“Bono and I are working on some crazy kind of sci-fi Irish folk music.” U2 guitarist The Edge says the band are recording with Brian Eno, but not on the “noisy, uncompromising, unreasonable guitar album” Bono promised
· louderBy Paul Brannigan
published 26 November 2024
U2 are working on new music, but not the kind of raw, rowdy music they've been talking up over the past few years
U2 guitarist The Edge has revealed that the band are working on new music, but perhaps not the kind of music that anyone was anticipating.
Last year, frontman Bono told The New York Times that he wanted to make a “noisy, uncompromising, unreasonable guitar album”, stating “Right now I want to write the most unforgiving, obnoxious, defiant, fuck-off-to-the-pop-charts rock ‘n’ roll song that we’ve ever made.”
“I don’t think the world is waiting on the next U2 album,” Bono later admitted to Mojo magazine's Danny Eccleston. “I think we have to give them a reason to be interested in it. I just want to write great tunes, because that’s where U2 started – with big choruses, clear ideas. And let’s go back there, but do it with some petrol and some matches.”
However, this does not appear to be where the band's heads are at at this moment in time, if The Edge's comments to BBC Radio 2 DJ Jo Whiley yesterday (November 25) are to be believed.
During the conversation, The Edge revealed that he and Bono have been working in Dublin with ambient music pioneer Brian Eno.
“Bono and I are working on some crazy kind of sci-fi Irish folk music,” he says. “Which could end up becoming a part of the new U2 album. We’re not sure yet, we’ll see.”
Teasing that “a bunch [of] beautiful, Irish musicians” could be contributing, the guitarist added, “Part of our kind of process is to go so widely away from, off track, and the sort of the process of bringing things back on track is kind of how you get sort of unique sounding music.”
“We’re at that great phase where we don’t have to over think it, we’re just making music and loving that process. And then we’ll figure out where things belong afterwards.”
U2's last album of new material, Songs Of Experience, was released in 2017.
Get the Louder Newsletter
The latest news, features and interviews direct to your inbox, from the global home of alternative music.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
More about louder
My Bloody Valentine announce first show in seven years
Latest
"It was a pretty horrible affair to deal with from a creative point of view": Fish on his solo career, the state of prog and the 'youth of today'
See more latest ►
Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder
A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.
Most Popular
Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp break out the star-spangled bunting to celebrate Thanksgiving
Black Stone Cherry, Michael Schenker and more announced for Maid Of Stone festival
Asymmetric Universe share video for "technically challenging" new single Opaco
Exist Immortal share video for anthemic and punchy new single By Design
Sammy Hagar determined not to take bad blood with Alex Van Halen to his grave
More about louder
My Bloody Valentine announce first show in seven years
Latest
"It was a pretty horrible affair to deal with from a creative point of view": Fish on his solo career, the state of prog and the 'youth of today'
See more latest ►