U2-A Diary

And it’s not really much of a call for help, because I’m not sure these are the kinds of things anyone knows or can discover. But I’ll post them, and if nothing else, I’ll add them to the unsolved mysteries category in a few days.

• I’ve never been able to find out when Bono recorded the “Driving to Midnight Mass” poem. In an old OTR column on @U2, I wrote that it was recorded around 1983/1984 for a Chicago radio station, but at the moment I have no idea where I figured that out.
• Here’s a photoset on Wire Image of an Island Records party for U2 that has a date of September 9, 1987 — but you can tell from looking at the photos this is not 1987! I’m guessing it’s much earlier than that, but have no clue when it was.
• In this old article, a guy named Charlie Rafferty mentions seeing a U2/Virgin Prunes gig at St. Brigid’s Hall in Finglas. There’s no record of that show anywhere from what I can tell.
• Sometime in 1993, Adam went to Chris Blackwell’s “Goldeneye” property with Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Kate Moss. I can’t link to the article that mentions this because it’s behind a subscribers-only wall. But no date is given, and no mention of how long they were there. Could be anytime.
• At an early U2 gig, a group of punks called the “Black Catholics” attacked U2 while the band was performing. There are different versions of the story. In Bill Flanagan’s book, it happened during a gig at the Project Arts Centre. In John Waters’ book, it happened at the Baggot Inn. Neither one gives anything close to a date, not even a year. Sigh….
• According to this interview, which took place in January 1989, U2/Bono was asked to endorse Jesse Jackson at some point in 1988. I can’t find anything more on that.

Oh, by the way, I’m essentially finished writing. I’ve completed my TO DO list, and plan to spend Monday and Tuesday reading & editing the manuscript. I have to submit it to Omnibus before I go to bed Tuesday night.

I don’t know if there’ll be a place in the book for this, but I think it’s worth trying. What I’m posting below is a list of magazine issues that have had U2 or one of the band members on the cover. The list is a joint production of two fans: Mary C. and Lynn E., with a couple additions of my own. :)

How you can help: Use the comments to add any cover appearances that are missing.

I’m sure there are plenty of international magazines not mentioned here. If we come up with something resembling a comprehensive, international list, it may have a place in the book.

