Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here (AKA New Album Speculation)

[Danny Boy]

Drunken McGuiness Contacts Steve's ISP and Permanently Bans Him From the Internet

 

[purpleoscar]

Sober McGuinness: "New album won't be an album but a series of 12 chart-topping singles."

"Lots of hits!"​

 

[nirniva]

My friend high up in the 'biz' just played the new U-2 record for me. I can't believe they have not one, but two rock-rap hybrid songs on it. Ten years too late if you ask me.

You guys aren't missing much.

Although

Spoiler

Maybe...we'll see..

is the best track in years.

I was totally expecting the spoiled text to say

Spoiler

Moon Mercy.

 

[silkensky]

YouTube - U2 - Brand New Album - U2

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

YouTube - U2 - Brand New Album - U2

LOL the guy is making it sound like he has some special insider information. Just basically a rehash of old information LOL.

 

[kingofsorrow]

Yeah... since when was it U2's responsibility to make the grass good? I mean, of course if they're not funding enough for grass equivalent to what they ruined that's one thing, but I doubt it's the case.

bono is the messiah. he has to make he grass grown, the air clean and provide a new renewable source of energy.

 

[ChargedVT]

Haven't checked that new vid on atu2 yet, the Argentinian one. Any mention at all of a new album? (yeah, as if)

 

[solemole]

My friend high up in the 'biz' just played the new U-2 record for me. I can't believe they have not one, but two rock-rap hybrid songs on it. Ten years too late if you ask me.

You guys aren't missing much.

Although

Spoiler

Maybe...we'll see..

is the best track in years.

TREASON! I tell you- TREASON!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

There is no new album

 

[mikal]

There is no new album

i give it a little more than a week, then i'm ready to proclaim this as well.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

You and your timelines.

 

[coolian2]

there is no more u2.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Yeah, I'm done with trying to guess hypothetical timing or thinking or whatever.

Simple truth is, whether they stick to a standard-for-U2 'No Line' timing of announcements/releases, or do in fact go for something a bit more tight - if something is 'on', surely the next ten days will cough something up. There'll be too much of a storm around those days circling their arrival and first gigs in Santiago.

There'll be something. Formal announcement. Or the media will ask and we'll get blunt confirmation, or at the very least a coy answer that indicates 'yes' if not quite saying it (if they get asked about a new album and its 'no' for May, I think they will now bluntly confirm that, or at the very least give us the kind of "Lost in the music/hit a rich vein" bullshit we know to mean "See you in 2014!")

Or fans will ask and get more loose and suggestive answers. Or Bono won't be able to resist hinting to something on stage. Or they'll start rehearsing something 'new' new for later dates. Or even play something 'new' new, even if not a single (even if a single were coming later on the leg or after it, and they didn't want to give that up in live form first, taking some advantage of this leg from the beginning would make sense, so playing a deeper cut from the album - even if just Bono/Edge style - would be possible to highly likely.) Or even onstage clues in visuals and the like. Or there'll be evidence of them doing related 'stuff' when not on-stage. Or even just that we would be getting close enough that the smoke rising from the wider global U2/Universal machine will get harder and harder to contain. Something.

You get through those days leading up to and during those first couple of gigs with nothing, then the answer is nothing.

 

[kkaider]

This thread has 2 stars? How is this thread 1 star better than the last thread?

Because we got the final installment of the first chapter of Charlie Sheen's new book, "Apocalypse Me: The Jaws of Life".

There were thousands of other objects in space, like mine, which all appeared to be floating towards a gathering celestial storm. Bright lights and blinding colors were growing in what must have been the center of the Universe. As we floated towards this milky way event, the more detail would become available and the more warmth would comfort me as a kaleidoscope of colors filled the aircraft.

A giant "gate" of sorts would open and let us all into this strange new territory, which is filled with unimaginable beauty and indescribable colors and shapes. All of the floating objects, the vessels of the departed, began to disappear one by one, freeing their captives. Millions of us were now standing together before a glorious sight above and around us.

