Jan
11
2012

U2360°: 'I'll Never Forget It...'

45

'I’ll never forget walking out to David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ each night and into our own space station … and then taking off! '

Part II of our exclusive interview with Bono and Edge, where they talk about how the landscape of music is changing, drop some hints about what's happening in the studio, look back in wonder at U2360°  and reflect on finally playing at Glastonbury. ( Add your comments below the story.)

2011 also saw the passing of Steve Jobs, not a musician but someone who helped transform music for everyone.

EDGE: What was wonderful about what Steve achieved was that in a time when other media, from video games to YouTube, were starting to draw all your time and attention, the arrival of iTunes and the iPod meant your computer became your music library. It was ubiquitous, music was everywhere  again. It was so important that music didn’t just become a ‘60’s, ‘70’s, ‘80’s thing which might have come to an end as an important cultural force in the ‘90’s. Today music is as healthy as ever - it’s really just the economics that have taken a hammering and we’re hopeful that will be corrected at some point.

BONO: And Apple will continue to be a guiding light because of the reverence at the heart of what they do. The reverence for design, to make things of beauty in an age where that is rare, and the reverence for music, like the reverence for The Beatles you see when you look at their home page. That will stay with them.
I think we’ll see a whole revolution in artwork, photography and lyrics as albums metamorphose into apps. The experience of listening to music will become a looking experience as well as a listening one, as it was in the ‘70’s with gatefold sleeves except that now the gatefold sleeve will be digital on your ipad or plasma screen. I’m excited about the future but saddened that Steve will not be around to see it.

Are the changes in the digital landscape of music, from iTunes to Spotify and Facebook, informing the way the band are thinking about upcoming releases?
EDGE: There’s a lot of pressure to start thinking in terms of just one song because that’s the trend. Even on the big records people tend to just buy the one song. It’s a throw back to the period before the LP when everything was the 45. We’ve been kind of holding out against that because we love the album as a format, it’s what we grew up with, so for us it will still be album thinking for the next little while.
BONO: But they better be good, we aren’t going to put one out unless we think every song on it is vital.
EDGE: And we’re greedy! We want to have impact on many levels. We want the impact of a collection of songs that people go away and live with, which get under their skin, but we also want the impact of a 45, the great single that reaches places and people that a long player wouldn’t.
We’ve been talking about PJ Harvey’s ‘England Shakes’ as one of the most important records of the year which shows that it’s still possible to make great albums, to allow the songs to go out there and fight for their own place in the culture. The ultimate of course is to have an album of tunes that are so compelling that they not only fit into what people are liking but actually change what people are liking  – that’s our ambition.

Recent U2 studio albums have come roughly every four years… any clues on when the next one might arrive?
BONO: We don’t know yet but we’ve got three albums we’re working on. Our good friend Chris Martin says, ‘Well, why can’t you put the three of them together and put them out now?’ He makes a lot of sense but that’s just not how we work! I’d like to think that if things continue to go as well as they have with Brian Burton - aka Danger Mouse – then we’re going to shock some people with the new sounds and songs we’ve got.
 
A few months on, have you had a chance to stand back and reflect on the U2360 phenomenon?
EDGE: It was an amazing experience from beginning to end. I still remember the moment I first saw this stage we were going to be playing on, it was jaw-dropping to see it standing in the stadium in Barcelona. It also turned out to be a dream to work with because the sound in the stadiums was always way better than we’d been able to achieve in the past. We managed to do something different with presenting a band live and that’s a great feeling.
 
