U2O
The African Well Fund has announced the details of its second annual fundraising drive to build wells in Africa in honor of Bono’s birthday. Last year the nonprofit organization, founded by U2 fans, raised more than $10,000 to build 14 wells in Uganda with its partner Africare. This year the African Well Fund is aiming to raise $15,000 for well projects in Ethiopia.
Contributers who donate a monetary gift are invited to sign a birthday card for Bono. Last year Bono responded to the African Well Fund’s efforts, saying it was “the best gift I could have gotten on my birthday.”
U2′s Book Deal
The U2 retrospective, tentatively titled In the Name of Love: U2 by U2, will be published by HarperEntertainment, an imprint of HarperCollins, in 2005. Harper has purchased the rights to the book for a reported $3 million. Although the figure is an extraordinary amount for a book of its type, it’s far from the record-holding nonfiction book deals earned by Bill Clinton ($10 million), Pope John Paul II ($8.5 million), and Hillary Clinton ($8 million).
U2 1st demo tape on eBay
Kids, keep your daddies away from your piggy banks. Collectors world wide are drooling over a unique item that’s been put up for sale on eBay:
Kevin Shields: lost and found
My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields disappeared from the music scene after his band’s early 90′s successes. Re-emerging after a decade of fiddling with never released MBV material and stints with Primal Scream, his comeback on the Lost In Translation soundtrack has earned him a Bafta nomination.
Shields talks to Peter Murphy in the latest issue of Hot Press magazine. It is his first full length interview in 12 years. He talks about the early days, sings the praises of The Virgin Prunes, admits to ‘losing it’ after MBV’s stunning album ‘Loveless‘ and he comments on his band’s apparent influence on U2.
Kevin Shields: “Only when U2 did interviews and stuff, and they talked about My Bloody Valentine having an influence on Achtung Baby. That was kinda nice,
Win a 5,000 Euro Wolf
Look what we found stuck in our spam filter:
“The Irish Hospice Foundation is offering you the chance to win a set of the very special Peter & the Wolf giclee prints illustrated and signed by Bono, currently selling for 5,000 Euro.
To qualify for this draw all you have to do is buy a Peter & the Wolf screen print by April 30th. The prints are 70 cm x 50 cm and are printed onto 100% cotton paper. There are two different types of prints, one illustrating Peter, one illustrating The Wolf.
The draw will take place on May 4th.”
Irish Hospice Foundation Thanks Gavin Friday
All four members of U2 attended a special dinner to honor Gavin Friday last Friday at Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel. The Irish Hospice Foundation arranged the event to recognize and thank Friday, who was the driving and creative force behind the Peter and the Wolf project.
Update 23/3: Several of the evening’s guests performed live, including Bono who sang Sinatra’s ‘You make me feel so young’ to his friend. But it was The Edge who apparently stole the show, playing wild and wondrous bass on the Virgin Prunes’ classic ‘Art Fuck’. Brother Dik assisted on guitar, while Gavin and Guggi took care of vocals.
The Last Word
You’re sick of it, we’re sick of it, Bono’s sick of it, the FCC isn’t. But here’s an eminently quotable Bono on the subject of his linguistic naughtiness, in a New York Times piece by Frank Rich on America’s new obsession with “indecency” –
The Passion of the Bono
Bono. A 600 pound Gorilla. The FCC. A tit. Check out this moderately funny Flash animation at Atom films. Not particularly safe for work.
Lillywhite Gets Help
According to XFM, remix guru Garrett “Jacknife” Lee will be assisting Steve Lillywhite with the new U2 album. Lee has produced remixes for TLC, Eminem, and Pink, among other artists.
Lee, who is expected to join Lillywhite and the band in the studio this week, told XFM that the U2 album is “going really well.”
Bono to Receive Honorary Degree
Bono will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Pennsylvania, the university announced yesterday. University President Judith Rodin said that Bono was chosen to receive the honorary degree because of “his tireless efforts and use of his celebrity to remind us of our moral duties as citizens of the globe.”
Bono will address the graduating class at commencement on May 17, at which time he will be awarded the degree. This will be the second honorary degree that Bono has been awarded.
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- 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 […]