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{{Infobox musical artist| Name = U2| Img = 2005-11-21_U2_%40_MSG_by_ZG.JPG| Img_capt = U2 performing at Madison Square Garden in November 2005.],
Republic of Ireland| Genre = Rock music
Post-punkAlternative rock (1997-present)
[Island Records (1979-1997)| Associated_acts =| URL = www.u2.com| Current_members =
BonoThe EdgeAdam Clayton
Larry Mullen Jr. [rock band from
Dublin,
Republic of Ireland. The band consists of
Bono (lead vocals and rhythm guitar),
The Edge (lead guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals),
Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and
Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion). U2 have been one of the most popular acts in the world since the mid-
1980s#Music. The band has sold more than 170 million albums worldwide,Vallely, Paul. " Bono: The Missionary". The Independent, May 2006. Retrieved
October 15 2006. and has won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other rock band. GRAMMY Winners List grammy.com. Retrieved
October 15 2006.
U2 formed in 1976 in music when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. By the mid-1980s, however, the band had become a top international act, noted for its arena rock sound, Bono's impassioned vocals, and The Edge's texture (music) guitar playing. Their success as a live act was greater than their success as a record-selling act until their 1987 in music album,
The Joshua Tree, brought them mega-stardom. Their 1991 album
Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour were part of a significant reinvention for the band; it was a response to their own sense of musical stagnation, the
History of dance#Late 20th century: growth of contemporary dance and
alternative rock revolutions, and criticism of their image. This experimentation continued for the rest of the 1990s.
In the early years of the 21st century, U2 have pursued a more traditional sound while maintaining influences from their previous musical explorations. They continue to enjoy high levels of commercial and critical success. The band are active in
human rights,
international development, and
social justice causes, such as
Amnesty International, Make Poverty History, the ONE Campaign,
Live Aid,
Live 8, Bono's
DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa) campaign, and
Music Rising.
History
Formation (1976 – 1979)
U2 formed in
Dublin, Ireland (republic) on 25 September 1976.McCormick (2006), page 27
Larry Mullen Jr., then fourteen, posted a notice on his secondary school notice board (Mount Temple School, Dublin) seeking musicians for a new band. Seven teenage boys attended the initial practice in Mullen's kitchen. Known for about a day as "The Larry Mullen Adventure," the group featured Mullen on drums, Adam Clayton on bass guitar, Bono on lead vocals,
The Edge and his brother Dick Evans on guitar, as well as Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, two other friends of Mullen.Chatterton (2001), page 130 Soon after, the group settled on the name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.McCormick (2006), page 30 Martin did not return after the first practice, and McCormick left the group within a few weeks.
We couldn't believe it. I was completely shocked. We weren't of an age to go out partying as such but I don't think anyone slept that night....Really, it was just a great affirmation to win that competition, even though I've no idea how good we were or what the competition was really like. But to win at that point was incredibly important for morale and everyone's belief in the whole project. — The Edge on winning the CBS competitionMcCormick (2006), pages 46-47
In March 1977, the band changed its name to "The Hype".de la Parra (2003), page 6 Dick Evans, who was older and by this time at college, was becoming the odd man out as the rest of the band was leaning towards the idea of a four-piece ensemble; he was 'phased out' in March 1978. During a farewell concert in the Presbyterian Church Hall in
Howth, which featured The Hype playing covers, Dick ceremoniously walked offstage. The remaining four band members completed the concert playing original material as "U2".McCormick (2006), pages 46-48 The origin of the name "U2" is unclear; on a list of six names provided by the Dublin
punk rock guru Steve Averill,Better known as Steve Rapid of The Radiators From Space "U2" was chosen for its ambiguity and open-ended interpretations, and because it was the name that the members of the band disagreed with the least.McCormick (2006), page 44
On Saint Patrick's Day in 1978, U2 won a talent show in
Limerick, Ireland. The prize consisted of £500 and funding to record a demo, which was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling band. The band recorded its first demo tape at Keystone Studios, in Harcourt Street, Dublin, in April 1978.Wall, Mick, (2005). Bono. Andre Deutsch Publishers. ISBN 0233001593 (Promotional edition published by Paperview UK is association with the Irish Independent), pages 45 In May,
Paul McGuinness, who had earlier been introduced to the band by
Hot Press journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's manager.McCormick (2006), pages 53-56 U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled
Three (EP), was released in September 1979, and was the band's first Irish chart success.de la Parra (1994), page 8 In December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences or critics.de la Parra (1994), page 10 In February 1980, their second single "
Another Day (U2 song)" was released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market.Stokes (1996), page 142; McCormick (2006), page 88
Boy,
October, and
War (1980 – 1983)
Island Records signed U2 in March 1980, and "
11 O'Clock Tick Tock" became the band's first internationally released single that May.Stokes (1996), page 142 The band's debut album, the
Steve Lillywhite-produced
Boy (album), followed in October, and was praised as one of the better debuts in rock history. Although Bono's lyrics were unfocused and seemingly improvised, common themes appeared that described the hopes and frustrations of adolescence, such as fear over sex, identity confusion, death, and uncontrollable mood swings. The album included the band's first UK hit single, "I Will Follow".
Boy's release was followed by U2's first tour of continental Europe and the United States.de la Parra (2003), pages 16,17 Despite being unpolished, these early live performances demonstrated U2's potential, as critics noted that Bono was a "charismatic" and "passionate" showman.
The band's second album,
October (album), was released in 1981 and contained overtly spiritual themes; Bono, The Edge, and Mullen had joined a Christian group in Dublin called the 'Shalom Fellowship', which led them to question the relationship between the Christian faith and the rock and roll lifestyle.Flanagan (1995), pages 46-48 The album was met with mixed reviews, and sales indicate it is U2's lowest selling album.
Resolving the doubts of the
October period, U2 released
War (album) in 1983.Stokes (1996), page 36 A record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade,"Reynolds, Simon.
Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984. Penguin, 2005. p. 367. ISBN 0-14-303672-6
War's sincerity and "rugged" guitar was intentionally at odds with the "cooler" synth-pop of the time.Graham (2004), page 14 The album included
Sunday Bloody Sunday (song)," where Bono had lyrically tried to contrast the events of
Bloody Sunday (1972) with
Easter Sunday.McCormick (2006), p135.
Rolling Stone magazine wrote that the song showed the band was capable of deep and meaningful songwriting.Rolling Stone wrote that the ability to use a range of powerful images, taking a song initially about sectarian anger, and turn it into a call for Christians to unite and claim victory over death and evil, showed that the band was capable of deep and meaningful songwriting.
War was U2's first album to feature the photography of Anton Corbijn, who remains U2's principal photographer and has had a major influence on their vision and public image.McCormick (2006), page 127 U2's first commercial success,
War debuted at #1 in the United Kingdom, and its first single, "New Year's Day (song)", was the band's first overseas hit."New Year's Day" reached #10 on the UK charts, and received extensive radio coverage in the US, almost breaking that country's Top 50. (McCormick (2006), page 139);
On the subsequent
War Tour, the band performed to sold-out concerts in mainland Europe and the U.S. The image of Bono waving a white flag during performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" became a familiar sight. U2 recorded the
Under a Blood Red Sky live album on this tour and a live video was released, both of which received extensive play on the radio and MTV, helping expand the band's audience. Their generally unfavourable record deal with Island Records was coming to an end, and in 1984 U2 signed an unusually lucrative extension. Forgoing a larger initial payment, they instead negotiated the return of their copyrights (such that they owned the rights to their own songs), an increase in their royalty rate, and a general improvement in terms.
The Unforgettable Fire and Live Aid (1984 – 1985)
We knew the world was ready to receive the heirs to
The Who. All we had to do was to keep doing what we were doing and we would become the biggest band since Led Zeppelin, without a doubt. But something just didn't feel right. We felt we had more dimension than just the next big anything, we had something unique to offer. The innovation was what would suffer if we went down the standard rock route. We were looking for another feeling. —
Bono on
The Unforgettable Fire's new direction.McCormick (2006), page 147
The Unforgettable Fire was released in 1984. Ambient and abstract, it was at the time the band’s most marked change in direction.Parra, Pimm Jal de la
U2 Live: A Concert Documentary, pages 52-55, 1996, Harper Collins Publishers, ISBN 0-7322-6036-1 The band feared that following the overt rock of the
War album and tour, they were in danger of becoming another "shrill", "sloganeering arena-rock band". Thus, rather than become another formula band, experimentation was sought;Graham (2004), page 21 as Adam Clayton recalls, "We were looking for something that was a bit more serious, more arty."McCormick (2006), page 147 The Edge admired the ambient and 'weird works' of [Brian Eno, who, along with his engineer [Daniel Lanois, eventually agreed to produce the record.Island Records boss [Chris Blackwell initially tried to discourage them from their choice of producers, believing that just when the band were about to achieve the highest levels of success, Eno would "bury them under a layer of avant-garde nonsense". (McCormick (2006), page 151)
The Unforgettable Fire has a rich and orchestrated sound. Under Lanois' direction, Larry's drumming became looser, funkier, and more subtle and Adam's bass became more subliminal; the rhythm section no longer intruded, but flowed in support of the songs. Complementing the sonic atmospherics, the album's lyrics are open to many interpretations, providing what the band called a "very visual feel". Bono's recent immersion in fiction, philosophy, and poetry made him realise that his songwriting mission — about which he had always been reluctant — was a poetic one. Due to a tight recording schedule, however, Bono felt songs like "
Bad (U2 song)" and "
Pride (In the Name of Love)" were incomplete "sketches".McCormick (2006), page 151 "Pride (In the Name of Love)", about Martin Luther King, was the album's first single and became the band's biggest hit at that point, being their first to enter the U.S. top 40.Graham, (2004), page 23, 24
]-->Much of the
Unforgettable Fire Tour moved into indoor arenas as U2 began to win their long battle to build their audience.de la Parra (1994), page 62-63 Translating the complex textures of the new studio-recorded tracks, such as "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Bad", to live performance was problematic. One solution was programmed Music sequencer, which the band had previously been reluctant to use, but are now used in the majority of the band's performances. Songs criticised as being "unfinished", "fuzzy", and "unfocused" on the album made more sense on stage.
