McGuinness Opens Up a bit on New Album & Artwork

[mofo82]

U2: how they have stayed on top of the world - Telegraph

A very good read IMO, and I find the following comment very interesting, gets my imagination running- I am very much fueled by the visual arts and love four5one's work for U2, with the exception of how modest and bland the album cover and inner sleeve designs for HTDAAB were, given how imaginative the title was...

"The artwork surrounding the release of new music from an artist that you're interested in is, in many ways, just as interesting as the music. I can remember when carrying a 12-inch LP down the street was almost an expression of the kind of person you were, every bit as significant as what you wore or how you cut your hair. These things evolve, but I think the industry as a whole is missing the opportunity to produce the digital visual coefficient [of an album sleeve]. And watch this space because it's something U2 are addressing on their next album."

I'm going to focus on the album art here for a second, because I am hopeful with how much territory the band has covered since 2004's last major release, including the groundbreaking work with Catherine Owens and that all hands are on deck with the rumors of Corbijn directing the first videos that the band wants no stone unturned. Wouldn't be sweet if the new album invites the same kind of risks the band took with the stunning visual results of U23D and the limits they pushed?

 

[Utoo]

I'm hoping that the physical album cover shot is cooler than HTDAAB. I really don't get what they were trying to convey with that one. As for what this digital counterpart could be, the imagination's the limit--you make a good point by mentioning Catherine Owens and U23D...

 

[topplehatU2]

It would be neat to see what it could be, maybe some sort of "moving" artwork that can only be done digitally.

 

[vaz02]

Maybe its the HTDAAB artwork digitally remastered.

 

[burningedge101]

Another interesting thing about this article is it still mentions an October release date. I wonder if that is true? There must be some juggling going on because there are many high profile releases from now until the end of the year: Metallica, Oasis, The Killers, AC/DC.

 

[ahittle]

Seems like the singles had cooler artwork than the HTDAAB cover. I get what they were going for there, it's just not a good cover.

It's kinda silly that the four guys have to appear on the sleeve. I wouldn't mind giving that formula a rest.

 

[LemonMelon]

It'll be a picture of Larry sitting in front of a swirly pink background, wearing tights and a wrestling belt.

 

[kennerado]

Magic Eye style cover, hehe

 

[sue4u2]

Another interesting thing about this article is it still mentions an October release date. I wonder if that is true? There must be some juggling going on because there are many high profile releases from now until the end of the year: Metallica, Oasis, The Killers, AC/DC.

This is pretty awesome, but is it the interviewer or Paul Mc saying it?

U2 are racing against deadlines to finish their new album in time for its planned October release.

ets: either way..

 

[mofo82]

It'll be a picture of Larry sitting in front of a swirly pink background, wearing tights and a wrestling belt.

Oops, wrong HitMan

Sadly, would still be a better cover than htdaab

 

[AndrewCowley]

I'm recalling Pink Floyd's Pulse packaging where they had a blinking LED embedded in the case.

Seriously in the year 2008 with downloads being all the rage I think U2 would be wasting money on exploring new ideas for artwork. I don't think many people will care. That is not to say people here don't care but we are the minority.

 

[topplehatU2]

I'm recalling Pink Floyd's Pulse packaging where they had a blinking LED embedded in the case.

Seriously in the year 2008 with downloads being all the rage I think U2 would be wasting money on exploring new ideas for artwork. I don't think many people will care. That is not to say people here don't care but we are the minority.

Maybe they will throw the fans a bone then.

 

[AndrewCowley]

Maybe they will throw the fans a bone then.

Here's an idea... record some cool songs and nobody will care about the artwork.

 

[last unicorn]

Maybe the album will come without a title and with a blank cover, so that every fan can name the piece whatever they want it to be called and draw their own cover. I guess this would be the best solution to make everyone happy.

 

[DoctorMacPhisto]

Maybe the album will come without a title and with a blank cover, so that every fan can name the piece whatever they want it to be called and draw their own cover. I guess this would be the best solution to make everyone happy.

no kidding.

