Adam Clayton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adam Clayton
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Clayton performing in 2018
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Adam Charles Clayton |
| Born | 13 March 1960 Chinnor, Oxfordshire, England |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Bass guitar |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels | |
Adam Charles Clayton (born 13 March 1960) is an English-Irish musician. He is best known as the bass guitarist for the famous rock band U2. Adam was born in Oxfordshire, England. When he was five years old, his family moved to Malahide in County Dublin, Ireland.
Adam went to Mount Temple Comprehensive School. There, he met the other students who would later form U2 with him in 1976. He has been a member of the band since it started and has recorded 15 studio albums with U2. Adam's bass playing style is known for its "harmonic syncopation", which means he plays rhythms that make the music feel like it's always moving forward. He is famous for his bass lines in songs like "Gloria", "New Year's Day", and "With or Without You". Adam has also worked on other music projects. As a member of U2, he has won 22 Grammy Awards and was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.
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Early Life and Music Beginnings
Adam Charles Clayton was born on March 13, 1960, in Chinnor, England. His father was a pilot, and his mother was a flight attendant. When Adam was four, his family lived in Nairobi, Kenya, which he remembers as a happy time. In 1965, his family moved to Malahide, Ireland. There, they became friends with the Evans family, whose son David Evans would later join U2.
When Adam was eight, he went to a boarding school in Dalkey, Ireland. He wasn't very interested in sports, but he liked pop music. He joined the school's "Gramophone Society" to listen to classical music. Around age 10, he started listening to rock operas like Jesus Christ Superstar.
At 13, Adam went to St Columba's College. He met friends who loved rock music from bands like the Who and the Beatles. This inspired him to buy an acoustic guitar for £5. He started learning basic chords and songs. A friend at school encouraged him to play the bass guitar for the first time in a school band. When he was 14, his mother bought him a bass guitar after he promised to learn it seriously.
Later, Adam moved to Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin. There, he met future U2 bandmates Paul Hewson and Larry Mullen Jr.. He also reconnected with his childhood friend, David Evans.
Musical Career with U2
Forming U2
In September 1976, Larry Mullen Jr. put up a notice at school looking for musicians to start a band. Adam Clayton, David Evans, his brother Richard ("Dik"), and Paul Hewson all showed up for the first meeting. Two other friends joined briefly but left soon after.
At first, the band was called "Feedback." Then they changed it to "The Hype." After Dik Evans left, they became "U2." Adam helped manage the band in its early days before Paul McGuinness took over in 1978. In 1981, around the time of U2's second album, October, Adam had different ideas from the other band members about music and spirituality.
In 1995, after the Zooropa album, Adam and Larry Mullen Jr. went to New York for formal bass lessons. Before this, Adam had taught himself how to play. During this time, Adam also worked on an experimental U2 album called Original Soundtracks 1. On this album, he spoke the last verse of the song "Your Blue Room". This was one of the few times Adam has been a vocalist on a U2 song. He also provided backing vocals for some early live songs like "Out of Control".
Other Music Projects
Adam has also worked on music outside of U2. He played on Robbie Robertson's album in 1987. He also performed with Maria McKee. Adam joined U2 producer Daniel Lanois and bandmate Larry Mullen Jr. on Lanois's 1989 album Acadie. He played bass on two songs, "Still Water" and "Jolie Louise." In 1991, he played on Sharon Shannon's song "The Marguerita Suite." In 1994, Adam and Larry Mullen Jr. played on Nanci Griffith's album Flyer.
Adam and Larry also helped create the music for the 1996 film Mission: Impossible. They reworked the famous "Theme from Mission: Impossible" to have a more danceable rhythm. This song became a big hit, reaching number 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award in 1997. Adam also played on Steven Van Zandt's 1999 album Born Again Savage.
Adam Clayton's Musical Style
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Adam Clayton's bass playing is known for something called "harmonic syncopation". This means he plays a steady rhythm but shifts the sound of the bass before the guitar chords change. This makes the music feel like it's always moving forward. When he first started, Adam didn't have formal music lessons. Bono once joked that Adam used to pretend he knew how to play, using music words to impress them!
