New Album work already in progress!!

[bono_212]

what's the deal with Neon Lights anyway? I randomly found it one day, but I've never heard anyone talk about it until just now

 

[neutral]

Neon Lights (Kraftwerk cover) was released on one version of the Vertigo singles.

 

[bono_212]

thank you I'mfinished thread derailing now

 

[Lancemc]

I just want more touring....


Though new album rumors are always VERY exciting.

 

[U2DMfan]

Bono does seem to do a lot of talking about stuff that's in the works. Of the 12 HTDAAB tracks (Fast Cars included) almost all of them had been mentioned to the press or to fans prior to release. Actually, A Man and a Woman and Crumbs might be the only ones that weren't.

Looking at it, prior to the tracklisting coming out:

Vertigo=mentioned numerous times obviously, back to 2002
Miracle Drug=was played for fans in the early summer of 2004, while they drove around in Bono's car. You could count this as one that flew under the radar or not, depending how you look at it.
Sometimes=mentioned numerous times as both Tough and Sometimes
LAPOE=mentioned by Bono himself well before the album came out
ABOY=numerous mentions as far back as 2002
COBL=this one was unknown in actuality, but the rumors of the 'soundtrack' song were rampant around the same time Bono was driving people around in his car. Early summer 2004.
AMAAW=this one was a surprise
One Step Closer=mentioned by name well before the album
Yahweh=mentioned on Michael W Smith's webpage and also mentioned by Ignoreland well before the album came out
Fast Cars=mentioned by Ignoreland, as Xanax and Wine, so this one could be a partial surprise
Original OOTS=played on American televison in 2002 and mentioned by name in 2001 articles
Crumbs=as far as I remember, a complete surprise

So depending how you want to look at it, it's fair to say that a large portion of the album was known prior to release, in several cases well before. We didn't know which songs would make the cut, of course. Just trying to point out that there isn't much secretive these days in terms of prospective song titles. Which is a GOOD thing for those like me. Knowing the names doesn't ruin any suspense.

The shame is, to me at least, when journalists talk to the band, they don't ask them pointed questions about the future music.

Like when Adam had said something about having 10 songs, I sure as hell would follow up with "can you talk about a few of those songs?" Give us a name or three!!!

If I had one question to ask of Bono, it would be referring to this, specifics of the future music, however vague it might be, it leads to some fun speculation.

Like: "So, Bono, you have material in the can that may later see release, you have spoken about Mercy, Treason and NOrthern Star, could you throw your fans a scrap and give us names of two other songs for us to chew on?"

If he said "no" that'd be cool, but Bono likes to talk, and this is one case where we could put it to use!

 

[Axver]

U2DMfan, I'm pretty sure AMAAW was "known" in a sense pre-release. I remember someone got a ride in Bono's car and described a new song as being kind of Wild Honey-ish (and everyone panicked). What other than AMAAW could that refer to?

 

[susanp6]

I hope the new album comes out by this time next year maybe, at the latest, it would be wishful thinking probably but you never know!

 

[Irvine511]

maybe there will be 3-4 iTunes only releases before the start of the last leg of the tour in late fall?

 

[t8thgr8]

maybe not. that would suck. i want album art to place with the new music.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

I hope they can conjure up a consistent "album feel" this time..going by the comments before the last album, it seems a lot of rock songs were ditched, so I wouldn't be surprised to find the next album a livelier proposition.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I have been speaking with a friend that does promo work for Island and she says that a number of the bands so called "left over" material from the bomb is being re-jigged and worked with by a couple of old favourite producers in order to put them forward as a basis for the new album!

Watch this space!!!!

isn't u2 on interscope/universal now? or is that just in the states...


and secondly... did the edge's cousin give you this information?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

maybe not. that would suck. i want album art to place with the new music.

here... go nuts

 

[Utoo]

I find it interesting (and perhaps a bit disheartening) that the original post only mentions producers working on the leftovers. I'd be much more excited if the band were actively involved in the process, since that's what has to happen before anything really gets going anyway. In a sense, it's like the producers are bored and are like, "Eh, got nothing to do today. What do you say we fiddle around with Treason a bit?"

I guess anything to get the ball rolling! Maybe they'll muck around with it all enough that we'll get a really funky sound going....

 

[GibsonGirl]

here... go nuts

Let's see the back cover!

