my U2 Beginnings story
In the Fall of 1980 I was 27 and following (mainly with a few others to a lesser= degree) Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd who'd split up separately from Television ( Little Johnny Jewel , Marquee Moon), Talking Heads, The Patti Smith group, Springsteen, The Who, Midnight Oil, The Clash.....
and was a big fan of (and occasional contributer) to The New York Rocker.
It was one of
the Zines locally IN ?1975 - 76 to follow the CBGB's Punk/New Wave scene and the music started AND with widening circulation over a bunch of years following that scene and it's widening influences over the USA NE region, outward into the heartland and beyond and over the waters into Great Britian, Ireland, Europe etc
I pick up the ?? Oct/Nov80 issue ( not sure). In the back in a modest Live Review from GB the editior who's gone over there SEZ of U-2 ( yes then with the then hyphen and Bono VOX) who have been making their London debute at The Marquee Club:
"they're anthemic, the connect with the audience, are
ambitious....
...if... they can manage to avoid the pitfalls and an early breakup....they coukd be a band who gets up to play at The Stadium' Level.
I was INTRIGUED! Sounded like MY kind of band! But managed with all the other bands to follow --- missed the Ad in The Village Voice OR Soho Weekly News for either their debut show or one soon after IN NYC!!!!
Con't
I must confirm this somehow but my extended family and us may have been dining at the Top of The World Restaurant in Ther World Trade Center the night they played.....
THEN the following Spring of 1981 IWF/OOC came out-- NOT Sure whether the PRE-American Tour INterview that this SAME editor ( who saw their 80 show) did the morning after the Marque Show--
-but not printed UNTIL 5 months later when Boy was getting ready to be released-- came befoer or after I heard IWF/OOC.
BUt there were things said in t
hat interview that really got me even more interested in them!
I was not that impressed at all OVERALL with Boy...but I loved IWF/OOC I Loved some of the stuff they said in the interview AND.....
... I trusted this Editior's judgement of live performances to go see them eventually....
I wasn't that impressed over all with October
either except I was floored by Gloria, Seconds, and I Threw A Brick......
ANY and with that much MAGIC in a few songs was bound to eventualy ( usually)
get even better !!
SO by the time I actually got my first glimpse of them rehearshing NYD's from The Circle Line because i was kind of coerced into giving up my ticket ( which 2 other friends went ) but I figured since I had a free pass to go on the CL..I would use it THAT afternoon b/c the venue was right next to the CL's departure place ( where The Intrepid is now) to try and AT LEAST see them rehearsh...
and I Caught Adam started up the BAss for NYD and edge coming in On piano!
And BY that time obviously WAR had come out AND THAT was the album I felt that
really a whole bunch of good to great songs! SO their music was doing it for me in recorded form.
AND I got to see them in another year Full Band at that Radio City Music Hall concert and been a fully active fan since then!
too.
)
hi gg,zu, k, grace & JJ
