I saw U2 at the LA Sports Arena 1983, War Tour and I walked away transformed. I know what that Island Records A&R guy felt. It was the night my guitar hobby was to become my life.
I've marveled before on how wild it is that U2 were playing the LA Sports Arena just a few albums into their career considering how raw sounding they were just four years prior, unsigned up to that point. Larry was all of twenty-one years of age on the War tour. I play guitar (recreationally) as well since right around that time. The Edge has been a huge influence, me being nine years younger than him. Bono's grip on pathos from the get-go, the band's creative ascension those years and in the ensuing years, their great sense of rhythm and melody and tightness as a band overall has always been breathtaking.
This so resonates with me. Many years ago my band were invited to do a showcase gig in London by Creation records. In the week running up to the show we were contacted by 4 or 5 more record companies who wanted to come and see us. We were walking 3 feet off the ground. We packed ourselves and our kit into a hired van and drove from Glasgow to London. Like U2 then, we weren't too confident but the promoter loved us and we played quite well. The Creation AnR guy didn't show up but sent a minion who hadn't even heard the demo that got us the gig. He didn't get us. I well remember the total dejection we all felt on the drive back home. We never went on to the global success U2 did(obvs) but we carried on for some more years, got some great support tours and had some great times. Its inspiring listening to the Edge on this video - never give up!
@@DaveMenzies awww that’s fantastic. Would love to meet you someday. I love anything or anyone Scottish. 😊 went to Edinburgh in 2012. Can’t wait to go back to Scotland, simple minds are my second favorite band next to U2. Got a cat also. His name is Buddy Holly.
Awesome! My head would probably explode if I got to meet The Edge one on one. He's a musical hero but seriously just seems like a great dude to hang out with.
U2 have been my favorite band since 1983. As a teen I predicted they would be massively successful. I just knew and they had a unique sound at the time. Used to come home after school and play the Boy and October albums with headphones on my sisters turn table. Boy album left an impression on me that this was pure rock with no pretense. Just damn good melodic rock songs
Same here. I still have both albums...yes albums (lol)...plus the next five through Achtung Baby. The rest I have on CD. Never a fan of Zooropa though.
the lesson here....don't give up. They kept at it, made that 'Home Coming' show the best they could make it - which is a success in it self - and added more success towards their efforts. Cheers!
Hindsight is wonderful, but looking back they had something very unique with this guy on guitar, they just didn't know it, luckily the world got to find out how good he is with sound and feeling, one of the great guitar players.
I think Bono new it early on.. he always gave Edge praise in many early shows to recent. Adam and Larry to but he knew they had a guitar player like no ther bands of their time with his own sound soars and bells echo sounds imo
I like U2 and The Edge, but their guitar sound was not unique around that time. The influence of Keith Levene of PiL is in there, as is John McGeoch of Siouxsie and the Banshees.
@@mrsuperger5429 that's a fair comment mate, influence is all around us and I suppose the edge was no different, but I think he had something very particular going on with his sound and style which made him stand out from the usual crowd.
London s loss was ultimately the bands gain , bypass it , make it big in America instead by literally playing everywhere and comeback as world conquerers , certain sections of the English media have always held that against u2 , that an Irish band were and are that successful after 35 years
@@citizennobody5518 Because frankly, it borders on racist. Nobody says, "Ac/Dc are barely Australian: the Young Brothers were born in Scotland!" Even if they have UK Passports, Clayton and The Edge learned their craft in Dublin, and lived there for the best part of their lives.
@@citizennobody5518 How dare you label me either "fascist" or "nationalist". By your logic, The Beatles were Irish; Oasis were Irish; Public Image Ltd were Irish...
Wait, where’s the rest of the story?! Did things work out with Island Records? Were they able to get this guy and his band some gigs? Did they get to make that album?
Wonder if some those A&R cats are saying, yea I saw them in London and didn't think they were a big deal... anytime from 1986 and on... must be pretty heartbreaking lol.
That’s the kind of thing I think a preacher would point to and say, you know, when it’s meant to be, when it’s God’s will... it’s meant to be and you couldn’t screw it up if you tried. That little setback in London set them up for an even bigger victory. It’s beautiful.
Can you imagine how stupid those other label reps must feel? Imagine putting this on your list of accomplishments on your resume/LinkedIn: “Had a chance to sign U2 but passed.”
