U2 X-Radio: Gavin Friday Presents Episode Guides

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"He’s an artist, lifelong U2 friend and collaborator – and every month, he takes control of the channel to share commentary and a new hand-selected playlist."

Gavin Friday, a longtime friend, collaborator and influencer of U2 presents his own monthly show on the channel. Includes a look at the earliest days of the band called The Cedarwood Chronicles, as well as special episodes, such as the first episode which featured the work of Hal Willner. The show launched a few weeks after the station, with the first episode airing August 14, 2020.

Below you will find the latest information about episodes of this program on U2 X-Radio on SiriusXM. Our full U2 X-Radio discography page is available if you are looking for news, scheduling information, and other information. Additional episode guides are available to the right.

• Monthly Show
• Airs initially on Friday, mid-month, at 23:00 ET.
• Shows available on demand.
• Repeats air throughout the week.

Gavin Friday Presents:

Episode: 01
Initially Aired: 2020-08-14 23:00
Gavin Friday Presents a special about Hal Willner to kick off his new monthly program. Willner died earlier this year from COVID-19 and is remembered by Friday in this hour long special. Willner, a musician, producer, and collaborator, had worked extensively with both Gavin Friday, and with U2. The show contains music from Willner's projects including the Stay Awake album, reinterpreting Disney Classics, Rogue's Gallery which saw Bono and Gavin Friday reinterpreting Pirate Ballads, Friday's own Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves and the Short Cuts soundtrack among others. Also included is the world debut of "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" covered by U2 and Elton John, which features on Willner's latest project, AngelHeaded Hipster, out in September.

Episode: 02
Initially Aired: 2020-09-11 23:00
This month's episode of Gavin Friday Presents focuses on 1972. It opens with Gavin speaking of his first musical experiences through T. Rex and how Bolan helped to invent Glam Rock, paving the way for Bowie and others. Music from T. Rex, Gary Glitter, Roxy Music and Mott the Hoople from 1972, as well as the theme for the Bruce Lee movie, Fist of Fury released that year. Gavin speaks of the violence and bullying and being beaten up by boot boys for having a pierced ear.

Mid-episode we get our first introduction to "The Cedarwood Chronicles" which is an autobiographical performance piece. We hear sound clips from the era, spoken dialog, and an interview with Gavin Friday about the year. Think of the introduction to Cedarwood Road used in concert. Gavin speaks of his real name, where he lived at 140 Cedarwood Road, going to school and what he hated most ("football") and how he dressed as a T.Rex fan, in clothing made by his mother. He speaks of bullying and the violence in Dublin, and how he vented his anger later through the Virgin Prunes. And the interviewer leads him to a discussion of Oscar Wilde, and falling in love with David Bowie, and becoming a fan of books and art through those loves. In his head Gavin didn't live on Cedarwood Road, suburbia had gone away, and he "had stars in his eyes." Each month we'll get another piece, taking us further along in time on the journey on Cedarwood Road.

The back half of the episode throws a focus on Bowie, discovering him through "Starman" on Top of the Pops. Bowie lead Gavin to Lou Reed, another love of Gavin's. From Lou Reed, Gavin bumps back and forth from New York, to Dublin, and back again. 1972 was also the date of Bloody Sunday, which happened in Derry when the British Army opened fired on a civil rights demonstration killing 13 people.

Episode: 03
Initially Aired: 2020-10-30 23:00
In an episode billed as a Hallowe'en special, Gavin Friday spooks things up on U2 X-Radio. A selection of songs on the episode include Joy Division's "Atmosphere," The Cramps' "Human Fly," Portishead's "Sour Times," and Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash." A few were chosen for their Gothic associations, other choices were for more obvious reasons. Other artists include Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Talking Heads, Bernard Herrmann, Fever Ray, Vincent Price, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Gil Scott-Heron, and Alice Cooper, as well as the track he recently did with U2, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" and one by the Virgin Prunes, "Theme for Thought." Friday spends the show acting as a DJ, mostly discussing the tracks he is playing, as well as urging people to vote, talking about 2020 being the year that won't end, and he ends the show by reciting James Joyce's "He Who Hath Glory Lost."

Episode: 04
Initially Aired: 2020-12-04 23:00
This week's episode of Gavin Friday Presents is one of two this month, with a promised Christmas Special coming in a few weeks. The episode presented here focuses on 1973. Gavin was 13 and presents "the world according to me" including a journey through the songs he listened to and the things that influenced his world.

