Subject: alt.music.u2 FAQ, Part 2/4
Supersedes: <music/U2-faq/part2_826083322@rtfm.mit.edu>
Date: 21 Mar 1996 14:38:42 GMT
References: <music/U2-faq/part1_827418880@rtfm.mit.edu>
X-Last-Updated: 1995/10/23

Alt-fan-U2-archive-name: fan/U2-faq/part2

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   2. Stories for Boys
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*******************
 [SL] This section is designed to hold answers to some frequent questions
about U2. Some questions like 'Which U2 song is the best?' have of
course no definite answer, and are left out. Some of these questions have
given birth to eternal discussions on Wire, especially the one about 'Pride'
(sing or saint?) and the Sunday Bloody Sunday references. The
subsections are intended to divide U2's history in different eras. 

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   2.1 The early years 
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   2.1.1  Who started U2 and when?  How did they get those wacky
nicknames?
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[SL] Larry Mullen, Jr. was born on October 31, 1961 on the southside of
Dublin.  He was two years behind Bono in high school but both noticed
each other.  It was Larry who posted an ad on abulletin board at school
about starting a band.
  Paul Hewson (Bono) was born on the 10th of May, 1960 in Dublin.  He
was a very outgoing person in high school who responded to Larry's note
saying that he could play guitar and sing. He really couldn't do either.
  Adam Clayton was born in Oxfordshire on March 13, 1960 and moved
to Dublin after his father got a job flying for Aer Lingus .  Although he
was not a very good student, he was was always very polite to everyone.
 He was the only bassist to respond to Larry's note.
  Dave Evans (the Edge) was born on August 8, 1961 in East London. 
His family moved to Dublin a year later.  He was often known as a loner
early in high school.  He took piano and guitar lessons and often played
with his brother, Dick.  Both showed up to "U2's" first little gathering.

[P] First meeting at Larry+s house (60 Rosemount Avenue); set up in
Mullen+s kitchen, and played Rolling Stones -Brown Sugar+ and
-Satisfaction+ (UF, p. 61); entire group includes Larry, Dave and Dik
Evans, Adam Clayton, Paul Hewson, Peter Martin, and Ivan McCormick
.

[CB] Larry was born on the *northside* of Dublin, Artane.
 Bono, which is a shortening of Bono Vox, got his name through a group
of friends of his who were known as the Village. The name, which means
"good voice" in Latin, was the name of a hearing aid shop in Dublin. 
Edge was named by Bono because Dave was always on the fringe of
things. 

[GB] I heard on a TV show that Bono gave this name to Evans because
of the sharp lines in his face.  This could also apply to his clear, clinging
guitar playing.

[CB] The thing in Lypton Village about naming people was that: 1) they
thought it strange that you should go by a name given to you by your
parents, when that name might not really suit you. 2) the nicknames were
often associated with a facial thing and it would then also apply to the
person's character. So The Edge had this prominent jaw line & was
always on the edge of things: like an observer.  Bono's first Village name
was:    Steinhegvanhuysenolegbangbangbangbang (!)
Paul McGuinness became known as 'The Goose'.

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   2.1.2  Where does the name U2 come from? 
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[M] The reason for the band picking the name U2 is not really known. 
For one thing, the U2 is a spy plane that was in service during the late
'50s and '60s. There was a U2 that was involved in a crash over the old
Soviet Union on 4 May 1960 (four days before Bono was born).  The
name U2 is also a pun, as in you too or you two.  The name seemed to be
sufficiently vague to work as the name of the band we now know and
love. 

[JC] The U2 model was an American spy plane used after WWII. It is
famous for the 'U2 incident'. This plane was used for high altitude
reconnaissance before the use of satellites and was not supposed to be
detectable by radar.  The plane was shot down over Soviet Russia in the
late 50's, and the pilot, Francis Gary Powers, captured. When the Soviets
announced to Dwight Eisenhower they had shot down a U2 spy plane,
his retort was 'What plane?' Yes, a great moment in Presidential history.)
The band took their name after this plane. 