Rolling Stone, which was critical of the album version of "Bad", described its live performance as a 'show stopper'.
was a turning point in their career.
U2 participated in the
Live Aid concert for 1984 - 1985 famine in Ethiopia at Wembley Stadium (1924) in July 1985. Live Aid: A Look Back At A Concert That Actually Changed The World MTV.com. Retrieved
31 October 2006. U2's performance was considered one of the show's most memorable and was a turning point in the band's career.McCormick (2006), page 164 During the song "Bad", Bono leapt down off the stage to embrace and dance with a fan, showing a television audience of millions the personal connection that Bono could make with audiences.de la Parra (2003), pages 72-73 In 1985,
Rolling Stone magazine called U2 the "Band of the 80s," saying that "for a growing number of rock-and-roll fans, U2 have become the band that matters most, maybe even the only band that matters." U2, the Only Band that Mattered in the '80s? about.com. Retrieved
January 31 2007
The Joshua Tree and
Rattle and Hum (1986 – 1989)
Friendships with
Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, and
Keith Richards encouraged the band to look back to the roots of rock music and focused Bono on his skills as a song and lyric writer.McCormick (2006), page 179 Realising "that U2 had no tradition, we were from outer space", the band explored American blues, country music, and
gospel music.Bono in McCormick (2006), pages 169, 177 The band wanted to build on
The Unforgettable Fire's atmospherics, but instead of its out-of-focus tracks, they sought a harder-hitting sound within the strict discipline of conventional song structures. cited in {{Citation| last =Gardner | first =Elysa (ed) | title =U2: The Rolling Stone Files | publisher =Sidgwick & Jackson | year =1994 | location =London | id = ISBN 0-283-06239-8 -->
U2 interrupted their 1986 album sessions to serve as a headline act on Amnesty International
A Conspiracy of Hope Tour; but rather than be a distraction, the tour added extra intensity and power to their new music.McCormick (2006), page 174 In his 1986 travels to
San Salvador and
Nicaragua, Bono saw the distress of peasants bullied in internal conflicts subject to American political intervention; this first-hand experience later became a central influence on the album. The album juxtaposes antipathy towards America against the band's deep fascination with the country, its open spaces, freedom, and what it stands for.McCormick (2006), page 186 The band wanted music with a sense of location, a 'cinematic' quality; the album's music and lyrics draw on imagery created by American writers whose works the band had been reading.Graham (2004), pages 27-30
The wild beauty, cultural richness, spiritual vacancy and ferocious violence of America are explored to compelling effect in virtually every aspect of
The Joshua Tree — in the title and the cover art, the blues and country borrowings evident in the music...Indeed, Bono says that "dismantling the mythology of America" is an important part of
The Joshua Tree's artistic objective. —
Rolling StoneThe Joshua Tree—so named as a "tribute" to, rather than a "metaphor" for, AmericaMcCormick (2006), page 186—was released in March 1987. It became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, and was number one for nine weeks in the United States.{{cite video.Grammy Award for Album of the Year and a Grammy for the [Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.[http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=u2&year=1987&genreID=0&hp=1 GRAMMY Winners List grammy.com. Retrieved
December 4 [. The album's first two singles, the 'rock & roll bolero "[With or Without You" and the rhythmic gospel "[I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", quickly went to #1 in the U.S. U2 became the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover of ''[Time magazine'' magazine,following [The Beatles, [The Band, and [The Who) which declared U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket"."[http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19870427,00.html Rock's Hottest Ticket" Time Magazine Archive, April 1987. Retrieved on 20 January [. The album brought U2 to a new level of mega-stardom and is cited by ''Rolling Stone'' as one of rock's greatest.
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/ The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time Rollingstone.com. Retrieved
15 October, [. The [Joshua Tree Tour, the first during which the band consistently played in stadiums, sold out arenas and stadiums around the world.de la Parra (1994), pages 102-103, 111)
The documentary
Rattle and Hum featured footage recorded from The Joshua Tree Tour, and the accompanying double album of the same name included nine studio tracks and six live U2 performances. Released in record stores and cinemas in October 1988, the album and film were intended as a tribute to American music.Stokes (1996), page 78; Graham (2004), pages 36-38 The film included tracks recorded at
Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee and tracks performed with
Bob Dylan and B.B. King. Despite a positive reception from fans,
Rattle and Hum received mixed-to-negative reviews from both film and music critics. Allmusic.com
Rattle and Hum review. Retrieved 3 November
2006; Christgau, Robert. "
Rattle and Hum. robertchristgau.com. Retrieved
3 November 2006. The band did not tour in support of the album except for the brief Lovetown Tour, which primarily consisted of shows in
Australia. With a sense of musical stagnation, Bono announced at an end-of-decade concert that the weary U2 had come to the end of an era and had to "...go away and just dream it all up again".McCormick (2006), page 213; "A Story of One" documentary.
Achtung Baby, Zoo TV, and
Zooropa (1990 – 1993)
Buzzwords on this record were
trashy, throwaway, dark, sexy, and
industrial (all good) and
earnest, polite, sweet, righteous, rockist and
linear (all bad). It was good if a song took you on a journey or made you think your hifi was broken, bad if it reminded you of recording studios or U2...Berlin became a conceptual backdrop for the record. The Berlin of the Thirties — decadent, sexual and dark — resonating against the Berlin of the Nineties — reborn, chaotic and optimistic... — Brian Eno on the recording of
Achtung BabyIn November 1991, U2 released
Achtung Baby. Hurt by criticism of
Rattle and Hum, the band made a calculated change in musical and thematic direction, their most audacious since
The Unforgettable Fire.Flanagan (1995), pages 4-6; Graham (2004), page 43 Sonically,
Achtung Baby incorporated dance music, industrial music, and alternative music influences of the time; the band referred to the album as the sound of "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree". Deep Cuts: U2, Part I Thematically, it was a more inward-looking and personal record; it was darker, yet at times more flippant, than the band's previous work. Commercially and critically, it has been one of the band's most successful albums and a crucial part of the band's early 1990s reinvention.Graham (2004), page 44 Like
The Joshua Tree, it is cited by
Rolling Stone as one of rock's greatest. The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time Rollingstone.com. Retrieved
15 October,
2006.
