Three

Three is U2's first release, a three-song EP issued in Ireland on 2 September 1979 through CBS. It was recorded at Windmill Lane Studios in August 1979, with the label's A&R man Chas de Whalley producing. "Out of Control" takes the A-side, while "Stories for Boys" and "Boy/Girl" share the B-side, chosen through a listener poll on Dave Fanning's radio programme.

It was also the band's first taste of success. The limited 12-inch pressing of 1,000 copies sold out almost at once, and the 7-inch version reached number 19 on the Irish Singles Chart. "Out of Control" and "Stories for Boys" were re-recorded the following year for the debut album, Boy, so this is the place to hear them in their earliest form. A Record Store Day Black Friday reissue marked its 40th anniversary in November 2019.