Scatter O' Light

happy #52 to the bono

cara — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:29:32 +0000

U2 playing Out of Control in Belfast, 1981.

Bono and Glen Hansard at The Living Room in NYC: The Auld Triangle

cara — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:48:14 +0000

Update: Nice video on Vimeo by Patrick Glennon.

Glen Hansard w/ Bono “The Auld Triangle” from Patrick Glennon on Vimeo.

Alternate Video (above) via @threesunrises : Glen Hansard played an intimate acoustic show at the Living Room in New York City on May 8, 2012 and was joined by surprise guest, Bono, to perform The Auld Triangle.

Some photos via the twitterverse: Photo / Photo / Photo / Photo / Photo

LET’S GO KNICKS. [LMJ 2009 flashback]

cara — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:34:32 +0000

Remember that interview that drummer did that one time in 2009 at that game by some basketball team in some city in some arena? Oh yes, Larry Mullen Jr. interviewed at halftime of a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden in 2009.

I wonder how many Bud Lights Jr. drank before that interview.

Totally related: Let’s Go Knicks.

No Line on the Horizon was not “Finished” ?

cara — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:44:24 +0000

A little late on the uptake on this, I know, but I just read David Fricke’s excellent/interesting interview with Jimmy Iovine in the April 11, 2012 issue of Rolling Stone. It was good, and a portion was about his work with U2, but one question and response in particular made me sort of laugh. (Out loud. On a plane. Where everyone else was sleeping. But whatev.)

As the head of their record company, what was your opinion of U2′s last album, “No Line on the Horizon”?
Jimmy Iovine: It wasn’t finished. The way they record — they don’t go, “OK, we have eight songs. Now we’re up to the ninth.” Forget it. The end of one song is the hook in the next one. The Edge comes in upside down, at the last minute. Bono is in five studios. [Shrugs] They didn’t finish it.

The reason the above made me laugh is just because:
A) we’ve already used the “it was not finished” excuse for POP.
B) I thought Bono was going with the “we put out a really difficult record”, oh yeah we so art house baby, excuse.
and… C) how in the eff can these dudes not finish records in five-year time spans?
also… D) I guess it’s mostly funny because it’s maybe true. I ain’t gonna pretend I know more about U2 than Jimmy Iovine does.

But…. was the album really not finished? Or was it too finished? Hmmm.

Pre-finished:

Related:

A couple of other questions and answers from the Iovine article:

Did U2′s 360 Tour mark the end of something for them — or rock in general? How do you get any bigger than that?
Iovine: It’s almost as if you can’t build certain types of bridges anymore, because that labor is gone and that kind of steel is not there. I don’t know how you build a U2 again, because of all of the things that came together then: punk, the club scene, CDs.
But those guys are the most resourceful in rock. U2 have an extraordinary future. They have been through everything and still want it more than most bands. They’re current, and they care. They’ll easily be doing this as long as the Stones. Mick and Keith created incredible stuff together, but the whole world knows their dynamic affected their writing. Bono and Edge’s dynamic has not fallen apart. They finish a three-year tour. They go on vacation, and their houses are next door to each other. I mean, you can barely do that with your wife.

Have you talked with them about the next U2 record?
Iovine: That’s all we talk about.

What have you told them?
Iovine: Don’t book a tour till the album’s done. I know that sounds simple, right? But there’s nothing else they’re missing.

Bono’s hair is experimenting with some new ideas.

cara — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:58:09 +0000

Bono’s hair appeared on two separate pre-taped TV appearances during the past few days. Based on the video evidence, the hair appears to be experimenting with some new ideas.

Video recaps:

Bono introduces Dierks Bentley on Academy of Country Music Awards

Bono briefly appears in Damien Hirst-The First Look presented by Channel 4 (Bono’s hair appears at the 6:58 mark)

You might have questions about this new direction Bono’s hair is taking. Maybe you love it. Maybe you don’t. (Even though you should! It’s taking a chance people. It refuses to stagnate!) Or maybe you’re like, “this hair appears to be just like the last hair to me.” Um, No. But whatever, maybe you’re just not sure which way you’re leaning. May we suggest you lean to the right, like Bono’s hair is doing?

The cold truth is, since we don’t know when these appearances were actually taped, we can’t even be sure THIS HAIR EVEN EXISTS ANYMORE. Though it does cause one to wonder if there is any truth to the rumor that this is one of three separate hairstyles Bono is working on at the same time.

Where will the hair go from here? We wait. with. anticipation.

Just the bang and the clatter as 360 left town

cara — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:18:57 +0000

Friday flashback. Yep, it was such a long time ago. They were such young men back then. All those months ago in Moncton. I do Love this:

It’s possible U2 is in the studio working on a new album. So you should probably start holding your breath right now for that next album to drop.

-heh-

Here’s your requisite U2-themed St. Patrick’s Day weekend flashback

cara — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:09:30 +0000

Happy Friday.

Also recommended: Bono and Edge on the TFI Friday show, St. Patrick’s Day 2000 Part 1 (interview) / Part 2 (The Ground Beneath Her Feet)

“He was famous way before he was famous.”

cara — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:03:55 +0000

Happy 52nd birthday, Adam Clayton.

Flashback: Love the little anecdote about high school Adam in this clip:

(Clip is from the Music Of Ireland documentary. More clips are here ).

So bad it’s good? Or just… bad? (I’ll always love you, Red Hill Mining Town video)

cara — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:26:48 +0000

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the release of that album called The Joshua Tree, I’m just gonna watch this video that the band let Neil Jordan make that one time. The one they buried for all those years before finally (for some reason!) releasing it 20 years later. You know, the one where they are all sweaty in that mine and Bono has on that tank top and he keeps creeping up behind Larry and singing desperately at his back, kinda like he wants them to be miner boyfriends. And Larry avoids eye contact by pretending to be all busy banging on some miner kinda stuff with his miner hammer. And Bono is prancing and pleading and wailing all around the mine because he might be a miner BUT HE’S STILL BONO. And Edge and Adam are like “what are we doing here? but hey, guys, here are some birds—catch!”

Anyway, yeah:

We know that supposedly Red Hill Mining Town was going to be The Joshua Tree album’s second single until they realized Bono couldn’t quite sing the song live. (Never been played!) But really they saw this video and were like: “Hmmm. Wait. What? Nooooo!”

Whatever, dudes! I’ll always love you Red Hill Mining Town video. Yeah you’re easy to laugh at and of course you’re cheesy. But if we pause you at just the right moments, you are actually kinda cute.

- xo -

Interviews with The Edge

cara — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:55:57 +0000

The Edge is a producer of an MTV special on youth homelessness that is airing tonight.

Edge discussed this in an interview with The Wrap [read]. The article also has a very brief U2/music-related mention.

The Edge said U2 is “slowly starting to think about work,” but the band is in no rush to get back to the studio, despite a wealth of material. Instead, it’s listening to a lot of music. After we talked about the special, he told us what he’s playing lately.

And can you say what you’re listening to now?
Edge: There’s a very interesting album called “The English Riviera” by Metronomy. It’s quite an interesting record. It’s kind of timeless but very quirky. But also very fresh. I’m enjoying that. Foster the People just for pure melody is great. And Bon Iver – I love the innovation of that sonically. It’s a very interesting record.

And here’s a video interview with The Edge on CNN.