Trumpets sounded as HE appeared and took to a giant majestic throne. The masses would take to their knees at his presence, some weeping, others frozen in silence and awestruck. Angels flew overhead in dizzying circles to watch over the flock. Two landed next to me, creatures more beautiful than the mind could ever imagine and the eye had ever seen. They invited me to the base of the throne occupied by The Creator.

I could not look into the eyes of the Creator nor did I speak. The story of my life appeared above in the backdrop of the clouds for all to see, from my birth all the way through my most recent trip to the supermarket. "DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS" a loud voice echoed from the heavens....at first i was silent. Then i looked up at the throne and asked "Who was supposed to be the false prophet? The Anti-Christ? Does this person know his own name?"

The angels turned to me with a look of what could only be described as disbelief on their perfectly crafted faces. I suddenly began to feel very weak again, knees buckling and my stomach churning. I looked up into HIS eyes for a brief instant before i was sucked into a dark tunnel from below. Darkness enveloped me and i was travelling at incomprehensible speeds.

I crashed into a heap of myself and the giant sucking sound was replaced by constant wild screaming. "Uh-Oh" i thought to myself, but i was too dizzy and groggy to open my eyes and see. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" The long haired, bearded man screamed as one by one he let the monkeys out of their cages. They ran wild and he continued to scream, holding his ears from their deafening shrieks.

Slowly i came too, on the floor of the supermarket in a pool of fresh water near the bucket that read "CAUTION WET FLOOR". I'd hit my head pretty good in the fall, beer and tampons everywhere. "Are you okay, Sir?" the store manager asked me "we have a paramedic on the way to check you out". In the background i could see "Internet Guy" standing there holding a mop, his eyes rolled back into his head as he hummed a monotone connection path to the mother-ship, his pale white skin hidden under his star wars cap and his 'wold of war-craft XIV' t-shirt tucked under his supermarket apron.

 

[VintagePunk]

I just found this. It's a press release from TicketLoot (never heard of them) so it's probably meaningless, but it's something.

openPR.com - Press release - Ticketloot Inc - U2 will also release a new studio album named “Songs of Ascent” in advance

03-15-2011 08:28 AM CET
Print PDF file Send per mail
U2 will also release a new studio album named “Songs of Ascent” in advance

Leisure, Entertainment, Miscellaneous
Press release from: Ticketloot Inc

(openPR) - Finally the wait is over and the two U2 stars now will take a sign of relief. The most expensive Musical on Broadway, The Spider-Man is now getting good comments as the best-selling Broadway production. The Spider-Man musical was in news for its delays and technical malfunctions that caused serious injuries to the cast. Moreover critics and visitors called the performances average and the music that scored by the two U2 legends, Bono and The Edge as bland. But a sudden twist was observed last week and U2’s Spider-Man musical made more than $1.6 million ticket sales; this is a huge success for a musical production that is in previews and will open officially in February 2011. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark removed the longest running Broadway musical Wicked from the number one spot of the Broadway box office chart and now this U2’s action play is the best-selling play of the time.


U2 earned fame in 1980s as the most popular rock band and will start its second leg of North American tour on February 13, 2011 from Johannesburg, South Arica and will wrap up its 360° Tour in July while touring countries including South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and United States. However according to rumors U2 can continue the tour in Bucharest City of Romania, where they may perform an opening show at the inauguration ceremony of the Lia Manoliu stadium. According to officials of the Bucharest City Hall they are in talks with the promoting company of the U2 band and Romanian might see the most popular band performing at the 60,000 seated National Stadium in September 2011.

U2 has made approximately $160.9 million from their 360° World Tours that places him at the number three spot of the top world tours of 2010; the figure is pretty impressive considering the fact that U2’s North American tour was postponed to 2011 due to Bono's back surgery. It will be a surprise for Bono’s fan but this Irish singer also earns million dollars from the popular community website Facebook where he holds 1.5% of Facebook and his initial $210 million investment in the social networking site has quadrupled to $750 million with the recent success of the site.

