Scottish Band December Release U2 Tribute Named After Bono's Wife, Alison Stewart

A Scottish band, December, have announced the release of a single which is named after Bono’s wife, Alison Stewart. The band are big fans of U2 – and felt that a tribute record was long overdue.

‘Alison Stewart’ was penned, a press release explains, "after the band split up from their previous identity [The Janes] and their record company, having faced the ups and downs of trying to make it in the music business." They reformed under their original name December – and wanted to thank U2, whose music and example inspired them throughout – and prompted them to get back in the studio.

“The inspiration,” band leader and songwriter Scott Pattison told Hot Press, "was Eric Church’s song ‘Springsteen'. My immediate thought was: why hasn’t someone done that for U2. So we tried it."

The band plan to donate royalties from the sale of the single to the Chernobyl Children International charity.

“We are a Scottish band full of U2 fans, and wouldn’t be doing this but for them,” Pattison elaborates. "All proceeds from our song are going to Chernobyl Children International My wife Ails, who is the singer, and I are huge fans of the band since 1984, and this is a small way of saying thank you, essentially for the impact their music and journey has had on our lives.

"The song and the video have surrender as their theme,” he adds. “It’s written from Alison Stewart’s perspective looking back on the early days of the band and also their appearance at Live Aid in 1985. We’ve taken the plunge and named it after her, as we think U2 fans owe her a debt of gratitude. But if I was Bono I would say only I get to write about Ali – so we have some fear and trepidation!”

The tribute was written before U2’s Songs of Innocence – an album exploring the early days of the band – was released – and the video was shot last week in Dublin.

"We are planning to release on 2 November,” Scott elaborates. "We are not seeking to profit from this or promote our band. We had a deal years ago in a previous incarnation, left our jobs to pursue it – I was a lawyer then – and went back when it didn’t work out! So the days of trying to make it in music are gone. We do music for the love of it and our only motivation here is to raise some cash for Chernobyl Children International – and to say thanks to the guys."