Ireland bailed out by Irish people, not troika, says Bono

Europe urged to rediscover ‘its soul’ and spread its values of peace and prosperity to its neighbours

Ireland was bailed out by the sacrifices of the Irish people themselves and not the EU- ECB-IMF troika, U2 singer Bono has told European leaders.

Addressing the European People’s Party election congress in Dublin, he urged Europe to rediscover “its soul” and spread its values of peace and prosperity to its neighbours, particularly Africa.

He also told the conference, which included EU Commission president José Manuel Barroso, European Council president Herman Van Rompuy and German chancellor Angela Merkel, that Europe should discover the Irish concept of “meitheal” or neighbourliness.

He instanced the Irish development aid budgets, which “have roughly stayed the course” throughout the country’s economic difficulties, a factor he said made him “very, very proud to be Irish”.

Referring to the influence of Ireland in the world, which he said was part-imagined, he said: “We genuinely believe the United State of America is our colony.”

Kenny ‘preferred Springsteen’

He paid tribute to Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who was also present along with a number of European prime ministers. Bono said Mr Kenny was personally modest, an attribute he admired in the man. But he said he had never been able to say this directly to Mr Kenny as the Taoiseach “preferred Bruce Springsteen to U2”.

He said while he admired Mr Kenny’s modesty, “the Irish people were screwed” in the recent economic collapse. It was not, he said, the troika that had rescued the country’s finances: “The Irish people bailed out the Irish people.”

He said the “rise of extreme nationalism, the ugly kind” was “an equal-opportunity hater” that promoted hatred towards migrants, Roma and gays and should not be welcome.

Explaining the village cooperative ethos of meitheal, he told the EU leaders: “Our principles will not fail us, but we must not fail our principles.”


“There’s a transparency revolution happening, and Europe is at the forefront of it. Call it daylight. Without it, you can’t fight the corruption that keeps the poor poor, and you can’t fight the secrecy that keeps the corrupt rich.” Watch the full speech:

http://www.irishtimes.com/

No U2 Album, Tour Until 2015

Fresh off the Oscars, the band quietly delays its fall tour and album, while inviting Ryan Tedder and Paul Epworth into the studio

The media blitz U2 has enjoyed during the first two months of 2014 has been virtually unrivaled - unless you're maybe Pharrell Williams and his Vivienne Westwood hat. Since mid-January, the band has won a Golden Globe; performed at the premiere of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and the March 2 Academy Awards; appeared on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter; and starred in a Super Bowl commercial funded by Bank of America and (RED) that debuted the track "Invisible."

Such momentum certainly signaled a proper return to music and touring was in the cards for U2 in 2014. The group had been diligently working with producer Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton) on an album still described as "unfinished" in mid-February to The Hollywood Reporter. Billboard has confirmed with multiple sources, however, that the album has now been pushed back until 2015, with the band recently scheduling additional sessions with producers Ryan Tedder and Paul Epworth. (Danger Mouse remains onboard as the project's central producer.) "It seems to be taking longer for them to finish an album as they get older, but the great thing about U2 is that the whole of a record is always better than the sum of its parts," says a source close to the project. "That magic that the band always seems to capture ... they have yet to capture it."

While an Interscope representative maintains that with a release date never announced the album shouldn't be considered delayed, Billboard has learned that a tour initially on track for a mid-March announcement and September start date, booked by Live Nation's Global Touring division, will now begin in summer 2015. Delays are nothing new in the world of U2 - the band's 360° Tour, itself set back with postponements related to the making of 2009's No Line on the Horizon, went on to become the highest-grossing tour of all time, with more than $737 million in receipts from three legs in 2010 and 2011, according to Billboard Boxscore. Live Nation, which declined to comment for this story, would of course always love to have U2 dates on the books for any given year. But at best, the band would only have been on the road in the fourth quarter, and any dates that would have happened in 2014 will be made up next year. (Live Nation Entertainment had a record year in 2013, even without top-grossers U2 or Madonna on the road, reporting a whopping 19 percent increase in concert attendance and total revenue up 11 percent to $6.4 billion.)

No one has struggled more with U2's living legacy than Bono himself, who's spoken about the next album (U2's 13th) and its many challenges in recent years. At a September 2011 press conference at the Toronto Film Festival, Bono, 53, feared the band was "really close to the edge of relevance," noting "there's a giant chasm between the very good and the great, and U2 right now has a danger of surrendering to the very good." He reiterated those sentiments to The Hollywood Reporter in February when he noted that "to be relevant is a lot harder than to be successful." Such remarks were no doubt prompted in part by 2009 album No Line on the Horizon's disappointing sales figures, which at 1.1 million units in the United States were a third of 2004's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (3.3 million) and a fourth of 2000's All That You Can't Leave Behind (4.4 million), according to Nielsen SoundScan.

