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File:2005-05-17 U2 @ CAA by ZG.JPG U2, Vertigo Tour, 2005. U2 are a rock band from Dublin, Ireland. The band consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion). U2 have been one of the most popular acts in the world since the mid-1980s. The band has sold upwards of 170 million albums worldwide, and they have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other rock band. U2 formed in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. By the mid-1980s, however, the band had become a top international act, noted for its anthemic sound, Bono's impassioned vocals, and The Edge's textural guitar playing. Their success as a live act was greater than as a record-selling act until their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree, brought them mega-stardom. Their alternative rock/dance-infused 1991 album Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour were part of a significant reinvention for the band; it was a response to their own sense of musical stagnation, the dance and alternative music revolutions, and criticism of their image. This experimentation continued for the rest of the 1990s. In the early years of the 21st century, U2 have pursued a more traditional sound while maintaining influences from their previous musical explorations. They continue to enjoy the highest level of commercial and critical success. The band is active in human rights, international development, and social justice causes, such as Amnesty International, Make Poverty History, the ONE Campaign, Live Aid, Live 8, Bono's DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa) campaign, and Music Rising. edit  Selected article One Tree Hill in 2008. The tree was removed by authorities in 2000, six years after being chainsawed by a Māori activist. "One Tree Hill" is a song by rock band U2 and the ninth track on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. In March 1988, it was released as the fourth single from the album in New Zealand and Australia, while "In God's Country" was released as the fourth single in North America. The release charted at number one on the New Zealand singles chart. The track was written in memory of Greg Carroll, a Māori the band met during The Unforgettable Fire Tour in 1984. He became very close friends with lead singer Bono and served as a roadie for the group. Carroll was killed in July 1986 in a motorcycle accident in Dublin. Following the funeral in New Zealand, Bono wrote the lyrics to "One Tree Hill", which he dedicated to Carroll. The lyrics reflect Bono's thoughts at the funeral and pay homage to Chilean activist Victor Jara. Musically, the song was developed in a jam session with producer Brian Eno. The vocals were recorded in a single take, as Bono felt incapable of singing them a second time. "One Tree Hill" was received favourably by critics. U2 delayed performing the song on the Joshua Tree Tour in 1987 due to Bono's fears over his emotional state. After its live debut on the tour's third leg and an enthusiastic reaction from audiences, the song was played occasionally for the rest of the tour and semi-regularly during the Lovetown Tour of 1989–1990. It has appeared only sporadically since then, and most renditions were performed in New Zealand. Performances in November 2010 on the U2 360° Tour were dedicated to the miners who died in the Pike River Mine disaster. edit  Selected picture Bono in a theater U2's Bono at the Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark opening at Foxwoods Theatre, New York City in June 2011. ... that on the front cover of "All That You Can't Leave Behind" is a very subtle Biblical reference? In the background J 33-3 can be seen. This is a reference to verse 33 of chapter 3 of the book of Jeremiah: "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and hidden things which you have not known." ... that Adam Clayton was Bono's best man at his wedding? ... that "Angel of Harlem", second single from Rattle and Hum, is an homage to Billie Holiday? ... that the U2 song "Breathe" is set on 16 June, an intentional reference to James Joyce's novel Ulysses? ... that for the production of the upcoming U2 documentary, From the Sky Down, director Davis Guggenheim was given full access to the band's archives? 300px WikiProject U2 is a project that helps to assemble writers and editors interested in U2. The aim of this project is to standardise and improve articles related to U2, as well as to create any missing articles. To become a member of this WikiProject (anyone may join), simply click here - and add {{user|username}}. Departments: Assessment • Outreach (Newsletter) • Collaboration of the Fortnight/of the Month Template:/box-footer edit  Selected biography Laurence Joseph "Larry" Mullen, Jr. (born 31 October 1961) is an Irish musician and the drummer for the Irish rock band U2. One of the four original founders of U2, he would relate that he described the band as "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." He has worked on numerous side projects during his career, including a collaboration with Michael Stipe and Mike Mills of R.E.M. to form Automatic Baby in 1993 and working with bandmate Adam Clayton on the re-recording of the theme to Mission: Impossible, in 1996. He has been awarded, both as part of U2 and in his own right, 22 Grammy awards. He attended the School of Music in Chatham Row to learn piano at the age of eight and then, began drumming in 1971, at the age of 9, under the instruction of Irish drummer Joe Bonnie. In the early days of U2, his contributions to the band were often limited to fills and drum rolls, but he became more involved in the writing of the songs later, particularly in conjunction with Adam Clayton, his partner in the rhythm section. He was placed at # 21 in Stylus Magazine's list of the 50 Greatest Rock Drummers. Although he occasionally plays keyboards and synthesiser in concerts, Mullen rarely sings during performances. "I like a nice ringing sound on guitar, and most of my chords I find two strings and make them ring the same note, so it's almost like a 12-string sound. So for E I might play a B, E, E and B and make it ring. It works very well with the Gibson Explorer. It's funny because the bass end of the Explorer was so awful that I used to stay away from the low strings, and a lot of the chords I played were very trebly, on the first four, or even three strings. I discovered that through using this one area of the fretboard I was developing a very stylized way of doing something that someone else would play in a normal way." —The Edge (1982) B.B. King: "If we could find somebody to play chords... I'm no good with chords. I'm horrible with chords." Bono: "Um... yeah... well, uh, The Edge can do that." —B.B. King and Bono, Rattle and Hum (1988) "And if You listen, / I can call. / And if You jump, / You just might fall. / And if You shout, / I'll only hear You" —"Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" (Bono), Zooropa (1993) "It's a terrible cliche, but they are the most important thing in my life. More than any album. They're where it's at." —The Edge, on family (2001) "History, like God, is watching what we do." —Bono, remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast (2 February 2006) The U2 Portal To display all subcategories click on the [►] ▼ U2 ► U2 albums ► U2 concert tours Ireland Human rights The Beatles The Clash Bob Dylan Green Day Elvis Presley The Rolling Stones 90x90px Alternative music Electronic music Punk rock Rock music

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