More New Music Rumors and Such...

[loudreamer]

Don't try and stand-alone write a single this time. Try and create a great album. Choose the best song off it. Simple. Don't spend a year working on an album, then freak out and spend the next few months trying to hammer a 'big' song or two onto it. Trust the quality of a great album, and you won't need the (sales) quantity of a big single. Simple!

I just wanna say I completely agree with Earnie.

 

[U2girl]

And of course that approach will really work for 50 year olds in the current music environment...

 

[slimongi]

Mercy was rehearsed full band this afternoon...most likely, part of the SOA set?

YouTube - U2 Mercy 2010-09-06 Istanbul rehearsal

definitly sounds great

It's a great song!

4 your consideration

YouTube - U2-Mercy

 

[popacrobat]

I would just like to point out the fact that U2 have played Return of Stingray Guitar, North Star, Every Breaking Wave, Glastonbury and now rehearsing/hopefully playing Mercy is really fucking cool. That's five unreleased songs on what they want to be their biggest and best tour.

 

[Slapnutz]

Mercy was rehearsed full band this afternoon...most likely, part of the SOA set?

YouTube - U2 Mercy 2010-09-06 Istanbul rehearsal

definitly sounds great

Cool. Larry still thinks he's playing 'Because the Night'.

 

[nielsgov]

They actually rehearsed Mercy?

 

[Earnie Shavers]

And of course that approach will really work for 50 year olds in the current music environment...

???

How would you judge it as having 'worked' or not? What is the 'current music environment', and how does it impact U2?

 

[U2girl]

They actually rehearsed Mercy?

Interesting. Maybe this, apart from obvious live plans, also means they intend to make Mercy a part of the next U2 release ?

 

[nielsgov]

Interesting. Maybe this, apart from obvious live plans, also means they intend to make Mercy a part of the next U2 release ?

It means it's certainly still on their minds which is a good sign.

 

[nirniva]

Wait, they're ACTUALLY REHEARSING MERCY?

No smiley is sufficient to fully convey my shock.

 

[corianderstem]

Yes, they rehearsed Mercy and Mothers of the Disappeared today.

 

[nielsgov]

Wait, they're ACTUALLY REHEARSING MERCY?

No smiley is sufficient to fully convey my shock.

Yeah I thought it was a joke at first.

 

[U2democrat]

*Comes out of the shadows *

OMFG MERCY!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Returns to the shadows *

 

[PookaMacP]

Good God. I'm not into hyperbole usually but that two-and-a-half minutes of muffled YouTube audio is a reiteration of all that is great about this band. And, more to the point, about The Edge. Now that's a great guitar sound and so close to the spirit of the 2004 demo. No wonder Willie Williams wanted them to play it a few weeks back. If there was a trying-not-to-build-my-hopes-up smiley I'd insert it here.

There must be enough material by now for a full record, particularly since this is full band rather than acoustic. We now have:

Winter
Soon
Stingray Guitar (in whatever incarnation)
Glastonbury
North Star
Every Breaking Wave
Mercy

 

[the scuv]

U2 = clever band

Problem:
Album sales are in the minority
Your hard work recording spins round the internet at lightspeed and gets downloaded for goddamn free
Somone hangs round your house with a mobile phone recording songs

Solution
play new songs in a live environment/public domain

A great way to generate tour publicity/ticket sales and abate the music pirates

What a thought out move

MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY MERCY

Love is when I lie, love puts the blue back in my eye


MERCY WAS NOT PLAYED TONIGHT IN ISTANBUL - :-(

 

[God Part III]

So Steve lillywhite thought Prid sounded better live than the studio?? thank God he didn't get hired for the Unforgettable fire.

Pride does sound better in the studio.

And Mercy sounds a lot better now than then.

Big wow if they actually choose to play it...

 

[powerhour24]

Dude, Mercy rehearsed? Interference's collective dream (minus the haters) of seeing the song released may finally be coming true. It only makes sense, it is a beautiful tune and definitely would fit in with the idea of SOA, as would the lyrics to North Star, so their resurrection along with the introduction of EBW and the pilgrimage aspect of Glastonbury lead me to think the concept of that album could very well still be alive.

That and, for MOTD, clearly one of their most underrated tracks.

 

[God Part III]

Looks like they removed my biggest gripe with the song as well

('love has come again, I am born again - again' or whatever he sings... I hate that part)

 

[Rachel D.]

Dude, Mercy rehearsed? Interference's collective dream (minus the haters) of seeing the song released may finally be coming true. It only makes sense, it is a beautiful tune and definitely would fit in with the idea of SOA, as would the lyrics to North Star, so their resurrection along with the introduction of EBW and the pilgrimage aspect of Glastonbury lead me to think the concept of that album could very well still be alive..

I didn't think about "Glastonbury" fitting on SOA because of its theme; I thought of it as fitting more on the rock album that Bono mentioned. Maybe the new songs they've been playing live are candidates only for SOA, and maybe SOA is gonna be coming out sooner than we realize. Maybe, maybe, maybe… Light my way!

Sorry, that was lame.

 

[bonocomet]

Mercy

 

[bonocomet]

damn, that riff/loop is an absolute killer, glad they did not tweak it too much since the demo version
they could make a fifteen min version of that f**cking thing, this is by far the best tune they've done in the 2000 era

Now that's a great guitar sound and so close to the spirit of the 2004 demo.

That's exactly what I thought upon hearing it. I was almost afraid to listen, in case it had been changed too much.

 

[thelaj]

Lyrics sound totally different... can't tell if it is for the better yet. Bono sounds excellent.

 

[God Part III]

Lyrics sound totally different... can't tell if it is for the better yet. Bono sounds excellent.

I'm gonna go ahead and say they're better, even if I can't make them all out.

2009/2010 Bono >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2004 Bono, lyrics-wise.

 

[powerhour24]

From what I could make out, only the chorus sounded different.

 

[powerhour24]

I didn't think about "Glastonbury" fitting on SOA because of its theme; I thought of it as fitting more on the rock album that Bono mentioned.

I still say it would take the right recording to work, but the lyrics would fit with SOA, and could be the rocking single they think they need.

 

[santiago]

Wow, I'm amazed. I never thought the band would still be working on Mercy!

It sounds great, better than in the demo.

I suppose I should apologise to those who have kept the Mercy flame alive all this time...

Santiago

 

[Swan269]

I am so glad this is happening (mercy), some of the lyrics changed and the bridge seems to be gone "rippin the stitches....etc." (which I will miss if its gone) but it sounds great!

 

[Roland of Gilead]

I think I nearly pooped myself... on purpose.

Mercy!

 

[The John Tree]

What the hell is going on here?

Too many U2 surprises to comprehend in the past few weeks...

Mercy sounds awesome. Bono's voice is in better form now than the demo, methinks. As far as the new lyrics go, I think that's good since they seem less hokey now (It's "you put the blue back in my eye" instead of love, which I think is a change for the better.), the chorus might be a little wordy to carry the weight of a big hook, but it sounds fine to me.

 

[The John Tree]

Also, I have encouraged the release of SoA and the club album while ragging on the idea of them releasing a standard "rock" album.

That being said, if the band considers Mercy a "rock" cut, then I'm super excited for it.