U2start.com | Discussion of U2's future: new singles, new tour, etc.

Well hello you lot.

Ali I've been very good and i've been very bad. A trip through some of the world's most beautiful countries has a way of breathing new life into you. It's feels like opening all the windows in your house/life and letting a fresh breeze in. But, see recently I'm hitting my 'Fly' phase in life and have been acting like a spoiled rockstar even though I'm not spoiled or a rockstar.
Is this a bad thing? No dude, life couldn't be better

How you doin?

Yogi you and me, same page my friend. U2 is not a theme band, they're not a concept band and they're definitely not a trilogy band. In fact HTDAAB is no sequel to ATYCLB, its got a completely different feel and a whole different color of sunglasses to it.
The only sequels U2 have made were R&H and Zooropa, both on the road albums, far from this next one. But if that's the quality of their sequels, I wouldn't mind another one, would you?

No, I think Bono's done with the cold, dark and heavy. U2's whole career lyrically seems to arc with life itself. We got the wide-eyed baby 'Boy', the burning coming of age in 'War', adolescent and understanding teens in 'Unforgettable Fire', building, searching and making of oneself in 'Joshua Tree' and the flourescent turbulence, tumble and up-down, static-in-the-airwaves freefall through your adult life with 'Zootopia + Pop' (my current phase thankyaveramuch)
The mid-life understanding, mortality and appreciation that would come with age (I imagine)is where 'ATYCLB' found its voice and 'HTDAAB' was a broad look, not only to the world and what it is but a look back at yourself and what you are and where you came from (giving the album a sense of duality which was nice).

No, Bono has never backtracked lyrically and I wouldn't imagine he would with the next (SUPERNOVA!!!) album. The clues are in where he is with his life and I imagine its the sense of his newfound appreciation with music and what it can do to you and what you can see through it . Africa is no doubt playing on his mind and will surface in one form or another in the next album for sure and despite how everyone else feels about that, for that I couldn't be happier.

Because does anyone else remember the effect Africa's beautifully rich light and shadow of poverty cast on Bono? Something about desert plains and dust clouds dissappearing...?

djrlewis

17 years

It's another monster.

Wow.

And Ali's a man...

rmann83

17 years

If you think I write lots, you should hear me talk, I can go on for ages.....
I guess that means you probably SHOULDNT hear me talk then

And, uh, oh. Edited*. Thanks for the heads up. Misinterpreted that Party-Girl subtext

djrlewis

17 years

Originally posted by rmann83If you think I write lots, you should hear me talk, I can go on for ages.....
I guess that means you probably SHOULDNT hear me talk then

And, uh, oh. Edited*. Thanks for the heads up. Misinterpreted that Party-Girl subtext

Oh I don't know. Think it could be kinda fun. I'm not averse to a long post or conversation myself.

And don't worry about it. Ali's cool with it - common mistake. JohnnyVOX may not be so happy now he's a party girl too....

MWSAH

17 years

Welcome back, rmann83! It's great to read your posts...and I think you're right about the 'life of U2', when you speak about the albums.

Both my thumbs for hearing the new U2-material..

Jcbasket

17 years

For one,

I think that the new record is going to be a mix of all the bands that have come out in the past few years. Adam Edge and Bono is particular always mention that they are listening to the young fresh bands. The ones I can think of off the top of my head are Bloc Party and Arcade Fire a few years back. Bono has been seen at Scissor Sister shows and Adam always talks about young bands. Because HTDAAB was more of a follow up record (to ATYCLB), they didn't really use influence much. I think now that they are sitting all alone at the top of their category as greatest rock back of all time, they can now begin to experiment again. Let me clarify a bit more...

R+H- their take on American music. Had been touring US for years at that point and had been listening to a lot of blues and jazz..hence songs like Angel of Harlem..Jesus Christ..so on so fourth

Pop- had still been living in the non-stop tour party mode long after ZOO TV had ended. They fell in love with that atmosphere (Miami's southbeach and most European countries) and started listening to a lot of dance/trance music. It brought new life into music so they took their shot at it. I just think Pop failed at really getting enough of that in the songs. They were still trying to mix rock and dance but it came out as just "blah". Live they figured some of the songs out and thats because they became more rock...but thats another story for another time

so basically, they are content in the position they are in right now so I don't see why they wouldn't dive into a new innovative project. By listening to some of the new stuff in Morocco...the chanting song with Edge Bono Brian and Daniel reminds me a lot like David Bowie meets Arcade Fire. by the way...it sounds brilliant

So I see a brand new U2 coming out...especially since they plan on releasing the Spiderman musical which they have been talking about forever it seems like.

