament to the adolescent years. Paul Hewson had by now assumed the alias of Bono, a name that would become synonymous the world over, while Dave became the Edge (apparently due to his chiseled chin). Boy was well received on release, doing well at home and enjoying mild success in the US where it broke into the top seventy in early 1981, mostly due to constant touring and opening gigs for Talking Heads. Songs such as Out Of Control, Electric Co. and Stories for Boys left an indelible image on this writer and have remained at the forefront of memory ever since. The post/present punk influence can be heard throughout this album and would, perhaps subconsciously, filter-through on later recordings. Adam would later say of the bands influences, "There is the top five and its The Beatles at number one, The Stones at number two and after that, it becomes a bit hazy. The Who, Bruce Springsteen, James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Van Morrison." It was the first of many albums to be released by U2. Some would say that it is still one of their best, though we now live in a very different musical era. Today's teen may not appreciate the lack of keyboards and backing loops--to a purist, there is nothing to compare to the basics of sound.

The fall of 1981 saw the release of their second album, October. While not having an initial impact in the US, the album did bring the band into a new light. The music had an eeriness that emanated band individuality. They had begun to find their collective voice and were not afraid to experiment. Tracks such as Gloria, Tomorrow and the album title became firm favorites with the now growing fan-base. The album reached number eleven in Britain and by 1983, I will follow (Boy) and Gloria had become regulars on MTV giving the band a strong cult following in the US.

It may have been around this time that U2 began to realize their potential. Bono rarely rested on his laurels and usually had something to say if unhappy with certain circumstances, "The truth is when that singer is saying something that comes from right down within him and it affects you right down within you. That's when you start talking about great music as distinct from nice music." On the next album, War, Bono airs his views on the Northern Irish situation with Sunday Bloody Sunday. At a gig in Belfast he challenged the audience, "If you don't like it, let us know..." He sent a message, some thing he has continued to do throughout his career and not only with issues at home. U2 were fast taking over the political mantle that had belonged to The Clash in an earlier era. War, like their first two albums, had been produced by Steve Lillywhite and became the breakthrough release the band had been looking for. The album entered the British charts at number one and continued its success in America where it reached number twelve. Also released was an EP and video entitled, Under A Blood Red Sky, which was recorded at Colorado's Red Rock Amphitheater during the War tour--the EP would become the most successful live recording in British history, entering the charts at number two.

In October of 1984, the band's feet were firmly adhering to the ground. With the release of The Unforgettable Fire the music production was better than ever and the lyrics were more universally appealing with U2 delving into the everpresent poetic quality that the Irish seem to have in abundance. "Dislocation, separation, condemnation..." seeped into the eighties psyche of people all over the globe with many of the belief that Bad is still one of the best tracks the band has ever produced. The collaboration of U2 and Brian Eno brought a new dimension to the group. Eno allowed their hearts rather than their heads to lead the direction of the music. Bono used the album as an opportunity to air his feelings on certain subjects, namely MLK, a short, solemn tribute to Martin Luther King which accompanied the previously written Pride, included on The Unforgettable Five album. It became apparent that their rock band status was providing them with a soap box to air political and social grievances. In 1985, U2 made a memorable appearance at Live Aid and after a trip to Ethiopia Bono stated; "Spending time in Africa and seeing people in the pits of poverty 1 still saw a very strong spirit in the people, a richness of spirit 1 didn't see when I came home." The following year the band would head line Amnesty International's Conspiracy of Hope Tour.

From a musical point of view, the band still hadn't quite cracked the American market--this was about to change dramatically with the release of The Joshua Tree in the spring of 1987. A milestone in the U2's career and by far their biggest seller to date, this album was the proverbial brick through the window of American music. The cover of Time magazine declared U2, 'Rocks Hottest Ticket' which catapulted the band to universal stardom. They had produced a disc that flowed through each track as opposed to the old concept of an A-side, B-side format. It was essentially an American album though thoughts of home were never far away as exemplified on Running Still, "I see seven towers but I only see one way out" in reference to the projects of Ballymun in their native Dublin. This was also a reflection of the band's awareness of their roots and a conscious effort not to lose sight of what they were about. Bono, underestimating the sales of the album said, "The thought of the world waiting for The Joshua Tree is a bit ridiculous. It sounds as if it will sell about three copies."

