Released Date:
20 October, 1980
Produced By:
Steve Lillywhite
Engineer:
Paul Thomas
Label:
Island Records
Recorded At:
Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin
IMAGE + VIDEO
Boy NEWS
'Give and Take' 06 May 2014
Remastered, Reissued, Reimagined 23 Aug 2012
Poll Archive 2: Boy 01 Oct 2010
'You could meet girls...' 26 Feb 2010
Rob Partridge: 'Unsung Hero' 01 Dec 2008
Boy REVIEWS
Uncut Review - Boy, October, War Remasters 24 Aug 2008
Boy October War Reviews 30 Jul 2008
Boy - Hot Press 10 Oct 1980
Melody Maker - 4 October 80 04 Oct 1980
SOUNDBITES
'Boy was a retrospective of U2 over two years - the end of our adolescence...What we were looking for in Boy was a sort of cinema sound, panavision - really textured and big, like a huge screen in a cinema.'
Bono
'Going back through the early stuff, nothing really horrified me. Particularly on Boy, I can hear a bit of the Banshees and The Buzzcocks and some hint of The Skids, as well as - ha ha - some wildly original ideas of our own... The shocking thing is that well before we had a right to, we had this belief that we would become a very succesful band. From the beginning Adam never doubted that we would make it big.'
Edge speaking to Q Magazine, December 1998
'The first thing we recorded together was A Day Without Me, which we thought was pretty good then. But when you listen back to it, it's probably quite childish, but everyone seemed to like it so I was asked to do their first album....
Everyone was in such a good frame of mind, ideas would just flow. All the silly noises on I Will Follow in the middle section, me and Bono...I'll always remember this...Bono was breaking bottles in the back and I had a push-bike upside down on its saddle, turning the wheels and running a knife along the spokes...'
Steve Lillywhite, producer
Comments
4
Robalo50
24 April, 2020 Do you remember this?
I hope ou enjoy, and that ou return back to this place when you can
fragrant
20 October, 2017 37 Years of Boy
Released on October 20, 1980, Boy is 37 years old today. Its songs streamed through my formative teen years and a lifelong run of growing up with the pulse and soul of U2.
Thank you, Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry!!!
Cheers, cheers!
amsterdam70
13 April, 2011 Boy
for my is so fantastic album !!! I love it <3 thanks so much <3<3<3
musicabona
20 October, 2010 30 YEARS
U2 perfectly capture the experiences of adolescence on their debut album. On "Twilight" Bono sings with raw passion and in lines like "Twilight, lost my way" there is a sense of uncertainty young people often feel when growing up. Having experienced the punk era U2 find their own and unique ways of expression quite soon. Adam;s driven bass lines accompanied by the fascinating rhythmic density of Larry;s drums form a powerful basis, which allows Bono and The Edge to build up their striking guitar riffs and melodies. The magic of those early recordings is rooted in their raw energy and direct release of deep emotions, but at the same time U2;s sensitivity to create subtle shades already appears. "The Ocean", one of my favourite tracks, evokes an image that is like an impressionistic painting. With this slow and epic piece of music full of wonderful soundscapes U2 create a very thoughtful mood. I also love how the dark and mystical atmosphere of "An Cat Dubh" merges into the shimmering notes of "Into The Heart". Instead of just delivering a sort of accompaniment The Edge lets his instrument sing a tune that is very close to the heart Bono refers to. The melodies of Bono and The Edge are so haunting, stirring, deeply emotional and overwhelming that they can move me to tears. Life moves on, but the timeless beauty of this very special song lets us go back to the pure innocence of childhood where we all come from.
Newer comments 1 - 4 of 4 Older comments