Dave Howell Evans (Barking, Inglaterra; 8 de agosto de 1961) conocido como Edge, es el guitarrista, teclista y corista de la banda irlandesa de rock U2.
I think the homecoming gig at the boxing stadium is referring to the U2 Live at The National Stadium, Dublin, 26.2.1980. There used to be vinyl bootlegs of it back in the day. You can find it here on the tube now. th-cam.com/video/LJp3NvO-sh4/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=ALTP
Obviously he is fully aware of the fact that "his situation" is not normal... By the way, he is also aware that that situation is in many ways unrepeatable: currently, quite nobody makes money any more selling records since almost nobody buy records any more...
This though has also occured to me sometimes. What about the people who have been famous since the 60s? Apart from the money it basically means that whenever you talk people will listen to you with bated breath. That is the opposite of the experience of everyone else. It's like being royalty. So we watch this and compare it with our own experience. I think sometimes it can be quite destructive to average people. Just how we are in our society with mass market and media etc. This fella is obviously a nice bloke mind you. Having said that I've never heard a famous person really speak about what is like not be like the rest of us, the money and this other thing I just described.
Since I was 16 I wanted to see a movie on U2 as their living school life the meet because of Larry and onward. Older wiser I realize the time wasnt right but I think it is now. The movie then would have ended at Rattle and Hum but now it can span 40yrs instead of 1O making a good 2.5 hr movie but you would need a good rare director to make this most likely to be a failure of a movie .. successful collectable true rock band movie 4 guys who stayed out of trouble stuck together avoided constant spotlight
Because he is bald and had a bad transplant. Don't let this distract you from the fact that these "come up" stories never talk about how they got the 900 fans in the first place. It's always about the A&R guy at the 50th gig.
That Man who Signed them....Signed the Greatest Band ever. ...U2 were the "new" Beatles....they became the Biggest Band in the World....and over 40 years later..are STILL making new music...re-inventing themselves...and giving their fans content they want. Yea...supposedly BTS are the new "biggest band"..but..ten years from now..nobody will remember them...and U2 Will still be making new music and Selling out 80,000 seat arenas.
Legendary guitarist interviewed by someone who refers to "Waiting for Guffman" opposed to Gadot. Love how old I am, can I get a job as generational translator?
As much as the person the vast majority think of when the subject of U2 comes up is Bono, the man most responsible for the success of that band is Edge. In the interest of full disclosure, I’m not the biggest fan of the band. The last 20 years of their work I were meh at best. But it really annoys me just how much he gets disrespected by music snobs. People try to say Edge isn’t a great guitarist in the same way that David Gilmour or Jimmy Page or Eric Clapton are. And I guess in some ways, that may be true. But Edge pioneered a sound. Think about it... How many musicians throughout rock history can you hear play without knowing the song or who it is and come away knowing who is playing that guitar. Not many. So while I admit Edge will never lay down a solo in the way David Gilmour does, David Gilmour couldn’t write/play songs the way Edge does. In fact, a legitimate case can be made that there probably isn’t another band in the world more dependent on their guitarist than U2. That’s part of the reason why you hardly ever hear bands cover U2 songs. So if anything happens to him, the band is over. Period.
I once played there. Down in a small basement on a tiny stage. It went ok. I heard a story about another new band playing there. Two friends had a listen for a minute but went back upstairs for a chat and drink instead. It was The Police.
Multi-millionnaires have nothing interesting to say that could ever remotely identify with the people that made them so rich. The Edge should just look at the camera and say: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Over and over and over again.
The 17 dislikes are from those London records company executives, how inspirational is the Edge
😆
I saw U2 at the LA Sports Arena 1983, War Tour and I walked away transformed. I know what that Island Records A&R guy felt. It was the night my guitar hobby was to become my life.
I've marveled before on how wild it is that U2 were playing the LA Sports Arena just a few albums into their career considering how raw sounding they were just four years prior, unsigned up to that point. Larry was all of twenty-one years of age on the War tour. I play guitar (recreationally) as well since right around that time. The Edge has been a huge influence, me being nine years younger than him.
Bono's grip on pathos from the get-go, the band's creative ascension those years and in the ensuing years, their great sense of rhythm and melody and tightness as a band overall has always been breathtaking.
