(07-15-2004) New U2 Album Stolen or Lost? - AFP*

[HelloAngel]

New U2 Album Stolen or Lost in Nice?

Ed. Note: U2 fans worldwide awoke this morning to the news that demos or a finished copy of U2's eagerly-awaited new album had been stolen or lost during a photo session Tuesday night in France. Below are translated articles from AFP and El Mundo, and one from NME containing a quote from Paul McGuinness. An official statement from U2.com is due shortly


The model of the next album of U2 disappears in Nice

NICE (AFP) - The police officers ni?ois opened an investigation after the supposed flight, Tuesday evening in Nice, from a model of the next album of the group of Irish rock'n'roll supposed U2 to leave to the re-entry, one learned Thursday from police source.

The supposed flight of the model, which is however only one outline according to the same source, would have taken place with the studios of Victorine (western of Nice) at a meeting photographs of the group, according to the daily newspaper Nice-Morning which publishes information.

"Prudence is essential. Lost or flown? An investigation in flagrancy was opened," indicated a source close to the file.

In the event of flight, the model stripped of a great commercial value could on the other hand be the subject of a premature diffusion on the Internet in order to short-circuit the official exit.

The antenna ni?oise of the SRPJ of Marseilles was in charge of the investigation.

http://fr.news.yahoo.com/040715/202/3yt8a.html


The scale model of the next Irish disc of the U2 disappears in Nize

EUROPE PRESS


NIZE (FRANCE). - The judicial Police of Nize has opened an investigation to try to presumably find the scale model of the new disc of the Irish group U2, that disappeared the day before yesterday in the coastal city, after being robbed.

The scale model includes the songs of the future album of the group, whose exit to the market is predicted in second half of 2004, according to informs the regional newspaper ' Nice Matin'.

The components of the group, among them their singing Bond, were celebrating a photographic session in the Victorine studies of the Mediterranean city Tuesday in the evening. Taking advantage of the confusion, the scale model supposedly was robbed, although the Police has not confirmed this hypothesis, and it is continued handling the possibility of a deviation.

The judicial Police has opened with urgency an investigation, to avoid that the scale model can be spread by Internet.

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2004/07/15/cultura/1089880569.html



THEY STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR!

U2 have lost a CD containing songs from their forthcoming album, NME.COM can reveal.

The band have been working on the follow-up to ?All That You Can?t Leave Behind? for much of the year. The album, which is said to have a working title of ?Vertigo?, isn?t due until the autumn at the earliest.

During a photo session in Nice a CD containing some new songs from the forthcoming album went missing.

Band manager Paul McGuiness said: "The recording of this album has been going so well. The band is so excited about its release. It would be a shame if unfinished work fell into the wrong hands."

Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group UK, added: "This matter is of great concern to us. As the missing CD is our property we are very keen to find it as soon as possible. The French police are being extremely helpful in this regard."

It is currently unknown if any of the new songs have leaked onto the Internet.

http://nme.com/news/109187.htm


Many thanks to all that wrote in. Especially S?bastien, zooraspa, Javi and FedeU2!

 

[Popmartijn]

Gotto love those Babelfish translations!

 

[AussieU2fanman]

was the demo cd stolen or was the final copy of the album stolen?
If the final album was stolen.......SHIT! And by the sounds of it, these stories are legit!

 

[elfyx]

Terrible, terrible news if true.

There is a BIG difference between a week-before leak and an orchestrated theft three to four months before the release.

U2 must be so upset right now, and I really feel for them. I can GUARANTEE you that I won't be downloading any of the songs if they show up on the net. Sorry, not under these circumstances. There's almost nothing worse in life than thieves. And if true, these thieves have absolutely NO respect for the band or the work itself. Shameful.

I wish the best possible outcome for u2 on this.

 

[elfyx]

Of course, if this is true, it also means that it could be damaging to the album itself and will no doubt throw a big fat monkey wrench into the marketing and business side of things too right now at a time when we're FINALLY making solid progress towards a release.

 

[Maggie1]

People who steal make me sick.
I hope the person is caught.

