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Wall of Sound
Bono: "Songs. That was it, really. We thought, 'It's not time to be hip, it's not the time to be groovy, and the time is right to write songs with melodies that you can hear across the road and through the walls.' And to limit our options by just making it about that and about the dying art of the single, because it's the era of pop. But, of course, all the great rock bands were pop groups, too, including Nirvana; I remember Kurt Cobain saying, 'We're a pop group. That's a pop song,' talking about 'Smells Like Teen Spirit.' And he wasn't just being funny."
(click here for entire interview)

Reuters (November 1, 2000)
The album title comes from a line salvaged from an unused tune and recycled on the track "Walk On,'' a ballad dedicated to Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi: "The only baggage you can bring/Is all that you can't leave behind."

"It's an attempt to say that what made it to the record ... is literally just the songs that we couldn't possibly leave off,'' Edge said.
(click here for entire article)

USA Today (October 30, 2000)
The music industry is abuzz with nervous speculation about U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind, out Tuesday: The band's 10th studio album, a back-to-basics celebration of rock, arrives at the height of hip-hop hysteria and the pinnacle of pop power. Confident that U2 can revitalize rock, optimists point to the band's consistent commercial clout, radio and MTV saturation of first single Beautiful Day, and early critical raves. Cynics note the eroding fortunes of such once-mighty rock icons as Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins.

"We know the world is a different place," says bassist Adam Clayton, 40. "We know pop music is king. You can't necessarily change that, but I hope we're in a slightly unique situation. We have an audience that's been very loyal and followed us down some side streets."
(Click here for entire article)

Los Angeles Times (October 29, 2000)
"We spent most of the '90s experimenting and I think we finally realized on the PopMart tour that it was time for us to start stripping back again," says Bono, who recalls a telling moment during the PopMart U.S. tour.

"We got into Washington, D.C., before all our equipment arrived and rehearsed with just guitar, bass and drums--none of the loops or samples that we had been attaching to the songs. Howie B. came in during the middle of the rehearsal and he said, 'Wow, what a sound. What is this?' We told him it was us, it was what U2 sounds like. I think that's when we realized that it was time for us to get back to the essence of what we do."

Rather than take a lengthy break after the PopMart tour, the band pretty much went straight into the studio in Dublin and began working on the new album.
(Click here for full article)

London Telegraph (October 28, 2000)
"When we finished the last album, Pop, I remember Larry saying to me, 'You know, we actually should make a pop album,'" laughs Bono. "I love experimentation and drifting out into the ether, but it's when you bring the results back and turn them into a crystal of four minutes, a little gem that's heard on the radio in Birmingham and Tokyo, that's the moment for me."
(Click here to read entire interview)

CNN.com (October 27, 2000).
When U2 puts out an album, fans know to expect the unexpected. The band takes pride reinventing its sound and its look. Its 10th and latest album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind," follows that philosophy.

t diverges from the band's previous three releases, which have more electronica-inspired songs. These days, says lead singer Bono, U2 is focused on just being a great rock 'n' roll band.

'"All That You Can't Leave Behind' is really just about getting to the heart and soul of what our band is about, which is the four of us playing in a room together," he told CNN WorldBeat in an interview at his Dublin studio. Bono has been playing with guitarist the Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. since 1977.
(click here for entire article)

BILLBOARD.COM (Septeber 29, 2000).
"All That You Can't Leave Behind," due Oct. 31 on Interscope, is an undeniable return to basics for U2, which continues to combine Bono's voice and the Edge's guitars with the distinctive rhythms of drummer Larry Mullen and bassist Adam Clayton. Produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, the set shows the band wisely eschewing the adventurous if sometimes chaotic electronic density of 1997's "Pop" in favor of crisp, concise tunes, generous with anthemic choruses and romantic, often optimistic lyrics.

More than anything, however, "All That You Can't Leave Behind" presents U2 as a band ready to once again rock with unbridled authority.

