ALBUM 13 - DOUBLE LP or NOT ?

[morgan1098]

Album in 2014 contradicts an album in 2015. A publication contradicts half the band (the songwriting half, even) and Edge's guitar tech.

The plans have changed rather quickly since as late as Fallon/Oscars no one in the U2 camp said anything about no album in 2014...if this story is true.

I'm sure the band will adress it. Why would Oseary or Live Nation talk in their place ? The story is quite recent, too. Should they reply to every rumour that pops up on a fan forum ?

1. A change in plans is not a contradiction. If you say, "I plan to go on vacation in March" and instead, for any number of reasons, you decide to go in November, you have not contradicted yourself. You have changed your mind. When you originally told your friends you were going in March, you were not trying to mislead them or hide the truth.

2. Billboard magazine is THE leading industry magazine, not an internet forum. Every mainstream publication has picked up this story. Like every publication, Billboard will get things wrong sometimes, but I'm guessing their accuracy rate is 95 percent. Name a fan forum that can claim that.

3. Citing anonymous sources who want to protect their jobs is not the same thing as spreading "rumors." Billboard's story is reported as FACT, and if the facts are wrong, they will print a retraction. Especially if someone from U2 or LiveNation intervenes. I don't think this will happen.

4. The Billboard story is accurate AT THIS TIME. It's possible that the band could be in the studio now, "God will walk in the room," and they'll go back to the record label and say, "Our plans have changed again--we'll have the album ready by June 2014." This won't make the Billboard story wrong--it will simply make it outdated.

Plans change all the time! For me, the big question is WHY?

 

[Nick66]

Some of you are insane.

(Not you Morgan1098...you've got it pretty much right).

 

[pepokiss]

Neil McCormick:

"What I think about U2 album delay (in 3 tweets). The world doesn't need another U2 album, so if it's going to get one, it better be good."
https://twitter.com/neil_mccormick/status/442420616445325313

"It is U2's music, their art, their process, and they'll know when it's right. Or at least, when it's right for them."
https://twitter.com/neil_mccormick/status/442421166809313280

"My bet is, when the time comes, U2 will hunker down, take the best of what they've got, completely re-record it, & knock us all for six."
https://twitter.com/neil_mccormick/status/442421862363299840

 

[YBORCITY]

I still don't understand how some can't accept that Billboard, THE trade magazine in music as passing rumors. Not going to happen this year no if ands or buts. What I don't understand is shouldn't U2 be helping out younger artists than the other way around? When all of this is said and done, you have to wonder what their perception is in the music industry at large? Anyway, there's alot of great music out there right now. Maybe the "sessions" they should be having is with psychologists

 

[Nick66]

Neil McCormick:

"What I think about U2 album delay (in 3 tweets). The world doesn't need another U2 album, so if it's going to get one, it better be good."
https://twitter.com/neil_mccormick/status/442420616445325313

"It is U2's music, their art, their process, and they'll know when it's right. Or at least, when it's right for them."
https://twitter.com/neil_mccormick/status/442421166809313280

"My bet is, when the time comes, U2 will hunker down, take the best of what they've got, completely re-record it, & knock us all for six."
https://twitter.com/neil_mccormick/status/442421862363299840

This is good (albeit carefully worded), and Neil usually has it about right. He was also the first one inside the U2 camp (relatively speaking) to confirm that AB wasn't remastered (even before The Edge).

 

[mikeuk]

So I was in NYC last June/July and met (albeit briefly)!both Bono and Jimmy Iovene outside Electric Lady Studios - the latter said (day after the party with Jay Z etc) he hoped they had finished recording and went in for 4 hours before both came out and met fans like me. Seems an awful long time ago now. I am amassive fan since 82 and seen them around 80 times but they are testing my patience. Mike

 

[morgan1098]

He was also the first one inside the U2 camp (relatively speaking) to confirm that AB wasn't remastered.

He can't be right all the time.

 

[Nick66]

He can't be right all the time.

Of course not. Just these times.

 

[phommel]

Very disappointing this! Don' t they understand that indeed the world is not waiting for a new U2-album, but for a new tour?

If the album is there in 2015, and contains an average amount of songs, you could calculate that it takes them ~ half a year per album-song! Then it better has to be a MAGNIFICIENT, INCREDIBLY GOOD, AMAZING ALBUM. Their new Achtung Baby or Joshua Tree... The longer it takes, the higher the expectations. The pressure is only becoming bigger and bigger.

 

[Reg McGowan]

He can't be right all the time.

