The directors (RED)



What do you get when you mix a rock star, a Kennedy family member, and Fortune 500 powerhouses like Starbucks (No. 261), Gap (No. 178), and Apple (No. 71)? An organization dedicated to fighting AIDS in Africa. (RED) licenses its logo on everything from lattes to laptops. In turn, the companies give part of the profits directly to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

Clockwise from left: Susan Smith Ellis, CEO, (RED); Bobby Shriver, co-founder, (RED); Tom Freston, principal, Firefly3; Juliet Flint, partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers; Bono, U2 lead singer and co-founder, (RED)

source: money.cnn


chairman of the boards: ben baker
I was leafing through the new edition of Fortune magazine the other day, the annual Fortune 500 issue to be specific. Amongst all the facts, figures, graphs and charts I was excited to see a massive photo spread with the directors of some of America’s largest companies from my old mucker Ben Baker.

Holy shit this is a major feature (not that Ben isn’t a regular major feature playa). Not just in terms of subject but concept and logistics. Running the math quick this looks like a six figure + production for 12 yes 12 pages. Man the excess baggage bill alone looks like it is the equivalent of the GDP of a well to do First World Nation. !!!!! Great to see that people are still spending the big dollar on producing original content.

So having access to the man himself I thought why not delve in for a little behind the scenes. Mr Baker was willing and able and supplied us with lots of tasty titbits as you will see below.



Bono (L) Baker (R)


WTJ: So Ben how did this project come about ?

BB: This Project was green lit just before the collapse of the market last year, we thought it would never happen but Director of Photography Greg Pond and Managing Editor Andy Serwer decided to press on.

The shoots were split up between photo editors Nancy Jo Johnson and Armin Harris. The magazine made it very clear to possible Boards that the pictures had to be very ambitious, there were companies that wanted to be photographed but couldn’t commit to the scale so Fortune decided not to include them… Brave…

The scheduling was also very difficult as the boards only come together a few times a year and normally have their schedules set, so to make a big picture happen took a lot of work. Also the pressure and stress that a company has when we photograph one CEO is big… So imagine them giving us the whole board….

WTJ: So who came up with concepts ?

BB: This project spent a lot of time at Fortune before we got going, mostly Photography Director Greg Pond and Photo Editors Nancy Jo Johnson and Armin Harris….this project was also a big effort working with PR departments at the companies.. The magazine made it clear that they had to agree to a big idea out of the board room or not be part of it.. Fortune did say no to one very big company that couldn’t commit… That’s brave these days….

BB: This was a very long process.. To get them to agree was complicated, many, many layers of PR. It was postponed once as a board member had a broken leg the next chance was 3 months away. We spent 1/2 day pre lighting as we shot at 8am….was over in 30 – 45 mins…. Gwen Whitkin designed the table and walls… And did a great job…. It was just meant to be a moment of them having a lunch together, as simple as that.

WTJ: Did they eat the food and drink the drinks ?

BB: If you were getting free Maccas (that’s Australian for McDonalds) wouldn’t you eat all you can…. I didn’t mention that I photographed the super size me guy!..

I don’t think they did to be true.. But we had to shoot in a certain room because the special prep kitchen was right there… If you look close they really wanted the healthy menu up front….apples etc… If you agree to put their product in the shot most companies are happy, then you can work on getting the energy elsewhere..

BB: You can imagine the PR work to get a rock star’s schedule in line with the whole board, and not wanting it all about Bono, but that is the hook.. We did a shot with a red carpet and more… This was chosen as it fit the pace of the spread and works.



WTJ: This one looks like the least complicated of the shoots in term of concept. True or false ?

BB: True, sort of.. We did a red carpet shot.. Which took a long time to convince Bono..and works well, but the simple shot of them closer helped the pacing of the series and is more personal considering what RED is all about. We shot them before they went to dinner in NYC and made sure plenty of drinks were available.


Twitter - San Francisco

BB: Either the coolest new way of communicating or the most overhyped idea in a long time… We had the challenge of them being the youngest and coolest in the bunch.. But that exactly what they didn’t want to be perceived as.. We shot in a bar, walking shots, but this in the local park had the best feel…again, in balance with the whole project.

WTJ: Does Ben Baker Twitter ?

BB: Yeah right.. I don’t even know how to make a smiley face on cell phone….

Seriously… Its either the greatest feat of modern mankind or the most overhyped waste of time… I would prefer to call my mum and hear her voice….but that’s just me.


FED EX – DC

BB: I was just back from Australia and had to shoot this in 3 days… We wanted them in a cargo plane but that was impossible, we only had a few minutes in DC, so we managed to get a set builder to make these in 2 days… Jesse Kauffman rocked it… And then the challenge is for people to believe these are really 6ft tall… Reasons why we shot them side on and left the unfinished set to be seen.

WTJ: Any of the subjects have any hesitations climbing up on the letters ?

BB: Surprisingly not…. As long as you get the leader of the group (usually CEO) to be happy the rest usually get on board… So I got him on side right away, we had ladders and helpers… Doesn’t hurt that its the logo done very well.

And as much as the set is huge we try to keep it very low key as they arrive… And talk about something they are into.. (never business) The CEO is part owner of the Redskins, so we joked about football…..get the mind off the concerns of sitting on a giant F….


FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD. - DC

BB: This was the first in the series way back in November, so it was important to set the tone… We needed the grand nature of the room and the importance of the Board. I asked Fed Chief Bernanke if he had seen the Avedon show at the Corcoran… He just laughed.. I think he was in the middle of the Bear Sterns collapse that week…. I guess the gallery was not on the list!


COSTCO – Seattle

BB: As a New Yorker I had no idea what to expect… Wow.. We knew the picture had to big and everything in it had to be sold there ( except the cherry picker). Very cool that Bill Gates senior is there in the front… America loves big!

WTJ: Did u use extras to stand in when setting the shot ? How many variations did you do on this one ?

BB: We did get stand ins that worked at the store… And great help from the manager.. You have to remember that when its the CEO and board of directors, staff move pretty fast!



We did a variation on Costco that I like but didn’t make the cut.. Its them sitting around a table that is sold in the store, with shoppers going about their business…we always did a single page variation just in case the layout and page count had to change


ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND - San Francisco

BB: Such a pleasant picture, a cool day at the beach.. 35 people in 30 minutes, on rocks, threatening rain, surf pounding, eagles flying, tide up, page break, smiles, color combos, then maybe a vertical try.. And then on to location number 2! Good thing I love my job…

WTJ: Were you shitting it the sun was going to come out ? Coulda fucked you ?

BB: Right on that one… Actually it was the most stressful shoot of the lot… It was forecast to rain for just that afternoon and not for 40 days before or after, but I never trust the reports..

And we had a very nervous PR team from EDF asking where the rain back up was? I didn’t really have one, so we built (at great expense) a shot in a nearby wooded area that was covered by tarps in case all hell broke loose.. Luckily it rained before, then after a little bit. The sun would have been over my shoulder, not the worst…I did have a row of bare heads in case of nasty shadows.. It would take 3 full trucks to light that area well…we had a budget, but that kind…

WTJ: You are always so smartly dressed on these shoots !!!!! Do you always wear a suit ?

BB: Yes, quite often…. I shoot lots of power types and if a suit gives my subject and me more respect, maybe 5 more minutes to shoot and the chance to get on the private chopper why not? Its amazing how may times my subjects see me in a suit, then tell me just how bad most photographers dress…. Its not a skateboard competition in Murdoch’s office, so why dress like it is? Its all about getting the picture right? Doesn’t have to just be for a wedding or funeral…

WTJ: So can you tell me how much was your excess baggage was with all this kit and your wardrobe ?

BB: Not that bad actually… Here’s the tip – join ASMP and buy American Airlines…. They are the only airline offering a media rate for photographers at $50 a bag…the rest are about $125…. Also print a letter from the mag, bring your ASMP card, plus the website rules from AA as most check in staff don’t know this yet….. You should be good…

WTJ: There were obviously a lot of people you needed to make happy. Were you happy with the final layout ?

BB: YES …..I think if every photographer edited and art directed the magazine it would always look very different.

We may work on our own but its a team sport……….There is so much to consider that goes on in magazine land that we are so unaware of…. There are a couple of images I would probably prefer in there.. But isn’t there always…….. I can’t ask much more from the fortune team…. Damn good, smart editors working their buts off in really bad days in publishing….its Walker Evans land.

All photographs and behind the scenes footage © Ben Baker

source: whatsthejackanory

Jim Sheridan's 'Brothers' Finally Coming Thanks To Relativity/Liongsate Deal; Drama Features U2 Songs Written For Film

4.27.2009



Jim Sheridan's "Brothers" was on our 60 Most Anticipated 2009 list, but the film seems to have almost vanished or at least been delayed and delayed.

A remake of the 2004 Danish film from director Susanna Bier ("Things We Lost In The Fire"), the film centers on a soldier declared deceased after being shot down in Afghanistan, who has actually survived but returns home only to suffer from battle fatigue and the realization that his wayward brother has moved in with the family. Both brothers, Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal, are in love with the same woman played by Natalie Portman.