Gavin speaks about not wanting to live in the real world, and using glam rock and rock and roll as an escape from the planet. He didn't go out much on Saturday nights in 1973, preferring to stay at home and watch sci-fi television or to read Oscar Wilde. Songs include "Pyjamarama" by Roxy Music, "Life on Mars?" by David Bowie, the theme from the original Star Trek, "Blockbuster" by Sweet, "Cum on Feel the Noize" by Slade, "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" by Elton John. Although Slade is included, Gavin speaks about how it always made him think of the bootboys terrorizing the people of Dublin.

Mid-episode is the second episode of "The Cedarwood Chronicles," an autobiographical performance piece, with clips of Gavin speaking, interspersed with music, and news clips speaking about events of the era. The episode opens with the original theme from Doctor Who layered with news clips about Oscar Wilde being attacked by bootboys. Gavin talks about how 1973 was the year he started to find his own identity and how he was alienating himself by choice, living on a far away planet populated by Bowie and Rock and Roll. He used trade forged notes to excuse kids at school for cigarettes. The love of music lead him to a part-time job taking bets on horses, as his father didn't believe in giving an allowance.

Gavin introduces us to his family on this episode. His mother, father and Uncle Paddy are introduced. Gavin struggled with his relationship with his dad, the opposite with his mother, who "thinks the sun shines out of yer arse" in the words of Gavin's father. Uncle Paddy was a widower, Gavin's godfather, and was recently returned from living in London. He introduced Gavin to art, classical music, art galleries. Through news clips we hear of some of the issues of the day. THe Catholic Church loomed large in Ireland. Petrol shortages were causing riots. Ireland was joining the European Economic Union. And Bowie had just released Aladdin Sane.

The back half of the episode sees Gavin talking about the "heartache" in 104 Cedarwood Road, his home, a battle between Gavin and his father with his mum stuck in the middle. He also speaks about his continued interest in music, and how he has started to buy albums instead of just singles. He also discovered that the charts were filled with "absolute shite" and we hear clips from "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree", "A Daisy A Day" and "Helicopter Song" to punctuate that point. Other songs played include another song by Roxy Music, and songs by Stealers Wheel, Pink Floyd, David Essex and John McCormack. The John McCormack song, "Song to the Seals" was his Uncle Paddy's favourite song and finished out the episode.

Episode: 05
Initially Aired: 2020-12-18 23:00
Gavin Friday Presents Silent Night - a selection of songs to hold on to, and songs to make you feel good (described last show as a Christmas special.) Gavin plays songs from Jóhann Jóhannsson and Tarn Travers, Davide Sylvain, Brian Eno, Gavin Byars with Tom Waits, Vangelis, David Bowie, Nina Simone, Leonard Cohen and his own "Lord I'm Coming" from the album Catholic.

Episode: 06
Initially Aired: 2021-01-29 23:00
The first show of 2021 features a look at the year 1974. "Needles in the Camel's Eye" from Brian Eno's debut album released that year. Gavin was 14 years old, and says he was sick to death of being told what to do by his father, the bootboys, the church and others. Gavin speaks about the bravado in his head, dreaming of beating back at his tormentors, but not knowing how to fight back physically.

Other songs included from 1974 include "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both" by Sparks, and "Across the Universe" by The Beatles. Gavin admits he disliked The Beatles until he met his friend Damien Kelly, and he learned an appreciation for the band, especially for John Lennon.

Gavin speaks of the Bootboys, and their explosion in Dublin, and how fighting movies and stars were taking over television, and movies, you couldn't even get away from it in the charts, with "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas hitting the charts. A voice of a preacher can be heard talking coming out of that song, about how young people are turning away from the church to mimic the fighting seen on TV instead, and urging them to turn back to the church and become "Bootboys for Christ".

"Rebel Rebel" by David Bowie is played, "putting the nail in glam rock" as is the pop song "Sugar Baby Love" by The Rubettes.

Mid-episode is the third episode of "The Cedarwood Chronicles," part one looking at 1974. The piece is an autobiographical performance piece. Gavin's new friendship with Damien Kelly is explored. Kelly was a lover of art, and books, and music, The Beatles instead of Bowie. Gavin also looks back at June of 1974, and how he and his brother were sent off to Skerries for holidays with his cousins, The Whittys. He recalls the summer, including songs played at the carnival, and performances by Thin Lizzy out in the Skerries. The episode opens with a look at the state of the continuing issues between North and South Ireland. Gavin talks about becoming aware of Ian Pasley, and his involvement in The Troubles. He remembers The Monaghan Bombings and The Dublin Bombings. May 17, 1974, Gavin was sitting out front of the house, and he heard the bangs miles away in the city centre. Components of the live performance of "Cedarwood Road" from the 2015 Innocence and Experience performance can be heard, including the clip from the local news, and some of the songs played in the introduction to that piece.