The band initially worked on
Achtung Baby in East Berlin, seeking inspiration and renewal on the eve of
German reunification. Daniel Lanois produced the album with assistance from Brian Eno.Flanagan (1995), page 7 In the Berlin sessions, conflict arose within the band over the quality of material and musical direction. While Adam and Larry preferred a sound similar to U2's previous work, Bono and The Edge were inspired by alternative and European dance music and advocated a change. Weeks of slow progress, arguments, and tension subsided when the band rallied around a chord progression The Edge had written, creating the song "
One (U2 song)".Flanagan (1995), pages 6-11|format=
Ogg-->
The
Zoo TV Tour of 1992-1993 was a
multimedia event, and showcased an extravagant but intentionally bewildering array of hundreds of video screens, upside-down flying Trabant cars, mock transmission towers, satellite television links, subliminal message, and Bono's over-the-top stage characters such as "The Fly", "Mirror-Ball Man", and "(Mister) MacPhisto". The extravagant shows were intentionally in contrast to the austere staging of previous U2 tours, and mocked the excesses of rock and roll by appearing to embrace these very excesses. The shows were, in part, U2's way to represent the pervasive nature of cable television and its blurring of news, entertainment, and home shopping.de la Parra (1994), pages 139-141; Flanagan (1995), pages 12,13, 58-61; Stokes (1996), pages 110-111 Prank phone calls were made to
George H. W. Bush, the
United Nations, and others. Live satellite uplinks to war-torn Sarajevo caused controversy.de la Parra (2003), pages 153, 166
Quickly recorded and released during a break in the Zoo TV tour in mid-1993, the
Zooropa album continued many of the themes from
Achtung Baby and the Zoo TV tour. Initially intended as an EP, the band expanded
Zooropa into a full-length
LP album. It was an even greater departure from the style of their earlier recordings, incorporating
techno influences and other electronic effects.Graham (2004), page 51 Most of the songs were played at least once during the 1993 leg of the tour, which extended through Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan; half the album's tracks became fixtures in the set.de la Parra (2003), pages 166-172
Passengers,
Pop, and PopMart (1995 – 1998)
It's not enough to write a great lyric; it’s not enough to have a good idea or a great hook, lots of things have to come together and then you have to have the ability to discipline and screen. We should give this album to a re-mixer, go back to what was originally intended, so that 'Mofo' is on top of the stickiest groove with a proper plastic attack, 'Do You Feel Loved' is done as a liquid base line hook that carries the intimacies whispered on top of it, 'If God Will Send His Angels' should be Diamonds and Pearls (song). — Bono on
PopMcCormick (2006), page 269
In 1995, U2 released an experimental album called
Original Soundtracks 1. Brian Eno, producer of three previous U2 albums, contributed as a full partner, including writing and performing. For this reason, and due to the record's highly experimental nature, the band chose to release it under the moniker "Passengers" to distinguish it from U2's conventional albums. It was commercially unnoticed by U2 standards and it received generally poor reviews. However, the single "
Miss Sarajevo" featuring
Luciano Pavarotti, and which Bono cites as one his favourite U2 songs,McCormick (2006), page 261-262 was a hit. stage
On 1997's
Pop (album), U2 continued experimenting;
tape loops,
programming, rhythm sequencing, and
Sampling (music) provided much of the album with heavy, funky dance rhythms.Graham (2004), pages 62-63 Released in March, the album debuted at #1 in 35 countries, and drew mainly positive reviews;;
Rolling Stone stated that U2 had "defied the odds and made some of the greatest music of their lives." Others, particularly American fans, felt that the album was a major disappointment, and it was commercially disappointing by U2 standards. The band was hurried into completing the album in time for the impending pre-booked tour, and Bono admitted that the album "didn't communicate the way it was intended to".
The subsequent tour, PopMart Tour, commenced in April 1997, and continued the Zoo TV theme of decadence. The set included a 100-foot tall golden yellow arch, a 150-foot long video screen, and a 40-foot tall mirrorball lemon. Like Zoo TV, it featured advertising influences and was intended to send a sarcastic message to those accusing U2 of commercialism. U2's "big shtick" failed, however, to satisfy many who were seemingly confused by the band's new kitsch image and elaborate sets. U2 live: Play-by-play of the concert lasvegassun.com. Retrieved 29 December, 2006; U2, Brute? spin.com. Retrieved
December 29,
2006; U2:Pop : Music Reviews Rollingstone.com, December 1997. Retrieved
29 December,
2006. The late delivery of
Pop meant rehearsal time was severely reduced, and performances in early shows suffered.de la Parra (2003), pages 193-202 A highlight of the tour was a concert in
Sarajevo where U2 were the first major group to perform following the Bosnian war. Rock On The Net: U2 rockonthenet.com. Retrieved
October 31,
2006, Larry Mullen Jr. described the concert as "an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life, and if I had to spend 20 years in the band just to play that show, and have done that, I think it would have been worthwhile." U asked U2! msn.com. Retrieved 15 January, 2007; Furthermore, Bono described the show as "one of the toughest and one of the sweetest nights of my life."( Bono in Conversation The Independent. Retrieved
15 January, 2007)
"Reapplying for the best band in the world" (2000-present)
All That You Can't Leave Behind is easy to relate to, full of solid songs that appeal to a wide audience with its clear notions of family, friendship, love, death, and re-birth. More Lanois than Eno on first impression, the sounds on this album come from a band that has digested the music it started to consume while making
Rattle and Hum. This time they are neither imitating or paying tribute. This time it's soul music, not music about soul. — Caroline van oosten de BoerGraham (2004), page 21
Following the comparatively poor reception of
Pop (album), U2 declared on a number of occasions that they were "re-applying for...The best band in the world". Since 2000, the band has pursued a more traditional sound while maintaining influences from their previous musical explorations.McCormick (2006), pages 289 & 296
All That You Can't Leave Behind was released in October 2000 and reunited the band with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. The album was considered by many of those not won over by the band's 1990s experimentation as a return to grace; Time to Get the Leathers Out Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved on
31 October, 2006
Rolling Stone called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside
The Joshua Tree and
Achtung Baby. The album debuted at #1 in 22 countries The Rock Radio: U2 biography therockradio.com. Retrieved
31 October,
2006. and its world-wide hit single, "Beautiful Day" earned three
Grammy. The album's other singles, "Walk On (song)", "Elevation (song)", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" also won Grammy Awards.
Halftime Show,
3 February 2002For the Elevation Tour, U2 performed in a scaled-down setting, returning to arenas after nearly a decade of stadium productions. A heart-shaped stage and ramp permitted greater proximity to the audience. Following the
September 11, 2001 attacks, the new album gained added resonance. In October, U2 performed a series of sold-out shows at
Madison Square Garden in
New York City. In later interviews, Bono and the Edge would call these New York City shows among their most memorable and emotional performances. In early 2002, U2 performed during halftime of
Super Bowl XXXVI.de la Parra (2003), page 268
The band's next studio album,
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, was released on 22 November 2004. Sonically, the band was looking for harder-hitting rock than
All That You Can't Leave Behind. Thematically, Bono states that "A lot of the songs are paeans to naiveté, a rejection of knowingness." The first single "Vertigo (song)" was featured on a widely-aired television commercial for the Apple Computer
iPod in conjunction with the release of a special edition U2 iPod and an The Complete U2. The album debuted at #1 in 32 countries; first week sales in the US doubled that of
All That You Can't Leave Behind and set a record for the band. Rock On The Net: U2 rockonthenet.com. Retrieved
October 31,
2006. Claiming it as a contender as one of U2's three best albums, Bono said, "There are no weak songs. But as an album, the whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts, and it fucking annoys me." Using a similar setup and stage design as the previous tour, the Vertigo Tour featured a setlist that varied more across dates than any U2 tour since the Lovetown Tour, and included songs not played since the early 1980s. Much like the Elevation Tour, the Vertigo Tour was a large commercial success. U2's Vertigo Leads Year's Top Tours billboard.com. Retrieved
31 October, 2006. The album and its singles won Grammy Awards in all eight categories they were nominated in. In 2005, Bruce Springsteen inducted U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. U2 stars enter rock Hall of Fame bbc.co.uk. Retrieved January 17,
2007; Transcript: Bruce Springsteen Inducts U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame u2station.com. Retrieved
January 17,
2007
Musical style
Since their inception, U2 have developed and maintained a distinctly recognisable sound, with emphasis on melodic instrumentals and expressive, larger-than-life vocals. Top 10 U2 Songs of the '80s about.com. Retrieved
February 18, 2007 This approach is rooted partly in the early influence of
record producer Steve Lillywhite at a time when the band was not known for musical proficiency. U2 Dissect "Bomb" rollingstone.com. Retrieved
February 18,
2007 The Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signature delay A Study of the Edge's (U2) Guitar Delay amnesta.net. Retrieved
February 18, 2007 to craft his guitar work, coupled with an Irish-influenced drone (music) played against his syncopated melodies U2's Leading Edge Musician Magazine. Retrieved February 25,
2007. that ultimately yields a well-defined ambient and atmospheric sound. Bono has nurtured his
falsetto operatic voice Column: off the record..., vol. 6-201 atu2.com. Retrieved
February 18, 2007 and has exhibited a notable lyrical bent towards social, political, and personal subject matter while maintaining a grandiose scale in his songwriting. In addition, the Edge has described U2 as a fundamentally live band.
, Ireland in 2005Despite these broad consistencies, U2 have introduced new elements into their musical repertoire with each new album. U2's early sound was influenced by bands such as Television (band) and
Joy Division, and has been described as containing a "sense of exhilaration" that resulted from The Edge's "radiant chords" and Bono's "ardent vocals".Reynolds (2005), page 368 U2's sound began with post-punk roots and minimalistic and uncomplicated instrumentals heard on
Boy and
October, but evolved through
War to include aspects of rock anthem, funk, and dance rhythms to become more versatile and aggressive. Rolling Stone: War: Review rollingstone.com. Retrieved
February 18 2007 The two albums were labeled "muscular and assertive" by
Rolling Stone, influenced in large part by Lillywhite's producing.