The film was reportedly set for a late Summer release this year and now it seems like this might actually happen. This morning it was reported by Variety that Relativity Media struck a multi-year output deal with Lionsgate covering up to five movies a year.

The first film under this new pact is of course, Sheridan's "Brothers." The next two films are "Season of the Witch" (Dominic Sena, eh) and the action/comedy "The Spy Next Door," neither of which really interest us much (or they don't sound great at the moment anyhow, we can always be convinced otherwise).



The song "White As Snow," from U2's latest album No Line on the Horizon, has been called their most intimate song and is a hymnal to a soldier dying in Afghanistan. It was written specifically for "Brothers" (Sheridan and Bono - Irish brethren - have a long history together, including Bono co-penning songs from "In America" and "In The Name of The Father"), but the band decided to release it on their new record after the film's many delays. The Guardian U.K. calls it, "unadorned, evocative and suggestive. And you don't even have to know what it's about to feel its quiet power or sense its sadness." Presumably it'll be featured in the film's credits.

Update: Apparently there's another song in "Brothers" written by U2 during the Horizon sessions that hasn't been released yet called, "Winter." The track can evidently be heard on the short film directed by Anton Corbijn that accompanies the album in the digipack format.

Without trying to be total cocks, Lionsgate does horror better than they do drama (at least lately), so let's hope this one gets a fair shake.

Posted by The Playlist at 2:54 PM

source: theplaylist.blogspot

Blues singer is King of the road

By Stephen Smith
BBC Newsnight Culture Correspondent

video: BB King talks about why he is still on tour at the age of 83

If it wasn't for the impeccable gallantry of its principal passenger and - it has to be said, his mature years - you could easily mistake BB King's tour bus for a passion-wagon.

The door jerks ajar with the report of an air brake, to reveal the titles of his greatest hits worked in electric-blue neon over each stair.

Inside, the thermostat is set at an inhibition-shedding toasty, the better to remind the bluesman of his origins in the cotton fields of the Mississippi delta.

Even the bunk beds of his long-time aides de camp, swagged as they are with creamy drapes, recall the imperishable sleeping-car scenes from Some Like It Hot.

When King - plain "B" to his friends - is finally encountered in his private lair at the rear of the bus, he's at the joystick of his personal entertainment system.

He's enjoying a Blues DVD on a flatscreen. Mahogany-effect panels conceal winking servers that power his state-of-the-art online options.

'Ruled by women'

"Flick that button there," he says, indicating a knob by an armrest. A moment later, I feel the couchette beneath me sliding silkily out from the wall of the bus, impelling me gently into the reclining position. Composing mournful blues which begin Woke Up This Morning, just isn't an option with this baby.

King is hardly an ingénue where the bedroom arts are concerned. He's been married twice, albeit the last union was dissolved so long ago that his resumed bachelorhood has already lasted for decades.


BB King will tour the UK later this year

He has reportedly fathered 15 children by various partners. And by his own account, he is a hopeless enthusiast of the fairer sex.

"They rule the world for guys like me. As I've got older, I've learned to respect them more," he says. "To me, they are more important than we are: how many babies have you had?"

"But you know, because I like women doesn't mean I want to sleep with them all!"

King, it may be worth stating, is 83 years old.

Far from being a diabolical den on wheels, it seems his tour bus is a thrifty alternative to hotel rooms for a musician who still clocks up north of 200 appearances a year.

It's a remarkable tally, especially for a man who doesn't enjoy the rudest of health (he is generously proportioned, and suffers from Type Two diabetes).

The guitarist's only concession to the years is to play his set sitting down, though he acts as though he'll stay on stage until the last fan has had his fill of King's trademark "trilling" licks and corny gags.

Self taught

Tonight he's nattily attired in a bespoke three-piece suit. It's stagecraft he learnt from his old mentor Frank Sinatra, who helped King to find bookings in Las Vegas when "coloured" acts endured segregation.

King is about to leave the tour bus and go on stage yet again, at a 1,500 seater venue in Philadelphia. Earlier this year, he collected his 15th Grammy award, for his album One Kind Favor.

BB King on US President Barack Obama

It is a long way from playing on the street corners where as a young man King could make more money in an afternoon than he would all week driving a tractor. He was self-taught, and his trademark style began as an attempt to mimic the flights of rhetoric achieved by his pastor in the pulpit on Sundays.

Even though King's illustrious resume includes opening for the Rolling Stones and collaborating with U2, the need to pay the bills, he says, is what keeps him on the road today.

"We used to play so many shows because the radio stations wouldn't play our records. If you can't get your songs to people one way, you have to find another."

King is the undisputed maestro of the blues, hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the three greatest guitarists of all time. But he doesn't seem to recognise this himself, apologising for his "fat hands" and his failure to master chords.

Fear of fading

For all the miles he's clocked up on the road, he's never quite outrun the shadow of his humble origins.

The opening track of his latest album is morbidly entitled, See That My Grave Is Kept Clean. The song was written by Lemon Jefferson, a hero of King's, and the words proved to be grimly prophetic.

"When you don't have much money, you worry that they'll just put you in the ground someplace and your loved ones won't know where you are.

"After Lemon Jefferson died, I went to see where he was laid to rest. Do you know, I couldn't find the spot! This was a great master of the blues and he didn't even have a headstone."

As unlikely as it seems, the fear of an ignominious end in a pauper's grave haunts King, too.

Asked if he fears death, he says: "Well not as much as I used to, but I'm still working on that. You know what I'm saying, to make sure I have what I need at my death. To have a place where people know who I am."

Watch Stephen Smith's film on BB King in full on Newsnight on Thursday, 30 April, 2009 at 10.30pm on BBC Two.

BB King is on tour in the UK in June

source: bbc

Obamas, Efron among ‘Most Influential People’
Bono, Clooney, Winfrey also included on Time magazine list

Access Hollywood
updated 9:38 a.m. ET April 30, 2009
Time magazine has released its list of “The Most Influential People In The World,” and among the 100 making the cut are obvious choices like President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as well as some surprising picks, like hip-hop star M.I.A. and Zac Efron.

Bono, Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Jay Leno and Zac Efron also made the list, which was unveiled earlier this week.

As for why Clooney was worthy of such a place, Bono piped up.

“What he brings to the discussion on Darfur is not just star power,” the U2 rocker told the mag. “It’s the power of conviction, and a growing impatience, and an undiminished sense that what’s still — still! — happening in Darfur is an affront to what we say we believe. Our response, as yet, is unworthy of us.”

Claire Danes offered a suggestion on why teen-heartthrob-turned-adult box office draw, Efron, her “Me and Orson Welles” movie co-star, made the cut.

“I suppose we all know that Zac, 21, is a song-and-dance man. What is less known — and what I had the privilege of learning firsthand — is that he is a performer of great subtlety and vulnerability… It seems Zac is not only an entertainer but also an artist,” she told Time. “He is going to make us swoon for many years to come.”

Other stars to get the honor included all five women of “The View”; Whoopi Goldberg, Barbara Walters, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sherri Shepherd and Joy Behar.

Oscar-winner Kate Winslet also made the cut as did “30 Rock’s” Tina Fey.

Tom Hanks is also on the list as is Penelope Cruz and soul singer John Legend.

Photo gallery: Bono

Joining the Obamas in the political department are Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who author J.K. Rowling gave the thumbs up to.

“I know him as affable, funny and gregarious, a great listener, a kind and loyal friend,” she told the magazine. “These are strange and turbulent times, but issues of fairness, equality and protection of the poor have never been more important. I still want Gordon Brown in charge.”

Other entries on the list include Stella McCartney, Bernie Madoff and Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evan Williams, who founded Twitter.

source: msnbc

Online Exclusive: U2 Behind The Scenes
Apr 27, 2009 1:51 PM, By Marian Sandberg



Designer Willie Williams shared with Live Design this behind-the scenes look at the building of the set for the upcoming U2 360° tour. This shot from April 15 shows an inverted section of the main support structure, currently under construction at StageCo in Wechter, Belgium. Williams notes that test builds of the structure commence May 12, while simultaneous test builds of the video screen, designed by Chuck Hoberman and Frederic Opsomer, take place in Antwerp, while the main stage is being built at Tait Towers in Lititz, PA. “And it's all very big,” says Williams.

Stay tuned for ongoing updates regarding the design and build of U2’s highly anticipated tour.

livedesignonline


Q+A: WILLIE WILLIAMS
Sep 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Marian Sandberg

Willie Williams designs and directs multimedia events. His work has included tours with REM, U2, George Michael, Laurie Anderson, and The Rolling Stones; performance pieces with Kronos Quartet; stage musicals Barbarella and We Will Rock You; and installations at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum and Canterbury Cathedral, UK. We caught up with Williams to see what he thinks of our future.

LD: What's the biggest thing you see changing in production design right now?

WW: Clearly, the biggest change is the acceleration of the technological revolution with the entertainment design industry, most visibly the LED invasion that is merging the previously distinct disciplines of lighting, video, and set design. This has been a very exciting journey, but it is very much a Faustian pact. Domestic technology introduces a tremendous freedom to produce work in isolation, of a quality that used to require entire design studios. With this, though, comes a more subtle influence, a creeping homogenization in the way shows look, given that we are all drawing from the same well.

