1. Well, it appears that the longtime rumors have finally been confirmed. It'll be interesting to see how this turns out. Personally, I'm excited to see the boys branch out a little more...
  2. Indeed, it is a beach clip. It sounds a lot like Hold Me Thrill Me Kill Me in my opinion... If the leak is true, and indeed it's the oficial preview of the musical, I'd gladly listen to it
  3. I'd say forget Songs of Ascent. This should be released as a soundtrack - instrumental only, no vocals.


  4. Indeed. Although I'm curious to Songs Of Ascent too, but this sounds more rocking.


  5. Keep in mind it's only a 24-second clip, but...

    ...the original articles and Steve Averill were / are both right. He said at the Music of Ireland conference in 2007 that U2 were doing a proper album and a side project like Passengers. So they're gonna possibly come up with a new name - or just use Bono and Edge - and attribute it to that, and maybe one song will get a single release. The chances of this being released are actually quite likely, as most soundtracks are - I'm not worried it's to do with Spiderman; you think of it as an Edge + Bono project only, much like I see Chinese Democracy by Guns N Roses as an Axl Rose and Friends project.

    The guitar genius of Edge plus the imagination of Bono equals something great.

    On Songs of Ascent - I think we'll be hearing the most unusual U2 music since Zooropa; even more so than Passengers. For starters, I know Every Breaking Wave is much longer than Moment of Surrender and it was left off No Line because it would have made it much longer than the 53 minutes it already is.

    This sudden spark at the end of the decade and following into 2010 and beyond is going to be surprising, exciting, unexpected and totally creative - and possibly more frequent albums and recordings of all kinds. The things we've been hearing - Fez / Being Born, the longest U2 song since Lemon, Winter etc - are hopefully what U2 continues with. All I know is that it's bound to produce better stuff than anything from the All That You Can't Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb sessions ever could; except Levitate.
  6. Why Bono Subtitled “Spider-Man” Musical “Turn Off the Dark”

    7/17/09, 2:39 pm EST

    As previews for Julie Taymor’s musical with U2’s Bono and the Edge draw nearer, the production is releasing more behind-the-scenes video explaining how the unique collaboration is developing. The Los Angeles Times pointed us to a chat with director Taymor in which she reveals it was Bono who came up with the second part of the show’s title. “It was a story that he heard about a child who would say to his daddy, he was sleeping, and instead of saying ‘turn on the light,’ he would say ‘turn off the dark.’ ”

    Taymor goes to talk about how Spider-Man tries to bring light into a world churning with dramatic darkness, or terror, which arguably makes it a story very appropriate for our times. The Edge has previously said he was drawn to the material because the super-hero story resonated with the rock-star experience: “Every rock & roll star probably started out as the geek who got bullied on in school, and eventually their form of revenge was to write songs or learn to play guitar.”

    In a second interview, Taymor assures doubters she read hundreds of comic books while preparing to work on Spider-Man, and that “He won’t be singing in tights.” Peter Parker the regular guy sings, but the masked Spider-Man only acts, flies and fights.

    As Rolling Stone reported, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark stars Evan Rachel Wood as Mary Jane Watson and Alan Cumming as Norman Osborn, a.k.a. the Green Goblin. Previews begin on February 25th, and the public ticket onsale starts September 12th.
    Rolling Stone


  7. Is this material out? I kind of knew in the back of my mind that U2 was doing something for the Spiderman . . . musical? A Spiderman Musical? Anyway, my question is simply, is this out yet - can we hear it? Thanks.

  8. Originally posted by drewhiggins:[.

    On Songs of Ascent - I think we'll be hearing the most unusual U2 music since Zooropa; even more so than Passengers. For starters, I know Every Breaking Wave is much longer than Moment of Surrender and it was left off No Line because it would have made it much longer than the 53 minutes it already is.


    I thought that Winter was left off the album because of that, not Every Breaking Wave. Either way, I welcome new U2 music!
  9. Ouch.

    'Spider-Man' musical halted?
    Producers insist money issues won't derail show

    By GORDON COX

    Should Broadway's Spidey sense be tingling?