[PG] Before U2, the group had two other names (for a short period):
'Feedback'  and 'The Hype'.

[GM] 1960 was the year. Eisenhower knew about U-2 flights over the
USSR, but he wasn't just going to come out and admit it in case the
Soviets were bluffing. Adam said he liked names like XTC, they had
Steve Averill come up with a bunch of suggestions. They didn't exactly
love the name U2, but they couldn't come up with a better name, so they
used it.  The above reasons why it was the best are pretty accurate. 

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   2.1.3  Which band members were/are in U2?
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[SL]  This is very boring. U2 lack the emotion of big bands like Pink
Floyd and the Beatles when it comes to rupture rumors, and gossip.
They have always had the same members, and it's not bound to change in
the near future. The four guys seem to be good friends. However...

[PG] In the first few weeks of their existance, Edge's brother Dick Evans
was also in the band.

[CB] The band were advised to dump Larry, in the early days.(by a
record company)

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   2.1.4 Who's the boy on the cover of "Boy" and "War"?
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[SL]  I saw an interview around the time of the Joshua Tree tour where
Bono talks about this. He was a kid who lived across the street in front
of Bono's house in Dublin. Quote 'He was a smart guy, know-it-all, he's
probably taller than me now'

[Ge] His name is Peter Rowan.

[RA] Peter was a one of Bono's friends younger brother. The cover was
changed  in the States because of " a vague worry at the label that there
might be a homosexual impression left from the boy's waist-up
nakedness." (Ellen Darst)

[CB] Peter Rowan is the brother of Derek "Guggi" Rowan, and
Strongman - both of which were in the Virgin Prunes.  Peter later became
skate-board champion of Ireland, works in a skate-board shop and has
also had various acting parts, notably in 'The Commitments" and "The
Snapper".

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   2.1.5  Wait, I don't see a boy on the "Boy" cover!!
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[SL]  That's probably because you have the US release of the album,
which has been censored /edited to avoid child abuse implications. 

[MM] I believe that the change of the cover of boy was not the band's
choice.   In a biography of the band there is a detailed descrition of how
CBS (I think)  record executives decided that the picture of the boy on
the front would be  bad marketing,  they were afraid it would have
homosexual overtones.  I'm  not making this up, hard to believe aint it. 
Anyway, for more info I  believe the correct source in Hot Presses
biography, forgot the title.

[Ge] It was Warner's in the USA that chanded the cover of Boy for fear
of  paedophilia claims.
 
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   2.1.6  What does Bono sing at the end of Another Time, Another
Place?
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[JV] It sounds like German - what is it and why is it there?"  No one
seems to know the answer to that last one, though plenty of people 
would like to find out.

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   2.1.7 What is the meaning behind the title "An Cat Dubh"?
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[AL] My boss, who is (Northern) Irish, told me it's Gaelic for *The
Black Cat*. Sort of makes sense if you listen to the words, I think.

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   2.1.8 Who is Gavin Friday?
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[CB] Gavin Friday was born Fionan Hanvey, October 8, 1959, a few
blocks down the road from Bono. They met and became friends in their
teens and to date Bono describes Gavin as his 'friend for life, drinking
buddy on weekdays  and some sort of a musical diviner'. Gavin formed
the Virgin Prunes,  taking a left turn where U2 went to the right, fueled
by such diverse  influences as the Dada movement, Salvador Dali, Bowie,
T-Rex, The Sex Pistols and.... ABBA, as well as a smouldering Celtic
strain.  Spontaneity was important to the band's performances and when
that  spontaneity was all but dead around 1986, Friday decided to call it a
day.  After a brief painting stint, he returned in  with his solo debut 'Each
Man Kills the Thing He Loves' (Island 1989) on which he  exorcised all
the ghosts that had lain dormant since the Prunes demise. The record was
a dark, moody, introspective affair, dealing with such  primary topics as
love, sex and death. Determined not to be categorized Friday revamped
his 'cabaret singer from hell'  act into 'mad eclectic popstar' for his second
album 'Adam 'n' Eve',  showing a lighter side of himself, but not
wandering too far  from his familiar themes. On the ZOO TV and
Zooropa tours,  Friday's possible influence on U2 became more apparent
to the media, the NME going as far as naming him Bono's 'confidante and
advisor'.  Many believed his presence was strongly felt in Bono's new
stage  character 'MacPhisto', but Friday claims he only 'put the horns on
him'.  In 1993, Friday, his pianist Maurice Roycroft and Bono
collaborated  on the 'In the Name of the Father' soundtrack, with Bono
admitting  it was Gavin who did 'most of the work.' Late 1995 will see
Friday,  who says he 'never could rock and never wanted to roll' return to
the stage with his third record on Island: Shag Tobacco.

