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Three (U2 EP)
Three, also known as U2 3, is the debut release by Irish rock band U2. It was released in Ireland on 2 September 1979 through the CBS Ireland record label.
Three comprises three songs recorded at Windmill Lane Studios in August 1979, with the label's A&R representative Chas de Whalley serving as producer. "Out of Control" appears on the A-side, with "Stories for Boys" and "Boy/Girl" on the B-side, the result of a listener poll on Dave Fanning's radio programme; the release is variously referred to as a single and an EP. It was the group's first chart success, selling all 1,000 copies of its limited-edition 12-inch vinyl almost immediately. The 7-inch vinyl release of Three reached number 19 on the Irish Singles Chart.
"Out of Control" and "Stories for Boys" were re-recorded the following year and included on the band's debut album, Boy. Three was reissued for Record Store Day Black Friday in November 2019 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of its original release.
U2 first came to the attention of Jackie Hayden, a representative for the CBS Records label, through their participation in a music talent contest as part of Limerick Civic Week on St. Patrick's Day in March 1978. Hayden was on the judging panel that selected U2 as the winning act, and their prize consisted of £500 and a chance to audition for the label. Watching U2 perform, Hayden "liked them instantly", as he was drawn to lead singer Bono's "supremely confident stage presence" and the "workmanlike fashion" in which the other band members played.
A few weeks later in April, the group were booked for a recording session at Keystone Studios in Dublin to fulfil CBS's commitment to the Limerick Civic Week Committee. Hayden oversaw the session but was not an experienced producer. The session was largely unsuccessful, as the band were "extremely nervous" about their first recording session. Bassist Adam Clayton said, "It was horrible, because nobody told us anything." The group were accustomed to playing together live, in a room or on stage, and they found it difficult to communicate with each other while spread out in the studio and separated by baffles.
Hayden said that the intent of the session was to record eight to ten songs to allow the label to better judge the band's repertoire, rather than spend the entire time refining a few tracks. However, he did not think the band understood that, as they were only able to complete one song, "Inside Out" (by Clayton's recollection). The session was supposed to last late into the night but ended abruptly at 11 p.m. after the father of drummer Larry Mullen Jr. arrived and demanded he take his 15-year-old son home, believing that school the following morning took priority. Hayden was unimpressed by the recordings from the session but liked the band's material and work ethic. The group asked if he was interested in managing them, but he declined.
Several weeks later, Bono and Clayton visited Hayden at his office to discuss a recording contract, with Clayton acting as U2's de facto manager at the time. Though no one at CBS Ireland other than Hayden was interested in the band, he wanted to remain involved in their career. He gave them a copy of a standard CBS Ireland contract to review, which would have included a commitment of two or three singles while giving CBS Ireland international rights to the material for five years. The group had concerns with the contract, but Hayden said the terms were non-negotiable and that CBS UK did not think CBS Ireland should be signing new acts at all. U2 amicably declined to sign the contract, believing it to be the wrong deal at the wrong time. They remained in contact with Hayden, who continued to attend their concerts and include them in his reports to CBS UK.
Hayden later met Paul McGuinness, who had agreed to manage U2 in mid-1978, and the two shared an enthusiasm for the group. Hayden expressed to McGuinness that the band would need a "very sympathetic producer" to translate the excitement of their live performances to studio recordings. McGuinness shared with him a second demo the group had recorded with producer Barry Devlin in November 1978, consisting of the songs "Street Missions", "Shadows and Tall Trees", and "The Fool". Hayden said it was "infinitely better" than the audition demo he had produced, but still thought "there was a major gap to be bridged" between the quality of the band live and in the studio. Excitement for U2 continued to build after their performance on 17–18 February 1979 at the Project Arts Centre during a 24-hour marathon festival called "Dark Space", which featured several British and Northern Irish acts. However, Hayden's continued advocacy for U2 was not currying him favour with CBS, which wanted him to focus on supporting their existing roster. Hayden did not want the label to miss out on an Irish band with potential international appeal, or for CBS UK to be seen as anti-Irish.
