Ireland's most famous rock band, previously known as Feedback and The Hype
(and according to a March 1978 article in the Evening PressU2 Malahide,
though this may have been the result of some 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 winning the support of Hot Press. They
appeared on Irish TV several times that year (see the Videos
page for details) and by 1979 they were signed to CBS Records. They also had
early support from key UK music journalists Dave McCullough and Paul Merton.
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.
tracks: Stories For Boys (early version)
• 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
• U2 3 EP
K7 - CBS Records - 7951 - IRL - 1985
tracks: Out Of Control / Stories For Boys / Boy-Girl
• 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.
• 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
side one:
I Will Follow
Twilight
An Cat Dubh
Into The Heart
Out Of Control
side two:
Stories For Boys
The Ocean
A Day Without Me
Another Time, Another Place
The Electric Co.
Shadows and Tall Trees
(uncredited 50 second track)
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
side one:
Fire
side two:
J.Swallo
side three:
11 O'Clock Tick Tock
The Ocean
side four:
Cry
The Electric Co.
Notes: Second disc recorded live in Boston on 6 March 1981
• Fire EP
12" - Island Records - 600.417 - Germany - 1981
side one:
Fire
J.Swallo
side two:
11 O'Clock Tick Tock
The Ocean
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
side one:
Gloria
I Fall Down
I Threw A Brick Through A Window
Rejoice
Fire
side two:
Tomorrow
October
With a Shout (Jerusalem)
Stranger in a Strange Land
Scarlet
Is That All ?
• 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!
We need your help to correct and/or complete this entry. If you can provide more
information about this band, have scans, photos or any other memorabilia we can
use, or spare copies of any releases,
then please get in touch.