The Joshua Tree was the band's first number one album in the US and within 48 hours of release went platinum in Britain becoming the fastest selling album of all time. Every track on the Joshua Tree could have been a single in its own right. On the strength of such classics as With Or Without You, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and Where The Streets Have No Name, the album would sell over fifteen million copies worldwide and go to number one in twenty-two countries. U2 had become the biggest rock band in the world receiving Grammys for Album of The Year and Best Rock Performance.

The Joshua Tree was, and indeed still is, one of the most vital albums of the eighties. With the U2 members now maturing as artists, the album had a heart-felt honesty and sincerity to it which struck a chord with it's listeners. In the words of Mr. Hewson, "Our most literate record so far." While still on The Joshua Tree tour travelling across the US, the band experimented with American music finding time to record on a tribute album in the famous Sun Studios. As a result, Rattle and Hum was born, incorporating gospel, blues, a hint of soul with an underlying rock and roll theme and collaborations with legends B.B. King and Bob Dylan.

Rattle and Hum exposed a rawer side to U2. They had been introduced to new sounds in America and were using this energy to create new material and updated renditions of old staples such as Helter Shelter and All Along The Watchtower, with Bono dipping his toes into new vocal waters. It was not until New Year's Eve, 1989 at a concert in Dublin's Point Depot (which was broadcast to 500 million people worldwide via radio) that people had some inclination of the direction of the bands future. Quotes from Bono at the time were misconstrued as a farewell to rock stardom, "This is just the end of something for U2, it's no big deal, it's just we have to go away and dream it all up again." Many feared that this would be the last they would see of their musical heroes. And in a way, for the time being, it was.

After a hiatus of almost two years, the band released their eighth full album, Achtung Baby! A self confessed need for reinvention led the band to Berlin, Germany where they tried to conjure up a new image and new songs for a U2 thirsty public. Sessions in the Hansa studio were not the smoothest, and were summed up by Larry Mullen "The bigness of U2 had become a distraction. We could have either split up or poured all our confusion into a different kind of music. Achtung Baby! is the sound of a band fighting for it's musical life. Differences on artistic direction coupled with some personal upheaval led to the first notable rift in the group. Recording in Germany was curtailed, with the band returning to Dublin. In the meantime, war had erupted in the Middle East. The media's interpretation of events stirred in the belly of some of the band members resulting in the Zoo Tv Tour--an attempt by the group to highlight the misuse of media and the consumer orientated mindset. The result was a mammoth tour, using a backdrop of gargantuan video screens with the Voxman at the helm clutching an equally large remote control. Subliminal messages, such as 'Watch More TV' were frequent throughout the shows, while Bono adopted a new persona and a stage act worthy of mass media attention.

The music still managed to shine through the paraphernalia with tracks such as The Fly soaring to the top of the charts. Bono's dramatic performances were at their most controversial and were sometimes perceived by the media as egotistical. Controversy was never far behind, but once again, the band handled the publicity with characteristic adeptness, using the potentially crippling attention to their benefit. Amazingly, amidst the hullabaloo of the Zoo TV Tour, they found time to record new material. Taking time out at the end of the first leg of the tour, they returned to the studio to experiment with various forms of hiphop and rap music. What was initially deemed to be an EP ballooned into their tenth album, Zooropa, released in 1993. Considering the time allocated to the record, many fans found it pleasantly surprising. Though slightly off the U2 beaten track, the quality was not lost and they had produced some worthy tracks. Songs such as, Stay (Faraway, So Close), Lemon and Numb became fan favorites with the inclusion of the incomparable Johnny Cash enhancing the disc delightfully. As on previous recordings, Brian Eno was instrumental in directing the musical content and by serving as a mentor for the by now edgy band members.

Almost four years after Zooropa, the Pop album was released which topped the charts in 27 countries. Influenced by various musical genres, the band made use of a mixture of loops and samples to produce a more dance-orientated sound, epitomized by the first track, Discotheque.