Here’s the list. Dates are in U.S. format.
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11/01/1980 Record Mirror UK
02/14/1981 New Musical Express UK
02/27/1982 New Musical Express UK
6/30/1982 Oor Netherlands
02/26/1983 New Musical Express UK
March 1983 CMJ Progressive Media USA
April 1983 Boston Rock USA
April 1983 Rockbill USA
05/01/1983 Oor Netherlands
May 1983 Cashbox USA
July 1983 Trouser Press USA
10/27/1984 New Musical Express UK
October 1984 Jamming UK
11/10/1984 Melody Maker UK
12/1/1984 Oor Netherlands
December 1984 International Musician and Recording World USA
January 1985 Musician USA
03/14/1985 Rolling Stone USA
April 1985 BAM USA
April 1985 Extra USA
June 1985 Rock Fever USA
May 1985 Rock Video USA
June 1985 Guitar Player USA
06/22/1985 New Musical Express UK
August 1985 Modern Drummer USA
10/19/1985 Hit Krant Netherlands
January 1986 Smash Hits UK
02/08/1986 Melody Maker UK
March 1986 Bizz Brazil
May 1986 Creem USA
06/27/1986 Ciao2001 Italy
July 1986 Rockbill USA
03/14/1987 Melody Maker UK
03/14/1987 New Musical Express UK
03/21/1987 Sounds UK
03/21/1987 Oor Netherlands
03/26/1987 USA Today USA
03/28/1987 Sounds UK
04/10/1987 Ciao2001 Italy
04/27/1987 Time USA
April 1987 Mucchio Selvaggio Italy
05/07/1987 Rolling Stone USA
May 1987 Musician USA
May 1987 Rock Express Canada
06/04/1987 Hot Press Ireland
06/06/1987 New Musical Express UK
07/02/1987 Hot Press Ireland
July 1987 Guitar World USA
July 1987 Only Music USA
July 1987 Q UK
August 1987 Creem Collectors Series
August 1987 Star Hits USA
08/01/1987 Sounds UK
Fall 1987 Song Hits Rock Heroes
11/04/1987 Smash Hits UK
11/08/1987 Rolling Stone USA
12/19/1987 New Musical Express UK
12/19/1987 Melody Maker UK
December 1987 Music Express USA
03/10/1988 Rolling Stone USA
April 1988 Creem USA
07/05/1988 Oor Netherlands
July 1988 Record Collector UK
10/22/1988 Melody Maker UK
10/22/1988 Sounds UK
10/22/1988 New Musical Express UK
11/03/1988 Hot Press Ireland
11/19/1988 Juke Australia
November 1988 Q UK
November 1988 Premiere USA
December 1988 Music Express USA
December 1988 Non Pok Greece
Dec 88/Jan 89 Hot Press Ireland
January 1989 Spin USA
03/09/1989 Rolling Stone USA
May 1989 Mother Jones USA
06/14/1989 Pop Rock Yugoslavia
October 1989 The Edge
October 1989 Rolling Stone Australian edition
12/16/1989 New Musical Express UK
02/06/1990 Ciao2001 Italy
March 1990 Record Collector UK
11/30/1990 Goldmine USA
04/18/1991 Hot Press Ireland
October 1991 Rock DeLux Spain
11/08/1991 The Gavin Report USA
11/18/1991 Hits
11/26/1991 Ciao2001 Italy
11/28/1991 Rolling Stone USA
11/30/1991 Oor Netherlands
November 1991 Select UK
December 1991 Vox UK
December 1991 Record Hunter UK
01/30/1992 Hot Press Ireland
03/21/1992 New Musical Express UK
March 1992 Musician USA
April 1992 The Face UK
05/16/1992 Oor Netherlands
05/18/1992 Hits
May 1992 Select UK
06/13/92 New Musical Express UK
06/18/1992 Hot Press Ireland
June 1992 Rock World UK
July 1992 Spin USA
10/01/1992 Rolling Stone USA
September 1992 Musician USA
September 1992 Details USA
December 1992 British Vogue UK
January 1993 Record Collector UK
January 1993 Q UK
January 1993 Rock World UK
03/04/1993 Rolling Stone USA
05/22/1993 New Musical Express UK
06/02/1993 Hot Press Ireland
06/18/1993 Hot Press Ireland
June 1993 Select UK
July 1993 Musician USA
07/10/1993 Oor Netherlands
07/31/1993 Melody Maker UK
08/31/1993 Circus USA
August 1993 Vox UK
August 1993 M8 UK
09/22/1993 Hot Press Ireland
September 1993 Q UK
September 1993 Juice Australia
10/14/1993 Rolling Stone USA
October 1993 Pulse
October 1993 Music & Technology UK
October 1993 Non Pok Greece
11/20/1993 Melody Maker UK
Winter 1993 Arena UK
December 1993 EQ USA
January 1994 Sound And Recording Japan
February 1994 Record Collector UK
February 1994 Details USA
10/05/1994 Hot Press Ireland
June 1995 Q UK
August 1995 Musician USA
September 1995 Record Collector UK
10/21/1995 New Musical Express UK
11/18/1995 Oor Netherlands
December 1995 Guitar UK
10/30/1996 Hot Press Ireland
February 1997 Musician USA
02/22/1997 Melody Maker UK
02/23/1997 El Pais Semanal Spain
02/26/1997 Time Out UK
03/02/1997 The Observer Life UK
03/08/1997 New Musical Express UK
03/08/1997 Oor Netherlands
03/17/1997 Hits
March 1997 Record Collector UK
March 1997 Q UK
March 1997 Spin USA