Such a genuine nice grounded guy no bullshit .. and doesn’t forget where he came from good man the edge
A man who almost gave it all up for religious reasons before it all began too.
A genuinely intelligent, and just basically nice man, it's rejuvenating to see great talents not all taken up with themselves.
Love the edge, great man, great musician
... great big head...
Huh? Great man? What you smokin'?
This so resonates with me. Many years ago my band were invited to do a showcase gig in London by Creation records. In the week running up to the show we were contacted by 4 or 5 more record companies who wanted to come and see us. We were walking 3 feet off the ground. We packed ourselves and our kit into a hired van and drove from Glasgow to London. Like U2 then, we weren't too confident but the promoter loved us and we played quite well. The Creation AnR guy didn't show up but sent a minion who hadn't even heard the demo that got us the gig. He didn't get us. I well remember the total dejection we all felt on the drive back home. We never went on to the global success U2 did(obvs) but we carried on for some more years, got some great support tours and had some great times. Its inspiring listening to the Edge on this video - never give up!
Nice story Dave.
@@animaljustice7774 Thanks 🙏🏻
@@DaveMenzies i’ve never been to Glasgow but I have been to Edinburgh, are you Scottish?
@@animaljustice7774 Yes - from Glasgow originally but now in Argyll and Bute. Got two cats by the way 😀
@@DaveMenzies awww that’s fantastic. Would love to meet you someday. I love anything or anyone Scottish. 😊 went to Edinburgh in 2012. Can’t wait to go back to Scotland, simple minds are my second favorite band next to U2. Got a cat also. His name is Buddy Holly.
Greatness often has such humble and honestly good roots.
love these insightful stories. really encouraging to the rest of us out there.
wonderful story, I was lucky enough to meet him at a Brooklyn Art Show a few years back. very nice gracious man.
Awesome! My head would probably explode if I got to meet The Edge one on one. He's a musical hero but seriously just seems like a great dude to hang out with.
I wonder how many people will hear or see this interview and say "Oh yeah I remember that concert, I was there"...
U2 have been my favorite band since 1983. As a teen I predicted they would be massively successful. I just knew and they had a unique sound at the time. Used to come home after school and play the Boy and October albums with headphones on my sisters turn table. Boy album left an impression on me that this was pure rock with no pretense. Just damn good melodic rock songs
Same here. I still have both albums...yes albums (lol)...plus the next five through Achtung Baby. The rest I have on CD. Never a fan of Zooropa though.
the lesson here....don't give up. They kept at it, made that 'Home Coming' show the best they could make it - which is a success in it self - and added more success towards their efforts. Cheers!
U2 always tell the BEST Rock & Roll stories!!
The Edge is a legendary player. He created his own sound.
one of the best guitar players EVER, incredible guitar solo's !!
Damn Im blown away when 60 people come to one of my shows, and this guy was like "900 ya know, respectable crowd."
When Edge was 18 years of age.
And the rest is history. Great story Edge, thanks for sharing o7
Hindsight is wonderful, but looking back they had something very unique with this guy on guitar, they just didn't know it, luckily the world got to find out how good he is with sound and feeling, one of the great guitar players.
I think Bono new it early on.. he always gave Edge praise in many early shows to recent. Adam and Larry to but he knew they had a guitar player like no ther bands of their time with his own sound soars and bells echo sounds imo
I like U2 and The Edge, but their guitar sound was not unique around that time. The influence of Keith Levene of PiL is in there, as is John McGeoch of Siouxsie and the Banshees.
@@mrsuperger5429 that's a fair comment mate, influence is all around us and I suppose the edge was no different, but I think he had something very particular going on with his sound and style which made him stand out from the usual crowd.
Great clip.
That was the lovely Nick Stewart who signed you to Island!
Always liked this guy. Band had some good moments...
Just a few.
Destiny! I’m glad it worked out for U2. Edge is an awesome musician he is actually why I love U2.
London s loss was ultimately the bands gain , bypass it , make it big in America instead by literally playing everywhere and comeback as world conquerers , certain sections of the English media have always held that against u2 , that an Irish band were and are that successful after 35 years
@@citizennobody5518 Not true. The Edge had Welsh parents, but grew up in Dublin. And listen to that accent: that's pure Dublin .
@@citizennobody5518 Because frankly, it borders on racist. Nobody says, "Ac/Dc are barely Australian: the Young Brothers were born in Scotland!" Even if they have UK Passports, Clayton and The Edge learned their craft in Dublin, and lived there for the best part of their lives.
