Yes, the band 30 years ago was U2, and its mysterious second album was called “October.” Both were surrounded by clouds of rumors, which I explored in a News-Gazette column on Feb. 19, 1982. What I needed to do was meet the band before its Feb. 23 concert in Champaign-Urbana.
Luckily, the 20-year-old Bono was willing to discuss “Gloria” and “October.” Describing that interview, the reference book “U2: A Diary” notes: “Although the band have gone out of their way to avoid talking about their faith up to this point, they speak candidly now.”
That column ran on March 5 and it apparently was the first mainstream news piece in which Bono and company discussed their faith.
The comment about Rolling Stone missing the story in ’82 had me laughing. Been there. Usenet and some of the pay BBS services (like Prodigy) were the places to post (unfortunately, without compensation) and to go to learn about new bands only a few years later.
Thanks for sharing the article, Kendall. U2’s impact on Christian youth in the ’80s is probably under appreciated as is their continuing influence in CCM.