What Have We Done To Deserve This?
While browsing the excellent Pet Shop Boys fansite PSB Song-By-Song today, we came across this entertaining blurb about the duo’s satirical cover of “Where The Streets Have No Name,” which they blend with the soul classic “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You:”
To read more — there are also some references to Bono’s inspiration(s) for the song’s lyrics — select “Where The Streets…” from the “Pick A Song” pull-down in the site’s sidebar. And if you’ve never heard the Pet Shop Boys’ cover of “Streets” — the only charting single release of a U2 cover* — well, we tried very hard to find you a sample on the web, but we got nowhere. So we ended up having to make our own (1 minute sample, MP3, 944K, posted for a limited time). The song is available in the UK on the PSB’s most recent Greatest Hits compilation, PopArt, and in the US on their older hits album Discography.
*Ah, smacked down — a reader reminds us that The Chimes’ cover of “I Still Haven’t Found…” made it to #6 on the UK charts. Whoops.
46664 Releases
Billboard reports that a double-disc DVD from the 46664 concert and three related CDs will be released by Warner Music International on April 5. Review the tracklistings at 46664.com.
Irish in America
“…even though the song failed to take home a Golden Globe and was shut out of the Oscar nominations, the group is thrilled by the film’s three Oscar mentions — for leading actress Samantha Morton, supporting actor Djimon Hounsou and original screenplay by Sheridan and his daughters Naomi and Kirsten.”
Hollywood Reporter meets Clan Sheridan and Co discussing the film ‘In America’.
Bono: “The film takes an unpopular position because it’s pro-American and pro-working people.”
Great and Irish
U2 are featured on an upcoming compilation CD that celebrates Irish artists. “Greatest Irish Bands” includes tracks from Thin Lizzy, Sinead O’Connor, The Cranberries, Van Morrison, among others. Also included on the CD is “Sightings of Bono,” a short film written and directed by Kathy Gilfillan (aka Mrs. Paul McGuinness) that was seen on the internet in 2000. “Greatest Irish Bands” will be available on Hip-O Records on February 24.
Give and Receive
Make a charitable donation of at least US$20 to World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization, and you will receive a free copy of “In The Name Of Love: Artists United For Africa.” Released today on Sparrow Records, the album includes 13 covers of U2 songs performed by popular Christian artists.
Bono Interviews Gorby
AFP reports that Bono has interviewed 1990 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev for a documentary about Nobel peace laureates. The film, funded by the Nobel Foundation, will employ celebrities (Paul Simon, Michael Douglas) in the job of interviewing other laureates. We think it’s likely that Bono’s interview with Gorbachev is the one filmed at the World Political Forum in Italy last May. (AP file photo)
September song
It is looking more and more likely that U2′s new album will have an autumn release date.
Various sources have dropped the ‘September’ bomb this week — including Bono (as gleamed from our comments box), who apparently spoke to people in L.A. about some ‘personal commitments’ keeping him away from the studio.
One European record company source cites October and confirms our earlier news about the Superhero soundtrack. U2 may be recording their song for this soundtrack separately. Whether the song will be on their own album at all is unclear.
The latest to chip in is photographer Anton Corbijn. At a photoshoot with Japanese film director Kitano Takeshi for men’s magazine Maxim (Russian issue) in Rotterdam on Friday he told a Maxim editor he had been working on sleeve photography for U2′s album. He too stated it would be out in September.
Bono Eats Hollywood
Bono schmoozed with Hollywood types while he attended the American Film Institute awards luncheon Thursday (Jan. 22) afternoon. Andrea Corr and he (pictured here) were recognized for their musical contribution to the film “In America.”
Additional Piccies
Love Does a Better Job
Cindy Trickel reports on the King Center’s Annual Salute to Greatness Awards Dinner for U2log.com.
Bono’s Journey of Equality
Not one to waste an opportunity, Bono turned a press conference intended to focus on his being honored by the King Center into a discussion about the global AIDS crisis with local and national media in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 17). In true Bono style, he informed and entertained as he spoke about the issue closest to his heart.
U2log.com presents a transcript of Bono’s comments and the media Q & A that followed.
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U2 News Links
- Column: off the record…, vol. 12-500 February 6, 2012If you missed it last week, please stop reading this OTR and check out Aaron Sams' overview of the 22 tracks that made the final cut for U22, the next U2.com members-only release. It's a super look into how the U2.com audience voted, […]
- @U2 Question of the Month: February 2012 February 6, 2012Welcome to @U2's Question of the Month for February 2012: What are your favorite one or two lines from a U2 lyric? What personal meaning does it have for you? Please send your responses to atu2.com@gmail.com by February 18. We'll post your answers -- and a new question -- on March 7. Want to see what QOM is all about? Check out the responses to pre […]
- @U2 QOM January 2012: Unexpected Meeting February 6, 2012You run into the band somewhere unexpected. Where are you and what happens? (Each month, @U2 puts a spotlight on U2 fans with our "Question of the Month." We pose a question to our readers and invite answers of 200 words or less. If you're interested in taking part, check our home page to see if the current question is still open. If not, chec […]
- 'The Heart Is A Bloom...' February 5, 2012Beautiful Day is one of the tracks you voted for on 'U22'. This is what it was like on U2360°. […]
- U2 manager Paul McGuinness's firm files pretax losses of €1.8m February 4, 2012Pretax losses at the artist management company controlled by U2's manager Paul McGuinness last year increased seven-fold to €1.8 million, writes Gordon Deegan. Accounts filed by Principle Management Ltd show the firm's revenues decreased from €4.8 million to €3.1 million in the year to the end of March 2011. Mr. McGuinness, his long-time associate […]