U2 will also release a new studio album named “Songs of Ascent” in advance to their American tour leg. According to U2 manager Paul McGuinness songs including 'Mercy', 'Every Breaking Wave', and 'Boys Fall from the Sky' from the new U2 album have already been released . Buy U2 tickets at discount to enjoy their shows live.

ticketloot provides cheap concert, theater and sports tickets online.

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[BVS]

'Boys Fall from the Sky'

Apparently this is a sequel to 'It's Raining Men'.



They really are doing a club album

 

[VintagePunk]

Apparently this is a sequel to 'It's Raining Men'.



They really are doing a club album

I know!

I only skimmed it when I first read it, but just noticed that it also says that they "can continue the tour" in Romania in Sept.

Sure, they can, but will they?

 

[purpleoscar]

It's obvious we have to wait for a good interviewer to get them to spill some beans in the upcoming tour dates.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

There have been a couple of interviews for South America already, plus a few from South Africa with seemingly only one asking. I’m surprised it doesn’t get asked - even if the interviewers aren't that good. Maybe it is getting asked and they’re shutting that line of questioning down. I’m surprised because normally, we have an awareness of their babbling about new music and whatnot – but it sort of begins and ends there, as fan gossip, essentially. But with the McGuinness quotes, its kind of become assumed ‘fact’ as 'news' news. So if you’re some general entertainment reporter who has scored a U2 interview but isn’t really all that U2-knowledgable, usually I would understand them not being so clued up on where the fan rumours are at, but at the moment, you would think that any pre-interview research in regards to “So, what’s been going on in U2 world these days…” would over the past month couple of months be loaded with “new album in May” reports taken as fact, and as such, you'd ask something relating to that. Surely it will come up... If not, it's Bono's fault!

 

[Registered Dude]

interviewers might be told in advance that the band aren't answering any questions with regards to a new album

 

[Pop Artist]

I was just going to say that Registered Dude...or that maybe the questions were asked but there was nothing to say and so it didn't make the broadcasts. And the fact (pending Part 2 of the Argentine interview) that nothing at all has been said in these interviews does make me really think that we won't be getting anything this spring or summer.

 

[nirniva]

Finally the wait is over and the two U2 stars now will take a sign of relief. The most expensive Musical on Broadway, The Spider-Man is now getting good comments as the best-selling Broadway production. The Spider-Man musical was in news for its delays and technical malfunctions that caused serious injuries to the cast. Moreover critics and visitors called the performances average and the music that scored by the two U2 legends, Bono and The Edge as bland. But a sudden twist was observed last week and U2’s Spider-Man musical made more than $1.6 million ticket sales; this is a huge success for a musical production that is in previews and will open officially in February 2011. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark removed the longest running Broadway musical Wicked from the number one spot of the Broadway box office chart and now this U2’s action play is the best-selling play of the time.

[snip]

U2 will also release a new studio album named “Songs of Ascent” in advance to their American tour leg. According to U2 manager Paul McGuinness songs including 'Mercy', 'Every Breaking Wave', and 'Boys Fall from the Sky' from the new U2 album have already been released . Buy U2 tickets at discount to enjoy their shows live.

This is amazing.

 

[VintagePunk]

I'm thinking that English probably isn't their first language. At least I hope it's not.

Fact-finding isn't a strength, either.

 

[BEAL]

I do think they (U2) have something. It's do they have the balls to release it? Or did they go back into their post ATYCLB mode and over analyze the material?

We have Bono saying they have 12 songs done with DM (Bono does lie....)
We have Adam interview in AZ stating the songs are a departure, and will look to play them live, so careful when you decide to get your hotdog/beer (They didn't play any new songs besides Boy Falls From Sky correct?)
We have Paul McGuinness telling us in AZ that the album is pretty much finished, just putting on the last touches. Then we have a interview at some party? where he shared that the album should come out in May, and SOA title is probably no longer valid.

