U2 in Saitama

"If I were a painter, or a writer, or a filmmaker, or whatever, I'd just be getting into form at this stage my career. But that's not always the case if you're a rock band. But we're ready to make the best record, the record we've waited all our lives to do. We're not ready for chilling out on beaches. There are good bands out there - Oasis? Radiohead? They are good, they're the boys, but we're the men." - Bono prior to All That You Can't Leave Behind, 2000