At worst, such easy technology actually begins to stifle original creative thought, the role of the “designer” being to select equipment from an existing inventory and make programming choices from a given list of options. A technician I have worked with for years commented recently, “Nobody builds a chase anymore; they just select a setting from the effects engine.” From this perspective, designing a show has become more akin to assembling Lincoln Logs than to painting an original picture on a blank canvas.

It doesn't have to be this way…It's important to bear in mind that technology is endowed with a highly promiscuous nature. All of the wonderful things that it will do for you, it will quite happily do for anyone else who knows how to push its buttons.

LD: Would any developments in technology change the way you design shows?

WW: I try to maintain a healthy balance between technology-driven ideas and completely low-tech, handmade designs. Much as I strive to be very disciplined in the principle of putting concept and design ahead of technology, I'd be a terrible liar if I said that the technology itself had never been an inspiration. However, it's certainly true that the manufacturers rely on the designers to tell them what to do, every bit as much as we rely on them to make the gear that we need. I am in the fortunate position to occasionally be able to have new pieces of technology designed to fulfill a design specification, and there is undeniably a great pleasure in being first out of the gate with a new gizmo.

LD: Will crews be different? Will they do more/know more?

WW: For several years, I have been pioneering the idea of merging crews, certainly as far as touring goes. It seems highly inefficient to have separate teams of people dealing with equipment that either team could handle, especially inventory that is held by both video and lighting suppliers. Frankly, for a bright person, working with a greater range of gear can only make the job more interesting. The main obstacle I have come up against so far is from vendors and tour production not being able to figure out who should employ a technician who spans several departments. The exciting issues of liability and insurance seem to be problematic, but it'll come in time.

LD: Are the people in production changing? One designer notes,”It's not a place where you can quit school, run away from home, and find a place any longer.”

WW: Speaking as one who actually did leave school, run away from home, learn a trade (of sorts), and become somewhat successful, I'm hardly in a position to disagree. There's been an enormous growth in the number of educational establishments offering to teach production design. This is not in itself a bad thing, but it can certainly foster the notion of there being a pre-approved goal, a sense of aesthetic “rules,” or that there is a “correct” way that shows should be designed.

Also, the corporatization and litigiousness of the industry has spawned a sense of “establishment” within entertainment design. I would be the first to decry a Big World Tour, which spends more on lawyers than on lighting, but I confess to having a love/hate relationship with the Clear Channels of this world who have turned rock and roll into expensive entertainment. It wounds me deep in my punk rock soul that concert tickets can cost $500, but at the same time, I can be sufficiently objective to acknowledge that this has been a major part of the revenue stream which has funded the most spectacular touring productions. Without the corporate takeover, rock touring would certainly be a great deal more fun, but whether it would have reached the same heights of spectacle is open to debate.

LD: You've talked about keeping a balance in your trade, looking outside the industry for inspiration, looking at how things are created rather than with what. Is there something outside the industry you'd do if you ever left?

WW: I'm very happy with the wide variety of projects I manage to take on at present, and keeping that balance has gone a long way to prevent me from becoming bored or disillusioned with “the industry.” The smaller performing arts work I do is deeply inspiring, and the relationship to the project is very different than with a big rock extravaganza. Similarly, the precision and discipline of theatre work comes as a very refreshing contrast if I haven't been immersed in that world for a while.

However, if I were banished from the commercial world forever, I'd certainly continue the gallery-based work that I've been doing. After a decade of video experiments, I've rediscovered a love of light, pure and simple, and have been making eccentric little machines that generate light shows from household objects. It's staggeringly non-lucrative but irrationally satisfying.

LD: Any other thoughts about the future of our industry?

The future will be a relentless tsunami of LED encrusted mediocrity and no one will care. However, being ever the optimist, I will be looking for the hidden gems of creativity. They'll be in there somewhere!

livedesignonline

Born to sing
- U2 is back with its best album in 18 years

Tuesday , April 28 , 2009

Bono had said before the release of the 2001 album All That You Can’t Leave Behind that U2 was “reapplying for the job of the best band in the world”. With the release of No Line On The Horizon, that application has just been accepted...

Not since Achtung Baby has U2 sounded this good, this tight, this enduring. Its twelfth studio album looks forward even as it looks back. It cannot be defined or limited by time — it is now, it is classic.

No Line… may not have a single winning ballad like Achtung’s One, or The Joshua Tree’s opening trio destined for greatness, but as a whole, it works just as well. And this, for U2, has been an elusive crown.


The stark, Surrealism-influenced cover of No Line On The Horizon

“There are no weak songs. But as an album, the whole isn’t greater than the sum of its parts, and it f***ing annoys me,” Bono had said about All That You Can’t Leave Behind. With No Line…, he can leave that irritation behind. This one soars, sails and soothes. But most of all, it sings. With a truth we haven’t seen from the Dubliners for some time. Truth, and perhaps even a little humility.

In No Line…, Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr and Adam Clayton have been reunited with the crack production team of Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Steve Lillywhite, who are credited with encouraging the band to revisit its roots. And it shows. The sound is a blend of their classic rock, recalling a mood that predates The Joshua Tree, but also skips forward in spirit to Achtung Baby. Mostly, however, this is wholly original.

Despite the failure of U2’s earlier experiments of blending rock with electronica and straight pop sounds, No Line… takes a new direction once again, leaning heavily on Brit rock — at once a safe zone and uncharted territory. All those whom U2 has influenced over the years — Coldplay, Oasis, INXS among them — have returned to influence them.

This result is anthems that grow with every listen, hooks that stay in your head, accompanied by percussion and guitars that meld seamlessly into the whole. Sonically, No Line… is the mature album fans have been waiting for a long time.

It opens with the title track No Line On The Horizon, with its intense rhythm and frenetic energy, which instantly sets the tone. “Time is irrelevant, it’s not linear,” Bono sings. In the space of the next 10 songs, he will remind you of this over and over again.

The album hits its highest point early on with track two, Magnificent. Bono and The Edge have created a modern-day hymn that almost fools you into thinking it is a love song. Right from its driving intro, Magnificent never hits earth, soaring from peak to peak in an oddly modest request to be allowed to do what Bono does best — sing for the world and his God. His voice reaches out with the raison d’être of the album and of his life: “I was born to sing for you. I didn’t have a choice.”

The third song — Moment Of Surrender — cements the mood with its lyric about a lost man and a lost generation looking for its soul. In its opening lines, we hear a Bono as bare as he was when he sang about losing his father in Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own.

In Unknown Caller, desperation shouts out loud. The delicate, teasing touch of the sweet intro leads straight into an old-fashioned, stomp-your-feet rock classic — or as close to it as U2 ever chooses to get anymore — about good, old-fashioned angst.

A change of pace brings in I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight, the most Brit-rock inflected of the lot, from Bono’s nasal vocals to the melody. It’s a gem waiting to be unleashed on a concert.

That is followed by another rouser, the familiar Get On Your Boots, the first single released from this album, with its relentless rhythm that catches you and refuses to let you go. It revisits U2’s favourite theme of “wars between nations” and horrors of the modern world.

With Stand Up Comedy, Bono cries out to the listener to “Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady”. U2 has moved past all things temporal, and love for God can seldom be confused for love for a woman, as it could be in their early days. “Come on you people, stand up for your love,” he commands.

Fez — Being Born slows down the tempo to bring up the tail end of the album. Fez — where part of the album was recorded — sparks memories of birth. Undoubtedly, the band’s rebirth.

White As Snow is another political song, about a land searching for forgiveness, with references to crescent moons and poppies as cues to the war-torn Middle East.

Then, snuck in almost secretively, the key comes with Breathe, serving as the prologue to the entire album. Starting with the words “16th of June” — the day James Joyces’s Ulysses was set — Bono embarks on a kind of stream-of-consciousness rush of words and rhythm, incorporating themes that run through the tracks of birth, rebirth, redemption, the glory found through sound. The line “I found grace inside a sound” may well explain Bono’s quixotic insistence to “Let me in the sound” in Get On Your Boots. (To let him in the sound is thus letting him into grace, where sound can equally mean music or a body of water, in a clear reference to baptism.)

The final track Cedars Of Lebanon is about the people behind the headlines. Told through the eyes of a journalist, it has the tone of an afterthought — to be played after a hard day’s work, a reminder that, despite talk of love and glory, all is not well in the world. It brings the album to an abrupt end, with a question hanging in the air — what happens next?

If this album lacks anything, it is the ambiguity that Achtung Baby had in its lyrics. U2’s meaning used to be obscure — you had to go looking for it, and when you found it, it was always worth the effort. Though there is a return to the imagery of the early days, God looms large over No Line… But chances are, you will mind it less than in the past, if only because religion is approached with more true spirituality than before by Bono and Co.

“In their music you hear the spirituality as home and as quest,” said Bruce Springsteen as he inducted U2 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. With No Line..., it sounds as though U2 have finally found their way home, and in their peace they have rediscovered poetry.

