U2's Films of Innocence Due December 9th

11 of the world's most acclaimed urban artists unveil their work through a collection of art films, inspired by U2's Songs of Innocence. Taking the political murals of Northern Ireland as a reference point, U2 pioneered the project to celebrate the unique democratic power of urban art.

11 different artists unite to create U2’s next release due December 9th currently available on pre-order “Films Of Innocence” Artist create visuals out of U2’s current album “Songs Of Innocence”

The film is only available on iTunes as of now. The release date is listed as December 9th, and the film can be pre-ordered now for $12.99 (USD) for HD, or $9.99 for standard.  Apple has already begun the promotion around the film and has it listed as one of the featured films.

U2's Films of Innocence

11 of the world's most acclaimed urban artists unveil their work through a collection of art films, inspired by U2's Songs of Innocence. Taking the political murals of Northern Ireland as a reference point, U2 pioneered the project to celebrate the unique democratic power of urban art. Oliver Jeffers, Robin Rhode, D*Face, Mode 2, Chloe Early, Ganzeer, Vhils, Maser, ROA, DALeast, and Todd James make up this global multidisciplinary group project. Chosen for their undisputed ability to capture the imaginations of their audiences, the artists were given complete creative freedom to showcase their personal responses to U2's music, through a series of part-animated, part live action films. The result is an exhilarating display of diversity in approach, style and commentary. Powerful and cognizant, their works scale the globe, play with time, and weave between heightened reality and animated dreamscapes. United for the first time in film, the eleven international artists have taken their work from the streets to the screen. These original works of video art transpose their visions from the physical to the digital and are collected here together as a visual counter-point to the album, a set of unique and compelling Films of Innocence.

Jefferson Hack is credited as the film's director and Lois Newcombe as producer.

U2 Songs of Innocence and Experience

U2 released their 13th studio album yesterday (gosh we had hoped for the title Lucky 13) “Songs of Innocence” considered a surprise release and a super surprise “free” download. 

The marketing machines have really gone back and pulled out some old tricks for this one. However, that is not of interest to most U2 fans.

What really matters is the music! Yea I could use the terms “gestation” “delay” “lack of focus” however who really gives a crap about that when the music has arrived to us via iTunes just waiting for us to download.

Gene Simmons said Rock is dead, well U2 most not have gotten the funeral notice; this album is brilliant, fluid, bold and most of all fresh with tip of the hat to the past. Lets call this a reconnection to their past and to future audiences.

Bono and Edge created visions of a punk rock era and provided some balance for those that have yet to embrace the concept of punk rock.

Keeping it simple as to grab the attention of the youth today and U2’s attempt to remain relevant may cause some U2; fans to think that void commercialism and stay true to their roots. 

U2 is not a band that stands on past performances and while no tour dates announced surely we will see the boys across the world in 2015. 

Time will tell if Bono has met his goal to stay relevant and if fans embrace “Songs of Innocence”. I at first glance believe that we got our chance to see lighting in a bottle again. I am sure to have more to say about this over the next few weeks.  Bono did drop us a note updating on the next album to be released called " Songs of Experience"

We’re collaborating with Apple on some cool stuff over the next couple of years, innovations that will transform the way music is listened to and viewed. We’ll keep you posted. If you like Songs of Innocence,  stay with us for Songs of Experience. It should be ready soon enough… although I know I’ve said that before…

Letter from Bono

A letter from Bono, on the arrival 'of our new baby' - Songs of Innocence.

'Hello, bonjour, ciao, hola, hallo, zdravo, dobar dan, Dia duit, hæ, hej,hei, cześć, olá, ćao, namaste, sawatdee, jambo, pozdravi, Γεια σου, привіт, שלום, مرحبا, こんにちは, , سلام, 你好, Привет….

Remember us? Pleased to announce myself, Edge, Adam and Larry have finally given birth to our new baby… Songs of Innocence. It’s been a while. We wanted to get it right for you/us. We just finished it last week and thanks to Apple and iTunes it’s with you today. That’s already amazing to me as it normally takes a few months to turn this stuff around.

Part of the DNA of this band has always been the desire to get our music to as many people as possible. In the next 24 hours, over a half a billion people are going to have Songs of Innocence… should they choose to check it out. That is so exciting. People who haven’t heard our music, or weren’t remotely interested, might play us for the first time because we’re in their library. Country fans, hip hop afficionados from east LA, electro poppers from Seoul, Bhangra fans from New Delhi, Highlifers in Accra… might JUST be tempted to check us out, even for a moment.

