Gavin Friday talks new U2 album

[gvox]

I once changed a flat for good ol Gavin on the A1, saving him from certain death at the hands of some drunk too smashed to see him pulled over with his four-ways on.

He later went on to thank me publicly on his cover of The Fly. If you play it backwards from 3:18 to 2:53 at 19/32 speed his acknowledgement of my heroic act is unmistakable.

True story...Independently confirmed. Verified, even.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Punk rock from saturn

 

[Nick66]

 

[Rich79]

Yes. More "quite different" and less "searching for the perfect pop song"

 

[silkensky]

How about a perfect pop song that's also quite different?

 

[gvox]

Gavin has no idea what that even means.

 

[Hollow Island]

I have a question about Gavin Friday. Aside from old goths and obsessive U2 fans, does anyone know who he is? Is he successful in Europe?

 

[mama cass]

I have a question about Gavin Friday. Aside from old goths and obsessive U2 fans, does anyone know who he is? Is he successful in Europe?

pre-forum days i'd never heard of him other than a couple of songs i liked off a couple of film soundtracks (Baz Luhrman) and didn't know about the U2 connection back then either...

i think he might have a small cult following? no idea!

 

[Nick66]

I have a question about Gavin Friday. Aside from old goths and obsessive U2 fans, does anyone know who he is? Is he successful in Europe?

Yes.

No.

 

[gvox]

I have a question about Gavin Friday.

VIRGIN PRUNES - DECLINE AND FALL - YouTube

/thread

 

[Nick66]

Good 'ole Gavin.

He was really something back in the day. Guy was always quick with a joke and a light of your smoke.

If anyone ever runs into him, ask him about drinking Guinness through a straw in Cork circa 2002. Good times.

Good 'ole Gavin.

 

[LyricalDrug]

Modern-day U2 seems to be chasing the dragon... in other words, trying to re-kindle whatever magic brought them radio hits, earlier in their career. Bringing in Will.I.am, bringing in Danger Mouse, bringing in Rick Rubin, etc.

My dream scenario is to learn that their "new sound" is actually ancient-sounding sufi music, with heavy Celtic influences... and with lyrics in both English and Irish

 

[Nick66]

My dream scenario is to learn that their "new sound" is actually ancient-sounding sufi music, with heavy Celtic influences... and with lyrics in both English and Irish

Gaelic even!

 

[corianderstem]

I saw a lot of references to "Irish" as the language while I was in Ireland, so I started to think "Gaelic" and "Irish" were interchangeable?

I have one of Gavin's album's (Shag Tobacco). I randomly found a used copies and bought it out of curiosity. It's not bad.

 

[Rachel D.]

We need some news! Even if it's a vague teaser video on U2.com or another quote from Bono. It's the end of August; do you know where your album is?

 

[PookaMacP]

I saw a lot of references to "Irish" as the language while I was in Ireland, so I started to think "Gaelic" and "Irish" were interchangeable?

Within Ireland we very rarely use the term 'Gaelic'. The language is pretty much always known as 'Irish'. However, there are two possible explanations for why the term 'Gaelic' is used outside Ireland: the language's name in 'Irish' is 'Gaeilge' [Gale-ga], which obviously sounds quite like 'Gaelic' and which is used semi-regularly to describe it; and the Scottish language (which is quite similar to Irish) is mostly known as Scots Gaelic, so in a way it makes sense that this is Irish Gaelic.

Anyway, that's all miles off topic!

On topic, the most interesting news for me at the moment is that there is no news. Very little leaking out, the apparent veil of secrecy over Danger Mouse's work, etc. In a world where everything seems to have to be put on show, I find that quite refreshing. And I imagine U2 might too.

It suggests that the band have genuinely not decided what's happening with the material and are not prepared to think about where it's all headed. (Of course there's always the possibility that it's headed nowhere and that this is the end, but I doubt it.) That and the possibility that the album might just drop from nowhere, while Interference is off discussing the yellowness of Bono's trousers or listening to some of the other great stuff that's out there, is a pretty great thought to me.