BONO: I also remember that opening night and even when things were falling off the stage and falling off the musicians, songs smashing on the ground right in front of us, mistakes everywhere, I just couldn’t get the smile off my face. I knew it worked!  We put our audience at the centre of the show, that’s what happened in 360, they were the production. After a while this mega-structure disappeared, we were left as four musicians in this gigantic crowd with waves and waves of emotions spiralling around us and inside us. I’ll never forget walking out to David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ each night and into our own space station … and then taking off!  I don’t know how we’re gonna top that, we’ll have to go indoors I think, do something smaller.
I’d like people to understand – and I think they do – that most of the cash that came through the tills  was spent on the production and on the people that gave it to us but we still came away so spoiled and over-rewarded. But I’ve heard conversations with fans of other bands and they say ‘I went to see this other band and of course they didn’t need any of those tricks, they didn’t need any of those lights or any of that production stuff...'  But the ticket was the same price I try to tell them…
People understand the team and technology and passion that went into putting up and pulling down that tour every night, and the U2 crew really shone like they never shone before. But those seven million people who came to the shows, they really are who we work for and as I say - and I mean it every time – they’ve given us this incredible life. At a moment when a lot of people are not having a great time because of this economic climate, here we are given this incredible, successful tour. We have to thank people.

And the band finally got to play Glastonbury?
BONO: On a day off on a North American tour which is mental! But that was an audience that really let us in when the whole place was looking like it was going to get washed away. People were very generous to us… even those protesting.  I admire people who get organised and are agitators although in this case I’m not sure they understood the issues that were involved: you know there was a thing going around that U2 are in a tax haven, which of course we’re not. One of the centrepieces of the Irish economy is our tax competitiveness and Irish people are fighting to keep it that way, so no thinking Irish person would deny an Irish company the very thing we offer international companies but you know people don’t look into it that deeply.
Glastonbury wasn’t a normal U2 show, it was much more gritty and edgy and the stage was like an ice rink so I couldn’t really move around. But it was a statement of intent on our part, that we still want to meet a new audience and we don’t mind going into a muddy field in the rain to find them. We want to keep things fresh for our old audience by finding newer ones. The one-hour BBC special of our set is something we’re very proud of.
 
How long does it take to re-enter earth’s orbit after two years on the space station ?
EDGE: No idea! Only our friends and families could tell you that. I thought I was absolutely normal the minute I got home but everyone else around me might have a different story…
BONO: When Edge got into the beekeeping, then I thought he was going to be fine!

Some wonderful bands have toured with you over the years and sometimes the younger ones will mention the ‘U2 chat’. What’s your advice for bands starting out now ?
EDGE: What we would have been about early on as a band was trying to crack performing live and then trying to attract a record deal. Now people release their own records, so there’s not the same emphasis on the record label as before, it’s a whole different world. But in the end it’s the songs that will be here long after we’re gone.
 
BONO:  One song. Jimmy Iovine said a genius thing to me once: ‘People want to go straight to the ‘70’s when they haven’t gone through the ‘60’s.’ In the ‘60’s there was incredible songwriting craft at work - The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Hollies… -  with such a focus on the song. So in the ‘70’s, when the hard rock and punk rock bands came along, they were informed by the discipline of the great songs. But if you forget about the '60's and start at the '70’s you lose that dimension. So my advice would be that one song can change your world, one song can change the world.
 
Away from music, this was a notable year in history…
BONO: A momentous year, the millennium really began in 2011 in Tahrir Square. The power model of the past was inverted, that was the pyramid with the power at the point and the people at the base. That’s been turned upside down, ironically, in the land of the pyramids. Now the most powerful thing is the base and the top has to listen or be made irrelevant. That connectivity between people that social media makes possible has been the driver in this: in the information age it’s very hard to hide if you’re a despot or  dictator trying to trick your people. Everything is in the open, transparency is the word in the year of the activist.

And activism and social change are always close to the heart of U2, most recently with the (RED) Zone on U2360. How did it work out?
EDGE: Yes, at the beginning of the tour we decided  for the first time to get involved in the secondary ticket market with the (RED) Zone tickets. We allowed a small selection of tickets each night to be auctioned off with profits going to the (RED) Campaign.  In the end that generated $12m for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.  It’s something we’re very proud of.

BONO: We are - and that money will support vital health systems in developing countries. It’ll keep many people alive.

(READ THE FIRST PART OF THIS INTERVIEW.)



