Bono Receives Neruda Medal of Honour

Radio Universidad de Chile reports Bono has been honoured with the Pablo Neruda Medal of Honour by the Chilean government in recognition of his contribution to music and humanitarian causes. This distinction has been awarded to 100 people around the world to mark the centenary of the birth of Pablo Neruda, Chile’s most famous poet.

Bono was presented with the medal by the Chilean Ambassador in Ireland, Alberto Yoacham, at a ceremony in the ambassador

Fanning Gets Dizzy First

It should come as no surprise to U2 fans that the first person to play the “Vertigo” single will be Dave Fanning. This Thursday, Mr. Fanning will spin U2’s first single from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb on 2FM, sometime between 6 and 7:30 pm (local time). 2FM streams in RealAudio, so listen up (though some reports have reached us that the single will not be audible via the webstream).

Update: The Fanning Show has confirmed with us that “Vertigo” will not be aired as part of 2FM’s webcast. The show, however, is looking for fans around the world to review the single (listening via phone) during the show. If reviewing the new U2 single interests you, contact the show by email and express your interest.

Verti… go punk aesthetics

vertigo-u2log_200w.jpg

U2 New Zooland have an image of the Vertigo promo sleeve – from which we can deduce the sort of artwork we can expect this album and tour: lo-fi punk aesthetics. As for the album sleeve, our spies tell us it has the same ‘distressed/xerox’ feel and the boys will be ‘sitting down’ on the cover image.

(img courtesy of U2newzooland.)

Bono Kicks Trash Bin Arse

Bono has supplied fodder to the tabloids by doing something we’ve all done at one point in our lives–kick something for the hell of it. Last Thursday on his way into Lillies Bordello to enjoy a night with friends, Bono kicked an outdoor trash bin and was videotaped in the process. Whoop-de-do, right? Well, it turns out that in Dublin such an action is considered criminal (i.e., damaging public property and acting disorderly in public) and now there’s talk of court charges.

No one has to worry about Bono having anger issues or his kicking something else soon. The video reportedly shows him laughing after the incident and hobbling away.

Watch Bono shake his thing

U2eastlink.com have posted TV and newspaper coverage of U2’s video-shoot in the Delta de l’Ebre in Spain.

Our Spanish-speaking editor provides a wrap-up of the various reports:

U2 filmed a new video in Delta de L’Ebre, Spain on Tuesday and Wednesday, and endured some nasty weather in the process. On the first day it poured rain, and on the second day strong winds interfered with the shoot. On both days, the band and crew worked for more than 10 hours in a desolate landscape of deltas and dunes. Cranes, tractors, and even a helicopter were employed in the production.

Spanish site U2Valencia.com got the skinny on the shoot from a local producer who assisted the directors (Alex & Martin). The producer shared that Ned O’Hanlon attended the video shoot with his own cameras to capture the making of the video. The local producer also commented on Bono’s enthusiasm during the shoot, saying Bono provided ideas and advice to the directors the entire time they filmed.