Dorian Lynskey's interview with the band in The Observer newspaper in the UK today, is a great read. Here's some highlights.
On the album release through iTunes''We
were already annoying people, it was already divisive, it was already,
'I can't stand them, I want to kill them.' It's the job of art to be
divisive.' (
Bono)'I absolutely had my doubts about it
before we did it, and after, but it was the right thing to do. It was an
opportunity that will only ever come around once for anybody. I don't
think anyone would want to do it again.'
(Edge)'The plan
wasn't to be controversial. In today's world there is so much chatter,
so in order to get through the chatter I'm afraid we are destined to
make a very loud noise ourselves.' (
Adam)On Losing A Mother'If
someone were to do an analysis of the singers and writers in
rock'n'roll, you'd be shocked by how many lost their mother. You're just
at the age where you're discovering girls and the woman who brought you
into the world exits stage left in a very dramatic way. But what's more
interesting is the rage that follows grief. Where do you put it? Music
arrives in my life as an emancipation and punk rock gives me a place to
howl. It's literally turning your shit into gold records.'
(Bono)'Everything
I thought that would be was no longer. Everything was broken, Like
home, that was just gone, everything was gone. So my thing was to find
somewhere else to go. I needed another family and the band became that
for me and it was a refuge. ...'
(Larry)On Punk'People
were either turned on by it or completely repulsed. It was something
that defined you. It makes me start to twitch when music is smooth,
like a beautiful soundtrack to your life. Music has become wallpaper, a
commodity, something going on in the background. That's why I love Kanye
West because he's like, 'Take this! I'm with him. Let's not make it
comfortable...'
(Edge) On Being In A Band'The
reason that we do this is because we are incomplete and being in the
band allows people who are slightly broken to feel fixed for that period
of time.'
(Larry)On Being In The Middle of A Howling Argument'Why
do I write songs about political violence? Where is that coming from.
It's very disturbing to think that my teenage life was largely dominated
by memories of violence and that my worldview was shaped by that. It
might mean some sort of psychological flaw in me, but I feel most
comfortable in the middle of the biggest, noisiest, most chaotic howling
argument.'
(Bono)
U2 are set to release another TWO albums over the next 18 months, their best friend has revealed.