FROM ROLLING STONE (August 17, 2000 issue)
A song called "Stir My Soul" may end up the leadoff track on the new album. The song, once titled "Jubilee," is described as "delicate and beautiful, driven by a hypnotic piano motif."

While the album won't see the same experimentation seen during the "Achtung Baby," "Zooropa" or "Pop" sessions, Bono says the band is "still playing with technology." And what's kept the band in the studio so long? "One of the many problems we've had," Bono says, "is that when you put the band in a room with no shenanigans or trickery, they tend to sound a bit like U2."

The article also describes other songs destined for album: "Stuck In a Moment" is a "glorious rush of Philadelphia soul-in a gospel tune" the Edge wrote on a piano in a Japanese hotel room; "Elevation" is a "buzzing electro-rock song somewhere between T Rex and hip hop, over which Bono half yelps, half raps "In a little while"; and "Home (The Bird Has Flown)" sounds "the closest they have come in years to their surging late '80s sound."

FROM BBC RADIO 1 (July 20, 2000)
Bono has been talking exclusively to Radio 1 about U2's new album and the first single called 'Beautiful Day'.

He says his work with Jubilee 2000's 'Drop the Debt' Campaign has had an effect on the record: "There's a sense of something going on, that I think has come from all of this, and it's up to others to figure out if I'm talking through my arse or not and we've completely lost the plot."

Bono reckons "There's a fire in the belly of this music. There's a certain joy that I've picked from working with the Jubilee people, and there's a righteous anger, if you want to call it that, that makes for great rock and roll."

FROM U2.COM (July 18, 2000)
"In the just-published summer edition of Propaganda, the band's official magazine, Edge reveals that, 'we're at the point of taking the songs we are most happy with and letting them come together to form what will be the record.'

"He adds, 'Almost every one of the songs we are serious about are ones I can't wait to put out but we have at least eighteen and we're still not sure what songs we'll put out.'

"Sometime this autumn we will all know, but the guitarist drops some big hints at his own standout tracks -- although titles may change by the time the album appears.

"'There is one track called 'Stuck in a Moment (Which You Can't Get Out Of)' which I think is very strong because it's so unusual: it's like an incredible pop song but done by us and done our way, so it sounds like a U2 song but it's incredibly melodic and also has this gospel aspect.

"'Another track called 'Home' is going to be a standout, very uplifting and beautiful. There's a tune called 'Elevation' which is an almost hip-hop groove but, being played by us, doesn't sound like anything out there.'"

IN AN INTERVIEW ON BURST(June 8, 2000)
In an interview featured on Burst.com in conjunction with the June 8 premiere webcast of U2's Popmart show in Mexico City, the Edge discussed the band's upcoming album, predicting "it's gonna be a record that people play a lot."

He said the album will be "band-centered" though some sampling may come into play as they put the finish touches on the tracks. "I think that that core of the record, the heart-and-the-soul of it, will be very much about the band -- about U2 and I think it will be quite an organic record as such," he said. "Style-wise, probably a big variety of different feels and styles-everything that sort of turns us on will be in there in some shape or form as always."

While the band has yet to make plans for its next tour, the Edge says the nature of the material should make it translate well into a live setting. "I think it's material at its very core is really about the 4 members of the band playing together, so I think it's going to work very well live," he said.

IN FIGARO MAGAZINE(April, 2000):
"The album will be finished in June, and released in autumn.  It will consist of various types of rhythms, and have a lot less to do with technology than the previous albums did.  It's still got a bit of hip-hop but it's mixed with nervous guitars and white soul.  What's interesting for this group is to discover new cultures and music, try to assimilate them and to introduce them to the world with their own identity.  In fact, on this album, we wanted to express the joy with which the group plays together -- with just a guitar, bass, and drums.  It's also about magic ... one of the twelve songs on the album is called Elevation and sounds like 'Get off my cloud' by the Rolling Stones."

