Whats going on ! World Aids Day

NEW YORK — Bono is afraid of Alicia Keys.

While Keys talked about being pregnant and empathic when filming her documentary about AIDS in Africa, the U2 singer chimed in and said: “She’s scary, isn’t she? She’s scary.”

Bono went on to say that Keys has “lioness energy” and that her role as a new mother won’t allow her to “let other mothers suffer.”

He made the comments at the premiere of “Keep a Child Alive with Alicia Keys,” a documentary which followed a visit to South Africa during last year’s World Cup with a pregnant Keys and five Americans. It airs on Showtime on Dec. 1, which is World AIDS Day.

Artists Wanted for Collaboration !

The opening years of the 1990s were a period when U2 astonished the critics by dramatically re-imagining their music with the release of Achtung Baby.

Twenty years on the band has revisited the era, digging deep into the archives to mine a trove of unreleased songs, rare collaborations, lost remixes and cult B-sides.

As well as never-before heard tracks from the Berlin and Dublin sessions, the new material debuts live performance pieces and commercially unreleased videos, as well as club hits from the dance-floor and special guest appearances. 

Achtung Baby embodies a multitude of ideas and styles which are represented through the album cover artwork mosaic. The squared collage of photos symbolise the spirit of the album, the 90s and the changes in Europe after the fall of the Berlin wall. To celebrate the 20th Anniversary, U2’s team, including designer Shaughn McGrath and original photographer, Anton Corbijn, are inviting artists to submit their photograph or artwork which reflects today’s global environment.

The photographs and artwork should emulate the same meaning that is conveyed on the original album cover. If Achtung Baby was released today, what photographs and/or artwork would be part of the collage?

For more information, click:
 http://www.talenthouse.com/u2-collaborate-on-an-achtung-baby-inspired-collage

Hiatus ? Could it be True ?

U2 / Bono / U2TOURFANS

Everyone was a buzz, could it be possible that the biggest band in the

world is going on hiatus or could it be that the band has chosen to break apart and “Walk On” The idea that something this great may need to be destroyed in order to grow has been heard all to many times with great bands. Yet, the great bands remain focused on turning out great music.

R.E.M has set the dinner table to finish strong.  For R.E.M ending on top requires strong CD sales, however it has failed to provide the last winner for R.E.M.

The boys have completed the largest tour ever and with some extra months, days, hours added in to recover from a delay with Bono’s injury its easy to hear the rumors that the boys may be at the finish line. Rumors fly like the lyrics of a song. Yet no official word has come from management, label or the boys leaving the fans to wonder aimlessly into the past. It is true that every good band must be a

ble to reinvent their music to the issues and public cry of the day.  If the rumors are true, this was the best summer of music ever.

To say that it is over is far from the truth. Their manager already has told people that would listen to him. Bono has work to be finished and the creative juices have been on over drive for sometime. A bad rumor needs to end with us not supporting the noise any longer.

Remembering Hutch

Remembering Michael Hutchence

Hutch and Bono Bono: “We were flying between shows and someone called and told me about Michael’s death. I still haven’t figured out quite how I feel about it. I don’t know whether I’m angry or guilty… You always think if it’s a mate that there was something you could have done. I still find it hard to figure it all out, because I had a conversation with him not that long ago where we talked about something like this, and we both agreed how dumb and selfish it would be, and Hutch was not at all selfish.” Bono said that he and Hutchence were neighbors in France and that their personality differences helped to fuel their friendship. “He was a nice guy to be around. He was very light, whereas I don’t think I’m the easiest person to be around, so we balanced each other out. But I hadn’t seen him for a while, because we were both off doing our thing. I’m finding the whole thing very hard to understand…”

For many adoring INXS fans it is the tragic day that Michael Hutchence lost his life. Bono and U2 where preparing to perform in San Antonio, Texas, that day when word came through about Michael’s death. Gutted by the news, Bono struggled through the concert making several references to his dear friend. “Hutch, where are you?” he cried. Over the past seven years Bono has frequently mentioned Michael at U2 concerts. He has dedicated many songs to Michael and has regularly finished the evening with a track of Michael and INXS playing over the PA system. Bono even completed the recording of the song, “Slide Away” on Michael’s solo album, as well as dedicating the Grammy award winning “Stuck in a Moment” to his friend’s memory.

