Tuesday, October 28, 2014

U2.COM : 'No End To Love...'

'All I know
And all I need to know is there is no end to love...'


Performing California on 'Later... with Jools Holland'. (Not available in all territories)

Monday, October 27, 2014

U2.COM : 'Quintessential'

'It's a strange feeling when the plane comes down and you see the lights of Dublin, a lovely feeling and this show, growing up in Ireland, it's quintessential...'

Edge and Bono were guests of Ryan Tubridy on The Late Late Show last night - performing acoustic versions of 'The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)' and 'Every Breaking Wave'. 

 Watch it all here.

Friday, October 24, 2014

U2 are planning to release TWO more albums before 2016 - after shock free record


U2 are planning to release TWO more albums before 2016 - after shock free record

Closest pal Dave Fanning knows they have more material in the bag

Sep 11, 2014 | 16:17
U2 - Songs Of Innocence2_photo credit_PAOLO PELLEGRIN U2 are set to release another TWO albums over the next 18 months, their best friend has revealed.
Close confidant Dave Fanning said he believes Songs Of Innocence is the first in a three-part series of albums in which they explore the 70s, 80s and 90s.
It comes after the Dublin rockers released their last record – their first in five years – for free to half a billion iTunes users with Apple paying the bill.
And Dave, who got the first play of the record on 2FM, said: “I think this is the first of three U2 albums.
Dave Fanning signs copies of his book 'The Thing Is...' at Dubray Books
More to come: Dave knows U2 aren’t finished | VIPIRELAND.COM
“I’m guessing that, because every single track on Songs Of Innocence is about the 1970s.
“I think there will be more ‘Songs of…’ dealing with later decades, and the life experience of U2, right up to the present day.”
Last year Bono said they were “working on three albums”, adding: “We haven’t decided what order to put them out.”
And Dave, 58, said that given the length of time between albums there is no reason they won’t have the material.
U2 Play their final 360 concert at Croke Park
More material: Dave knows this won’t be the end for U2 | VIPIRELAND.COM
“I think U2 have loads of songs. There will be more albums. I’d say U2 will drop a few albums in the next eighteen months,” he told the Irish Sun.
“The theme is almost a mid-life crisis for Bono but he hasn’t tried anything ground breaking. What he has done is gone back to the start which is brilliant. The songs are very personal to Bono.”

source : http://www.goss.ie/

Thursday, October 23, 2014

U2.COM : 'U2 Take On The World'

The band are on the cover of the latest edition of Rolling Stone - on newstands now.

Here's some highlights from an enthralling feature by Brian Hiatt.

'Making this album, we went back and listened to all the music that had brought us into ourselves, then we said, 'Now let's misremember it'.
Bono

'I was feeling really good at the beginning. Shit, this is going to really work. We're going to fly through this stuff. Boy, oh boy, was I wrong!'
Larry

'We love taking risks and working with new collaborators because that's how you carve out the next chapter in the story.'
Edge

'They exhaust you. You're wrestling four guys coming in rotation and then all together at the same time... it's unbelievable how they work.'
Jimmy Iovine

'Even after years of working on stuff, the guys won't stop trying to make a song better all the way up to the end, and I admire that.'
Brian 'Danger Mouse' Burton

'These digital, online companies cross borders. They have infinitely more power than any traditional corporation. From our point of view we got our record out to as many people as possible...'
Adam

'In a great song you can be as naked as a streaker singing acapella. I'm embarassed next to someone like Carole King, unless I can come up with something that's as raw as some of her great songs. So that was it. Songwriting school!'
Bono

'We're hoping Songs of Experience will be less about intimacy and more about a celebration of sorts.'
Adam

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

U2 - Every Braking Wave (live later with Jools Holland)

U2.COM : 'Here For You'

'The first time I've ever had the whole band sitting in front of me.'

Latest broadcast interview is with Zane Lowe for BBC Radio 1 in the UK. All four band members were in the studio to talk about how the album began to emerge during the last tour and how it was finished... days before last month's release.

Listen again here.

And if you're in the UK, did you catch the band performing tonight on Later With Jools Holland,  along with Sam Smith, Interpol and Zola Jesus?

A debut live performance for 'Volcano' was a bit special, as was  'Every Breaking Wave' with the whole band and a string section. Here's Volcano.

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

U2 - The Graham Norton Show [videos]

Friday, October 17, 2014

U2.COM : The Making Of...

'U2 The Making of Songs of Innocence', produced by iHeartRadio,  will air across the US tonight,  Friday, October 17th.

'The live broadcast event will feature an intimate interview with Bono and Larry Mullen, Jr., discussing the creative process and meaning behind the music of their new album with host, iHeartMedia personality, Rod Ryan.'

The broadcast will air across iHeartMedia's AAA, Alternative, Mainstream and Classic Rock radio stations across the country at 7/6c as well as online and on the iHeartRadio app on The Alt Project at 7pm ET and 7pm PT.

More here

Thursday, October 16, 2014

U2.COM : Live On The BBC

The band were guests of Jo Whiley on her BBC Radio 2 show tonight, introducing live debuts for 'Cedarwood Road' and 'Song For Someone'.

