Comprehensive, fascinating look at U2's earliest recordings

[Registered Dude]

u2songs | U2 Inside Out: Early Demo Recordings (Part I) |

U2Songs is killing it these days. There are some real gems here, and lots of info I've not come across before. Stories of an angry Larry Mullen Sr, one off recording sessions, failed songs, etc..

Well worth a read!

 

[Muad'zin]

I'm not surprised they struggled in their first times at the studio. Performing live is relatively similar to playing in rehearsal. Set everybody up, synchronize volumes and play a live set. Working in a studio is a completely different beast. And probably even more back then as they still worked with analog tape back then. It's not for nothing that computer editing has revolutionized recording, allowing ordinary musicians to do what previously could only be done in studios.

 

[Reg McGowan]

u2songs | U2 Inside Out: Early Demo Recordings (Part I) |

U2Songs is killing it these days. There are some real gems here, and lots of info I've not come across before. Stories of an angry Larry Mullen Sr, one off recording sessions, failed songs, etc..

Well worth a read!

Amazing stuff ! U2 were so Punk and sound nothing like the U2 we've known since Boy !

Do you hear the Surf song "Wipeout" inspiration in the main riff from "Inside Out" ?

 

[Registered Dude]

Amazing stuff ! U2 were so Punk and sound nothing like the U2 we've known since Boy !

Do you hear the Surf song "Wipeout" inspiration in the main riff from "Inside Out" ?

yep! pretty cool.

 

[RockNRollDawgie]

What I noticed in some of these really early demos that really surprised me is that The
Edge is actually doing "normal type" guitar solos! Bono's vocals are a bit scary. He was struggling to find his "voice" and it showed. Still, these early recordings are a treat!

 

[PopFly]

Lots of U2's early songs sound very raw and unfinished, but 'The Fool' is a real gem.

 

[Registered Dude]

part II is up.
u2songs | U2 Inside Out: Early Demo Recordings (Part II) |

Featuring the only know audio of Pete the Chop, which rocks and rolls!

 

[ATLU2]

Really enjoyed these. Thanks for posting.

 

[The Panther]

Good stuff.

 

[Registered Dude]

Really enjoyed these. Thanks for posting.

You're welcome - me too... U2songs is a treasure trove of info, and one of the few u2 fan sites actively creating this kind of content

 

[Muad'zin]

What I noticed in some of these really early demos that really surprised me is that The Edge is actually doing "normal type" guitar solos! Bono's vocals are a bit scary. He was struggling to find his "voice" and it showed. Still, these early recordings are a treat!

I can't say I'm that surprised though. Every beginning guitarist basically starts with learning the basic chords and the pentatonic blues scale. And he has said that Rory Gallagher was a big influence on him back then.

 

[DaveC]

i love pete the chop. you can hear so many of their future songs in tiny little snippets of this one. a seed that grew many different plants, so to speak.