MWSAH

17 years

Originally posted by JcbasketFor one,

I think that the new record is going to be a mix of all the bands that have come out in the past few years. Adam Edge and Bono is particular always mention that they are listening to the young fresh bands. The ones I can think of off the top of my head are Bloc Party and Arcade Fire a few years back. Bono has been seen at Scissor Sister shows and Adam always talks about young bands. Because HTDAAB was more of a follow up record (to ATYCLB), they didn't really use influence much. I think now that they are sitting all alone at the top of their category as greatest rock back of all time, they can now begin to experiment again. Let me clarify a bit more...

R+H- their take on American music. Had been touring US for years at that point and had been listening to a lot of blues and jazz..hence songs like Angel of Harlem..Jesus Christ..so on so fourth

Pop- had still been living in the non-stop tour party mode long after ZOO TV had ended. They fell in love with that atmosphere (Miami's southbeach and most European countries) and started listening to a lot of dance/trance music. It brought new life into music so they took their shot at it. I just think Pop failed at really getting enough of that in the songs. They were still trying to mix rock and dance but it came out as just "blah". Live they figured some of the songs out and thats because they became more rock...but thats another story for another time

so basically, they are content in the position they are in right now so I don't see why they wouldn't dive into a new innovative project. By listening to some of the new stuff in Morocco...the chanting song with Edge Bono Brian and Daniel reminds me a lot like David Bowie meets Arcade Fire. by the way...it sounds brilliant

So I see a brand new U2 coming out...especially since they plan on releasing the Spiderman musical which they have been talking about forever it seems like.

There's truth in this one too...I can't handle all these theories anymore..

I need material!!! Does anyone know if they are recording somewhere? Has anyone seen them in Dublin or something? Rumors??

djrlewis

17 years

Originally posted by JcbasketFor one,
............
So I see a brand new U2 coming out...especially since they plan on releasing the Spiderman musical which they have been talking about forever it seems like.

Another nice post. Good stuff Jordan

But I agree with Casper...

Jcbasket

17 years

But I agree with Casper...

now that I know his name is Casper (which is persian for treasurer) haha...i agree with him too

yeah

17 years

Although releasing the documentary film Here Is What Is on DVD next month, as well as a CD of the same name, musician and acclaimed producer Daniel Lanois is probably packing his bags now. On Monday, he's off to Dublin to begin recording with U2 on their next studio album, the follow-up to 2004's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

"I'm going to work with them in a week," Lanois says from Los Angeles.

"We've had a few very successful jam sessions so far, including one in Morocco. I'm very excited about what we're doing. Everyone has an appetite for breaking new ground and everybody wants to make a masterpiece.

"We're not taking anything for granted. We don't think it's going to be easy. In fact, it's always hard work and I like it that way. When the work is hard, you know you're busting through something that hasn't been done before."

As for the direction U2's album is headed, Lanois is brief in describing the record, which should be out this fall.

"I can tell you a little bit about the fundamental quality," he says. "It's very much hand-played but it's also electro."

http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/U/U2/2008/02/15/4849042-sun.html

With the film about to be released the band aren't going back to their rockstar's life of leisure.
They are currently writing and recording their new album, the fellow-up to 2004's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, which is scheduled for release in October this year.
Bono said:"We're having a good time.
"We went to Morocco for a religious music festival in Fez. Even Larry, who sometimes finds it difficult just moving from the north side to the south side of Dublin, believed we had to go there.
"We found a little hotel with a central inner courtyard from where we could hear the muezzin calling for the prayers.
"And there we made our most incredible, radical music of our life.
"It isn't like anyone else's music. It's even different to our music."
It looks like it's going to be an exciting year for U2.
'You feel you are close enough to touch the band and you feel in an intimate space with the musicians'

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-catch-all/2008/02/15/new-film-gives-u2-a-new-dimension-86908-20320046/

Oh Bono...