Bono tapes a short interview in the Kaknästornet tower restaurant with a Swedish journalist. Topics include; the radio tower, wallpaper music, the War album, Sunday Bloody Sunday, the troubles, Simple Minds, change, working on a ballet soundtrack with Arlene Phillips for the (then) Irish National Ballet, a gift for the interviewer. Special thanks to Sue Fell for providing this interview. Recorded sometime early in 1983.

Just before the Phoenix Park show, Bono and Jim Kerr visit with Dave Fanning.  This is an extremely short interview in which the upcoming show is discussed and Jim Kerr discusses going on before U2.  Special thanks to Sue Fell for providing this interview. First broadcast August 12th,1983.

Bono and Mike Peters visit with KZEW in Dallas Texas, “the Rock and Roll Alternative”. Bono does most of the talking with DJ George Gimarc while Mike Peters naps mostly. Topics include; the Us Festival, categorizing music, playing The Refugee, The Alarm, what does An Cat Dubh mean?, Tom Snyder and the Tomorrow Show, Sunday Bloody Sunday, studio vs live, Windmill Lane studio, CBS demos, the Stories for Boys demo is played from the Just For Kicks album, the name U2, Ireland, the Boy on the album covers, Mike Peters plays Blaze Of Glory for Bono, can U2 change the world?, Bono invites a fan to the sound check, the writing process, A Celebration, Larry being so quiet, The Fool is played, writing for the Royal Dublin Ballet, the “much maligned” October album. Special thanks to Sue Fell for providing this interview. Originally broadcast June 12nd, 1983. A great transcription of this interview can be found here.

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Three weeks after Bono’s previous interview with David “Kid” Jensen, both Bono and Edge return. The main topic, not surprisingly, is the forthcoming War album. Topics include the origin of Edge’s name, how Steve Wickham’s violin turned up on War, Bono’s recent marriage to Ali, pre-Boy songs, The Virgin Prunes, 40, how “Steven Rapid” came up with the name U2, etc. Special thanks to Sue Fell for providing this interview. Recorded 8:30pm, February 21st, 1983.

Two months before War is released, U2 record selected tracks “live” in studio for BBC Radio 1. Between the songs, Bono talks with DJ David “Kid” Jensen first about Sutton House and then about the War album. Special thanks to Sue Fell for providing this interview. First broadcast January 31st, 1983.

Comming off a month long break in the War tour, and less than a week before an appearance at Phoenix Park, the full band drop by Dave Fanning’s Radio 2 show for an interview. The band are in good spirits as they discuss the War album in depth, including a discussion of controversial lyrics that were removed from Sunday Bloody Sunday. Other topics include John Lennon, ZZ Top, living in Dublin, and Edge shops for a Triumph Herald during the interview. BP Fallon (aka “The Cosmic Egg”) sits quietly behind the band as they are interviewed. Special thanks to Sue Fell for providing this interview. Recorded August 11th, 1983, 7:45pm.

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This is Bono’s classic interpretation of an original work by Irish poet John F Deane. Special thanks to Sue Fell for providing this interview. Recorded from Dublin Radio first broadcast December 31st, 1983.

Just a month before War is released, Bono sits down for an interview with Dutch VARA Radio.  Of particular interest is Bono’s lengthy discussion of The Virgin Prunes and painting with his friend Guggi.  Special thanks to Sue Fell for providing this taped interview.  First broadcast February 1983.

One of the great bits of U2 lore is how college radio embraced the band, and how, even to this day, the band has a great love for US college radio. In fact, college radio was given a nod during U2’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction speech.

A classic example of this college radio connection is Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina where a radio show called DeaconLight was broadcast up until the early 80s before the format changed. One of the shows hosts, DD Thornton, then at station WKZL, interviewed U2 just before they went on stage at Keenan Stadium, opening for Todd Rundgren. Here we have this rare interview with Bono and Edge. Additionally, we have the band (minus Larry) recording “Station IDs”

Please visit Deaconlight.com form more information about the U2 interview, and for some great rare photos of U2 such as this one.  Interview April 23rd, 1983.

Interview Copyright © Deaconlight.com. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.

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Just before the band performs songs from the War album, Bono sits down for a brief interview with one of the hosts of The Tube music show. The interviewer is not particularly good at what he does, interrupting Bono many times. At the end, you hear Bono’s frustration getting to him as the interviewer cuts him off mid answer yet again.  First aired March 16th, 1983.