The Unforgettable Fire, which began with the Edge playing more keyboards than guitars, as well as follow-up
The Joshua Tree, had
Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois at the production helm. With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture". The songs from
The Joshua Tree and
Rattle and Hum placed more emphasis on Lanois-inspired rhythm as they mixed distinct and varied styles of gospel and blues music, which stemmed from the band's burgeoning fascination with America's people and places. In the 1990s, U2 reinvented themselves as they began using synthesizers,
distortion (guitar), and
electronica beats derived from alternative music, dance music, and hip-hop on
Achtung Baby U2: Achtung, Baby: Music Reviews rollingstone.com. Retrieved February 18
2007 and
Pop. Under A Golden Arch, Sincerely U2 nytimes.com. Retrieved
February 18 2007 The 2000s had U2 returning to a stripped-down sound, with less use of synthesizers and effects and a more traditional rhythm.
Lyrics and themes
Social and political commentary, often embellished with Christian religious and spiritual imagery, U2: The Catharsis in the Cathedral nytimes.com. Retrieved February 18, 2007 are a major aspect of U2's lyrical content. Songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday (song)" and "
Mothers of the Disappeared" are based on real-life events and they find their emotional impact from the compelling reality of those situations. Furthermore, Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil related to family are showcased in songs like "Mofo (song)", "Tomorrow (song)" and "
Kite (song)". An emotional yearning or pleading is another frequent conveyance, in tracks such as "Yahweh (song)" U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Review uncut.co.uk. Retrieved
February 18 2007 and "
Please (U2 song)". More generally, the investigation of loss and anguish coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, central in
The Joshua Tree, has motivated much of U2's songwriting and music. Some of this lyrical ideation has been amplified by Bono's personal experiences during his youth in Ireland, as well as his campaigning and activism later in his life. U2 have used tours such as the Zoo TV to caricature social trends such as media overload.
Influences
The band cites The Who,McCormick (2006), page 113
The Clash, Clash Star Strummer Dies, BBC news,
27 December 2002 Ramones, About U2 Influences: The Ramones by Daniel Walker, October 2004 and The Beatles "This is a song Charles Manson stole from The Beatles, we're stealing it back!" as their main influences. Artists such as Joy Division/
New OrderNewOrderStory . Warner Bros., 2005. and
Siouxsie & the Banshees The Creatures - Siouxsie Sioux Official Website. Archived News:
Mojo Icon Award 17.06.05. Last night Siouxsie lifted the Icon Award and the Mojo Honours Awards. The award was given to her by U2's The Edge who sited Siouxsie as a big influence on Bono and U2 before handing over the Award. Retrieved May 17 2007 also inspired the band. Other musicians and bands such as
Coldplay,Rolling Stone, Issue #1025-1026, May 3 - May 17
2007 The Killers (band), and Angels and AirwavesNME's 10 Most Influential Bands/Artists. NME Magazine, 2002; Angels & Airwaves - Between the Blinks musicOMH.com. Retrieved February 18 2007 have in turn been influenced by the work of U2. Cover versions of U2 songs have been made by performers such as Mary J. Blige,
Johnny Cash,
The Chimes (band),
Joe Cocker,
Pearl Jam, James Blunt,
Pet Shop Boys,
Radiohead,
Ignite,
Keane (band),
The Bravery, The Year of Acceleration, and
The Smashing Pumpkins. U2 have also enjoyed reciprocal influential relationships with artists including
Bruce Springsteen,
Bob Dylan,
Elvis Costello,
R.E.M. (band), and Anton Corbijn.
Controversial Move out of Ireland
In August 2006, Irish paper the Sunday Independent first reported how the band had transferred some of its operations to Holland to capitalise on generous tax breaks. The move came months after Ireland capped its own artists' tax exemption at €250,000, which would have had a massive impact on the band's multi million euro empire.
The story caused a furore in Ireland when it broke and was widely reported throughout the world. It emerged that the Rolling Stones had also moved some of their operations to Amsterdam to avail of the tax breaks.
Campaigning and activism
Luís Inácio Lula da Silva of
BrazilU2 have long been interested in social and political issues inside and outside the scope of their music. Since the early 1980s, the members of U2 – as a band and individually – have collaborated with other musicians, artists, celebrities, and politicians to address issues concerning poverty, disease, and social injustice.
In 1984, Bono and Adam Clayton participated in
Band Aid (band) to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief. The initiative produced the hit charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which would be the first among several collaborations between U2 and
Bob Geldof. In July 1985, U2 played
Live Aid, a follow-up to Band Aid's efforts. Bono and his wife Ali, invited by World Vision, later visited Ethiopia; Bono witnessed the famine first hand. Bono would later say this laid the groundwork for his Africa campaigning and some of his songwriting. Bono time.com. Retrieved January 16
2007; McCormick (2006), page 289
In 1986, U2 participated in the A Conspiracy of Hope Tour in support of
Amnesty International and in Self Aid for unemployment in Ireland. The same year, Bono and Ali Hewson also visited
Nicaragua and
El Salvador at the invitation of the
Sanctuary movement, and saw the effects of the
El Salvador Civil War. These 1986 events greatly influenced
The Joshua Tree album, which was being recorded at the time.
In 1992, the band participated in the "Stop Sellafield" concert with Greenpeace during their Zoo TV tour.McCormick (2006), page 238 Events in Sarajevo during the Bosnian war inspired the song "
Miss Sarajevo", which premiered at a September 1995 Pavarotti and Friends show, and which Bono and the Edge performed at War Child (charity).McCormick (2006), page 262 A promise made in 1993 was kept when the band played in Sarajevo as part of 1997's PopMart Tour.McCormick (2006), page 277 In 1998, they performed in Belfast days prior to the vote on the Good Friday Agreement, bringing Irish political leaders David Trimble and John Hume on stage to promote the agreement.McCormick (2006), pages 285-286 Later that year, all proceeds from the release of "
The Sweetest Thing (song)" single went towards supporting the
Chernobyl Children's Project.
In 2001, the band dedicated "Walk On (song)" to Burma pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.McCormick (2006), pages 295-296 In late 2003, Bono and the Edge participated in the South Africa HIV/AIDS awareness
46664 (concerts) series of concerts hosted by
Nelson Mandela. The band played 2005's
Live 8 concert in London. The band and manager Paul McGuinness were awarded Amnesty International's
Ambassador of Conscience Award for their work in promoting human rights. Ambassador of Conscience Award 2005 artforamnesty.org. Retrieved
February 5,
2007Since 2000, Bono has done a significant amount of solo campaigning; he was involved in the
Jubilee 2000 campaign with Bob Geldof, Muhammad Ali, and others with the aim of cancelling third world debt during the
Great Jubilee. Bono, along with activists from
Jubilee 2000, founded a multinational
NGO in January 2002 called
Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa, with the aim of improving the social, political, and financial state of Africa. He continued his campaigns for debt and HIV/AIDS relief into June 2002 by making high-profile visits to Africa.Kagan Daryn." CNN Access: Bono backs 'effective aid' for Africa" CNN.com, May, 2002. Retrieved 31 October, 2006; Bono and O'Neill in Africa: Summing up the trip CNN.com. Retrieved October 31,
2006; " Bono wins Chirac aid boost pledge". CNN.com, June, 2002. Retrieved
31 October,
2006.
Product Red, a 2006 for-profit brand seeking to raise money for the Global Fund, was founded, in part, by Bono. The ONE Campaign, the US counterpart of
Make Poverty History, has been shaped by his efforts and vision. Bono has also teamed up with Yahoo! to promote the ONE Campaign, which Yahoo! has helped to re-develop.
In late 2005, following
Hurricane Katrina and
Hurricane Rita, The Edge helped introduce
Music Rising, an initiative to raise funds for musicians who lost their instruments in the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast. The Edge (U2) Announces 'Music Rising', a Campaign to Aid Musicians Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita modernguitars.com. Retrieved January 16 2007 In 2006, U2 collaborated with
pop punk band Green Day to record a cover version of the song "
The Saints Are Coming" by The Skids to benefit Music Rising.
U2 and Bono's social activism have not been without its critics however. There are authors and activists whose work is reprinted by such publications as the politically left Counterpunch which has often carried articles critical of their being too close to power and their attempts to help as doing more harm than good.
Other projects
The members of U2 have undertaken a number of side projects, sometimes in collaboration with some of their bandmates. In 1985, Bono recorded the song "In a Lifetime" with the Irish band
Clannad. The Edge recorded a solo soundtrack album for the film
Captive Soundtrack in 1986.McCormick (2006), page 169 Bono and The Edge wrote the song "She's A Mystery To Me" for Roy Orbison, which was featured on his 1989 album
Mystery Girl.McCormick (2006), page 211 Together with The Edge, Bono wrote the song "GoldenEye (song)" for the 1995 James Bond film
GoldenEye (movie), which was performed by
Tina Turner.de la Parra (2003), page 141 Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. did a rew
{{Infobox musical artist| Name = U2| Img = 2005-11-21_U2_%40_MSG_by_ZG.JPG| Img_capt = U2 performing at
Madison Square Garden in November 2005.],
Republic of Ireland| Genre = Rock music
Post-punk
Alternative rock (1997-present)
[Island Records (1979-1997)| Associated_acts =| URL = www.u2.com| Current_members =
BonoThe Edge
Adam Clayton
Larry Mullen Jr. [rock band from Dublin,
Republic of Ireland. The band consists of
Bono (lead vocals and rhythm guitar),
The Edge (lead guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals),
Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and
Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion). U2 have been one of the most popular acts in the world since the mid-
1980s#Music. The band has sold more than 170 million albums worldwide,Vallely, Paul. " Bono: The Missionary". The Independent, May 2006. Retrieved October 15 2006. and has won 22
Grammy Awards, more than any other rock band. GRAMMY Winners List grammy.com. Retrieved
October 15 2006.
