Ten Reasons To Celebrate Adam Clayton

13 Mar 202049

Ten Reasons To Celebrate Adam Clayton
Poet and playwright, Gary Jermyn has known U2 since schooldays. Who better than an old friend to pay tribute as the firstborn of the band arrives at a milestone birthday.

Apart from 'being one of the great bass guitarists of all time' Gary came up with another ten reasons to celebrate Adam Clayton.

Add your own birthday greetings and memories in the comments below.

HE HAS A KEEN SENSE OF BU-BA-BU
Adam was born in Chinnor, Oxfordshire on 13 March 1960, the same day as Ukrainian poet Yuri Andrukhovych was born in Ivano-Frankivsk. Yuri co-founded the famous Bu-Ba-Bu poetic group which translates as 'burlesque, side-show, buffoonery'. Adam too loves a wee bit of Bu-Ba-Bu. For example, he knows how to make a snow angel.
When our kids were small, Adam invited us to lunch at his home in Rathfarnham at the foothills of the Dublin mountains. It was winter and it had been snowing, which is not something that happens often in Ireland. We went for a walk in the woods and when we came to a clearing, Adam lay on his back in the snow. The kids thought he was mad. Then he started moving his arms up and down, and his legs from side to side. The kids thought he was madder. "I'm a snow angel" he shouted and suddenly they realized what he had become. Then they all lay in the snow and turned themselves into snow angels!

HE'S GREAT WITH KIDS
We were on holidays with our two kids in Venice and it was New Year's Day. All was quiet. My wife & I had been up early trying to entertain the kids, climbing bell-towers and counting bridges. Adam paid us a visit and bought the kids hot chocolate and Prada runners. He offered to give us a break. He took the kids for a walk through the narrow alleyways between the canals. As they headed off, I caught a glimpse of them chatting away,  about what I don't know. Then I saw my 5 year-old son Charlie reach out his hand, and Adam taking hold of it. That movement of one small hand reaching out for the other is forever etched in my memory, and always makes me smile.

HE LOOKS OUT FOR OTHERS
Adam told me a long time ago that its important to look out for friends who live on their own. He explained that they are more vulnerable; they need more looking out for than people who live with a partner or a family. He's really good at checking in with friends and I know how much they appreciate that.

HE LOVES HIS GRANNY
Who doesn't ? But I remember in those early U2 days when U2 were playing Wembley Arena for the first time, with The Waterboys as support, we met at the Millennium Hotel in Sloane Street and the band had organized a bus to bring family and friends out to the gig. It was my first time to travel to a gig in such style, in a bus with a TV! I sat beside Adam's granny and she spent a lot of the journey telling me how proud she was of all her grand-children. But she was particularly proud of Adam that night!

HE'S NOT INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE AS A ROCKSTAR
A few years ago when U2 were playing the O2 in London, Adam dodged the notorious London city centre traffic by taking the Tube to his own gig, and he wasn't hassled at all. Another time, we were at a birthday party near Wexford Town and we stayed in a B&B on the edge of town with notions of grandeur. At breakfast the next morning, the waitress asked me for my autograph. I asked who she thought I was. "You're Adam Clayton from U2" she replied. I turned to the staircase, Adam was descending in a leopard print bathrobe and blue suede slippers. "This is the man you seek" I said, and the waitress was thrilled as Adam gave her his autograph.

HE IS A SNAPPY DRESSER
Apart from one photograph of Adam wearing a chamberpot on his head after an early show in the Project Arts Centre, with the Virgin Prunes in support, he always comports himself in a very stylish manner. He scrubs up well, when he wears a suit he can look like a Tory politician, and he has a great taste on stage in t-shirts and leather jackets, frequently channeling Paul Simonon of The Clash. After a gig, he has a beautiful skyblue Kimono in which to relax and meet wellwishers. He is always "on trend" which is in no small way due to the help and guidance of his stylist Sharon Blankson! And of course, occasionally he wears nothing at all - even on the cover of an album.

HE HAS A BEAUTIFUL SPEAKING VOICE
Not only has he a beautiful speaking voice, but he speaks with beautiful and inspiring clarity. Examples of this: Just listen to Adam speaking the last verse of "Your Blue Room" on Passengers; his interview with Ryan Tubridy on RTÉ Radio to launch the thirtieth anniversary tour of The Joshua Tree in early 2017; or the honesty of his speech later that year when he talked about his recovery from addiction, at a MusiCares MAP Fund concert in New York. 

HE IS GENEROUS IN SHARING LESSONS HE HAS LEARNT
At that MusicCares concert, Adam was honoured with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award. He thanked Edge, Bono and Larry, his band colleagues in U2, Pete Townsend from The Who and Eric Clapton, who he said was always there on the end of the phone for him, to help him through this difficult time in his life. But Adam too learnt from the help he received, and passed it on. A simple case in point: I have a young musician friend who has struggled over the years with alcohol addiction. It's really hard for musicians because there's so much gigging is in pubs and clubs, at night, surrounded by temptation. I asked Adam would he mind calling my pal and having a chat with him. Adam was brilliant, called him up, shared his experiences, difficult as they were, and provided great support. He was, like Eric Clapton had been for him, always at the end of a phone.

HE HAS GREAT TASTE IN ART
"The Birth of Venus" is a renaissance painting by Sandro Botticelli which hangs in the Uffizi Gallery.  It depicts the goddess Venus (as naked as Adam Clayton on the Achtung Baby album cover) on a scallop shell being blown ashore by the wind-god Zephyr. Five hundred years later Andy Warhol did a series of screenprints inspired by Botticelli's Venus in which he turned Venus into a Hollywood Starlet. Adam has a version of this in his house. Both Adam and Mariana share a passion for contemporary art.