 

 

This article is tagged to:
U2 360° Tour
45  Comments
uandy2 - 14 March, 2012
40th in dublin..
My 40th u2 gig for my 40th birthday!! Dublin 2009 3 nights in the greatest cirty watching the greatest band in there greatest tour..just incredible..they get better and better..my first time was the war tour..the royal court in liverpool and they have been my life evr since..can't wait for the new material. Thanks to the band and the u2 crew..amazing doesn't come close to describing the last 32 years of what you have given us..see you soon I hope..
Twins_Peru - 30 January, 2012
u2 360 live at new meadowlands
I was lucky to at least see one 360 show. It was very special for me because it was my first u2 concert! The whole show just blew me away it was amazing. It was a night I will never forget. Hope to see you again guys, I hope you make a great album and not try to compete with lady gaga thats a fight you will probably lose. Just write great music and forget about what people say, just write another great album please.
RedNightOwl - 30 January, 2012
Thanks for a Great Tour and Great Memori
I was fortunate to see two U2 360 shows, the Meadowlands in 2009 and Philadelphia in 2011. In between those shows I had a bad health scare and for a while I wasn't sure I would make it to the Philly show. But, Thank God, my health improved and I made it to the Philly show which made it more emotional for me, it was one fo the best shows I have ever seen. And the Philly audience really connected with U2 that night, especially with the new material. (Please come back soon). I am not sure how you will top that tour but I am confident you will find a way. As for the albums I am wondering if the harder stuff you are working on with Danger Mouse may be what to release first. I feel the "Songs of Ascent" album may work better as a sequel to the U2/Brian Eno - Passengers album. Do a Passengers II in between the albums, or release it as a Fan Club release. Hope you guys are well and I hope to hear new music from you soon. Peace and thanks to you all.
norwaylad - 26 January, 2012
Thank You For The Music
Cant wait tll I see ye guys again!
Shirlz - 24 January, 2012
360 = Brilliant
I saw the 360 tour in Brisbane, Australia and realised what I was witnessing was something very special. I class that night as one of the best nights of my life. Amazing how lyrics, music can evoke such magnificent memories.
fireoflove - 21 January, 2012
4 Shows
I was fortunate enough to make it to 4, 360 shows. I personally know many people who made it to more. Lucky! Anyway it was an awesome experience each show and I hope to make at least that many next tour.
Paulmccaig - 19 January, 2012
the greatest of all time
caught the 360 tour in glasgow and it blew me away this band just get better and better ive been a u2 fan for 29 years and cant wait for the new material and the next tour keep rockin lads god bless from paul the bhoy.
mich40 - 18 January, 2012
I'll never forget either...
What an amazing time U2360 was. I still get excited when I hear Bowie's "Space Oddity" and teary-eyed when I hear Elton John's "Rocket Man" because it is completely over now. 360 was one of the best times in my U2 life and I will never forget it.
Shellthekiwi - 18 January, 2012
new albums
great interview guys i am in heaven knowing we are still gonna get 3 albums, one album soon and the other 2 over next couple years,yeah i think this may just keep me going until the next time you come to NZ!! (hopefully not 5 years like last time 2 max ok)
Redhead11 - 16 January, 2012
HOORAY U2.com!!
You guys are actually doing things right! Thanks for poppin in Bman and Edge. It's been awhile!
MJulie - 16 January, 2012
Next Show
I am so glad to read that other fans want the next show to be smaller! Yes, I absolutely loved the 360 tour, but, to be honest, it was hard an stressing to get to the show in Montreal, Canada. Also, those really shaking platforms ... They kind of felt like a suspended bridge when everybody was up dancing ... I had to leave before the end because it was shaking to much... So, yes, please, make the next show smaller and visit us for 2, 3 or even 4 nights! This time, instead of taking off, please keep our feet on a firm ground! I love your music! I already beleive in the success of your next album and next tour! Thank you! U2 fan, pour toujours!
markrice - 16 January, 2012
Lisa Hannigan
We saw LH in Birmingham last year when she played her Passegers album in a church hall and it was amazing.. nice to hear her mentioned in the same breath as some more established names - she's a beautiful voice and has such a gift.. Gavin Friday's album Catholic was also one of my favourites. Picked it up after seeing it mentioned on here last year. Am convinced that Bono's vocals appear on there too.. would be great to know for sure.
