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.

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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.

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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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