Another band that might have influenced U2

[bloodysunday972]

I got into a chat with my mate at the used cd shop I go to all the time, he is a big U2 fan and we were talking about bands that have and might have influenced U2 and he came up with a band id never heard of up until that point.....Wire a English Punk band......I was skeptical at first until he popped in there first cd entitled Pink Flag and the opening track Reuters and I instantly heard what he was talking about if there wasnt any vocals ud think it was a early U2 song!

Anyway I was wondering if anyone had heard of this band and got the same impression.............I know its not a direct U2 question but Im curious as to if they boys knew of this band?

 

[U2MaNaIcWeIdO]

Never heard of the band before in my life...so I can't really help you there.

 

[Palace_Hero]

Great response! Post# 4992 was a good-un!

 

[Harry Vest]

Yes - I would be willing to guess that Wire did in fact influence the boys somewhat.

 

[Lewis12]

Yeah, I remember Wire, very much a U2ish band. Though I haven't read it here until now. I'm sure most old time U2 fans (like me), are aware of The Alarm, which tragically were the "Life of Brain" version of U2. Their songs and angst were right along U2's lines, one band from Ireland, the other from Wales. A lot of songs sounded or overlapped from both bands, and of course they toured together in the early days too. For both bands the two lead singers were very similar in personality, one with black hair the other with blond (I saw them on stage together once too). But it seemed U2 would always be slightly ahead of them, and only by a hair. Best example is during Joshua Tree, the Alarm also did a similar American SW theme, but it was eclipsed. Oddly enough, the Alarm could not have been copying U2, because the releases of records were too close to be rip-offs. Just "A Life of Brain" Tragedy. I remember seeming the Alarm in Seattle in 1989, to a crowd of about 75, and they were just like U2, in their appreciation and quality of music. It was actually very sad, because two years earlier I saw U2 with 75,000 fans in Vancouver, and the poor Alarm could only bring in 75 drunks.

 

[RobH]

The Alarm were U2 Lite...they played Rutgers University, NJ 3 times (!) in the four year span that I went there, from 1985-1989. At the same time, U2 was selling out the Meadowlands for 6 straight nights. I remember hearing "Strength" from them and thinking that U2 deserved a writing credit.

 

[thesuburbskill]

I got into a chat with my mate at the used cd shop I go to all the time, he is a big U2 fan and we were talking about bands that have and might have influenced U2 and he came up with a band id never heard of up until that point.....Wire a English Punk band......I was skeptical at first until he popped in there first cd entitled Pink Flag and the opening track Reuters and I instantly heard what he was talking about if there wasnt any vocals ud think it was a early U2 song!

Anyway I was wondering if anyone had heard of this band and got the same impression.............I know its not a direct U2 question but Im curious as to if they boys knew of this band?

i admit ignorance.. but would like to check them out... i also hear/read a lot that wire are a big influence some the current bands: i.e franz ferdinand, bloc party, futureheads etc. (the 'angular' guitar sounding bands)

 

[Lewis12]

The Alarm were U2 Lite...

Yeah, I would agree with that. They didn't really have the substance to be a U2. They did have the same style and heart. I would never be so harsh to say they ripped U2, because if you listen to Alarm songs that were released before U2 songs that also sound similar, you get the idea that both bands were in the same style. Bands of a common mindset. The two bands liked each other on a personal level very much too. Two bands on tour together can start to influence each other sub-consciously. You especially see that in young bands, as both were, then.

I just want to give the Alarm a fare shake, an overlooked and forgotten band, perhaps even destroyed by stumbling into the U2 vortex. Forced to defend or alter their style to keep from being called a 'U2 rip off band', even if that style was their nature. We are all at a loss not to have them making music.