[MJS]  If you want to know more about Gavin Friday check out the
following web site: 
 Gavin Friday's Wonderful Wicked World
 http://www.xs4all.nl/~pj/gf-index.html
and Caroline Von B's book on Gavin Friday, "The and the Dark."
A sound sample of the single "In the Name of the Father" is available at
the U2 site and on Compuserve.  
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   2.2   October to The Unforgettable Fire
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   2.2.1  Where is the castle on the cover of "The Unforgettable Fire"?
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[GD] The castle on The Unforgettable Fire is NOT Slane Castle. The
album was partly recorded at Slane Castle, but the castle on the cover is
called Moydrum and is in county West Meath. 

[CB] The castle on the cover of The Unforgettable Fire is Castle
Moydrum, which is near Athlone. It's about a half an hour walk from
town. I've been there a few times (every time to show different people
the site). However, the castle on the backsleeve of the album is yet
another castle. This is called Carrickgogunnel, in County Tipperary.
(confirmed by Cecelia Coffey - Principle Management Dublin).

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   2.2.2  Where did the idea for "The Unforgettable Fire" come from?
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[JC] "The Unforgettable Fire" is the name of a collection of drawings and
pictures made by the survivors of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb blast at
the end of World War II. Although simplistic in depiction, they are
considered national treasures by the Japanese.  An exhibit toured through
the United States in early 1984, and U2 saw the exhibit in Chicago. 
Touched by the exhibit, it inspired the song and album title, as well as
some of the painting used as stage backdrops on the'Fire' tour. 

[JV] The album title also refers to the "unforgettable fire" for equality
and peace which burned inside people like Martin Luther King, Jr. The
songs themselves speak to this, juxtaposing images of nuclear devastation
and human triumph in and between the various tracks on the album. 

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   2.2.3  Tell me all about the song "Pride (in the name of love)"
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"Why does Bono sing 'Early morning, April Four' in Pride, when MLK
was shot in the early evening?" 
[JV] The Wire answer is basically that he either screwed up or exercised
poetic licenseto make it fit better. 

[GM] Bono says he screwed up.  He sometimes sings 'Early evening,
April 4' The song's origins came during the War Tour in a soundcheck in
Hawaii.  The original lyrics were anti-Reagan with 'What more in the
name of love' also being a featured lyric according to The Edge.  The song
evolved into one about martyrs and those who create them.

[P]This in no way is an effort to justify what is a glaring historical
inaccuracy in the song, but .... When Bono heard the news as a 7-year-old
in Dublin, it WAS early morning. BUT ... it was early in the morning on
April 5th when he would have heard the news.

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   2.3 Time for worldwide acclamation
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   2.3.1  Is The Joshua Tree the biggest U2 album ever?
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[SL] I'll fill this up when I have some more time...

[GM] It sold the most units.  14 million worldwide I think.

[P] It topped the charts in 22 different countries!!!

