Name: The Edge (David Howell Evans) Birth Place: East London, England Birth Date: August 8, 1961 Zodiac Sign: Leo His Family: *Parents: Garvin and Gwenda Evans *Brother: Dick Evans *Sister: Gill Evans *Wife: Morleigh Steinberg *Ex-wife: Aislinn  O'Sullivan *Daughters: Sian (born October 1997) w/Morleigh;    Hollie, Arun and Blue Angel w/ ex-wife Aislinn O'Sullivan *Son: Levi (born in 1999) w/Morleigh

"THE SCIENTIST IN THE FAMILY"

David "The Edge" Evans was born on 8th August 1961 at Barking maternity Hospital in East London, England where his Welsh parents, Garvin and Gwenda Evans, were then living.  A year later, the Evans family moved over the Irish Sea to settle in Malahide, near Dublin. 

As a child, Dave attended St. Andrews's Church of Ireland School in Malahide, where he briefly came across Adam Clayton before Adam went on to prep school. Dave moved on to secondary school at Mount Temple, but found it hard to be accepted at first, being a naturally reserved child. 

He was a diligent student who worked hard and was liked by all teachers. His ambition at the time was to go to university and become a doctor. 

At Mount Temple he took an interest in the guitar and piano, following in his father's footsteps.  After his mother had bought him an old acoustic guitar at a jumble sale for one pound he soon began playing the instrument regularly.

The Edge continued his studies at Mount Temple at the same time as pursuing his musical interests in The Hype (as Feedback was now called).  When the time came for The Edge to leave school, he told his parents that he would take a year off from his studies, to see what would happen with the band.  During this period in the late 1970's, the Hype and then U2 began to develop their sound. 

The Edge's contribution to the music of U2 over the years is immeasurable.  From the opening notes of "I Will Follow" on the Boy album to the graceful chords of "Beautiful Day" on All That You Can't Leave Behind, his trademark is there. 

He tends to avoid the long drawn solo--the exception being the early composition "Street Mission". Instead he prefers precise, short, memorable riffs, examples being "Rejoice" from "October", "Bad"from "The Unforgettable Fireand "Spanish Eyes", an outtake from "The Joshua Tree" sessions.  At times his aggression and frustration can be seen in the chords he uses: "Sunday Bloody Sunday","Pride (In the Name of Love)" and "Bullet the Blue Sky"  are prime examples.  Yet at other times he can be gentle and melancholic as on "One" and "Please".  In 1996 he was deservedly the first recipient of the *Rory Gallagher Rock Musician award*.

His ability as a keyboard player is often under-estimated, but this often adds a different quality to the "U2 sound".  The tracks "October" and "New Year's Day" come to mind here.  Also his vocal contribution to U2 is often overlooked.  Songs like "Van Dieman's Land" and "Numb" show his range.  His solo rendition of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" on the latter stages of the Pop Mart Tour was one of the show's highlights. 

(Audio MP3 LINK)
Listen to The Edge singing "Sunday Bloody Sunday," Live from Sarajevo (PopMart Tour 1997)

Finally, his role as "musical director" of the band has led to him being given credit for his production skills.  On "Zooropa", he was so involved with the album, that he was credited as producer alongside Floodand Brian Eno.

THE QUOTABLE MR. EDGE:

"Even his mom calls him The Edge"

"When I was a child, I'm sure my ears picked up sounds and stored them away, to be used at a later date. The biggest thing for me,though, has always been how I hear music--or  how I want to hear it.  I'll do anything I can to avoid being cliché.  So if I do stand out in any way as a guitarist, its because I steadfastly refuse to travel down a well trodden path.  I want to bring a new perspective to what I play.  It's hard to do, but that's what gets me off."
--The Edge, Guitar World, Sept. 2005

"When I look at the U2 audience from the stage, it's like every night there's something going off there and that gives me a lot of hope."
--The Edge, San Jose Mercury News, on the Elevation Tour   

 
Bono & Edge         

The Edge and the rest of U2 are currently finishing the Second Leg (Europe) of their 2005 Vertigo World Tour. They will be back in North America this fall to play the Third Leg of the tour. 

The Edge and the rest of U2 were inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of fame in 2005.  The induction speech was given by Bruce Springsteen.

**Written and compiled by ZoraidaLu1 (Zory) from the entries on the book by Mark Chatterton: "U2: The Ultimate
Encyclopedia", Fire Fly Publishing: London, 2004 (Revised Edition).
Picture Sources: U2takemehigher, Poplemon
*Thank you Rivernile for the MP3 link.