''U2'' is a withdrawn EP by

Negativland Negativland is an American experimental music band that originated in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1970s. The core of the band consists of Mark Hosler, David Wills (aka "The Weatherman"), Peter Conheim and Jon Leidecker (aka "Wobbly" ...

, released on

SST Records SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was first founded in 1966 by Ginn at age 12 as Solid State Transmitters, a small business through which he sold elec ...

in 1991. The EP and the band gained notoriety when lawyers representing

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in 1959, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another ...

sued Negativland over the EP's unauthorized sampling of the U2 song "

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album '' The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's second single in May 1987. The song was a hit, becoming the band ...

" and misleading artwork. The EP's two tracks and related material were later collected on the compilation '' These Guys Are from England and Who Gives a Shit''.

History

The two tracks on ''U2'' are parodies of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" which sample the original recording. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Special Edit Radio Mix)" also samples a bootleg tape of radio DJ

Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio presenter who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably ''American Top 40'', as well as the weekly syndicated televi ...

's outtakes, including his evaluation of U2: "These guys are from England and who gives a shit?" U2's label Island Records sued Negativland following the release of the EP, claiming that the music and artwork constituted copyright infringement. Island Records also claimed that the single was an attempt to deliberately confuse U2 fans, then awaiting the impending release of ''

Achtung Baby ''Achtung Baby'' ( ) is the seventh studio album by the Irish rock music, rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 18 November 1991 by Island Records. After criticism of their 1988 documentary film and ...

''. After ''U2'' was withdrawn and deleted, it was replaced with the EP ''

Guns A gun is a device that propels a projectile using pressure or explosive force. The projectiles are typically solid, but can also be pressurized liquid (e.g. in water guns or cannons), or gas (e.g. light-gas gun). Solid projectiles may be ...

''. The incident would be chronicled in the magazine/CD release '' The Letter U and the Numeral 2'' (later re-released in expanded form as '' Fair Use: The Story of the Letter U and the Numeral 2'').

Track listing

# "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (1991 A Capella Mix) – 7:15 # "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (Special Edit Radio Mix) – 5:46

Personnel

*Mark Hosler - tapes, electronics, rhythms, Booper, clarinet, organ, viola, loops, guitar, etc. *Richard Lyons - tapes, electronics, rhythms, Booper, clarinet, organ, viola, loops, guitar, etc. *David Wills - synthesizer, voice, tape *Peter Dayton - guitars, viola *W. M. Kennedy - guitar

References

{{Negativland 1991 debut EPs American Top 40 U2 Negativland EPs Sampling controversies SST Records EPs