U2-A Diary

I’m barely an hour into the discography-type research to make sure I have all the releases in the book, all the release dates correct, and so forth … and now this:

Aaron, whom I trust implicitly, says October was released on October 20, 1981.

U2.com says it was released in September, 1981 (see red text at top), then says “summer of 1981″ further down the page.

In my manuscript, I have October being released on October 12, 1981 — but I have no notes about where that date came from.

Sigh.

Have I mentioned how frustrating this research can be sometimes?

Update!

I figured out why I have October 12 in the manuscript already. Have a look at this scan from the clippings book U2 did covering 1979-1983:

Whew! Nice save….

There are certain U2 facts that have been repeated and reported enough that we assume they’re accurate. One of these is the idea that U2 signed with CBS Ireland in March, 1979. That’s mentioned in several magazine articles and other places, and up until a few moments ago it was in U2 Diary, too.

But I think it’s wrong. I’m going to say that the contract was signed in the summer of 1979.

On the surface, think about it: If U2 signed in March, 1979, with CBS Ireland, what on earth would’ve taken them a full six months to put together U2-3 and release it? They didn’t even go into the studio to record those songs until August, so why would they have waited?

Then there are some relevant facts:

• A March 19, 1979, article in Hot Press doesn’t say anything about a CBS Ireland contract. It’s a lengthy interview by Bill Graham with the whole band and Paul McGuinness, so you have to assume they’d say something if a contract was signed or about to be signed.
• The CBS Ireland contract is mentioned in a lengthy Hot Press interview dated October 26, 1979.
• Here’s the key evidence — this Record Collector article on @U2 has Chas de Whalley explaining that the contract was signed after he saw U2 play at McGonagle’s in June, 1979.

So that’s all the proof I need. I’ll be going against the grain with this and many other facts/events, and someone will probably accuse me of getting it wrong in U2 Diary. But I think I have enough evidence, at least in this case.

Have a look at this article:

U2′s Unforgettable Fire (Part 1)

Specifically, scroll down to the April 12, 1985, entry.

I looked it up, and Christy Turlington would’ve been 16; Naomi Campbell would’ve been 14. There’s just no way. I’m gonna assume that’s a typo or some such thing.

Plus, in U2 by U2, Bono says the first time he met Turlington was the Vogue magazine cover shoot in 1992. As a male, I have to believe you’d have no trouble remembering the first time you met Christy Turlington. :)

I find it very easy to get lost in the details of this book. I can spend an hour or two hunting down some obscure date or fact before realizing … It’s okay if you don’t solve that mystery. It’s not that important.

I force myself to limit those wild goose chases by focusing on the “big picture” of this book, and making decisions about how I want to present the most important dates and events of U2′s career. You won’t notice if I’m unable to find the exact date Bono recorded “Dreaming With Tears in My Eyes,” but you will notice if I do a poor job of presenting U2′s appearance at Live Aid.

Do you agree? I’m curious about your expectations for U2 Diary.

Here are some decisions I’ve made about what matters most:

• Every album release has to be presented fully, with as much detail as I can find. Single releases will be included, of course, but won’t be presented as the “big deal” that an album release is. (I’m purposely not telling what I mean by “big deal” because you need to be surprised to some degree if/when you buy the book!)
• The opening night of each tour, if possible, should be presented in great detail, because these shows often represent our first look (as fans) at U2′s latest incarnation.
• U2 at Live Aid deserves a significant entry.
• September 25, 1976 — the very first day together in Larry’s kitchen — deserves a significant entry.
• U2′s sessions at Hansa Studios for Achtung Baby should get significant explanation.
• etc.

I’d like to hear from you about your expectations: What are the events and dates that you think require a lot of attention? What are the events that, if I don’t write enough detail, you’ll say … Matt, you really missed the boat on that one. … ?

My account of 1995 just improved tenfold thanks to Brian Eno.

I’m in the midst of reading all the old Propaganda magazine articles that we have in the @U2 news archive, and I just got done with this:

Eno’s Dear Diary

It has a lot more detail on the phone calls and visit from Luciano Pavarotti, and how that collaboration happened. If only he’d published a diary from 1984, 1986, and 1990, too…..