U2 by David Corio

Photographer: David Corio

Location: Cork, Ireland

Date: 1980

"This is U2 on the roof of the Cork Country Club Hotel before they had got a record deal. This was my first job ‘abroad’ for NME and I was very excited. However U2 were clean-living boys who drank in moderation and my visions of rocking parties evaporated rapidly. Bono hero-worshipped David Bowie and often referred to him in conversation. Even then the 19 year old lead singer was very vocal about his opinions and was the band’s spokesman. There were two shows in Dublin and Cork where U2 were the main attraction. Between those dates the band went on a small tour of the southern Irish counties, as a support to Irish show bands who played the current top ten hits. In the village hall venues the largest audiences were generally about 50 people. Very few had come to see U2 - but the band won the audience over very easily. Just a few years later they would be selling out stadiums."