The rest of the episode finishes with music from 1974, including "Dublin" from Thin Lizzy, "All I Want is You" by Roxy Music, "Teenage Dream" by T.Rex, "Rocky Your Baby" by George McCrae, "Everlasting Love" by Carl Carlton, "Lady Marmalade" by LaBelle, "Waterloo" by ABBA, and ends with "Baby's On Fire" by Brian Eno. Gavin speaks about getting sent home for having 'filth' for taking the Roxy Music album to school, Marc Bolan and the end of Glam Rock, and the new sound of disco that was starting to take over, U2's cover of "Everlasting Love" and Ireland's performance in the Eurovision song contest. A news clip speaks about Oscar Wilde joining a group of women to invade a men's only swimming area, and ABBA winning the Eurovison song contest.

Episode: 07
Initially Aired: 2021-02-12 23:00
Gavin Friday presents a Saint Valentine's special. Songs are included from Elvis Presley, Joy Division, Nat King Cole, Antony and the Johnsons, SOAK, Frank Sinatra, Arcade Fire, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, David Bowie, Ryan Adams, Sinead O'Connor and his own "Love is Just A Word."

Episode: 08
Initially Aired: 2021-02-26 23:00
This episode of Gavin Friday Presents continues from the January episode where he began to look at 1974. It opens with David Bowie's "Diamond Dogs" and includes songs from Queen ("Killer Queen"), Paul McCartney & Wings ("Jet"), "Who Loves Ya Baby" the title music for Kojak and Simon & Garfunkel ("America"). Gavin continues to look at Dublin as well as music in 1974. It's a city where there's a petrol crisis, there were power outages due to the energy crisis, and a two month bus strike, mixed with growing unemployment and the troubles with the North. Musically, Glam Rock is dying and music is moving on. Ireland is being exposed to America through television through shows like Kojak - and it looks like a land of opportunity to those living in Ireland.

The Cedarwood Chronicles is a performance piece that appears mid-episode. It is the fourth such piece. The Chronicles this month talk about Gavin's first trip to America with his cousin and grandfather. He travels into the city to record shop. But first the episode sets up the scene in Dublin further, with a discussion of the Ballymun towers, each 15 stories tall, and discussed in the song "Running to Stand Still." Damien Kelly's older sister lived there, and Gavin first visited to see her. Gavin attends his first school dance in Ballymun that year, and we hear a short clip from "Let's Get Together Again" by The Glitter Band. He speaks of his fear at the dance, but joy at being able to hear his music he loves, but later would find himself with "his head kicked in."

Gavin's mother had sisters living in America, and the sister in New York invited her father to visit, but he was too frail to travel by himself so Gavin accompanied him on the visit. It's his first trip to America. He visited for two weeks, visiting the tourist sites in New York the first week, and the second week was spent in the suburbs, and the day before he was due to return to Dublin he took off for some record hunting in New York. And he "felt like he was walking on air" and bought himself ten albums.

The episode finishes with songs from those albums including David Essex ("America"), New York Dolls ("Jet Boy"), Lou Reed ("Ride Sally Ride"), Electric Light Orchestra ("Can't Get It Out of My Head"), John Lennon ("Whatever Gets You Thru the Night") and Kraftwerk ("Autobahn"). The episode is finished out with Bowie doing "Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal".

Episode: 09
Initially Aired: 2021-04-02 23:00
This hour and twenty minute episode takes us to 1975. Music includes songs by Jigsaw ("Sky High"), T. Rex ("New York City") and Roxy Music ("Love is A Drug"). We hear a spoken word piece about haircuts in Ballymun, and a hair stylist by the name of Oscar Wilde and a conversation about long hair being all that is wrong with society. The program continues with music by Sparks ("Get in the Swing") and David Bowie ("Young Americans") before moving into this month's episode of "The Cedarwood Chronicles".

The episode opens with a discussion of Irish President Eamonn de Valera's passing. It speaks about his battles for Irish freedom, and how he avoided execution because he had been born in the USA. Gavin speaks about how the death was an end of an era, the country came to a standstill, and then would go through decades of change.

