Artist of the Month

Yes I know. I've never actually done an Artist of the Month before. Hell, the one time I did an Artist of the Week I didn't even complete it. So you know, I fully intend on seeing this one through.

My Artist of the Month is on of my favorite bands of all time.

U2

In the beginning...




Lawrence "Larry" Joseph Mullen, Jr. was born on October 31, 1961 in Artane, which is on the north side of Dublin, Ireland. He was the middle child of Maureen and Larry Mullen Sr.

Larry began playing drums at the age of 9, and spent some time in a local marching band. In the fall of 1976, he posted a note on the bulletin board at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, which he attended, saying he was a drummer looking for musicians to form a band.


Adam Charles Clayton was born March 13, 1960, the eldest child of Brian and Jo Clayton, in Chinnor, Oxfordshire, England. His family moved to Malahide, County Dublin, Ireland when Adam was 5.

After being thrown out of a few private boarding schools as a teenager, Adam eventually landed at Mount Temple, where he eventually saw the notice posted by Larry. Adam had recently taken up the bass guitar, and he discovered his friends, Dave and Dik Evans would also be going to try out for the band.


David Howell Evans was the second child of Welsh parents Gwenda and Garvin Evans. Dave was born on August 8, 1961 in Barking, London, England. The Evans family moved to Dublin, Ireland in 1962.

Dave and his older brother Dik both took piano and guitar lessons, and often performed together. They were also learning to build guitars themselves. Dave also happened to sing a little. While they were attending Mount Temple, they both decided to answer an add they saw looking for musicians.


Paul David Hewson was born in the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. Ireland, on May 10, 1960. He was the second child of Iris, an Angelican, and Bob, a Roman Catholic.

Iris Hewson died on September 10, 1974, when Paul was just 14. She'd suffered a cerebral aneurysm at her own father's funeral.

Paul knew how to play guitar but didn't own one. Nevertheless, he answered the add looking for musicians on the board at the school he attended, Mount Temple.


The first meeting of the soon-to-be band was set up in Larry's kitchen. After the final line-up was decided, Larry on drums, Adam Clayton on bass, Dave and Dik Evans on guitars with Dave doing backing vocals, and Paul Hewson on vocals, they had to think of a name. The first name was The Larry Mullen Band. That lasted about "5 minutes. Maybe 6." The band then settled on the name Feedback, named for the primary sound coming from the bands' amps.

Paul had been involved in a street gang of sorts called Lypton Village. Part of the culture of this gang was the giving of nicknames. Paul had been given the nickname of "Bono Vox of O'Connoll Street," which had become shortened to just "Bono." Bono and Dave, who had been acquaintances at school, were becoming close friends. He gave Dave the nickname "The Edge," because of his angular jaw.

In march 1977, Feedback changed their name to The Hype. Dik was beginning to attend college, so he decided to leave the band. They held a farewell show for Dik at Presbyterian Church Hall in Howth playing cover tunes. Halfway through the set Dik ceremoniously left the stage, leaving Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry to complete the set on their own. For the last half of the set they played all original music and revealed yet another new band name: U2.

U2 eneterd a talent contest that was to be held in Limerick, Ireland on St. Patrick's Day. First prize was a record contract.

U2 won.