Should U2 Record Their Next Album in North Africa?

[redhill]

Is Bono answering his own question here? Could recording in North Africa be the answer to finding the correct location to record their next masterpiece?


from the article at: U2 - Page - Interview Magazine

BONO:
Location seems to be important to us, geography. I don’t know where we’re gonna go next.

MOOALLEM: Everybody seems to be trying to answer that question right now: the question of where to go next. We’re in one of those confused moments—not unlike the early ’90s.

BONO: It is exactly that kind of moment. I mean, we’re talking about a time 20 years ago when the Iron Curtain was being drawn and torn down. That’s exactly what’s happening in North Africa right now. People are out on the streets, and they’re searching for themselves.

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

When i read 'North Africa' i instantly thought of morocco and thought, well if NLOTH was recorded there wouldn't it be a bit of a re-hashed idea?

But the concept of going to a place of struggle and change could be a very cool, if that is indeed what happened with u2 in Berlin. I'm sure they felt the need to change regardless of where they recorded, but i'm also sure Berlin couldn't have hurt. If location really does inspire them, then recording in the midst of North African turmoil could be a very good idea.

I just hope that all this talk of needing to put out something different, great, and new is genuine, and not just Bono being a 'travelling salesman' in terms of publicising the Achtung baby re-release (i think every mention of reinvention has been during a publicity interview for the reissue). I'm fearful that they'll go away for a year, and that mindset will just have vanished...

Edit: I think this is the third time i've heard Edge talk about how they have loads of material to work with. Sounds like they won't be starting from scratch (although re-working and completely dropping songs should guarantee us at least a 2 year wait). Fingers crossed Every Breaking Wave survives... but i really hope they scrap (or radically alter) North Star and Mercy - they're decent songs but nothing special, and sound a bit 'by the numbers' 00's u2 to me.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Libya, Egypt?

 

[Chill Mike D]

They can record an album in my basement and do my laundry while they're down there.

How's that for some restrictions.

 

[mikal]

If they're looking for perfection, they should record the album in Green Bay.

 

[bono_man2002]

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Nnnnnnnnnno.

 

[WalkOn21]

As Jamie already noted, NLOTH was partially made in Morocco, so another North African album would make two.

If it's countries going through a democratic transition they're after, there's plenty of other places they could go. For example, Myanmar is looking forward to its first democratic elections in years, in which Aung San Suu Kyi is planning to take part. Given their previous support for her cause, recording an album in Myanmar at this time would make sense to me.

Having said that, the thought of U2 'going oriental', music-wise, doesn't really appeal to me.

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

Dublin City, Ireland. The best place to record a killer album.

I'm dying for a Boy/October kind of album, raw, full of energy. A bit like REM did with Accelerate, love this album.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Maybe the drama could be brought to them. #OccupyEze

 

[Registered Dude]

"Chasing the ghosts of our heroes
Lou Reed, David Bowie, Iggy, Wim Wenders, Rilke
To change location rather than change yourself
To ask for directions rather than ask for help"

 

[lemonfly]

Berlin almost destroyed them, no? If they hadn't come up with the foundations of One, that probably would have been the end of U2 for a long while. I think Edge said in an interview recently that going to Hansa first was a mistake, they should have started recording in a less pressured environment. As for Morocco...precious little North African influence translated onto NLOTH. I don't think it really matters where they record as long as they decide on a firm direction. Geography seems pretty irrelevant as far as recording locations go.

 

[Fly-2000]

I thought what they learned from making Achtung Baby was that you don't need to go to a place to make the music they want. Or was I misinterpreting what was said.

 

[corianderstem]

If they're looking for perfection, they should record the album in Green Bay.

The last thing Bono needs is to discover the awesomeness that are the burgers from Kroll's.

So I gotta go with no on that one.

 

[U2387]

Dublin City, Ireland. The best place to record a killer album.

I'm dying for a Boy/October kind of album, raw, full of energy. A bit like REM did with Accelerate, love this album.

Exactly!!

Definitely need to go for an early 80s U2 feel next time around!

A modern twist to it of course, but this is a sound I think they could pull off as good as, or better than they did years ago!

Plus, as I'm sure most here remember, Accelerate was a pretty decent success for REM. The tour didn't do too well, but the album definitely did, and it had that "Supernatural....." song as a hit.