    Rumors have spread among legiters that the production sked for incoming mega-musical "Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark" may be threatened.

    The extensive work being done to prep for the technically demanding show, both in the shop constructing the physical production and in the theater where "Spider-Man" is due to bow, is said to have stopped this week.

    The halt is attributed to cash flow obstacles that producers -- including David Garfinkle, Martin McCallum, Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment -- are working to resolve, according to some in the industry affiliated with the show.

    One explanation suggests the delay stems not from problems in raising the massive funds required for the tuner -- said to be capitalized at north of $35 million -- but from issues in mobilizing those great big chunks of coin.

    A rep for the show would say only that the production remains on track to begin previews at the Hilton Theater Feb. 25, with an opening to follow some time in March.

    Others attached to "Spider-Man" acknowledge the funding hiccup but believe the situation will be resolved without forcing a disruption of the musical's launch.

    Nevertheless, the chatter has served as an alarming suggestion of instability in a production generally expected to become the sales juggernaut of the 2009-10 season.

    Current work stoppage also comes hot on the heels of a Marvel earnings report earlier this week that saw the company post a 38% drop in profits on a 26% reduction in revenue during the second quarter, a slide prompted largely by the lack of a major movie release since "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk" last year. (Still, Marvel logged a profit of $29 million on revenue of $116 million.)

    Most legiters anticipate the musical, with music by Bono and the Edge of U2 and helmed by Julie Taymor ("The Lion King"), will rake in monster amounts of cash right out of the gate. Even if reviews and word of mouth prove dire, hype and curiosity are expected to drive ticket sales for a solid stretch of time.

    The season's Rialto cume would surely suffer without that sales spike, thereby hindering Broadway's ability to keep pace with the record-setting grosses posted for the 2008-09 season.

    For now, "Spider-Man," with a cast that so far features Evan Rachel Wood as Mary Jane Watson and Alan Cumming as the Green Goblin, remains officially set to swing into previews in February.


    http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006990.html?categoryid=15&cs=1&ref=bd_legit
  10. U2 explain Spider-Man 'opera'

    BBC News, August 19, 2009
    By: Greg Cochrane



    Bono and The Edge have described their forthcoming Spider-Man musical as "dizzy" and "not a straight take on the myth". Turn Off The Dark, the production the Dublin band has written music and lyrics for, is set to open on Broadway in New York in 2010. They also confirmed American actress Evan Rachel Wood would play the part of MJ and revealed more about the other characters.

    Speaking to Radio 1's Edith Bowman, Bono said: "We've got a new villain, it's a girl. It's a very extraordinary role. We've taken it to a much more dizzy place than you'd expect. We've got big tunes. We're very proud of it."

    More details

    Bono explained the characters won't be the same which appeared in comic or the film adaptations of the original Marvel comic series.

    "Our Peter Parker is much more...not Kurt Cobain, but a kind of slacker, a more kind of shy sort of guy," said Bono. "It touches on opera, it touches on rock 'n' roll. There are some real character driven songs as well, very unusual song types for us," explained guitarist The Edge.

    Not musical fans

    The guitarist was keen not to describe the production, directed by Julie Taymor, as a musical, but rather an "opera".

    "It is a new challenge. The thing is we don't really like musicals. Most musicals are really pants. They're really not very cool," said The Edge. "It is much more like opera than a straight musical. We're actually not calling it a musical for that reason because we don't want to put people off. We just thought, 'Well if we're going to do this we should do something that knocks it out of the park and hits on every level with great tunes'."

    Evan Rachel Wood, previously star of films like Thirteen and The Wrestler, will play the role of MJ.

    "She's the greatest actor of her generation, she's the one to watch," said Bono. "She happens to sing like a bird, it's like a true voice. She's a very pure spirit and a very bright mind and she brings the part of MJ to life really."

    Despite their involvement in the writing the band said they will not appear themselves.

    "We made one rule for ourselves though that we would never have Spider-Man singing. A guy singing in tights can't happen," joked The Edge.

    U2, who recently performed two nights at London's Wembley Stadium, are currently touring the UK with their 360 tour.

    (c) BBC News, 2009.