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U2

From: North Dublin

Active: 1975-

Style: Post-Punk

Lineup:

Bio:

Ireland's most famous rock band, previously known as Feedback and The Hype (and according to an Evening Press article in March 1978 "U2 Malahide", though this was probably the result of confusion on the part of a journalist). These earlier incarnations of the band included Dave's brother Dik Evans of the Virgin Prunes as second guitarist.





By 1978 U2 were a stable, gigging band who'd won the Limerick Civic Week Pop '78 competition in March and were gaining the support of Bill Graham and Hot Press. They also had crucial early support from key UK music journalists Dave McCullough and Paul Merton. They appeared on Irish TV several times that year (see the Videos page for details). In 1979 they played a series of legendary gigs at the Dandelion Market which many now claim to have attended:

• Saturday 12 May 1979
• Saturday 28 July 1979 with The Strougers
• Saturday 11 August 1979
• Sunday 9 September 1979
• Saturday 15 September 1979
• Saturday 22 September 1979
• Saturday 17 November 1979 with The Epidemix
• Sunday 23 December 1979 with The Threat

They were signed to CBS Records in 1979 and released their debut single in September. Their first trip to London was after the November gig with the Epidemix (it was billed as a "farewell gig") and played their last Dandelion show in December 1979 after returning from London.

The early singles and first two albums are excellent post-punk/new wave records. All are well worth owning though "October" is perhaps a classic example of the 'difficult' second album. They were accused of plagarism at the time (Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen was forever sniping in the press) but that was nonsense. However, for various reasons their records gradually became unlistenable, in direct proportion to their attempt to break in USA, peaking with the godawful "Joshua Tree", and remaining so until 2000's "All That You Leave Behind".

Note: the bands discography is presented here up to about 1982, focussing on Irish releases. There are several excellent and highly scientific websites which delve into the minutae of the Irish CBS releases. Please refer to them for such matters, i.e. please do not email me anymore about whether your copy is a first pressing or not!



Discography

• various artists - Just For Kicks
LP - Kick Records - KK-1 - IRL - 1979
See Compilations section for full track listing.


• U2 3 EP
7" - CBS Records - 7951 - IRL - September 1979 - PS
CBS sunburst label, UKTM No.B81 8092; PS with thumb cut front and back
Subsequently repressed as part of the 4U2Play pack.

Notes: The U2 3 EP spent 2 weeks in the Irish charts beginning 29 October 1979, peaking at #19. None of U2's subsequent singles charted in Ireland until "Fire" in 1981.





• U2 3 EP
12" - CBS Records - 12-7951 - IRL - September 1979

1st press - label: Ireland spelt correctly, band name on both sides; CBS disco bag with hand-numbered sticker, limited to 1000 copies Beware bootleg editions of the handnumbered sticker!
2nd press - label: Ireland misspelt, band name on both sides; CBS disco bag
3rd press - label: Ireland misspelt, band name on one side; CBS disco bag
4th press - label: Ireland misspelt, band name on one side; black bag

Notes: The U2 3 EP spent 2 weeks in the Irish charts beginning 29 October 1979, peaking at #19 by which time all 1000 copies of the original numbered 12inch edition had sold out. None of U2's subsequent singles charted in Ireland until "Fire" in 1981.
The 4th press may not be a distinct pressing, it may simply be the pressing plant ran out of CBS bags and switched to plain black bags; there are also 1st pressing labels in un-numbered CBS bags, suggesting either MORE than 1000 were actually pressed and the excess copies were sold, or some of the original 1000 became separated from their original stickered bag.



• U2 3 EP
K7 - CBS Records - 7951 - IRL - 1985


• Another Day / Twilight (demo)
7" - CBS Records - 8306 - IRL - February 1980 - PS
The first 250 copies came with a postcard which is now ultra rare.
Subsequently repressed as part of the 4U2Play pack.


