One thing that crossed my mind...

[God Part III]

U2 is in the studio at the moment. They have 4-5 months of free time before they start touring again.

Could they pull of another Zooropa? Could they release a new album, play Australia and Japan, and add some shows in Europe and US for the spring? Could this be the beginning of an entirely new tour, or an altering, like ZOOTV and Zooropa (the tour)?

Or if not - they could easily release a new single - and play it live for the last 10 shows.
Anyway, if they do either of these things, the rescheduling of the tour was the best thing that could happen for Aussie U2 fans. Imagine hearing new U2 songs live before the European and US crowds do?

Anyway, I just can't imagine U2 going in the studio without really releasing anything - and then have a huge break from the studio, only to return to pick up the same songs they've been working on months ago. I dunno.

But it seems intriguing. Opinions?

 

[Axver]

If this were eighties U2, I'd believe it possible.

But this isn't eighties U2, so I'm not expecting anything at all like that.

 

[ntalwar]

I don't see a lot of urgency to get an album out and don't see how it can be fit into this tight schedule. E.g. Adam was in London over the weekend. It's less than 4 months from now that they have to start rehearsing for the new dates (assuming those Nov. dates are accurate). Album post-production takes a while as well.

 

[BVS]

If this were eighties U2, I'd believe it possible.

But this isn't eighties U2, so I'm not expecting anything at all like that.

Why 80's? Zooropa was the only time they did this...

 

[shika]

I would be disappointed if us Aussies (edited: sorry, and Kiwis and Japanese) DIDN'T get some new tracks in our shows. And not before time... we spend alot of time watching and waiting, not only for tours, but for premiere treatment in tours. Yeh, yeh, I can hear you, "Aussie moaning again..." Sorry. (But it's true)

And why the obsession with them playing some shows in Europe and the US next year? It's as if playing the Southern Hemisphere cannot be considered a tour in itself - do songs have to be played in the Northern Hemisphere to be validated? I am guessing that that wasn't your intention, but sometimes we do feel that our European and American buddies do take us for granted... We look forward to our tours as much as you do... anyway, enough already...

 

[Axver]

Why 80's? Zooropa was the only time they did this...

I was more thinking of the fact that in the eighties, U2 were prepared to bring out songs even well before their release: I Fall Down, Fire, Womanfish, When Love Comes To Town, Slow Dancing, She's A Mystery To Me, etc.

"80s and ZooTV U2" would have been the more accurate statement, though.

(Though, to be fair, We Love You was played on Elevation, so U2 can't be that calculated these days and I don't want to seem as if I'm implying that. Just that they aren't so eager to bring out new stuff, especially live.)

 

[shika]

Imagine hearing new U2 songs live before the European and US crowds do?

[/B]

Imagine indeed.

 

[BVS]

I was more thinking of the fact that in the eighties, U2 were prepared to bring out songs even well before their release: I Fall Down, Fire, Womanfish, When Love Comes To Town, Slow Dancing, She's A Mystery To Me, etc.

"80s and ZooTV U2" would have been the more accurate statement, though.

(Though, to be fair, We Love You was played on Elevation, so U2 can't be that calculated these days and I don't want to seem as if I'm implying that. Just that they aren't so eager to bring out new stuff, especially live.)

I see what you're saying.

But to be fair I Fall Down, Fire, Womanfish was back when they had a pretty small catalog so it was almost a necessity. Slow Dancing and She's A Mystery to Me were actually songs they had written for other artists and probably never even meant to record them themselves.

I wasn't aware of WLCTT being played before recording, that's interesting. But what's more surprising is that they played an early version of Trip Through Your Wires on TV.

 

[Axver]

I see what you're saying.

But to be fair I Fall Down, Fire, Womanfish was back when they had a pretty small catalog so it was almost a necessity. Slow Dancing and She's A Mystery to Me were actually songs they had written for other artists and probably never even meant to record them themselves.

Maybe so with regards to I Fall Down and Fire, though the Boy Tour's sets were doing just fine before they cropped up. Also, I think the band could have fleshed out those sets with some pre-Boy tunes - it appears the band didn't think those songs were of a good enough quality, but I personally disagree there.

I don't think the "insufficient material" argument really holds for Womanfish, but that TV appearance was just bizarre. You'd think they'd play something famous like Pride or New Year's Day, but instead they play two unreleased songs and a Dylan cover.

