The Thing is.

Described as the Irish John Peel, Dave Fanning has been a major player in the Irish and global music scene for over 30 years.

In this compelling memoir, RTE Radio 2 DJ Dave Fanning will give the behind-the-scenes story of all the international musicians he has met, including The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, David Bowie, The Who and many, many more.

Dave's story starts in the 60s, when he discovered his love for Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and of course, The Beatles through the family subscription to the NME. This was to be his first glimpse of a world he would soon become an important part of.

Graduating from pirate radio and a stint as Editor of Scene magazine, Dave joined RTE radio 2 when it launched in 1973, and quickly became the voice of a generation. Billboard magazine hailed him as the man solely responsible for the growth of Ireland's music industry.

Renowned for supporting young, new Irish talent, Dave Fanning will detail the unique story of his role in the launch of U2 and his ongoing friendship with the band, delving into their humble beginnings and rise to fame. Including never-before-seen photographs and images from Dave's huge personal collection, this is an absolute must-have for any music fan and will be a significant contribution to the history of music.

Ireland's answer to John Peel, award-winning presenter, DJ, writer and film-maker Dave Fanning began his career in broadcasting in 1977. He is most famously credited as the man responsible for introducing U2 to the world.

In the early nineties Dave presented live music shows on Channel 4 ('Rocksteady', 'Friday at The Dome', 'Return to The Dome') and in 1994 Richard Branson asked Dave to join his new station, Virgin Radio. Dave presented his own show there every weekend for 2 years. In recent years, Dave was Programme Consultant on ITV's 'South Bank Show' for their music special 'Cool Clear Crystal Streams' and presented many documentaries on music including a BBC Radio 4 profile on Bono.

Outside TV Dave is a journalist and was the Rock Correspondent for The Irish Times for 10 years and Movie Critic for The Sunday World. Dave has recorded interviews with just about every major music personality of the past few decades including legends like Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and many more.

Currently, Dave presents a 90-minute magazine show every weekday at 6pm on 2FM Ireland.