Editing U2 (section)

=== ''Boy'' and ''October'' (1980–1982) ===
[[File:Steve_Lillywhite_during_interview.jpg|thumb|[[Steve Lillywhite]] produced the band's first three studio albums: ''[[Boy (album)|Boy]]'', ''[[October (U2 album)|October]]'', and ''[[War (U2 album)|War]]''.]]
In May 1980, U2 released "[[11 O'Clock Tick Tock]]", their first international single and their debut on Island, but it failed to chart.<ref name="mcg29"/> [[Martin Hannett]], who produced the single, was in consideration to produce the band's debut album, ''[[Boy (album)|Boy]]'', but was replaced with [[Steve Lillywhite]].<ref name="mccorm96">McCormick (2006), pp. 96–100</ref> From July to September 1980, U2 recorded the album at Windmill Lane Studios,<ref name="mcg32">McGee (2008), p. 32</ref><ref name="pluckirish">{{cite magazine|title=U2: Pluck of the Irish|magazine=[[Trouser Press]]|first=Jim|last=Green|date=March 1982}}</ref> drawing from their nearly 40-song repertoire at the time.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Kings of the Celtic Fringe|magazine=[[NME]]|first=Gavin|last=Martin|date=14 February 1981}}</ref> Lillywhite employed an experimental approach as producer, setting up Mullen's drums in a stairwell and recording [[overdub]]s such as smashed bottles and cutlery skimmed against a spinning bicycle wheel.<ref name="mccorm96"/> The band found Lillywhite very encouraging and creative; Bono called him "such a breath of fresh air", and the Edge said he "had a great way of pulling the best out of everybody".<ref name="mccorm96"/> The album's lead single, "[[A Day Without Me]]", was released in August. Although it did not chart,<ref name="mcg32"/> the song was the impetus for the Edge's purchase of a [[delay (audio effect)|delay]] [[effects unit|effect unit]], the [[Electro-Harmonix]] Memory Man, which came to define his guitar playing style.<ref name="mcg29"/>

Released in October 1980,<ref name="mcg34">McGee (2008), p. 34</ref> ''Boy'' received generally positive reviews.<ref>Jobling (2014), p. 69</ref> [[Paul Morley]] of ''[[NME]]'' called it "touching, precocious, full of archaic and modernist conviction",<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Boy's Own Weepies|magazine=NME|first=Paul|last=Morley|author-link=Paul Morley|date=25 October 1980}}</ref> while Declan Lynch of ''Hot Press'' said he found it "almost impossible to react negatively to U2's music".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://hotpress.com/archive/492357.html|title=Boy|magazine=Hot Press|first=Declan|last=Lynch|date=10–24 October 1980|access-date=13 October 2011|volume=4|issue=10|archive-date=5 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405044251/http://hotpress.com/archive/492357.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bono's lyrics reflected on adolescence, innocence, and the passage into adulthood,<ref>Jobling (2014), p. 67</ref> themes represented on the album cover by a closeup of an adolescent Peter Rowen, the younger brother of Bono's friend [[Guggi]].<ref name="mccorm96"/> ''Boy'' peaked at number 52 in the United Kingdom and number 63 in the United States.<ref name="mcg34"/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1981/BB-1981-04-18.pdf|title=Billboard Top LPs & Tape|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=18 April 1981|page=139|volume=93|issue=15|access-date=28 December 2016|via=World Radio History}}</ref> The album included the band's first songs to receive airplay on US radio, including the single "[[I Will Follow]]",<ref name="edgeofu2"/> which reached number 20 on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Top Tracks]] rock chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1981/BB-1981-04-25.pdf|title=Billboard Rock Albums & Top Tracks|magazine=Billboard|date=25 April 1981|page=28|volume=93|issue=16|access-date=28 December 2016}}</ref> ''Boy''{{'}}s release was followed by the Boy Tour, U2's first tour of continental Europe and the US.<ref>de la Parra (2003), pp. 16–17</ref> Reviewing the band's early live performances, critics complimented their ambition and Bono's exuberance, and found the shows to be illustrative of U2's potential despite lacking polish.<ref>{{bulleted list|{{cite news|title=A New Sound Under Pressure|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|first=Steve|last=Morse|date=7 March 1981|page=8}}|{{cite news|title=U2: Aiming for Number 1|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|first=Boo|last=Browning|date=27 February 1981|page=WK39}}|{{cite magazine|url=http://www.hotpress.com/music/interviews/U2-COULD-BE-IN-LA/549120.html|title=U2 Could Be in L.A.|magazine=Hot Press|first=Charlie|last=McNally|date=17 April – 1 May 1981|volume=5|issue=7|access-date=3 January 2017|archive-date=22 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322190604/http://www.hotpress.com/music/interviews/U2-COULD-BE-IN-LA/549120.html|url-status=live}}|{{cite news|title=U2: Intriguing New Band Explodes on the American Scene|newspaper=[[Orange County Register]]|first=C.P.|last=Smith|date=23 March 1981}}}}</ref>

