Somehow I doubt that most of those songs we heard last year will be on the new album.
Stingray won't - It's not even a song really, it's just 2 sections without vocals, and it was used as an opener. They don't even play it anymore, or mention it in interviews or anything.
Glastonbury won't - The song was written to be played at Glastonbury, and they didn't play it. They stopped playing it at their concerts and they didn't play it at the gig it was meant for. Doubt this will ever see the light of day again.
Mercy won't - It was already released on Wide Awake In Europe, and they know all of the fans already have a version of it besides that. I think it'll always remain a b-side leftover from the Bomb days, and I don't think they'd dig it up to use it on a new album.
Kingdom won't - Again, just used as an opener over the PA, and they stopped using it altogether now. (I think? I haven't listened to a bootleg in a while (trying to avoid them a bit before my shows))
Winter won't - This song will be jsut like The Hands That Built America. Used in a movie, not for an album.
I'd honestly be surprsied and a bit disappointed if U2 used all of these songs on a new album. I'd rather hear them come up with something totally new. Some of these songs aren't really full "songs" either (Stringray, Kingdom). Plus we've already heard Winter and Mercy in a recorded version.
What we HAVEN'T heard recorded, and what seem to be full songs, are North Star and Every Breaking Wave. Those songs are brilliant, and I'd love to hear what U2 does with them. Saw Transformers last night, and the little bits of North Star in the movie sounded really awesome. I'm looking forward to hearing a new album full of kickass new U2 songs.
Not to be a damper, I do like those songs listed above, but I feel like U2 has way better songs put in a satchel somewhere that they'll be writing and recording soon enough.
....Though they might throw it as an extra if they do decide to make another major release like Rosebowl, like all the u2.com clips they had on the Bluray.
So Edge has come out and said "It's quite likely you might hear from us next year," Edge tells me in next @Rollingstone. "But it's equally possible you won't."
.....its funny cuz earlier today i was reading the stuff below, makes ya laugh now looking back.
In February 2009, Bono stated that by the end of the year U2 would release an album consisting of unused material from the No Line on the Horizon sessions. Bono labelled it "a more meditative album on the theme of pilgrimage".[10] Provisionally titled Songs of Ascent, it would be a sister release to No Line on the Horizon, similar to Zooropa's relationship to Achtung Baby.[40] In June 2009, Bono said that although nine tracks had been completed, the album would only be released if its quality surpassed that of No Line on the Horizon.[5] A December 2009 report stated that U2 had been working in the studio with the goal of a mid-2010 release.[41] The band revealed that the first single was intended to be "Every Breaking Wave".[40][42]
In April 2010, U2's manager Paul McGuinness confirmed that the album would not be finished by June, but indicated that a release "before the end of the year is increasingly likely."[43] In October 2010, Bono stated that the new album would be produced by Danger Mouse, and that 12 songs had been completed. He also noted that U2 were working on a potential album of club music in the spirit of "U2's remixes in the 1990s".[44] McGuinness said the next album was slated for an early 2011 release.[45] In December 2010, Will.i.am confirmed that he will be co-producing the next release with Danger Mouse.[46] In February 2011, McGuinness stated that the album was almost complete, giving it a tentative release date of May 2011, although he noted that Songs of Ascent was no longer the likely title.[47]
I'm OK waiting until 2013, if this means lots of great material. But I'd of course love to hear from U2, in a record shop, by 2012... Good to hear that U2 are working anyway. They must have quite a few songs by now, some of which strong.
NLOTH with EBW, BFFTS and North Star, and without a few duds (Crazy Tonight, Stand Up Comedy, maybe GOYB), would have been some 20% better. I'd have kept the dud tracks as very fine B-sides.
Originally posted by Andrew_C:So Edge has come out and said "It's quite likely you might hear from us next year," Edge tells me in next @Rollingstone. "But it's equally possible you won't."
What happened to the production speed seen in the 1980's? 6 albums, non-stop touring and a sizeable catalogue of B-sides. We saw 4 albums in the 1990's (including Passengers). Then we recieved 3 in the 2000's, all spread 4 years apart. I think U2 are starting to show signs of old age! Nearly into our 3rd year of 2010's and it could be 2013 until new material? Almost time to stop kissing the future and start reminiscing.
Let's compare how much time U2 have spent on each album:
- Boy [Released October 1980, Tour ended June 1981, [b]Total time = 8 months[/b]]
- October [4 month break, Released October 1981, Tour ended August' 1982, Total time = 10 months]
- War [6 month break, Released February 1983, Tour ended November 1983, Total time = 14 months]
-The Unforgettable Fire [12 month break, Released November 1984, Tour ended August 1985, Total time = 21 months]
-The Joshua Tree [19 month break, Released March 1987, Tour ended December 1987, Total time = 28 months]
- Rattle & Hum [10 month break, Released October 1988, Tour ended January 1990, Total time = 25 months]
- Achtung Baby/Zooropa [22 month break, Released November 1991, Tour ended December 1993, Total time = 47 months]
- Pop [39 month break, Released March 1997, tour ended March 1998, Total time = 51 months]
- ATYCLB [31 month break, Released October 2000, Tour ended December 2001, Total time = 45 months]
- HTDAAB [35 month break, Released November 2004, Tour ended December 2006, Total time = 60 months]
- NLOTH [26 month break, Released February 2009, Tour ended July 2011, Total time = 55 months]
So if the new album followed NLOTH's path, it'd be released September 2013 and the tour would finish February 2016 (Assuming Bono hurts his back again, if not March 2015). I know it's all trivial and not really indicative of much but I like looking at statistics. Obviously Zooropa was special, being written and released on tour. And of course we had Passengers in 1995 so the band weren't exactly slacking. A lot of time is spent touring these days I will admit, but once the tour finishes, we all start counting down the days. The album following the next one, following NLOTH's path, could be released May 2017! We'll all be a lot older then...
