U2 Wraps Up In New York City

Bono / The Edge / U2 / JKS Photography

U2 have been in New York this past week working on their upcoming album at Electric Lady Studios, which was built opened in Greenwich Village by Jimi Hendrix in 1968.

Band members have been spotted there with producer Danger Mouse, reportedly mixing the disc. On Friday afternoon, all four members were on the roof of the studio doing an acoustic version of “Sunday Bloody Sunday” for a camera crew. Also spotted at the studio was Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

On Friday night, Bono and The Edge played a private show at a party in New York’s SoHo neighborhood.

Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records and the man who signed U2, has heard the new album and calls it “better than ever.”

From all reports everythingis pretty wrapped up now and quiet again in New York. Bono was spotted out dinning with Danger Mouse and again spotted walking around New York City on Sunday.

U2 Mixing New Album In NYC

The Edge, Adam, Bono

U2 have finished recording their new album, the follow-up to 2009′s No Line On The Horizon, and are currently mixing in New York City with producer Danger Mouse, according to reports, after three members of the band were spotted in NYC, most notably Bono outside Electric Lady Studios.

U2 are saying that recording of the new album is done and dusted, with a playback happening last week. Tweets from Island Records head Chris Blackwell( posted earlier) seem to confirm this, with the honcho saying “Listened to some new music at Electric Lady Land studios earlier with U2 and Danger Mouse #betterthanever”. Blackwell has since deleted the tweet. ( Yea wonder why )

Globe journo Brad Wheeler added fuel to the fire, sharing quotes from former Daniel Lanois, who produced The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby amongst other U2 records. Lanois seems to have sat out of production duties this time around but has heard the new material, with Wheeler tweeting “Lanois tells me Bono dropped by his house in LA and that the new U2 album sounds ‘amazing’ and ‘big’, with some Achtung Baby adventurism”.

Sounds pretty promising, considering Bono confirmed that band were working on lucky album number 13 back in January, but the frontman also warned us not to hold our breath, stating that the band didn’t care if it took 10 years to get the album right.

U2 New Music Tweet News

Warning the following posts are direct from the twitter account of Brad Wheeler we have no way of confirming the truth of the information.  We have reached out to Brad for a comment. No word yet. We will continue to check into comments.

Lanois says Larry Mullen is a good pool player, as is Edge. "Edge is good at everything, really."

— Brad Wheeler (@BWheelerglobe) May 30, 2013

Lanois says he was familiar with a couple of the new U2 tracks, as he had worked on them himself previously. "They're back on the burner."

— Brad Wheeler (@BWheelerglobe) May 30, 2013

Lanois tells me Bono is singing strongly and beautifully on the new U2 stuff. "He makes me jealous. Those barrel-chested Irish tenors."

— Brad Wheeler (@BWheelerglobe) May 30, 2013

On Danger Mouse, who's producing the new U2 disc, Lanois smiled as he said "It'll be a character-building experiment for him."

— Brad Wheeler (@BWheelerglobe) May 30, 2013

Finally New U2 Music !

Reports out of  Dublin suggest that we could have some new U2 music very soon. We have already reported about the "Leaked U2 Jam Session (2010-2013)" which the video can be found on our facebook page ( U2TOURFANS). If you remember early this year Bono commented on a Dublin radio station (Sunshine 106.8FM) that they have been working on #13 and that a title was in the works. We have heard "10 Reasons to Exist" could be the title or at least right now its the working title.

Two other songs that are rumored to possibly be part of the new album are "Soon" and "Winter." "Winter" was featured in two movies, Brothers and Linear, while "Soon" was used as an intro to concerts in 2010.

"U2 is on the verge of irrelevancy," Bono told Fashion and Style magazine recently.  "We have to do something on this next album that is very, very special in order to have a reason to exist.”

“U2 has been beating the odds of being irrelevant for close to 20 years, since Rattle and Hum, and we had to find ways to keep ourselves fresh yet loyal to our fans which we love so much. We are still hungry and not ready to give up our spot as the biggest and best band in the world because we feel like we have much to offer...we are still as cool as we were in 2004 and even 1994."

Reports coming in from Dublin - Again this could all be rumors - Heck until the machine starts we really have to go with what we hear.  Bono ? Any comment

U2 and Willie Nelson Video Released

The group collaborated with the American country singer in 2003 to record 'Slow Dancing', which was written by Bono.

While a live version of the track, which featured on 'The Essential Willie Nelson' album, surfaced online, no official footage was previously available.

The five-minute video was posted on YouTube earlier this week, on U2's account as a tribute to Nelson on his 80th birthday, and it has already been viewed 10,000 times.

It is completely shot in black and white. The credit reads: "Happy birthday Willie! 80 and still a pilgrim. All the best from Bono, The Edge, Larry and Adam."

The band had previously collaborated fellow country legend Johnny Cash. U2 are currently working on their 13th studio album, provisionally entitled '10 Reasons to Exist'.

It has been reported that the band are hopeful of unveiling their latest offering to fans in September.

Irish Independent

Future, The Future is

Right now most U2 fans are asking the same question. What the heck is taking so long?  We all seem to be asking the same questions. If most of the songs have already been played before what seems to be taking them so long? So long ? Really now why are we U2 fans so demanding that our boys produce some music asap to fill our need to have fresh U2 music.  Its not that standard pop crap that we seem to hear blasting from the radio today. 

Most of these songs were played by U2 on the 360 tour after Bono recovered from a back injury and wanted to do something special for his fans.

