u2 gets iphones

making me laugh ...

if she ditches you to meet some guy named marco, she’s from new york

paul mccartney talks to the internetz

yesterday, i had to go to a part of the city where all the tourists and people in suits are. blech. i only go to these places (ever) to avoid being fired and/or if there are free drinks. or rock stars.

anyway, i was walking past the apple store, so i took a picture of this dude getting his 15 minutes by waiting on line all week to buy an iphone. about an hour later it started pouring and that was nice, so when i got home i took a picture of the sky because it looked cool even if you can't tell from my picture. trust me.




~ latez

edge talks to hot press magazine

On the recent songwriting sessions in Morocco:
It was one of those ideas that wouldn’t go away. Bono suggested it a good while ago. He throws out ideas a lot, and a lot of them do not necessarily get met with the greatest enthusiasm. I would probably be the one most ready to go for it, Adam is fairly easygoing, Larry is hard to persuade a lot of times. In this case, to everyone’s amazement, Larry pretty early on went, “I think there’s something to this; it sounds like a good idea.”

How different is it having Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois contribute as musicians?
Well, they’ve always chipped in on the playing front, so in that sense it’s not so radical, but I think having it being a joint project has changed the emphasis slightly, and I have to say the chemistry that operates between the six of us is extraordinary. It’s the four, it’s the U2 thing, but it’s given another twist with Brian and Danny.

Are these songwriting sessions for a U2 album or an extra-curricular endeavour?
It’s a U2 project, and one of the luxuries we’ve afforded ourselves is not to have to think about exactly what it will be or how it’ll be finished or when it’ll be released. Right now, we’re so enjoying the idea of making music for the sake of making music that we want to keep that going as long as is financially possible. And of course, at some point we’ll have to sit down and say, “Well, what have we got; is this one record, two records? Or is it a 12 inch single?” (Laughs). Then take it from there. ... read more here


hmmmmmm.....

[mp3]
stereophonics - don't let me down
(acoustic version). this is from the mr. writer single.

your mouth was dry like when you were about to lie

irish rock star bono's pretend girlfriend angela merkel and irish rock star bono's pretend boyfriend jose barroso exchange looks they normally reserve for their respective pretend boyfriend, irish rock star bono. [photo via].

kind of related:
polish mag: mocks the merkel with faux topless pic
the merkel: similar to a wild cat

new muse: man of mystery

even though i have this rule about not seeing anybody in an arena. ever. i break it for special occasions. (use your imagination). it's not really that i think arena shows are so bad. sometimes, even for not-my-favorite bands, they are an interesting affair. but they just tend to be so freaktastically overpriced.

anyway, muse is playing madison square garden this summer. arena. in summer. blech. still, i am so there. these guys are so into the spectacle. i need to see it. their wembley shows? especially the band's over-the-top entrance? slightly poptastically spinal tap(ish).

the thing about muse at msg: it is cheap. (relatively speaking). i am pretty sure it won't even sell out, which is kind of funny since i just bought a copy of the nme with muse on the cover and it says they are the world's biggest band. this is not possible. muse tickets for the garden have been on sale for months. and months. there are blogger ads pimping that shizz all over the place. and still, it is not sold out. dear muse: you are the biggest band in the nme. that's it. (plus i love your shoes.)

so, anyway,muse recorded a song called "man of mystery" as an nme exclusive. the song is less than 2 minutes long. it contains no words.

[mp3]
muse - man of mystery
(nme exclusive track).

for a live track from one of the recent muse shows at wembley, go here.

i edited out the part where bono compares record-making to sausage-making

anyone wondering how angela merkel will handle this week’s tricky negotiations in brussels should hear what her pretend boyfriend bono has to say...

also:

more dish from morocco via u2.com
they are gonna milk this for a while after it's done i guess.

choice passage: As Larry gets set at his kit and Adam writes out some chords, Edge begins tuning a mandolin which is the signal for Eno to get back to his MacBook and keyboard and his own place in the songwriting circle.

So, if pushed, how far along the way does Eno feel they have got so far ? "There’ll be some differences of opinion about which things will constitute a record," he says. "But we have a lot of pieces. My general rule is that I’m only interested in things I have never heard anything like before - and we’ve got plenty of those!"

For the next four hours, except for a short break for supper, the house reverberates to the sound of six musicians working on two more songs. It is detailed, repetitive, laborious work, each take followed by discussion on where it isn’t working or how it could change – and then by another take...

... These people have been here before – there are very few distractions in Fez and so the music takes all the attention. And by the end of the night, one of the songs is sounding like it's going to go the distance. Eno seems to agree. As another take begins he starts jogging with unconcealed glee at his desk, does a quick pirouette and plays the first note on his keyboard… behind his back.

nothing is wrong, but something ain't right

got a chance to check this photo exhibit out (see above). pretty rad.

i've been rifling through a friend's cardboard box full of old cds, all in pastic sleeves, no cases. he has a lot of random stuff. loads of crappy beatles covers compilations. a few interesting songs on this old one - shared vision: songs of the beatles.

