War (Part 1)

Into The Heart of U2 Podcast

U2 return home from the October Tour after the record falls decidedly short of expectations and face a make it or break it moment. They pool their money and rent a small cottage in Howth, Ireland. It's August 1982 and while Bono and Ali are off on their honeymoon, Edge, still full of apprehension about whether he should continue in U2 decides to stay in Dublin to work on songs. One afternoon, Edge pours all his anger and frustration into a simple but striking descending arpeggio chord pattern and a spark goes off - maybe a calling - and Edge thinks to himself, this new song should be about a subject the band has been avoiding - but could no more - the tinderbox known as - The Troubles. The song is Sunday Bloody Sunday. In this episode we cover the writing and recording of the band's first breakthrough with the War record and the reaction to it.