"Boy Falls From the Sky" was done for the "Spiderman" musical while"North Star" was featured in "Transformers" for a few seconds but wasn't released in any other format.

Two other songs that are rumored to possibly be part of the new album are "Soon" and "Winter." "Winter" was featured in two movies-"Brothers" and "Linear" while "Soon" was used as an intro to concerts in 2010.

Why exactly is the next album proving to be difficult for U2? Bono explained that he believed, "U2 is on the verge of irrelevancy" (we disagree) and added "we have to do something on this next album that is very very special in order to have a reason to exist."

He also said, "U2 has been beating the odds of being irrelevant for close to 20 years, since Rattle and Hum, and we had to find ways to keep ourselves fresh, yet loyal to our fans which we love so much."

Thank goodness that "we are still hungry and not ready to give up our spot as the biggest and best band in the world because we feel like we have much to offer...we are still as cool as we were in 2004 and even 1994."

U2 Mega Rich List

Air 360

U2 Arrives

It may be four years since they last had a number one hit but U2 remain among the world's richest musicians according to an influential rich list. Bimpe Archer reports THE eagerly awaited Sunday Times Rich List has ranked Dublin rock band U2 as the third richest music millionaires in the UK and Ireland.

It calculates that the band's wealth has increased since 2012 with Bono, the Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton sitting comfortable in the top three of the annual rock and roll-call of riches.

The list continues to be led by Sir Paul McCartney, whose £680 million fortune is shared with third wife Nancy Shevell.

McCartney has topped all the charts since the Sunday Times Rich List began in 1989, when the former Beatle was worth £80m.

By 1993, the McCartney fortune had grown to £400m.

In addition to starring roles at Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee and closing the opening ceremony for the London Olympics, his 'On the Run' tour grossed $57m from just 18 dates in 2012.

The tour added £15m to his fortune but the total includes £150m for Shevell's stake in her father's New England Motor Freight trucking operation.

Also ahead of the Dublin rock band is composer and theatre owner Andrew Lloyd-Webber.

Profits from his hugely successful stage shows, such as Phantom of the Opera, Evita and Cats, have helped to boost Lord Lloyd-Webber's fortune by £30m to keep him in sec ond place in the Music Rich List at £620m.

Lord Of The Dance creator Michael Flatley, who brought Irish dancing to global audiences, comes in at number seven.

The show, which made him millions, evolved from his work on Riverdance and became a phenomenon in the 1990s.

Also making an appearance on the list is Donegal singer Enya who is ranked at number 27.

The Sunday Times only started to measure wealth in Ireland as part of its annual Rich List in 1997.

Last year Bono's personal wealth received a boost after the flotation of Facebook. Immediately established a value of $1.9 billion for the Elevation partnership.

The equity investment group was co-founded by Bono, who is also its managing director.

It paid around $90m for just over 2.3 per cent of Facebook.

Before this, with U2 profits split between the band and manager Paul McGuinness, Bono's estimated personal wealth was around £100m.

News that the band's wealth has also increased is likely to increase criticism from taxpayers in the Republic who have been angered at their sophisticated tax arrangements.

A $65m investment by U2 on Broadway's Spider-Man musical also seems to be paying off.

Initially panned by critics and plagued by a series of accidents, things are now looking up and it is proving popular with audiences.

The band also own Vertigo3, an Airbus A320, to fly them around in style.

Beat Depression By Stop Drinking

Adam Clayton

Adam has identified his drinking habit as the main cause of 'suicidal thoughts' which he battled during his early years with the band. Adam has pleaded directly with young people not to ignore depression, and to seek out help if they are feeling down. He has revealed that despite his comfortable upbringing and years of superstardom with U2, he was prone to suicidal thoughts and depression. "I am an ex-drinker and I am a very happy ex-drinker but before I got to that point I had been through the whole process of suicidal thoughts," Clayton confessed. Clayton made the comments as part of the National Walk in My Shoes day – a fundraising and awareness event for St Patrick's University Hospital, Dublin. The money raised will go towards providing mental health services to vulnerable young adults.

Text 'shoes' to 57802 to donate €2 or go to www.walkinmyshoes.ie to donate or seek help with depression.

U2 and Hard Rock Team Up

U2 are raising funds for Amnesty International with a new range of T-shirts. The group, fronted by Bono, has teamed up with Hard Rock International to produce the U2 Signature Series: Edition 30 T-shirt line in the name of charity. They have pledged 15 per cent of the item's $32 (£20) retail price to the human rights charity, and are hopeful the extra money will help boost the organisation's work. The Edge says, "I hope this T-shirt generates loads of cash for Amnesty International and their tireless work towards the release of prisoners of conscience all around the world. Plus there's a guitar on it - so it's a win-win as far as I'm concerned." The T-shirt will be available online or at Hard Rock venues around the globe.

Clayton,Hewson and Danger Mouse

Adam and Ali have given us some insight to the future of U2 and its “sounding great” Adam stated in Spinner that the boys are in fact working with Danger Mouse. "It's a great team and feels very liberating at the moment -- anything goes. We have an abundance of riches, we could make three or four different records and justify that to ourselves, but to make the best record you can, you have to steer away from the ones you can make easily. We are really trying to get into territory that we are not comfortable in. If that makes sense..." Ali Hewson also shared some information on the record in an interview with The Guardian. "They're well down the road on the new album and it sounds good," Hewson said. "That's all I'm saying.

And that’s all we are saying too…..