March 1997 Sound And Recording Japan
March 1997 Zoo Denmark
April 1997 Ray Gun
04/03/1997 Hot Press Ireland
04/30/1997 Los Angeles Times Calendar USA
April 1997 Total Guitar UK
April 1997 Watt Netherlands
April 1997 Rock And Folk France
May 1997 Everything Entertainment
05/09/1997 Entertainment Weekly USA
05/29/1997 Rolling Stone USA
May 1997 Live USA
May 1997 Dazed & Confused UK
June 1997 Gigging Musician UK
June 1997 Live In Concert Germany
07/01/1997 Mojo UK
07/12/1997 Oor Netherlands
08/20/1997 Hot Press Ireland
Aug/Sept 1997 dSide Ireland
September 1997 Guitar World USA
09/03/1997 Hot Press Ireland
Fall 1997 Bassics USA
10/11/1997 New Musical Express UK
Nov/Dec 1997 Music & Computers
11/20/1997 Jam – Florida’s Music Magazine USA
11/30/1997 The Sunday Review UK
December 1997 Vox UK
March 1998 IT Australia
September 1998 Nixos Greece
10/30/1998 The Album Network
10/31/1998 Oor Netherlands
11/25/1998 Hot Press Ireland
December 1998 Zoo Greece
September 1999 Record Collector UK
November 1999 dSide Ireland
Dec/Jan 1999 dSide Ireland
December 1999 Uncut UK
03/29/2000 Hot Press Ireland
March 2000 Complot Mexico
04/29/2000 Oor Netherlands
April 2000 George USA
10/07/2000 Billboard USA
10/14/2000 New Musical Express UK
10/28/2000 Oor Netherlands
11/08/2000 Hot Press Ireland
November 2000 Musica Tutto Italy
November 2000 Aloha Netherlands
November 2000 Gaffa Denmark
November 2000 Rolling Stone German edition
November 2000 Vanity Fair USA
November 2000 Q UK
December 2000 Bass Player USA
Winter 2000 Revolver USA
01/18/2001 Rolling Stone USA
January 2001 Record Collector UK
January 2001 Guitar Player USA
02/17/2001 New Musical Express UK
March 2001 Action Austria
April 2001 Spin USA
06/03/2001 Sunday Times Culture UK
Summer 2001 Grammy Magazine USA
07/07/2001 Specchio Italy
07/28/2001 Het Volkskrant Netherlands
08/08/2001 Time Out UK
08/25/2001 The Irish Times Magazine
08/29/2001 Hot Press Ireland
09/05/2001 Who Ireland
Summer 2001 Q Special UK
November 2001 Details USA
November 2001 Irish Connections USA
Winter 2001 The Musician’s Planet
January 2002 Spin USA
03/04/2002 Time USA Bono
05/22/2002 Hot Press Ireland
November 2002 Q UK
11/06/2002 Hot Press Ireland
12/04/2002 Hot Press Ireland
Dec 2002/Jan 2003 Now Austria
March 2003 Christianity Today USA
04/28/2003 Time EU edition
Spring/Summer 2003 RNRHOF Liner Notes USA
October 2003 Uncut UK
February 2004 Details USA Bono & Edge on cover
March/April 2004 Relevant USA
April 2004 Spin USA
04/28/2004 The A List
September 2004 Record Collector UK
Oct/Nov 04 Black Book USA
11/03/2004 Rolling Stone USA
11/07/2004 Sunday Times Magazine UK
November 2004 Blender USA
November 2004 Q UK
November 2004 Uncut UK
November 2004 Pink Mexico
11/27/2004 Billboard USA
11/27/2004 Oor Netherlands
Nov/Dec 2004 Books & Culture USA
12/01/2004 Hot Press Ireland
12/25/2004 New Musical Express UK
12/30/2004 Rolling Stone USA
December 2004 Rolling Stone French edition
December 2004 Q UK
December 2004 Spin USA
December 2004 Snoozer Japan
01/29/2005 Billboard USA
02/06/2005 Observer Magazine UK
02/09/2005 Hot Press Ireland
February 2005 Rolling Stone Australian edition
February 2005 Rock Stage Mexico
March 2005 Oor Netherlands
June 2005 Cara Ireland
06/29/2005 Hot Press Ireland
07/09/2005 New Musical Express UK
July 2005 Rolling Stone EU edition
July 2005 Spin USA
July 2005 Mojo UK
July 2005 Oor Netherlands
July 2-8, 2005 TV Times
July 2-8, 2005 Radio Times
August 2005 Rolling Stone Germany
August 2005 Information Week USA
08/07/2005 El Magazine Spain
09/18/2005 New York Times Magazine USA
September 2005 Guitar World USA
11/03/2005 Rolling Stone USA
11/26/2005 Weekend Herald Time Out New Zealand
November 2005 Total Guitar UK
November 2005 Ode USA
Nov/Dec 2005 Watch Netherlands
Nov/Dec 2005 New Man USA
December 2005 Observer Music Monthly UK
December 2005 Vive Chile
12/26/2005 Time USA
December 2005 The Word UK
January 2006 Bass Player USA
January 2006 Q UK
January 2006 News Max USA
March 2006 Semana Argentina
March 2006 Ocean Drive Mexico
June 2006 Healthwise New Zealand
August 2006 Record Collector UK
11/16/2006 The Irish Times Magazine Ireland
11/18/2006 New Musical Express UK
11/29/2006 Hot Press Ireland
November 2006 Q UK
July 2007 Vanity Fair USA
December 2007 HD Video Pro USA