The road till now…
(Studio albums)

Boy,
20 October 1980

A raw, unpolished album. Yet even from these earnest beginnings, the U2 sound can be deciphered. Best known for I Will Follow


October,
October 1981

With Gloria leading the way, U2 begins its quick climb to the top


War,
February 1983

The first album to hit No.1 with classics I Will Follow and Sunday Bloody Sunday


The Unforgettable Fire,
October 1984

The first project that brings Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois together with U2. With Pride (In The Name Of Love) and Bad, it gets them noticed in the US, aside from making No.1 in the UK and Australia


The Joshua Tree,
March 1987

History is made; a Grammy is won; the hottest selling contemporary rock band is born. Though it is difficult to fault any track, Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For and With or Without You confirm U2’s place among rock’s greats


Rattle and Hum,
October, 1988

A carry-forward of The Joshua Tree sound and themes, it combines live recordings and new music, including Desire, All I Want Is You and Angel Of Harlem

Achtung Baby,
November 1991

In a concerted effort to break away from the sound of The Joshua Tree, U2 came up with its most surprising album with an edge and far more insidious lyrics. It is hard to pinpoint a single song as the leader, though One is the best known


Zooropa,
July 1993

The experiment with electronica begins. And at this point, it works. A blend of futuristic sound and haunting melody, Babyface, Lemon and Dirty Day are standouts of craft and cunning


POP,
March 1997

Their least-liked album took electronica way too far for the U2 fan’s comfort. That said, If God Will Send His Angels, If You Wear That Velvet Dress and Staring At The Sun gave the album its moments


All That You Can’t Leave Behind,
October 2001

A return to grace, though it lives up to its predecessor’s name in being the most pop-leaning of all U2’s albums. While Peace On Earth went over-the-top with its literalness, Beautiful Day, Walk On and In A Little While have the old magic


How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb,
November 2004

Proof that the old magic is still new magic. It mixes up mood and tempo, packing in rock songs like City Of Blinding Lights, Vertigo and Love Or Peace Or Else with a deeply personal song like Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own

Madhumita Bhattacharyya
Which is your favourite U2 album? Tell t2@abpmail.com

source: telegraphindia

Ali and I are like a married couple when raising funds for children of Chernobyl


MISSIONS OF MERCY: Adi Roche, who has helped countless children from Belarus affected by the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, is pictured this week with Ali Hewson launching The National Chernobyl Week


Friday, April 24, 2009

TALK about a stressful start to the week -- I had to do a photo shoot alongside Bono's gorgeous wife Ali Hewson. She's so stunning and I just felt knackered, as I've been working so much. And to make things even worse, this giant cold sore just popped up on my lip out of nowhere.

I spent last Sunday on a train from Galway, trying to get a hairdressing appointment so I would look remotely presentable beside Ali. I spent the whole train journey taking phone calls and fielding queries, given that it's National Chernobyl Week.

Monday morning started with an early trip to RTE with Ali to prepare for a radio interview with Pat Kenny. Later, at the photo shoot in the Phoenix Park, we met the Rose of Tralee Aoife Kelly, who's running the mini-marathon in aid of our charity, the Chernobyl Children's Project International. I didn't know who she was; I just saw this beautiful-looking girl. Then I saw the Newbridge crown on her head ...


optimistic

Ali and I had to run down then to meet Eamon Keane for his radio show, and on our way there, we bumped into Minister John Gormley. Taking advantage of the opportunity, we pinned one of our fundraising babushka pins on him -- which he wore on the news that night, I'm happy to say.

Eamon's a real character and was very interested in what we do, so we did a wonderful interview with him.

In the Newstalk studio, we also met the famous Tom Dunne, so we had a few words with him, too.

Then it was time to meet PR queen Tara O'Connor for a fundraising interview, because we are in dire straits. Everyone's broke and we are down €500,000 this year due to the recession -- but you can't panic.

I'm definitely an optimistic, glass-half-full person, otherwise I wouldn't be doing this. As a nation, we know what it's like to be humbled by economic storms and we know what it's like to struggle. Irish people have a great sense of engagement with the children of Chernobyl and really take these youngsters into their hearts.

After all that running around, it was time to hop in the car and head down to Cork, but I was talking the whole way on my hands-free set so it was like I was still working. When I got home, I told my husband, Sean Dunne, that I'd make the dinner -- after another interview. I spoke to Tom McGurk for a while and then it was time to pretend to be a domestic goddess. I would love to be, but I'm so not. My husband is great; he's the one that repairs me all the time and is my biggest supporter.

On Tuesday morning, I had lots of meetings and things to organise. No two days are the same and despite all the running around, I don't sleep well. My husband says I talk in my sleep and he has banned my notebook from the side of the bed.


sanity

I like to unwind by walking, so I did a seven-mile trek on Wednesday. It's the only thing that helps to keep me in balance, so I call it my 'sanity walk'. It clears the head and lets me zone out.

I also love to sing to relax, and, yes, I would love to do a charity single with Bono ... if he's looking for someone who's trying to be a bit cool. I'll leave the songwriting to him, though, and I'll do the backing singing. I have been listening to U2's new album non stop and I

adore Magnificent. I like to think of myself as quite musical -- me and four other women are in this closed harmony group, we love to sing a cappella and we call ourselves The Bubbles. We've been singing since 1991 and sing at the drop of a hat. I'm married to a musician, which also helps, and he plays the piano, accordion, banjo and has taken up the harp.

Reading is another passion, but I steer clear of anything too depressing. I have so much doom and gloom in my life as it is. You get so attached to the children, it's hard not to. I was just thinking this week about a little girl called Sasha, who we had in a hospice programme. She has just died. It's so sad when that happens.

I do try to personalise the work though. We believe as long as there's a heart beat, there's hope. Sometimes there is a miracle and that makes it all worthwhile. Some mornings I wake up and say, "I want to stay in bed," but then something comes into my head that I know I have to do and I jump up and get on with it.

But none of this would be possible without the support of our 1,000 annual volunteers and the generosity of the people of Ireland -- they really are the best.

Yesterday, I headed to Templemore with 300 young gardai to do a huge charity fundraiser, which involved abseiling down one of Ireland's tallest buildings. I have a desperate fear of heights, so brave Ali offered to do it instead, thank God.

We are like an old married couple at this stage. She's the anchor person and has a great ability to give the analytical assessment on things. She's very practical, so we're a good mixture of ying and yang. She is there to pick me up when I come back wrecked; she's as emotionally engaged with it as I am, but is able sometimes to take a step back, whereas I can't. She never falters or wavers and is always there for me, whether there are world tours going on with U2 or whatever. At times, I'm not able to cope with everything, but Ali gives me great personal support and I'm very grateful for that.


disaster

This Sunday, we're heading off for ten days with 80 volunteers to Belarus for the 23rd anniversary of the disaster. We're going to open up two Homes of Hope and 20 children will be given their own foster family. I'm always shattered when I come home from these trips because they take so much out of you, but I feel honoured to do just one tiny thing for these human beings.

I really think Irish people have that X factor -- that extra gene for humanity, and that relates to our history and where we survived through our strength of spirit. This is such a gift to offer to the rest of the world. If our country were in crisis, I honestly believe the first people to come to our support would be the Belarusians.

The National Chernobyl Week runs until Sunday, with charity pins available for €3

source: herald

On Playing and Writing
24 April 2009
There's more going on under the hood of No Line On The Horizon than you might have realised. For example, as well as the standard CD release, you can also get :

* The digipak format (limited edition includes 32 page colour booklet and fold out poster as well as featuring access to an exclusive downloadable Anton Corbijn film)

* The Magazine format (limited edition with album CD, with 64 page magazine and access to the downloadable Anton Corbijn film.

* The Box format (limited edition bespoke box containing digipak format album CD, DVD of Anton's film, 64 page hardback book... and a fold out poster.

Get the delux version in the UK here
Get the delux version in the US here

These special editions feature some very fine behind-the-scenes photography from the recording period of 'No Line' - handwritten versions of songs as they evolved for instance - and a series of intriguing interviews with Catherine Owens, a long-time friend of the band who directed the 'U23D' movie.

To whet your appetite, here's a choice extract from each of Catherine's conversations with Larry, Adam, Edge and Bono - on playing.


LARRY ON DRUMMING

C So, just to go back a little, is your prep time in the studio akin to Edge's prep time, where he spoke about getting back to Malibu and being on his own with the music, do you have a similar relationship with the music?

L Hmmm... drumming is, I think, quite different, being on your own with the music would not be the same for me as it would be for Edge. Drumming is a visceral, violent discipline and for those who are not specialized in the field, like me (I am a street drummer, I have had a few lessons here and there), there is nothing romantic about this relationship. It is pure violence and that is the way I like to have it! (big smile). Now, that said, when you are working with the band, occasionally you have to bring flowers...



ADAM ON PLAYING

C So, in terms of how you would see the bass player's role and what you bring into any given situation, is your focus on where Edge is going or where Bono is going? Obviously, you and Larry are a team in a certain way...

