Good Medicine

The June 10th issue of Rolling Stone (with D12 on the cover) has a small blurb about U2′s forthcoming album that contains one bit of interesting information. Bono tells the mag that one song on the new album is titled “Tough.” The song, which is about Bono’s father who died in 2001, is likely the song earlier thought to be titled “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own.”

“Full Metal Jacket,” a song fans have been hearing about for a long time, is also mentioned in the short article, which also features a photo of the band from the Lisbon photo shoot.

I suppose a ride’s out of the question?

Apparently not for Bono and co. Hoodie up and shades perma-glued to the nose, Bono took some friends out for a carriage ride in Dublin on Thursday, the lads’ traditional boys’ night out. ShowbizIreland, who must have some poor shmuck dogging Bono 24/7, have the pictures to prove it. They also captured Larry as well as The Edge, sporting that rabbit-in-the-headlights look.

(The ShowbizIreland server seems to be having problems.)

Dead? Tell me another ‘One’.

The remaining members of The Grateful Dead are currently gearing up for their summer tour of the USA. ‘The Dead’, as they call themselves now, have put up several audio files of the tunes they are rehearsing on their website.

The list of songs includes a cover of ‘One’, sung by Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule, Phil Lesh Quartet, The Dead). If you want to check it out, you can download a 10 mb mp3, or even a 60 mb aiff file from their summer tour page.

Musical Contributions

Attention all collection completists! On June 15, you may pick up two new releases featuring U2 for your collection. “Carved in Stone Vol. 2,” a live compilation CD to benefit a Red Rocks preservation fund, includes U2′s “Sunday Bloody Sunday” from “Under a Blood Red Sky,” as well as other contributions from artists who have performed at the famous outdoor amphitheater.

New on DVD, “We Know Where You Live: Live!” is a 2001 Amnesty International comedy concert with a musical performance by U2. Unable to attend the concert at Wembley Arena in person, U2 beamed in a live performance of “Stay (Faraway So Close)” via video link from Toronto. This DVD is new only to the North American market; it has been available in Europe since 2001.

Bono’s Lunch Date

The development ministers for the EU Presidency have invited Bono to attend a working lunch discussion on African development issues at Dublin Castle next week. In a press release, Minister of State for Development Cooperation and Human Rights Tom Kitt explained the invitation: “Bono is a very influential champion of a better deal for the developing world and I believe that his participation at our working lunch will add a valuable non-governmental perspective to our discussion. It could also help to mobilise a larger EU-wide audience in support of development objectives at a time of major political, financial and institutional change within the Union.”

Signs

Is it possible that U2 have finally completed work on their much-anticipated new album? All signs point to yes — or at least probably. The first sign was Bono’s release and return to the spotlight with personal appearances in the United States on behalf of DATA last week. At one of those appearances, Bono himself confirmed that the band were nearly done with the album. Another sign was the descent of Universal Music bigshots to Dublin last Thursday, where a rumored listening party took place (see a photo of Bono with Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Doug Morris and Chairman of Interscope Geffen Jimmy Iovine). Yet another sign is producer Steve Lillywhite’s departure from Dublin. Lillywhite, who will wed former MTV exec Patti Galluzzi this weekend, likely requested that the band wrap their work before his scheduled nuptials.

Of course, as the expression goes, it’s not over until the fat lady sings. In this case, the fat lady — or Mr. McGuinness, as he prefers to be called — has not sung.

McGuinness School of Rock trivia

We can’t heap enough praise on Britain’s ‘Word magazine’. This month’s The Smiths feature is simply da bomb, as they say. Now Word seems to have acquired more distinguished readers than just your U2log.com editors.

In the latest issue, Paul McGuinness writes in to the readers’ page to comment on a feature in issue #15, ‘The A-Z Genre Dictionary’. He corrects the explanation of the term AOR:

Fascinating.

The Difficult Life of a Rock Star

Over the weekend, Bono and Edge frolicked in Monte Carlo at Jimmy’z Club, where the Fashion TV Awards winners show and party was held — and where a beer will cost you 100 Euros (we kid you not). At Monte Carlo Press, you will find photos of Edge chatting up the scantily clad models and a single photo of Bono.

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Money and Lives (Senate hearing on AIDS)

On Tuesday (May 18), Bono participated in the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on AIDS in Washington, D.C. U2 fan and Jubilee USA activist Abbey Fisher attended the hearing. Abbey shares her story and perspective on the AIDS emergency with U2log.

I volunteer for Jubilee USA Network, a continuation of the Jubilee 2000 movement, part of a worldwide campaign to cancel debts of countries in the Global South (Third World or developing countries). Debts of these countries are far from being completely canceled. Debt is a large stumbling block for countries fighting AIDS epidemics, poverty, lack of education, unsafe water, unfair trade relationships, and so many other social and economic problems. Through my involvement with Jubilee, I have learned much about the global AIDS pandemic. All of these issues are interrelated, and I believe they should be addressed as such.

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Bono Is a Four-Letter Word

The University of Pennsylvania‘s founder, Benjamin Franklin, once said, “Either write things worthy reading; or do things worth the writing.” For its 248th commencement, the university had as its speaker a man who does both.

“My name is Bono, and I am a rock star,” Bono opened to a roar from the excited students, families, and friends gathered at the university’s Franklin Field for the celebration.

U2log’s Ruth Barohn and Khelia Johnson report from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. To read the report and see photos from the event, click the link below.

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