December 2009 Archives

Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone

U2's massive 360° Tour wasn't just the biggest trek this year in terms of sheer size: the band's latest jaunt supporting No Line on the Horizon has also been named the year's most successful show by concert tracker Pollstar. Their research also revealed that despite the recession, concert ticket sales for the top 50 tours were up this year across the board compared to 2008's final numbers. That's thanks largely to U2, who easily surpassed all other acts by selling 1.3 million tickets during the first leg of their 360° Tour, grossing $123 million along the way.

U2's 360° Tour: photos of the band's opening night.

BBC News

Plenty of schoolchildren dream of becoming famous singers, but when a boy on the other side of the classroom goes on to become one of the most famous rock stars in the world, you could end up feeling a little overshadowed.

That is exactly what happened to Neil McCormick, who went to school with a boy called Paul Hewson - better known these days as U2's Bono.

So could it be jealously then that inspired the title of the new movie 'Killing Bono', which is based on Mr McCormick's memoirs?

Filming of the story, which is set around U2's formative years in a north Dublin comprehensive school, is set to begin in Northern Ireland early next year.

Hot Press

Grafton Street came to a standstill late this afternoon when a group of superstar buskers gathered to give a unique performance.

Bono, Glen Hansard, Damien Rice and Mundy made up the remarkable group, who joined other volunteers who were busking to raise money for the Simon Community. Hot Press caught them performing three songs, before the set finished, prompting a huge and sustained round of applause from astounded passers-by.

"That was incredible," one stunned onlooker told Hot Press. "I was out innocently doing my shopping when I saw a crowd gathered. I couldn't believe my eyes when I had a closer look - you might expect to see someone like Mundy doing something like this for charity, but there were three huge stars there, giving it loads. It really added to the Christmas eve atmosphere. The only problem is I had one more present to get but the shop is closed now!"

Belfast Telegraph

While Northern Ireland was in the grip of the Troubles in the late 1970s, something was happening south of the border which would have a global impact on music.

In 1976, a band was formed in Dublin after a young drummer posted on the school noticeboard looking for other musicians to join him. That band was U2.

Now a new movie is to reminisce about that time -- from the unusual perspective of a rival band.

Filming will get under way in Northern Ireland next month on Killing Bono -- a story about two Irish brothers chasing a dream of being rock stars.

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By Alex Hudson, Exclaim News

U2's last remix album, Melon: Remixes for Propaganda, was issued as a fan club exclusive in 1995. In January, the arena rock legends will be catching up on 15 years worth of remixes with another fan club-only release, Artificial Horizon.

According to U2's website, the disc will feature 13 songs, spanning from the Grand Jury Mix of 1997's "If God Will Send His Angels" to the Fish Out of Water Mix of this year's "Get On Your Boots." Other notable inclusions are Trent Reznor's remix of "Vertigo" and Hot Chip's take on "City of Blinding Lights."

In order to receive a copy of Artificial Horizon, you'll have to sign up for the U2.com Subscription, which costs $50 and includes pre-sale tickets and exclusive online content (videos, tour diaries, etc.).

The U2 guitarist is lining up political muscle and environmentalist star power to support constructing his eco-friendly castles on a pristine ridge near Malibu. What's greener? Not building at all.

By Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times

Just so you know, it's not easy for me to refer to U2 guitarist David Evans as "The Edge." Sure, there was a time when I referred to myself as S. Lo. But I quickly realized that once you've gone gray, it's hard to get away with anything other than what's on the birth certificate.

And I can't keep a straight face when I tell you that the five eco-friendly castles Mr. Edge wants to carve into the top of a pristine ridge near Malibu already have names. There's "Clouds Rest" and "Panorama," "Shell House" and "Blue Clouds." And my personal favorite, "Leaves in the Wind."

The latter is also the name of a website (www.leavesinthewind.com) promoting the controversial project, which would sit high above the Malibu pier, with a sweeping, miles-long view of spectacular coastline. You'd think a guy from one of the greatest bands in history could come up with a name that was a bit, shall we say, edgier, for a rock 'n' roll compound.

BEST XMAS GIFT FOR U2 LOVERS

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Yes........... FINALLY ON VIDEO DVD ranges from $25.00 to $16.00

Most current CD is the THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE remastered

Twas The Night Before a U2 Christmas

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'Twas the night before a U2 Christmas, when all through the house
Not a U2 was stirring, not even Bono's mouth;
Their boots were sat by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

They were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of music notes danced in their heads;
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
They sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

When, what to their wondering eyes should appear,
But U2 fans riding reindeer
There were a lot fans, lively and quick,
U2 wondered, "What of St. Nick?"