Take all the time you want U2 - just make whatever you release worth releasing.

 

[Streets613]

This information is ambiguous and completely useless. Whenever music is referred to as being "different," it means absolutely nothing. Everyone's always calling music different.

 

[Marien]

I saw a lot of references to "Irish" as the language while I was in Ireland, so I started to think "Gaelic" and "Irish" were interchangeable?

Gaelic is the name for the branch of languages coming from the Celtic culture all over Europe, Irish, Scotch or Galician are all Gaelic languages, Gal meant Celt in their ancient language and it appears in many place names as Galicia (Spain) and Galizia (Poland) Wales (UK). Irish is a Gealic language in the same way as English is a Germanic language, although English and German are completely different languages they share a common origin.

 

[corianderstem]

Thanks for the language info! I didn't want to assume that was for sure correct, just because I'd been there once.

 

[doctorwho]

Modern-day U2 seems to be chasing the dragon... in other words, trying to re-kindle whatever magic brought them radio hits, earlier in their career. Bringing in Will.I.am, bringing in Danger Mouse, bringing in Rick Rubin, etc.

My dream scenario is to learn that their "new sound" is actually ancient-sounding sufi music, with heavy Celtic influences... and with lyrics in both English and Irish

Language discussions aside, while I see your point, it should be noted that to date, very little of the material produced by those you mentioned has been released. So if U2 are "chasing the dragon", as you wrote, clearly they aren't chasing it very well.

In reality, I think they tried different producers to mix up their sound. They have pushed the Lanois/Eno combination about as far as they can. U2 like changing up things and they may have hoped a new producer might inspire them. Any long time band (or artist) is looking for that inspirational muse. Even during JT, U2 needed that spark to get the album going - and they were relatively early in their careers at that point.

However, based on the fact that so little of that material is out there, it sounds like these sessions aren't quite what they wanted. Something must have been off. But if Gavin Friday is right and the current sound is "different", then that alone is intriguing and suggests that perhaps these producers have caused that inspiration. Because even as much as I loved NLOTH, it reminded me quite a bit of TUF (with the exception of songs like "Crazy Tonight"). Hopefully, this "different" is yet another new area for U2.

 

[Marien]

Thanks for the language info! I didn't want to assume that was for sure correct, just because I'd been there once.

No problem, I just love this kind of stuff.

 

[BluRmGrl]

Oh I do hope there's a song on this album called The Yellow Pants Of France

I see London,
I see France,
I see Bono's yellow pants!

 

[U2DMfan]

They're gonna beat the "different" straight out of it over the next 6-8 months. Larry-style.

 

[schnumi]

We need Howie B to produce a U2 album again.

 

[Chill Mike D]

They need to listen this:

YouTube - U2/Eno - Passengers: Original Soundchat (Part 1)

 

[Airseven]

People get too wrapped up in wanting another Achtung Baby. It's not realistic. I just want inspired, solid songs with some depth. Something U2 hasn't produced since Beautiful Day.

 

[gvox]

We need Howie B to produce a U2 album again.

Or at least be in the studio supplyin the goods.

 

[Niceman]

People get too wrapped up in wanting another Achtung Baby. It's not realistic. I just want inspired, solid songs with some depth. Something U2 hasn't produced since Beautiful Day.

If you don't think they did that with Moment of Surrender, then you're not going to see it in any of their future work.

 

[Hollow Island]

Yes.

No.

So he's an artist known beyond (old) goths and obsessive U2 fans? Do you know where and why? I'm really curious about him, because the Virgin Prunes are a relatively minor (but very good) cult band, and the only time I ever hear about him is in relation to U2, and he's given a fair amount of weight in the U2 fan camp. Is that only because he's another U2 fan, albeit one who gets interviewed, or is it because he's a skilled, successful artist who's work is popular.

The only time I've read about him aside from some small pieces about the Virgin Prunes have been about minor things he's done with Bono, or comments about U2.

And he isn't successful in Europe? So is he only successful in Ireland?

 

[Hollow Island]

Or at least be in the studio supplyin the goods.

that's exactly what they need.