The four band members were joined by a string quintet in the legendary setting of the BBC's Maida Vale recording studio.  'The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)' and 'Every Breaking Wave' were the other tracks from the new album, and as well as an extended conversation with Jo, the band finished up with 'Stuck In A Moment'.

 Catch the stream of the show - and add to the comments below.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Monday, October 13, 2014

U2.COM : On CD/Vinyl Today - Songs of Innocence

To mark this week's release of Songs Of Innocence on CD/Vinyl - along with bonus tracks, acoustic sessions, hidden songs and special formats - the band are playing some of their new songs on TV and radio stations around Europe.

Last night it was Milan, Italy for the RAI TV show, Che Tempo Che Fa.

Today's  physical release of Songs of Innocence  comes in three formats which are available to order here and through Island Records, and U2.com (Don't miss the cool bundle offers just launched - Songs Of Innocence Deluxe CD set & T-Shirt ).

Pre-order digital here.

Deluxe, 2 CD Format which comes with 2 x 16 page booklets, the 11 track album on CD1 plus additional tracks on CD2 including a 6-song acoustic session along with Lucifer's Hands, The Crystal Ballroom, The Troubles (Alternative Version) and Sleep Like A Baby Tonight (Alternative Perspective Mix by Tchad Blake).

2 LP 180gram White Vinyl Format featuring the 11 track album on sides 1, 2 & 3 with bonus track The Crystal Ballroom 12" Mix on side 4.

Single CD Format with a 24-page booklet along with the 11 track album.

U2 "Every breaking wave" live @ Milano by StephaneLecureuil
U2 "The Miracle" live unplugged @ Milano by StephaneLecureuil

Sunday, October 12, 2014

U2.COM : 'The Job Of Art'

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)

Saturday, October 11, 2014

U2.COM : #U2NoFilter

To mark the worldwide release of Songs Of Innocence on CD & Vinyl, the band will be on Facebook - answering your questions.

So what do you want to know? What have you always wanted to ask?

Add your questions in the comments below this Facebook post, then check back on Tuesday to to see the band on camera with their answers.

The physical release of Songs of Innocence on October 13th comes in three formats which are available for pre-order here and through Island Records, and U2.com (Take a look at the cool bundle offers just launched - Songs Of Innocence Deluxe CD set & T-Shirt ).

Pre-order digital here.

Deluxe, 2 CD Format which comes with 2 x 16 page booklets, the 11 track album on CD1 plus additional tracks on CD2 including a 6-song acoustic session along with Lucifer's Hands, The Crystal Ballroom, The Troubles (Alternative Version) and Sleep Like A Baby Tonight (Alternative Perspective Mix by Tchad Blake).

2 LP 180gram White Vinyl Format featuring the 11 track album on sides 1, 2 & 3 with bonus track The Crystal Ballroom 12" Mix on side 4.

Single CD Format with a 24-page booklet along with the 11 track album.

U2.COM : 'Our First Roadie'

To mark the CD/Vinyl release of Songs of Innocence, the band have been speaking to The Sun newspaper in the UK. A great read with lots of new stories - here's some highlights, follow the link (free registration) to read the two-part interview in full.


Bono on U2's First Roadie
'The Edge's Ma was our first roadie. She had an orange VW Beetle and I don't know how the band fitted into it. We had to put the gear on top. She went out on runs with us after midnight and we would plaster the city with entire rolls of wallpaper.
'We'd open out the rolls, write our lyrics and splash them all over the movie posters. This is vandalism by the way... don't try this at home.'

Larry on The Sweet
'I was really into glam rock. I loved The Sweet... that's where I started from and it was really hard to let go of that.'

Edge on Seeing The Clash
'I meet a lot of people who were at The Clash. It's one of those moments, a generational thing. If you were there, it's indelibly imprinted on your memory.'

Bono on 'What Made Us Want To Be In A Band In The First Place'.
We went back to that period and listened to the music that had turned us on. For me it was like a floodgate moment. The melodies of The Ramones, that are like The Supremes, the innovation of Kraftwerk, Bowie's Low and Heroes, The Clash, the genius of The Buzzcocks' Pete Shelley, then our contemporaries like Joy Division and Teardrop Explodes.'

Larry on David Bowie
'I was completely engaged with Bowie. That was the world I wanted to occupy whereas a lot of punk was a visceral thing...'

Bono on Chris Martin
'We were playing with (Every Breaking Wave) for the last album and Chris talked us out of it. He said, 'That one deserves to be finished.' The half-baked version would have denied us this, so we owe him for that... he's a genius and a very self-effacing guy. He's one of our bodyguards.'

Friday, October 10, 2014

U2.COM : 'The Crystal Ballroom 12" Mix' - Now Streaming

'The Crystal Ballroom 12" Mix' - Now Streaming
'Life begins with the first glance
The first kiss at the first dance...'


Now streaming exclusively for U2.com subscribers, the 12" mix of new song 'The Crystal Ballroom' from the Songs Of Innocence Double White Vinyl Set.