U2 formed in 1976 in music when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. By the mid-1980s, however, the band had become a top international act, noted for its
arena rock sound, Bono's impassioned vocals, and The Edge's texture (music) guitar playing. Their success as a live act was greater than their success as a record-selling act until their 1987 in music album,
The Joshua Tree, brought them mega-stardom. Their 1991 album
Achtung Baby and the accompanying
Zoo TV Tour were part of a significant reinvention for the band; it was a response to their own sense of musical stagnation, the History of dance#Late 20th century: growth of contemporary dance and alternative rock revolutions, and criticism of their image. This experimentation continued for the rest of the 1990s.
In the early years of the 21st century, U2 have pursued a more traditional sound while maintaining influences from their previous musical explorations. They continue to enjoy high levels of commercial and critical success. The band are active in human rights, international development, and
social justice causes, such as
Amnesty International, Make Poverty History, the
ONE Campaign,
Live Aid,
Live 8, Bono's
DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa) campaign, and
Music Rising.
History
Formation (1976 – 1979)
U2 formed in Dublin,
Ireland (republic) on
25 September 1976.McCormick (2006), page 27 Larry Mullen Jr., then fourteen, posted a notice on his secondary school notice board (Mount Temple School, Dublin) seeking musicians for a new band. Seven teenage boys attended the initial practice in Mullen's kitchen. Known for about a day as "The Larry Mullen Adventure," the group featured Mullen on drums,
Adam Clayton on bass guitar, Bono on lead vocals, The Edge and his brother
Dick Evans on guitar, as well as Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, two other friends of Mullen.Chatterton (2001), page 130 Soon after, the group settled on the name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.McCormick (2006), page 30 Martin did not return after the first practice, and McCormick left the group within a few weeks.
We couldn't believe it. I was completely shocked. We weren't of an age to go out partying as such but I don't think anyone slept that night....Really, it was just a great affirmation to win that competition, even though I've no idea how good we were or what the competition was really like. But to win at that point was incredibly important for morale and everyone's belief in the whole project. — The Edge on winning the CBS competitionMcCormick (2006), pages 46-47
In March 1977, the band changed its name to "The Hype".de la Parra (2003), page 6 Dick Evans, who was older and by this time at college, was becoming the odd man out as the rest of the band was leaning towards the idea of a four-piece ensemble; he was 'phased out' in March 1978. During a farewell concert in the Presbyterian Church Hall in
Howth, which featured The Hype playing covers, Dick ceremoniously walked offstage. The remaining four band members completed the concert playing original material as "U2".McCormick (2006), pages 46-48 The origin of the name "U2" is unclear; on a list of six names provided by the Dublin
punk rock guru Steve Averill,Better known as Steve Rapid of The Radiators From Space "U2" was chosen for its ambiguity and open-ended interpretations, and because it was the name that the members of the band disagreed with the least.McCormick (2006), page 44
On Saint Patrick's Day in 1978, U2 won a talent show in
Limerick, Ireland. The prize consisted of £500 and funding to record a demo, which was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling band. The band recorded its first demo tape at Keystone Studios, in Harcourt Street, Dublin, in April 1978.Wall, Mick, (2005). Bono. Andre Deutsch Publishers. ISBN 0233001593 (Promotional edition published by Paperview UK is association with the Irish Independent), pages 45 In May, Paul McGuinness, who had earlier been introduced to the band by
Hot Press journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's manager.McCormick (2006), pages 53-56 U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled
Three (EP), was released in September 1979, and was the band's first Irish chart success.de la Parra (1994), page 8 In December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences or critics.de la Parra (1994), page 10 In February 1980, their second single "Another Day (U2 song)" was released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market.Stokes (1996), page 142; McCormick (2006), page 88
Boy,
October, and
War (1980 – 1983)
Island Records signed U2 in March 1980, and "
11 O'Clock Tick Tock" became the band's first internationally released single that May.Stokes (1996), page 142 The band's debut album, the Steve Lillywhite-produced
Boy (album), followed in October, and was praised as one of the better debuts in rock history. Although Bono's lyrics were unfocused and seemingly improvised, common themes appeared that described the hopes and frustrations of adolescence, such as fear over sex, identity confusion, death, and uncontrollable mood swings. The album included the band's first UK hit single, "I Will Follow".
Boy's release was followed by U2's first tour of continental Europe and the United States.de la Parra (2003), pages 16,17 Despite being unpolished, these early live performances demonstrated U2's potential, as critics noted that Bono was a "charismatic" and "passionate" showman.
The band's second album,
October (album), was released in 1981 and contained overtly spiritual themes; Bono, The Edge, and Mullen had joined a Christian group in Dublin called the 'Shalom Fellowship', which led them to question the relationship between the Christian faith and the rock and roll lifestyle.Flanagan (1995), pages 46-48 The album was met with mixed reviews, and sales indicate it is U2's lowest selling album.
Resolving the doubts of the
October period, U2 released
War (album) in 1983.Stokes (1996), page 36 A record where the band "turned pacifism itself into a crusade,"Reynolds, Simon.
Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984. Penguin, 2005. p. 367. ISBN 0-14-303672-6
War's sincerity and "rugged" guitar was intentionally at odds with the "cooler" synth-pop of the time.Graham (2004), page 14 The album included Sunday Bloody Sunday (song)," where Bono had lyrically tried to contrast the events of Bloody Sunday (1972) with
Easter Sunday.McCormick (2006), p135.
Rolling Stone magazine wrote that the song showed the band was capable of deep and meaningful songwriting.Rolling Stone wrote that the ability to use a range of powerful images, taking a song initially about sectarian anger, and turn it into a call for Christians to unite and claim victory over death and evil, showed that the band was capable of deep and meaningful songwriting.
War was U2's first album to feature the photography of Anton Corbijn, who remains U2's principal photographer and has had a major influence on their vision and public image.McCormick (2006), page 127 U2's first commercial success,
War debuted at #1 in the United Kingdom, and its first single, "New Year's Day (song)", was the band's first overseas hit."New Year's Day" reached #10 on the UK charts, and received extensive radio coverage in the US, almost breaking that country's Top 50. (McCormick (2006), page 139);
On the subsequent
War Tour, the band performed to sold-out concerts in mainland Europe and the U.S. The image of Bono waving a white flag during performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" became a familiar sight. U2 recorded the
Under a Blood Red Sky live album on this tour and a live video was released, both of which received extensive play on the radio and MTV, helping expand the band's audience. Their generally unfavourable record deal with Island Records was coming to an end, and in 1984 U2 signed an unusually lucrative extension. Forgoing a larger initial payment, they instead negotiated the return of their copyrights (such that they owned the rights to their own songs), an increase in their royalty rate, and a general improvement in terms.
The Unforgettable Fire and Live Aid (1984 – 1985)
We knew the world was ready to receive the heirs to
The Who. All we had to do was to keep doing what we were doing and we would become the biggest band since Led Zeppelin, without a doubt. But something just didn't feel right. We felt we had more dimension than just the next big anything, we had something unique to offer. The innovation was what would suffer if we went down the standard rock route. We were looking for another feeling. —
Bono on
The Unforgettable Fire's new direction.McCormick (2006), page 147
The Unforgettable Fire was released in 1984. Ambient and abstract, it was at the time the band’s most marked change in direction.Parra, Pimm Jal de la
U2 Live: A Concert Documentary, pages 52-55, 1996, Harper Collins Publishers, ISBN 0-7322-6036-1 The band feared that following the overt rock of the
War album and tour, they were in danger of becoming another "shrill", "sloganeering arena-rock band". Thus, rather than become another formula band, experimentation was sought;Graham (2004), page 21 as Adam Clayton recalls, "We were looking for something that was a bit more serious, more arty."McCormick (2006), page 147 The Edge admired the ambient and 'weird works' of [Brian Eno, who, along with his engineer [Daniel Lanois, eventually agreed to produce the record.Island Records boss [Chris Blackwell initially tried to discourage them from their choice of producers, believing that just when the band were about to achieve the highest levels of success, Eno would "bury them under a layer of avant-garde nonsense". (McCormick (2006), page 151)
The Unforgettable Fire has a rich and orchestrated sound. Under Lanois' direction, Larry's drumming became looser, funkier, and more subtle and Adam's bass became more subliminal; the rhythm section no longer intruded, but flowed in support of the songs. Complementing the sonic atmospherics, the album's lyrics are open to many interpretations, providing what the band called a "very visual feel". Bono's recent immersion in fiction, philosophy, and poetry made him realise that his songwriting mission — about which he had always been reluctant — was a poetic one. Due to a tight recording schedule, however, Bono felt songs like "
Bad (U2 song)" and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" were incomplete "sketches".McCormick (2006), page 151 "Pride (In the Name of Love)", about
Martin Luther King, was the album's first single and became the band's biggest hit at that point, being their first to enter the U.S. top 40.Graham, (2004), page 23, 24
]-->Much of the
Unforgettable Fire Tour moved into indoor arenas as U2 began to win their long battle to build their audience.de la Parra (1994), page 62-63 Translating the complex textures of the new studio-recorded tracks, such as "The Unforgettable Fire" and "Bad", to live performance was problematic. One solution was programmed
Music sequencer, which the band had previously been reluctant to use, but are now used in the majority of the band's performances. Songs criticised as being "unfinished", "fuzzy", and "unfocused" on the album made more sense on stage.