And U2's first two new tracks since No Line on the Horizon, though never officially touted as singles, have both gotten off to relatively quiet starts. "Ordinary Love," the Oscar-nominated song composed for Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, has sold 115,000 copies, peaking at No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 45 on the Digital Songs chart for the week ending March 2. "Invisible," initially launched through the Super Bowl, was downloaded for free 3 million times globally as part of a 24-hour campaign with iTunes, (RED) and Bank of America, thus making those downloads ineligible for Billboard's charts. The song has since started picking up steam at radio, peaking at No. 28 on the Alternative airplay chart and No. 15 on Rock Songs, with sales of 64,000 copies to date.

Teaming with current hitmakers like Tedder and Epworth, both key players in Adele's best-selling 21, would appear to be U2's play to take a step back from the "edge of relevance," as Bono said. As does tapping Guy Oseary to take the day-to-day reins of management while longtime manager Paul McGuinness goes into semi-retirement. (Live Nation acquired Oseary's Maverick Entertainment and McGuinness' Principle Management in November for a reported $30 million.)

Tedder, a previous U2 tourmate with his band OneRepublic, told Billboard in October that the current success of his group's spiritually minded "Counting Stars" was in line with the thoughts Bono shared with him about U2's approach to songwriting. "He said, 'I feel a responsibility to actually write and sing about things that have a level of human gravity to them,'" Tedder recalled, adding, "I have a feeling I'll be around [Bono] a lot more in the coming years."  

http://www.billboard.com/

Glenda lands Xposé Exclusive with Bono

In an exclusive for TV3, Xposé presenter Glenda Gilson gets up close and personal with U2 frontman Bono ahead of this year’s 86th Academy Awards.

Bono was more than happy to take time out from his busy schedule to chat to Glenda about being nominated for an Academy Award and U2’s impending performance at this year’s Oscars ceremony.

U2’s “Ordinary Love” from the film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom has beennominated by the Academy for ‘Best Original Song’, and although it is an unlikely winner, according to Bono, his main concern is doing the song justice by “connecting” on the night.

Speaking to Glenda from the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood, Bono said: “The Mandela film was very present around the world. In the United States, it [the film] didn’t have such a strong presence so I don’t know, but it’s just great to play it. Our job is to make these songs famous so being in front of a billion people or whatever, that’s really what it’s about, and I’m going to be very proud to sing the song. We really believe in the song.”

“People don’t know this but from going back in our teenage years in Dublin, the anti-apartheid thing was really big in Dublin and we did our first anti-apartheid benefit, I think we were about eighteen/nineteen years old, so we’ve been working for Mandela for a long time, so it means a great deal to us.

“But you know in the middle of all this schmaltz and Tinseltown glory, can we find it in ourselves to give a true performance? That’s really the question I’m asking. Can we connect? If we can connect then I feel there’s a reason to be there.”  

Bono also revealed to Glenda that he’s been hanging out with fellow nominee, English actor and comedian Steve Coogan who he describes as “Irish in every other way”. Bono said: “I’ve been meeting him; I met him at the Golden Globes at the Palm Springs Festival so I’m getting to know Steve. I was a big fan of Steve Coogan for years and years, so it’s great when you meet someone and they’re not actually an ass, they’re even better than you imagined.”

And when Glenda mentioned our very own Michael Fassbender, who is this year nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in 12 Years a Slave, Bono said: “I got a chance to hang out with him [Michael Fassbender] also and he is fantastic. He is someone that you or I would love to bump into if you were out of an evening. He’s just great fun.”

Glenda also spoke to Bono about his daughter Eve and her success as an up and coming actress. Proud dad Bono told Glenda about a new TV series that she will star in and also revealed how he was recently bypassed for an autograph: “Eve is flying. She’s got a TV series on HBO coming up with Steven Soderbergh directing. It was shot in New York. It’s a turn of the century thing set in New York, I think in 1920. 

“I was out with her in some restaurant the other day and somebody came up and asked me for an autograph, at least I thought, and I said “yeah”, and he just reached over to Eve. It was a great moment, really cool.”  

http://www.tv3.ie/

Nick Stewart describes how he signed U2 to their first major deal.

'I arrived at Island Records in August 1979 where my first signing as an A&R manager was a Manchester band called The Distractions. U2 were my second.'

In North Side Story, the exclusive book commissioned from Hot Press for U2.com's  2014 subscribers, Nick Stewart describes how he signed U2 to their first major deal. Now running his own music consultancy, we asked Nick to come up with the 15 tracks he'd always want to keep on his U2 Playlist .