So what may have happened is during the final bit of the recording process, U2 decided they didn't have enough hits, or they weren't happy with arrangements, so they're back to the demo stage (what Edge is quoted as saying).

I agree that if we don't get some good news within the next week, there is no album this year and the tour turns into a very basic Greatest Hits tour.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I think they probably got through the 'creative' phase okay. Those McGuinness quotes could be a pretty good bookend. He said in November that they were done with recording, and onto the wrap up (tinkering, vocals, mixing - which already suggests there was satisfaction with and confidence in the material), and that they were going for a May release. Then in early February he confidently states its coming out in May. The two months in between would probably have been the highest risk period for them getting cold creative feet. That's when they would have realised that it just wasn't that good, or there was a song or two missing, or whatever. It doesn't mean it finished there, but if they had had some serious creative freak or there was even just some uncertainty, McGuinness might have been more "trying/pushing/hoping" about May, or walking it back a bit, or not bringing it up at all. The confidence probably means that it was still all on track, ie, done or effectively done, and everyone happy with it.

Couple of weeks later in mid-Feb, Edge/Adam/Bono give those coy (or bizarre in the case of Bono) comments about it. The coyness probably means that it was then at least still on the cards, if not a definite 'yes'. If it were a definite 'no' I think those answers would have looked a bit different. I wouldn't hang anything on the word 'demo'. That might easily have come from the journalist. They were obviously way, way, way beyond that. It's probably better to notice that the now famous "maybe/we'll see" was in response to a question about whether the Danger Mouse material makes up the new album, not whether there is a new album. And Bono's cereal box comments were essentially "the new album will have less songs". Again - if they were definitely not at least still seriously considering releasing a new album in May, those answers would probably have been a bit different.

So if there's a freak out, it would have come around or after then, and its probably purely commercial. Commerical as in, a rethink of releasing something now, or external forces, etc.

Or perhaps they went into this thinking a Zooropa II is what they need, and came out the other side of it completely creatively satisfied with the Zooropa II they got, maybe even excited about it, but then when faced with actually pulling the trigger on it... cold feet... actually... maybe it will be better for us if we hold out... wait... big album... less risk...

 

[stealthboy]

We have Adam interview in AZ stating the songs are a departure, and will look to play them live, so careful when you decide to get your hotdog/beer (They didn't play any new songs besides Boy Falls From Sky correct?)

What about Every Breaking Wave? North Star? Mercy?

 

[Swan269]

What about Every Breaking Wave? North Star? Mercy?

those were soooooo 2010

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

Or perhaps they went into this thinking a Zooropa II is what they need, and came out the other side of it completely creatively satisfied with the Zooropa II they got, maybe even excited about it, but then when faced with actually pulling the trigger on it... cold feet... actually... maybe it will be better for us if we hold out... wait... big album... less risk...

That's what i think may have happened - they began work with Danger Mouse etc, honestly thinking that getting entirely new music out as soon as possible would be the best way to bounce back from NLOTH. I'm guessing somewhere down the line, their priority changed from simply 'releasing something quickly so everyone forgets about NLOTH', to 'releasing something great (i.e. hits) so everyone forgets about NLOTH'. And they might feel that working for a year or two, without spiderman and a tour to worry about, will yield a better album. Maybe they're not only scared that a quick follow up wouldn't be good, but that (if it doesn't sell well), it would actually work against it's aim - to help U2 remain relevant.
After all, what was it Bono said - "two crap albums and we're done"? If they don't have absolute faith in this DM work, no way in hell they'll let it be their comeback record. Because that's probably how they see anything they do now - as a comeback to NLOTH, just as ATYCLB was to Pop.

 

[gvox]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Swan269]

Or perhaps they went into this thinking a Zooropa II is what they need, and came out the other side of it completely creatively satisfied with the Zooropa II they got, maybe even excited about it, but then when faced with actually pulling the trigger on it... cold feet... actually... maybe it will be better for us if we hold out... wait... big album... less risk...

the u2 leftover box set will be amazing.