Ultimate Rock'N'Roll Band

10 Oct 2002
'We were out of sync,' no doubt about that,' says Larry, looking back on the 1990's in the new edition of Q Magazine.

'It's difficult for us because you're trying to listen to the material with a bit of distance,' says Edge, asked to pick through the spills and thrills of a decade. 'There's a few tracks on there that I never thought would have made it, like The First Time from Zooropa. And then on the other hand, there's something like The Fly from Achtung Baby which I'm not sure about anymore. I'm not sure whether it's really stood the test of time. 'But that's why I'm excited about this collection, we're all in favour of revisionism...'

In the extended nine page interview ('How U2 Stopped Worrying and Learned How To Be The Ultimate Rock'N'Roll Band') Edge and Larry cast their minds back over the last decade - and admit that sometimes the creative tensions nearly overwhelmed the band.

But despite nearly losing it in Berlin in 1990, Edge is clear that, 'No one was gonna give up without a fight. We would've broken up years ago if there'd been any pansies in the band.'

Also in this unmissable piece, how the opening of the Pop tour was the most difficult show the band have ever done, whether Larry has grown to like the Passengers album yet, how Helena Christensen came to party through the decade with the band and what Larry was thinking one night in Scandinavia when the Lemon chose not to open.
'I have to say,' he concludes. 'If I was to choose my mode of transport, I'm not sure it would be a mirrorball lemon. I think I'll take the bus next time.'

The November edition of Q is on the shelves now. More at www.q4music.com

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