MERGED ----> U2 Now In France Working On Album + U2 move album sessions to France

[Chill Mike D]

This reminds me of when I used to look in magazines for info about the new Star Wars movies.

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

I became a true hardcore fan of U2 somewhere just after POP was released but before then my bro was a hardcore fan in early 90's and remember him playing zooropa on his crazy stereo in his car! The only thing i remember was one day seeing the video for Discotheque on much and i was liek what the hell is this?????? and then started to really like it but i was pretty much left in the dark until a couple weeks before the release of POP and remember rushing to the store the day it came out and buying it not having heard any leaks or anything and was like WOW this is so different!!! But i guess when ATYCLB came out or before it came out I already had internet and was in some forums and hearing tidbits about the new album as well as i remember radio stations commenting on how the album was going to have some up tempo rock songs in it. And before the release U2 had release 30 second snippets of each of their songs in i think 1 - 2 week intervals at their website and seeing their webcam set up in the studio. But after that for HTDDAB it was all those beach clips and the "punk from venus" quotes etc etc. I kindof miss the days of POP were I had no clue on what the album sounded liek and just buying it and listening to it with an unbiased feeling to it. Now although i love the snippets, beach clips etc, you just don't get that element of surprise anymore and as mentioned with all the hype on the internet, quotes etc sometimes you are set up for a letdown!

 

[Chill Mike D]

The first thing I knew about Pop was when I saw a demo copy of it in a Blockbuster music store. I remember being blown away by the concept of being able to listen to an album before you bought it.

 

[Rob33]

so still recording in France? There's gotta be some sorta audio recording out there of them playing in the studio....how could there not be?!?

 

[The_Edge89]

so still recording in France? There's gotta be some sorta audio recording out there of them playing in the studio....how could there not be?!?

Perhaps people don't have the money or time (or both) to stay outside a certain rockgroup's studio this time of year?
I don't know but that's a guess at least.

Or maybe they just haven't been blasting it out loud for the public on the beach to hear it yet?

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

In 1990/91 I went to Tower Books every Saturday and read all the 'British' music mags...NME/Melody Maker/Q and some other mags that have since bit the dust, just to get any word on the new U2 albums. I remember the first news in early 1990 was that they were breaking up, and then in late '90 they were recording with Eno in Berlin...then I heard the first single was to be (She Moves In) Mysterious Ways...and then I finally found out the first single was going to "The Fly"...that was from March of 1990 to late August of 1991...but I only got that information every Saturday. That took some serious dedication. I can't remember the last time I actually got 'new' information from a magazine...

Yes, back in the day the music magazines were more informative and radio, though it was on it's way, wasn't yet the complete joke that it is now.

 

[zoopop]

Bands (U2 included) should take note of what the Raconteurs just did. Send a press release stating the album will be out in 2 weeks. I know U2 is too big to get away with such a stunt, but it would be sort of like the old days (remembers when Pop was released).

 

[shart1780]

I'd like to see U2 release abums in the same fashion as NIN. Less than a month ago Trent Reznor released a new single that he had only mastered THE DAY BEFORE. He released a 36 song instrumental album a couple months ago with almost no indication, and then a couple weeks ago he released an entire new album for free high quality download. The man is insane.

I know U2 would never dream of being that productive though. Too much work and not enough money in it.

 

[BVS]

Plus Trent's work completely suffers these days, he really hasn't made anything worth listening to since 94...

It's pretty sad when the HOW you release it is more creative then the product actually released.

 

[nathan1977]

It's pretty sad when the HOW you release it is more creative then the product actually released.

 

[mikal]

Plus Trent's work completely suffers these days, he really hasn't made anything worth listening to since 94...

It's pretty sad when the HOW you release it is more creative then the product actually released.

i disagree. have you heard ghosts or the slip?

 

[U2DMfan]

Plus Trent's work completely suffers these days, he really hasn't made anything worth listening to since 94...

It's pretty sad when the HOW you release it is more creative then the product actually released.

Not only that, back when I was a big NIN fan it took him 16 years to make 4 albums and an EP.

It's about time he started putting some shit out.

 

[BVS]

i disagree. have you heard ghosts or the slip?