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  2.3.2  What's the story behind "Where the Streets have no name"?
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[SW] Back during the time of the whole Ethiopia starvation crisis, Bono
and his wife Ali did a 6 week deal over there as volunteer relief workers
or something of the such.  The tent cities that were set up for the people
were just lined up in rows, and that was how these people lived, hence
there were streets without names.  'high on a desert plain' would be
refering to Ethiopia, as well as the mentions of being 'blown by the wind'
and 'trampled in dust', as it was a drought and i'd imagine, awfully dusty. 
Also, I would assume that 'and when I go there, i go there with you...'
would be refering to Ali. IMO, the begining lines are written in
frustration at the misery and hopelessness of the situation and his
inability to make very much of a difference. 

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   2.3.3  Who are Greg Carrol and Jara in "One Tree Hill"?
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[PH] A New Zealander (Greg Carroll) who worked for the band was
killed in a motorcycle accident in Dublin while doing something for Bono.
I think the funeral was held in the Maori cemetry at the top of One Tree
Hill in Auckland--hence the name of the song. FYI, One Tree Hill is
called that because although there are plenty of trees on the lower slopes
of the hill, the upper slopes are completely bare apart from a tall, old tree
on its own at the top. Somebody told me that it was diseased and had to
be cut down, but I looked last time I was in Auckland and it was still
there. 

[SL]  Victor Jara was a Chilean folk singer/songwriter who was very
famous at the beginning of the 70s in Chile. His songs were full of social
criticism and called for uprising. He was respected among the intellectual
leaders of the socialist Chilean government. Alas, Augusto Pinochet
overthrew the government in a military coup. Part of the associated
repression included torturing Victor Jara to death, cutting both his hands
and making him sing and play the guitar afterwards. Thus, "Jara sang, his
song a weapon in the hands of love, his blood still cries from the ground".


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   2.3.4  Tell me about the Negativland incident
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[SL] I have chosen to quote here a 'neutral' answer. This is sampled from
the music /alternative-faq /part1 file, available from and mantained by
Joshua Buergel - allroy@cmu.edu - jbbb@andrew.cmu.edu. If you'd like
to get the mentioned lyrics, check out question #1 
[MJS] Since this incident has faded somewhat, I've shortened this answer
a bit. The full version is still available at the address above.
A:  The Negativland _U2_ single put out in late '91 by SST Records and
featured two tracks, both of which made fun of U2's "Still Haven't Found
What I'm Looking For".  Shortly after its release, an enormous legal
document arrived at SST from Island Records/ Warner-Chappel
Publishing, the gist of which was that SST was getting its butt sued for
putting the thing out. Among the charges being levelled were that the
packaging was deceptive (this was reportedly the biggest problem that
Island had with the record), that the use of various unauthorized samples
on the single were copyright infringement (Negativland maintained that as
a piece of satire the samples should have been allowed) and lots of other
charges. Incidentally, the "deceptive" packaging as that the single had
"U2" in huge letters on the front with "Negativland" in really small letters
across the bottom.  Island apparently felt that such packaging was
intended to deceive the consumer into believing it was a U2 release. 
    Anyway, SST and Negativland got squashed.  The settled out of court.
Total damages: $90,000.  SST tried to get Negativland to pay the entire
bill while N'land offered to pay half.  No agreement was reached and
N'land left SST records, whose owner (Greg Ginn, ex-Black Flag
guitarist) threatened lawsuits.  Shortly thereafter Negativland put out a
CD and magazine combo entitled "The Letter U and the Numeral 2"
which documents the whole fiasco, including press releases, legal
documents, articles and everything else possibly concerned with the
whole situation.  

[MJS] Finally, I think it's worthwhile to let U2 have their say in this.
The Edge was interviewed by Mondo 2000 magazine in 1992.  Two
members of Negativeland took part in the interview, although this was
not revealed to the Edge until halfway through the interview.  The entire
text of this interview is available  What follows is a very brief excerpt of
U2's perception of the incident.

EDGE:  Yeah, well from what I can remember, I can't remember the exact
sequence of events, but as it was presented to us, you know, "Here's the
record, here's the album sleeve, Island are already on the case here, and
they've objected because they feel it's, because of the artwork, this is at a
time when a lot of people are expecting a new U2 record," and they felt
that, from their own point of view, in a pure business sense, nothing
about art, I just think they felt there was a chance that people would pick
up the record in a record shop and think, "Oh, this is the new U2 album."


