The Edge very nearly quit U2 over his religious beliefs, according to lead singer and bandmate, Bono.
The Edge whose real name is Dave Evans almost left the band, just as U2 were about to tour with their second album October in 1981.
Bono revealed that Edge was becoming conflicted about “whether we can be in a band and be believers”.
While U2 were never a religious band, the members’ closeness to religion is widely known. Along with the Edge, Bono was also part of a religious congregation, a movement within the Protestant Community.
The band were left unsure over the music they were making, due to the uneasy relationship between religion and rock. However, they still managed to express their religious faith through some of their lyrics.
“some sort of agony”
However, the guitarist Dave Evans aka The Edge continued to grow uneasy over the music and his spirituality. This was a problem which almost spelt the end for U2.
The pair had been attending a non-denominational school together, where they reportedly crossed paths with a group known as “first century radical-Christians”. Very strict in their beliefs, this group had urged Bono and the Edge to stop making music.
Eventually, Edge’s conflicting feelings raised themselves, and he told Bono he wanted to leave the band.
“Edge is not a complainer and doesn’t do melodrama. He was in some sort of agony”, Bono said in a recent interview.
He continued, “Edge told me, ‘I have a problem I can’t solve. I’m not sure I want to make music this way’”.
“Look I’m troubled too but there’s a special feeling when we play. It’s when we stop playing I feel like s**t”, he added.
When the Edge insisted that he wanted to call it a day, Bono said, “Well if you’re out. I’m out I’ve no interest in being in this if you’re not”.
“talking to God”
It was at this point that the paid went to visit their manager Paul McGuinness, who was quick to remind them of what side their bread was buttered.
“Paul heard us out then said: ‘Am I to gather from this that you have been talking to God?”, Bono recalled.
“We told him: ‘We think it’s God’s will’. “Paul responded: ‘So you can just call God up?’”.
He continued, “‘Yes,’ we said. Then he said: ‘Well maybe next time you might ask God of it’s OK to break a legal contract. A contract that I have signed on your behalf, a legal contract to go on tour’”.
“a good point”
Since then, Bono has written in his memoir that he could understand Mr McGuinness’ point of view.
“It was a good point. God is unlikely to have us break the law”, he wrote.
“By the end of the meeting we were coming around to the thought that this tour, at least, would be going ahead”.
Earlier this week, the U2 singer also shared details over a song that he wrote for the late Frank Sinatra. More on this here.
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