[[File:Bono and Edge of U2 in Toronto 5-19-81.jpg|thumb|Bono and the Edge performing on the Boy Tour in May 1981]]
The band faced several challenges in writing their second album, ''[[October (U2 album)|October]].'' On an American leg of the Boy Tour, Bono's briefcase containing in-progress lyrics and musical ideas was lost backstage during a March 1981 performance at a nightclub in [[Portland, Oregon]].<ref name="mccorm113">McCormick (2006), pp. 113–120</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/history/2016/03/u2_portland_stolen_briefcase_h.html|title=How U2, a Portland bar and a missing briefcase altered music history (photos)|website=[[OregonLive.com]]|first=Joseph|last=Rose|date=22 March 2016|access-date=31 March 2016|archive-date=1 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301182354/http://www.oregonlive.com/history/2016/03/u2_portland_stolen_briefcase_h.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The band had limited time to write new music on tour and in July began a two-month recording session at Windmill Lane Studios largely unprepared,<ref name="mcg46">McGee (2008) pp. 46–47</ref> forcing Bono to quickly improvise lyrics.<ref name="mccorm113"/> Lillywhite, reprising his role as producer, called the sessions "completely chaotic and mad".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7511370.stm|title=U2's producer reveals studio secrets|website=[[BBC News]]|first=Mark|last=Savage|date=18 July 2008|access-date=24 December 2016|archive-date=11 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220411144901/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7511370.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> ''October''{{'}}s lead single, "[[Fire (U2 song)|Fire]]", was released in July and was U2's first song to chart in the UK.<ref name="mcg46"/><ref name="ukcharts">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21874/u2/|title=U2 <nowiki>|</nowiki> full Official Chart history|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=24 December 2016|archive-date=29 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129145220/http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21874/u2/|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite earning the band an appearance on UK television programme ''[[Top of the Pops]]'', the single fell in the charts afterwards.<ref name="mccorm113"/> On 16 August 1981, the group opened for [[Thin Lizzy]] at the inaugural [[Slane Concert]]; the Edge called it one of U2's worst shows.<ref name="mcg46"/> Adding to this period of self-doubt, Bono's, the Edge's, and Mullen's involvement in a [[Charismatic Christian]] group in Dublin called the "Shalom Fellowship" led them to question the relationship between their religious faith and the lifestyle of a rock band.<ref name="mccorm113"/><ref>Flanagan (1995), pp. 46–48</ref> Bono and the Edge considered quitting U2 due to their perceived spiritual conflicts before deciding to leave Shalom instead.<ref name="mccorm113"/><ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=October |title-link=October (U2 album) |others=U2 |year=2008 |last=McCormick |first=Neil |type=Remastered deluxe edition CD booklet |publisher=[[Island Records]] |id=B0010948-02}}</ref>

[[File:Dave and U2 in studio, 1982.jpg|thumb|U2 with radio host [[Dave Fanning]] ''(centre)'' in February 1982]]
''October'' was released in October 1981 and contained overtly spiritual themes.<ref name="mcg49">McGee (2008), pp. 49–50</ref> The album received mixed reviews and limited radio play.<ref>Jobling (2014), pp. 88–89</ref> It debuted at number 11 in the UK,<ref name="mcg49"/> but sold poorly elsewhere.<ref name="mccorm120">McCormick (2006), pp. 120, 130</ref> The single "[[Gloria (U2 song)|Gloria]]" was U2's first song to have its music video played on [[MTV]], generating excitement for the band during the [[October Tour]] of 1981–1982 in markets where the television channel was available.<ref>McCormick (2006), p. 125</ref> During the tour, U2 met Dutch photographer [[Anton Corbijn]],<ref>McGee (2008), p. 55</ref> who became their principal photographer and has had a major influence on their public image.<ref>McCormick (2006), p. 127</ref> In March 1982, the band played 14 dates as the opening act for [[the J. Geils Band]].<ref>McGee (2008), pp. 57–58</ref> U2 were disappointed by their lack of progress by the end of the October Tour. Having run out of money and feeling unsupported by their record label, the group committed to improving; Clayton recalled that "there was a firm resolve to come out of the box fighting with the next record".<ref name="mccorm120"/>