U2 by U2

published	September 26th 2006 by HarperEntertainment
binding	Hardcover
isbn	0060776757 (isbn13: 9780060776756)
ebook
pages	352
description	In 1975, four teenagers from Mount Temple School in Dublin gathered in a crowded kitchen to discuss forming a band. The drum kit just about fit into t...more [close] In 1975, four teenagers from Mount Temple School in Dublin gathered in a crowded kitchen to discuss forming a band. The drum kit just about fit into the room, the lead guitarist was playing a homemade guitar, the bassist could barely play at all and nobody wanted to sing. Over thirty years later, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. are still together, bound by intense loyalty, passionate idealism and a relentless belief in the power of rock and roll to change the world. <p align=center> <table cellpadding="4" width="100%"> <tr align="center"><td> Watch a video introduction to U2 by U2</td></tr> </table> <p align=left> In a epic journey that has taken them from the clubs of Dublin to the stadiums of the world, U2 have sold over 130 million albums, been number one all over the world, revolutionized live performance, spearheaded political campaigns and made music that defines the age we live in. From the anarchic days of their Seventies punk origins through their Eighties ascent to superstardom with the epic rock of The Joshua Tree, the dark post-modern ironies of Achtung Baby in the Nineties and their 21st-Century resurgence as rock's biggest and boldest band, this is a tale of faith, love, drama, family, birth, death, survival, conflict, crises, creativity . . . and a lot of laughter. Told with wit, insight and astonishing candour by the band themselves and manager Paul McGuinness, with pictures from their own archives, U2 by U2 allows unprecedented access into the inner life of the greatest rock band of our times. [close]
date added	02-13-07 edit book

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George Bradford rated it:

03/16/08

bookshelves: heroes, ireland, rock-n-roll

I was disappointed to learn that Ireland’s heroic U2 would publish their ‘auto biography’ as a ‘coffee table book.’ I believed U2’s story deserved a heavy (500+ page) sober (no photos) presentation reflecting an intellectual seriousness. And, besides, I didn’t own a “coffee table.”

But once again U2 demonstrated their genius. The over-sized format filled with countless images was the perfect setting for this candid story. A band this big couldn’t fit into a conventiona...more I was disappointed to learn that Ireland’s heroic U2 would publish their ‘auto biography’ as a ‘coffee table book.’ I believed U2’s story deserved a heavy (500+ page) sober (no photos) presentation reflecting an intellectual seriousness. And, besides, I didn’t own a “coffee table.”

But once again U2 demonstrated their genius. The over-sized format filled with countless images was the perfect setting for this candid story. A band this big couldn’t fit into a conventional sized book anyway.

The cumbersome book is not portable. And I believe that’s part of the point. Like so many of their songs, the tales U2 tell are best encountered in the solitude of one’s personal domain. This is not something you’d want to read on a crowded train or at a busy airport.

Nearly all of the photos are from the band’s personal archives and were not previously published. Frequently these images are not flattering. Documented herein are enough bad hair, bad skin, bad clothes and other bad ideas to destroy the careers of countless lesser bands.

But it is the text of “U2 by U2” that makes this book vital. The four members of U2 separately gave Neil McCormack recorded interviews about their lives and the history of the band. McCormack then turned the 150+ hours of audio into the story in this book. The result is brutally honest, intensely personal, shockingly messy and incredibly wonderful. (Just like a U2 album or concert!)

Often, the individual recollections are not consistent. Given the personalities involved that is not surprising. What is surprising is that in 1975 these four geniuses found each other. And what is even more surprising is that for 33+ years their passionate idealism and committed loyalty have held them together in the belief that rock and roll really can change the world for the better.

After reading about all the challenges, struggles and heartbreaks U2 has overcome and being reminded of all their achievements and contributions, I closed this colossal book and said “God bless U2.”
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U2 by U2

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