Rolling Stone, which was critical of the album version of "Bad", described its live performance as a 'show stopper'.
was a turning point in their career.
U2 participated in the Live Aid concert for
1984 - 1985 famine in Ethiopia at Wembley Stadium (1924) in July 1985. Live Aid: A Look Back At A Concert That Actually Changed The World MTV.com. Retrieved 31 October
2006. U2's performance was considered one of the show's most memorable and was a turning point in the band's career.McCormick (2006), page 164 During the song "Bad", Bono leapt down off the stage to embrace and dance with a fan, showing a television audience of millions the personal connection that Bono could make with audiences.de la Parra (2003), pages 72-73 In 1985,
Rolling Stone magazine called U2 the "Band of the 80s," saying that "for a growing number of rock-and-roll fans, U2 have become the band that matters most, maybe even the only band that matters." U2, the Only Band that Mattered in the '80s? about.com. Retrieved January 31 2007
The Joshua Tree and
Rattle and Hum (1986 – 1989)
Friendships with
Bob Dylan,
Van Morrison, and Keith Richards encouraged the band to look back to the roots of rock music and focused Bono on his skills as a song and lyric writer.McCormick (2006), page 179 Realising "that U2 had no tradition, we were from outer space", the band explored American
blues,
country music, and gospel music.Bono in McCormick (2006), pages 169, 177 The band wanted to build on
The Unforgettable Fire's atmospherics, but instead of its out-of-focus tracks, they sought a harder-hitting sound within the strict discipline of conventional song structures. cited in {{Citation| last =Gardner | first =Elysa (ed) | title =U2: The Rolling Stone Files | publisher =Sidgwick & Jackson | year =1994 | location =London | id = ISBN 0-283-06239-8 -->
U2 interrupted their 1986 album sessions to serve as a headline act on Amnesty International
A Conspiracy of Hope Tour; but rather than be a distraction, the tour added extra intensity and power to their new music.McCormick (2006), page 174 In his 1986 travels to
San Salvador and Nicaragua, Bono saw the distress of peasants bullied in internal conflicts subject to American political intervention; this first-hand experience later became a central influence on the album. The album juxtaposes antipathy towards America against the band's deep fascination with the country, its open spaces, freedom, and what it stands for.McCormick (2006), page 186 The band wanted music with a sense of location, a 'cinematic' quality; the album's music and lyrics draw on imagery created by American writers whose works the band had been reading.Graham (2004), pages 27-30
The wild beauty, cultural richness, spiritual vacancy and ferocious violence of America are explored to compelling effect in virtually every aspect of
The Joshua Tree — in the title and the cover art, the blues and country borrowings evident in the music...Indeed, Bono says that "dismantling the mythology of America" is an important part of
The Joshua Tree's artistic objective. —
Rolling StoneThe Joshua Tree—so named as a "tribute" to, rather than a "metaphor" for, AmericaMcCormick (2006), page 186—was released in March 1987. It became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, and was number one for nine weeks in the United States.{{cite video.
Grammy Award for Album of the Year and a Grammy for the [Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.[http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx?title=&winner=u2&year=1987&genreID=0&hp=1 GRAMMY Winners List grammy.com. Retrieved
December 4 [. The album's first two singles, the 'rock & roll bolero "[With or Without You" and the rhythmic gospel "[I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", quickly went to #1 in the U.S. U2 became the fourth rock band to be featured on the cover of ''[Time magazine'' magazine,following [The Beatles, [The Band, and [The Who) which declared U2 "Rock's Hottest Ticket"."[http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19870427,00.html Rock's Hottest Ticket" Time Magazine Archive, April 1987. Retrieved on
20 January [. The album brought U2 to a new level of mega-stardom and is cited by ''Rolling Stone'' as one of rock's greatest.http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/ The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time Rollingstone.com. Retrieved
15 October, [. The [Joshua Tree Tour, the first during which the band consistently played in stadiums, sold out arenas and stadiums around the world.de la Parra (1994), pages 102-103, 111)
The documentary
Rattle and Hum featured footage recorded from The Joshua Tree Tour, and the accompanying double album of the same name included nine studio tracks and six live U2 performances. Released in record stores and cinemas in October 1988, the album and film were intended as a tribute to American music.Stokes (1996), page 78; Graham (2004), pages 36-38 The film included tracks recorded at
Sun Records in
Memphis, Tennessee and tracks performed with
Bob Dylan and
B.B. King. Despite a positive reception from fans,
Rattle and Hum received mixed-to-negative reviews from both film and music critics. Allmusic.com
Rattle and Hum review. Retrieved
3 November 2006; Christgau, Robert. "
Rattle and Hum. robertchristgau.com. Retrieved
3 November 2006. The band did not tour in support of the album except for the brief Lovetown Tour, which primarily consisted of shows in Australia. With a sense of musical stagnation, Bono announced at an end-of-decade concert that the weary U2 had come to the end of an era and had to "...go away and just dream it all up again".McCormick (2006), page 213; "A Story of One" documentary.
Achtung Baby, Zoo TV, and
Zooropa (1990 – 1993)
Buzzwords on this record were
trashy, throwaway, dark, sexy, and
industrial (all good) and
earnest, polite, sweet, righteous, rockist and
linear (all bad). It was good if a song took you on a journey or made you think your hifi was broken, bad if it reminded you of recording studios or U2...Berlin became a conceptual backdrop for the record. The Berlin of the Thirties — decadent, sexual and dark — resonating against the Berlin of the Nineties — reborn, chaotic and optimistic... — Brian Eno on the recording of
Achtung BabyIn November 1991, U2 released
Achtung Baby. Hurt by criticism of
Rattle and Hum, the band made a calculated change in musical and thematic direction, their most audacious since
The Unforgettable Fire.Flanagan (1995), pages 4-6; Graham (2004), page 43 Sonically,
Achtung Baby incorporated
dance music,
industrial music, and
alternative music influences of the time; the band referred to the album as the sound of "four men chopping down the Joshua Tree". Deep Cuts: U2, Part I Thematically, it was a more inward-looking and personal record; it was darker, yet at times more flippant, than the band's previous work. Commercially and critically, it has been one of the band's most successful albums and a crucial part of the band's early 1990s reinvention.Graham (2004), page 44 Like
The Joshua Tree, it is cited by
Rolling Stone as one of rock's greatest. The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time Rollingstone.com. Retrieved 15 October, 2006.