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   2.3.5   In the Song Angel of Harlem, what is "BLS"?
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[MP] In the song Angel of Harlem, there's a line, "On the BLS I heard the
sound, of an angel . . ." Could you tell me what "BLS" is??? I thought it
was somehow associated with airplanes, or those ever-annoying PA
systems in airports, but I can't seem to figure this one out.  Any info
about it???

[MPZ] As a lifelong New Yorker, I can tell you that BLS in the line "On
BLS I heard the sound (of an Angel)" refers the New York City radio
station WBLS-FM, which has been playing Rhythm & Blues/Soul music
for 20+ years.

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   2.3.6  What is The Joshua Trio?
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[AK] I know all about the Joshua Trio as it was some mates of mine that
put the whole thing together. I did the graphics for the one and only
single release (only in the UK and Ireland).   Basically the Joshua Trio
sprung from the overblown state of U2 circa Joshua Tree/Rattle and
Hum. We were in art college in Dublin and three friends had established a
punk/country band called the Dodge City Slickers. The Slickers were
very theatrical and were a great laugh while they lasted.  Just prior to the
Joshua Tree tour in the States we were involved in doing some 'club
design' stuff in the Factory for a birthday party for Adam Clayton. There
was a little stage set up where pretty much everybody was gigging on by
nights end. There was the strange combo of U2, Cactus World News,
The Dodge City Slickers, and Hank Halfhead and his Rambling Turkeys
all doing covers.
 Anyway when the Slickers broke up Paul the singer had this idea of a
jazz combo which only did U2 covers. It was a tongue in cheek idea
which then developed into a greater concept: 
  'To bring the music of U2 to a wider audience'
 Bono at this point was acting very egotistical and moralistic so the idea
of Bono as a religious guru with a message to spread became part of the
Trio's concept. The band wore either angels wings and 'jesus style' towels
around their waist or (in Pauls' case) a toga and a medallion with Bonos'
face on it.
 The jazz (and trio) idea gradually turned into a wider musical thing, with
jazz, country, metal, loungebar and just plain stupid interpretations of
U2 stuff. Also songs about U2 ('the edge has got his hat on', 'nothing
compares to U2') 'Nothing compares' was sung by 'guest star' Sinead
(Paul in a bathing cap).
 The movie was a proposal called (if memory serves) 'The last
temptation of Bono' (or something). It involved a cast of Irish music
types and would have been very funny. It was offered (ironically) as a
serious venture and was taken as such by a variety of media types.
Arthur, who was in the early version of the Trio is a very talented
comedy writer for TV who is flavour of the month in the UK at the
moment.
 The Trio became very popular in Ireland for a period and took to
bringing donkeys into venues for gigs and such like. They had some
interesting forays into England where they had a strange small cult
following. For some reason Japanese girls seemed to love them (?)
 A single/ep was released through Son (part of the U2 stable) which got
good airplay in the UK but never sold very well (you could never find
the thing!). It was a country version of 'The Fly' with a couple of live
numbers.With the Zoo TV tour the joke didn't make as much sense
(although there were gigs in Dublin with televisions, washing machines
and bicycles on stage) and the band lost interest.   There you go. A
potted history of the Joshusa Trio

[MJS]  The movie was to be called "The Last Temptation of Chris
DeBurgh," the Joshua Trio dropped hints about the plot in an interview
with Hot Press that can be found in Three Chords and The Truth.

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   2.3.7  Why haven't I seen the video for Red Hill Mining Town?
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[PC] The song was actually slated to be the second single off of the
album. The video was shot in Bodie, California (a ghost town) and
directed by Neil Jordan.  But while W/or W/Out You was doing its tour
of duty, the band was rehearsing for the tour and they discovered that
Red Hill was too high for Bono to sing every night and would not be in
the setlist for the tour. And as logic says: What's the good of touring if
you can't use it to promote your latest record/single?