Gavin is now working in Donnybrook, location of the RTE studios. He comes into contact with Frankie Byrne, pioneer of Irish Radio with her "Dear Frankie" show. She impresses Gavin, chainsmoking, offering advice, and generous tips. She told Gavin to never get his hair cut, stay true to himself and to stand up to those who put you down. Gavin take the advice. He speaks about a platform pair of clogs he wore to school, where he was surrounded by Boot Boys at lunch and taunted. He remembered Byrne's words, and took the clogs off his feet and whacked the bullies over the head with them. He wasn't harrassed again.

A series of news clips further sets the scene for 1975. The Vietnam war has ended. Ireland takes over the EEC presidency. Jaws is a sell out at cinemas, and toy stores are selling out of shark fins. President Franco of Spain has passed, and unseasonal snow and sleet is expected from the Soviet Union.

Gavin next talks about meeting Guggi and Bono for the first time. He says that traveling to other end of Cedarwood Road felt like moving to a foreign land. He had to go there to use the phone box, next to a cherry blossom tree located in front of the Rowen house. Gavin had been told to avoid the Rowen family, because they were worse than Protestants, they were Plymouth Brethern. He had been told the Hewson's weren't so bad, as they were only half Protestant, and that Paul's mother had passed the year before and was a lovely lady (for a Protestant.) His first encounter was with the Rowen brothers, Derek (Guggi) and Trevor. Gavin was in queue to make a phone call with a stack of Bowie albums under his arms and the Rowens are making fun of those in line. We hear Guggi saying Gavin's name and making animal noises, and Gavin takes off and skips the call. A few days later he is approached again by Derek with his best friend Paul Hewson. They ask if he would loan them some Bowie albums, and Gavin says "over my dead fucking body", but over the next few weeks they persist in talking to him, and Gavin's suspicions start to fade as he realizes they want to be friends. Hewson is described as wearing white flared jeans, a white T-shirt, a denim jacket and a bad Rod Stewart haircut, always smiling with a "how are ye" nod. The episode ends with "Something in the Air" by Thunderclap Newman.

Gavin plays DJ to the end of the episode, featuring songs from 1975 including songs by Queen ("Bohemian Rhapsody"), THe Isley Brothers ("Fight the Power"), Fleetwood Mac ("Rhiannon"), David Bowie ("Fame"), Bob Dylan ("You're A Big Girl Now"). He plays "Love Is" by Fran O'Toole and The Miami Showband, and talks about how it was a number one song in June 1975, and then as part in The Troubles in July 1975 five were killed in the Miami Showband Massacre, including three members of the showband which is a terrible blow to the Irish Music Scene. Gavin talks about his friend Damien Kelly, and their shared love of music as well. And finally he discusses that he felt in 1975 that there was something in the air, things were going to change, and at the end of the year he walked into Golden Discs on Grafton, and saw Patti Smith's Horses album, poetry and lyrics like he'd never seen.

Episode: 10
Initially Aired: 2021-05-07 23:00
This 70 minute episode takes us to the year 1976. The episode opens with music including Thin Lizzy ("The Boys Are Back in Town"), Andrea True Connection ("More, More, More"), Bryan Ferry ("Let's Stick Together"), Diana Ross ("Love Hangover"), Wings ("Let 'Em In"). As Gavin says, the sound of 1976 was not rock, it was disco. Also included was a news piece about the 'condom train' - a 1976 trip by women to go to Belfast to buy contraceptives which were unavailable in Dublin.

"The Cedarwood Chronicles" opens with a deeper look into Gavin's growing relationship with Paul "Bono" Hewson and Derek "Guggi" Rowen. We were introduced to them last episode, and Gavin mentions the friendship is growing although he was slow to trust it. He finds them both "warm and generous" and has a hard time getting his head around the people who surround them. This episode of "The Cedarwood Chronicles" is punctuated with ads for items from the 1970s which make sense as Gavin spins his stories. Included is advertisements for Everyready batteries, an old Honda motorcycle ad, and an ad for an airline discussing their high-end in-flight dining options.

Gavin discusses the Rowen family. His friend Derek ("Guggi") is one of 9 siblings. The head of the Rowen family is an evangelistic junk collector, and the family is said to be more a biblical tribe than a family. The yard at 5 Cedarwood is a dumping ground for abandoned cars, motorbikes, and a battery delivery fan. Guggi and three of his brothers were battery delivery boys, doing door to door sales and gaining the name of the "Everyready Boys" locally. Guggi has a motorcycle, and uses one in his delivery job. And although Gavin had little interest in motorcycles everyone around him does. Paul Hewson had even taken a part time job pumping petrol at the local garage in hopes to buy a Honda 150. And although he didn't understand the love of the bikes, Gavin had no problems hopping on the back of Damien Kelly's to go on record shopping excursions.

