A few days ago I was reading through Jah Wobble’s discography and noticed something I hadn’t spotted before, an EP with Holger Czukay and U2’s The Edge. This dates back to 1983, and I’m sort of surprised it didn’t get more exposure given U2’s popularity in the 80s.
On further inspection, it looks like one cut (“Hold on to Your Dreams,” track 2 on the EP) made it to Jah Wobble’s Redux: Anthology 1978-2015 but it’s otherwise slipped into obscurity.
Listening to the tracks I found on YouTube, it’s not bad but I’d never have spotted The Edge’s playing on this one. I guess you can sort of detect The Edge’s fingerprints on “Hold on to Your Dreams” late into the track, but it’s more like he’s trying to channel Nile Rogers. Or vice-versa. Vocals contributed by Marcella Allen, whom I’ve never heard of and Wikipedia and Google are of little help.
[youtube https://youtu.be/WF_SxvpS8-g]
Apparently somebody in the props department was a fan, or thought that this is what a teen would like, because a poster pops up in the background of Ferris Bueller’s bedroom.
Unless you’re really, really into Wobble, The Edge, or Czukay this isn’t really a must-have. It’s not bad, but I doubt it’s going to find its way into heavy rotation for me. But it’s worth a few spins, and might grow on you.
