Larry's Kitchen and Band Early History Questions

[birdman]

Just watched Killing Bono, which caused me to be more interested in asking questions about the band's history.

The main one is; what happened during the infamous first meeting in Larry's kitchen?

Who was there?
And, what did they practice?
Or did they just play discordant rubbish?
Are there any pictures of the Evans' DIY guitar?
Did they follow any plan, or was it completely unstructured?

A couple of other questions I had were;

Did Bono really want Ivan McCormick to join the band?
Because their music doesn't really lend itself to two guitars... they wouldn't work as a five piece band..
Did Neil really pull out a gun at a conference?
And are there any pictures or videos of Shook Up playing live? Or tour schedules..

Any pictures or information in this area is totally welcome.

EDIT: Another question I had was which Croke Park gig were Shook Up supposed to support at?
Who played instead of them?
And do they get mentioned in any boots?

 

[Galeongirl]

The first day Bono, Adam, Edge, Dik Evans, and I think two of Bono's friends were there. Though that might've been him being dropped off by the friends. And Larry, ofcourse.

I don't recall them practicing any exact songs, but if they did, it should be in U2 by U2.

Ofcourse it was unstructured. You put four non musicians and a drummer together, there's no way you'll get an organized band right away. They all sucked.

No idea about the rest of your questions. Perhaps ask Neil himself on twitter.

 

[The_acrobat]

Ivan McCormick actually was one of the guys at the first practice in Larry's kitchen, along with Bono, Edge, Larry, Adam, Dik Evans and one other guy. Ivan and the other guy didn't last long though.

I seem to recall them saying they played some Rolling Stones covers at the first practice. I imagine their first couple of practices were merely tuning their guitars, everybody individually showing everyone else songs they knew, and maybe a few very poor full band performances. I guarantee it went absolutely nothing like how it went on Killing Bono.

U2's sound was born out of them being a 3 piece band (with a singer). In a way, you could say their early sound was a RESULT of them not having a rhythm guitarist to fill in the backbone of the song. I think Edge and Dik Evans traded rhythm and lead guitar. The real reason Dick was asked to quit wasn't because of his guitar playing, but because he didn't fit in with the other 4. He was older, off at college, and as a result of this missed some practices and even a few gigs! They eventually got to a point where they preferred the music and the relationship between the 4 of them.

 

[The Panther]

You put four non musicians and a drummer together, there's no way you'll get an organized band right away. They all sucked.

Well, I don't know if they "sucked" that much. Edge and his bro had been jamming for a couple of years, and Larry had had years of lessons and been in the marching band or whatever. It's more likely that Adam and Bono sucked, and Larry and Edge were marginally competent for 14/15-year-olds (i.e., they almost didn't completely suck).

Plans were also drawn up at this first meeting for a giant lemon onstage.

 

[Galeongirl]

Well yeah, Larry was the only musician at a time. He could play. Edge had only had piano lessons, no guitar, as far as I'm aware.

 

[canedge]

I would be really hesitant to find any accurate information from U2's early days that isn't reliant on some sort of selective memory. Pinpointing dates and such? Don't bother.

However, if you watch one of the 'Windows in the Skies' videos there is a Dublin-looking house that could be Larry's parents. It even has a garden shed floating in the air. So there is some acknowledgement on U2s part.

 

[The Panther]

I would be really hesitant to find any accurate information from U2's early days that isn't reliant on some sort of selective memory. Pinpointing dates and such? Don't bother.

You never know. Back in 1994, a retired policeman in Liverpool discovered the reel-to-reel tape recording he'd made of John Lennon's Quarrymen on the day Lennon met Paul McCartney in 1957 (albeit of shite quality)!

Maybe Larry has been sitting on the best U2 bootleg ever for all these years, and he's just waiting for his new-fangled career as a rocker to dry up so he can sell it under the title 'Larry Mullen Band (featuring U2)'.

 

[bonocomet]

Did Bono really want Ivan McCormick to join the band?

I'm pretty sure I remember Neil McCormick saying this was made up just for the movie. (And not his idea, as he didn't have anything to do with the writing of the screenplay.)

 

[blueeyedgirl]

I would be really hesitant to find any accurate information from U2's early days that isn't reliant on some sort of selective memory. Pinpointing dates and such? Don't bother.

However, if you watch one of the 'Windows in the Skies' videos there is a Dublin-looking house that could be Larry's parents. It even has a garden shed floating in the air. So there is some acknowledgement on U2s part.

I'm sure I read that the garden shed was in the Evans' backyard, and it was so small Larry couldn't set the kit up in it. They graduated to the shed from the kitchen.

 

[trojanchick99]

I'm pretty sure I remember Neil McCormick saying this was made up just for the movie. (And not his idea, as he didn't have anything to do with the writing of the screenplay.)

Yeah, that was for the film. As was Neil bringing a gun to a press conference. I'm still miffed that they changed so much of the book for that film. The book was soooo much better.

 

[canedge]

Maybe Larry has been sitting on the best U2 bootleg ever for all these years, and he's just waiting for his new-fangled career as a rocker to dry up so he can sell it under the title 'Larry Mullen Band (featuring U2)'.

Actually the earliest U2 bootleg has been unearthed just a while back.

RARE AUDIO: U2 live at the Dandelion Market, 1979 - @U2 Blog

Here is that picture I was talking about from the video:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a119/albie333/Capture_12192011_192423.jpg

 

[captain]

Just watched Killing Bono, which caused me to be more interested in asking questions about the band's history.

The main one is; what happened during the infamous first meeting in Larry's kitchen?

Who was there?
And, what did they practice?
Or did they just play discordant rubbish?
Are there any pictures of the Evans' DIY guitar?
Did they follow any plan, or was it completely unstructured?

A couple of other questions I had were;

Did Bono really want Ivan McCormick to join the band?
Because their music doesn't really lend itself to two guitars... they wouldn't work as a five piece band..
Did Neil really pull out a gun at a conference?
And are there any pictures or videos of Shook Up playing live? Or tour schedules..

Any pictures or information in this area is totally welcome.

EDIT: Another question I had was which Croke Park gig were Shook Up supposed to support at?
Who played instead of them?
And do they get mentioned in any boots?

1. Bono, Adam, Larry, Edge, Dick, Ivan, and Peter were there, in addition to Larry's family of course.

2. I think they just tried to tune up. They did not really play any songs.

3. Discordent rubish indeed.

4. Yes, there is one in U2: The Early Days

5. Completely unstructered. Adam was not sure if Larry's parents or Larry was auditioning them.

6. According to Adam, Ivan was in the band for a few weeks. I think he was gone by the start of December. Peter Martin was only there the first day. Dick left in March 1978.

I'm uncertain about the other questions.