Bill Graham (author)

Last updated

Bill Graham
Face picture of Bill Graham, journalist & music critic.jpg
Born1951
Ireland
Died11 May 1996 (aged 44–45)
OccupationJournalist
NationalityIrish

Bill Graham (1951 – 11 May 1996) was an Irish journalist and author. He attended Blackrock College and Trinity College, Dublin and resided in Howth. In addition to authoring several books, Graham wrote for Hot Press magazine from its founding. He died of a heart attack at forty-four on 11 May 1996 being survived by his mother Eileen.

Contents

Graham's long time colleague and Hot Press editor Niall Stokes described him: "In many ways, he was a founding father of modern Irish music. He inspired a whole generation of Irish fans and musicians to look at the world in a different and broader light. And he was good on more than music too. He felt a kinship with Northern Ireland and the people on both sides of the sectarian and political divide there that was unusual in those who were brought up within the narrow confines of the culture of Ireland in the '60s and '70s – and his political writing reflected this. And he was also ahead of the game in terms of his appreciation of the importance of the politics of food and the position of the developing world in the new era." [1]

Graham was instrumental in the formation of Irish rock band U2, having brought them to the attention of their manager Paul McGuinness. [2] At a recent exhibition of early group photos, McGuinness remembered the role Bill Graham played by introducing him to the band. [3] Despite being widely known as the man who "discovered" U2, it was a title he disavowed. He wrote enthusiastically about the band, giving them their first exposure. Both guitarist The Edge [4] and Bono [5] have explained Graham's role in the band's development.

John Waters observed that "It is often said that Bill 'discovered' U2. This is untrue. Bill created U2, through his enthusiasm for them. He gave them a reflection of their own possibilities and they only looked back that once"... He had a "deep knowledge of virtually every form of popular and roots music... and Waters goes on to credit him as 'the first Irish writer to write about the connection between Irish political culture and Irish rock'n'roll'. [6]

Books

Book written by Graham include Enya: The Latest Score, [7] U2: In the name of love : a history [8] and Complete Guide to the Music of U2. [9]

Influence

A number of music critics/journalists have cited Graham as a primary influence, in some cases suggesting they got into the field as a direct result of his writing, e.g. Jim Carroll, Irish Times, June 2012–

"I blame it all on Bill Graham, the brilliant Hot Press writer who sadly waltzed off this mortal coil in 1996. I blame dear old Bill for lots of things. I'll be honest: without him, I probably would never have been a music writer in the first place and you wouldn't be reading this. I used to say that to wind him up when we'd meet and he'd groan aloud. I mean, there are a lot of things to carry the rap for and the shit I've written over the years is a damn heavy burden to bear.... Bill's feature took my breath away. Here was someone writing with an unsurpassed degree of passion, fervour, belief, enthusiasm, knowledge and depth about one of my favourite bands. I must have read that piece about a hundred times. I had already heard the big music, but now I'd seen the big picture. I had found my career. And I had found the fever." [10]

His funeral drew many of biggest bands from the world of Irish music including Clannad, Altan, U2 and Hothouse Flowers, along with singers Simon Carmody and Gavin Friday. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enya</span> Irish singer (born 1961)

Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin known mononymously as Enya, is an Irish composer and singer-songwriter. Enya is the best-selling Irish solo artist, with an estimated 80 million albums sold worldwide, and the second-best-selling music act from Ireland overall, after the rock band U2. Her music has been widely recognised for featuring multi-layers of her own vocals and instrumentation, lengthened reverb, and interwoven elements of Celtic music. The longevity and the atypical yet successful nature of Enya's career in music are notable; she has been composing her own repertoire for over four decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U2</span> Irish rock band

U2 are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1976. The group consists of Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr.. Initially rooted in post-punk, U2's musical style has evolved throughout their career, yet has maintained an anthemic quality built on Bono's expressive vocals and the Edge's chiming, effects-based guitar sounds. Bono's lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal and sociopolitical themes. Popular for their live performances, the group have staged several elaborate tours over their career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bono</span> Irish musician and activist, lead vocalist of U2 (born 1960)

Paul David Hewson, known by the nickname Bono, is an Irish singer-songwriter and activist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul McGuinness</span> Irish businessman, music publisher and manager of U2

Paul McGuinness is a British talent manager. He was the founder of Principle Management Limited, a popular music act management company based in Dublin, Ireland. He was the manager of the rock band U2 from 1978 to 2013.

<i>The Joshua Tree</i> 1987 studio album by U2

The Joshua Tree is the fifth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on Island Records. In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release, The Unforgettable Fire, the band aimed for a harder-hitting sound within the limitation of conventional song structures on The Joshua Tree. The album is influenced by American and Irish roots music, and through sociopolitically conscious lyrics embellished with spiritual imagery, it contrasts the group's antipathy for the "real America" with their fascination with the "mythical America".

<i>War</i> (U2 album) 1983 studio album by U2

War is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Steve Lillywhite, and was released on 28 February 1983 on Island Records. The album is regarded as U2's first overtly political album, in part because of songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", as well as the title, which stems from the band's perception of the world at the time; lead vocalist Bono stated that "war seemed to be the motif for 1982."