 

[U2girl]

I liked this bit, re: the new album

"download visuals to be completed" and as for Catherine Owens, she is also said to be working on the album/tour visuals.

 

[Popmartijn]

I'm hoping that the physical album cover shot is cooler than HTDAAB.

That shouldn't be too difficult. Almost any album cover shot is cooler than that one.

 

[DevilsShoes]

Some of the U2 album covers in recent years have been a bit lacking IMO, the last one I really liked was the Pop cover.

The Beatles were brilliant at sleeve designs, simple but powerful imagery that made them instantly recognisable and iconic, this is something I'd like the see U2 try and capture. From reading that report, I'm intrigued to see what they come up with.

 

[last unicorn]

I really really love the ATYCLB album cover, I wouldn't mind if they did something like that again. I never liked the Pop Cover and Achtung Baby, I'm not so fond of this pictures in a picture kind of thing, this is confusing the hell out of me. The Passengers cover is horrible, I cannot even look at it. I don't like to get a visual overload when I look at an album cover. I like it when it's not too complicated and has something atmospheric about it.

Most covers are compromised anyway by the size of a CD box. Vinyl was so much better in regards to cover artwork.

 

[DevilsShoes]

Yeah I like the clarity of the ATYCLB cover, it seems to reflect the more stripped back quality of the music, but I didn't like HTDAAB at all, which I just find a little obscure and not very eye-catching.

I still think Pop's a very cool cover, love both the images of the guys and the colours.

The bands most iconic and memorable cover's are probably JT and AB.

JT's my personal favourite as that epic and expansive landscape perfectly matches the operatic and anthemic music on the album, they compliment each other so well. The sleeve promises something massive and the material delivers.

 

[chrissybaby]

JT's my personal favourite as that epic and expansive landscape perfectly matches the operatic and anthemic music on the album, they compliment each other so well. The sleeve promises something massive and the material delivers.

very true...

the music that the cover implies on HTDAAB is way off, it's the visual representation of how the band WANTED the album to sound IMO, not the way it actually did...

 

[U2girl]

The bands most iconic and memorable cover's are probably JT and AB.

Not JT and War ?

I liked all their covers, except Bomb.

 

[DevilsShoes]

Yeah, Boy and War are both pretty powerful too, I just think that JT and AB are probably far more memorable and recognisable to a non-fan.

 

[PolarCamel]

ATYCLB's cover was brilliant, it builds off the symbolism of actual events, it looks like they've returned to death valley just to find out that the Joshua Tree was chopped down, and an airport terminal (point of departure) was built over it. the same month it came out, that Joshua Tree actually collapsed (made a aeparture), and the Tree at One Tree Hill (Another point of departure referred to in a song about departure) was cut down.
Anyway that whole album is strong on baggage\departure themes and it really shines through that cover.

 

[major_panic]

I liked this bit, re: the new album

"download visuals to be completed" and as for Catherine Owens, she is also said to be working on the album/tour visuals.

That jumped out at me too. It's a huge huge hint if you ask me.

 

[An Cat Gav]

The cover of ATYCLB was quite good, it was the inside layout and pictures that were so shite.
HTDAAB had an awful cover and an awful booklet. The rest were all pretty good, though the best covers were War, UF JT, and Achtung Baby.

 

[kkaider]

Maybe the album will come without a title and with a blank cover, so that every fan can name the piece whatever they want it to be called and draw their own cover. I guess this would be the best solution to make everyone happy.

"How much more black could this be? and the answer is none. None more black."

On second thought, I think the band already has too many links to Spinal Tap with the whole lemon fiasco.

 

[Rafiennes]

It's a digital image of Greedo shooting first.

 

[2861U2]

It's a digital image of Greedo shooting first.

 

[ahittle]

The cover of ATYCLB was quite good, it was the inside layout and pictures that were so shite.
HTDAAB had an awful cover and an awful booklet. The rest were all pretty good, though the best covers were War, UF JT, and Achtung Baby.

I agree. A lot of that booklet stuff looks tossed off, just a quickie shoot at the airport.

I love when a band allows the booklet to document the whole process of the recording - Pop feels like that.