Yes, and all I can think is:

 

[Salome]

I know U2 would never dream of being that productive though. Too much work and not enough money in it.

my interest in musicians is just about completely about released music and almost non existant when it comes to anything else they do
but even I know that at least Bono's activvities do not warrant him to be called lazy or solely obsessed about making money

I would love U2 to release more albums
but I guess this works for them at the moment
if they thought they'd be able to release 7 great albums between now and 2015 I don't doubt they would
they're not idiots

if anyone thought after How to dismantle .... that maybe U2 would follow this album up with a new release within 2 years then this says more about them (either real optimists or just really looking for anything to bitch about later on) than it does about the band

 

[Salome]

I don't even want to get into the pointlessness of comparing U2 to The Raconteurs or Nine Inch Nails
as much as I think Jack White rocks and while I can see The Downward Spiral had some awesome moments

 

[Salome]

last thing
being nostalgic about how it was back in the pre-internet era is nice and I miss those times
but it is nothing but nostalgia

if we really were so set on knowing nothing we wouldn't be here

 

[Popmartijn]

Bands (U2 included) should take note of what the Raconteurs just did. Send a press release stating the album will be out in 2 weeks. I know U2 is too big to get away with such a stunt, but it would be sort of like the old days (remembers when Pop was released).

Just for my reference, but what do you remember about the release of Pop? In what sense was that different than now?

What immediately comes to my mind about the release of Pop is the following:
- As early as Fall 1995 U2 is talking in interviews about their new album.
- Studio webcam which actually reveals nothing about the album (but causes a lot of speculation on mailing lists/newsgroups).
- MP3 leaks of 2 rough snippets of 2 songs about 4 or 5 months before the actual album release.
- Complete album leaked a few weeks before street date.

Not much different from nowadays, I guess...

 

[nathan1977]

Not only that, back when I was a big NIN fan it took him 16 years to make 4 albums and an EP.

It's about time he started putting some shit out.

Since 1992, Peter Gabriel has released:
- 1 album
- 1 live album
- a couple DVDs
- a greatest hits album

Who knew back in the 80s that the most prolific artist 20 years later would be Sting?

 

[popacrobat]

anybody ready to join me for the March release at this point?

 

[An Cat Gav]

Just for my reference, but what do you remember about the release of Pop? In what sense was that different than now?

What immediately comes to my mind about the release of Pop is the following:
- As early as Fall 1995 U2 is talking in interviews about their new album.
- Studio webcam which actually reveals nothing about the album (but causes a lot of speculation on mailing lists/newsgroups).
- MP3 leaks of 2 rough snippets of 2 songs about 4 or 5 months before the actual album release.
- Complete album leaked a few weeks before street date.

Not much different from nowadays, I guess...

I remember that the 2 snippets were of Discotheque and Wake Up Dead Man.

 

[Rob33]

anybody ready to join me for the March release at this point?

why? cause we haven't gotten anything big this week?

I predict either next week or the week after we will hear something significant

 

[The_Edge89]

I'll do the 2000 timeline later on, just to see what is what.

I haven't seen a 2000 timeline yet, so I did some research on my own from u2station's News archive. I hope you don't mind.


October 06, 1999
U2's Bono has admitted the band have almost finished their forthcoming album, and that the record will be released early next year and he's hinted that band will turn their back on stadium-sized gigs in favour of indoor venues. He has told the BBC's Radio 1 that the album, which the band are finishing off, is a collection of "beautiful soul songs".

December 21, 1999
Still no confirmed title, track listing or release date, though a spokesperson for the band did confirm that the album will be released in late summer.
Mentions of 'Bulldozer' 'Kite' and
'The Ground Beneath Her Feet'.

January 18, 2000
U2 M$H-soundtrack details revealed.

March 29, 2000
U2 starts recording first few tracks says Wim Wenders.

March 20, 2000
U2 continues to work on a new studio album, tentatively due out in either September or October.

March 13, 2000
Lanois says lot of work still has to be done. In the next few months, the band will finish the lyrics to the album's songs, then decide which 10 or 12 will make it onto the album, according to Bono.

July 12, 2000
U2 are expected to finish their new album in the next few weeks - and will tour their album in 2001.
The band's management have released a statement saying the album will definitely be made available before the end of the year.
The statement reads: the band is currently in the studio and the new U2 album is due to be finished in the next few weeks. It's all on schedule for a late autumn release, but exact dates aren't yet fixed. Full details will be announced in due course once tracklisting, title and release dates have been fixed."
The album is being wrapped up in Dublin. It has been produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois.

August 20, 2000
Album title/release date/first single+video details revealed.
And also the rest of the album tracks.
30 sec-clips on u2.com avaliable.

September 30, 2000
Track By Track description by Billboard.

September 11, 2000
U2 confirms tour start after Releasing New LP.


Something along those lines I guess...

 

[The_acrobat]

I haven't seen a 2000 timeline yet, so I did some research on my own from u2station's News archive. I hope you don't mind.


