Having started his journey in Fez, Sean O’Hagan’s video diary now captures the band in recording sessions in Dublin, London and New York.

Watch the video on guardian.co.uk

In the interview published alongside the video, Bono mentions U2′s intention to release another album this year. Earlier interviews had already hinted at a dusk/dawn type of album combo.

The future is another question for another interview. How long can U2 stay meaningful? Where will rock’s greatest adventure end? For now, there is enough material left over from the sessions for an album that, Bono says, will be released before the end of the year. It will be “a more meditative album on the theme of pilgrimage”.

The Observer’s Sean O’Hagan, a long time friend of the band, spent 18 months following them from Fez to Dublin, as they recorded New Line On The Horizon.

He’s captured his travels on film and in part one of this exclusive – but brief- footage the band begins sessions in a converted riad in Morocco.

Watch the video on guardian.co.uk

In part two, available on guardian.co.uk next week, U2 continue recording in Dublin, New York and London, and you can read the full interview and story of the album in next week’s Observer Music Monthly.