HE IS KIND
It was the novelist Henry James who said "Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind." In my experience, Adam is kindness personified. I am lucky to know him.

Comments
49
You must be a logged-in member to add comments.
sms_10
Happy Birthday Adam!
Although I haven’t actually had the pleasure of meeting you (or any of the other members of the band). I have felt the warmth of his kindness as he nodded in acknowledgment at seeming in a Team Adam T-shirt at Mohegan Sun. When my cousin asked why I Adam is my favorite band member and not Edge (his) I told him it was because I could feel that bass in my soul! I hope you enjoyed a peaceful and happy day with your friends and family! Wishing you good health and many more days enjoying (and sharing) beautiful works of art in the world.
gunther1977
Happy 60th birthday!
Happy birthday to the kindest of the rock stars! Great musician, cool personality and always nice to fans!
Lenie
Happy Birthday Adam
Wish you a Happy Birthday and a fantastic day with your loved ones.
cgmorgan777
“Thank you Mr. Clayton.” - Bono 1982
As bono once said during one of U2’s concerts, thank you Adam for all the awesome bass! Happy 60th Birthday!
MarjanVeldhoen
Happy birthday!
I wish you all the best on your sweet 60th birthday. Thank you for your music and for playing the bass so extraordinary well! May you live in good health for a very long time!
900
HaPpY BiRtHdAy
You make us feel special. Your smile, your look, your art ...you are special! I love this Adam. 60 years of you . Welcome in my life 900
mooner
Love you Adam
Best wishes at 60 from Captain American Soul. Aging perfectly, like a great red wine. There is no beginning to love. -CAS
patriciaguzman1213
Happy Birthday!!!
I don't have the pleasure of having met Adam Clayton (if you don't count the many times I saw him and the band on stage in my country, Argentina) but everything Gary says, Adam transmits somehow to the rest of us. He sounds so sincere when you hear him talk!! He seems an honest, down to earth man with exquisite taste. Happy Birthday, Adam for many, many more. The world needs more of your kind!!!! Luv, Pat from Argentina
YAHWEH333
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIR ADAM CLAYTON
I WISH YOU THE BEST ALWAYS!! HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY!! ENJOY WITH YOUR LOVE ONES!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALWAYS BEEN THERE!!!, YOUR PRESCENCE, YOUR MUSIC AND THE WAY YOU MAKE US FEEL IS THE REFLECTION OF YOUR PERSONALITY AND YOUR KINDNESS!!! HAPPY 60 BIRTHDAY ADAM!!!!! DREAM OUT LOUD!!!!!
musicabona
Happy 60th birthday!
Happy 60th birthday, Adam! I wish you much luck, health and many more years filled with great music. As U2´s first manager you contributed much to the band´s career. Your distinctive, melodic and joyful manner to play the bass guitar creates a lot of energy we all love. During a show in Vienna in 2010 it was a great pleasure to stand in the front row near to you. Thank you for all the wonderful songs! Greetings from Austria
Coyote72
Happy birthday to my muse ! ;-)
Happy birthday Adam !! I'm ten years younger than you but you're my muse as I decide to start playing bass recently... to be as cool as you ! ;-)
soey
Happy Birthday Adam!!
To the Jazzman of the family, the kind, well-dressed and - no worries - still good looking, the always interacting like chatting from the stage bass-man, you know arts and love it, a friend everyone love to have by only knowing how kind you are to fans like me, grounded and humble - thank you so much! Wish you a great day with all your beloved ones!! Greatings from Hamburg. Happy Happy Birthday Adam!
goliatxs
thank you so much
Tanti Auguri Adam!! siamo felicissimi di partecipare a questa giornata importante,tutti i fan degli U2 nel mondo ti sono vicini!! sei un mito non mollare!!!ti amiamo!!!
emmattias
Happy Birthday
Dear Adam, I wish you the best, all the best that you deserve. Thanks for your music, your talent, your élégance, your présence. Thanks for all that you're doing for health mental care, we need people like you...Greetings from France ! Happy birthday !
Sergey_Kotov
~60~
Happy Birthday Basman!!!!! We love you very much! "It's a beautiful day, the sky falls And you feel like it's a beautiful day Don't let it get away..." Greetings from Minsk, Belarus!)
ORLANDINHO
Happy birthday!!!
Portugal móveis you. Thanks you so much for the all you give us.
THEJOSHUA73
Tnx Adan
Happy birthday brother, with all my love.... U2 save my life....
m7
♡60♧
Happy Birthday Adam! Keep on rockin' in the free world :) The 60's are great! (I wouldn't know I'm in my 40's haha) Hey you were a kid in the 1960's...now you're still a kid in your own 60's! Much Love 2U Adam
Grace12
Happy Sweet 60th Adam
Although you are the first to reach this beautiful milestone I feel you Have youngest soul out of all the U2 members. Seeing you live & getting to stand on the rail right in front of you, meeting you in person & seeing your cool, calm, collect self. That sweet smile, laughter, & just ultimate gratitude exudes from you. Happy Birthday & thank you for being so freakin’ awesome!
   Newer comments    31 - 49 of 49    Older comments

RECENT NEWS

20 Mar, 2024

 Subscribers Special
On guitar… Dallas Schoo.

27
18 Mar, 2024

Hear the last U2:UV show and exclusive interview on U2 X-Radio thru April 17

15 Mar, 2024

Hear the final U2:UV show on U2 X-Radio this Sunday.

14 Mar, 2024

U2:UV was like no other show - here's what it was like every night.

Related Topic