Catherine Owens makes 3D work for U2 concert film

JoBlog.com interviews U2 3D director Catherine Owens who says:

“It was a very definite decision to shoot in South America. Bono felt that the South American audience had a passion that matched his Irish passion. They felt they would get a result that they wouldn’t get in other places.”

So there you have it, fans, the South Americans and the Irish are kindred spirits. What are the Italians going to think of that? (‘la gente italiana e quella irlandese hanno lo spirito vicino’ – Bono, 1985.)

More important than U2′s special relationship with their fans, however is the bond between the band members themselves:

“They have a very strong relationship. They have their own language on stage and so the only direction was that they should be a little more conscious of their own language between the groups, which they already had on stage. Some of the other cuts you will see in the final film are really incredible. There are moments between them that are very physical and tender. They are four people together for so long, who are like family – you want to kill them, you love them – so there is that kind of tenderness between them.”

Aww.

Read the full interview.

R&R in Tokyo

I know many fans are curious to know what the band have been doing in Japan when not performing or doing media interviews. Larry Mullen spent some time shopping in Gwen Stefani’s favorite area of Tokyo, Harajuku. He shopped at Kiddy Land, a famous toy store, presumably for gifts for his children…Adam Clayton visited with Eric Clapton, who is also touring in Japan now and staying in the same hotel as U2…Bono enjoyed a traditional Japanese meal at Gonpachi with his friends Gavin and Guggi. Kanye West was also seen at the same restaurant. Rumour has it that Kanye will perform with U2 for the final show in Japan on Monday…Edge, the zen master, has been keeping a low profile, meditating and such.

All band members have been generously signing autographs and posing for photos with Japanese fans around the city. The band seem to be truly enjoying their visit to Japan.

Bono and Edge Team Up With Jobs

Bono and The Edge were in San Jose, California, today to help Apple announce:

• A special 20GB black U2 iPod that will retail for $349US featuring all four band members’ signatures.
• A digital box set of all of U2′s albums as well as over 25 rare and unreleased tracks. The box set will retail for $149US. U2.com says that those tracks will include material from Hasta La Vista, Baby! and Melon, the Propaganda-only fan club CDs. The total is said to be “over 400 tracks” — which is a lot more than just all the albums. Hopefully there’ll be more on this soon.
• The iTunes music store is now available in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, in addition to the UK, US, Germany and France. (No Ireland?)
• A iPod Photo for sharing your iPhoto library with friends and family who aren’t already sick of your photos. Price: $499US (40GB); $599US (60GB).
• Bono on CNBC, discussing the release: “Music and technology have always been neighbours. Today they moved into the same house.”

Update:Watch the video stream of the event.

Pack Rat Larry

Hall of Fame’s chief curator chief curator Jim Henke about Larry ‘the hoard’ Mullen:

“I’ve found for example, that there’s usually one member of a band who is
a pack rat, or to put it another way, who has the collector’s mentality. For
example, in U2, drummer Larry Mullen Jr. is the collector. From the time U2
first formed (as the Larry Mullen Band) back in a Dublin high school, he has
been stockpiling everything from the first U2 T-shirt (now on exhibit at the
Hall of Fame) to posters, backstage passes, notes from band members, etc.
He virtually has a house full of U2 memorabilia.” [ Liner Notes via YouTwo.net ]