-Bono

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE IRISH TIMES(April 8, 2000):
Bono describes the process of recording the new album "a funny one because it's like the record we've always wanted to make." "I think it draws from every stage of our development," he said. "With some records, it feels like you're pushing them uphill, whereas with this one it's like we're rolling it down the other side and we're running after it." Brian Eno has predicted that "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," a track on the still untitled new album, will be one of U2's biggest songs ever. Bono says the song is "about a friend of mine who's dead and it's a really unsentimental conversation with him." Bono also says that while he'd like the band to keep on making records, he's trying not to think past the new album. "For me, it's still a matter of self-respect, but ... I don't want our band to have the ending that's been written for us," Bono said. "I want us to do our best work now, or else, let's stop. I want to get it out there. I don't want to think about the record after this. I hope there is one. But I don't want to think like that."

AT THE 2000 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME CEREMONIES(March 6, 2000):
Paul Mcguinness attented the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame ceremonies on Monday where Eric Clapton, Earth Wind and Fire, Lovin' Spoonful, The Moonglows, Bonnie Raitt, and James Taylor were all inducted. He told LAUNCH that the band plans to release its next studio album during September, with a tour to follow during early 2001. He confirmed that the record, produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, is a more straightforward, energetic, and rocking affair, with far less of the electronics used on the group's most recent albums.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH AN ITALIAN REPORTER(February 25, 2000):
In a recent interview covering a wide range of topics, Bono reveals some information about U2's upcoming studio album. Talking with an Italian reporter, Bono says the upcoming album still lacks a title, but he confirms the names of three songs that will appear on the release.  One song, "Elevation" will feature Larry Mullen on bass. Bono says two other songs on the album are called  "Origin of the Species" and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out."Bono goes on to describe the album as "typically U2, with white soul, gospel, hardcore, hip hop." A new single will be out by summer, with the album itself out due this fall, Bono said. Twenty-five songs were written during the recording sessions, and 12 will make the final cut.

IN ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE(February 23, 2000):
"We're going to finish a record in a few months, and I dare anyone to make
a better rock record this year," Bono said.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVE FANNING ON RTE TV(February 5, 2000):
In a television interview Bono tells Dave Fanning that the next U2 album "is definitely our best work to date." Bono spoke with Fanning for about 15 minutes about the new album, "The Million Dollar Hotel" and Third World debt relief. Bono said the new album should be finished in May, with a release in either September or October. He also said the MDH film take a European view of America. Asked about other bands, Bono said Oasis and Radiohead are among "the other good bands out there." But added, "They're the boys, but we're the men."
Bono Interview With Dave Fanning On RTE TV(Real Video)
Bono Interview With Dave Fanning On RTE TV(Real Audio)

IN PROPAGANDA ISSUE #30(December 21, 1999):
Adam Clayton said that sessions had begun a mere six weeks after the Pop Mart tour had ended, and that they have been in the studio frequently since last summer. The album will be condensed and adapt from 20 pieces of music that they have been working on with producers Brian Eno, and Daniel Lanois. "Clayton said that, unlike with their last album, 'Pop', the emphasis has been on "trying to preserve the recording of the band as a unit". "I'd like to think that we are making the greatest U2 record we've ever made," Adam concludes. "Bono already does think that!"

AT THE MTV EUROPE AWARDS(November 11, 1999):
"The new U2 album should be out at the end of next summer and I'm also doing the music for a film of a story I've written with Nicholas Klein called 'The Million Dollar Hotel'. It stars Mel Gibson and I've been in the studio with a jazz trumpeter doing the music. That's my day job at the moment."

-Bono

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH USA TODAY(October 15, 1999):
"It's not plastic. It's not silk. It's heavier than that...It's titanium soul...It's like a Beatles record, in that every song feels like a single. They're tunes rather than just ideas. There's no storytelling or artifice."

