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U2-teenagers

U2 in 1980

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music. U2 are among the all-time best-selling music artists, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band, and in 2005, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. 

Links to Peel[]

Peel first mentioned U2 on 16 October 1979 when he asked the band to send him another copy of their record:

"And at this stage I would have played a 12" 45 by another Dublin band, U2, and I was given two copies of this earlier in the week, but if anybody from U2 is listening, both copies were far too warped for me to ever possibly play on the radio. So I'd like another copy of it certainly, because what little bit of it I could hear sounded rather good. Some good bands over there actually, because I saw Zebra and U2 and a few other bands last year sometime I think, and I'm surprised it's taken them this long to get onto record."

He played some of U2's records between 1979 and 1983, going as far as to mention that having met them in 1981 thought that they were "nice lads", but later became disillusioned with their music (as he did with other artists such as Simple Minds and Dire Straits who restyled their acts in order to court celebrity in America) and would in later years deny having ever liked them or played their material. Nonetheless, his listeners voted for one of their songs in the 1983 Festive Fifty and Peel had several albums by them in his Record Collection: U.

Festive Fifty Entries[]

Sessions[]

None. On Desert Island Discs in 1990, Peel told Sue Lawley that he had turned the band down (among others) for sessions.

Other Shows Played[]

The list below is from the database of the site and is incomplete.

John_Peel_plugs_a_U2_tour_on_Steve_Lamacq's_show

John Peel plugs a U2 tour on Steve Lamacq's show

John Peel plugs a U2 tour on Steve Lamacq's show

1979
1980
  • 22 May 1980 11 O'Clock Tick Tock (7") Island (JP: "What kind of a DJ am I? Don't answer that question; I should have played that at 11 O'Clock and indeed Walters had intended that I should do. And if I'd played the Killing Joke and that the other way around, it would have been on exactly at 11 O'Clock. As it is, it's what, 9 minutes past 11. It's not the same is it? Be honest.")
  • 20 October 1980: Stories For Boys (album - Boy) Island ILPS 9646
  • 23 October 1980: A Day Without Me (album - Boy) Island ILPS 9646
  • 28 October 1980: I Will Follow (album - Boy) Island ILPS 9646
1981
1982
1983

Mentioned On Shows[]

1985
1987
  • 1987 snippet (Rockradio): "And as I say I should be back in two weeks time, unless the Rockradio bosses say, 'eugh we were expecting lots of U2 and Simple Minds and we haven't got it, and we don't want any more of this. In which case, goodbye...."
1990
  • 03 February 1990 (BFBS): "I don't hate 'em [the police], not as much as I hate U2 and Dire Straits, or did back in those days, but they were never particular favourites of mine."
  • 19 May 1990 (BFBS) (Peel 144 (BFBS)): "I've never been terrifically keen on the work of U2, although somebody wrote and told me the other day that when they first started out I used to play their records all the time. I'm sure I didn't: I mean, I never liked 'em. Anyway, it seems I'm not alone in this, because on the new LP from Last Party, there's a track called Jesus Hates U2... Well, the lyrics don't seem to imply divine disregard for the prosperous Irish combo, but the title is written in such a way as to imply that that's what they have in mind."
1994
  • 11 November 1994: After saying he "avoids self indulgence like he would a U2 gig", John nevertheless plays a track by his son Tom.
1995
  • 26 August 1995 (BFBS): John gets quite worked up about the fact that Wawali Bonane and Mav Cacharel have stopped making music, stating that he would rather have new material by them than anything more by U2.

Top Of The Pops[]

See Also[]

External Links []

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