• 11 O'Clock Tick Tock / Touch
7" - CBS Records - 8687 - IRL - May 1980 - PS
A fabulous single by any standards. Subsequently repressed as part of the 4U2Play pack.
Original Irish pressings in imported sleeves have "Record made in Ireland" stickers on the cover.


• A Day Without Me / Things To Make And Do
7" - CBS Records - 8905X - August 1980 - PS
Subsequently repressed as part of the "U2 Pac II" pack.
7" - Island/Ariola 102.657 - Netherlands - 1980 - different PS


• A Day Without Me / I Will Follow (LP version)
7" - Island Records - 6837 672 - France 1980 - no PS


• I Will Follow / Boy-Girl (live)
7" - CBS Records - 9065 - IRL - October 1980 - PS
Subsequently repressed as part of the 4U2Play pack.
7" - Island Records - K 8150 - New Zealand - 1980 - different PS


• I Will Follow / Out Of Control (live)
7" - Island Records - IS 49716 - USA - 1980 - different PS & B-side


• Boy
LP - CBS Records - 84658 - IRL - October 1980 - inner
Irish CBS discs in stickered UK Island sleeves (and inner sleeve) also exist
A rare Irish CBS sunburst label exists but I am unsure where it fits in the chronology

Most early pressings have an uncredited bonus track at the end of side two, usually considered an early version of "Fire".



• Fire / J.Swallo
7" - CBS Records - 1376X - IRL - June 1981
Subsequently repressed as part of the "U2 Pac II" pack.
• Fire doublepack
2x7" - CBS Records - 1376 - IRL - June 1981
2x7" - Island Records - UWIP 6679 - UK - June 1981

Notes: Second disc recorded live in Boston on 6 March 1981



• Fire EP
12" - Island Records - 600.417 - Germany - 1981
Contains the 7" tracks plus one side of the live disc of the doublepack.

Notes: Side two recorded live in Boston on 6 March 1981



• Gloria / I Will Follow (live)
7" - CBS Records - 1718 - IRL - October 1981
Subsequently repressed as part of the "U2 Pac II" pack.
7" - Island Records - 104.525 - Netherlands - 1981 - different PS
7" - Island Records - K-8510 - New Zealand - 1981 - different PS


• October
LP - CBS Records - 85369 - IRL - October 1981 - inner sleeve


• A Celebration / Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl
7" - CBS Records - 2214 - IRL - September 1982
Subsequently repressed as part of the "U2 Pac II" pack.
7" - Island Records - 6010 510 - France - 1982 - different PS
• A Celebration / Fire
7" - Island/Polystar Records - 7S-69 - Japan - 1982 - different PS, +insert


• I Will Follow (live dutch TV 14.5.82) / Gloria
7" - Island Records - 104.525 - Netherlands - 1982 - PS
Also pressed in Germany with references to the "Countdown" TV show removed from cover


• 4 U2 Play
4x7" - CBS Records - 7951 / 8306 / 8687 / 9065 - IRL - 1982
Reissue of four singles in a special plastic wallet. This was pressed (at least) four times.
Each pressing can be distinguised by examining the U2-3 EP single:
1st press - 1982 - label: red/black; on black, brown, white, orange and yellow vinyl
2nd press - 1983 - label: sunburst, UKTM, "Made in England" at edge, "CBS Inc" at bottom
3rd press - 1984 - label: sunburst, no UKTM/"Made in England"/"CBS Inc"
4th press - 1985 - label: red/black/(white CBS)

Notes:
Note this set is not strictly chronological. It collects Irish singles 1, 2, 3 and 5. Was this done to make sure the 2nd singles pack was a more attractive proposition with more non-LP tracks?



• U2 PAC II
4x7" - CBS Records - 8905X + 1376X + 1718 + 2214 - IRL - 198?
Reissue of four more singles.
First pressing had CBS sunburst labels, later with red/black/(white CBS) labels.

Notes:
Note this set is not strictly chronological. It collects Irish singles 4, 6, 7 and 8. Was this done to make sure the 2nd singles pack was a more attractive proposition with more non-LP tracks?




Help!

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