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Fact #63096

When:

Short story:

U2 release their first single for Island Records, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, in the UK, Europe.

Full article:

Annie Roseberry (AAndR person, Island Records) : I remember there was some deliberation about what the first single should be but 11 O'clock Tick Tock seemed like the best place to start even though no-one really thought that it was a hit.  I seem to recall liking I Will Follow much better!

Bono (vocals, U2) : We didn’t release the single with a view to selling thousands of copies. It was just a song both we and Island liked, which we thought would be a good introduction for a major label.

Nick Stewart (Head of AAndR, Island Records) : Radio didn’t pick up on them, but then the intention with that single was really to aim it at late night radio, the John Peel show, that sort of thing.

Neil Storey (press officer, Island Records) : Their rise was much more of a press-led thing - people like Paul Morley at NME, Chris Westwood at Record Mirror, Dave McCullough at Sounds, Robin Denselowe at The Guardian – and partly a word of mouth thing. People just told their friends and brought them along.
(Source : not known)