[mp3]
here comes the sun - richie havens
this is on that above-mentioned compilation. i read on wikifreakinpedia that the richie havens version of this song landed on the billboard charts, while the beatles version did not.

totally, completely, absolutely unrelated:

[mp3]
instant karma - u2 (live version)
portland, december 19, 2005. interactive happiness. i enjoy the momentary rasta angle the bono decides to almost take before heading into happy christmas near the end. man, i think i might have a crush on that guy. or something. (you can download the whole portland show here.)

if you are interested in the studio version of instant karma by u2 you should go here.

~ later gators

i have to say

i'm really glad bono decided not to go to uconn.

and i'm really happy about that morocco thing. even though it's over now. i guess.

i'm super busy with super-awesomeness right now.

~ catch ya later

magnets

take your hands out of your pockets and get your face adjusted

just because he is rich and has a nice haircut doesn't mean he can't be serious about fighting poverty
that story is not about the bono.

so, i came back from a western journey and the first thing i did was go to the laundromat. i went there wearing a mets t-shirt. do you know what happened? some white-haired guy with a little phone clipped to his ear looked at me and said "i hate the mets" and then kept walking. i love new york.

the second thing i did was take a nap. i woke up out of a sound sleep and i was wondering, holy crap, is bono going to go with a treo or an iphone? and i couldn't fall back asleep.

then i read this exclusively excellent interview with the bono
it's about music. the kind we haven't heard yet. the best kind.

~ later

common: weapon of change

hip-hop artist common is the new face of converse (product)red. the brand's fall 2007 advertising campaign is entitled “weapon of change” and encourages consumers to be optimistic rebels and become agents of change. the converse (product)red weapon shoe will be available in the u.s. at foot locker, footaction and champs sports and on converse.com. it isn't something i'd be in line to buy, but from where i am standing, this is a good thing.

read about it.

~ latez

seen on sunday (chuckle)

evil mofo bird

i saw it in nevada. black with a blue tint. mean. for real.

also: looks like the bono busted out the purple shirt this week.

also, also: analysis of the (bush) vanity fair covers.

last night i slept in a sleeping bag.

later

i was here ...

but i've moved on. yay. the video from my camera phone has a weird watermark on it when i transfer it to imovie. f*ckers.

anyway anyway anyway ... is instant karma gonna get you?

(ir)regular posting to resume ... someday.

~ latez

guess the animal on bono's head

hopefully we can avoid a repeat of the panda bear hamster debacle. yeah, you know what i mean, peeps.

i'm out in the desert, but heather has a great zoo tv u2 bootleg for you.

carry that weight (audio)

[mp3]
carry that weight - bono, youssou n'dour, bob geldof, campino
beatles covers, live at the p8 concert in germany a few days ago. brief speech at the beginning. bono starts the song about 30 seconds in.

i know some fans were disappointed edge did not appear, but i have to say, i really enjoyed watching bono and geldof on stage together. making the music. i mean, it's not like edge would have snarled like geldof.

above tune: bono, from the 32 second mark to the 1:15 mark, singing the intro "you never give me your money" - is quite nice. you sort of wish he would have sung the whole song just like that all by himself. he is then joined in by geldof, youssou n'dour and german artist campino (who also helps bono translate his speech in the very beginning of this clip). it turns into a sort of mess, with geldof strumming away and yelling out the names of all the g8 politicians, challenging them to "carry that weight."

i like it.

thanks to merc for the audio. more info on the concert here . video of bono and bob on bbc yesterday is here.

video of my friend breaking some of my posessions on purpose (as a favor, like) and me being told to shush and then forcibly shushed while ruining the video is here. (you can hear the giggles if you listen hard.) sorry for that cryptic-nonsense thought. this all makes sense to me and that's what matters.

i'm on my way out west for a few days. will be super-busy being super-serious in super-important job thing. (maybe). will send dispatches from road. (maybe).

~ peace

memory and shadow

yesterday when i was walking home i saw the sky turning colors.

so i'm a vain pop star, what can i tell you?

listen to the bono on npr and/or read the transcript
(from this morning)

watch the bono at the p8 concert in germany yesterday.
(the part with gronemeyer where bono sings in german is, um, not great.).
but geldof, bono, youssou n’dour and others banged out a pretty ramshackle acoustic punk rock set of marley and beatles tunes. it sounded sketchy, but at least it had some attitude. and the intro of bono singing "you never give me your money" - just the voice - i really very super highly enjoyed that part. he sort of hit that bonomotional plain and it made me go "oh my freaking gahhh ... wow." (or something like that). and geldof calling out the names of all the politicians and the giant heads of the politicians coming on stage a la zoo tv. nice. the rest was, eh. still now, my peeps, who has the mp3s?!?

matthias muehlbradt took some great photos (see above & below). click here for more.

more of that bono guy, new and improved, with slightly more anger

watch this cnn video from yesterday.
the bono wants to smash his glasses. (can i help?! please?) the word "slithering" may have been used to describe G8 politicians. nice.

watch nightline video from last night
(suit and tie bono)

aol is streaming video from the "voices against poverty" concert in germany right now. i think bono will be on at 1:30-ish (eastern) time today.