@@citizennobody5518 How dare you label me either "fascist" or "nationalist". By your logic, The Beatles were Irish; Oasis were Irish; Public Image Ltd were Irish...
@@citizennobody5518 Michael Gambon has applied that logic to himself. He says he's more English than Irish, so he is.
@@citizennobody5518 I'll catch you on Twitt... Oh wait ;)
Great interview
Wait, where’s the rest of the story?! Did things work out with Island Records? Were they able to get this guy and his band some gigs? Did they get to make that album?
I believe so, but it would need some research to be 100% sure.
Yes they are still with Island rekords 😊
Wonder if some those A&R cats are saying, yea I saw them in London and didn't think they were a big deal... anytime from 1986 and on... must be pretty heartbreaking lol.
Those 'cats' are the dislikes...hahaha!
He sounds Irish, British and American all at the same time. He has such a palletable accent.
The fact that Sam knows Waiting For Guffman - makes him just so unbelievably relatable to me. What a great guy
Is that a movie? Never heard of it.
@@lordsod69 yes. It's hilarious. Very dry. Very sad.
@@aamsergie Thanks; I'll check it out indeed
That’s the kind of thing I think a preacher would point to and say, you know, when it’s meant to be, when it’s God’s will... it’s meant to be and you couldn’t screw it up if you tried. That little setback in London set them up for an even bigger victory. It’s beautiful.
Just shows never give up
...and also success can be right around the corner from a failure...
Beautiful story! I’m glad it happened..
Nice. Hope things worked out for the lads.
Awesome!
If anyone ever wondered how an irish accent evolved into an american one over the generations, it's all clear in the edge's voice
Well Bono and Edge have lived much or most of the time in the US for 35 years now.
He never started off with an Irish accent. Born in UK to Welsh parents.
I'm sorry but U2 has reached mythical status.
Wow. Just like a married couple Bono and Edge act so alike. I wonder who resembles who more.
Can you imagine how stupid those other label reps must feel? Imagine putting this on your list of accomplishments on your resume/LinkedIn: “Had a chance to sign U2 but passed.”
A Sort of Homecoming....
Special guy
It's true about "darkest before the dawn." Great story!
What a great story.
Dave Howell Evans (Barking, Inglaterra; 8 de agosto de 1961) conocido como Edge, es el guitarrista, teclista y corista de la banda irlandesa de rock U2.
God loves U2
And the moral of the story is.....you never know when the big break is going to happen
Do recordings of those London shows, or the homecoming show in Dublin still exist? Id love to see the song list!
I think the homecoming gig at the boxing stadium is referring to the U2 Live at The National Stadium, Dublin, 26.2.1980. There used to be vinyl bootlegs of it back in the day. You can find it here on the tube now. th-cam.com/video/LJp3NvO-sh4/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=ALTP
Goes to show how much "luck" is involved! Had the guy made it to the earlier London show, the band U2 might not have existed...
as they say "everything is an accident"😀
The universe works in mysterious ways, i tell ya
Name: The
Surname: Edge
Good storyteller.
In the words of Kayne West in regards to those record labels, "Shhhh, we messed up!" Imagine not signing U2....haaaaaaaaaa!
his mum says "edge, du want a cup o tea?
I’m used to Sam Jones having his awesome chats with actors, though.
Bet those companies that went to the London gigs kicked themselves later on 😂 God bless those boys 🔥
He's been famous since he was 19 years old. I wonder if he can appreciate that his situation is not normal.
Obviously he is fully aware of the fact that "his situation" is not normal...
By the way, he is also aware that that situation is in many ways unrepeatable: currently, quite nobody makes money any more selling records since almost nobody buy records any more...
@@AnimationByDylan no and they are still worken toghert with appel 😊
This though has also occured to me sometimes. What about the people who have been famous since the 60s? Apart from the money it basically means that whenever you talk people will listen to you with bated breath. That is the opposite of the experience of everyone else. It's like being royalty. So we watch this and compare it with our own experience. I think sometimes it can be quite destructive to average people. Just how we are in our society with mass market and media etc. This fella is obviously a nice bloke mind you. Having said that I've never heard a famous person really speak about what is like not be like the rest of us, the money and this other thing I just described.
awesome
A Sort of Homecoming Show
if you don't give up success may happen to U2
Since I was 16 I wanted to see a movie on U2 as their living school life the meet because of Larry and onward.
