U2 in Dublin, The North Side Story

Its unique, ringside seat at the rise and rise of U2 in their home city. An exclusive publication, commissioned from the Hot Press team in Ireland, this large-format 274-page book is full of rare and unpublished photos, reviews, interviews and original band pieces from the time.

Over the past six months Hot Press have tracked down many of the original players in the U2 story - schoolfriends, musicians, artists, promoters, DJ's and crew.

Along with their unique archive of original content, North Side Story features dozens of new interviews - from Paul McGuinness and Guggi to Jim Sheridan and Steve Lillywhite - bringing the story of the band right up to date.

The editorial lens is pulled back further with first-time translations of some of the earliest interviews the band gave as they embarked on dates around Europe.

Open up North Side Story and you'll find a beautiful pull-out wall-map, capturing landmark moments in U2's Dublin from the early years to the present day. 'North And South of the River, Wandering In U2's Dublin' has been commissioned from U2's long-time design team.

It's been a remarkable project, says Niall Stokes, Hot Press Editor, whose writers, designers and photographers' have produced the book.

'Watching Feedback play in 1976, no-one could have dreamed of what lay ahead. We've ended up with a roller coaster, blow-by-blow account of the band's earliest days, telling the story of the genesis of U2 in a unique, powerful and, I hope, fantastically captivating and revealing way.

'It's about where Adam, Bono, Edge and Larry came from and the remarkable bond that bound them together, even in the face of adversity. I think fans of the band are going to love it.'

Along with this special annual gift, subscribers access a range of other benefits including exclusive music, editorial content and as usual, access to take part in ticket presales if the band announce a tour.

North Side Story is a limited edition publication by Hot Press for U2.com.

• 12 months membership of U2.com Subscribers Site
• North Side Story: U2 In Dublin, 1978-83 Lavish, 260-page publication. Definitive account with rare photos & interviews. Limited Edition.
• Giant wall-map charting places & events of U2 in Dublin up to 2013.
• Opportunity to join ticket presale if the band go on tour.
• Exclusive competitions, streams, downloads
• 25% discount in u2 store

New Album, New Management 2014 Year of U2

U2 has a new album in the works teaming up with producer Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) U2 has not produced a new project since 2009; No Line On The Horizon (which debuted at No. 1 in 30 countries, including the United States).

Bono does not seem to concerned about the arrival date only saying that the new record could take 10 years, as long as the band got it right. 

As fans continue to wait with comments and postings on U2TOURFANS facebook page it seems that we fans might not have to wait that long. The boys have been recording at New York City’s Electric Lady Studios, and it’s finally near completion.

A report coming out that the band is hoping to officially announce the project via a Super Bowl commercial. Secretly shopping for a brand partner to help fund the venture; however no confirmed title for the album, of course we have heard Songs of Ascent and 10 Reasons to Exist have been rumored to be possible choices.

Meantime back at Principle Management talks continue, as Live Nation gets closer to swallowing up the company for a cool 15 million dollars. While the deal is still in negotiation, McGuinness nonetheless released a statement to the Times which put his spin on things:

“It could be seen as slightly poor etiquette for a manager to consider retiring before his artist has split, quit or died, but U2 have never subscribed to the rock and roll code of conduct. As I approach the musically relevant age of 64 I have resolved to take a less hands-on role as the band embark on the next cycle of their extraordinary career."

“I am delighted that Live Nation, who with Arthur Fogel have been our long term touring partners, have joined us in creating this powerful new force in artist management. I have long regarded Guy Oseary as the best manager of his generation and there is no one else I would have considered to take over the day-to-day running of our business.”

However, for fans it is a bit strange to think that the band would be making such moves without issues a statement. The marketing machine must have been shut down for the holidays or some other event.  Fans all tend to agree that U2 would have normally issued some kind of release about their long time manager and as some would say the fifth member of the band. Stepping down after 35 years seems to warrant comment.  We also find it a bit disturbing that Bono and the boys seem to already be working with Guy Oseary as reported by Billboard. This is the sort of thing that makes you wonder how long has Guy been in the driver seat?

As for Live Nation, what are they really getting with this purchase?  Shareholder value; they have a 12 year contract that was put in place around 2008.  Now Live Nation will keep the commissions, booking fees and get a bigger part of the touring revenue. Today’s music really starts to make sense when you look at where the dollars come from. It is all about the tour! Downloads, Record sales are just too small today for any label to make the right investments into bands. However, if a band tours and tours big like U2 has done in the past you can expect millions in profits.

As for the fans, well we will have to wait and see what is in store for us. Right now on Facebook fans seem to all think higher ticket prices are on the way in 2014.