True, but he's close friends with the band. They go way back to the late 70's when the band was starting

We haven't heard from Gavin Friday since his comment on the album last summer. He is very well in the know and Bono's best friend along with Guggi...
Anyone has him on twitter ?

 

[Nick66]

Very disappointing this! Don' t they understand that indeed the world is not waiting for a new U2-album, but for a new tour?

The pressure is only becoming bigger and bigger.

So if the world is not waiting for a new U2 album, where is the pressure?

And if the world isn't waiting, what's the rush?

 

[phommel]

Here was me thinking Invisible was receiving pretty positive reviews etc

well, there was almost no buzz at all around that song. In Netherlands OL (also not among their very best, but better) is still in TOP50, but Invisible disappeared after I think being in the list for 2 weeks?

Invisible was a bit like COBL, but then less less less good

 

[Nick66]

We haven't heard from Gavin Friday since his comment on the album last summer.

Speak for yourself.

Good ole' Gavin.

 

[CMIS]

Been trying to get to the end of the thread for the past two days lol. You guys keep stealing a march on me. I am still ten pages behind.
While I was hugely disappointed initially I gotta say that something doesnt add up (understatement of the year? ). Having watched the band over the last month and a half I strongly feel that the only reason they will suddenly change their mind and push it back at least nine months is if something in one of their personal lives went wrong (god forbid). Other than that the only thing that really may be concerning is McCormick's tweets. He is the only one who really knows the band who has spoken out about it and that he joked tells me that there is nothing wrong personally. He may just be making fun of innacurate billboard information, the 2017 quip does not jive with his usual respect for U2. I trust the edge and we know he said that they have 6/7 songs 'ready to go'. We knew about epworth before this billboard thing so the only thing that is different is billboard naming multiple unnamed sources saying no album before 2015. I cannot think of a reason for such a drastic change in the span of a week, so I am still thinking a summer/fall release until I hear different from the horses' mouth.


Sent from my GT-I9300 using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[Aleh_Hewson]

The album supposed to be done in late 2013. I don't know much about the whole process of recording an album, but I really don't think one song is guilty of their project to be postponed.

If they knew where they're going, why the hell dind't they finished what they're doing after OL? I do think Super Bowl ad and Jimmy Fallon were part of the marketing regarding the new album. Everything went as planned, except they didn't had an album, so they went out and gave us one new song, just to fill the space.

I don't really know what happened between "we-hope-to-get-an-album-really-soon" to "postponed-till-further-informations". They had an strong response with Invisible. They were nominated to an Oscar with OL. They played on top of a roof again. We are just expecting some new work to match with all this marketing, if not, what was the sense of doing this?

My only fear is that they're expecting God walks into the room when He'd already left.

But again, I do trust in this band, and I'm hoping, once again, to be amazed by their music. But I know, and I hope they know as well, that this was some major chance to left like that.

I just hope that Bono didn't keep promise and contact David Guetta,

PS: Bad grammar

 

[Reg McGowan]

Speak for yourself.

Good ole' Gavin.

His he aware that interference is going through a nervous breakdown ?

 

[arctic]

well, there was almost no buzz at all around that song. In Netherlands OL (also not among their very best, but better) is still in TOP50, but Invisible disappeared after I think being in the list for 2 weeks?

Invisible was a bit like COBL, but then less less less good

True, here in Norway invisible is invisible, have not heard it on radio yet, and most people dont know about that song, it just passed on in silence.
And i agree with you OL is better, it has the structure of a real organic song, invisible is just a mess.

 

[CosmoKramer]

So if there world is not waiting for a new U2 album, where is the pressure?

And if the world isn't waiting, why not listen to rush?

Fixed it for you. Figure, its better to talk about Rush, Nazi avatars, sexist posts or Coldplay than keep hearing about U2 delaying their album.

 

[phommel]

So if there world is not waiting for a new U2 album, where is the pressure?

The pressure they create mainly themselves. The pressure for good reviews. Pressure from expectations of U2 fans/followers. Pressure for wanting to stay relevant (which they are not anymore), etc...

And if the world isn't waiting, what's the rush?

The rush for a new tour, not for a new album.

 

[gareth brown]

probably reading too much into it but what strikes me as odd about this news is that the track given away last month was "Invisible (Edit)" as if to suggest the uncut version was just around the corner on a new album. what's the point of even pointing out a (now supposedly) one-off track was an edited version if it's the only one?

 

[phommel]

Also funny to realize that album is delayed till (at least!) 2015, whereas Bono just explained they are working on two albums right now!?

If a (very great) producer is working on the album already for years! that's not a good sign... If the gap between two albums will be (at least) 6! years, that's also no good sign.

