Originally posted by tuf392664:You said on your site that the album would need to be ready by july for a November release date. Do you think you’ll have some more definitive information to share by then? I also note you told us the release date of SOE almost six months prior in the June of that year.
Originally posted by u2wanderer1:[..]
Once it’s scheduled for an actual release date (even if not announced to the public) the leaks usually start about formats, artwork etc.
Originally posted by u2wanderer1:I share what I'm able to share. If I'm not sharing something it's often because I've been specifically asked not to, and those who share inside information with me do know what I'm sharing and where. Sometimes I don't share because details are a bit vague, and I don't know what to say about it anyway, and the amount of crap tossed our way makes me very cautious about what I say. I still hear how we got the release date for "Songs of Surrender" wrong, by people who ignore the fact that I shared detail on the album name, formats, and more a year before the album came out. They only focus on what is wrong, or in this case appears wrong, the (c) 2022 on the back suggests it was pushed back. And I learned with "Songs of Surrender" if I reveal information I'm only going to have to listen to it being questioned up until the release. Going into the Fall of 2022, there were 3-4 fans who were on a mission to mock the site on every message board and Facebook group out there because 'Songs of Surrender' was something we made up. Did my best to ignore and just keep reporting on it as information was sent my way, but it can get really frustrating.
I've also been doing this for 30 years, it's made abundantly clear when I cross a line, so I do my best to be respectful of the people who do share information with me. I've worked with the band on projects. I have a second book that I am putting together, and have started interviews for that project with hopes to put it out for U2's 50th anniversary. The website only exists because Universal allows it, and I'm not going to put any of that at risk or burn bridges that make my next book not happen etc. (And please don't reach out by DM and try to get information out of me that I've been asked not to share...)
The focus of the band is on getting the album done for this fall. The work has been going well, and the band is happy with progress at the moment from what I've been told, they took a little break after the LA sessions in February and March, and are due to be back at it soon. So it's likely they won't even need a back up plan.
Originally posted by u2wanderer1:Even after it was leaked on Ticketmaster people were still saying the rumours were false. One well known site called us “speculative fiction” even after that leak. And there were crazy stories that someone had hacked Ticketmaster and put up fake events.