Greg Carroll R.I.P.

Rip It Up, Issue 108, 1 July 1986, Page 4

Greg Carroll R.I.P.

The music industry this month mourns the tragic death of Greg Carroll, one of its most popular and accomplished sons. Carroll was a charismatic personality who made friends easily, and never forgot those friends. No matter where he was in the world during his travels working for U2, hed phone up his friends and relatives in New Zealand to say hello. Carroll, who was 26, was killed in Dublin early this month when the motorcycle he was riding was struck by a car. For the past two years he had been working as a permanent member of U2's production team; on the band’s recent short tour of the United States, he was promoted to tour manager. Carroll was such an integral part of the U2 "family” that Bono Vox, drummer Larry Mullen and several other U2 personnel travelled from Ireland to Wanganui for his funeral at the Kai-lwi marae. “We had to come to New Zealand," Bono told Colin Hogg at the funeral. “We felt we had a duty to our friend and workmate. To see that he came home with honour.”

It was with the Wanganui band Blonde Comedy that Greg Carroll’s career in music began in 1980. “He rang us up and said 'Hi, do you need a soundman,” says Anthony Johns, lead singer of Blonde Comedy and now with National Anthem. “We didn’t, really, but he was such a personality, so funny, that he had to be part of the band.” Carroll was always included in the band’s photos, “because he looked so much better than the rest of us." When the band shifted to Auck-

land, in 1983, Greg became wellknown for his quick wit and fast work. He worked for the sound company Oceania, and often did the sound at Mainstreet. “He was so fast, and such a perfectionist — always giving the audience their money’s worth,” says Johns. Support bands always got just as much effort spent on their mix — occasionally Carroll’s sound got better reviews than the bands — but woebetide any support band that didn’t want to celebrate afterwards.

Greg met U2 during their 1984 tour. “He was just one out of 100 workers there, but the band saw the way he handled the crowd,” says Dave Major, also a member of Blonde Comedy. “He was always very cool when the heavies got heavy, and the band were very impressed.” U2 invited Greg to stay with them when the band went on to Australia, and later to become a permanent part of the U2 team. “Bono and Greg ended up best friends,” says Johns. “He was instantly likeable." When U2 played on Live Aid, Greg was seen on screen protecting Bono from the crowd. In Wanganui, Bono revealed that it was pre-arranged for Greg to come on stage, so that all his friends back home could see him.

All the time he was overseas, he was constantly phoning home; “He had a great love for people, and he used to ring to say that he hadn’t forgot them,” says Major On the day he died, Greg had called his parents; as they were asleep, he said he’d call back later.

Greg was given a three-day tangi on the Kai-lwi marae near Wanganui. Mourners slept in the room where his body lay, and there were many eulogies and speeches calling upon Greg’s ancestors to welcome his spirit. Greg was a dedicated member of the Ratana Church, and the local Ratana choir was led by Greg’s uncle Dalvanius Prime, who played a major role explaining the tangi to those who didn’t speak Maori. At the burial, Bono read a poem he’d written for Greg. “Afterwards, there was a ‘last supper’ at the marae,” says Johns. “It was Greg saying thank you to the people who had come, and a time of celebration." Both Johns and Bono were called upon to sing; Bono, accompanied by Gavin Buxton of the Ponsonby DC’s on

violin, sang ’Let It Be’ and ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’.

Next morning, Bono and Larry Mullen visited the Ratana temple in Wanganui before flying to Auckland to catch their planes home, Bono travelling via Nicaragua where he was to visit as part of an Amnesty International team. U2 plan to hold a memorial service in Dublin later this month, and to send a representative back to Wanganui in a year’s time for the traditional unveiling ceremony. Chris Bourke