In the early Spring of 1975, Bono invited Gavin as well as his friends Damien and Frank to a party at 10 Cedarwood Road. Gavin had never been at a house party before and didn't know what to expect, and arrived to find the house filled with students from Mount Temple, listening to 'shit music' including Peter Frampton's "Show Me the Way" and Lynyrd Skynrd's "Freebird" over and over. Gavin and his friends are the ones there with the longest hair. They chatted up some of the girls, and snooped around the kitchen. Opening the fridge door, they found dozens of airplane dinners, the fridge filled with them from Bono's brother's job at the airport. Seen as an 'exotic trip' the boys try to make off with a stack of them, but Bono found out, and a fight broke loose resulting in a hole in the wall and damage to the staircase. And on the way home the three ran into the Boot Boys and got beaten up on their way.

A newscast brings us up to date on news from 1975 including the death of Howard Hughes, director and pilot; a controversy at the Dublin airport when Oscar Wilde was refused permission to go to Canary Islands due to an out of date passport; a strange fog; Sire Records releasing The Ramones and the controversy over their song, "Now I wanna Sniff Some Glue" and start of punk rock; and finally Jobs and Wozniak announce Apple computer which will make small computers for in home use. We then hear an ad for The Man Who Fell To Earth, and are treated to sounds from the Bowie film.

Gavin returns to speak about the March 1976 premiere of the film in Dublin at the Savoy Cinema. He waited in line with other avid Bowie fans. He saw the film 5-6 times in theatre and said that it made him feel at home, as it enhanced the traits of Bowie as a freak, an alien and an outsider. This episode of "The Cedarwood Chronicles" ends with David Bowie's "Golden Years."

Gavin finishes out the show playing more songs from 1975 including music from the Bee Gees ("You Should Be Dancing"), Elvin Bishop ("Fooled Around and Fell in Love"), The Ramones ("Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue"), Dr. Feelgood ("Roxette") and Patti Smith ("Land").

Episode: 11
Initially Aired: 2021-06-04 23:00
This is the second of three episodes featuring 1976, the year that Gavin Friday met Bono and Guggi. The show opens with songs that were released in 1976, including "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" by Elton John and Kiki Dee, "Livin' Thing" by Electric Light Orchestra, "Fox on the Run" by Sweet, and "Young Hearts Run Free" by Candi Staton. A break for a radio moment gives us a priest discussing the pain of getting a hair cut in a unisex shop, how children are going to pagan England and bringing back condoms and how sexual relations should be for procreation only...

The Cedarwood Chronicles start after this intial round of songs. The episode opens with the sounds of the BNI and Holyhead train. Gavin took the train to see Bowie in London, his first trip to London. Before telling those stories he speaks of his growing friendship with Derek Rowen and Paul Hewson, and their shared love of music, as well as surreal humour. Gavin suggests he was shy, unlike Derek and Paul. It was Derek and Paul that introduced Gavin to Monty Python, influencing them to create their own world and language. "We don't come from Ballymun, we come from Lypton Village" Derek said.

A news broadcast talks about a summer heatwave, with record temperatures and the roads melting. Spanish National television station has started appearing on televison, interupting normal viewing of programs. And there was a shortage of a whipped ice cream. A local ice cream vendor, Oscar Wilde, ran out of ice cream while on Cedarwood Road. And David Bowie is reported to have made a Nazi salute from his car in London, but Bowie says its not the case, it was the angle of the photo. The broadcast ends.

Bowie has released his Station to Station album, and launched a tour to support the album. Gavin speaks about belonging to the David Bowie fan club which has allowed him to get tickets for 3.75 - for a concert on May 8. On the 7th of May he took the BNI ferry to the UK without the knowledge of his parents. A train took him from Holyhead to London. He told his parents he was heading to his friend's Damien's house. Packed his platform shoes and a sleeping bag and headed to Dun Laoghaire to take the ferry with plans to camp out at Victoria Station. He's fascinated by the fashion of the punks he sees before the show. "Radioactivity" by Kraftwerk plays before the show starts with a Dali film, before Bowie takes the stage. Gavin discusses seeing his first show, and how it had changed him. Friday comes through loud and clear as one of us this episode, a fan. "Station to Station" by Bowie is played.