<i>The Unforgettable Fire</i> 1984 studio album by U2

The Unforgettable Fire is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and released on 1 October 1984 by Island Records. The band wanted to pursue a new musical direction following the harder-hitting rock of their previous album, War (1983). As a result, they employed Eno and Lanois to produce and assist in their experimentation with a more ambient sound. The resulting change in direction was at the time the band's most dramatic. The album's title is a reference to "The Unforgettable Fire", an art exhibit about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

<i>Hot Press</i> Irish music and politics magazine

Hot Press is a monthly music and politics magazine based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in June 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes.

<i>Three</i> (U2 EP) 1979 EP by U2

Three, also known as U2 3, is the debut release by Irish rock band U2. It was released in Ireland on 26 September 1979 through the CBS Ireland record label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In God's Country</span> 1987 single by U2

"In God's Country" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the seventh track from their fifth studio album The Joshua Tree and was released as the album's fourth single in November 1987 in North America only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hill Mining Town</span> 1987 song by U2

"Red Hill Mining Town" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the sixth track from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. A rough version of this song was worked on during the early Joshua Tree album writing sessions in 1985. The focus of the song is on the National Union of Mineworkers' 1984 strike in Great Britain that occurred in response to the National Coal Board's campaign to close unprofitable mines. A music video was produced in February 1987 for the song and was directed by Neil Jordan. The song was planned for release as the album's second single, but it was ultimately shelved in favour of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali Hewson</span> Irish activist and businesswoman

Alison Hewson is an Irish activist and businesswoman. She is married to singer and musician Paul Hewson, known as Bono, from the rock group U2.

"Peace on Earth" is a song by rock band U2 and the eighth track on their 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind. Its lyrics were inspired by the Omagh bombing in Northern Ireland on 15 August 1998.

Niall Stokes is a music journalist who has served as editor of the long-running fortnightly Ireland music and political magazine Hot Press based in Dublin. He has edited the magazine since 1977. He has been a longstanding champion of Irish music, most famously U2 in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. He was involved with The Music Show, an exhibition of the Irish music industry held in the RDS in October 2008. He was Chairman of the Independent Radio and Television Commission between 1993 and 1998. He has written several books, including Into the Heart: The Stories Behind Every U2 Song.

This is a timeline of the history of rock band U2:

"Exit" is a song by rock band U2. It is the tenth track on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. "Exit" was developed from a lengthy jam that was recorded in a single take and edited down to a shorter arrangement. The lyrics, which portray the mind of a serial killer, were inspired by lead singer Bono's reading of Norman Mailer's 1980 novel The Executioner's Song, and other related works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Tree Hill (song)</span> 1988 single by U2

"One Tree Hill" is a song by Irish rock band U2 and the ninth track on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. In March 1988, it was released as the fourth single from the album in New Zealand and Australia, while "In God's Country" was released as the fourth single in North America. "One Tree Hill" charted at number one on the New Zealand Singles Chart and was the country's second-most-successful hit of 1988.

"Acrobat" is a song by rock band U2, and is the eleventh track on their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The song developed from a riff created by guitarist the Edge, and is played in a 12
8 time signature. Lyrically, the song expresses themes of hypocrisy, alienation, and moral confusion. Although "Acrobat" was rehearsed prior to the third leg of the Zoo TV Tour, it had not been performed live until its debut on the Experience + Innocence Tour on 2 May 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stay (Faraway, So Close!)</span> 1993 single by U2

"Stay " is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their eighth album, Zooropa (1993), and it was released as the album's third single on 22 November 1993 by Island Records. The song reached number one in Ireland and reached the top 10 in Australia, Iceland, the United Kingdom, and several other countries. The accompanying music video, directed by Wim Wenders, was shot in Berlin, Germany. The earliest incarnation of the song developed during sessions for the group's 1991 album Achtung Baby. It was written for and inspired by Frank Sinatra and bore his surname as the original working title. An alternative recording was used in the 1993 film Faraway, So Close!, also by Wim Wenders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philomena Lynott</span> Irish author and entrepreneur (1930–2019)

Philomena Lynott was an Irish author and entrepreneur. She was the mother of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott. Her autobiography, My Boy, documents their relationship. She was the proprietor of the Clifton Grange Hotel in Manchester, which provided accommodation for a number of bands in the 1970s including Thin Lizzy.

References

  1. ↑ Niall Stokes. "Remembering Bill". Hotpress.com. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  2. ↑ McCormick, Neil (2006). U2 by U2 . HarperCollins. pp.  53–56.
  3. ↑ Brian J Foley (31 July 1982). "U2 1978–1981 The Early Years Photo Exhibition". YouTube. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  4. ↑ Peter Murphy. "here". Hotpress.com. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "A Tribute to Bill Graham". Atu2.com. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  6. ↑ Waters, John (2010). Feckers 50 People Who Fecked Up Ireland. Chapter on Bill Graham: Constable. pp. 322/3. ISBN   978-1-84901-687-2.
  7. ↑ "Enya Book of Days". Enya Book of Days. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  8. ↑ Stokes, Niall; Graham, Bill (1986). U2: in the name of love : a history from Ireland's Hot press magazine. Harmony Books.
  9. ↑ Graham, Bill; Boer, Caroline van Oosten de (2004). U2: The Complete Guide to Their Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0-7119-9886-5.
  10. ↑ "On The Record » A fanboy writes". Irishtimes.com. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  11. ↑ "Bill Graham dies in Howth – Gavin Friday – Official Site". Gavinfriday.com. 11 May 1996. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.