|
U2 (IPA: /ˌjuːˈtuː/)
are a rock band from Dublin, Ireland. The band consists of Bono
(vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam
Clayton (bass guitar) and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion).
The band formed in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited
musical proficiency. By the mid-1980s, however, the band had become
a top international act, noted for their anthemic sound, Bono's
impassioned vocals, and The Edge's textural guitar playing. Their
success as a live act was greater than their success at selling
records until their 1987 album The Joshua Tree[1] increased the
band's stature "from heroes to superstars," according to Rolling
Stone.[2] U2 responded to the dance and alternative rock
revolutions, and their own sense of musical stagnation by
reinventing themselves with their 1991 album Achtung Baby and the
accompanying Zoo TV Tour. Similar experimentation continued for the
rest of the 1990s. Since 2000, U2 have pursued a more traditional
sound that retains the influence of their previous musical
explorations.
U2 have sold more than 170 million albums worldwide[3] and have won
more Grammy Awards than any other band.[4] In 2005, the band were
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of
eligibility. Rolling Stone magazine listed U2 at #22 in its list of
the 100 greatest artists of all time.[5] Throughout their career, as
a band and as individuals, they have campaigned for human rights and
social justice causes, including Amnesty International, the ONE
Campaign, and Bono's DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa) campaign.
History
The band formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976.[6] Larry Mullen,
Jr., then 14, posted a notice on his secondary school notice board
(Mount Temple Comprehensive School) seeking musicians for a new
band. Seven teenage boys attended the initial practice in Mullen's
kitchen. It was, as Mullen put it, "'The Larry Mullen Band' for
about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of
being in charge." The group featured Mullen on drums, Paul Hewson
(Bono) on lead vocals, Dave Evans (The Edge) and his brother Dik
Evans on guitar, Adam Clayton, a friend of the Evans brothers on
bass guitar, and initially Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, two
other friends of Mullen.[7] Soon after, the group settled on the
name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they
knew.[8] Martin did not return after the first practice, and
McCormick left the group within a few weeks. Most of the group's
material initially consisted of cover versions, which the band said
was not their forte.[citation needed] The original material the band
did write demonstrated a sound influenced by their post-punk peers.
In March 1977, the band changed their name to "The Hype".[11] Dik
Evans, who was older and by this time at college, was becoming the
odd man out. The rest of the band was leaning towards the idea of a
four-piece ensemble and he was "phased out" in March 1978. During a
farewell concert in the Presbyterian Church Hall in Howth, which
featured The Hype playing covers, Dik ceremoniously walked offstage.
The remaining four band members completed the concert playing
original material as "U2". Steve Averill, a punk rock musician and
family friend of Clayton's, had suggested six potential names from
which the band chose "U2" for its ambiguity and open-ended
interpretations, and because it was the name that they disliked the
least.
On Saint Patrick's Day in 1978, U2 won a talent show in Limerick,
Ireland. The prize consisted of £500 and funding to record a demo,
which was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling
band.[12] The band recorded their first demo tape at Keystone
Studios, in Harcourt Street, Dublin, in April 1978.[14] In May, Paul
McGuinness, who had earlier been introduced to the band by Hot Press
journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's manager.[15] U2's first
release, an Ireland-only EP entitled Three, was released in
September 1979 and was the band's first Irish chart success.[16] In
December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside
Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences
or critics. In February 1980, their second single "Another Day" was
released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market.
Musical style
Since their inception, U2 have developed and maintained a distinctly
recognisable sound, with emphasis on melodic instrumentals and
expressive, larger-than-life vocals.[110] This approach is rooted
partly in the early influence of record producer Steve Lillywhite at
a time when the band was not known for musical proficiency.[111] The
Edge has consistently used a rhythmic echo and a signature
delay[112] to craft his guitar work, coupled with an
Irish-influenced drone played against his syncopated melodies[113]
that ultimately yields a well-defined ambient, chiming sound. Bono
has nurtured his falsetto operatic voice[114] and has exhibited a
notable lyrical bent towards social, political, and personal subject
matter while maintaining a grandiose scale in his songwriting. In
addition, the Edge has described U2 as a fundamentally live band.
Despite these broad consistencies, U2 have introduced new elements
into their musical repertoire with each new album. U2's early sound
was influenced by bands such as Television and Joy Division, and has
been described as containing a "sense of exhilaration" that resulted
from The Edge's "radiant chords" and Bono's "ardent vocals". U2's
sound began with post-punk roots and minimalistic and uncomplicated
instrumentals heard on Boy and October, but evolved through War to
include aspects of rock anthem, funk, and dance rhythms to become
more versatile and aggressive. The two albums were labeled "muscular
and assertive" by Rolling Stone,[38] influenced in large part by
Lillywhite's producing. The Unforgettable Fire, which began with the
Edge playing more keyboards than guitars, as well as follow-up The
Joshua Tree, had Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois at the production helm.