After The Cedarwood Chronicles, Friday continues to play songs from 1976, including "Blinded By the Light" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, "Fool to Cry" by The Rolling Stones, and "One More Cup of Coffee" by Bob Dylan. We hear an interview with Saladore Dali where he is asked why he does what he does, and then we go into Kraftwerk's "Radioactivity". The episode wraps up with another song from Bowie, "Word on a Wing," taken from Station to Station.

Episode: 12
Initially Aired: 2021-07-02 23:00
This month's show once again returns to 1976. It opens with a number of songs from the year, as well as a recording of a woman speaking of the Irish League of Decency, and the importance of wholesome family meals, as the Catholic family is under pressure in the modern world, and it's important to keep the man well fed, and that children don't go hungry...Songs include "Ask the Angels" by Patti Smith, "Love and Affection" by Joan Armatrading, "Love to Love You Baby" by Donna Summer and "That's The Way (I Like It)" by KC and The Sunshine Band.

This opening segment of music is followed by "The Cedarwood Chronicles" titled "New Rose." Gavin opens by talking about Bono (still Paul at this point) and mentioning that food and money were scarce on Cedarwood road, especially with his mother gone. Bono would often turn up at friends homes at suppertime hoping for a invite in, and knew exactly when to arrive at 140 Cedarwood Road to get a feed of sausage, egg and chips alongside Gavin and his brothers. And that he'd do the same to multiple friends. He would also often eat bread, a bag of chips and cola or orange soda so he'd bloat his belly up and feel less hungry.

Gavin talks about a trip to the Rose of Trallee Festival and finding the tour rampant with bootboys, which put him off festivals for life. Another run in with a bootboy saw Gavin learning his friend Damien Kelly had been killed in a motorcycle accident. A bootboy had seen him waiting at a busstop, and yelled the news "your hippy friend is dead". Gavin's mother confirmed it had happened, and Gavin mentioned that the death caused him to turn to his new friends Derek Rowen and Paul Hewson for support.

Adam Clayton appears to tell about the first meeting of U2 in Larry's kitchen on September 25, 1976. Gavin was not present at that meeting, but Adam tells of the day. Larry put up a note asking interested people to get in touch, and upon asking for more information, Larry directed Adam to show up at his kitchen and that a few people had been interested. Adam caught the 42 bus to get to Larry's. Edge and Dik were already sitting upstairs on the bus and Adam joined them as he previously knew them. Edge and Dik brought a homemade guitar, which they had hiding in a garbage bag. The three walked to Larry's house from the bus. There was a flurry of guitar players wanting to be in the band. Peter Martin was a friend of Larry's and was there for the audition, but didn't return after that, although he would sometimes loan the band his guitar. Ivan McCormick was with the band for a longer time. Bono also wanted to be on guitar. Both Edge and Dik were interested in guitar. But Adam mentions that over time it was clear that Edge was the guitarist, and even Bono stopped playing guitar over time.

The end of the episode returns to pUnk rock. Gavin speaks about where punk originated, New York or London. He believed punks in London had a "far more fucked up stance." With punk, the music mags out of London such as NME, Sounds and Melody Maker became Gavin's bible, and John Peel's broadcasts his 'bread and butter'.The Cedarwood Chronicles ends with "New Rose" by The Damned.

Rest of episode features music from Rod Stewart ("The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II)"), The Tubes ("White Punks on Dope"), The Modern Lovers ("Pablo Picasso"), Patti Smith ("Distant Fingers") and The Damned ("Neat Neat Neat"). The episode takes us into 1977 at the end with a song recorded in 1976, "Anarchy in the UK" by the Sex Pistols. This musical block is broken up with introductions by Gavin, a news clip where it's stated Chairman Mao of China found rock music a distraction from the revolution, and a clip from John Peel talking about punk music.

Episode: 13
Initially Aired: 2021-07-30 23:00
This episode of "Gavin Friday Presents" opens on 1977, and will be the first of three focusing on the year. He opens the show with the Sex Pistols playing "God Save the Queen" describing them as a musical grenade and the essence of 1977. The next songs are also from '77, David Bowie's "Speed of Life" from his 11th album, the first in Berlin, and "Funtime" by Iggy Pop.

A radio voice speaks of the clash of cultures in Ireland. It calls punk a cult, and urges people to return to tradition, start a riot for traditional beliefs, be pistols for Christ.

Gavin then plays "White Riot" by The Clash, a favourite of his from their debut album. He mentions seeing The Clash live at Trinity College in 1979 had a big impact on himself and Bono. And the music is rounded out by "Daddy Cool" by Boney M.

