This U2 band might have a chance

U2 : Out of Control

[Purchase]

In March of 1980 NME featured U2 in an article with the headline "U2 Can Make It In The Rock Business".  Paul Morley calls the band "naively passionate', writing :

 "Now that The Boomtown Rats have disclaimed the tiny island and been disclaimed, Bono's U2 are indisputably Ireland's finest; recent winners of  a host of Hot Press awards; recent chart toppers with "Out of Control"...

"Bono and the group are warily preparing to leap from Irish success--a literally poor type of success; sales of 20,000 merits a Gold disc in Ireland and entertainers like the Pope win those--into British obscurity, and wondering how to grab attention, scythe through the settling collection of old values, scatter the old tribal narrow-mindedness

"Even over here," tuts Bono, "we get people coming up to us and saying 'Well, I like you ...but I don't really like you because I'm a mod and you're not!"

Even in Ireland.

 "I'm not fully in control of my own performances," Bono confesses. "I'm not sure which way it's going to go when I hit the stage. It could go any way. There have been times when I have been really frightened and could hardly sing. I hardly looked up. Like when I can't get anything out of the hall, the audience, I turn into myself, close my eyes and try to find something there."