(thanks to all for the tips.)

~ my life is a mess, but his hair is perfect.

how many times do i need to tell you?

the merkel says: "it's me or her, bono. you need to tell oprah to step off. now."

yer man in germany today. bono swines and dines at the G8. photo via + [click for more].

i also have a post here.

~ latez

so graydon, since i'm the editor, my name totally gets to go on the cover in big letters, right? awesome. i'll do it.

see all 20 covers and much more on vanityfair.com. bono will be on nightline tonight on abc.

abc news story / huffington post story

we can't get enough of you, baby

williamsburgedge.com you need to click that link just to enjoy the intro few seconds of the edge word overtaking your screen. (thanx for the photo).

also:

bono and ali were honored by the fashion industry last night
the hewsons were not in attendance, and appeared via video to accept a humanitarian award for their work with edun. they were introduced by actor djimon hounsou, who said "these are two people that remind us that `conscious' is always in fashion."

in case you were not aware, there is now a live edun online store where you can spend money.

also, also: a few interesting tunes making the rounds this week.

u2spain posted the casa de angeles remix of original of the species. to me, it has a maroon 5 vibe. but some people seem to dig it.

[mp3] original of the species (casa de angeles remix)

u2 live journal posted three tracks worth having. they are from a live in-studio radio promo cd recorded in the run-up to the elevation tour. (more info here). elevation in particular is a bit edgier and rougher in the guitar area, and (it has been suggested) a bit, um, HOTTER, in the vocal area.

[mp3] beautiful day (live in studio)
[mp3] stuck in a moment (live in studio)
[mp3] elevation (live in studio)

i have issues

seriously, i saw this ny transit museum ad on the subway today and i had some visions of morocco. i even went up close to see if could hear what was going on there. no luck. (inaudible and gruff).

also:

article: love from africa
which says of vanity fair editor bono: he's smart and down to earth + the magazine's ad pages = way up. absent from that article are comments from the production peeps at vanity fair going "20 covers!? is this little irish mofo crazy!?" (thanx for the tip, brenda!)

+ bono is buying your treo making you crazy

~ latez

cut the red wire or cut the blue wire

[mp3]
bomb squad - motocade

certainly i should be waiting patiently
but it’s not in my nature
certainly evil so evil
backstabbing it’s infectious

that song = melodic, catchy and guitary and if you listen to the whole thing you might be struck by the surprisingly awesome and sweet rocker boy falsetto that emerges. simple enough, polished and pop, but i like it. it makes me smile. every time i listen to it.

motocade are from new zealand. and they are bent enough to agree to answer some of my silly questions. so here ya go, five questions with eden mulholland, the lead singer of motocade.

Q: How would you describe your music, for those not familiar with it?
Eden: Rock music that's melodic, intense and slightly quirky.

Q: What is your definition of a perfect live concert experience?
Eden: Playing intimate venues with loads of people up front screaming the words.

Q: Can you suggest a particularly good pick-up line I can use on boys next time I am in New Zealand?
Eden: Care to spoon with me?

Q: When you were a kid, who was the first band you really loved and why?
Eden: Radiohead. Their music was a big influence initially.

Q: Can you tell me a secret?
Eden: Eden used to be a contemporary dancer.

(video below = motocade performing a cover of hey ya)



visit: motocade on myspace

~ peace

do you see what i see?

holy daniel lanois, brian eno and u2 in morocco, batman. thanx alicia. and, er, u2.com.

~ peace

schluss damit! jetzt!

geldof makes splash as bild editor
bob geldof guest-edited today's issue of the german tabloid bild, replacing the usual gossip-heavy front page with this:



the headline says "end this! now!"

germany's chancellor, angela merkel, will host the G8 summit next week, where she has pledged to make africa a high-profile issue.

bono's contribution to this issue of bild includes this thought:




one

do cameras exist in morocco?

how about hard to detect miniature recording devices? spy equipment? funny fake moustaches that help you sneak into places you aren't meant to be? come on, morocco. we know you can do it. audio. video. a poorly pixelated camera phone photo. something. please.

also:

article: can africa be saved by private aid?
bono on the "new germans."

plus, you really need to click on this related article just so you can see the photo. someone want to tell them that ain't bono?

and...still more bono confusion. (sonny).

~ later