Yet despite the fun-filled feeling of the album, they managed to slip in a plea to those involved in the peace process of Northern Ireland with the aptly titled, Please. As they had done with Achtung Baby!, the boys decided to bring Pop to the public. Again they used the stage as a playground utilizing expensive props and video screens to create a unique audiovisual experience. The tour was a massive undertaking (costing an estimated $250,000 a day) resulting in a huge cost which Larry was quoted as labeling a 'disaster.' There was no doubt that now was the right time to adopt a 'back to basics' approach for future tours.

While between albums in 1998, the band released a chronology of material to date, titled simply, The Best Of: The inclusion of B-sides on the disc made this a must buy for U2 fans while reintroducing themselves to a younger audience. The album covers the years 1980 to 1990, with a follow up planned for the near future.

Hailed as being one of their most significant albums, All That You Can't Leave Behind, presents U2 at their peak, most significantly with the uplifting anthem, Beautiful Day (which won the Grammy for Song Of The Year). With the bands apparent been-there-done-that approach, personas have been put aside and the music has been left to fend for itself--which it does with some vigor. Elevation is a strong contender for best track purely for its energy especially during live performance. By now, what U2 haven't left behind, they have put to good use.

Somehow between making records, touring and being a husband and father, Bono finds time to be an active humanitarian. He and Bob Geldof have led a tireless campaign appealing to richer nations to drop the Third World debt and do more to help stop the Aids epidemic in Africa. They recently attended the G8 summit in Genoa with world leaders where Bono warned; "History will look at this moment and highlight two things - the Internet and how a continent burst into flames while we stood by with watering cans. History will deal harshly with those who do nothing." "I think it's still an issue," says Larry Mullen when asked if Bono's political activities were getting in the way, "I admire him for doing it, but it creates serious, serious difficulties. He's running around trying to do everything and keep everybody happy. The reality is it's probably the most important thing he's going to do in his life, so my attitude would be, take a year out and do it properly." The fact of the matter is, regardless of Bono's reasoning or motives, what he is doing is good. In addition to the 'Drop-the-Debt' campaign, U2 also promote and help Greenpeace, Amnesty International, The Burma Project and the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee. It is a blessing that we have people like him and Geldof who make a generation aware of injustice and the problems of the Third World.

Maybe it's a testimony to their success and longevity that U2 have remained incredibly loyal to each other and to their employees throughout the years. The band have kept the formula intact, from manager Paul McGuinness to Steve Averill, who has designed ten of the eleven album sleeves and Brian Eno who has had an input into virtually all of their albums since 1984. They're the people you hear about but you also have the VIP's that are out of the limelight, Willie Williams and Joe O'Herlihy who have between them spent over four decades working behind the scenes for the band. With Willie responsible for the visual aspects of the shows and Joe handling the sound. The Edge says of Willie, "a very smart guy who luckily happens to get a big kick out of making rock bands look great." With a working relationship spanning over 20 years of music, these behind the scenes players are sometimes referred to as the other members of the band.

Bono recalls one night in Brussels when Adam's bass registered on the Richter Scale, "I'm not messing - there was an earthquake in Brussels, it was on the TV news, people were pointing to cracks in the walls of their houses. It was recorded, they investigated it, and it turned out to be Joe 'the hurley stick' putting his foot on the loud pedal." The Edge pays homage, "I think we have the best crew going. They try to make sense of our crazy ideas and make them fit in a truck. Without that backup we wouldn't be able to do what we do." Lets hope the rest of the band share the same opinion as Adam Clayton when asked recently if he could envision life without U2, "Not so much now. Occasionally I have fantasized about it, but it's kind of pointless to think a life beyond U2 could in any way measure up to life with U2. You can't get out of this club. It's like the guys in The Beatles. They're still in The Beatles." U2 have a very keen awareness and respect for what has got them to where they are today and it shows in everything they do, from the faces they keep around them to the quality of music they produce. Contrary to what Bono sang, they have found what they were looking for and they know exactly how to hold onto it.

Slainte U2, to the next twenty-five years.