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Three (U2 EP)
Three, also known as U2 3, is the debut release by Irish rock band U2. It was released in Ireland on 2 September 1979 through the CBS Ireland record label.
Three comprises three songs recorded at Windmill Lane Studios in August 1979, with the label's A&R representative Chas de Whalley serving as producer. "Out of Control" appears on the A-side, with "Stories for Boys" and "Boy/Girl" on the B-side, the result of a listener poll on Dave Fanning's radio programme; the release is variously referred to as a single and an EP. It was the group's first chart success, selling all 1,000 copies of its limited-edition 12-inch vinyl almost immediately. The 7-inch vinyl release of Three reached number 19 on the Irish Singles Chart.
"Out of Control" and "Stories for Boys" were re-recorded the following year and included on the band's debut album, Boy. Three was reissued for Record Store Day Black Friday in November 2019 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of its original release.
U2 first came to the attention of Jackie Hayden, a representative for the CBS Records label, through their participation in a music talent contest as part of Limerick Civic Week on St. Patrick's Day in March 1978. Hayden was on the judging panel that selected U2 as the winning act, and their prize consisted of £500 and a chance to audition for the label. Watching U2 perform, Hayden "liked them instantly", as he was drawn to lead singer Bono's "supremely confident stage presence" and the "workmanlike fashion" in which the other band members played.
A few weeks later in April, the group were booked for a recording session at Keystone Studios in Dublin to fulfil CBS's commitment to the Limerick Civic Week Committee. Hayden oversaw the session but was not an experienced producer. The session was largely unsuccessful, as the band were "extremely nervous" about their first recording session. Bassist Adam Clayton said, "It was horrible, because nobody told us anything." The group were accustomed to playing together live, in a room or on stage, and they found it difficult to communicate with each other while spread out in the studio and separated by baffles.
Hayden said that the intent of the session was to record eight to ten songs to allow the label to better judge the band's repertoire, rather than spend the entire time refining a few tracks. However, he did not think the band understood that, as they were only able to complete one song, "Inside Out" (by Clayton's recollection). The session was supposed to last late into the night but ended abruptly at 11 p.m. after the father of drummer Larry Mullen Jr. arrived and demanded he take his 15-year-old son home, believing that school the following morning took priority. Hayden was unimpressed by the recordings from the session but liked the band's material and work ethic. The group asked if he was interested in managing them, but he declined.
Several weeks later, Bono and Clayton visited Hayden at his office to discuss a recording contract, with Clayton acting as U2's de facto manager at the time. Though no one at CBS Ireland other than Hayden was interested in the band, he wanted to remain involved in their career. He gave them a copy of a standard CBS Ireland contract to review, which would have included a commitment of two or three singles while giving CBS Ireland international rights to the material for five years. The group had concerns with the contract, but Hayden said the terms were non-negotiable and that CBS UK did not think CBS Ireland should be signing new acts at all. U2 amicably declined to sign the contract, believing it to be the wrong deal at the wrong time. They remained in contact with Hayden, who continued to attend their concerts and include them in his reports to CBS UK.
Hayden later met Paul McGuinness, who had agreed to manage U2 in mid-1978, and the two shared an enthusiasm for the group. Hayden expressed to McGuinness that the band would need a "very sympathetic producer" to translate the excitement of their live performances to studio recordings. McGuinness shared with him a second demo the group had recorded with producer Barry Devlin in November 1978, consisting of the songs "Street Missions", "Shadows and Tall Trees", and "The Fool". Hayden said it was "infinitely better" than the audition demo he had produced, but still thought "there was a major gap to be bridged" between the quality of the band live and in the studio. Excitement for U2 continued to build after their performance on 17–18 February 1979 at the Project Arts Centre during a 24-hour marathon festival called "Dark Space", which featured several British and Northern Irish acts. However, Hayden's continued advocacy for U2 was not currying him favour with CBS, which wanted him to focus on supporting their existing roster. Hayden did not want the label to miss out on an Irish band with potential international appeal, or for CBS UK to be seen as anti-Irish.