U2-Y

A short bonus episode, taken from an outtake from our very first conversation about Steve's early days as a young man in Ireland, obsessed with rock and roll and design.

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The second of two parts that bring the U2-Y podcast to a conclusion.

Here in the final episode, Gareth and Steve look back across the the series and talk generally about the later stages of Steve's role with U2 and his retirement years.

NEWS: Steve's store is now live, featuring limited edition prints from his trip to Death Valley in 1986 with U2 for the Joshua Tree cover shoot.

https://www.stephenaverill.com/store

Thank you for listening.

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The first of two parts that bring the U2-Y podcast to a conclusion.

Here in part one, Steve answers questions as submitted by you, the listener.

NEWS: Steve's store is now live, featuring limited edition prints from his trip to Death Valley in 1986 with U2 for the Joshua Tree cover shoot.

https://www.stephenaverill.com/store

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U2's 9th full length release and possibly their most provocative to date, sees the boundaries pushed even further than before.

What U2 could look like and what they could sound like was challenged yet again, and possibly for the last time.

Firmly in the digital age of design, yet its biggest influences were from the Pop Art movement, the design policy for 'Pop' was born out of 'what would Warhol or Liechtenstein do with a computer?'.

With a highly elaborate tour programme release alongside a stage show that fed back into the sleeve design, there is plenty to talk about in our penultimate episode.

Got questions for Steve?

Ask him anything and we'll answer your questions on the finale.

https://www.stephenaverill.com/u2y

https://www.stephenaverill.com/asksteve

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Vorsprung durch technik .. or 'Advancement through technology'.

'Zooropa', U2's 8th record, is effectively a companion release for 'Achtung Baby' that sprung out of the Zoo TV and Zooropa tour.

This release holds great significance to our story. It is the first time the computer finds its way into the design studio and thus the first digital record sleeve that Steve art directed. It marked the dawn of a new era of design.

In this shorter chat, we talk about Zooropa and the wide gamut of merchandise in the campaign including the Propaganda magazine, U2's own dedicated publication.

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Bono has said that 'Achtung Baby' is the sound of four men chopping down the Joshua Tree.

For graphic designer and art director Steve Averill, he would also take part in this ritualistic creative evolution to make way for the kaleidoscopic explosion that was the sleeve for U2's 7th LP.

Working for the first time with designer Shaughn McGrath, we explore what happened with U2's image and design sensibility after they went away, 'to dream it all up again'.

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Steve Averill and Marc Coleman in conversation in 2017 about their trip to Death Valley in 1986 to shoot the iconic cover sleeve for The Joshua Tree with photographer Anton Corbijn.

Steve and Marc add a beautiful and personal touch to the story of the great voyage to the inspiring landscape of Western USA.

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In 1986, a small crew embarked on a three day journey across the stunning landscape in the deserts of California.

This was the photoshoot for the upcoming 5th album from U2, then known by its working title of 'The Two Americas'.

The Joshua Tree would eclipse everything that came before it. It would become a critically acclaimed and top selling cultural touchstone that still looms large today.

With plenty to analyse in the cinematic design and iconic art direction for the sleeve, we come to realise that the personal stories of that journey were as important as the work carried out afterwards.

Next week we will publish a conversation from 2017 between Steve Averill and Marc Coleman, former U2 assistant, about their shared memories of being in the desert with U2 in 1986.

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We're taking a short break this week, but found something very interesting in Steve's archive and are briefly revisiting the night of March 4th 1978 ..

Normal service resumes next week.

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As U2 forge a hugely successful creative-partnership with production duo Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois on The Unforgettable Fire, the sleeve for the fourth LP brings a set of challenges.

The result is a much-loved album cover created in the 11th hour, bringing along with it some controversy and lessons learned.

We also discover how The Unforgettable Fire would lay the foundations for what would be their biggest breakthrough record (The Joshua Tree), and how some confusion amongst printers as to what colour 'magenta' actually was.

As big a record as The UF was, it ultimately was still the calm before the storm.

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