The six words that Larry Mullen wrote on a school notice board would change the lives of four Dublin teenagers, and rock 'n' roll, forever. "How casually our destiny arrived."
In just 21 days, "SURRENDER: 40 Songs, One Story," will be released worldwide. In a new animation from Bono's memoir, he goes back to where it all started… 25 September 1976… before they were U2… or even a band.
With that… Drumroll please… Introducing:
Larry, drums: Hosted the band's first practice in his kitchen. Already had his own fan club, screaming outside the kitchen window. "Everything I still love about Larry's playing was present then."
David, lead guitar: Not yet named The Edge. Had the coolest aura of anybody. Built an electric guitar from scratch with his brother, Dik. The most musically gifted of the bunch.
Adam, bass: Had the style, the attitude, the ambition… but couldn't play. The spirit of rock and roll — "...a kind of posh Sid Vicious."
Bono, lead vocals: Couldn't sing, but discovered that the songs he couldn't play on his own sounded a lot better when he couldn't play them with Adam, Edge and Larry.
It's hard to believe it's been more than 40 years since four youngsters crowded into Larry's kitchen and set in motion the big bang that would become U2. This new audio excerpt from SURRENDER (for which Bono has also created 40 original drawings) features Bono reflecting on his fellow bandmates, their decades-long friendship, and 25 September, 1976: the day when the "baby band" took its first steps. As Bono puts it, "for me, this was like being born."
Available everywhere November 1, SURRENDER is available for pre-order in hardcover and as an audiobook now.
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