Looking for the Kingdom Come

Despite their status as the world's premier stadium rock band with all the obligation to worldly concerns that implies, and despite a continued scepticism with rock held by large portions of the Christian community,[1] there would appear to be widespread agreement with the opinion of Graham Cray, that "it has been perhaps U2's main achievement to introduce positive spirituality back into rock music".[2] U2 were a new wave band formed in Dublin in 1977 by Bono (Paul Hewson, vocals), The Edge (David Evans, guitar), Adam Clayton (bass) and Larry Mullen (kit). Their first song to become widely known was 'Gloria' (from October ) in 1981, after which War in 1983, The Unforgettable Fire in 1984, The Joshua Tree in 1987, Rattle and Hum in 1988, Achtung Baby in 1991 and Zooropa in 1993 topped the charts. Their idiolect developed from a punk style base, maturing in simple harmonic patterns (without extended verse-refrain forms), a driving bass technique, busy and echoic guitar patterns in high register, and a recitative-like vocal approach; the combination of these seems to cry out the band's sincerity. The epic, ideologically sound nature of many songs from the 1980s, the band's evident devotion to its audience, and three of the members' reasoned Christian commitment confirmed their idiolect's connotations, which have led to favourable comparisons with such luminaries as Bruce Springsteen.