What a mind blowing, head scratching, 21st century situation. Over 500 million people… that’s a billion ears. And for the people out there who have no interest in checking us out, look at it this way… the blood, sweat and tears of some Irish guys are in your junk mail.

You’ll have noticed the album is free to U2.com’ers from the band. It’s also free to everyone on iTunes thanks to Apple. To celebrate the ten year anniversary of our iPod commercial, they bought it as a gift to give to all their music customers.

Free, but paid for. Because if no-one's paying anything for it, we’re not sure “free” music is really that free. It usually comes at a cost to the art form and the artist… which has big implications, not for us in U2, but for future musicians and their music... all the songs that have yet to be written by the talents of the future… who need to make a living to write them.

We’re collaborating with Apple on some cool stuff over the next couple of years, innovations that will transform the way music is listened to and viewed. We’ll keep you posted. If you like Songs of Innocence,  stay with us for Songs of Experience. It should be ready soon enough… although I know I’ve said that before…

I hope after listening to our new long player a few times, you’ll understand why it took so long. We really went there… it’s a very, very personal album. Apologies if that gets excruciating… actually, I take that back. No apologies if it gets excruciating. What’s the point in being in U2 if you can’t go there?
There is no end to LOVE.'
BONO

U2 Expected at Apple Launch

Tweets about "#u2iPhone "

The boys from Dublin are in Cupertino, California and set to be a part of Apple’s new iPhone 6 launch later today. The band will be appearing for the launch of the new phone, with the their new album being made available for streaming exclusively on the iPhone. Rumors have been circulating about U2, the Apple relationship, and the possible collaboration even to the point that a U2 spokeswoman said: “They are not releasing their album on the iPhone and they are not performing at the iPhone launch.” This turns out to be a half-truth statement and pretty much in line with a we would have expected from the marketing machine. 

The New York Times, The Irish Times all have reported over night that U2 will appear during the release of the new IPhone 6.  Sources suggest that the band will appear at the launch of the iPhone 6: “In addition to performing, the band will reveal an integration with Apple’s products that is connected to its next album.”

While representatives for the band would not comment, the new album format may similar to the app release by other artists of the years.

Follow the updates today #U2iPhone

U2 and Apple Music to our Ears !

Music to our ears ! If its true ! Apple and U2 have had a long standing relationship that started back with the iPod Red. Remember? 

The U2 Special Edition. Jet black, it bears a prominent red Apple Click Wheel and, on the flip side, the autographs of each U2 band member.

It came with an exclusive U2 poster and, of course, the signature white iPod earbuds and it included iTunes Music Store coupon you can use to get $50 off your purchase of "The Complete U2." As unique as the iPod itself, this digital boxed set brings together an amazing 400 U2 tracks. Songs span the band's celebrated career.

From "Boy" to "War" to "The Joshua Tree" to "Zooropa" to the soon-to-be-released "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," it includes every U2 album and features over 25 rare and unreleased tracks.

So the idea that U2 and Apple would team up again for the release of iPhone 6 is really not that far off. U2 wants to reach the largest audience possible and wants to be tied into something hip and cool why not the iPhone 6 it seems to be the coolest item coming to market right around the same time as U2 releases their new single and expected new album, which we have great hopes that the album will be called "Lucky 13".

We have journalists in Ireland, the band has been rumored to have shot a music video in Dublin starring the next generation iPhone. We have tweets about the band located in LA right now and yet its all silent on the home front.

September or November is U2 Ready ?

The Irish Examiner has reported that the boys are planning to release their 13th studio album this November, yes we said November 2014. Now while we all know that the press maybe off a day or too the Irish Examiner seems to be on track most of the time. Sources close to U2TOURFANS suggest that in fact we could be looking at a new album this year.

Apple’s iTunes Festival schedule of gigs at the Roundhouse in Camden, North London in September have you U2 on the bill which means the boys could in fact test out the new material.

Bono has not felt the magic and has been suffering from writers block and the process has been a challenge for everyone. 

A source has suggested, "The U2 comeback is very much on for this year. This album has been a real struggle for them to make.

In addition, we heard that the wait would be worth it.  We all know that U2 is worth the wait we can only trust that Bono believes in U2.

