A long-lost briefcase full of notes and lyrics that were intended for the 1981 U2 album October has been returned, 23 years after it was stolen at a US concert.
U2 frontman Bono made the announcement at the World Affairs Council of Oregon, saying the returned notes were "an act of grace". Bono had to rewrite the October lyrics in the studio, and band members called it their worst recording experience. Though the record was generally well-received, it did not earn the praise of the band's debut album, Boy, or third album, War. Cindy Harris (44) returned the briefcase, saying she found it in the attic of a rented home in Tacoma, Washington State, in 1981. She did not know the notes had been stolen until many years later, and then she had no idea how to reach the band.
Her friend Danielle Rheaume spent much of the past year trying to contact U2's management.
According to Into the Heart, a book of stories about U2 songs, the briefcase was stolen by some women who joined the band backstage at a now-defunct nightclub in Portland, Oregon. The band returned to Portland a few years after the theft and Bono asked the audience if anyone knew about the briefcase.