.

U2 Pen "Fifty to Sixty" Songs, New Album Pushed to 2009

September 3, 2008 2:32 PM ET

U2 have penned roughly "fifty to sixty" tracks during their recent studio sessions that stretch from Morocco to Dublin to France, where Bono wrote in to U2.com to discuss the band's new album, now due out in the early stages of 2009 rather than this coming holiday season. "We've hit a rich songwriting vein and we don't want to stop," Bono said. "This is our chance for us to defy gravity once again." Bono said this new album — coming on the heels of two "very personal" albums in All You Can't Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb — attempts to recapture "the transition that took us from The Joshua Tree to Achtung Baby." As for when fans can expect hearing the fruits of the sessions with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, Bono says "If it was just up to me they'd be out already! But early next year people will be able to start hearing what we've been doing. We want 2009 to be our year."

Related Stories:
Exclusive: Bono Remembers U2's Boy
U2 Sign Deal With LiveNation
U2's Under a Blood Red Sky Coming to DVD

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

prev
Music Main Next

blog comments powered by Disqus
Daily Newsletter

Get the latest RS news in your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Rolling Stone newsletter and special offers from RS and its
marketing partners.

X

We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy.

Song Stories

“(We're Not) The Jet Set”

George Jones and Tammy Wynette | 1973

George Jones and Tammy Wynette were still married when they recorded the tongue-in-cheek "(We're Not) The Jet Set." The lyrics, written by Nashville songwriter Bobby Braddock, who also penned Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today," make fun of the good life by declaring, "We're not the Jet Set/We're the old Chevrolet set." Braddock recalled that while writing the song, he needed the name of a city that evened out the rhyme he had with "Riviera" and "Missourah." “I got out a Rand McNally atlas," he said. "In the first part are the maps. The last part is an alphabetical listing of cities. I wanted a rustic, small-time sound. I went to the listing for Missouri. And I found 'Festus.' I loved the sound of it."

More Song Stories entries »