A In situations where it is one, two, three, go, as it often is at the early stages of the record, the bass department has a few different jobs to do. First and foremost, I am trying to support what is going on so that things can fly. Then when there are bits of audio real estate, where something needs to happen, those are my little opportunities to pop things in on a creative level. That was very much true for 'Being Born' and 'No Line on the Horizon'. There were moments, like on a bird's first flight, where you don't want to drop the ball, you want to support everyone else, for example as Larry is settling on a drum part and Edge is trying to figure out his chords, Bono may be trying some new vocal range, you want to help keep all of this up in the air...


EDGE ON SONGWRITING

C When you are in a situation where you are presenting something musically to everybody, is that nerve wracking? Do you get attached to the pieces before you present?

E I can't really get too attached to anything I offer up or the collaborative process would be too difficult. I really have to kind of see my song ideas as orphans. Just let them go, and see which ones survive. I can come up with something I think is brilliant, but if it doesn't get Bono, Adam or Larry excited, and unless they can add to it, then it is never going to go anywhere. Sometimes I have to let go of what I think are gems, grit my teeth when something I have spent ages on is torn apart and thrown in the dustbin in front of my eyes. But you know the best ones always survive, and if you are going to be too precious about your personal work, then don't be in a rock 'n' roll band.




BONO ON LYRICS

C Do you call these characters your muses? Have you allowed these characters to invade you or have you invaded them?

B Now that's a very good question, who is invading who? Hmmm, I don't know, but if you want to talk about "Being Born", well, I'm not sure why it's called 'Being Born', but it's about this character who is going a bit AWOL. Who takes a road trip, who just takes off to rediscover who he is and to refind his first love. In my head, the traffic cop is from Morocco, he is certainly African-French, he heads down through France, through Spain towards Cadiz. He's heading for a little place near Cadiz, a little surfing town called Tarifa. At night, when the sun goes down, you can see across the water to the hills of Africa. Africa and Europe are only eight miles, thirteen kilometres, from each other. The real important thing to know about this song is the sense of speed and this kind of primeval drive to get back to your essence... The engines roar, blood curdling wail / Head first then foot / Then heart set sail. As you know from our DNA's point of view, Africa is where we all come from, so I suppose I relate in some strange way to this feeling of Africa as home, I really do, and I'm not the only European that does. Especially somewhere like the Masi Mara in Kenya, which local legend claims to be the Garden of Eden. I've been brought to tears by the sheer beauty and scale of the natural diversity of this place. Sorry, I digress...

source: U2.com

Spider-Man Musical Casts Web For Rock-And-Roll Stars

MTV News stops by one of nationwide 'Turn off the Dark' casting calls.

by Brian Jacks, with reporting by Kim Stolz


Kim Stolz at the "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" auditions (MTV News)

NEW YORK — Despite cold weather and long lines, hundreds of aspiring actors swept into Manhattan's famed Knitting Factory for the open casting call for the upcoming musical "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark."

"Today we're looking for — it may sound cliché — but someone who's going to really pop," casting director Bernie Telsey told MTV News. "And what I mean by that is they're going to have the sort of voice that's just going to be so original and make you want to keep listening to."

The event was one of six held nationally by producers in hopes of filling the roles of hero Peter Parker, girlfriend Mary-Jane Watson and an unnamed female villain. Helmed by "Across the Universe" director Julie Taymor, the musical features lyrics and songs by U2's Bono and The Edge and will open on Broadway in 2010.

Telsey, who has cast such award-winning fare as "In the Heights," "Equus" and "Wicked," said that only a select few of the 300 hopefuls at this call will have the skills he's seeking. At one point, he was considering Adam Lambert to play Peter, but then "American Idol" grabbed the theatrical singer first. For this production, Telsey said he wants a greater rock-and-roll bent than usual, and that's precisely what attracted many of the day's participants.

"I really like Spider-Man, and they said it was going to be a lot of belty-rock kind of stuff," one member of the crowd exclaimed before giving us a taste of his singing chops.

"Specifically, it's gotta be a rock and a pop sound that very much matches the Bono and Edge kind of music," Telsey explained. "[That's] different than most musical-theater projects we worked on. So that's what we're looking for: someone who's just has that sort of soaring voice."

Whoever winds up wearing the iconic red-and-blue tights will be embodying more than a simple character, they'll be representing a symbol for hope and justice. "He's the hero that everybody wants to be," said Josh, an aspiring actor. "There's a little bit of that in everybody. It's a very appealing role to kind of envision yourself as."

Having already visited four cities, the casting tour will next head to Chicago on May 7 and Austin, Texas, on May 27.

"Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark" will hit the stage February 18, 2010.

source: vh1

BlackBerry Niagara 9630 Becomes BlackBerry Tour, Pushes U2 Agenda?

Friday April 24, 2009 1:47 PM CDT - By: Michael Kwan



On the GSM side of things, we've been able to enjoy the BlackBerry Bold 9000 and BlackBerry Javelin (Curve 8900) for several months now, but the CDMA side hasn't received a new Curve for some time. We know it's coming, but it seems that it's getting a name change too.

Up until now, we've known the CDMA-bound BlackBerry 9630 by its Niagara codename, but it seems that moniker is being discarded in favor of the BlackBerry Tour. As you may already know, the BlackBerry 9630 is sort of a Bold-Javelin hybrid from the CDMA crew.

Bound for Verizon this summer (and probably Bell and Telus in Canada too), the BlackBerry 9630 is apparently now known as the BlackBerry Tour. It's very well possible that the switch to the "Tour" name is to follow with RIM's growing relationship with U2. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a Product (RED) version of the Tour.

Remember that when we first saw the BlackBerry Pearl Flip, we all knew it as the Kickstart. Codenames come and go, so the dropping of Niagara isn't terribly surprising. Heck, we're not really supposed to refer to the Curve 8900 as the Javelin either, but we still do that.

source: mobilemag

U2 sees wealth plummet as recession hits celebs

Friday, 24 April 2009


Ireland's greatest export U2 have seen their wealth drop by 14% as the recession bites — while the wealth of Eddie Irvine and Katie Melua has also seen their fortunes plummet drastically in the past 12 months, according to the latest millionaires rich list.

Former Formula One star Irvine saw his property and business portfolio drop from £119m in 2008 to £80m — a massive £39m — according to the annual Sunday Times Rich List. But the Bangor man remains the richest sportsman in Ireland.

Meanwhile, singer songwriter Melua, who was educated in Belfast, found herself among the music stars hit by the recession when her fortune dropped from £16m to £9m.

U2 saw its career earnings and the residual value of its back catalogue fall by 14% to around £423m from £492m in 2008, mainly because of the global slump in asset values. The band is currently ranked 12th in Ireland on the list.

Van ‘The Man' Morrison has fared the past year a little better, making the UK top 50 list of music millionaires despite his personal wealth falling 9%. The Belfast-born Grammy award winner jumped five places on the Rich List to 39th.

Described as the definitive guide to the fortunes of the 250 richest people in Ireland and the 1,000 richest in Britain, the Sunday Times Rich List, will be published this weekend.

The list charts the dramatic falls and some surprising rises in the value of the assets in both countries' wealthiest individuals, but a sneak preview gives some indication of the rise and fall in some of the fortunes of well-known stars.

Among the big losers of the recent turbulent economic times were ‘super hoofer' Michael Flatley whose wealth plunged by more than a third — down to £125m.

Despite re-igniting his career co-hosting ‘Superstars of Dance' on American TV, Michael Flatley has seen his fortune drop by 34% in a year because of the fall in value of his property and investments. This year, he is ranked 27th in Ireland's richest 250.

There was better news for singer Enya, golfer Padraig Harrington and footballers Damien Duff and Robbie Keane who also feature among the top millionaires. Harrington (37), who in 2007 became the first Irishman to win the British Open in 60 years, joins Ireland's richest 250 this year with a fortune of £30m.

belfasttelegraph

Edge's quotes

If you could choose any profession other than a musician, what would it be?

I can't imagine what it must be like to wake up one morning and to not have my guitar. Thousands of musicians have lost their instruments in New Orleans. Music Rising is attempting to put the instruments back in these musicians' hands. Please go to Music Rising and double: make a donation and help to bring music back to New Orleans

Life would be so much simpler if you didn’t know what you knew.

"There's something powerful about musicians giving instruments they own to an auction to aid musicians who are going through a particularly difficult time."

What was the 1980s' best year for music?
Apr 20, 2009, 05:05 PM | by Rob Brunner



Among the many, many discussions currently running on the always entertaining I Love Music message board is a debate about whether Melody Maker or the NME had the better year-end critics poll in 1987 (I know, this stuff can get pretty arcane). But reading through both lists, it occurred to me that '87 was an amazing year for music. Here are just a few of the albums that came out that year:

U2, The Joshua Tree
Prince, Sign 'O' the Times
The Smiths, Strangeways Here We Come
Sonic Youth, Sister
Public Enemy, Yo! Bum Rush the Show
Dinosaur Jr., You're Living All Over Me
REM, Document
The Replacements, Pleased To Meet Me
The Go-Betweens, Tallulah
Eric B & Rakim, Paid in Full
The Cure, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
The Pixies, Come on Pilgrim EP

Which raises two questions: 20 years from now, will best-of lists seem as impressive as this batch of classics? And what year was the '80s' very best for music? Have at it below!

source: music-mix.ew

U2 3D Explodes in IMAX Simon's Theater Show "The Sweetest Thing"
Bonnie Godas
Issue date: 4/13/09 Section: Arts



U2 is no stranger to film projects. In 1988 "Rattle and Hum" was released as a follow up to the Joshua Tree Tour in 1987. The general theme of this movie was actually a chance for U2 not only to show themselves in a different light but to actually play host and honor the rich diversity of American Music and to a country that helped to make them one of the biggest bands in the world. "Rattle and Hum" was an ambitious project featuring performances from the legendary BB King and Bob Dylan, as well as the music of Jimi Hendrix. The film also celebrated musically diverse areas like Harlem, a neighborhood with one of richest musical traditions in the country.