1. 11 O'Clock Tick Tock 

It was a pretty wild and woolly night in Dublin, when I first saw U2 on their home turf in January 1980. The National Stadium, used for boxing in the normal course of things, was packed; when the band came out, the stage was stormed and Bono was briefly submerged  under a crowd of frenzied fans. Order was restored. The Edge kicked hard into the opening chords of 11 O’Clock Tick Tock. I can see it and hear it 34 years later, as if it was yesterday. I wasn’t sure what I was watching or just how big it could be, but I sensed it was destined to become significant. It certainly thrilled me. The song was then recorded by Martin Hannett (Joy Division, A Certain Ratio & The Durutti Column) at Strawberry Studios in Manchester  and became the bands’ first single on Island. 

2. I Will Follow 

I always thought this had to be a hit in 1980 when it first came out. It had a lot of the early U2 trademarks – soaring vocal, powerful guitar, pounding rhythm section and  bags of energy. While it received some radio play and press support, it failed to enter the charts, but remains a favourite at concerts. 

3. The Unforgettable Fire 

The choice of Brian Eno as producer for this album had raised a few eyebrows in Island Records, but an extraordinary and groundbreaking album emerged and took U2 to a new level. Overlaid with a new aural landscape of  mystery and imagination,  Eno combined with the band to produce a new sophistication of writing and playing matched by the drama and power of Bono’s vocals. The gamechanger. 

4. Pride (In The Name of Love) 

For my money, not only one of U2's greatest singles, but one of the great vocal performances on a single of all time. After this, nothing seemed to be the same again. Bono had joined the ranks of Cocker, Stewart, Daltrey and Plant as a pre-eminent rock vocalist. 

5. Where the Streets Have No Name 

The opening track of The Joshua Tree begins with a mood synth, slowly building over the first forty-five seconds, as The Edge's pounding rhythm guitar starts to creep in. At 1'10", Adam's bass line propels the track to a new level alongside The Edge’s driving guitar work. At 1'47" – most singles are more than halfway through at this point – Bono bursts in with "I want to run, I want to hide" and we’re off on the whirlwind journey that was to be the enormous success of The Joshua Tree. One of the greatest opening tracks to any album, ever. 

6. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For 

With The Joshua Tree, U2 became the first act to sell 1 million CD’s and with this track, and  of course, the rest of the album, they conquered the world. The album was brim full of great tunes, fabulous ideas and swept all before them. The Joshua Tree rightly stands as one of the great rock albums of all time. 

7. When Love Comes To Town

I’ve always admired the way the band forge alliances with great artists. There’s nothing remarkable about this track, but I just love the interplay of the vocals from Bono and BB King and then the guitar playing of BB King and The Edge. 

8. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 

Achtung Baby was famously described as the sound of four men chopping down The Joshua Tree; this was the sound of the crash as it fell to the ground. The Berlin location - the record was made as the wall was coming down - unleashed some fiery  'wild horses'  all over this timeless album. See 'From The Sky Down',  the documentary made for the reissue of Achtung Baby  in September 2011, for a fascinating peek behind the making of the album. 

9. One 

If there was ever such a thing as a grungy ballad, this would qualify as a prime example. It’s not what one expects, which makes it all the more mysterious. Destined to become a timeless classic and a staple of Valentine-themed CD’s. 

10. Love Is Blindness 

A sepulchral organ begins the final track on Achtung Baby and all is despair and darkness. The Edge’s guitar, jags and quivers its way through the track, in a way unheard before or since. One of the great gems of their catalogue.

11. The Wanderer (With Johnny Cash) 

Bono said it had to be Johnny Cash singing this song. He was right as J C's haunting delivery gave it terrific resonance. As a result  it remains one of the great works in U2’s canon, because everything about it is perfect and is one of my favourite U2 tracks of all time, as Cash is a particular hero of mine. 

12. Miss Sarajevo (Featuring Luciano Pavarotti) 

The Passengers album remains the great unrecognised album from U2 as it contains so many extraordinary, largely unheard moments. This magisterial track, however,  was heard  all over the world. Bono’s gentle soft vocals give no real clue of the drama to come. When LP makes his entrance the sound  is liable to make strong men weep and is, along with The Wanderer, another  exceptional collaboration. 

13. Beautiful Day 

Gorgeous song, gorgeous production, gorgeous record along with "Pride" their greatest single. Rightly, this stops traffic and gets radio's turned up.

14. Kite 

I've always believed this song to be about Bono losing his father and it's one of the most heart-wrenching songs the band ever recorded. It would certainly be my U2 Desert Island Disc and the one track I always refer people to, to prove the power and the magic of the bands songwriting and playing. 

15. City Of Blinding Lights

'Atomic Bomb' is a much underrated U2 album and I love the atmospheric and all-embracing sound of this track. It's the stand out track on an album I play as often as any other.

www.U2.com//http://u2hellas.blogspot.com.ar/

Bono to address EPP summit on Europe’s role in world

U2 singer invited to speak by Taoiseach Enda Kenny

U2 singer Bono will address centre-right leaders including German chancellor Angela Merkel at today’s summit in Dublin of the European People’s Party, Fine Gael’s European affiliate.