DLorr - 15 January, 2012
Reflections
Brought back some work at home for the week-end... decided to take a break and read one more time this two part interview... Listening to ''B-sides and bonus tracks'' from the Achtung Baby package, this is so good!!! I can't wait to hear what my favourite band will give us next. I saw the two shows in Montreal and the last one in Moncton, just like many of us who saw this incredible event, I can't listen to Space Oddity without feeling chills down my spine... memories for ever! But now that this incredible tour is a thing of the past, what can they possibly do next time ??? It seems like it could not be bigger, bolder, that they couldn't take us higher, could they ? I kinda hope that their next album will be an ACOUSTIC one, it would bring us down to the core of this magical band and I think it would allow the fans to be closer to their musical inspiration. They are great musicians, I'm sure it would be memorable. And for the next world tour, I would like it to be smaller in size, visiting more intimate places (like maybe 25 000 people max) where they could still rock the building most of the time, but with an acoustic portion... They could stay 2-3 nights each time so they could reach the same number of fans. I think this would be amazing and a great gift to their loyal fans... I hope that's what Bono was thinking about in the second part of the interview !
utwothefly - 15 January, 2012
glasto 360 and album
Glasto was a great night even if I was soaked through!. The 360 shows were just as good!, specailly hearing some new songs. Have to say the band need to listen to Chris Martin a bit more!! ;)
joshthetree - 15 January, 2012
more please
i loved these two interviews and hope we get more band chat soon, thanks
Miriam Jonker - 15 January, 2012
Inspiring interview
An interesting and inspiring interview. Thanks for everything boys. I loved the 360° concept. I hope U2 will continue to make albums as that is what shaped U2's music, even the great singles need the background of an album. Keep dreaming and keep inventing!
RDShelton - 14 January, 2012
Boy is Timeless...
I re-read this article again and again. I cranked up "Boy" on my PC (where my music library presides). I never use the "shuffle" feature because, from the very beginning, U2s track sequencing always seemed to make sense. I don't think I could ever get used to U2 "singles" played out of context. Its the mood of "Unforgettable Fire" or the post-modern meloncholy of "Zooropa" that I always found so damn interesting. Then I sat back and listened. Boy sounds just as fresh today as when I first heard it back in 82. The ambiance, the angst, the earnestness is all there. If Boy had never been produced before, buy came out today, I am certain it would be the same revelation it was some 30+ years ago. I am excited as ever to know that what is to come will be what I've (we've) come to expect. Greatness. Nothing less. God speed gentlemen, but take all the time you need.
jzambrano - 14 January, 2012
excelente
Excelentes sugerencias musicales, buena entrevista, saludos desde Bolivia
Fotolady - 14 January, 2012
Space Oddity
Whenever I hear space oddity I get goosebumps now. Then I expect U2 to pop out and start playing :)
Carolynfoss - 14 January, 2012
this pic is in Toronto
That is the CN Tower in the back ground. I saw U2 in TO three times on the 360 tour and will never forget it! Thanks for the memories
musicabona - 14 January, 2012
Spaceship knows which way to go
I agree, Space Oddity was such an incredible intro that took the audience on a journey from the past to the present and future. When the music began everybody knew that U2 would enter the stage very soon. When listening to it I could feel the excitement around and there was a lot of electric energy in the air. With the sound of the ecstatic crowd swelling like waves, the adrenaline was getting higher and higher. When U2 finally started their show I was just blown away by that intense mood. Like Bono, I will never forget that wonderful moment.
RDShelton - 13 January, 2012
More on Relevancy
I've been stuck on the band's continued quest for "relevancy”. It was something I took to mean as “a relevancy in the music to the times around us”. With this article it is clearer to me that U2 is still stretching for more, as if the relevancy they speak of is "to be relevant to the world itself". Lord, what a wonderful thing. So few people, groups, organizations, religions, etc. have the opportunity to even contemplate such a thing and here is this band, these same four guys from Ireland, striving to stay relevant so they can continue changing the world for the better. Wow. I stated in a recent post that I didn't want U2 to be concerned with such things, but now I say MARCH ON because that’s what inspires us. And as you march on, you will see me, and millions more like me, marching ride beside you.