 

[popacrobat]

Maybe the drama could be brought to them. #OccupyEze

Occupy the South of France beaches? see ya there.

 

[U2girl]

Berlin almost destroyed them, no? If they hadn't come up with the foundations of One, that probably would have been the end of U2 for a long while. I think Edge said in an interview recently that going to Hansa first was a mistake, they should have started recording in a less pressured environment. As for Morocco...precious little North African influence translated onto NLOTH. I don't think it really matters where they record as long as they decide on a firm direction. Geography seems pretty irrelevant as far as recording locations go.

Berlin is overrated in the internet fandom.

Sure, it got them One, but otherwise most of that time was spent arguing over the musical direction. Of course maybe the same would have happened in Dublin or anywhere else in that early period of AB sessions, but still...Berlin wasn't all that it's cracked up to be.

I wouldn't mind a change of scenery away from Dublin/Eze. Certainly a break from Lilywhite/Lanois/Eno, too.

 

[WalkOn21]

Definitely need to go for an early 80s U2 feel next time around!

I think they already attempted that with HTDAAB.

Berlin is overrated in the internet fandom.

Sure, it got them One, but otherwise most of that time was spent arguing over the musical direction. Of course maybe the same would have happened in Dublin or anywhere else in that early period of AB sessions, but still...Berlin wasn't all that it's cracked up to be.

The band themselves seem to be largely positive about their trip to Berlin. While especially Edge has noted that a lot of the songwriting was actually done in Dublin afterwards, there seems to be a generally positive feeling about the change of setting and being away from their family and friends for a while.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Occupy the South of France beaches? see ya there.

#OccupyBonosWineCellar

 

[Utoo]

Well, we do know that Berlin was indeed productive. The Axtung Beibi discs and additional Hansa Ton discs give us glimpses of The Fly, UTEOTW, So Cruel, WGRYWH, MW, Acrobat, DGPFYCC, as well as testing out the phrase "wake up, dead man," and hints of what would become the singles Where Did It All Go Wrong, Salome, and North And South Of The River. In addition to what's on the bootlegs, we know that at least a more fleshed out MW (Sick Puppy) and the base of One came out of Berlin.

Not too shabby.

 

[digitize]

I think the conflict in Berlin produced a better album than they would have gotten if they had been in Dublin and everything had gone smoothly.

 

[cobl04]

Didn't they get fuck all in Berlin aside from One? Wasn't it only once they decamped back to Dublin that it came together? So Berlin wasn't so much the inspiration they needed but more the shitfight they had to endure to come out stronger the other side?

 

[digitize]

Didn't they get fuck all in Berlin aside from One? Wasn't it only once they decamped back to Dublin that it came together? So Berlin wasn't so much the inspiration they needed but more the shitfight they had to endure to come out stronger the other side?

I think it also added valuable tone and sort of... meta-meaning to the album.

 

[U2387]

I think they already attempted that with HTDAAB.

Well, that's what they said.

I don't hear it....except maybe a little bit in sound with Vertgio and a little bit in theme with City of Blinding Lights.

The vast majority of HTDAAB is mid tempo(Miracle Drug, Sometimes....) and quiet tunes(yahweh, one step closer).

As Yahweh OMG said, a real, raw sound.

 

[jay canseco]

I hope the band can find something they are all passionate about and put out some realeases inspired by that. Something other than being relevant. They used to be openly about something more. I'd like a bit less cleverness and 'subtlety'

 

[mama cass]

Maybe the drama could be brought to them. #OccupyEze

i thought U2 fans already did that?!

 

[Globo14]

They should record wherever they can make a brilliant masterpiece.

 

[nirniva]

Maybe the drama could be brought to them. #OccupyEze

1% of the rock stars are responsible for 99% of the beach clips!

 

[Hollow Island]

THE EDGE: See, whenever I start to get a little nervous about what’s essential, I just put on Patti Smith’s Horses [1975] or Television’s Marquee Moon [1977] and that kind of sorts me out.

I've been listening to Marquee Moon a lot recently and thinking that Edge needs to go back and listen to it, to rediscover what's important...and he does that! Now he just needs to add some killer solos. A large reason why Achtung is their best record is the plethora of mind melting guitar solos. And Boy...those solos are perfect.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

they could record it on pluto. if they don't keep all four members locked in the room and not leaving to travel the globe for large portions of time for various humanitarian and spider related ventures, then the album will suffer.