"...Blood At The Garden Gate..."
Here's my U2 debut-album
story. I was living in Dublin in 1979 and every Saturday afternoon, a mate of
mine and I used to wander uptown to a side road off Grafton Street and visit a
place called the “Dandelion Market”. It was a kind of indoor bizarre with
stalls selling ex-chart 7" singles in their new and snazzy label bags or
picture sleeves for 10p, cheese-cloth shirts, clogs and joss sticks (yum yum on
all counts). And they had a stage there too where you could see new and
unsigned bands for 50p (extortion, I know).
So we're there browsing
through the CBS, Warner Brothers and Island label bags and of course - U2 came on. After
3 truly awful pastiche punk tunes (sort of a bad Dr. Feelgood) and with that mouthy git out front, I turned
to my Irish friend and uttered the following words of unparalleled wisdom and
insight - "That's the worst band I've ever seen. They're never going to
get anywhere…"
Cut (as they say in the
movies) to a year later and I'd begun working for Aer Lingus at Dublin Airport
and was able to got cheap flights on standby. So when I arrived in New York in
late spring of 1981 off the EI105 to JFK, I was amazed to see that their newly
issued "Boy" LP (with different artwork to the UK version) was
absolutely huge (in a sort of underground kind of way).
Not only had U2 made it, but
like The Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Kinks and The Who - America and
Americans took to Ireland's upbeat and chiming U2 music instantly. I couldn't
believe it when I saw young cool types in record stores wearing American-sleeve
"Boy" buttons on their jackets like it was a badge of honour. I also
vividly remember hearing "I Will Follow" pinging out of a New York
radio on a drive out to Connecticut with a girl I was hanging out with. This
Irish Band had developed past those pastiches into something audibly
special.
I say all of this now,
because the wonder I felt back in 1980 and 1981 has been beautifully recaptured
on this 2008 reissue – the sheer blast of U2's explosive arrival. And like so
many after it, my wide-eyed mates and I bought "War" in 1983,
"The Unforgettable Fire" in 1984 and then the stunning "Joshua
Tree" in 1987 (and so on). But there has always been a little bit of
wonder in our Celtic hearts for this bombastic beginning.
Listening now in March 2022,
I don't know if U2's "Boy" is the debut masterpiece so many claim it
is (or the best album they ever did) - it isn't. But man - what a starter for
ten and this 2008 CD Remaster does that account-opener justice. Details...
UK
released 21 July 2008 - "Boy" by U2 on Universal-Island, Interscope
Records, Mercury Records 1764646 (Barcode 602517646469) is a Re-Mastered
Audio 1CD Reissue (album only) that plays out as follows (42:55
minutes):
1.
I Will Follow [Side 1]
2.
Twilight
3.
An Cat Dubh
4.
Into The Heart
5.
Out Of Control
6.
Stories For Boys
7.
The Ocean
8.
A Day Without Me
9.
Another Time, Another Place
10.
The Electric Co.
11.
Shadows And Tall Trees
12.
Saturday Night *
Tracks
1 to 11 are their debut album "Boy" - released 20 October 1980 in the
UK, 3 March 1981 in the USA both on Island Records ILPS 9646. The American
issue had the same tracks but different artwork front and rear. Produced by
STEVE LILLYWHITE – their debut peaked at No. 52 in the UK LP charts and No. 63
on the US Billboard Album charts. * Track 12 is an uncredited 30-second
instrumental called "Saturday Night"
that only appeared after "Shadows And Tall Trees" ends on original vinyl
pressings. It has been re-instated for the 2008 Remaster, but left uncredited.
Real
fans bought the 2CD Deluxe Edition of "Boy" (also released 21
July 2008) with the 45-single A-side mixes, Non-LP B-sides, unreleased outtakes
and live material on the 14-Track CD2. But Mercury/Island 1761670 (Barcode 602517616707)
is now long deleted and a pricey collectable. So for us schlepping it in the
cheap-to-broke seats, this single CD variant will do nicely.
"Boy"
CD1 carries over the Remasters done by U2's Guitarist THE EDGE, CHERYL ENGELS and
ARNIE ACOSTA (at Bernie Grundman Mastering) for all the 2008 reissues and jumps
chiming out of your speakers with huge balls and presence. To hear Bono’s voice
this clear, Larry Mullins, Jr. hammering those drums, Adam Clayton on thumping Bass
and the sheer harmonic-guitar-pings power of The Edge – is thrilling and
something fans have waited decades for. Steve Lilywhite captured them on
"Out Of Control" – but now you can actually hear the energy.
The
chunky 24-page booklet is also a shockingly tasty affair with outtake photos of
the cover child, the lyrics from the inner sleeves, single release dates and
more. The typeface and backing even mimics the silver and white sleeve of the
1980 UK original. They include the ultra rare postcard that came with original
copies of Ireland's "Another Day" and the picture sleeve for March
1981's WIP 6656 "I Will Follow". It also gives you the PAUL MORLEY
liner notes on the history of the debut and those heady years.
Audiowise,
lesser-heard cuts like "The Ocean" and the starting-a-landslide to my
ego "A Day Without Me" sound fantastic, but my heart goes straight
way to Edge's fab guitar-work opening to "Another Time, Another
Place" and the sheer guitar mania in the stunning exploration that is
"The Electric Co." is enough to make me cry.
For
sure the single-CD version of U2's "Boy" lacks those B-sides and the
better bits of CD2 on the 'Deluxe Edition' - but as a stand-alone (complete
with lovely looks and huge audio) - it rocks like the proverbial horse's
knackers. Now if I could only re-write that 1979 opinion...