When U2 played in Sydney in 1998, they invited the other original INXS members along to their show, as well as close family and friends of Michael’s.  It was pouring rain and lightning, just the same as after Michael’s funeral, and other important dates to do with Michael there always seems to be a lightning storm!  Before playing ‘One’ Bono turned to the big picture of Michael on the screen and said:

“I Just wanted to say goodbye
To a great singer
And a great friend
I just wanted to say goodbye
I just wanted to say goodbye
In front of his mates
In front of his family
In front of his band
I just wanted to say goodbye
So goodbye Michael”

U2 also often dedicated the song ‘Gone’ to Michael live as well.  Here is an example during their 2001 tour in Boston where Bono yells out ‘Hutch’ at the start of the song.  Brilliant guitar playing by The Edge in this song!

On the 10th anniversary of MH’s death in 2007, Bono and The Edge performed ‘Desire’ at Union Chapel in London.  During the song Bono mentioned it was a special date and started playing ‘Need You Tonight’ as a tribute to Michael.

Achtung Baby Packs a Punch

To call 1991 a busy year would be a gross understatement. While the nation was still transitioning from the not-so-subtle 1980s, news of great significance was being made every day around the globe.

For instance, the Persian Gulf War came to an exhaustive end, South African Parliament abolished Apartheid laws and Russia elected its first president, Boris Yeltsin. And if that weren’t enough, out of the entire decade 1991 was quite possibly the best year for music, as well. It saw the release of monumental records such as Metallica’s self-named Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Pearl Jam’s Ten and of course, Nirvana’s revolutionary release Nevermind. Oh, I almost forgot, there was one other particularly good release that year. What was it again?…It was something foreign sounding…German maybe…oh yeah! It was U2’s Achtung Baby!

U2 may have just chosen the worst possible year to release a stellar album. With a nation already transfixed by the otherworldly funkiness of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the entirely new grunge assault of Nirvana, there was no more room for greatness. The grunge movement had drained all musical curiosity from music fans dry to the last drop. So when Achtung Baby was released in November of that year, U2 found themselves bewildered by weak sales and little hype for an album they thought be to nothing short of spectacular. They were right.

Frustrated by harsh criticism for Achtung Baby’s predecessor Rattle and Hum, the band was not in a good state: sales were low and moral was even worse. Determined to get themselves out of this depressing slump, they took a drastic detour out of their comfort zone.

Seeking musical inspiration that would electrify their souls and reignite the musical creativity inside of them, they set out for Berlin, Germany, a nation thriving on a new found and long overdue personal and political freedom. The trip was successful, and U2 created an album surging with electricity. European influences of industrial, electronic and techno flood the entire album. Distorted guitar riffs and dynamic percussion assault your ears while Bono’s voice takes on a raw and intimate aspect never before heard. U2 was suddenly transformed from earnest rockers to post-modern art-pop stars. Achtung Baby redefined the band and as Rolling Stone put it, “quite simply put them back in the running for the greatest rock band in the world.”

Even though a lengthy 20 years has gone by since its initial release, Achtung Baby hasn’t aged a bit. It still surges with that energy and authority it found in Berlin.

Luckily, U2 decided to reissue this album. Working alongside Universal Records, the album will be released in five very different packages, ranging from a reissue of the original album with no bonus material to the Uber Deluxe Edition, which features (take a deep breath) six CDs, five Vinyls, four DVDs, 16 art prints, an 84 page hardcover booklet, a magazine, four badges, a sticker sheet and a pair of sunglasses worn by Bono. College students beware: to have this mammoth set, be prepared to fork over a hefty $500. I’d leave that one to the wealthy and die-hard fans.

Back in 1991, U2 was robbed of the praise and acclaim they deserved for their innovative masterpiece. Its release was greatly overshadowed by new and more popular acts that brought a different and original sound to the musical landscape.

Luckily, with the 20th anniversary reissue set to hit shelves, fans and new listeners alike can listen to Achtung Baby in a new light, a light all its own and will finally discover the innovation that fans 20 years ago failed to recogniz

And Love is

is not the only thing you leave behind. Sometimes life gives you a chance to review and look over some of your walk in’s and walk outs.  Bono made reference to death during a Rolling Stone interview in 2001. 