If they still were relevant at all, they lost it now. How can you even think of staying relevant if there is a whole new generation growing up who never ever experienced a new album of U2? It's even quite emberasssing for them, this....

 

[burningedge101]

I agree that people who don't believe the billboard article are just in denial. The only thing that strikes me as odd is how the sources could be so confident it won't come out until 2015. If they are truly recording with these new producers, why would U2 (even if they've never done it in the past) want to rule out the possibility that they can redo some of the songs and/or record some new ones in 4 months or so and release the album in nov. which is prime release season? Seems like there must be something preventing that possibility - perhaps scheduling conflicts with the desired producers or Larry wanting to film another movie role, etc.

 

[Nick66]

LOL...just occurred to me that we will have a whole new American football season and NEXT year's Super Bowl will come and go and we still likely won't have a new U2 record.

Perhaps they'll have an ad in next year's game as well. Maybe with Monsanto. I wonder what they'll cure this time?

 

[CMIS]

If this album ever comes out, by that time all the ''hip kids'' they are trying to attract wont give a toss.

The hip kids they are trying to attract dont give a toss that the album is delayed or has been worked on for the last four years, so no foul there.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[super fly guy]

The hip kids they are trying to attract dont give a toss that the album is delayed or has been worked on for the last four years, so no foul there.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using U2 Interference mobile app

Good point.

 

[jeevey]

LOL...just occurred to me that we will have a whole new American football season and NEXT year's Super Bowl will come and go and we still likely won't have a new U2 record.

Just stuff it, okay?

 

[pepokiss]

maybe they can play at next year's Super Bowl ...

 

[Bobvancleef]

This is just a theory of mine, but could it be U2 had massive sour grapes over their Oscar loss? Is it a coincidence that a few days after they suddenly say 'no album release this year'

I love the guys, but they can be really, really stubborn. They hate losing much more than anyone else and they just don't want to release an album soon after their loss? Just a theory.

Strange the comments Edge made a month earlier; "I'm going to have no summer because I'm going to be busy."

Something went very wrong in the last month.

 

[U2girl]

1. A change in plans is not a contradiction. If you say, "I plan to go on vacation in March" and instead, for any number of reasons, you decide to go in November, you have not contradicted yourself. You have changed your mind. When you originally told your friends you were going in March, you were not trying to mislead them or hide the truth.

2. Billboard magazine is THE leading industry magazine, not an internet forum. Every mainstream publication has picked up this story. Like every publication, Billboard will get things wrong sometimes, but I'm guessing their accuracy rate is 95 percent. Name a fan forum that can claim that.

3. Citing anonymous sources who want to protect their jobs is not the same thing as spreading "rumors." Billboard's story is reported as FACT, and if the facts are wrong, they will print a retraction. Especially if someone from U2 or LiveNation intervenes. I don't think this will happen.

4. The Billboard story is accurate AT THIS TIME. It's possible that the band could be in the studio now, "God will walk in the room," and they'll go back to the record label and say, "Our plans have changed again--we'll have the album ready by June 2014." This won't make the Billboard story wrong--it will simply make it outdated.

Plans change all the time! For me, the big question is WHY?

1.It is not confirmed that there has been a change in plans. Their plans are to release this year, as per Bono, Edge and Dallas (indicating two albums and a summer 2014 release - Dallas even mentioned April). All recent comments, as late as post-Fallon appearance.

In direct contradiction with Billboard that claims no release until 2015.

2. We're all aware of Billboard not being a fan forum. I'm sure other sources are picking it up, since they're the first to put it out there (that's how it usually works, you know...)...doesn't make it any more official until U2 talks about it.

3. What source ? It's a perfectly legitimate question that can be answered without naming anyone specifically. Band members certainly didn't say anything of the sort. Oseary ? U2's tour crew/band techs ?
And given this is all over the place, including U2.com's own forum, what makes you so sure U2 won't react? This is the biggest meltdown in the fandom since those Vertigo tour presales. That time, Larry personally adressed the situation. We can fully expect U2 setting the record straight.

4. Everything is a rumour unless U2 or U2.com or Oseary confirms it.

edit : as for WHY, plenty of that. Coldplay releasing this year, losing the Oscar to Disney, OL and Invisible not taking off...take your pick.

 

[ChargedVT]

Firstly, poor Paul Epworth... I hope he realises the work he spends the next few months on won't see the light of day.
Secondly, fan club gift this year... what the hell is possibly left to give out besides new songs? And we know they won't do that.
Thirdly, will the general public get any sort of product this year or nothing for the third year straight? No chance of another Best Of when there's only been one album since your last one.