CD/Vinyl formats of the album are officially on release in some countries from tomorrow - worldwide from Monday - but we wanted our subscribers to get a first listen. This is the Tchad Blake remix, only available on the vinyl.



The physical release of Songs of Innocence comes in three formats which are available for pre-order here and through Island Records, and U2.com.
Pre-order digital here.

Deluxe, 2 CD Format which comes with 2 x 16 page booklets, the 11 track album on CD1 plus additional tracks on CD2 including a 6-song acoustic session along with Lucifer's Hands, The Crystal Ballroom, The Troubles (Alternative Version) and Sleep Like A Baby Tonight (Alternative Perspective Mix by Tchad Blake).

2 LP 180gram White Vinyl Format featuring the 11 track album on sides 1, 2 & 3 with bonus track The Crystal Ballroom 12" Mix on side 4.

Single CD Format with a 24-page booklet along with the 11 track album.

Pre-order from local retailers in countries listed below.
Switzerland
CeDe
Standard
Deluxe
Vinyl

Ex Libris
Standard
Deluxe
Vinyl

Japan
Standard/Deluxe

Brazil
Standard
Deluxe

Holland
Standard
Deluxe
Vinyl

Sweden
CDON
Deluxe
Standard
Vinyl

BENGANS
Deluxe
Standard
Vinyl

Australia
Deluxe
Standard
Vinyl

Czech Republic
Standard/Deluxe/Vinyl

U2.COM : The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead
'The Troubles' (featuring Lykke Li), from the new album Songs of Innocence, features on a pair of trailers for the fifth season of The Walking Dead.

The new series of the award-winning post-apocalyptic drama opens this weekend. The physical release of Songs of Innocence on October 13th comes in three formats which are available for pre-order here and through Island Records, and U2.com. Pre-order digital here.

U2.COM : Vinyl Special

We're giving away a dozen copies of a rare pressing of Songs Of Innocence on a single vinyl LP.

This special single disc LP features a white label bearing the same artwork as the iTunes digital release.

How do you stand a chance of getting one of these highly collectible items ?

The band have been talking about the inspiration of the new songs in Dublin of the 1970's,  particularly bands they got into like The Ramones, The Clash and Kraftwerk. In the LP sleevenotes, Bono tells a story about a Ramones gig at the state cinema in Dublin.
'My best friend Guggi had a ticket and he snuck us through a side exit he pried open. The world stopped long enough for us to get on it. Even though we only saw half the show, it became one of the great nights of our life....'

What we're looking for from you is a vivid memory of an early gig - or a show that changed your life.

Could be the first band you saw... or just one you'll never forget.

Anything strange or wonderful take place - or was it a total let-down ?

Did you meet them backstage after the show - or have you never listened to them again?

Extra points if you can include a photo of the night - with your mates or with that weird hairstyle you had at the time or of the poster promoting the gig.

We'll publish some of the best entries on the site and our favourites from U2.com subscribers will receive one of these special Songs Of Innocence LP's. (You can still enter even if you're not a subscriber - we've blagged some other Songs of Innocence prizes too.)

Post your pictures / links to the story up on social media (Twitter / FB / Instagram etc) using the hashtag #unforgettablegig and in our Zootopia Forums.

Entries close on Friday October 17th.

U2.COM : 'Comfortable In Their Skin.'

'Comfortable In Their Skin.'
A month after it's surprise release and some of the monthly music magazines have published their reviews of Songs of Innocence.

The band deliver a career high says Tom Doyle in the new edition of Mojo Magazine.
'Songs of Innocence reconnects U2 with the strident, searching, wide awake band of their nascency, reminding not only us but themselves of their against-the-odds beginnings. The result is their best and most thematically complete album since Achtung Baby. By turning towards their past, U2 have found their way back to the future.'

'The long gestation of this album,' writes David Hands in Total Guitar, 'Seems at odds with a band who sound more comfortable in their skin than on 2009's patchy No Line On The Horizon.'

'Where do you go when you've conquered the world several times over?' asks Dorien Lynskey in Q Magazine. 'Answer: home'.  From the autobiographical precision of the writing, flow all the  album's strengths and narrative momentum. 'Forget the release-day hullabaloo. It's this renewed sense of purpose that makes Songs Of Innocence an unexpected coup.'

(We'll add more reviews as we get them.)

Friday, October 3, 2014

Songs of Innocence pre-release party!!! #TheEdgeRockCafe

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

U2 tracks fail to pass Bono test

U2 frontman Bono has revealed the Irish rockers have recorded "several" albums in the last five years but scrapped them because they were not good enough to release.

The singer said the band had spent two years working on their latest album, Songs Of Innocence, which was given away to 500 million iTunes customers last month in a deal with technology giant Apple.
He told Q Magazine: "Rumour has it we haven't made a U2 album in the last five years. We have. We just didn't release them because we were waiting for something that would be as good as the best we've ever done. That was the standard. Or else, why bother?"
The new album was released to mark the launch of the iPhone 6, but did not go down well with everyone and Apple had to create a tool that allowed customers to delete the tracks.
Bono said he was still "against free music" despite the deal, telling Q: "We're not giving it away. Apple are giving it away. This is really important."