For nearly four decades, Adam Clayton has held down bass duties for U2, undeniably one of the biggest rock bands on the planet. Having built a career that includes countless awards and performances on the globe’s biggest stages, Clayton’s unique and simple style has been a landmark of U2’s groundbreaking career.

Born in 1960 in Oxford, England, Clayton moved with his mother and pilot father from Kenya to Malahide (near Dublin), Ireland, at the age of 5. There, his family became friends with the Evans family, and their sons, Dik and Dave (a.k.a. “the Edge”).

While in a boarding school called Castlepark, Clayton wasn’t able to listen to popular music, but that changed when he switched to St. Columba’s in Rathfarnham. There, students got their hands on albums from the Who, the Beatles and other influential rock and pop artists. Clayton changed schools again at 16 to Mount Temple Comprehensive, where he met Larry Mullen, Jr., and Paul “Bono” Hewson,” in addition to being reunited with Dik Evans and the Edge. The quintet came together as Feedback, but soon morphed into U2 after Evans left.

In addition to being U2’s bassist, Clayton was the band’s manager in the early days, booking shows and making initial negotiations with the record label CBS Ireland. He kept that role until Paul McGuiness, a more experienced manager, was hired in 1978.

U2’s rise was steady. Their third album, 1983’s War, was a massive success, but 1987’s The Joshua Treerocketed the band to superstardom.

U2 continues to dominate, with groundbreaking and record-setting tours such as the ZooTV (1992-93), PopMart (1997-98) and U2 360° (2009-11) taking the world by storm. The band also sent shockwaves throughout the music industry in 2014 with the surprise release of their first album in five years, Songs ofInnocence, for free via iTunes.

In 2014, Fender also honored Clayton with his own signature Jazz Bass.

CLAYTON SOUND AND STYLE

Throughout the entire phenomenal history of the band, the groundbreaking music of U2 has been underpinned by the gracefully muscular bass work of Adam Clayton. His impeccable groove and expansive tone form the sonic foundation of one of the biggest bands in the history of rock music, never more powerfully than today. Fender’s Adam Clayton Jazz Bass puts his rock-solid sound and style in your hands, with elegant appointments and elemental tone, including two potent Fender Custom Shop pickups and a beautiful Sherwood Green Metallic gloss finish with matching headstock.