Thanks to U2 Sweden for alerting us to information on the DVD we’ve all been waiting for. Some of us, anyway. The greatest show on earth to some, the tour from hell for others, PopMart – the Mexican branch – is coming out ‘late June’ in two versions, a single and a double DVD. U2 Sweden has the skinny, or you can hop over to U2.com for the official, official announcement. Soon, very soon, you will be able to relive those memories of when the ‘net was young, the tour’s official site was all MSN, silvery and orange and completely inaccessible to anyone not on a fat T1 pipe. Those were the days. Cloggies especially have something to look forward to: four PopMart Rotterdam tracks in glorious DVD quality. You might even spot some U2log.com editors pushed up against the barrier.
Releases & Collectibles
U2 song on Rhythms del Mundo album
U2’s I still haven’t found what I’m looking for appears on this Rhythms del Mundo album, which does for Cuban music what Nouvelle Vague did for Bossa Nova, recreating pop and rock music in collaboration with Buena Vista Social Club musicians.
The album is released in support of Artists’ Project Earth (APE), which comes to the aid of natural disaster and raises awareness of climate change.
While some of the songs by other artists on the CD (Sting, Radiohead, Dido, Coldplay, Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys) seem suited to the style, Coco Freeman’s version of U2’s song doesn’t work all that well. ‘Bad mash up’ springs to mind, when Bono’s vocal from the original kicks in. You can listen to the album on its promotional website.
‘U218’ promo website launched
A website promoting U2’s upcoming ‘best of’ release, U218, has gone live at u218.com, offering wallpapers, videos and previews of the album as well as a lengthy quiz to test your knowledge of U2 trivia. And if you can’t live with the album’s running order or choice of songs, you’re invited to share your own dream track list on the ‘imix’ section of u2.com’s Zootopia forum.
Bono, Sting, Lou Reed sing like Pirates
It’s old news to faithful readers of U2log.com, but Billboard.com is finally reporting on the Johnny Depp inspired and Hal Willner produced sea song and chantey album ‘Rogue’s Gallery’ that Bono’s involved in.
Check out the article, which includes the full stunning all star cast and tracklist of the album:
Disc one:
“Cape Cod Girls,” Baby Gramps
“Mingulay Boat Song,” Richard Thompson
“My Son John,” John C. Reilly
“Fire Down Below,” Nick Cave
“Turkish Revelry,” Loudon Wainwright III
“Bully In The Alley,” Three Pruned Men (Dave-id, Guggi, Gavin Friday)
“The Cruel Ship’s Captain,” Bryan Ferry
“Dead Horse,” Robin Holcomb
“Spanish Ladies,” Bill Frisell
“High Barbary,” Joseph Arthur
“Haul Away Joe,” Mark Anthony Thompson
“Dan Dan,” David Thomas
“Blood Red Roses,” Sting
“Sally Brown,” Teddy Thompson
“Lowlands Away,” Rufus Wainwright & Kate McGarrigle
“Baltimore Whores,” Gavin Friday
“Rolling Sea,” Eliza Carthy
“The Mermaid,” Martin Carthy & the UK Group
“Haul On The Bowline,” Bob Neuwirth
“Dying Sailor to His Shipmates,” Bono
“Bonnie Portmore,” Lucinda Williams
“Shenandoah,” Richard Greene & Jack Sh*t
“The Cry Of Man,” Mary Margaret O’Hara
Disc two:
“Boney,” Jack Sh*t
“Good Ship Venus,” Loudon Wainwright III
“Long Time Ago,” White Magic
“Pinery Boy,” Nick Cave
“Lowlands Low,” Bryan Ferry with Antony
“One Spring Morning,” Akron/Family
“Hog Eye Man,” Martin Carthy & family
“The Fiddler/A Drop of Nelson’s Blood,” Ricky Jay & Richard Greene
“Caroline and Her Young Sailor Bold,” Andrea Corr
“Fathom The Bowl,” John C. Reilly
“Drunken Sailor,” David Thomas
“Farewell Nancy,” Ed Harcourt
“Hanging Johnny,” Stan Ridgway
“Old Man of The Sea,” Baby Gramps
“Greenland Whale Fisheries,” Van Dyke Parks
“Shallow Brown,” Sting
“The Grey Funnel Line,” Jolie Holland
“A Drop of Nelson’s Blood,” Jarvis Cocker
“Leave Her Johnny,” Lou Reed
“Little Boy Billy,” Ralph Steadman
‘Rogue’s Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys’ will be released on the Anti label on 22 August.
More on the ANTI records blog on MySpace.
U2 iPod Returns
Apple has released a new version of the U2 iPod in the 30GB size. The special edition iPod comes with an iTunes Music Store code you can redeem for an exclusive 30-minute U2 video (preview available on Apple’s site).
Rock promoter’s archives sold online
Wolfgang’s Vault is ‘the world’s most exceptional collection of poster art, vintage t-shirts, concert photos, concert tickets and other rock music memorabilia.’
The Vault contains the private collection of American rock promoter Bill Graham (born Wolfgang Grajonza), who died in a helicopter crash in 1991.
A Minneapolis entrepreneur named Bill Sagan bought the collection two and a half years ago, paying the then owners, Clear Channel, the sum of $5 million. Neither buyer nor seller were aware at the time that the archives contain rare rock recordings.
Graham counted U2 among his clients and his role in helping the band break America has been well documented. The collection features various posters, t-shirts and photographs of the band, which can be acquired through Wolgangsvault.com at elevated prices.
- Wall Street Journal: Music Stash Recalls When Rock Was Young
Alicia Keys and Bono sing ‘Don’t give up Africa’
Listen and watch the new Bono and Alicia Keys cover of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Don’t Give Up’ at keepachildalive.org. The clip features photography by Kristen Ashburn. The song can be acquired exclusively through iTunes.
Bono and Alicia first performed the song ‘together’ in New York City at a fundraiser for the charity in early November. Bono sang via satellite.
Contributions to Keep A Child Alive go directly to children and families in desperate need of AIDS medicines.
U2 contribute track to Elton John Christmas Party CD
EltonJohn.com reports that U2 have contributed “New Year’s Day” to Elton John’s Christmas Party CD, a collection of Captain Fantastic’s favorite holiday party songs. The CD will be exclusively sold at Starbucks in Canada and the United States, and online at www.starbucks.com/hearmusic, from Nov. 10. Starbucks and Universal Music Group will donate $2 for every CD sold to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
U2 Chicago for your TV screens
Because you can never get enough U2 on your shelf: here’s the new U2 Vertigo DVD, as recorded in Chicago. For release on November 15th, the Region 1 version is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com. For details on its contents check the listing at U2wanderer.org.
All Because Of You Singles Hit Europe
Since a significant chunk of the U2log staff was livin’ it up in NYC this week, we were so wrapped up in our Bacchanalian reveries that we forgot about the European singles for “All Because Of You,” which were released on Monday. You can order the two singles (and the DVD single) at Amazon UK, or read the release information at U2Wanderer — no new tracks as b-sides this time out (boo hiss), but there is some very interesting live & alternate-mix material, so give ’em a look-see.