U2 manager Steps Down

The Edge/ Paul/ Bono

Paul McGuinness long time manager of U2 will begin to take a less “hands on” role as Live Nation continues to negotiations to buy Principal Management as well as Madonna’s management company Maverick. 

McGuinness would become the chairmen of Principal. Live Nation is expected to pay 22 Million Euros for both firms. Paul has managed U2 from the start of the career. Even joked at times as the 5th member of U2.  Paul did make a statement that said “"It could be seen as slightly poor etiquette for a manager to consider retiring before his artist has split, quit or died, but U2 have never subscribed to the rock 'n' roll code of conduct.

"As I approach the musically relevant age of 64 I have resolved to take a less hands-on role as the band embark on the next cycle of their extraordinary career."

Mr McGuinness added: "I have long regarded Guy Oseary as the best manager of his generation, and there is no one else I would have considered to take over the day-to-day running of our business."

U2 issuing single for Record Store Day

Ordinary Love, the song U2 wrote for the new Nelson Mandela biopic, will be released as a 10-inch single for Record Store Day on Nov. 29. It will be backed by a second new song, Breathe.

The band announced the limited-edition release on its website Wednesday.

According to the group's website, the band wrote Ordinary Love at the request of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom producer Harvey Weinstein. Part of the song is featured in a recently released trailer for the film. Breathe, the single's B-side, also has a Mandela connection, according to the site.

Artwork for the Ordinary Love record sleeve was designed by Irish artist and illustrator Oliver Jeffers, who also has directed a lyric video for Ordinary Love that will be posted in November.

U2 has been in the studio recently working on an album the band hopes to release in 2014.

Ordinary Love to be Unveiled

U2's "Ordinary Love" to be unveiled on Youtube and U2.com October 30th. This the first song for the band and is part of a movie  "Mandela biopic A Long Walk To Freedom."

An excerpt from the song indicates Ordinary Love is a mid-tempo piano-driven ballad. It features the lyrics: “We can’t fall any further and/We can’t feel ordinary love/ We can’t reach any higher/ We can’t deal with ordinary love.”

The song was specially written for the movie, so it is unclear whether or not it will appear on the new U2 album. A Long Walk To Freedom producer Harvey Weinstein said the band were asked to contribute a song to the film. “It was the fastest ‘yes’ I have ever received. The band saw various cuts of the film over the summer and worked diligently to write a song that truly reflects Nelson Mandela. I think they did a brilliant job, honouring the man and the leader they have known for over 20 years,” he said. The film stars Idris Elba as Mandela and Naomie Harris as Winnie Mandela, and is based on the former South African president’s bestselling autobiography about his time in Robben Island as a political prisoner.

U2 in Bray

The boys spotted this week filming in Bray, CO Wicklow yesterday with fans praying that the band would be shooting a new album cover. The band has been held up at teh Bray Head Hotel before filming a segment. "Desire" could be heard along the seafront.

The boys performed an impromptu set for select passerby who just happened to be at the right place at the right time.  Locals may be included in the video. 

As we reported earlier in the week the back released their first song in three years. The track appears in the trailer for the upcoming biopic movie on the life of Nelson Madela called ‘Mandela: Long walk to freedom’. However the track may not appear on the band’s new album, as it was specifically written for the Mandela movie.

Trailer features new U2 song

U2 fans anxious for fresh music can now hear the group's first new song in three years — at least some of it.

A little more than a minute of a song called Ordinary Love is included in the trailer for Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, a biopic about South African leader Nelson Mandela.

"The sea wants to kiss the golden shore/The sunlight warms your skin," Bono sings over a piano track. "All the beauty that's been lost before wants to find us again." In the sample, the music eventually swells to a masssive, choir-based chorus.

There's no word if Ordinary Love, written specifically for Mandela, will be included on the group's next album, tentatively slated for a 2014 release.

U2 bassist Adam Clayton recently told an Irish radio station that the group hopes to have 12 songs for a new album completed by the end of November.

"I think it's a bit of a return to U2 of old, but with the maturity, if you like, of the U2 of the last 10 years," Clayton said. The new album would be the group's first since 2009's No Line on the Horizon.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, starring Idris Elba and directed by Justin Chadwick, premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and will be in theaters Nov. 29.

Adam Drops Hints !

Adam Clayton  

Adam Clayton let some hints slip while on Irish station 98 FM's Dermot and Dave show. "We are still at it. We hope to have it finished very, very soon. And it will be out, oh . . . sometime early next year," Clayton said. "But it's a very exciting bunch of songs right at the moment . . . it's just about to be finished, so it's hard to know which way they'll go.

Pretty much what we heard was that Adam and the boys are back in Dublin working in the studio on 12 songs to get them finished by the end of November so that everyone can go on holiday and that we can expect a new U2 album early next year.