augustoultraviolet - 13 January, 2012
thanks guys!
very good interview, these last years were great ... I live in northern Argentina and every night I see where they played that song, setlist .. one lives with it every day and people will say... are you crazy? Wherever plays u2, etc ... but when I went to see the 360 tour in Argentina i meet other people like you.. find the tribe of u2 ... wanted to wish you a good year to all and waiting for our beloved band's new material ... salu2 !
Secret world - 13 January, 2012
Full length albums and a no-hit-tour
Albums, albums, albums have always (and I guess will always) be my thing. I'm glad it sounds you'll stick to that. A small scale inside tour and all the hits excluded is my big dream after being a U2-fan for exactly 30 years, this year. Heartland, Love is blindness, Winter, A sort of homecoming and Walk to the water.
hamps - 13 January, 2012
hey - I thought my post i sent on the 11
Not sure why you didn't post it as it shows 30 years on I still rate the band big time - disappointed!
musicabona - 13 January, 2012
U2 have changed my world
With this wonderful interview Bono and The Edge reveal their awareness of the way music business changed over the years. The U2 iPod for instance was a great reaction to the trend that people prefer listening to their collections of songs wherever they move. In times of iTunes they realise that an album has to be something special that motivates people to buy it. Like Bono and The Edge, I still love a whole record as a format. Whereas a single captures one emotional moment an album is something coherent, leading the listener through a kind of story with different chapters. 35 incredible years prove U2;s ability to release both memorable singles and albums. It is also great to hear about some personal tour memories from Bono and The Edge. They are such kind and down-to-earth guys who never forget to thank their fans. The 360 production was gigantic and almost surreal, but at the same time it created an extraordinary proximity between band and audience. Now U2 deserve a long break to move back from show business for a while in order to recover from an exhausting tour and spend some precious time with families and friends. But I hope they will publish a new record soon. I would love to get shocked with some new sounds! Happy New Year to everyone! :-)
magsieboy - 13 January, 2012
No Spacemen here!!
What a great interview, i always love the way they seem so humble and shy when they talk about things they have done for charities, like people slag U2 off but i didnt know that 12 million dollars was raised by the Red zone sales, most bands would promote something like that for years yet its just one of the many projects U2 are in and to the people who continuously rip U2 apart i ask what has your causes done? Saved over 3 million kids from the HIV+AIDS epidemic in Africa, raised and given hundreds of millions of dollars to various charities and they never boast about it , U2 not only the greatest rock band ever but also the most conscious of the world around them. BUT WHERES ALL THE NEW STUFF PLEASE,IM DOWN ON MY KNEES!!!!
LetMeInTheSound7 - 12 January, 2012
Incredible! Best years of my life!
The 360 Tour made the past couple years the best years of my life! I love this band soo much. Glastonbury was incredible. I read some comments and the band said it was a disaster. I dont think it was at all! That version of "one" was incredible! The audience sang along with Bono during the whole song and you can hear them too!
leftbehind - 12 January, 2012
Piece of advice for the band
I saw three of the 360 shows and they were amazing. However, one thing that I am a bit concerned about is how concerned the band seems to be with making a hit single. I read an interview with Daniel Lanois recently and he talked about a beautiful piece of music that was left off of the 'No Line' album because the band didn't think it would be a hit. Don't make music because you think the masses will like it, just make music that is interesting to you and you can never go wrong. Unforgettable Fire is an album full of that kind of music and I still love it today.
eyeaswell - 12 January, 2012
The Best!!
Great interview, guys. I love being reminded why I've loved U2 for 26 years. Your show in Nashville this past summer was the best I've seen, ever!! Thank you for your love!!
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