 

[Popmartijn]

Terrible, terrible news if true.

There is a BIG difference between a week-before leak and an orchestrated theft three to four months before the release.

Well, it may not be an orchestrated theft (or even a theft at all). And how would you react if you saw a CD of U2's new album lying around? I think most people would have the urge to take it so they could listen to it (months before everyone else). Of course, many will resist that urge. Some don't.

U2 must be so upset right now, and I really feel for them. I can GUARANTEE you that I won't be downloading any of the songs if they show up on the net. Sorry, not under these circumstances. There's almost nothing worse in life than thieves. And if true, these thieves have absolutely NO respect for the band or the work itself. Shameful.

I wish the best possible outcome for u2 on this.

While I can't exactly indicate what I'm going to do until the moment arrives, I think I will be downloading those songs. I think my urge to hear these tracks (especially when everyone is talking about them) will be greater than the thought "let's wait until the moment the album is released officially". Then again, every person is different.

*still hopes though that the CD will be found without any problems*

C ya!

Marty

 

[A_Wanderer]

I think that interferencers should hold back and wait if these songs popup online and don't download them, It's better to wait and know its right.

 

[wild honey 7]

 

[Tizer]

bollocks

 

[AussieU2fanman]

I will be downloading the new songs the SECOND they come onto the net. I really dont want the album to be leaked, I REALLY REALLY DONT as this could fuck up U2's whole plan. But why the hell not download them? Your going to buy the album no matter what. I'll just buy a $30 album for the dam cover.
What I'm trying to say is that making an ethical standpoint on the issue is absolutely futile. If you know that you're going to buy the album, there's NO harm in downloading the songs early. It's just if you download the songs and you do not purchase the album as a result of already having the songs, that you ARE doing harm to U2 which is BAD (BAD DOG...NO!). You won't be setting an example by not downloading them, you'll just be testing your self-discipline, which is a reason in itself I guess (god knows I need some, but thats another topic).

 

[Zoorock Girl!]

I'll download them immediately. Get real people, you will too. And if you don't, that's your own loss. I'll still buy the album the day it comes on anyway.

 

[AussieU2fanman]

yeah exactly what zoorock girl. Even most of those people who say they won't download the songs will do it and you will buy the album seeing as that you are big enough a fan to be on these forums.

 

[sue4u2]

It's just inconcievable that it was just left lying around for anyone to pick up. You just can't trust anyone these days. Someone should have been guarding it like gold. You'd have to kill me to get it out of my possession.

 

[Popmartijn]

You'd have to kill me to get it out of my possession.

Oh, so YOU have that CDR in your possession?

Is it true that track 4 is an acoustic heavy metal song with lyrics about penises?

 

[biff]

Obviously it hasn't been determined yet whether or not this disk was stolen. If songs do turn up on the internet, then it's a matter for each of our own consciences to decide what to do about it.
But more importantly at this time, if this disk really was stolen, I cannot imagine how upset (to put it mildly) the band and everyone else who has worked so hard on this recording must be feeling right now. I'm amazed that some people on this board actually seem happy and gloating about this. That's just plain wrong and unfeeling, in my view.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

mmmm... "stolen" internet leaks

 

[trabantland]

I remember back in Nov 91 when Achtung Baby came out. It was so much fun to go into the record store, buy the CD, look at the cover and sleeve on the bus ride home and then play it all night long.

Ah, the good old days.

And I'm bringing them back!!!

 

[Rachel D.]

I'm not downloading them if they show up. I heard the windy version of "All Because of You," but I'm going to practice self-control with all the rest. I'll try, anyway. (Hey, I didn't hear "The Hands That Built America" in its entirety until I bought The Best Of 1990-2000! Before that, I think I listened to a thirty-second clip, but that's it.)

I hope they get the CD back, and if they don't, I hope they don't have to start over with the songs that were stolen. (Unless they were terrible songs.)

 

[TheFirstBigW]

No way would I want to download the songs if they appear.
Especially if I knew that it was totally against the wishes of U2.