[P] The original copy of the video remains in storage at Principle
Management's offices in Dublin. Rumors have circulated that MTV
showed this video once on-air, and that they also have a copy of it in
their "library." These rumors are just that, and they are false.

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   2.3.8  Who dies at the end of the All I Want is You video?
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[MJS] This question truly is frequently asked. I think it's the woman.

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   2.3.9 Was JT originally a double album?
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[P]When Edge was asked about this in Hot Press, he never REALLY
confirmed the idea. This is his response: Edge on double-album idea: "For
instance, we disagreed vehemently about what songs should go on the
album.  If Bono had his way, 'The Joshua Tree' would have been more
American and bluesy, and I was trying to pull it back." That compromise
led to the later flood of new B-side tracks.  Bono argued that "the album
is almost incomplete. 'With or Without You' doesn't really make sense
without 'Walk to the Water' or 'Luminous Times'.  And 'Trip Through
Your Wires' doesn't make that much sense without 'Sweetest Thing.'"
(HP, 12/87)

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  2.3.10 What does Hawkmoon 269 mean?
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[MJS] I read somewhere that Hawkmoon 269 was taken from a road sign
the band saw from their tour bus. It means, literally the town of
Hawkmoon is 269 miles from this point. The name intrigued Bono and
eventually he used it as the title for the song we know and love.

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   2.4  Awards
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[MJS] This area is under contruction.
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    2.4.1. Grammy Awards
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[MJS] This area is under construction.
1987: Best Album - JT; Best Rock Group Vocal - JT

1988: Best Rock Group Performance - Desire; Best Music Video, Short
Form - Where the Streets Have No Name

1992: Best Rock Group Performance - AB

1993: Best Alternative Album - Zooropa

1994: Best Music Video, Long Form -  ZooTV Live From Sydney

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    2.4.2  Brit Awards
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    2.4.3  MTV Awards
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    2.4.4  Rolling Stone Magazine
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[MJS] Rolling Stone Magazine's Music Awards are given annually, based
on a readers poll and a critics poll.  The top 5 picks are listed for each
category, but I've only listed U2 wins here.  If you want to see each U2
placing in the awards, check out U2: The Rolling Stones Files.

1985:  Readers Picks - Band of the Year; Best Performance at Live Aid;
 Critics Picks - Band of the Year

1987:  Readers Picks - Artist of the Year; Best Album - JT; Best Single -
WOWY [Streets and Still Haven't Found came in 2nd & 3rd];Best Band;
Best Male Singer - Bono; Best Producer - Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno;
Best Songwriter - Bono; Best Video - Streets [WOWY was #2]; Best
Album Cover - JT; Best Live Performance; Best Guitartist - The Edge;
Best Bass Player - Adam Clayton; Best Drummer - Larry Mullen Jr.;
Sexiest Male Rock Artist - Bono
 Critics Picks - Artist of the Year; Best Band; Best Producer - Daniel
Lanois; Best Guitarist - The Edge

1988:  Readers Picks - Artist of the Year; Best Album - R&H; Best
Single - Desire; Best Band; Best Male Singer - Bono; Best Songwriter -
Bono; Best Video - Desire; Best Album Cover - R&H; Best Bass Player -
Adam Clayton; Best Drummer - Larry Mullen Jr.

1991:  Critics Picks -Comeback of the Year; Best Drummer - Larry
Mullen Jr.;

1992:  Readers Picks - Best Single - One; Best Band; Best Male Singer;
Artist of the Year; Best Album - AB; Best Songwriter - Bono; Best
Album Cover - AB; Sexiest Male Artist - Bono;     Best Tour - ZooTV;
Best Drummer - Larry Mullen Jr.; Comeback of the Year; 
 Critics Picks -  Best Band [tied w/REM]; Best Tour - ZooTV;  Worst
Tour - ZooTV

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   2.4.5  Other Awards
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[MJS] Under construction.


