Live On Air, with Jo Whiley

16 Nov 2004
The band were guests of UK DJ Jo Whiley this morning, as she broadcast her Radio 1 show live from U2's Dublin studios.

As Whiley premiered tracks from 'How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb' to several million listeners, she first introduced Bono, followed by Edge, then Adam and finally Larry. Edge had come prepared, presenting Whiley with a traditional Irish delicacy - a packet of pink and fluffy Mikado biscuits !

Catch a stream of the entire show here.

Bono revealed that despite lengthy band discussions, his own preferred running order for the album had been jettisoned - because Edge came up with a better one.

'The album has an arc, from fear or paranoia in 'Vertigo' at the beginning to the more joyful sound of 'Yahweh' at the end and it was Edge who stumbled on that.'

As Whiley played in Franz Ferdinand, Edge explained that he was a fan and recently saw them play live, while Bono cited The Killers as a recent discovery. Adam, who namechecked Kings of Leon, The 22-20's and Razorlight, chose 'Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own' as his own request from the new album - revealing that the song had been originally recorded for 'All That You Can't Leave Behind.'

'We just couldn't finish it. It was Nellee Hooper who took all the bits and came up with this mix.'

BBC Radio 1 had flown in a team of six to set up their live outside broadcast from Hanover Quay.

When Larry arrived in the studio, Whiley ribbed him about how much earlier Edge and Bono had turned up. Larry was unmoved!

'I've spent 25 years in this band, 23 of them hanging around!' he said, to general laughter.

Finishing an album is quite emotional, he explained, with each song bringing up different memories from the long period of recording. Looking ahead, to taking them on the road, he is now getting to know the songs again.

'I have the music coming out of one speaker in the car and the drum track coming out of the other.'

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