Top Story: U2 Signs $50 Million Deal To Re-Release Songs In 'Best Of' Packages In a deal reportedly worth $50 million, U2 have agreed to produce three more albums for the Polygram conglomerate which controls and acts as distributor for their long-time label, Island Records. The unique deal, brokered by manager Paul McGuinnes, doesn't require the band to record any new material, according to reports in the British press, which state that the band is simply obligated to compile three 'Best Of' collections. With nine U.S. studio albums under their belt, the band has issued two live collections - 1983's Under a Blood Red Sky, which mixed older material with selections from the at-the-time recently released War album, and the 1985 EP Wide Awake In America, which included live interpretations of tracks from the then-just-released The Unforgettable Fire. Additionally, the band has issued a sizable number of B-Sides on the various singles released from their studio efforts. While details of the collections are not yet known, it's very likely that the sets could divide the band's output into a collection of the aforementioned B-Sides, another collection focusing on the band through its more traditional rock-band phase book-ended by 1980's Boy and 1988's Rattle And Hum, and a third focusing on the band's 1990's output. While a deal based on the potential value of repackaging a band's songs for compilations is not common, it's not unprecedented. Hollywood Records, who signed Queen late in their career on the grounds that they get access to the band's catalog for future releases, has released seven different collection of repackaged Queen tracks since Freddie Murcury's death in 1991, with a new re-mastered boxed set currently in the works.
U2 joined Northern Ireland band Ash on-stage in Belfast Tuesday night at a free concert to support a YES vote in Friday's referendum on the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement. After Ash played a 40-minute set, Bono and Edge went on-stage to sing The Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down," adding in lyrics to "Give Peace a Chance" during the song. Bono then introduced Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble, and his counterpart in the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party, John Hume. The three raised their hands after Bono asked the crowd of 2,000 teenagers for a moment of silence in honor of those who've lost their life during the Troubles. U2 then played "One," with Bono again singing lyrics to "Give Peace a Chance." U2's set finished with "Stand By Me," with Ash's lead singer joining U2 on-stage.
Pictures of U2 at the YES concert Belfast, Northern Ireland, May
19, 1998
Real Audio: Bono introduces "two men who are making history" (source: BBC) Real Audio: Bono on why U2 is at the concert (source: BBC)
From Zoonation News 3/21/98
U2 will return to Ireland immediately after their final PopMart concert in Johannesburg and are expected to take a long break from rock music. It is rumoured the band will make an appearance on their return to Ireland, however, at the scene of one of PopMart's greatest triumphs, Belfast, where the Hot Press Irish rock music awards are being held. Last year, Larry Mullen Jr. represented the band at the event but it is believed all four members of U2 will attend this year's bash in the BBC's Blackstaff Studios in Belfast city centre. Speculation is also mounting that English badboy group, Oasis may also make an appearance at the awards and jam with the Irish supergroup, who they supported on the North American leg of the PopMart tour. Reports in the `Ireland On Sunday' newspaper at the weekend have, however, indicated that PopMart may be the last U2 tour on such a grand scale.
ABC may be POP but U2 are teaming up with yet another Fox Television series. After doing voices for an upcoming Simpsons episode, the Irish lads have signed on to contribute to the soundtrack of the forthcoming X-Files movie. Mark Snow, the music composer for the X-Files Movie "Fight The Future" has confirmed that U2 will be contributing a track. No word as to what track or whether it will be a new offering from U2. Other artists tentatively slated for the sound track include Foo Fighters, Beck and Sting. The movie is to be released June 19th. Sound tracks traditionally release up to a month before the movie.w
From Zoonation News 1/7/98
By Dan McGinn
Organizers of what is being billed as the biggest millennium celebration in the world are chasing U2 to help them usher in the 21st century. Dublin's fab four are being chased to perform to a live audience of 2.5 million people at California's Party 2000 on New Year's Eve 1999. Among the other acts who have been approached to play a 4,000 acre site in the southern California are Michael Jackson and The Rolling Stones. Party 2000 is expected to feature 50 of the world's top bands in a festival stretching over three days, with a 250-piece orchestra and a 2,000 gun salute marking the turn of the millennium. It is envisaged that within minutes of the new millennium, a massed choir will also sing a medley of national anthems from around the world. As yet, U2 have not agreed to play the event but promoters of the Party 2000 event are optimistic, claiming they have offered the band a "substantial fee" to headline the festival.