The Cedarwood Chronicles are up next. Gavin mentions he has yet to take the name Gavin Friday. Punk was arriving in Dublin, and he was blessed to have the sewing skills of his mother, and her Singer sewing machine. His clothes are done by himself, and she helps him with the adjustment of clothes that he finds in the secondhand shops. He also speaks about the hairstyles his friends had, with Derek (Guggi) having a Bowie cropped look, and Paul (Bono) and his natural born mullet, while his own curls wouldn't stand up straight. So he shaved them off, dyed his hair black, and added some hoops in his ears and a safety pin.

An ad for Moran's Hotel is next. Punk hadn't hit Dublin, until the Radiators from Space got their start. They had a residency at Moran's on Talbot Street. The venue was a beehive of activity for all things punk rock in Dublin including concerts by the Boomtown Rats, and the Radiators. Gavin loved the jam packed, sweaty, stinky concerts. He loved the vibe and energy. And Friday nights became a regular event for him, Derek and Paul. In June of 1977 at Bellfield, at UCD Dublin a young man was stabbed at an event and the media sensationalized it, blaming it on punk and the Radiators took the brunt of the blame for it.

Another news brief mentions the execution of Gary Gilmore in Utah, the launch of "Hot Press", and the Wild Mountain Festival. It mentions an interview with The Clash by Bill Graham, and the solution proposed for youth unemployment, those who agree to leave the country for good will receive a month of the dole.

Gavin speaks about punk and how it was angry and confrontational, and alientated large sections of the public, but also made him feel like he belonged to something. It gave him the confidence to live outside the box, and told him to be in a band if you want to be in a band. The Cedarwood Chronicles finishes out with "Blank Generation" by Richard Hell & The Voidoids.

The end of the episode finishes out with more music from 1977 including "Peaches" by The Stranglers, "Knowing Me, Knowing You" by ABBA (a song constantly on play in the Rowen household), "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" by The Adverts, "In the City" by The Jam, and "Marquee Moon" by Television.

Episode: 14
Initially Aired: 2021-09-03 23:00
This epsiode of "Gavin Friday Presents" is the second episode to focus on 1977. It opens with a selection of songs from that year including "Lust for Life" by Iggy Pop, "Oh Bondage, Up Yours!" by X-Ray Spex, "What Do I Get" by Buzzcocks, "Oh Lori" by the Alessi Brothers, and "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac. In between is the usual radio show in which we hear about the promotion of the Irish language, with a focus on the pronunciation of words used by Lypton Village.

The show then breaks for The Cedarwood Chronicles. This time the episode features on Lypton Village, and the giving of names to those who were part of the Village. The Village had it's own language and those belonging to the group were given their own names in that language. Lypton Village was created by Bono, Guggi and Gavin Friday, a place to escape, where they thought they fit in. They didn't want to be accepted. Music, art and humour were good, and everything else was bad.

A radio break sees a discussion of the death of Elvis Presley, a crather on the planet Mercury being named after W.B. Yeats, the Finglas observatory being damaged by fire, and an IRA weapons factory being discovered by the British police in Liverpool. In the entertainment news, it is mentioned that the judge was now working as a roadie with the new band Feedback, and the Sex Pistols have a new record label and a new single, and David Boiw is releasing Heroes. It finishes with an ad for the RTE program, who wants to be a Lyptonnaire quiz show where people answer questions about the beautiful people of Lypton Village, and then an ad for Lypton tea.

Guggi joins Gavin on the program to talk about names in Lypton Village. They would give names that would sound the way that someone looked. Guggi described his physical likeness. Gavin was a square word because he had a square head. In Lypton Village Gavin, Guggi and Bono all had jobs. Gavin was in charge of being in charge. Guggi was the "Maker of Goodtimes, Bringer of Silly Suggestions" and Bono was "Judge and Jury." Guggi was the prime giver of names, and all names were approved by Bono, Gavin and Guggi, but no one had any say in their own names.

Gavin was first named Wavin, then becoming Gavin. Friday came from Robinson Caruso's "Man Friday" as he was always a loyal friend. Guggi was named for the gutteral sound of how the mouth and chin looked. Guggi Junctionbox was his full name. Bono went through a number of names, Bon Mori, Bon Dirty Bollox, Bon Bon, Bono Vox, Bono Vox of O'Connell Street, Paul Vox, Bono Vox, Mr. Vox, and finally just Bono.

Others are mentioned including The Edge, who was initially known as Inchicore, and David Bursasas who would become Dav-Id. Gavin promises a future special featuring Guggi on the names of Lypton Village, before "What's My Name" by the Clash is played.