The band initially worked on
Achtung Baby in
East Berlin, seeking inspiration and renewal on the eve of
German reunification. Daniel Lanois produced the album with assistance from Brian Eno.Flanagan (1995), page 7 In the Berlin sessions, conflict arose within the band over the quality of material and musical direction. While Adam and Larry preferred a sound similar to U2's previous work, Bono and The Edge were inspired by alternative and European dance music and advocated a change. Weeks of slow progress, arguments, and tension subsided when the band rallied around a chord progression The Edge had written, creating the song "One (U2 song)".Flanagan (1995), pages 6-11|format=
Ogg-->
The
Zoo TV Tour of 1992-1993 was a
multimedia event, and showcased an extravagant but intentionally bewildering array of hundreds of video screens, upside-down flying
Trabant cars, mock transmission towers,
satellite television links,
subliminal message, and Bono's over-the-top stage characters such as "The Fly", "Mirror-Ball Man", and "(Mister) MacPhisto". The extravagant shows were intentionally in contrast to the austere staging of previous U2 tours, and mocked the excesses of rock and roll by appearing to embrace these very excesses. The shows were, in part, U2's way to represent the pervasive nature of cable television and its blurring of news, entertainment, and home shopping.de la Parra (1994), pages 139-141; Flanagan (1995), pages 12,13, 58-61; Stokes (1996), pages 110-111 Prank phone calls were made to George H. W. Bush, the United Nations, and others. Live satellite uplinks to war-torn
Sarajevo caused controversy.de la Parra (2003), pages 153, 166
Quickly recorded and released during a break in the Zoo TV tour in mid-1993, the
Zooropa album continued many of the themes from
Achtung Baby and the Zoo TV tour. Initially intended as an EP, the band expanded
Zooropa into a full-length
LP album. It was an even greater departure from the style of their earlier recordings, incorporating
techno influences and other electronic effects.Graham (2004), page 51 Most of the songs were played at least once during the 1993 leg of the tour, which extended through Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan; half the album's tracks became fixtures in the set.de la Parra (2003), pages 166-172
Passengers,
Pop, and PopMart (1995 – 1998)
It's not enough to write a great lyric; it’s not enough to have a good idea or a great hook, lots of things have to come together and then you have to have the ability to discipline and screen. We should give this album to a re-mixer, go back to what was originally intended, so that 'Mofo' is on top of the stickiest groove with a proper plastic attack, 'Do You Feel Loved' is done as a liquid base line hook that carries the intimacies whispered on top of it, 'If God Will Send His Angels' should be
Diamonds and Pearls (song). — Bono on
PopMcCormick (2006), page 269
In 1995, U2 released an experimental album called
Original Soundtracks 1. Brian Eno, producer of three previous U2 albums, contributed as a full partner, including writing and performing. For this reason, and due to the record's highly experimental nature, the band chose to release it under the moniker "Passengers" to distinguish it from U2's conventional albums. It was commercially unnoticed by U2 standards and it received generally poor reviews. However, the single "
Miss Sarajevo" featuring Luciano Pavarotti, and which Bono cites as one his favourite U2 songs,McCormick (2006), page 261-262 was a hit. stage
On 1997's
Pop (album), U2 continued experimenting; tape loops, programming, rhythm sequencing, and Sampling (music) provided much of the album with heavy, funky dance rhythms.Graham (2004), pages 62-63 Released in March, the album debuted at #1 in 35 countries, and drew mainly positive reviews;;
Rolling Stone stated that U2 had "defied the odds and made some of the greatest music of their lives." Others, particularly American fans, felt that the album was a major disappointment, and it was commercially disappointing by U2 standards. The band was hurried into completing the album in time for the impending pre-booked tour, and Bono admitted that the album "didn't communicate the way it was intended to".
The subsequent tour,
PopMart Tour, commenced in April 1997, and continued the Zoo TV theme of decadence. The set included a 100-foot tall golden yellow arch, a 150-foot long video screen, and a 40-foot tall mirrorball lemon. Like Zoo TV, it featured advertising influences and was intended to send a sarcastic message to those accusing U2 of commercialism. U2's "big shtick" failed, however, to satisfy many who were seemingly confused by the band's new kitsch image and elaborate sets. U2 live: Play-by-play of the concert lasvegassun.com. Retrieved 29 December,
2006; U2, Brute? spin.com. Retrieved
December 29,
2006; U2:Pop : Music Reviews Rollingstone.com, December 1997. Retrieved 29 December,
2006. The late delivery of
Pop meant rehearsal time was severely reduced, and performances in early shows suffered.de la Parra (2003), pages 193-202 A highlight of the tour was a concert in Sarajevo where U2 were the first major group to perform following the
Bosnian war. Rock On The Net: U2 rockonthenet.com. Retrieved October 31, 2006, Larry Mullen Jr. described the concert as "an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life, and if I had to spend 20 years in the band just to play that show, and have done that, I think it would have been worthwhile." U asked U2! msn.com. Retrieved
15 January, 2007; Furthermore, Bono described the show as "one of the toughest and one of the sweetest nights of my life."( Bono in Conversation The Independent. Retrieved
15 January, 2007)
"Reapplying for the best band in the world" (2000-present)
All That You Can't Leave Behind is easy to relate to, full of solid songs that appeal to a wide audience with its clear notions of family, friendship, love, death, and re-birth. More Lanois than Eno on first impression, the sounds on this album come from a band that has digested the music it started to consume while making
Rattle and Hum. This time they are neither imitating or paying tribute. This time it's soul music, not music about soul. — Caroline van oosten de BoerGraham (2004), page 21
Following the comparatively poor reception of
Pop (album), U2 declared on a number of occasions that they were "re-applying for...The best band in the world". Since 2000, the band has pursued a more traditional sound while maintaining influences from their previous musical explorations.McCormick (2006), pages 289 & 296
All That You Can't Leave Behind was released in October 2000 and reunited the band with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. The album was considered by many of those not won over by the band's 1990s experimentation as a return to grace; Time to Get the Leathers Out Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved on 31 October, 2006
Rolling Stone called it U2's "third masterpiece" alongside
The Joshua Tree and
Achtung Baby. The album debuted at #1 in 22 countries The Rock Radio: U2 biography therockradio.com. Retrieved
31 October,
2006. and its world-wide hit single, "Beautiful Day" earned three Grammy. The album's other singles, "Walk On (song)", "Elevation (song)", and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" also won Grammy Awards.
Halftime Show, 3 February
2002For the
Elevation Tour, U2 performed in a scaled-down setting, returning to arenas after nearly a decade of stadium productions. A heart-shaped stage and ramp permitted greater proximity to the audience. Following the
September 11, 2001 attacks, the new album gained added resonance. In October, U2 performed a series of sold-out shows at
Madison Square Garden in
New York City. In later interviews, Bono and the Edge would call these New York City shows among their most memorable and emotional performances. In early 2002, U2 performed during halftime of Super Bowl XXXVI.de la Parra (2003), page 268
The band's next studio album,
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, was released on 22 November
2004. Sonically, the band was looking for harder-hitting rock than
All That You Can't Leave Behind. Thematically, Bono states that "A lot of the songs are paeans to naiveté, a rejection of knowingness." The first single "Vertigo (song)" was featured on a widely-aired television commercial for the
Apple Computer iPod in conjunction with the release of a special edition U2 iPod and an
The Complete U2. The album debuted at #1 in 32 countries; first week sales in the US doubled that of
All That You Can't Leave Behind and set a record for the band. Rock On The Net: U2 rockonthenet.com. Retrieved
October 31, 2006. Claiming it as a contender as one of U2's three best albums, Bono said, "There are no weak songs. But as an album, the whole isn't greater than the sum of its parts, and it fucking annoys me." Using a similar setup and stage design as the previous tour, the
Vertigo Tour featured a setlist that varied more across dates than any U2 tour since the Lovetown Tour, and included songs not played since the early 1980s. Much like the Elevation Tour, the Vertigo Tour was a large commercial success. U2's Vertigo Leads Year's Top Tours billboard.com. Retrieved
31 October,
2006. The album and its singles won Grammy Awards in all eight categories they were nominated in. In 2005,
Bruce Springsteen inducted U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. U2 stars enter rock Hall of Fame bbc.co.uk. Retrieved
January 17, 2007; Transcript: Bruce Springsteen Inducts U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame u2station.com. Retrieved
January 17, 2007
Musical style
Since their inception, U2 have developed and maintained a distinctly recognisable sound, with emphasis on melodic instrumentals and expressive, larger-than-life vocals. Top 10 U2 Songs of the '80s about.com. Retrieved February 18, 2007 This approach is rooted partly in the early influence of record producer
Steve Lillywhite at a time when the band was not known for musical proficiency. U2 Dissect "Bomb" rollingstone.com. Retrieved
February 18,
2007 The Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signature delay A Study of the Edge's (U2) Guitar Delay amnesta.net. Retrieved February 18, 2007 to craft his guitar work, coupled with an Irish-influenced
drone (music) played against his syncopated melodies U2's Leading Edge Musician Magazine. Retrieved February 25,
2007. that ultimately yields a well-defined ambient and atmospheric sound. Bono has nurtured his
falsetto operatic voice Column: off the record..., vol. 6-201 atu2.com. Retrieved February 18, 2007 and has exhibited a notable lyrical bent towards social, political, and personal subject matter while maintaining a grandiose scale in his songwriting. In addition, the Edge has described U2 as a fundamentally live band.
, Ireland in 2005Despite these broad consistencies, U2 have introduced new elements into their musical repertoire with each new album. U2's early sound was influenced by bands such as Television (band) and Joy Division, and has been described as containing a "sense of exhilaration" that resulted from The Edge's "radiant chords" and Bono's "ardent vocals".Reynolds (2005), page 368 U2's sound began with post-punk roots and minimalistic and uncomplicated instrumentals heard on
Boy and
October, but evolved through
War to include aspects of rock anthem, funk, and dance rhythms to become more versatile and aggressive. Rolling Stone: War: Review rollingstone.com. Retrieved
February 18 2007 The two albums were labeled "muscular and assertive" by
Rolling Stone, influenced in large part by Lillywhite's producing.
