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History

[edit] Formation and early years (1976–79)

U2 in 1980. Shown from left to right: Clayton, Mullen, Bono, The Edge.

The band formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976.^[4] Larry Mullen, Jr., then 14 years old, posted a notice on his secondary school (Mount Temple Comprehensive School) notice board in search of musicians for a new band. Setting up in his kitchen, Mullen later described it as "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." Mullen was on drums, Paul Hewson (Bono) on lead vocals, David Evans (The Edge) and his older 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.^[5] Soon after, the group settled on the name "Feedback", because it was one of the few technical terms they knew.^[6] 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 forté.^[7] The band's early original material was influenced by punk rock acts, such as The Jam, The Clash, and The Sex Pistols.^{[citation needed]}

"We couldn't believe it. I was completely shocked. We weren't of an age to go out partying as such but I don't think anyone slept that night.... Really, it was just a great affirmation to win that competition, even though I've no idea how good we were or what the competition was really like. But to win at that point was incredibly important for morale and everyone's belief in the whole project."

—The Edge, on winning the CBS competition^[8]

In March 1977, the band changed their name to "The Hype".^[9] 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".^[10] 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.^[11]

On Saint Patrick's Day in 1978, U2 won a talent show in Limerick, Ireland. The prize consisted of £500 and studio time to record a demo which would be heard by CBS Ireland. This win was an important milestone and affirmation for the fledgling band.^[10] The band recorded their first demo tape at Keystone Studios in Dublin, in May 1978.^[12] Hot Press magazine was influential in shaping the band's future; in May, Paul McGuinness, who had earlier been introduced to the band by the magazine's journalist Bill Graham, agreed to be U2's manager.^[13] U2's first release, an Ireland-only EP entitled Three, was released in September 1979 and was the band's first Irish chart success.^[14] In December 1979, U2 performed in London for their first shows outside Ireland, although they failed to get much attention from audiences or critics.^[15] In February 1980, their second single "Another Day" was released on the CBS label, but again only for the Irish market.^[16]