 

[fah]

I guess they should just release the new album now instead of waiting til November.

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

This is how I see this situation and with people who will download the album. Its not bad to download the album if and only IF U2 themselves release it on the net before the scheduoled release date much like what happed with ATYCLB. That is okey because like most people who d/l the album, they will buy it and that is supporting the band. BUT here is the BIG but, when someone steels the album and releases it on the net and you d/l the songs then you are as well being the thief even if you will buy the album anyways! Let me explain, by you downloading the album, you are encouraging the people who stole the album to continue to steel. Its like this, if there is demand in something then the need to aquire that thing become great. In other words if you download the song and everyone does it then the poeple who steel will be more willing to keep steeling cos they know that poeple out there will want what they steel. If noone downloads the songs then you are taking away the reason for which the theif has to steel the album. this means that he/she will have no reason to steel the album and perhaps demage U2's planning and or other bands in the future. So PLEASE even if you say your ganna buy the album, it is STILL not okey to download the album cos your giving the thiefs a reason for which to steel the album. This is my 2 cents!

BTW I hope the album is found before it gets leaked onto the net and cause demage. Out of all bands U2 is an amazing band and don't deserve any demage esp after they spent so long on an album that apears to be the fruits of alot of HARD work.

Nico

 

[oliveu2cm]

omg i hope bono just left it in the loo and it's not really stolen!!!!

i realllllly hope for the band's sake it does NOT turn up on the 'net.. at least not until AFTER the record is released. For selfish reasons I'd like to listen to it after I hear the finished album. But.... as a writer I can understand feeling queasy that my unfinished work is released - and downright sick that it would be heard/judged before I put my finishing stamp on it.



I really hope it turns up.

 

[swizzlestick]

Not saying they weren't stolen, and it is a little early for an October surprise, but this whole thing may be perfect timing for a publicity stunt. Imagine the press this will pull in the next couple days...There is no better publicity than free publicity.

 

[bugo]

dabiggestu2fan said it righ. You download those songs you will be giving those crooks "hits" on their download site and indeed encouraging them.. I mean I guess i wouldnt blame someone if they nuck the CD for their own listening pleasure but if they plaster it all over the internet the deserve to be shot! because not only does that harm Edge,Bono,Larry,Adam, we as fans have waited long enough for this album so a few more months wont hurt! I hope those that download it will choke just a bit, what kinda fans are you?

 

[celia]

I can't believe it - maybe they should bring the release sate forward instead to ermmm MONDAY!

 

[U2girl]

This is not a leak. They'd gain nothing but extra work for earlier release/tour start if they did it. Plus, police is involved.

 

[swizzlestick]

This is not a leak. They'd gain nothing but extra work for earlier release/tour start if they did it. Plus, police is involved.

Don't know if this was directed at me but, like I said, I am not saying they weren't stolen...just entertaining the thought that it is a giant hoax. I am sure I am quite wrong, but if it were a hoax, it is a damn good way to gain free publicity.

 

[u2grace]

For what it's worth - I am listening to Virgin Radio UK online (I"m in the US) and they just said - " U2's new album, called Vertigo, should be out about November, but it might be delayed now - U2 was in a pub last night and lost the only cd copy of the new album. Look for it on websites near you..."

Anyone remember the game of "telephone" - the message changes with each person who hears it!

 

[Popmartijn]

Don't know if this was directed at me but, like I said, I am not saying they weren't stolen...just entertaining the thought that it is a giant hoax. I am sure I am quite wrong, but if it were a hoax, it is a damn good way to gain free publicity.

Yeah, but free publicity at the wrong time. You don't want to have the band all in the papers four months before the record hits the shelves (in a week when the USA sees its highest annual sales of music). This publicity comes too early for them. First this, then the single release and by the time the album is released many are already sick of U2 being constantly in the spotlights (frontpages of papers and magazines). By then, the publicity won't have any effect anymore and may even adversely impact sales of the album.
You may want this kind of publicity one or two (max!) months before the release of the album, not four months including the whole summer.

C ya!

Marty