U2 Conference: Jim Henke

Jim Henke, Vice-President of Exhibitions and Cultural Affairs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, just finished giving a talk via video. He provided some interesting commentary on the early days of U2.

One very anecdotal and candid moment he had with the band happened in 1980 in England. He had been invited by U2’s record company to a show in London. As a reporter for Rolling Stone he was to cover the concert. He liked the show and connected with the band. They asked him to travel to Coventry for another show later in the week. On November 24, 1980, Henke, U2, girlfriend Ali, and one roadie (for a total of seven people) crammed into a van and drove north together. Larry and Adam were just 19 years old, Adam and Edge were 20 (Henke was 26). On the way to the concert and in their free time Henke remembers that the band got their bibles out and would read together. Arriving at the gig, the setup in gym and played to 100 or so people. But the band always played as if they were in front of a full stadium. The energy never diminished with the size of the audience.