Bono will attend the event on foot of an invitation from Taoiseach Enda Kenny and speak on Europe’s role in the world. He will stress that his engagement with EPP leaders is non-partisan politically and part of his ongoing dialogue with global leaders.

“For all this progress, for all these achievements, nearly 60 years after the Treaty of Rome, Europe is an economic entity that still needs to become a social entity,” he will say. “Europe is a thought that needs to become a feeling.”

Bono will attend as a representative of the One campaign against extreme poverty, a group which argues that it is crucial for European leaders to introduce measures to make it more difficult to move money secretly around the world.

The One campaign believes money secretly moved from sub-Saharan Africa through the financial system amounts to some €38.6bn per year, greater than the €29.8 billion the region receives in developmental aid from wealthy western countries.

Bono will call at the EPP meeting for action in European law to introduce public registers of the ownership of “phantom firms” and off-shore companies and trusts.

“Right now your ministers . . . and your members of the European Parliament. are working on another law that could help transform the lives for the poor, and the rest of us, too,” he will say.

“It’s a law to inject daylight into the financial system to stop corrupt monies vanishing to ‘safe’ havens and combat money laundering.”

He’s also expected to praise recent initiatives to foster transparency in the trading of minerals, and say that the European politicians did something remarkable last year by passing laws which mean that “wealth under the ground” is more likely to benefit citizens of countries which are resource rich yet economically poor.

“Legislation that requires oil, gas, and mining companies to tell us how much money they pay to governments in countries – mostly poor countries – where they operate,” he will say.

“The values bound up in the legislation are justice, fairness and responsibility to stop playing our part in this corruption.”

http://www.irishtimes.com/

http://www.one.org

ACTIONS.SPEAK.LOUDER.

"Ordinary Love" by Matt Cermanski

On Thursday February 27,the "Oscar Concert", an event organized for the first time by the Academy as part of the Week Awards, was held at the Royce Hall in Los Angeles .Each of the compositions / scores and original songs nominated   were interpreted.

"Ordinary Love" was sung by  Matt Cermanski, not U2 as had been rumored at the beginning. Cermanski has risen to fame thanks to his participation in the 5th season of the television show "The Voice" and he has  recently released his first album "Long Road Home".

www.U2Valencia.com 

U2 need to be respected like Joyce or Beckett... they helped put Ireland on the cultural map

Irish studies lecturer Visnja Cogan reflects on a catalogue of music that has left its mark

U2 are a hugely important part of the Irish cultural landscape. Their body of work helped change the course of Irish music and it deserves to be treated in the same light as the great writers – Joyce and Beckett – and filmmakers like Neil Jordan.

I used to get raised eyebrows when I said that to fellow academics in the past, but not so much now because there is more of an acceptance that U2 are important artists.

I first became aware of the band when I heard 'New Year's Day' in late 1982. I was still a teenager then and the song moved me greatly. I thought it was the work of very special musicians and even when I listen to it all these years later, I think it stands up very well.

U2 helped open the door to Ireland for me. It was clear from their earliest work that they had really interesting things to say about their native country. There's still great power in 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' – it really captures the unrest in Northern Ireland at the time. Similarly, a song like 'Running to Stand Still' has much to say about the deprived Dublin that Bono grew up in.

U2 really helped put Ireland on the map in the 1980s – and they continue to do so. They had huge ambition from the start and were not afraid to say that they wanted to be the biggest band in the world. Their success would surely have helped to make other Irish musicians, writers and artists think, 'why not us too?'

Their great strength has been in the live realm – and they have changed the course of stadium rock forever. Each subsequent live tour is more spectacular than the last – they have a real sense of the theatrical.

Now, when I listen to new U2 songs, I ask myself how they will sound live. I think 'Unknown Caller' from their most recent album, No Line on the Horizon, worked really well on the 360° Tour.

It is remarkable that they have lasted as long as they have – and there have been several creative peaks: The Unforgettable Fire in 1984 is a masterpiece, a truly, great album; then you have the Achtung Baby/Zooropa period in the early 1990s in which they successfully reinvented themselves; and the All That You Can't Leave Behind album in 2000 made them relevant in a new decade.

They still want to release albums that make big statements and are worthwhile. Yet, like many of their admirers, I would like to see them be more spontaneous and bring out an album like Zooropa which arrived just 18 months after Achtung Baby.

I wonder if the change in manager will have any effect, good or bad on their creativity. I like both Ordinary Love and Invisible, so I look forward to seeing what they can come up with next.

Visnja Cogan lectures in Irish studies at the prestigious Paris 7 University and is the author of U2: An Irish Phenomenon

http://www.independent.ie/