 

[Irvine511]

I find it interesting (and perhaps a bit disheartening) that the original post only mentions producers working on the leftovers. I'd be much more excited if the band were actively involved in the process, since that's what has to happen before anything really gets going anyway. In a sense, it's like the producers are bored and are like, "Eh, got nothing to do today. What do you say we fiddle around with Treason a bit?"

which is why i think that this isn't the start of a new album, and more a cleaning house kind of thing where they end this "The Return of U2" era with 3-4 songs that will be iTunes exclusives, or perhaps digital downloads from U2.com, that will conincide with the ending of the Vertigo tour and lend more credence to the trilogy theory.

my guess is that there will probably be one big single that they'll push, but sonically, it will be more of the same and Oz will be treated to live performances of 1-2 of these new songs and everyone will be dying for the bootlegs.

it will be something a little bit less than a Zooropa and a little bit more than recording 2 new songs for a Best Of, and something that digital downloading lends itself to very, very well.

perhaps they'll relase one new song per week? or something interesting like that -- think of the possibilities ...

then, in 2007, work will begin on the proper follow-up to HutDab, which will be a new direction that we won't really hear until well into 2008.

 

[Utoo]

performances of 1-2 of these new songs and everyone will be dying for the bootlegs.

I can already see the fights over hoarders vs. sharers....

 

[U2girl]

I find it interesting (and perhaps a bit disheartening) that the original post only mentions producers working on the leftovers. I'd be much more excited if the band were actively involved in the process, since that's what has to happen before anything really gets going anyway. In a sense, it's like the producers are bored and are like, "Eh, got nothing to do today. What do you say we fiddle around with Treason a bit?"

I guess anything to get the ball rolling! Maybe they'll muck around with it all enough that we'll get a really funky sound going....

Now that you mention it, it is odd they only mention the producers working on the leftovers. Maybe the producers will just pick 3-4 best songs and then the band will join in.

 

[U2DMfan]

which is why i think that this isn't the start of a new album, and more a cleaning house kind of thing where they end this "The Return of U2" era with 3-4 songs that will be iTunes exclusives, or perhaps digital downloads from U2.com, that will conincide with the ending of the Vertigo tour and lend more credence to the trilogy theory.

They could also be planning a holiday release this year of some kind. Maybe DVD's?

If so, there is always a way they could do an EP, to tag along with ther reissues of the old shows, some new material. There is a thought among the big labels to always put new material along to help boost sales (Sweetest Thing, Electrical Storm etc.) If it were only DVD's of shows most of us already have on VHS, it might not get the kind of numbers that the label wants, anyways, just an idea.

The Target Ep came out during a down year, both of the Best Of's did as well, the Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack preceeded ATYCLB. I mean by 'down year', a non-album, non touring year.

This fall's touring is so odd to recent U2, it's hard to predict what they will do next.

 

[BANZAI]

Why ain't it just possible to contact Principal Management or another U2 connection and ask if this kind of rumours are completely false or true??

 

[t8thgr8]

im just gonna throw this out there, dig it up when im right.

short album (hardcopy ) in november

new orleans influnced, and ill bet that gibson shows up

tour resumes in december.

 

[Axver]

The more I think about this, the more this actually makes sense.

Think about it: if the tour restarts in November as rumoured, that's a whole TWO YEARS after the album the tour's supporting was actually released! The only other time that a U2 tour extended over two years past the release date of the album it was supporting, U2 released another album while on tour to keep the momentum (Zooropa during Achtung Baby's ZooTV).

A normal band would already be releasing a second album and starting a tour to support it by now, not continuing a tour for an album that's frankly becoming old news. Now, we all know U2 has not been in the habit of recording quick albums since 1993 (or maybe 1995 if you'd like to count Passengers); in other words, for a decade, they've pretty much taken their time. So it would be unreasonable for them to start work on a whole new album, bring in producers, mix it, print it, blah blah blah.

What can they do that is reasonable? Cut out the long-winded part - creating the songs and working in a studio with a producer to record them. Instead, get in producers to work with stuff that's already been recorded! Assuming there actually is enough material, they could actually get something out to support the resumption of the tour, and barely have to visit the studio, maybe just record bits and pieces here and there to fill in parts of otherwise completed songs.

I'm not saying this will happen or even might happen; I'm saying it's a reasonable idea that makes sense and could potentially happen if U2 wanted to do it. It's certainly more reasonable than a whole new album!

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I wouldn't mind seeing the Eno/Lanois partnership again, as nice as it would have been to have some fresh blood. Though I'm not so thrilled at the idea of U2 using HTDAAB "leftovers." Oh well, it's early days yet. We'll just have to wait and see.

Usually its the leftovers that have sounded best IMO. POP is an example of that isn't it? I would say HTDAAB too considering Original of the Species and Vertigo are leftovers. Though people always disagree on OOTS and Vertigo.

 

[Aygo]

The more I think about this, the more this actually makes sense.

Think about it: if the tour restarts in November as rumoured, that's a whole TWO YEARS after the album the tour's supporting was actually released! The only other time that a U2 tour extended over two years past the release date of the album it was supporting, U2 released another album while on tour to keep the momentum (Zooropa during Achtung Baby's ZooTV).