The Unforgettable Fire, which began with the Edge playing more keyboards than guitars, as well as follow-up
The Joshua Tree, had
Brian Eno and
Daniel Lanois at the production helm. With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture". The songs from
The Joshua Tree and
Rattle and Hum placed more emphasis on Lanois-inspired rhythm as they mixed distinct and varied styles of gospel and blues music, which stemmed from the band's burgeoning fascination with America's people and places. In the 1990s, U2 reinvented themselves as they began using synthesizers,
distortion (guitar), and electronica beats derived from alternative music, dance music, and hip-hop on
Achtung Baby U2: Achtung, Baby: Music Reviews rollingstone.com. Retrieved
February 18 2007 and
Pop. Under A Golden Arch, Sincerely U2 nytimes.com. Retrieved
February 18 2007 The 2000s had U2 returning to a stripped-down sound, with less use of synthesizers and effects and a more traditional rhythm.
Lyrics and themes
Social and political commentary, often embellished with Christian religious and spiritual imagery, U2: The Catharsis in the Cathedral nytimes.com. Retrieved February 18,
2007 are a major aspect of U2's lyrical content. Songs like "
Sunday Bloody Sunday (song)" and "Mothers of the Disappeared" are based on real-life events and they find their emotional impact from the compelling reality of those situations. Furthermore, Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil related to family are showcased in songs like "Mofo (song)", "
Tomorrow (song)" and "
Kite (song)". An emotional yearning or pleading is another frequent conveyance, in tracks such as "Yahweh (song)" U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Review uncut.co.uk. Retrieved February 18
2007 and "
Please (U2 song)". More generally, the investigation of loss and anguish coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, central in
The Joshua Tree, has motivated much of U2's songwriting and music. Some of this lyrical ideation has been amplified by Bono's personal experiences during his youth in Ireland, as well as his campaigning and activism later in his life. U2 have used tours such as the Zoo TV to caricature social trends such as media overload.
Influences
The band cites The Who,McCormick (2006), page 113
The Clash, Clash Star Strummer Dies, BBC news, 27 December 2002 Ramones, About U2 Influences: The Ramones by Daniel Walker, October 2004 and
The Beatles "This is a song Charles Manson stole from The Beatles, we're stealing it back!" as their main influences. Artists such as
Joy Division/New Order
NewOrderStory . Warner Bros., 2005. and Siouxsie & the Banshees The Creatures - Siouxsie Sioux Official Website. Archived News:
Mojo Icon Award 17.06.05. Last night Siouxsie lifted the Icon Award and the Mojo Honours Awards. The award was given to her by U2's The Edge who sited Siouxsie as a big influence on Bono and U2 before handing over the Award. Retrieved
May 17 2007 also inspired the band. Other musicians and bands such as Coldplay,Rolling Stone, Issue #1025-1026, May 3 -
May 17 2007 The Killers (band), and Angels and AirwavesNME's 10 Most Influential Bands/Artists. NME Magazine, 2002; Angels & Airwaves - Between the Blinks musicOMH.com. Retrieved
February 18 2007 have in turn been influenced by the work of U2. Cover versions of U2 songs have been made by performers such as
Mary J. Blige,
Johnny Cash, The Chimes (band),
Joe Cocker,
Pearl Jam, James Blunt,
Pet Shop Boys,
Radiohead,
Ignite,
Keane (band),
The Bravery, The Year of Acceleration, and
The Smashing Pumpkins. U2 have also enjoyed reciprocal influential relationships with artists including Bruce Springsteen,
Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, R.E.M. (band), and Anton Corbijn.
Controversial Move out of Ireland
In August 2006, Irish paper the Sunday Independent first reported how the band had transferred some of its operations to Holland to capitalise on generous tax breaks. The move came months after Ireland capped its own artists' tax exemption at €250,000, which would have had a massive impact on the band's multi million euro empire.
The story caused a furore in Ireland when it broke and was widely reported throughout the world. It emerged that the Rolling Stones had also moved some of their operations to Amsterdam to avail of the tax breaks.
Campaigning and activism
Luís Inácio Lula da Silva of
BrazilU2 have long been interested in social and political issues inside and outside the scope of their music. Since the early 1980s, the members of U2 – as a band and individually – have collaborated with other musicians, artists, celebrities, and politicians to address issues concerning poverty, disease, and social injustice.
In 1984, Bono and Adam Clayton participated in Band Aid (band) to raise money for Ethiopian
famine relief. The initiative produced the hit charity single "
Do They Know It's Christmas?", which would be the first among several collaborations between U2 and
Bob Geldof. In July 1985, U2 played Live Aid, a follow-up to
Band Aid's efforts. Bono and his wife Ali, invited by World Vision, later visited Ethiopia; Bono witnessed the famine first hand. Bono would later say this laid the groundwork for his Africa campaigning and some of his songwriting. Bono time.com. Retrieved
January 16 2007; McCormick (2006), page 289
In 1986, U2 participated in the A Conspiracy of Hope Tour in support of Amnesty International and in Self Aid for unemployment in Ireland. The same year, Bono and Ali Hewson also visited
Nicaragua and El Salvador at the invitation of the Sanctuary movement, and saw the effects of the
El Salvador Civil War. These 1986 events greatly influenced
The Joshua Tree album, which was being recorded at the time.
In 1992, the band participated in the "Stop
Sellafield" concert with
Greenpeace during their Zoo TV tour.McCormick (2006), page 238 Events in Sarajevo during the Bosnian war inspired the song "Miss Sarajevo", which premiered at a September 1995 Pavarotti and Friends show, and which Bono and the Edge performed at War Child (charity).McCormick (2006), page 262 A promise made in 1993 was kept when the band played in Sarajevo as part of 1997's PopMart Tour.McCormick (2006), page 277 In 1998, they performed in
Belfast days prior to the vote on the
Good Friday Agreement, bringing Irish political leaders
David Trimble and John Hume on stage to promote the agreement.McCormick (2006), pages 285-286 Later that year, all proceeds from the release of "The Sweetest Thing (song)" single went towards supporting the
Chernobyl Children's Project.
In 2001, the band dedicated "Walk On (song)" to
Burma pro-democracy leader
Aung San Suu Kyi.McCormick (2006), pages 295-296 In late 2003, Bono and the Edge participated in the South Africa HIV/AIDS awareness 46664 (concerts) series of concerts hosted by
Nelson Mandela. The band played 2005's Live 8 concert in London. The band and manager Paul McGuinness were awarded
Amnesty International's
Ambassador of Conscience Award for their work in promoting human rights. Ambassador of Conscience Award 2005 artforamnesty.org. Retrieved February 5, 2007
Since 2000, Bono has done a significant amount of solo campaigning; he was involved in the Jubilee 2000 campaign with Bob Geldof, Muhammad Ali, and others with the aim of cancelling third world debt during the Great Jubilee. Bono, along with activists from
Jubilee 2000, founded a multinational NGO in January 2002 called Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa, with the aim of improving the social, political, and financial state of Africa. He continued his campaigns for debt and HIV/AIDS relief into June 2002 by making high-profile visits to Africa.Kagan Daryn." CNN Access: Bono backs 'effective aid' for Africa" CNN.com, May, 2002. Retrieved
31 October,
2006; Bono and O'Neill in Africa: Summing up the trip CNN.com. Retrieved
October 31,
2006; " Bono wins Chirac aid boost pledge". CNN.com, June, 2002. Retrieved
31 October,
2006. Product Red, a 2006 for-profit brand seeking to raise money for the
Global Fund, was founded, in part, by Bono.
The ONE Campaign, the US counterpart of
Make Poverty History, has been shaped by his efforts and vision. Bono has also teamed up with
Yahoo! to promote the ONE Campaign, which Yahoo! has helped to re-develop.
In late 2005, following Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, The Edge helped introduce Music Rising, an initiative to raise funds for musicians who lost their instruments in the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast. The Edge (U2) Announces 'Music Rising', a Campaign to Aid Musicians Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita modernguitars.com. Retrieved January 16 2007 In 2006, U2 collaborated with pop punk band Green Day to record a cover version of the song "
The Saints Are Coming" by The Skids to benefit Music Rising.
U2 and Bono's social activism have not been without its critics however. There are authors and activists whose work is reprinted by such publications as the politically left Counterpunch which has often carried articles critical of their being too close to power and their attempts to help as doing more harm than good.
Other projects
The members of U2 have undertaken a number of side projects, sometimes in collaboration with some of their bandmates. In 1985, Bono recorded the song "In a Lifetime" with the Irish band Clannad. The Edge recorded a solo soundtrack album for the film
Captive Soundtrack in 1986.McCormick (2006), page 169 Bono and The Edge wrote the song "She's A Mystery To Me" for
Roy Orbison, which was featured on his 1989 album
Mystery Girl.McCormick (2006), page 211 Together with The Edge, Bono wrote the song "GoldenEye (song)" for the 1995 James Bond film
GoldenEye (movie), which was performed by Tina Turner.de la Parra (2003), page 141 Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. did a rew
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16.04.2008 // 'Fish Can Fly' // A T-Shirt, designed by Bono for Hard Rock International, will raise funds to benefit cotton farmers and garment workers in Africa.
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U2 is a rock band from Dublin, Ireland. The band consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar) and Larry Mullen, Jr ...
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