The Irish rockers have pushed the sonic envelope on No Line On The Horizon with a little help from some axe legends.
The Edge – who appears with Jimmy Page, 64, and White, 33, in a documentary about the electric guitar called It Might Get Loud – said: “I was just fascinated with seeing how Jimmy played those riffs so simply, and with Jack as well.”
U2 have embraced a bluesier, old school rock sound on a number of tracks, including primal groover Stand Up Comedy and blistering album opener Get On Your Boots – which is expected to be the record’s first single in February.
The Edge, 47, explained: “It started just with me playing and Larry (Mullen) drumming. And we took it from there. It’s very raw and very to the point. It’s like rock ’n’ roll 2009.”
Bono, 48, told Rolling Stone magazine: “There’s some very hardcore guitar coming out of The Edge. Real molten metal.”
Black Eyed Peas mainman Will.i.am is an unlikely collaborative force on Crazy Tonight which Bono calls “this album’s Beautiful Day — it has that kind of joy to it”.
Will.i.am, 33 also provided what the quartet consider to be “the most extraordinary” remix of another highlight, Magnificent.
The remainder of the record was produced with old cohorts Brian Eno, 60, Daniel Lanois, 57, and Steve Lillywhite, 53.
No Line On The Horizon, which will be released on March 2, promises to be another career-defining album from the lads.
U2 suck live and in the studio. Bono has an ugly underbite going on. And Led Zepplin sucked live. And I own a business. I make money. I don't live with my parents. So you're wrong about plenty, ya lug nut.
Raf wrote:
Bono, 48, told Rolling Stone magazine: “There’s some very hardcore guitar coming out of The Edge. Real molten metal.”
That's the stupidest thing Bono has ever said and he's said a lot of stupid things....
Anyway, no matter how much influence they pull from Led Zeppelin, they will never be as great as them. But I admit, it has increased my interest in U2's new album slightly.