And good point with Slow Dancing and She's A Mystery To Me, though I was under the impression that although Bono wrote She's A Mystery To Me with Roy Orbison in mind, he never actually expected Orbison would record it and intended it to be a U2 song (I've a few bootlegs where he says he wrote TTYW for Sinatra, and we all know what happened to TTYW!).

I wasn't aware of WLCTT being played before recording, that's interesting. But what's more surprising is that they played an early version of Trip Through Your Wires on TV.

When Love Comes To Town debuted live on 24 October 1987 (that's the one on the RAH video). Its studio release wasn't until the RAH album came out in November 1988.

 

[BVS]

I don't think the "insufficient material" argument really holds for Womanfish, but that TV appearance was just bizarre. You'd think they'd play something famous like Pride or New Year's Day, but instead they play two unreleased songs and a Dylan cover.

Yeah, I just realized this was Womanfish's debut. I read some misinformation(years ago) about how it was written Boy era just never recorded.

 

[vaz02]

This has only just crossed your mind ?

 

[pattip2000]

^ I was thinking the same thing

 

[kingofsorrow]

the golden age is over

 

[Aygo]

I would be disappointed if us Aussies (edited: sorry, and Kiwis and Japanese) DIDN'T get some new tracks in our shows. And not before time... we spend alot of time watching and waiting, not only for tours, but for premiere treatment in tours. Yeh, yeh, I can hear you, "Aussie moaning again..." Sorry. (But it's true)

And why the obsession with them playing some shows in Europe and the US next year? It's as if playing the Southern Hemisphere cannot be considered a tour in itself - do songs have to be played in the Northern Hemisphere to be validated? I am guessing that that wasn't your intention, but sometimes we do feel that our European and American buddies do take us for granted... We look forward to our tours as much as you do... anyway, enough already...

^ Europe had 33 stadium shows, the US had almost 80 arena shows... Now you can compare it...

 

[Aygo]

I think that what it's confusing is... why continue a tour (and make only a 15 shows leg) when the last album has lost his hype long ago and the last time there was a Vertigo show it was months ago too?
As I said in another thread, it would be less strange if these dates were cancelled and these countries were compensated with great shows on the next tour...
Otherwise, U2 better release a quick little LP or an EP not to get the tour lose its fever and to keep the promotion. That makes more sense...

 

[KUEFC09U2]

I think that what it's confusing is... why continue a tour (and make only a 15 shows leg) when the last album has lost his hype long ago and the last time there was a Vertigo show it was months ago too?
As I said in another thread, it would be less strange if these dates were cancelled and these countries were compensated with great shows on the next tour...
Otherwise, U2 better release a quick little LP or an EP not to get the tour lose its fever and to keep the promotion. That makes more sense...

how can a tour loose its fever in a country it is yet to visit?,

 

[BVS]

I think that what it's confusing is... why continue a tour (and make only a 15 shows leg) when the last album has lost his hype long ago and the last time there was a Vertigo show it was months ago too?
As I said in another thread, it would be less strange if these dates were cancelled and these countries were compensated with great shows on the next tour...
Otherwise, U2 better release a quick little LP or an EP not to get the tour lose its fever and to keep the promotion. That makes more sense...

First of all you really wouldn't have to promote shows that were already sold. You really don't have to do much to promote a show in a country you've never played or play to very little. Bands tour without albums all the time. U2 will have no problem promoting on name alone.

 

[quadcaster]

First of all you really wouldn't have to promote shows that were already sold. You really don't have to do much to promote a show in a country you've never played or play to very little. Bands tour without albums all the time. U2 will have no problem promoting on name alone.

too dam right!!!!!!

ive definetly gotta second this point, U2 can definetly sell out places just on name

 

[ChargedVT]

The Australian shows are all sold out so there's no need to release anything to help sell tickets.
Also, i reckon 98% of people attending couldnt care less if its been 2 years since the album came out, or if there is a "theme" to the tour. They just want to see U2 and have a great time, and that's exactly what will happen.
What they are doing (re-scheduling the dates) is the right thing to do. Bear in mind it will be nearly 9 years between drinks for us Aussies.

 

[shika]

Bear in mind it will be nearly 9 years between drinks for us Aussies.

Hear, hear. And boy, are we ever thirsty...

 

[silvrlvr]

Don't forget U2 by U2 -- the book comes out in September in some markets, October in others. They've got promotion commitments in the States and elsewhere during that time. And they'll still need to rehearse for Leg 4. So if they're going to record anything, it needs to be happening over the next 60 days, essentially.