Older wiser I realize the time wasnt right but I think it is now. The movie then would have ended at Rattle and Hum but now it can span 40yrs instead of 1O making a good 2.5 hr movie but you would need a good rare director to make this most likely to be a failure of a movie .. successful collectable true rock band movie 4 guys who stayed out of trouble stuck together avoided constant spotlight
How do you film something off camera?
What stories!
amazing story..the could have just given up....but they didnt.
I didn't know TIm Pool was in U2.
A home coming gig, after being away one week?
The Edge ..Where Did It All Go Wrong..No Time Wasting ..Just A Simple Question...
Nothing more dangerous than a man or band with nothing left to lose
...that man is cute at any age!
Many bands that get signed have this same story. Idiot record label people pass on them. Even the Beatles went through that.
Why does the Edge wear that hat 24/7 ???
Because he is bald and had a bad transplant. Don't let this distract you from the fact that these "come up" stories never talk about how they got the 900 fans in the first place. It's always about the A&R guy at the 50th gig.
That Man who Signed them....Signed the Greatest Band ever. ...U2 were the "new" Beatles....they became the Biggest Band in the World....and over 40 years later..are STILL making new music...re-inventing themselves...and giving their fans content they want. Yea...supposedly BTS are the new "biggest band"..but..ten years from now..nobody will remember them...and U2 Will still be making new music and Selling out 80,000 seat arenas.
You’re stuck in the 80s old man , U2 is no Beatles on the Beatles worst day they outclass U2 by miles
They are bigger then the Beatles cause they are still toghert after 40 years the Beatles dident make it
Legendary guitarist interviewed by someone who refers to "Waiting for Guffman" opposed to Gadot. Love how old I am, can I get a job as generational translator?
Uh he was actually talking about Waiting for Guffman, the film - which makes perfect sense.
What the other guy said and also, it's Godot.
The edges family were v rich when he was a kid
They were in their hole.
A lot of people that come from money won't work, they will just coast. To his credit, it takes a lot of work to be great at what you do.
First step is being a trust fund baby to be able to play music and NOT WORK A REAL job
Stay out of Ukraine
Such a boring storyteller but a great guitarist
As much as the person the vast majority think of when the subject of U2 comes up is Bono, the man most responsible for the success of that band is Edge. In the interest of full disclosure, I’m not the biggest fan of the band. The last 20 years of their work I were meh at best. But it really annoys me just how much he gets disrespected by music snobs. People try to say Edge isn’t a great guitarist in the same way that David Gilmour or Jimmy Page or Eric Clapton are. And I guess in some ways, that may be true. But Edge pioneered a sound. Think about it...
How many musicians throughout rock history can you hear play without knowing the song or who it is and come away knowing who is playing that guitar. Not many. So while I admit Edge will never lay down a solo in the way David Gilmour does, David Gilmour couldn’t write/play songs the way Edge does. In fact, a legitimate case can be made that there probably isn’t another band in the world more dependent on their guitarist than U2. That’s part of the reason why you hardly ever hear bands cover U2 songs. So if anything happens to him, the band is over. Period.
He scarely sound like a Bono.
The Hope and anchor Upper street Islington saw many a legendary band perform their first gigs London where the streets have great names
I once played there. Down in a small basement on a tiny stage. It went ok. I heard a story about another new band playing there. Two friends had a listen for a minute but went back upstairs for a chat and drink instead. It was The Police.
Multi-millionnaires have nothing interesting to say that could ever remotely identify with the people that made them so rich. The Edge should just look at the camera and say: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Over and over and over again.
Yeah, it's not like they worked their arses off to get where they did.
@@calmster They had it pretty easy. America throwing money after them for decades. Was a cakewalk.
the edge is the brains of the band, Larrys the boss adam the posh boy and bonos the showman
Hmm is Bono who is writting the songs and they are all the brain in U2
@@michellepoulsenmogensen2103 its Bono who calls the edge the NASA scientist
@@paulmurphy2144 mr Spock
@@michellepoulsenmogensen2103 another name from bono
@@paulmurphy2144 i only listen to Bono and he says that the edge is a mad scientist and they are so full of ironi 😂