"U2 3D", a project produced by National Geographic, gives the viewer an opportunity to see this band in a different and unique experience on a screen that is 100 times larger than a normal TV set. For those who have never seen U2 in person, the film gives an authentic feel of a U2 concert. For those like me who have had the pleasure, we see them in a different light that actually reveals creative and visual experience that you wouldn't have an opportunity to see during a normal show by the Dublin rockers.

The film, which chronicles the band's 2007 Vertigo Tour, was released mainstream in 2008 after debuting at the Cannes Film festival in 2007 and making a splash at the Sundance Film festival in 2008. Although it is based in a show in Buenos Aires, the movie was actually edited from four different shows, and because the band wore the same clothes in each concert, it gives the illusion of all being from one. It opens with a girl running, while "everyone" is chanted continuously until until the next scene that takes begins the journey of a true musical experience. Before editing, the movie originated with twenty six songs but was soon reduced to fourteen but still summarized most of U2's career with the exception of their first two albums, Boy and October. The songs were chosen specifically for a mainstream concert and would introduce an audience who had never seen U2.

Opening with Vertigo, the newly released single from "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" for this particular tour showed Bono at his best and along with the rest of the band takes his 'virtual" audience into an experience they will never forget. The next song, It's a beautiful Day" from "All that you Leave Behind show an exuberance and elation that you can actually feel, not only from the band but by the audience were the viewer gets an opportunity to see how people actually react to when seeing a show. The emotions were varied, from ear to ear smiles to almost tears of joy-pretty amazing for one band to draw so much from a fan. The film continues to take the viewer through U2' musical history covering other hits like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Years Day", and "Pride" from the" War" album. These are all very powerful songs that explain the emotion of this band. The power of music is mind boggling so underrated but no other type of communication can be as effective.

The effects from this film were unlike any other I have seen where Layers of graphics, as U2 is big on political messaging, covering the screen. Bono's big message is coexist and he means it. And though the general theme is peace and Love, the message is clear to all audiences, whether it be Buenos Aires. Melbourne or Boston

I am very glad that I had the opportunity to see this film and I encourage you to see it, even though you would not consider yourself a fan. But who knows? Maybe after this you will.


source: umassmedia

Capitol/EMI and Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE) to Release 'Classic Sinatra II'
Monday April 20, 2009, 10:00 am EDT

THE LONG-AWAITED FOLLOW-UP TO THE DOUBLE PLATINUM 'CLASSIC SINATRA'

FEATURES 20 CLASSIC RECORDINGS SPANNING 1954 TO 1961, PLUS A PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED RECORDING

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Released in 2000, Capitol/EMI's Classic Sinatra has sold over two million copies in the U.S. alone and has been certified double platinum by the RIAA. To mark this achievement, on June 2, Capitol/EMI, in conjunction with Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE), will release a brand-new companion collection, Classic Sinatra II. Featuring 21 additional signature tracks, including 15 from the legendary concept albums Sinatra recorded for Capitol between 1954 and 1961, various singles, and a previously unreleased recording, Classic Sinatra II will be available on CD, at all major digital service providers, and www.sinatra.com.

Classic Sinatra II showcases a selection of Ol' Blue Eyes' most loved recordings from his Capitol concept albums, including "Moonlight In Vermont," "Pennies From Heaven," "Something's Gotta Give," and "All Of Me." In addition, the set features four 1950s singles: "Love And Marriage," "(Love Is) The Tender Trap," "Learnin' The Blues," and "High Hopes." Plus a 1956 recording of "Memories Of You" and a previously unreleased recording, "This Can't Be Love."

During his lifetime, Sinatra won 10 Grammy Awards. When awarded the Grammy Legend Award in 1994, he was introduced by U2 singer Bono, who said, "His songs are his home and he lets you in, but you know that to sing like that you've got to have lost a couple of fights. To know tenderness and romance you've got to have had your heart broken."

Sinatra appeared in 58 films and won three Academy Awards, including an honorary Oscar for The House I Live In. He performed thousands of tour dates around the world, starred in his own television show and numerous specials, earning Emmys and a Peabody Award. Sinatra was saluted by The Kennedy Center Honors (1983) as a cultural icon, and was awarded the Presidential Medal Of Honor (1985) and the Congressional Gold Medal (1995), Congress' highest civilian award.

Born Francis Albert Sinatra on December 12, 1915, Frank Sinatra was a titan of 20th Century entertainment, with record-breaking successes in both music and film. With a legendary career spanning more than six decades, Sinatra was truly "The Entertainer of the 20th Century." Also known as "Ol' Blue Eyes," "The Chairman of the Board" and "The Voice," Sinatra has sold more than more than 150 million albums around the world, and racked up 31 gold and nine platinum albums (including three that went multi-platinum), one gold single, and two gold and platinum videos in the United States alone. He is the only artist to chart in Billboard's Top Ten for seven consecutive decades.

www.sinatra.com

Frank Sinatra: Classic Sinatra II (CD, digital album)

1. Something's Gotta Give

Originally Recorded in 1958

Arranged and Conducted by Billy May

From the Capitol Records album Come Dance With Me! (1959)

2. Too Marvelous For Words

Originally Recorded in 1956

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album Songs For Swingin' Lovers! (1956)

3. Love And Marriage

Originally Recorded in 1955

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album This Is Sinatra! (1956)

4. From This Moment On

Originally Recorded in 1956

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album A Swingin' Affair! (1957)

5. (Love Is) The Tender Trap

Originally Recorded in 1955

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album This Is Sinatra! (1956)

6. I Get Along Without You Very Well

Originally Recorded in 1955

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album In The Wee Small Hours (1955)

7. All Of Me

Originally Recorded in 1954

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album Swing Easy! (1954)

8. I Thought About You

Originally Recorded in 1956

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album Songs For Swingin' Lovers! (1956)

9. Moonlight In Vermont

Originally Recorded in 1957

Arranged and Conducted by Billy May

From the Capitol Records album Come Fly With Me (1958)

10. High Hopes

Originally Recorded in 1959

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album All The Way (1961)

11. Learnin' The Blues

Originally Recorded in 1955

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album This Is Sinatra! (1956)

12. Here's That Rainy Day

Originally Recorded in 1959

Conducted by Gordon Jenkins

From the Capitol Records album No One Cares (1959)

13. Pennies From Heaven

Originally Recorded in 1956

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album Songs For Swingin' Lovers! (1956)

14. I've Got A Crush On You

Originally Recorded in 1960

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album Nice 'N' Easy (1960)

15. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry

Originally Recorded in 1958

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely (1958)

16. Memories Of You

Originally Recorded in 1956

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

17. Love Is Here To Stay

Originally Recorded in 1955

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album Songs For Swingin' Lovers! (1956)

18. When The World Was Young

Originally Recorded in 1961

Arranged and Conducted by Axel Stordahl

From the Capitol Records album Point Of No Return (1962)

19. Just One Of Those Things

Originally Recorded in 1954

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album Swing Easy! (1954)

20. Angel Eyes

Originally Recorded in 1958

Arranged and Conducted by Nelson Riddle

From the Capitol Records album Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely (1958)

BONUS TRACK

21. This Can't Be Love

Previously unreleased recording

Tracks 1, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20 Produced by Dave Cavanaugh

Tracks 2-9, 11, 13, 15-17, 19 Produced by Voyle Gilmore

source: yaho

American Academy Announces 2009 Class of Fellows and Foreign Honorary Members

April 20, 2009

To: SCIENCE EDITORS


Contact: Paul Karoff of the American Academy of Art & Science, +1-617 576-5043, pkaroff@amacad.org


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Arts & Sciences today announced the election of leaders in the sciences, the humanities and the arts, business, public affairs, and the nonprofit sector. The 210 new Fellows and 19 Foreign Honorary Members join one of the nation's most prestigious honorary societies and a center for independent policy research.


The scholars, scientists, jurists, writers, artists, civic, corporate and philanthropic leaders come from 28 states and 11 countries and range in age from 33 to 83. They represent universities, museums, national laboratories, private research institutes, businesses, and foundations. This year's group also includes Nobel laureates and recipients of the Pulitzer and Pritzker prizes, MacArthur Fellowships, Academy, Grammy, and Tony awards, and the National Medal of Arts.


