U2 go Holmes

DJ and producer David Holmes will DJ a set at U2’s after-show party for their U23D film premiere in Dublin, Holmes has told Irish music magazine Hot Press.

The band invited Holmes to DJ at their after-show party after the European launch of U23D at Cineworld in Dublin on February 20. The party will be held at the Jameson Distillery.

Read more at Hot Press.

Here’s to you, Ronnie Drew

U2 and friends collaborate on tribute to The Dubliner’s Ronnie Drew.

Bono and The Edge have co-written a song for Ronnie Drew, the singer with Ireland’s best known folk band, The Dubliners.

Drew has been battling cancer for some time. Bono told Hot Press: “When you’re fighting cancer your mood is critical. We want Ronnie to know how much he is respected and loved.”

Bono, The Edge, Simon Carmody and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter wrote and demoed the song entitled ‘The Ballad of Ronnie Drew’ last week and the band (U2/Kila) laid down the rhythm track at Windmill Lane at 10am, this Tuesday morning. Bono, Shane McGowan, Christy Moore and Damien Dempsey all took turns singing the verses. On Tuesday night, everybody who is anybody in Irish music gathered together at the studio, to record the backing vocals of the song, ‘we are the world’-style.

Musicians included Sinead O’Connor, Christy Moore, Andrea Corr, Shane McGowan, Bob Geldof, Damien Dempsey, Gavin Friday, Jerry Fish, Clannad’s Moya Brennan, Paul Brady, Paddy Casey, Glen Hansard and members of The Dubliners and The Chieftains.

According to an insider the session ‘…went well. Mad hectic, but fun.’ The Pogues’ Shane McGowan apparently had some trouble getting into the country, forgetting his passport in the hurry.

The single’s expected for release around Easter this year. We’re told proceeds will go toward a children’s cancer charity.

- Hot Press has the details.
- U2.com talks to Simon Carmody

Bono plays Dr Robert in Beatles-themed film

Bono plays ‘Dr Robert’ in ‘Across The Universe’, a film based on music by The Beatles. It combines live action, animation and puppetry.

‘Across The Universe‘, directed by Julie Taymor, is the story of a Liverpool doc worker (played by Jim Sturgess), who travels to America to find his long lost father. On his way, he meets an American girl (Evan Rachel Wood) and joins the anti-war movement.

All of the musical film’s main characters are named after Beatles songs. Bono’s character is called Dr Robert. Eddie Izzard and Salma Hayek are also in the film.

The film is set for a UK and Ireland release on September 28.

• Official website
• IMDB

source: Hot Press

The Edge has a new ‘thing’

Niall Stokes of Hot Press reviews U2′s BBC1 gig on the Hot Press website and quotes Bono telling Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley: “We fucked it up a couple of times, but I think we got away with it.”

Stokes also mentions a conversation with The Edge in which the guitarist explains to him he has as a new trick up his sleeve:

“Across the other side of the room, Edge is beaming – clearly satisfied that a good night’s work has been done. I compliment him on his slide playing. “We’ve had to invent a new thing,” he tells me, “so I can switch from normal chords to playing slide in the middle of a song. It’s tiny, and fits on the tip of the finger. I’ll show you…””

Unfortunately, Stokes does not elaborate on Edge’s thingie.

Hot Press reviews new U2 album

Hot Press’s Peter Murphy reviews How to disable an atomic bomb in this weeks’ Hot Press, the leading Irish music magazine. The article is available online for subscribers and gives the album 8.5 out of 10:

“But when early reports telegraphed this as Edge’s record, they were obviously referring to his choirboy melodic instincts as much as an addiction to noise. Atomic Bomb is positively Spector-esque in its ambition, although curiously enough, it’s not a showy record, the playing being mostly subservient to the songs.”

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Promo Bono Oh No

We’re told U2log’s pretend Bono doll has appeared in Ireland’s Hot Press as the real deal. What’s more, it’s credited to our mates at Youtwo.net. Nice one. Our subscription won’t arrive for a while… anyone got a copy and a scanner?