With their influence, both albums achieved a "diverse texture". The
songs from The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum placed more emphasis
on Lanois-inspired rhythm as they mixed distinct and varied styles
of gospel and blues music, which stemmed from the band's burgeoning
fascination with America's culture, people and places. In the 1990s,
U2 reinvented themselves as they began using synthesizers,
distortion, and electronic beats derived from alternative music,
dance music, and hip-hop on Achtung Baby, Zooropa and Pop. The 2000s
had U2 returning to a stripped-down sound, with less use of
synthesizers and effects and a more traditional rhythm.
Lyrics and themes
Social and political commentary, often embellished with Christian
religious and spiritual imagery, are a major aspect of U2's lyrical
content. Songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "Mothers of the
Disappeared" were motivated by current events of the time. The
former was written concerning the troubles in Northern Ireland[120]
while the latter described the plight of the mothers of kidnapped
Argentinians that opposed the country's coup d'état in 1976.
Bono's personal conflicts and turmoil related to family colour songs
like "Mofo", "Tomorrow" and "Kite". An emotional yearning or
pleading is another frequent conveyance,[110] in tracks such as
"Yahweh", "Peace on Earth" and "Please". The investigation of loss
and anguish coupled with hopefulness and resiliency, which is
central to The Joshua Tree,[38] has motivated much of U2's
songwriting and music. Some of this lyrical ideation has been
amplified by Bono and the band's personal experiences during their
youth in Ireland, as well as Bono's campaigning and activism later
in his life. U2 have used tours such as Zoo TV and PopMart to
caricature social trends such as media overload and consumerism,
respectively.[118]
While the band and its fans often affirm the political nature of
their music, U2's lyrics and music have been criticized as
apolitical because of their vagueness and "fuzzy imagery", and a
lack of any specific references to actual people or characters.
Influences
The band cites The Who,] The Clash,[124], Ramones,[125] The
Beatles,[126] Joy Division,[127] Siouxsie & the Banshees[128] and
Patti Smith[129] as influences. Van Morrison has been cited by Bono
as an influence[130]and his influence on U2 is pointed out by the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[131] Other musicians and bands such as
Snow Patrol, [132] The Fray,[133] OneRepublic,[134] Coldplay,[135]
The Academy Is...,[136] The Killers, Your Vegas[137] and Angels &
Airwaves[138] have in turn been influenced by the work of U2. Cover
versions of U2 songs have been made by performers such as Our Lady
Peace, Mary J. Blige, Johnny Cash, The Chimes, Joe Cocker, Pearl
Jam, James Blunt, tobyMac, Darlene Zschech, Pet Shop Boys, Ignite,
The Smashing Pumpkins, Keane, Pillar, Utada Hikaru, Dream Theater,
Sepultura, Saul Williams, The Living End, The Upper Room and The
Bravery. U2 have also worked and/or had influential relationships
with artists including Green Day, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen,
B.B. King, Luciano Pavarotti,[139] Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Wim
Wenders, R.E.M., Salman Rushdie, and Anton Corbijn.
Awards
Main article: List of U2 awards
U2 first received Grammy Awards for the The Joshua Tree in 1988, and
have won 22 in total since, tying U2 with Stevie Wonder as
contemporary artists with the most Grammys.[4] These include Best
Rock Duo or Group, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of
the Year and Best Rock Album. The British Phonographic Industry has
awarded U2 seven BRIT Awards, five of these being for Best
International Group. In Ireland, U2 have won 14 Meteor Awards since
the awards began in 2001. Other awards include one AMA, four VMAs,
ten Q Awards, two Juno Awards, three NME Awards, and a Golden Globe
Award. The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in
early 2005.
City Of Blinding Lights
Sweetest
Things
Vertigo
With Or
Without You
MP3 format songs
can be played in Windows Media Player, Jetaudio, Winamp or any other
Music Player. RM (Real Media) format songs can be played in Real
Player. You can also play these songs in iPod and Mobile Phones Such
as: Alcatel, Amoi, Apple, Asus, Benefon, BenQ, Bird, BlackBerry,
Bosch, Chea, Ericsson, Eten, Gigabyte, Haier, HP, HTC, i-mate,
Innostream, Kyocera, LG, Maxon, Mitac, Mitsubishi, Motorola, NEC,
Neonode, Nokia, O2, Palm, Panasonic, Pantech, Philips, Qtek, Sagem,
Samsung, Sendo, Sewon, Sharp, Siemens, Sony, Sony Ericsson, Tel.Me,
Thuraya, Telit, Toshiba, VK Mobile, Vertu, WND and XCute.
Disclaimer: These songs are for evaluation purpose only and valid
for 24 hours, after that you must delete them. They are copyright of
their respective labels. We request you to buy original CDs.
|