Scientists among the new Fellows include: co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology Mario Capecchi, recognized for his contributions to gene targeting; physicist Lene Hau, whose experimental work succeeded in stopping a beam of light; mathematician and Fields Medal winner Terence Tao; Pathologist Peter Nowell, who revolutionized our understanding of the genetic basis of cancer; astronomer Eric Becklin, whose pioneering infrared observations led to the first glimpse of the nucleus of the Milky Way; astrophysicist Guinevere Kauffmann, whose techniques calculate numerically the creation and evolution of galaxies and black holes in the early universe; and chemical engineer Adam Heller, whose numerous inventions include the lithium chloride battery and photochemically self-cleaning windows.


In the humanities and arts, new members include, among others: Civil War historian James McPherson; biographer Robert Caro; author Thomas Pynchon; choreographers Trisha Brown and Edward Villela; actors Dustin Hoffman and James Earl Jones; messo-soprano Marilyn Horne; singer/songwriter Emmylou Harris; and jazz musician Kenny Barron.


U.S. Court of Appeals Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III; California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George; and legal scholar and Bancroft Prize-winning author Michael Klarman are among those elected in law. They join members of the Academy who serve as justices of the U. S. Supreme Court and several state supreme courts, along with other leading jurists and legal scholars.


In public affairs and business, the Academy elected U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; National Public Radio journalist Susan Stamberg; green technology proponent John Doerr, Exelon Corporation CEO John Rowe, and Chiron Corporation founder Edward Penhoet.


The Academy elected 19 Foreign Honorary Members from Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada, and Israel. They include: 1993 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela, who guided the reconciliation of South Africa in the post-Apartheid era; U2 lead singer and advocate for humanitarian causes, Bono; South African Constitutional Court Justice Kate O'Regan; British actress Judith Dench; Indian cultural historian Romila Thapar; 2009 Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss architect Peter Zumthor; Hong Kong-based filmmaker Kar-Wai Wong; Irish poet Michael Longley; and the president of the German Academy of Sciences, Volker ter Meulen.


Among the leaders of higher education institutions are: H. Kim Bottomly (Wellesley College); John Casteen III (University of Virginia); Ronald Daniels (Johns Hopkins University); Maria Klawe (Harvey Mudd College); Joseph Polisi (The Julliard School) and James Wagner (Emory University).


The Academy, established in 1780 by founders of the nation, undertakes studies of complex and emerging problems. Current projects focus on science, technology and global security; social policy and American institutions; the humanities and culture; and education. The Academy's membership of scholars and practitioners from many disciplines and professions gives it a unique capacity to conduct a wide range of interdisciplinary, long-term policy research.


"Since 1780, the Academy has served the public good by convening leading thinkers and doers from diverse perspectives to provide practical policy solutions to the pressing issues of the day," said Leslie Berlowitz, Chief Executive Officer and William T. Golden Chair. "I look forward to welcoming into the Academy these new members to help continue that tradition."


"These remarkable men and women have made singular contributions to their fields, and to the world," said Academy President Emilio Bizzi. "By electing them as members, the Academy honors them and their work, and they, in turn, honor us."


The new class will be inducted at a ceremony on October 10, at the Academy's headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.


Since its founding by John Adams, James Bowdoin, John Hancock and other scholar-patriots, the Academy has elected as members the finest minds and most influential leaders from each generation, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin in the eighteenth century, Daniel Webster and Ralph Waldo Emerson in the nineteenth, and Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill in the twentieth. The current membership includes more than 250 Nobel laureates and more than 60 Pulitzer Prize winners.


A complete list of newly elected Fellows and Honorary Foreign Members with their affiliations is located at: amacad.org


SOURCE American Academy of Arts & Sciences

source: yahoo

Artsy Crowd Joins Chuck Taylor, AIDS Activist, at Charity Footwear Gala

By Damian Da Costa
April 20, 2009 | 10:00 a.m.


Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock

Art Forum editor Linda Yablonsky, Giant magazine editor-in-chief Emil Wilbekin and rapper Lupe Fiasco joined more than two dozen art and fashion world luminaries at chef Marcus Samuelsson's Aquavit restaurant in Midtown on Thursday, April 16, for a cocktail reception and dinner in support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS' (RED) campaign, hosted by sneaker giant Converse.

Thelma Golden, chief curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem, gave an ecstatic greeting to arriving Kim Hastreiter of Paper magazine (understandably, since Ms. Hastreiter was responsible for introducing Ms. Golden to clothing designer Duro Olowu, the man she would eventually marry). Ms. Hastreiter stood modestly by as Ms. Golden returned the favor by singing the praises of Ms. Hastreiter's pop-culture mag.

"I adore Marcus Samuelsson ... and I love Converse, so when Converse said come to a dinner for (RED), which is a great thing, with Marcus, who's brilliant, I was kind of like, no-brainer," Ms. Hastreiter told the Daily Transom. She added that her only reservation was about the possibility of dining on raw lamb, a staple of the African cuisine scheduled to be served. "I guess they aren't Swedish meatballs," she said, referring to the Ethiopian-born chef's expertise in Swedish cooking. "They're African meatballs."

A row of 13 pedestals, each bearing the prototype of a Converse sneaker designed by an artist or celebrity, notably including one by U2 guitarist The Edge, lined the back wall of the restaurant. Eventually, the fancy footwear will be sold in stores, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Global Fund.


Artist Terence Koh's design stood out for its white-on-white minimalsm, reflecting the current vogue for simplicity in sneaker design. Fashion duo Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai of Vena Cava, looking resplendent in dresses of their own design, took an altogether different approach, creating a sneaker made to appear as though it were drawn with a pen. "I always customized my sneakers by drawing on them when I was younger," said Ms. Buhai, standing in front of the Vena Cava display.

It seemed, in fact, that everyone in attendance had gone through a Converse phase at some point during their youth. "There's something timeless about them," said Chioma Nnadi, fashion director of Fader magazine. "You can wear them with anything. Everybody has their own way of wearing them ... I like to wear my leather ones, silver and leather."

Susan Smith Ellis, CEO of (RED), offered some perspective on the evening's perhaps understandably relentless product-pushing: "If Converse can make a profit where they get a part of it, and they give a piece to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, [those companies] will stay at it, because young people find (RED) products attractive." She added, "We've raised $130 million in two years, and that's had an impact on four and half million people in Africa."

source: observer

The Edge Rises Up for New Orleans

When the Edge first visited New Orleans years ago, it was love at first sight -- and first sound. And, like so many people worldwide, he was horrified by the ravages brought down by Hurricane Katrina, yet captivated by the music that still emanates from the Crescent City. With that in mind, the U2 guitarist has helped galvanize the city's post-Katrina cultural recovery by co-founding the Music Rising organization to aid musicians who have lost instruments and their livelihoods in the devastation.

To raise money for the cause, he hosted the Icons of Music Auction on Saturday, April 21 at New York's Hard Rock Café (and also online at www.juliensauctions.com). Among the rock 'n' roll artifacts up for bidding: John Lennon's sunglasses, Nirvana's MTV Video Music Award and a Jimi Hendrix guitar. Spinner talked to the Edge about his discovery and advocacy of New Orleans' music, U2's upcoming plans and the re-education of Americans about their own rich musical history.

Through Music Rising, you've gotten to work closely with New Orleans musicians. How has that enriched you?

It's given me the opportunity to see firsthand the unbelievable music culture that exists there. We all know Fats Domino, Dr. John, all these famous musicians out of that area, but there's this whole subculture that exists. And it's unique, because it's totally self-sufficient to the extent that the artists who operate there don't really have to get record deals and go off and seek their fortune in other parts of the world as we did. It's all so organic that it's very inspiring to be around, particularly since a lot of the music styles that are indigenous to the area are not things you really ever hear on radio.

What was it like the first time you explored New Orleans?

My first ever introduction to New Orleans was really going out one night with Bono -- I think it would've been early '90s -- and ending up in this little juke joint. We heard a real cut-down version of the Rebirth Brass Band, maybe four or five players. One of them was this little kid playing trombone, who I later found out was known as Trombone Shorty. At that point he was all of 12, 13 years old, and he was kicking! He was unbelievable! And we met up more recently -- he's, like, 22 now, and he's one of the linchpins of the whole scene in New Orleans. He's off touring with Lenny Kravitz, and he's really doing it on an international level. But his music, the stuff he grew up playing, is this very cool funk played mostly with brass instruments, totally unique to that area. It's just not anything you're going to hear anywhere else.

Growing up in Ireland, how familiar were you with the New Orleans music scene and its impact?

I'd heard some bits and pieces, but really not that much. And, to be perfectly honest, it wasn't a musical style or form that I was really that familiar with until I started touring in America. The thing about music down there is it's not really a business; it's really a culture. It's so much a part of their lives, and it's just very inspiring for someone from Dublin, Ireland, who came through punk rock to go down there.

Has the New Orleans sound infiltrated U2's songwriting at a result of your time there?

I'm starting to hear little hints of it coming through. And this is such an early phase for us that it's hard to say definitively, "Yes, it's going to be a very noticeable element within the next songs that we work on." But I have seen it coming through, and I have no doubt that there will be an influence there.

How has songwriting been going for the band?