Also released is a single of Miss Sarajevo, which benefits War Child. It also contains One (live at the War Child concert in Modena, Sept 12th 1995), Bottoms (Zoo Station Remix) previously only available in Japan, Viva Davidoff previously unavailable track.
The new single Please is available with the EP PopHeart which contains live versions of Please, Where the Streets Have No Name, With or Without You, and Staring at the Sun
U2 meets the Simpsons and will make a guest appearance on the 200th episode which will air April 26
For more info on U2/Simpsons, get the story here
Last Night On Earth was premiered on 7/8 on MTV
MSN and U2 today announced the launch of the band's first official web site, http://U2popmart.msn.com/, to debut Friday, June 20, with "Pop Invasion," which is a special live one-hour webcast, where music fans around the world can log on to hear a live interview with the band as well as view digital photographs of the interview. This will take place between 6 and 7pm PDT (9-10pm EST) live from the studios of KROQ in Los Angeles and it will be available at U2popmart.msn.com, and also on the radio (the entire hour will be available on satellite for live audio broadcast to radio stations worldwide.)
Source MSN (TM), Press release, June 16
The release date(for US/Canada) is July 1, 1997
CD1 : US contains LNOE(Single edit), LNOE(remix, Jon Carter), Happiness is a Warm Gun(Danny Saber remix), Pop Muzik(Pop Mart Mix)
CD2 : US contains LNOE(Remix, Jon Carter), Numb(Soul Assasins Mix), Happiness is a Warm Gun(Danny Saber remix), Pop Muzik(Pop Mart Mix)
Here's a transcript courtesy of a "Wireling" (who I forget the name of)
U2 played at the Tibetan Freedom Concert on 6/7
Here are some pictures of U2 at the event
Check out the setlist from the Vegas show opening night 4/25!
U2
broadcasted a 1 hour documentary called U2: A Year In Pop
which featured the making of Pop on ABC April 26 at 10pm EST!
Shown are parts of the previous nights performance (spliced in
overnight), old concert footage, behind-the-scenes film at the
studio, and U2 at play.
On April 13 MTV broadcasted a half-hour special which documented the Emergency Broadcast Network's work with U2 during the ZOOTV tour. This was followed by two other episodes on 4/20 and 4/27.
Rage Against The Machine is confirmed to open the first 9 dates
The next single is Staring at the Sun was released April 7 and is available in two versions in both US and UK.
CD #1 - US version contains Staring at the Sun, North and South of the River (unreleased b-side), Your Blue Room (previously released on Passengers:Original Soundtracks 1)
CD #2 - UK version contains Staring at the Sun (Monster Truck Mix) remixed by The Sonic Morticians (Butch Vig and Danny Saber), Staring at the Sun (Sad Bastards Mix) remixed by Flood and Rob Kirwan, North and South of the River, Staring at the Sun (Lab Rat Mix) remixed by The Sonic Morticians
CD #1 - US version contains Discothèque, Holy Joe (Garage Mix)
CD#2 - US version contains Discothèque (DM Deep Extended Club Mix), Discothèque (Hexidecimal Mix), Discothèque, Holy Joe (Guilty Mix), Discothèque (Howie B, Hairy B Mix)
CD #3 - UK version contains Discothèque (DM Deep Club Mix), Discothèque (Howie B, Hairy B Mix), Discothèque (Hexidecimal Mix), Discothèque (DM Tec Radio Mix)
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