(Independent.ie) -- In a rapidly shifting business, Bono and his band have stayed ahead of the game. As they re-release their first albums, manager Paul McGuinness reveals their strategies to Neil McCormick
By Neil McCormick
Saturday August 02 2008
With recording still ongoing, sleeve designs to be finalised, download visuals to be completed and all kinds of marketing plans to be set into place, the atmosphere is of frantic concentration.
"It's all hands on deck," says manager Paul McGuinness, although his smile suggests that, if you have to spend summer in the recording studio, it doesn't hurt to have your equipment set up in an enclave of luxurious chateaux in Provence, surrounded by holidaying family and friends. McGuinness may have a mobile in his hand and business to take care of, but at least he's calling from poolside.
U2 have a reputation as idealists, a rock band with strong Christian ethics committed to political and charity campaigns to change the world. But there is another side to them that involves tax shelters, rights ownership and wheeler-dealing that has helped them become not just one of the most successful, but also one of the richest and most powerful bands in music history.
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Posted by Macphisto on Sunday, August 03 @ 11:16:34 CEST
Bono & Edge appear on screen during Nelson Mandela at 90 concert
Prior to today's "Nelson Mandela at 90" concert at London's Hyde Park, rumours circulated that U2 or at least Bono would make a guest appearance at this concert celebrating Mandela's 90th birthday. As it turned out, none of the band appeared live on stage, but a special performance by Bono and Edge was broadcast on screens.
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Posted by Macphisto on Friday, June 27 @ 23:54:34 CEST
U2 Concert Film Debuts in 3D at Sundance
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) After a career playing to sold-out stadiums, U2 did what their fans have done for years stood in line to see U2 perform.
That concert was "U2 3D," a film of the band's 2005-06 Vertigo tour, shot at several shows in South America with new 3-D technology.
"I was really hoping we weren't crap after all these years. Luckily we weren't," guitarist The Edge told The Associated Press before the band donned plastic glasses to watch the movie's premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday night.
The Edge, joined by singer Bono, drummer Larry Mullen and bassist Adam Clayton, joked about the absurdity of seeing themselves perform after playing together for more than 30 years.
"It's kind of horrific," to see himself on stage in 3-D, said Bono. "It's bad enough on a small screen. Now you get to see the lard arse 40-foot tall."
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Posted by Macphisto on Monday, January 21 @ 11:40:41 CET
Lanois talks about U2's next album
(RTE.ie) -- Producer Daniel Lanois has been speaking about working with U2 on their next studio album.
In an interview with Billboard magazine to publicise his documentary about his work, 'Here Is What Is', Lanois said of the new U2 material: "It feels like the 'Achtung Baby' period, when everybody was really hungry to do something fresh."
Lanois, who for the first time is writing with U2 for the album, continued: "They have everything, and they've done everything. But the thing they should never assume they still own is the ability to be original and invent something that's never been heard before."
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Posted by Macphisto on Thursday, August 30 @ 12:04:39 CEST
New U2 book in work
AtU2's Matt McGee started working on new U2 book which is currently entitled 'U2 Diary'. The book will be in diary format with detailed stories behind the dates. The book is planned to be released in late 2008. Matt is currently looking for stories, sightings, photos and newspaper/magazine scans that might be helpful.
So if you think you can contribute visit the project website U2diary.com where Matt will also blog about the progress and specific requests for help.
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Posted by Macphisto on Tuesday, June 19 @ 13:20:58 CEST
U2 rock Cannes before 3D film screening
U2 performed 'Vertigo' and 'Where The Streets Have No Name' on the red carpet in Cannes just before the premiere of their 3D movie. Below is a video of the band arriving and performing the 2 songs.
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Posted by Macphisto on Sunday, May 20 @ 09:06:42 CEST
The DATA report 2007 press conference with Bono
Berlin, Germany - May 15, 2007 - Africa advocacy organization, DATA (Debt, AIDS,
Trade, Africa), today released a report that shows aid is working in poor countries, but
that most G8 nations are seriously off track in delivering on the historic promises to
Africa they made in 2005. The DATA Report 2007 finds that the G8 increased aid by less
than half the sum needed from 2004-2006 to meet their 2010 goals. Estimates of
forthcoming aid flows in 2007 show that the G8 are planning to do only about one third
of what's needed to get back on track.
The G8 are sleep walking into a crisis of credibility. I know the DATA report will
feel like a cold shower, but I hope it will wake us all up. These are cold facts, but I
know they will stir up some very hot arguments. These statistics are not just
numbers on a page, they are people begging for their lives, for two pills a day, a
mother begging to immunize her children, a child begging not to become a mother
at age 12, said Bono, U2 lead singer and DATA co-founder.
The full DATA report can be found here in English and German.
To see more photos from the press conference in Berlin today visit our Flickr site.
Click here to see Bono interviewed by CNN right after the press conference.
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Posted by Macphisto on Tuesday, May 15 @ 16:08:02 CEST
U2's Bono urges Germany to use upcoming G-8 meeting to push for help for Africa
(The Associated Press) -- ERLIN: Irish singer-activist Bono on Monday urged Germany to use next month's Group of Eight meeting as a platform to push for more aid for Africa.
Speaking after talks with Kurt Beck, the leader of Germany's Social Democrats, which make up half of Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition, Bono said he was thankful the G-8 talks were being held here.
"We know that we have your support and that Germany will keep its promises," Bono said.
The 47-year-old frontman for the band U2 said important breakthroughs for Africa had come at previous G-8 talks, including pledges to forgive much African debt from last year's summit and funding for important programs from the 1999 meeting in Cologne.
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Posted by Macphisto on Monday, May 14 @ 17:13:12 CEST
U2 feature in worst lyric top ten
(BBC.co.uk) -- Dublin rockers U2 have lost out to 90s songstress Des'ree in the vote for the worst pop lyric of all time.
The four piece's Elevation track came fifth in the listener poll for BBC6 Music's Marc Riley Show.
However, a line from Des'ree hit song Life which unimaginatively ryhmes ghost with toast was the runaway 'favourite'.
It laments: "I don't want to see a ghost/It's the sight that I fear most/I'd rather have a piece of toast/Watch the evening news."
The second supposedly worst ever lyric was from Snap's Rhythm Is A Dancer: "I'm as serious as cancer/When I say rhythm is a dancer."
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Posted by Macphisto on Tuesday, May 08 @ 09:46:25 CEST
U2 to release 1997 live show
(NME.com) -- U2 are set to release a DVD of their 'PopMart' show from 1997.
The concert, which was filmed in Mexico City's Foro Sol Autodromo in December of that year and was directed by David Mallet, was originally released on video in 1998.
It's been transferred to DVD with upgraded pictures, remastered audio and mixed in 5.1 Surround Sound.
As well as a single disc, the DVD will be available in a special limited edition 2 disc format. The second disc will contain unreleased live audio, video material, documentaries, a PopMart tour visuals montage and DVD-ROM extras.
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Posted by Macphisto on Friday, April 27 @ 20:20:20 CEST
