Born Snappy

An exhibition of rare U2 photographs opens in London this month. U2: The Early Years by the award-winning photographer Colm Henry is described as “a never-before-seen photographic exploration of popular music’s most commercially successful and critically acclaimed group”. Coinciding with Bono’s 50th birthday, the exhibition charts the band’s beginning from their first gigs and photo-shoots, up until the filming of Rattle & Hum.

“It covers the period that I worked with them between 1978 and 1990,” Henry explains. I didn’t really do too much work with them after that and anything I did do, they bought out the copyright. I’m actually the only photographer who maintains his copyright of pictures from that period of the band’s history.”
A freelance photographer working mainly with Hot Press, Henry remembers the first time he encountered the young U2.
“It was in down in The Bagott Inn sometime in 1978,” he recalls. “From the very start I knew they were different from the average Irish band. The genetic make-up was quite different for a start. I noticed that they were incredibly driven and incredibly serious-minded people. Their work ethic was strong, they’d stick and rehearse at something until they got it right. What they lacked in musical talent, they overcame with the many other characteristics they had.”
Over the next decade Henry worked prolifically with the band on various photo-shoots both at home and abroad including numerous Hot Press assignments.
“The reason I did so much work with U2 was, I think, that Bono was a little bit fascinated by my pictures. I’m an intuitive photographer and I wasn’t trying to bring my own ego along. I was letting them perform in front of the camera. They were very uncomfortable at the start – they couldn’t actually get a look together as a four-piece that they were happy with. And there were so many bad pictures taken of them in the early days by different photographers (laughs).
“Also, I was a bit older than them and probably a bit more experienced in my job than they were at theirs. They would often ask for advice but they would compartmentalise it – they would never act on it immediately. They would consider it among themselves and come back to you later about it. They were very analytical of everything and they were always on a learning curve. They would pick up ideas from everybody they met. That’s how they grew.”
The photographs provide a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the band as they evolved from fresh-faced hopefuls into world-beating rock stars.
“It was their most creative period by a mile. They started out as boys and ended as men,” offers Henry. “By the time of Rattle & Hum they were in command. They were all still pretty good looking guys and they hadn’t transformed into almost a commodity as they are now. They were still grounded and still nice lads. I sometimes feel that they are so worked on now that, at times, it’s almost hard to relate to them. But that’s the nature of celebrity and fame.”