Bono AKA Techie Man

Bono has been singing the praises of technology and it paid off. As an investor and cofounder of the AIDS programs ( One and RED) he has been devoting his time to eradicating poverty and AIDS related issues. Bono traded emails with MIT Technology Review deputy editor, Brian Bergstein about his role in tech, vaccines and information services. A couple of those questions highlighted our interests.

MIT: It's 2013, and Millions of people are still short of food or proper medical care. Have technologists over promised ?

Bono: The tech that’s been delivered has been staggering in its measurable achievements.

MIT: What should be the role of technology in making a better world? Are some problems beyond its reach, like poverty?

Bono: Technology has already helped tackle extreme poverty in Africa. Extreme poverty is the empirical condition of living on under $1.25 a day. Nelson Mandela once demanded we be the “great generation” to beat extreme poverty, noting how we have the technology and resources to achieve this extraordinary vision. And we do. We could achieve it by 2030, maybe before.

MIT: You admired Steve Jobs. Did he make the world better or just make nice computers?

Bono: I think a large part of the reason Apple and Steve Jobs have beguiled so many is that they are a gigantic company that put greatness ahead of the bottom line, believing that great profitability would follow in the long term. He told me he would love to spend more time on philanthropy and would get to it one day. He wasn’t interested in half doing it, as is obvious with his personality. Still, Apple very quietly has contributed more than $50 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria through the sale of (RED) iPods, Nanos, etc. They are the biggest corporate donor. Tim Cook is passionate about this stuff.

MIT: If you had a budget equivalent to the one that put astronauts on the moon, what problems would you try to solve?

Bono: There’s an exciting thought. The Apollo program in its day was 4 percent of the federal budget. All U.S. overseas assistance is just 1 percent, with 0.7 percent going to issues that affect the poorest people. I believe that extreme poverty is the biggest challenge we have. That term is a complex one, but on many aspects, we know what works. For example, with Apollo-level resources, you could finish the job on HIV/AIDS. Get rid of it, done. Malaria too.

MIT: Do you despair? If not, why not?

Bono:  Like any parent, I wonder what kind of world we’re leaving behind. But I’ve also been blessed to be involved in some great movements that helped bring major challenges—like debt or AIDS or malaria—from the margins to the mainstream. These social movements are the things that make the real difference, people from different walks of life coming together to stand up for what they believe in.  Whether they do it by marching, by writing, by tweeting, by posting, by singing, or by going to jail. It’s hard not to be an optimist when you see what happens when people join forces.

Thank you Steve for the U2 iPod

Bono / Steve Jobs

U2 fans have a special love for Steve Jobs. It was October 26, 2004 when Apple introduced the IPOD U2 Special Edition as part of a partnership between Apple, U2 and Universal Music Group (UMG) to create innovative new products together for the new digital music era.

The new U2 iPod holds up to 5,000 songs and featured a gorgeous black enclosure with a red Click Wheel and custom engraving of U2 band member signatures.

“U2 and Apple has a special relationship where they redefined the music business,” said Jimmy Iovine, Chairman of UMG’s Interscope Geffen A&M Records. “The iPod along with iTunes is the most complete thought that we’ve seen in music in a very long time.”

“We want our audience to have a more intimate online relationship with the band, and Apple can help us do that,” said Bono. iPod and iTunes look like the future to me and it’s good for everybody involved in music,” said The Edge. 

“U2 is one of the greatest bands in the world and we are floored to be working with them,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We just wanted to make some innovative products together, and we hope U2 fans will love having their very own special edition iPod.”

U2 Ipod Limited Edition

The new U2 iPod was introduced as the band prepared to release their new album “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” in late November. In addition to the new U2 iPod, the results of the U2, Apple and UMG partnership included:

• U2’s single “Vertigo” from their upcoming album “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” is available exclusively in the US through the iTunes® Music Store;

• Apple and U2 have created a breakthrough television ad featuring U2 band members performing their new single “Vertigo.” The ad is a cross between Apple’s award-winning “Silhouette” ads and a music video; and

• Apple has created the online music industry’s first-of-its-kind “Digital Box Set.” The first digital box set, “The Complete U2,” will contain over 400 tracks including all of the band’s albums and over 25 rare and unreleased tracks. U2 fans where able to purchase and download The Complete U2 with just one click on the iTunes Music Store in the US and Europe.