U2 fans surprised by meaning behind name and why it makes band 'embarassed'
U2 is one of the most iconic names in music history - yet, even the band members themselves were never particularly fond of it. From Cold War espionage technology to spiritual symbolism, fans of the Dublin-born chart-topping group have always speculated about the origins of the name - but the reality is more straightforward than many might imagine.
In 1976, a 14-year-old Larry Mullen Jr. posted a handwritten note on the notice board at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, expressing his desire to form a band. What started as six youngsters jamming in a kitchen gradually evolved into something much more ambitious: Paul Hewson (soon to be known as Bono), David Evans (aka The Edge), Adam Clayton and Dik Evans made up the early formation of the band.
Initially, they went by the name Feedback - a choice they later confessed was because it was one of the few musical terms they actually understood. They then rebranded as The Hype, a name which also didn't stick around for long. It was in 1978 when things truly transformed, reports the Irish Star.
Dik Evans left the band, and a new four-piece line-up emerged into the limelight with a fresh name: U2. The name was actually proposed by Steve Averill, a punk musician from The Radiators From Space and a mate of Adam Clayton's.
He presented the band with a shortlist of six potential names - and U2 just scraped through... But only just. "It wasn't that it jumped out to us as the name we were really looking for" The Edge recalled, "but it was the one that we hated the least."
During a chat on Awards Chatter, the band's axeman remarked that the moniker felt "fresh" and was open to multiple interpretations, without shoehorning their music into any particular style. Bono conceded: "I still don't [like it]. I really don't."
He mentioned that initially, they were drawn to the name due to its connotations of cutting-edge technology – "the spy plane", "the U-boat", etc. , however, eventually, it seemed to suggest an undue compliance. "As it turned out to imply this kind of acquiescence - no, I don't like that name".
Talking about hearing their music unexpectedly, he said: "I've been in a car when one of our songs has come on the radio," and "And I've been the colour of - as we say in Dublin - scarlet. I'm just embarrassed."
Bono hasn't shied away from expressing his ambivalence towards U2's earlier endeavours, including their aesthetic and auditory identity: "I do think U2 pushes out the boat on embarrassment quite a lot" he admitted on the Awards Chatter podcast.
"And maybe that's the place to be as an artist - right at the edge of your level of pain for embarrassment." The vocalist has even critiqued his younger self's vocal performances, stating "my voice sounds very strained on those early recordings" yet acknowledged the singular piece where he believes his vocals shone: 2004's chart-topping 'Vertigo'.
In an interview, he unexpectedly revealed that his late-diagnosed dyslexia might have been why it took so long to twig that The Beatles was actually a play on words: "I didn't realise that The Beatles was a bad pun either.." Following a swift rebrand which included a name change, bolstered line-up, and fresh image, the band bid goodbye as The Hype with a farewell performance in March 1978.
They later returned to the same venue that night under their now-famous moniker U2, introducing audiences to their own material. Just weeks after this pivotal switch, they snagged the top prize at Limerick's "Pop Group '78" talent competition—a win The Edge retrospectively deemed "a great affirmation" for the novice group.
Fast forward, U2 has risen to global fame, having sold north of 150 million records, bagged an awe-inspiring 22 Grammy Awards, and crafted a tour legacy that has revolutionised live music for generations.
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