The snow’s coming down (Christmas)
I’m watching it fall (Christmas)
Just my family around (Christmas)
And I’m almost done…

Santa Claus brought me a stack of new CDs, which has made today’s writing a very enjoyable musical journey (when not interrupted by the occasional break to help a child put together a train set, for example … or the occasional break to watch the snow fall).

I began with Reason, a 2003 EP from The Fray which was recently released now that they’ve become popular. After that it was Huey Lewis & The News – Greatest Hits and then The Best of Barry White, which makes for excellent background music since I don’t know any words. And now Collective Soul’s new album, afterwords, is finishing up; that’s one is really good. Such an underrated band.

Still to come from my Christmas bounty: Bob Marley’s Legend, Def Leppard’s Vault, and Al Green’s The Definitive Greatest Hits.

The writing is almost done and I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Hope everyone’s having a wonderful Christmas and/or Happy Holidays!

Just wanted to let you all know that U2 Diary will include everyone’s favorite pre-album Bono quote:

“Edge, right now, is on fire. He’s really rockin’. He’s playing guitar like I’ve never seen him playing guitar.”

I won’t tell you the exact date/diary entry the quote is associated with (there are several possibilities!), so you can have fun looking for it if you buy the book. :)

Just an FYI … I mean, what U2 book would be complete without that quote? Right?

This makes me so happy, you have no idea. :)

You may recall back in October that I had questions about the August 21, 1979, show where several record company executive came to see U2 play, and the guys from EMI Records supposedly left in the middle of the show to go watch a band called The Specials play on The Old Grey Whistle Test.

The problem? There’s no record of The Specials appearing on Whistle Test in August. I did all kinds of research on them and came to the conclusion that this October 1979 appearance was the only one they did around that time.

So, what happened to solve this? Today on my lunch break from work, I spoke on the phone with Chas de Whalley, the producer of the “U2-3″ and “Another Day” singles, who also attended the same Baggot Inn show as the guys from EMI Records.

This is what Chas said about the recording session for “U2-3″ in early August, its release in September, and then the Baggott Inn gig:

“The record wasn’t any good. The moment I got on the plane to go back to London, I knew London wouldn’t like it. I knew it wasn’t any good as a record. Paul McGuinness knew it, too. He had it remixed by the Boomtown Rats soundman, and they put it out in Ireland and it went gangbusters. So, quite clearly there was a demand for this group and there was something happening. And so it was on the strength of that that Muff [Winwood, of CBS Records] said, ‘Let’s go over to see them again.’ And we did go over, and I think there were other record companies there, too….

Bingo! So we know The Specials appeared on Whistle Test in October, 1979, and here’s Chas de Whalley saying CBS records only decided to go see U2 again because of the success of “U2-3″ in September, 1979.

Problem solved. :)