More rapid than eagles the fans they came,
And they whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
Now, Bono! now, Edge! now, Adam! and Larry!
Come Out! Come Out! You all in a hurry!

And then, in a twinkling, the fans were on the roof
They danced and sang with the reindeer's little hoof.
As U2 got worried and was turning around,
Down the chimney fans came with a bound.

They were dressed for fun from head to foot,
And their clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
Their eyes -- how they twinkled! Their cheeks how merry!
Their mouths were like roses, their noses like cherry!

They were singing and jolly just like Santa's elves,
And U2 laughed when they saw them, in spite of themselves;
A wink of an eye and a twist of a head,
Soon gave U2 to know they had nothing to dread;

They spoke not a word, but went straight to their work,
And took their souvenirs and then turned with a jerk,
And laying their gifts they stood in a pose
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

They sprang to their deer, and then gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But u2 heard them exclaim, ere they drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO U2 AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"

Happy Holidays! My 2009 U2 wrap up.

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It's been awhile and the last few months have been very busy for me, so I haven't had much time to write here. I had emergency surgery three weeks ago so I've been out of commission since. Just a note, kids, don't ignore pain...I learned the hard way.

Mary Carolan, Irish Times

U2 BASS guitarist Adam Clayton has secured a temporary court order restraining his former personal assistant from reducing her assets below €1.8 million after alleging she may have misappropriated funds in that amount.

The musician last month terminated the employment of Carol Hawkins, Crannagh Road, Dublin 14, after she confessed to using his debit and credit cards for her own use and for her family's benefit, the High Court heard yesterday.

It appeared an apartment had been bought in New York and an investigation had also revealed some €900 per month was spent on a syndicate which maintained horses, the court was told.

by Whitney Pastorek, Entertainment Weekly

Billboard published its list of the Top 25 touring artists of the decade today, documenting those artists and bands who have seen several million faces, rocked them all, and charged handsomely to do it in the years since 2000. The Rolling Stones (watch "Sympathy for the Devil," above) and U2 come in at Nos. 1 and 2 with both bands making over $800 million in live revenue during the past 10 years. Madonna also made upwards of $800 mil; bringing up the rear at No. 25 is the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, who took in a paltry $200 million, still enough to confuse those of us who thought they just made Christmas music. (Top 10 located after the jump, and you can check out the full roster at Billboard.com.)

By Steve Pond

With six nominations and one win between them, the members of U2 are no strangers to the Golden Globes. They'll be back this year as nominees for "Winter," the closing-credits song they wrote for Jim Sheridan's movie "Brothers."

The song may be a spare, atmospheric ballad, but the band and the director forged a relationship more than 30 years ago in Dublin's punk-rock scene, when Sheridan was running a small Dublin theater where the fledgling band met their manager and launched a career that has worked out pretty well for them so far.

U2's guitarist, the Edge, who's also a central figure in Davis Guggenheim's terrific rock doc "It Might Get Loud," checked in with theWrap to talk about old pal Sheridan, writing for movies and being an outsider on Hollywood's big nights.

"We are still capable of potentially doing our best-ever album"

David Fricke, Rolling Stone

The Rolling Stone editors picked eight stars -- from Bruce and Beyoncé to Radiohead and U2 -- who not only made the best music but also led the way as Artists of the Decade in our new issue. Here's more of our conversation with U2's The Edge.

U2 in Photos: three decades of the world's biggest band, onstage and backstage.

U2 ended this decade by playing to some of the biggest audiences of your career, in those stadiums, in the round. How has that affected the music -- your connection to rock & roll in those dimensions?
It's only made possible because of the technology, the in-ear monitors. We can hear each other perfectly. Otherwise it would be an absolute disaster. Because of the in-ear technology, I'm right next to Larry, right next to Adam and Bono, in sonic terms.

Jill Marino, U2 Examiner

It was a beautiful day for U2 today, as the band received a nomination for a Golden Globe award.

"Winter", the song U2 contributed to the film "Brothers", was recognized in the Best Original Song category. The band is up against legend Paul McCartney for his work on the film "Everybody's Fine". Music from the movies "Nine", "Avatar", and "Crazy Heart" are also vying for a win.