In the early days of U2, Adam played simple bass parts. Over time, he learned from styles like Motown and reggae. His playing became more melodic and he became better at keeping time. One writer said Adam often plays with a deep, vibrating sound, like a Jamaican dub bassist. This means he fills a lot of sound space with just a few notes. His playing style is said to match his relaxed personality.
Adam uses his own feelings to decide how to create his bass lines. He chooses whether to follow the guitar chords or play a different tune. He also decides when to play higher or lower notes. He looks up to bassists like Paul Simonon and Peter Hook. He credits Jean-Jacques Burnel for inspiring him to choose the bass guitar. Adam says that Larry Mullen Jr.'s drums always tell him what to play, and the chords tell him where to go. One of his most famous bass lines is from "New Year's Day".
Adam has sung on a few songs, like "Endless Deep" and "Your Blue Room". He also sometimes plays guitar, especially on the song "40", where he and the Edge switch instruments. He also plays keyboards on "City of Blinding Lights" and "Iris (Hold Me Close)".
Musical Equipment
Adam Clayton's first bass guitar was an Ibanez Musician Bass. He used it a lot when recording U2's early albums. When he was 16, he asked his father to buy him a second-hand Fender Precision bass. For most of his career, he has used different Fender Precision and Jazz basses. His Precision basses have been changed to have a Jazz bass neck. He says he prefers the Jazz bass neck because it feels more comfortable for his left hand.
In 2011, Fender made a special limited-edition Precision Bass designed by Adam. In 2014, Fender also announced a signature Adam Clayton Jazz Bass guitar. This model was based on a green 1965 Jazz Bass he used during the 2001 Elevation Tour. In 2023, Fender released a bass guitar amplifier designed with Adam, called the ACB 50.
Adam's basses include:
- Fender Precision Bass
- Fender Jazz Bass
- Ibanez Musician Bass
- Warwick Adam Clayton Reverso Signature Bass
- Warwick Streamer Bass
- Warwick Star Bass II
- Gibson Thunderbird Bass
- Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass
- Gibson Les Paul 70s Recording Bass
- Gibson Les Paul Signature Bass
- Lakland Joe Osborn Signature Bass
- Lakland Darryl Jones Signature Bass
- Auerswald Custom Bass
- Epiphone Rivoli bass (seen in the "Get on Your Boots" music video)
- Rickenbacker 4001 Bass (used in U2's early days)
- Status John Entwistle Buzzard Bass
- Gibson RD Bass
For his sound, Adam uses Aguilar amplifiers. These include the Aguilar DB 751 bass amp and Aguilar DB 410 and 115 cabs.
Personal Life
Adam Clayton was the best man at Bono's wedding to Alison Hewson in 1982. In 1989, he became a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, while also keeping his British citizenship.
Adam was a bachelor for many years. In the early 1990s, he dated English supermodel Naomi Campbell. He was also engaged to Suzanne "Susie" Smith, but they broke up in 2007. On September 4, 2013, Adam married Mariana Teixeira de Carvalho in Dublin. Mariana, who is from Brazil, works at a modern art gallery. On July 25, 2017, Adam and Mariana announced the birth of their daughter.
In April 2024, Adam was featured on the BBC show Gardeners' World. He showed off his collection of camellia, magnolia, and rhododendron plants at his home in Dublin. Adam will also be a presenter on a TV show called Ballroom Blitz, which will explore the history of Irish showbands.
Charity Work
In 2011, Adam Clayton became an ambassador for the "Walk in My Shoes" program at St Patrick's Hospital in Dublin. This program helps young people with mental health challenges.
Awards and Recognition
Adam Clayton and U2 have won many awards, including 22 Grammy awards. These include winning Best Rock Duo or Group seven times and Album of the Year twice. In March 2005, Adam was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of U2. This happened in their very first year of being eligible for the honor.
See Also
In Spanish: Adam Clayton para niños
- List of bass guitarists
- Timeline of U2
- U2 discography