“If you’ve ever had a fright in your life, someone close to you dies, or whatever, things come into sharp focus and you just…suddenly some people become more important to you than others. Some ideas become more important to you than others. I think the Dalai Lama says, ‘Begin with death, start from there, and you won’t go far wrong.’ I don’t think he was just having a bad day. Christ says, I think, in the sermon on the mount, ‘If you love your life too much, you’ve already lost it.’ Which is an interesting one. As a younger man I remember I didn’t understand what he meant, because I loved life. You’re holding on so tight to it that you’re incapable of doing anything with it. It’s about fear.” - Bono, Rolling Stone 2001

The song was written about and dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi. It is written in the form of a supporting, uplifting anthem, praising her for her activism and fighting for freedom in Burma. She had been intermittently under house arrest since 1989 for her efforts. Due to the political message of the album, those attempting to import the album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, into Burma could face a prison sentence lasting between three and twenty years.

The title of All That You Can’t Leave Behind come from the lyrics of this song: The only baggage you can bring / is all that you can’t leave behind. “Walk On” was originally two different songs that, according to Adam Clayton, had great riffs but sounded terrible separately. The band combined them, and ended up with one of their most critically praised songs.

The fear sometimes keeps you from doing anything of meaning. The fear that holds you back can be viewed as your prision. Letting go and opening yourself to the possiblity of lifes little joys.  We hold our self back often because of the unknowen yet its the future we beleve in. The future that that we always reference as something we want.

So what does “Walk On” mean to you?  Could it be about heaven ?  Could it be about just leting go and becoming free to enjoy all of your life. I would believe that “God only gives you what you can handle” So the reference you can only take so much can be a looked upon as just that your awarness of what you can handle is just in line with God.

Whatever meaning the song takes for you. One thing is very clear. You

U2 and My Faith

Living faith doesn’t stop asking living questions, and that’s one reason why it’s living faith. And that’s also why U2 works as a group that produces Christian music without having to be labeled an officially Christian band. They’ve pegged the genre of rock-n-roll like no one since the Beatles have. The fact is, there’s no better medium to talk about the hidden God and his theodicy than the art form whose specialty is alienation, loneliness and longing. Even in, especially in, its doubts, rock-n-roll music can give glory to the Lord

U2's Hidden Gem

By Dre  

Often I find myself listening to U2 lyrics to find that hidden gem. I find that listening to U2 gives me hope, faith and renewed sense that people are good.  Often I reminded that U2 music is more than words on a sheet that some deep thought has gone into the lyric.   As I was traveling the other day, I had a chance to read an article by Brett Warner that was just refreshing and full of possibility.  The team has been writing for weeks about Achtung Baby and how you really should pick up your own copy, small plug for us. Every time you make a purchase on Amazon from our links, you are helping fund this project. So thank you for your continued support.   Now back to Brett and his article.  He dusted off a gem that I had forgotten about. “The First Time” We all know the story that Achtung Baby was the successor to Zooropra was to be the EP that promotes the fourth leg of the massive production Zoo TV.

I had to revisit the song and as Brett states this is song is pure amazing, deep dark, insightful and in control. The Edge opens softly and the song builds slowing and gracefully. This was the work of Brian Eno and Bono. The song is simple clean and as you will find a soulful lyric reference to God and “keys to the kingdom” I have to agree with Brett this was and maybe still one of the best songs of the 90’s and while I have my first love “New Years Day” my heart does fill with love for the first time.

The First Time

I have a lover
A lover like no other
She got soul, soul, soul, sweet soul
And she teach me how to sing

Shows me colours when there’s none to see
Gives me hope when I can’t believe
That for the first time
I feel love

I have a brother
When I’m a brother in need
I spend my whole time running
He spends his running after me

When I feel myself going down
I just call and he comes around
But for the first time
I feel love

My father is a rich man
He wears a rich man’s cloak
Gave me the keys to his kingdom coming
Gave me a cup of gold

He said I have many mansions
And there are many rooms to see
But I left by the back door
And I threw away the key
And I threw away the key
Yeah, I threw away the key
Yeah, I threw away the key

For the first time
For the first time
For the first time

I feel love

Lyrics/ Songs U2/Island Records