50 Years Ago Today, One of the Greatest Rock Bands of All Time Was Formed

In the fall of 1976, a Dublin schoolboy put up a flyer in the main hall of his school: “Drummer seeks musicians to form a band”. Similar notes have been posted in schools around the world for decades, but this particular call for young rockers would end up selling out stadiums, not garages. It all began on September 25, 1976, when some kids gathered to start a band eventually called U2.

Ivan McCormick, who would soon be kicked out of the band, described his admittedly hazy memories of that first rehearsal to the Irish Times. His guitar, bought for £55, was the most advanced instrument among them as they all crammed into a kitchen so small the door had to stay open to make room for the drums. Although drummer Larry Mullen had put up the note in school, singer Paul Hewson—better known as Bono—quickly established himself as the band’s leader. McCormick left after a few weeks, and the band went through multiple names, including Feedback and The Hype, before eventually settling on their final name and lineup that still sells out the most famous venues in the world, quite the improvement on the cramped kitchen of their first rehearsal.

U2 Went From Schoolboy Band to Rock Legends

U2 achieved modest success with their first album but struggled with their second. Their third album War is where they began to truly make a name for themselves, with unforgettable live performances and classic singles like “Sunday Bloody Sunday”. Later, The Joshua Tree cemented their status as one of the greatest rock bands in the world, selling a stunning 25 million copies worldwide. They were the first band to have number 1 albums across four different decades in the US, and have earned billions from tours. U2 has been ranked as one of the greatest bands of all time by Rolling Stone, VH1, Q, and more, collecting 22 Grammys along the way. None of these achievements would be possible without that first practice in a small kitchen 50 years ago.

source https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/50-years-ago-today-one-of-the-greatest-rock-bands-of-all-time-was-formed