In the wake of U.S. radio personality Casey Kasem’s death on Sunday, experimental American outfit Negativland have made their controversial 1991 track “U2” available for remixing. Though Kasem was known for his friendly, easygoing personality on his America’s Top 40 radio and TV show, “U2” contained embarrassing samples of outtakes of the DJ chastising his staff and essentially breaking character.
That’s the letter U, and the numeral 2. The four-man band features Adam Clayton on bass, Larry Mullen on drums, Dave Evans, nicknamed ‘The Edge’, on…” …this is bullshit, nobody cares…these guys are from England, and who gives a shit?!
The song’s melody played on kazoos borrowed from U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” which caused the Irish band’s label, Island Records, and music publisher, Warner/Chappell, to file a copyright infringement against the band and SST Records, resulting in the the song being withdrawn in less than two weeks after its release. (U2 guitarist The Edge said years later in an ambush interview with members of Negativland that he was troubled about how Island conducted themselves, claiming U2 were kept in the dark.)
Eager remixers looking to put their own spin on the classic track can download the song’s masters here and shouldn’t worry about Bono and his boys knocking down their door brandishing a cease-and-desist letter. Hopefully.