The show finishes out with some additional music from the year, as well as a song by Elvis Presley who passed away in 1977. The songs are "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer, "Trans-Europe Express" by Kraftwerk, "Lowdown" by Wire, "Sound and Vision" by David Bowie and "In the Ghetto" by Elvis Presley. The first two songs are described as the sound of the future. The king is dead, long live the king.

Episode: 15
Initially Aired: 2021-10-08 23:00
This episode is the third part of 1977. It opens with a Gaelic lesson. How to say Strongman, Cedarwood Road, Feedback, Paul Hewson, Bono and Friday. The episode is titled "This is where you can reach me now". The episode opens with Gavin talking about the Sex Pistols, and how he felt they were the true instigators of Punk. He was in love with the attitude. Seeing them on Top of the Pops in July 1977 was like a volcano erupting in Gavin's head. He said he was being told "you can do this, you should do this, go form a band, go tell everyone to fuck off."

The show opens with music from 1977 including "Pretty Vacant" by the Sex Pistols, "SOS" by ABBA, "I'm Always Touched by Your) Prescence" by Blondie, "Backwater" by Brian Eno and "Don't Worry About the Government" by Talking Heads.

Being finished school Gavin and friends are told to go get jobs. Gavin gets forced into a job as an assistant labourer for a builder. He's fired after three days for being weird, arrogant, and afraid of heights. Bono had a job parttime as a petrol attendant on Malahide Road for years, but it was Guggi that got him his first real job. The two of them took jobs at Justin Lord's bespoke shoe shop. The shop catered to a younger crowd, offering a wide range of shoes, including 7-inch platforms. Gavin was told to get a job or to get out of the house. He took a job purchasing, and controlling stock at a Dublin meat packing house, and promises tales from the slaughter house next episode.

A news piece talks about Marc Bolan's funeral, the Sex Pistol's trying to disrupt the Queen's Jubilee by playing from the Thames River, an outbreak of venereal disease in horses in Europe, and Justin Lord's shoe shop's winter sale.

Gavin returns to talk about growing his hair out when he was 12. He had a "Bolanesque" mop of curls. Which he was told repeatedly to get it cut. His father, the Christian brothers, over and over he was told to get it cut. He was even expelled three times for his long hair, but he wouldn't give in. And the day after his final exam in July 77, he cut his hair short, dyed it jet black, and called it his "fuck you look."

An ad plays for the Clash, coming to Dublin on October 21, two shows at the TCD, 7pm and 9:30pm. 1.50 Irish pounds.

Gavin said the anticipation was high. They were the first English punk band to play Ireland, and the concert was insane, an inferno. He spoke about pogoing. Getting out his pent up agression. And how the room exploded. He spoke about how the whole world changed for him at that point. The effect on Bono was especially huge, an ephiphany, like seing a new God. They walked home to Cedarwood after the show and they all knew what they had to do..."Soldier solider, we signed our lives away. Complete surrender. Complete control." Gavin plays "Complete Control" by The Clash at the end of this month's Cedarwood Chronicles.

The episode ends with more music from 1977. "Ghost Rider" by Suicide, "Elevation" by Television, "Watching the Detectives" by Elvis Costello, "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary" by The Carpenters, "No More Heroes" by The Stranglers, "Heroes" by David Bowie. He ends the show with his own cover of "Leopards" released in 2020 on a tribute album to Marc Bolan, to mark Bolan's death and funeral in 1977.

Episode: 16
Initially Aired: 2021-11-05 22:00

Episode: 17
Initially Aired: 2021-12-10 22:00

Episode: 18
Initially Aired: 2021-12-24 22:00

Episode: 19
Initially Aired: 2022-01-28 22:00

Episode: 20
Initially Aired: 2022-03-04 22:00

Episode: 21
Initially Aired: 2022-04-01 22:00

Episode: 22
Initially Aired: 2022-05-13 22:00

Episode: 23
Initially Aired: 2022-06-17 22:00
A Pride playlist: "One" - Hercules and the Love Affair / "Tilted" - Christine and the Queens / "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" - Sylvester / "Standing in the Way of Control" - Gossip / "Rebel Rebel" - David Bowie / "Saint Divine" - Gavin Friday / "Vogue" - Madonna / "Its A Sin" - Pet Shop Boys / "Tainted Love" - Soft Cell / "Bird Gehrl" - Antony and the Johnsons / "Different to the Others" - Atonalist and Gavin Friday / "I Feel Love" - Donna Summer

Episode: 24
Initially Aired: 2022-07-15 22:00