Eno wanted U2 to release MOS as a single because he feels like they're the only band in the world that could get airplay for a song like that. It's his favorite on the album, and he feels like it would have been a "here's where we are" statement from the band that would have indicated a new direction. He goes on about what a good single it would have been.
When he discusses the recording process, he sounds genuinely awed. He compares it to "channelling" (the "spiritual phenomenon"); he says he felt like he wasn't playing the keys, that it was just coming to him. He's self-deprecating, calling himself a "crap keyboard player" or something like that, and he seems to feel like MOS was a piece beyond his abilities that had to come from elsewhere.
The song itself was based on a "broken cartwheel" sound he came up with (he can't remember how he made it). He liked to prepare a loop for every day in Fez so the band would have somewhere to start, and that was featured in the loop that became MOS. Larry was the first to come in that day; Brian says Larry absolutely nailed it "like only Larry can" before Edge came in and did his thing. He says everyone just sort of naturally vibed to the loop, effortlessly adding their own instruments to the song.
In that respect he says MOS grew from a simple loop to an incredibly complex song in an unbelievably short period of time. It seemed like every band member naturally felt the song crescendo and reeled it back in automatically, without anyone "conducting." He sounds almost worshipful about Bono in the piece, talking about how his voice "as it so often does" made the song take off, elaborating on the "character"/voice styles thing we've heard so much about. He is obviously deeply touched by the character Bono created for MOS, which he seems to regard as filled with spiritual anguish/longing.
He talks about how a crowd was gathered; 7 musicians and "visitors," during the one take of MOS (they worked it out beforehand but never played it through beforehand and haven't played it through since). After the take he said everyone was completely hushed, that it was obvious that everyone felt like something magical had entered the room. And that's how he describes it, as his "most magical studio experience."
There's at least one and possibly two verses that didn't make the final cut, but Eno didn't seem regretful or anything. He seemed to feel like MOS is pretty much perfect.
And he loves NLOTH; says it's a clear step forward/evolution.