-Bono

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH BBC RADIO 1(October 4, 1999):
"It’s a couple of tunes away and I hope they’ll come quick. Just big melodies and the sort of songs that only a band can play, y’know, you can download a groove these days, you can dial up an atmosphere, but there’s a certain thing when a band plays in a room, a certain magic that we’re building this whole record around and I think on our day we can get places only a few bands have got...I don’t want to play the huge venues again. When we go out I’d like to play indoors if at all possible. I think we owe that to the people who’ve been following us around...These big gigs in stadiums, if they go right they’re one of the most extraordinary nights of your life. If they go wrong they’re a misery. With U2 I think we’re great outdoors, but I think it’s time to give people who wanna see us indoors a chance."

-Bono

INTERVIEW WITH SIMON MAYO ON BBC RADIO 1:
We're about two tunes away from a really madly great record. It feels like every song is a single. It's like a Beatles record in that sense, but we're just looking for a reason to take it out on tour, so just a couple of tunes. There's certain tunes that yah have to play live. There the ones that yah HAVE to play, you just can't stay at home with these tunes. It's different. Certain songs, some great, and the radio songs, can turn out great when you play them off, and that's what we're looking for. It's a live record, It's like a soul record in many ways. It's not like anything we've done. It's just the sort of record that ONLY a rock band could make. That's the thing, and that ONLY our band can make. Because I'm just getting a little tired now of hearing the same grooves on the radio, and the same kind of atmospheres, and the the things bands can do that DJ's can't." CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW IN REAL AUDIO (Includes New Day)(15:40)

-Bono

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH HEAT MAGAZINE(September 15, 1999):
"It's really simple, and it's the most raw record - it's just wide open emotionally...We've got to the point where it doesn't matter if we push out the borders of embarrassment. There's no fireworks on it. It's just a really intimate record played by a rock 'n' roll band."

Songs already completed include: Kite, In A Little While - a "gospel song" according to Bono, Sun The Moon And The Stars - "a summer song," and Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of - "just the most extraordinary song about a friend of mine who died." Michael Hutchence? "No."

Contrary to rumour, the album is said not to be electronic but sees the band moving back to a more organic sound. "The thing that's most important right now are the things you can't dial up. You can dial up that'll give you a sticky, hot groove. But you can't dial up the way Larry and Adam play together. You can't dial up a lyric that's about real life.

"I don't want it to be our last record but it feels like if it was, that would be OK. We would put it out this year, only anything out this year out come 2 January is gonna feel like it's a thousand years old, so we're holding out until next year." U2 are also planning a stripped-down tour to coincide with the album's release in March.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH MTV NEWS(September 15, 1999):
"I'm going at it like it's our last record, you know. I don't want it to be our last record. I don't expect it to be our last record, but I'm going at it like it is. I just want to say, 'This is it. This is what a rock band can do. Here it is. And if there's anything left to say, say it now." CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE INTERVIEW WITH REAL AUDIO (:28)

-Bono

IN AN ONLINE CHAT PERTAINING TO JUBILEE 2000(June 11, 1999):
"It's the sound of four people playing in a room--four people who have known each other all their lives. You have no choice of subject matter. You write what's in your heart and on your mind--unless, of course, it's crap, which means you thought about it too much."

-Bono

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH MTV NEWS(January 1999):
"It's time to make a record that is very direct and is about exactly what's going on--however cool or uncool that might be. It's time, at this point in the week, in the century, in the millennium, it's time for actually no pose, no poise--just rock, uncool. That's really what I think we're gonna make. I have this idea in my head, just to write as if you're dead--'cos when you're dead, you know, you don't care what people think and just go and say what you have to say."

-Bono

FOLLOWING THE RED HOT PRESS AWARDS(November 1998):
"We've decided to write the tunes before we record them this time. For years we've gone into the studio deliberately not knowing what we were doing, and I think this time we wanna make a record as a band, as a quartet. We wanna make a really uncool record--raw--that sort of feels like we've gotta do. And we don't wanna be in a crap band, you know, and it's got to be a great record or we won't be a band."

-Bono