A normal band would already be releasing a second album and starting a tour to support it by now, not continuing a tour for an album that's frankly becoming old news. Now, we all know U2 has not been in the habit of recording quick albums since 1993 (or maybe 1995 if you'd like to count Passengers); in other words, for a decade, they've pretty much taken their time. So it would be unreasonable for them to start work on a whole new album, bring in producers, mix it, print it, blah blah blah.

What can they do that is reasonable? Cut out the long-winded part - creating the songs and working in a studio with a producer to record them. Instead, get in producers to work with stuff that's already been recorded! Assuming there actually is enough material, they could actually get something out to support the resumption of the tour, and barely have to visit the studio, maybe just record bits and pieces here and there to fill in parts of otherwise completed songs.

I'm not saying this will happen or even might happen; I'm saying it's a reasonable idea that makes sense and could potentially happen if U2 wanted to do it. It's certainly more reasonable than a whole new album!

That's the way I see things too... It makes sense

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Let's see the back cover!

 

[U2DMfan]

What can they do that is reasonable?

digital EP (fall 2006) to Itunes
release Mercy as the single, radio and MTV rotation
then U2 dissappears back into the abyss for the next two years to record the follow up to HTDAAB
everybody wins

 

[EdgeVox]

where did Treason come from?

 

[Axver]

digital EP (fall 2006) to Itunes
release Mercy as the single, radio and MTV rotation
then U2 dissappears back into the abyss for the next two years to record the follow up to HTDAAB
everybody wins

I disagree.

Digital EP: would suck. I'd never pay money for any music online unless it's lossless, and even then I don't think I'd bother paying, because if I'm buying music, I'd far prefer to have a proper disc on my shelf rather than some burnt CDR.

Mercy: Regardless of the song's actual quality, I certainly don't see it being a catchy single that gets much radio play at all. It'd flop.

 

[DignityPassesBy]

Mercy and Smile will NOT be on the next album. U2 would never do it. They're already released as far as U2 are concerned if they did that songs like electrical storm and the hands that built america would have been on bomb. Although Mercy was never an itunes thing the amount of people that have it already U2 would be aware of and unless as i said in a different post they were to completly tear it apart and start it again it won't happen.

 

[U2DMfan]

I disagree.

Digital EP: would suck. I'd never pay money for any music online unless it's lossless, and even then I don't think I'd bother paying, because if I'm buying music, I'd far prefer to have a proper disc on my shelf rather than some burnt CDR.

Mercy: Regardless of the song's actual quality, I certainly don't see it being a catchy single that gets much radio play at all. It'd flop.

1-I'd rather have an EP that you could buy in stores, but that's also a more costly venture for the band. It woud cost next to nothing to just put digital files on I-tunes.

We are talking about something reasonable.
I just went for the more cost effective thing.

And considering I've blasted the band for that digi-box set, I should be ashamed for even suggesting it.

As for Mercy, not all successful singles are 'catchy'.
All you need is a definitive chorus that repeats.
Now, what you say is reasonable, there is every reason to think that it would flop. So let me be unreasonable for a second:

In terms of here in the States:

I think that song has as much of a chance as anything else.
If the ultra catchy hook driven gimmicky Vertigo can't even crack the top 20, then it's ALL an uphill battle, so might as well just release something that represents the best of what you are doing, versus releasing what you think is gonna shoot up the charts.

They need to abandon this goal anyhow, at least here.
I think Mercy would chart on the Hot 100 in America, I really do.
Why? Because I'm old enough to remember when U2 didn't have to play down to it's audience, when WOWY could hit #1 even if it was almost totally different from anything else on mainstream radio or when The Fly was a musical message rather than a business interest, even if it wasn't a hit. People will and can rise to the occassion, they just have to take the risk.

Would Mercy do well in Europe or in the South Pacific?
Well, it would need a radio edit for sure, outside of that, I don't know. I can't imagine it would flop anymore than several of the other singles.

I think they've got to stop playing down to the audience.
Who cares if it flops? Would Numb ever in a million years be the lead single these days? No. But this isn't the same thing, Mercy isn't easily digestable or catchy or obviously radio friendly, but it could be a statement that U2 hasn't totally forgotten how to write a song like that, you know, the types of songs that everybody else is trying to write these days.

Is it reasonable to think U2 wants to recapture some of their old territory, rather than vacating it to the clone versions of today?
I don't know. I guess whatever optimism I have left for U2 is trying it's best to will me to believe.

 

[LyricalDrug]

Mercy and Smile will NOT be on the next album. U2 would never do it. They're already released as far as U2 are concerned if they did that songs like electrical storm and the hands that built america would have been on bomb. Although Mercy was never an itunes thing the amount of people that have it already U2 would be aware of and unless as i said in a different post they were to completly tear it apart and start it again it won't happen.

I completely disagree. I think we'll see Mercy on the next album.