According to Rolling Stone Magazine, the Irish superstars U2
have canned their 15th album, which will be released later
in the year.
The lead single is called Street Of Dreams and an accompanying video
was shot with the band performing on a bus in Mexico City (not on the
roof of a building in Los Angeles, like they did way back in 1987 for the clip
of Where The Streets Have No Name).
Band: PULP Track: BEGGING FOR CHANCE
One of the 23 tracks performed by big-name bands/artists on a new album,
named Help, with all benefits going to War Child. An organisation that shapes
systems that protect and support the well-being of children affected by conflict.
The record is out on March 6th. More info here.
TUTV: The common people of Pulp rock out for charity.
War Child UK: Website
——————————————————————————————————————————-
Band: SPECIAL FRIEND Who: French-American indie
guitar pop, based in Paris.
Track: CLIPPING
New appetizer from their upcoming 3rd album, named Clipping. It’ll arrive on March 20th. More info here.
TUTV: Lazy groovin’, lazy movin’. Echoes of slacker rock.
Track: AMERICAN OBITUARY
Opening piece from their brand new anti-political
violence EP, titled DAYS OF ASH, featuring 6 songs.
TUTV: I wondered when Bono would jump on the fence and critise, rightfully so, all BS going on right now in the US. Here he is with his mates translating their dissatisfaction with Trump’s Ubermensch politics into a raucous rocker.
Artist: THUNDERCAT Who: Singer-songwriter, record producer, and bass player
from Los Angeles, California, doing his thing since 2000
Track: SHE KNOWS TOO MUCH
Single from his forthcoming 5th LP, first in six years, called Distracted.
Out April 3rd. It features vocals by the late rapper Mac Miller (1992-2008),
a good friend and multiple collaborator of his.
It went #1 in most European countries and #3 in the US
AllMusic‘s editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine said: “It’s U2’s return to the generous
spirit that flowed through their best ’80s records. A clever and craftsmanlike record,
filled with nifty twists in the arrangements, small sonic details, and colors.”
Turn Up The Volume: Along with ‘Achtung Baby‘ the Irish stadium rockers’
best work to mye ars. All killers, no fillers. They found what they were looking
for. Eat your heart out U2 haters and Bono mockers.
U2 released their debut longplayer,
named BOY on 20 October 1980,
today 45 years ago.
It was produced by Steve Lillywhite who worked with legendary artists
such as XTC, Big Country, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Simple Minds, Ultravox,
Psychedelic Furs, Toyah, David Byrne, Talking Heads, and Kirsty MacColl.
The ‘boy’ on the LP’s cover is Peter Rowen, the younger brother
of Guggi then a member of the Virgin Prunes and close friend
of Bono.
It (only) got to #52 in the UK and #63 in the US, but kept on selling many copies
over the years once the band got more an more famous with every release.
Sounds (former legendary British music weekly) wrote: “U2 achieve
a rare mixture of innocence and aggression. There’s an overall feeling of
loving care and energy intertwined with simplistic and direct hooks and
chords”.
BONO: “God’s Spirit moves through us and the world at a pace that
can never be constricted by any one religious paradigm. I love that.”
Turn Up The Volume: The first signs of messianic stadium rock.
Bono has found what he was looking for by now, with or without
you, on the streets with no name. Hallelujah, it’s a beautiful day
when we are all ‘one’.
Irish superstars U2 released their king-sized hit BEAUTIFUL DAY today, 25 years ago, on 9 Oct 2000.
It was the opener of their formidable (along with Achtung Baby my 2 fav U2 LPs)
10th album All That You Can’t Leave Behind, produced by Brian Eno and Daniel
Lanois.
The song was a huge commercial success, helping launch the album to multi-platinum status, and is one of U2’s biggest hits to date. No. 1 in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and several European countries.
Bono explained that the upbeat track is about
losing everything but still finding joy in what one has.
Beautiful Day won 3 Grammy Awards. The Irishmen have played it at every
one of their concerts since the song’s live debut on the Elevation Tour in 2001.
On 13th July 1985, 40 years ago today, the massive concert marathon LIVE AID
was held, organized by artists/musicians Bob Geldof (The Boomtown Rats) and Midge
Ure (Ultravox) to raise funds for the devastating Ethiopian famine.
Announced as the ‘global jukebox’, the event was held simultaneously
at Wembley Stadium in London for 72,000 people, and at John F.
Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia with a crowd of 89,500. And an
audience of 1.9 billion TV viewers across 150 nations, that’s nearly
40% of the world population.