October 06, 1999
U2's Bono has admitted the band have almost finished their forthcoming album, and that the record will be released early next year and he's hinted that band will turn their back on stadium-sized gigs in favour of indoor venues. He has told the BBC's Radio 1 that the album, which the band are finishing off, is a collection of "beautiful soul songs".

December 21, 1999
Still no confirmed title, track listing or release date, though a spokesperson for the band did confirm that the album will be released in late summer.
Mentions of 'Bulldozer' 'Kite' and
'The Ground Beneath Her Feet'.

January 18, 2000
U2 M$H-soundtrack details revealed.

March 29, 2000
U2 starts recording first few tracks says Wim Wenders.

March 20, 2000
U2 continues to work on a new studio album, tentatively due out in either September or October.

March 13, 2000
Lanois says lot of work still has to be done. In the next few months, the band will finish the lyrics to the album's songs, then decide which 10 or 12 will make it onto the album, according to Bono.

July 12, 2000
U2 are expected to finish their new album in the next few weeks - and will tour their album in 2001.
The band's management have released a statement saying the album will definitely be made available before the end of the year.
The statement reads: the band is currently in the studio and the new U2 album is due to be finished in the next few weeks. It's all on schedule for a late autumn release, but exact dates aren't yet fixed. Full details will be announced in due course once tracklisting, title and release dates have been fixed."
The album is being wrapped up in Dublin. It has been produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois.

August 20, 2000
Album title/release date/first single+video details revealed.
And also the rest of the album tracks.
30 sec-clips on u2.com avaliable.

September 30, 2000
Track By Track description by Billboard.

September 11, 2000
U2 confirms tour start after Releasing New LP.


Something along those lines I guess...

I guess there's still no reason to assume the worst. Praying for fall release.

 

[Acrobat51829]

What song did Bulldozer eventually turn into?

 

[Joey788]

I think it turned into Elevation.

 

[ahittle]

Huh.

Since they favor fall releases, there must be some sort of internal worst-case-scenario due date to deliver the record and do the proper marketing and to build the tour around.

Makes you wonder...

If they couldn't do the usual media blitz to build up to a fall release, would they:

1. push to a spring release ala Pop?
2. hold onto the record for a full year?
3. do a stealthy no-build-up release?

As much as they claim that there is no pressure this time, there really is tremendous pressure: a looming due date.

I have faith that the project is going well, but you know that there is a board someone with some circled dates. Maybe even circled twice.

 

[bratty_cat]

Someone may have already mentioned this but U2 seem to like releasing a single in time for Grammy consideration - which coincides with late summer/early fall releases. Then they release the album shortly after that year's cut off so they end up getting Grammy exposure two years running for the same album. Other artists probably do this too but it feels like both ATYCLB and HTDAAB both did this. Still thinking (hoping) a fall release is likely.

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

March 20, 2000
U2 continues to work on a new studio album, tentatively due out in either September or October.

March 13, 2000
Lanois says lot of work still has to be done. In the next few months, the band will finish the lyrics to the album's songs, then decide which 10 or 12 will make it onto the album, according to Bono.

July 12, 2000
U2 are expected to finish their new album in the next few weeks - and will tour their album in 2001.
The band's management have released a statement saying the album will definitely be made available before the end of the year.
The statement reads: the band is currently in the studio and the new U2 album is due to be finished in the next few weeks. It's all on schedule for a late autumn release, but exact dates aren't yet fixed. Full details will be announced in due course once tracklisting, title and release dates have been fixed."
The album is being wrapped up in Dublin. It has been produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois.

We're not up to this third point yet, but I believe we're close to being on track. It's already been (tentatively) said that it'll be out in October. And if I'm not mistaken, according to rumours, Bono has been focusing on lyrics as of late (usually the last thing they do) and the band has been picking the tracks which will be put on the album. If that's true, that puts us at least at the March point. It's mid-May now, and the fan-reported rumour (by way of Sam) was from the third week of April. We haven't really heard anything since, I'd say that if what we've heard is true, and based on past progress, a fall release is very likely.

 

[LemonMelon]

Makes you wonder...

If they couldn't do the usual media blitz to build up to a fall release, would they:

1. push to a spring release ala Pop?
2. hold onto the record for a full year?
3. do a stealthy no-build-up release?

Not even the cynic in me wants to believe they would try option #2. That would be absolutely ridiculous. But there is enough cynic in me to believe #3 isn't an option for them either. Since U2 has already said that March is a possibility, I'll go with that, but I still believe an October/November release is most likely.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

What song did Bulldozer eventually turn into?

I think it's still unreleased..