I'd say really good. Of course, everything is great the day you write it. So it's only when you get back to it a couple of weeks later that you can actually see what is truly great and what is a case of just being too close to it at the time. But I do think a lot of what we're doing is good at the moment, so I'm very excited.

Does it reinvigorate you to be around people who are doing music out of love?

The reason why I first picked up an electric guitar was I felt a connection with it on an instinctive level. I just fell in love with the potential, almost more than what I could do with the instrument. But when you're in this environment where people are just playing for the sake of playing -- pure and simple, no other motive whatsoever -- it just brings you right back to the moment where you first decided you wanted to play guitar. And it kind of reminded me, as I get reminded when I'm at a great show, the reason why I wanted to do this in the first place.

Can you place the importance of this project in perspective?

I think there's some poetry involved in this whole endeavor. Here we have this part of America, which in many ways is forgotten at the moment, but the music that lives and breathes there has given me my life. A lot of the people who've donated to this auction are in the same situation, because rock 'n' roll really started in this part of the world. The atmosphere in New Orleans is very laid back and easygoing, so the African stuff was accepted. There was a place called Congo Square -- you can still go and see it -- where African music was played throughout the whole 18th and into the 19th century. There was no prohibition of African music -- the chanting and drums. There is a line of argument which suggests the jazz funerals were this synthesis of white gospel hymns with the African syncopated rhythm. Certainly that's how we got to ragtime and jazz, but it's really the progenitor of R&B and proto-rock 'n' roll, so I think the fact that all these musicians give an offering to this auction is a massive statement and there's something really right and proper about it.

Do you also see as an aside the possibility that not only will people be aware of the current climate in New Orleans, they'll learn more about the city's history and its profound impact on music?

Definitely. I would say in Europe there's probably a greater appreciation of American music than in America itself. I know specifically there are people in America who know more about it than anyone, but when you see film of shows of particularly old black American artists performing in Europe, they would come and get this hero's welcome in Montreux at the jazz festival at a time when they couldn't hardly get a gig in America. I guess it's not unique to the States. What's the old cliché? The prophet is never recognized in his own home. It would not be a bad thing if people were to, through this, look again at what an incredible treasure there is, because it's so unique and so special and could so easily be lost. We'd be, in another 50 years, reading about the history of American music and the golden age of New Orleans and how it was no longer with us. And I think that would be a tragedy not just for America, but for everybody.

source: spinner

UK 'has the worst copyright laws'

UK copyright laws "needlessly criminalise" music fans and need to be updated, a consumer watchdog says.
Wednesday, 15 April 2009


Many people do not know that copying music to an iPod violates copyright

UK laws that make it a copyright violation to copy a CD that you own onto a computer or iPod should be changed, says Consumer Focus.

The call came after global umbrella group Consumers International put the UK in last place in a survey of 16 countries' copyright laws.

Consumer Focus said the UK had to catch up with the rest of the world.

"UK copyright law is the oldest, but also the most out of date," said Ed Mayo, chief executive of Consumer Focus.

"The current system puts unrealistic limits on our listening and viewing habits and is rapidly losing credibility among consumers. A broad 'fair use' exception would bring us in line with consumer expectations, technology and the rest of the world."

Violation

The survey by Consumers International looked at intellectual property laws and enforcement practices in 16 countries - Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, the UK and the US.

It decided that UK law was least effective in balancing the interests of rights holders against those of consumers.

"It is currently a copyright violation [in the UK] to rip a CD that you own on to your PC or iPod," said Consumer Focus, "even though over half (55%) of British consumers admit to doing it and three in five (59%) think this type of copying is perfectly legal."

The watchdog's call was backed by digital rights campaign body the Open Rights Group, which called for a "more flexible" approach to copyright.

Open Rights group executive director Jim Killock said: "It is ridiculous to ban copying, sampling and parody without payment, yet that is how the law stands today.

"The government is undermining copyright's reputation by failing to give clear rights to users in a changed digital world, where we all rip, mix and burn. Copyright urgently needs reform, as this study shows."
source: bbc

Op-Ed Guest Columnist
It’s 2009. Do You Know Where Your Soul Is?



By BONO
Published: April 18, 2009
I AM in Midtown Manhattan, where drivers still play their car horns as if they were musical instruments and shouting in restaurants is sport.

I am a long way from the warm breeze of voices I heard a week ago on Easter Sunday.

“Glorify your name,” the island women sang, as they swayed in a cut sandstone church. I was overwhelmed by a riot of color, an emotional swell that carried me to sea.

Christianity, it turns out, has a rhythm — and it crescendos this time of year. The rumba of Carnival gives way to the slow march of Lent, then to the staccato hymnals of the Easter parade. From revelry to reverie. After 40 days in the desert, sort of ...

Carnival — rock stars are good at that.



“Carne” is flesh; “Carne-val,” its goodbye party. I’ve been to many. Brazilians say they’ve done it longest; they certainly do it best. You can’t help but contract the fever. You’ve got no choice but to join the ravers as they swell up the streets bursting like the banks of a river in a flood of fun set to rhythm. This is a Joy that cannot be conjured. This is life force. This is the heart full and spilling over with gratitude. The choice is yours ...

It’s Lent I’ve always had issues with. I gave it up ... self-denial is where I come a cropper. My idea of discipline is simple — hard work — but of course that’s another indulgence.

Then comes the dying and the living that is Easter.

It’s a transcendent moment for me — a rebirth I always seem to need. Never more so than a few years ago, when my father died. I recall the embarrassment and relief of hot tears as I knelt in a chapel in a village in France and repented my prodigal nature — repented for fighting my father for so many years and wasting so many opportunities to know him better. I remember the feeling of “a peace that passes understanding” as a load lifted. Of all the Christian festivals, it is the Easter parade that demands the most faith — pushing you past reverence for creation, through bewilderment at the idea of a virgin birth, and into the far-fetched and far-reaching idea that death is not the end. The cross as crossroads. Whatever your religious or nonreligious views, the chance to begin again is a compelling idea.

•

Last Sunday, the choirmaster was jumping out of his skin ... stormy then still, playful then tender, on the most upright of pianos and melodies. He sang his invocations in a beautiful oaken tenor with a freckle-faced boy at his side playing conga and tambourine as if it was a full drum kit. The parish sang to the rafters songs of praise to a God that apparently surrendered His voice to ours.

I come to lowly church halls and lofty cathedrals for what purpose? I search the Scriptures to what end? To check my head? My heart? No, my soul. For me these meditations are like a plumb line dropped by a master builder — to see if the walls are straight or crooked. I check my emotional life with music, my intellectual life with writing, but religion is where I soul-search.

The preacher said, “What good does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Hearing this, every one of the pilgrims gathered in the room asked, “Is it me, Lord?” In America, in Europe, people are asking, “Is it us?”

Well, yes. It is us.

Carnival is over. Commerce has been overheating markets and climates ... the sooty skies of the industrial revolution have changed scale and location, but now melt ice caps and make the seas boil in the time of technological revolution. Capitalism is on trial; globalization is, once again, in the dock. We used to say that all we wanted for the rest of the world was what we had for ourselves. Then we found out that if every living soul on the planet had a fridge and a house and an S.U.V., we would choke on our own exhaust.

Lent is upon us whether we asked for it or not. And with it, we hope, comes a chance at redemption. But redemption is not just a spiritual term, it’s an economic concept. At the turn of the millennium, the debt cancellation campaign, inspired by the Jewish concept of Jubilee, aimed to give the poorest countries a fresh start. Thirty-four million more children in Africa are now in school in large part because their governments used money freed up by debt relief. This redemption was not an end to economic slavery, but it was a more hopeful beginning for many. And to the many, not the lucky few, is surely where any soul-searching must lead us.

A few weeks ago I was in Washington when news arrived of proposed cuts to the president’s aid budget. People said that it was going to be hard to fulfill promises to those who live in dire circumstances such a long way away when there is so much hardship in the United States. And there is.

But I read recently that Americans are taking up public service in greater numbers because they are short on money to give. And, following a successful bipartisan Senate vote, word is that Congress will restore the money that had been cut from the aid budget — a refusal to abandon those who would pay such a high price for a crisis not of their making. In the roughest of times, people show who they are.

Your soul.

So much of the discussion today is about value, not values. Aid well spent can be an example of both, values and value for money. Providing AIDS medication to just under four million people, putting in place modest measures to improve maternal health, eradicating killer pests like malaria and rotoviruses — all these provide a leg up on the climb to self-sufficiency, all these can help us make friends in a world quick to enmity. It’s not alms, it’s investment. It’s not charity, it’s justice.

•

Strangely, as we file out of the small stone church into the cruel sun, I think of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, whose now combined fortune is dedicated to the fight against extreme poverty. Agnostics both, I believe. I think of Nelson Mandela, who has spent his life upholding the rights of others. A spiritual man — no doubt. Religious? I’m told he would not describe himself that way.

Not all soul music comes from the church.

Bono, the lead singer of the band U2 and a co-founder of the advocacy group ONE, is a contributing columnist for The Times.

A version of this article appeared in print on April 19, 2009, on page WK11 of the New York edition.

source: nytimes