U2 are no strangers to the Globes, having won for "The Hands That Built America" from "Gangs of New York". Whether U2 will win this year is up in the air, but they might have a better chance at the Grammys instead.

"Variety" has the full list of Golden Globe nominees here. The ceremony will be held on Sunday January 17th, 2010.

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The Sundance Channel's interview-performance series gets out of the gate fast in its second-season opener.

By Randy Lewis, Los Angeles Times

Upping the ante on any TV show that got off to as auspicious a start as the first season of the Sundance Channel's music interview-performance series "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With..." is a tall order.

After all, the first episode featured a conversation with Elton John -- not coincidentally, one of the executive producers and a key mover behind the series -- before pairing its deeply knowledgeable, erudite and witty host with subsequent guests, including Tony Bennett, Smokey Robinson, Lou Reed, Norah Jones, Rufus Wainwright, Renée Fleming and former President Clinton.

But out of the gate on tonight's second-season opener, Costello does impressively ratchet things up in a wide-ranging session with U2 singer Bono and guitarist the Edge.

By Lee Brown,

U2's Bono and The Edge have told Elvis Costello that he was a key reason for them forming a band.

The Irish rock stars were the first guests on the new season of Costello's music chatshow Spectacle.

Bono told Costello: 'We did go, at the age of 17 or 18, to see you - and you blew our minds. And everybody who was there formed a band. It's true.

'The two seminal concerts for us were the Clash and Elvis Costello and the Attractions,' he said, adding 'what a great honour' it was to be with him.

Costello, however, admitted that his first experience of U2, seeing them in the early days playing a gig in Gateshead, England, was not quite as good.

'I have to be honest, I didn't know what the hell you were doing,' he laughed, to which The Edge quipped: 'We didn't either!'

© 2009 Monsters and Critics.com

Click here for the Video Clip

Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone

Spectacle: Elvis Costello With... returns for its second season on the Sundance Channel this Wednesday, December 9th with U2's Bono and the Edge joining the My Aim is True singer-songwriter for an intimate conversation about the recording of some of the band's biggest hits, a performance of some obscure U2 tracks and a show-ending "mash-up" of Costello and the Imposters with the No Line on the Horizon pair. In this exclusive preview of Wednesday's show, Bono and the Edge talk about how a studio visit from Paul McCartney inspired the group to change their method of recording, as Beatles' classics like "Eleanor Rigby" were quickly recorded in mere three hours sessions.

Bono and the Edge stopped by the Spectacle set at Toronto's Masonic Temple during their recently concluded 360° Tour. Other artists will grace Costello's stage this season include Sheryl Crow, Neko Case, Levon Helm, Nick Lowe, Richard Thompson, Ray LaMontagne and, in a special season-ending two-part episode, Mr. Kennedy Center Honors himself, Bruce Springsteen. For more clips from Wednesday's season premiere, airing 10pm on Sundance, check out the Spectacle site.

© Copyright 2009 Rolling Stone

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By Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, Financial Times

"I figured out bad wine costs the same as good wine, so why not learn about it," says Paul McGuinness as he orders a $69 bottle of Oregon pinot noir. "I probably imposed that on the young U2. We had a practice when we were first touring. We'd economise on hotels but go to good restaurants."

More than three decades and 140m records after McGuinness, now 58, started managing four Dublin teenagers, the world's most successful band stay in rather better hotels and he has been able to put his money where his mouth is, as an early investor in the Michelin-starred Manhattan restaurant where we now sit.

It has taken us three hours to get to our corner table in the Spotted Pig, which feels more of a village inn than the London gastropubs it is supposed to resemble. McGuinness had suggested we meet first at Madison Square Garden to watch U2 rehearse for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary show.

In an almost empty arena, I have been granted a private concert and a glimpse of why McGuinness is one of the few people in the miserable modern music industry to be noted for their business acumen.

By Tim Masters, Entertainment correspondent, BBC News

Bono has said that U2 are "delighted and humbled" to be headlining at next year's Glastonbury Festival over its 40th anniversary weekend.

The band will lead the line-up at the Somerset show on Friday 25 June.

"Everyone in the band is very excited about it," Bono told the BBC at the launch of an anti-Aids/HIV campaign.

It will be U2's first festival gig for more than 25 years and will see them make a flying visit to the UK in the middle of a North American tour.

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