October 24, 2024
(dkc) U2 members The Edge and Adam Clayton join Apple Music’s Zane Lowe to reflect on the band’s historic residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas, including plans for new music and an update on the original drummer’s health. , Larry Mullen Jr. discusses the future of this iconic rock band.
U2 talks to Apple Music about groundbreaking residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas – Adam Clayton: Sphere was kind of amazing. It was a big gamble to take part in it. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t know what was going to happen. But after the first show, I think we realized that we were actually performing in an idiom that was the future of what the show could be. Because the immersive experience allows you to connect with your audience in a different way.
And as much as video reinforcement has been a part of rock and roll shows for 30 or 40 years, audiences are very familiar with the rules of rock and roll. There are no major improvements other than screen size. But this screen is 3 acres. We will go around behind the audience seats and around the audience seats. And it’s a different world. It was great to play our songs in that context and try out what those images can do.
Zane Lowe: …I came back and saw another show. What really left an impression on me was the difference in the way the band performed. And I felt like the screen was playing its part, but you were playing your part very well. And nothing actually appeared on the screen. And in fact, I felt like I could turn off the screen and we were at a truly top-notch U2 show. Were you aware of that development as well?
The Edge: Yeah, absolutely. The real die-hard fans always bought their tickets on the floor with no screens in sight and absolutely loved the show. From our perspective, one of the venue’s biggest selling points is its sound system. This allowed us to deliver perfectly clear audio all the way to the very back of the building, allowing us to truly explore levels of intimacy and simplicity. He wouldn’t do well in a stadium environment. So it wasn’t just a screen problem. But when we were ready to do something visually big, it was this other turbocharged level. The great thing about this movie that we filmed the show on is that you really feel like you’re watching the show. And I had an amazing experience, which Bono and Adam haven’t had yet, to actually see themselves performing live. And that was both shocking and reassuring.
U2 shares update on Apple Music regarding original drummer Larry Mullen Jr. absent from Las Vegas residency due to health reasons
Zane Lowe: Someone who had a real opportunity to meet his friends and the players in his band, Larry (Mullen Jr.) and I’m curious what that experience was like, although I can’t speak for him. , anything you can share, what that experience was like for you to go and do this with Bram, who is brilliant, but what that experience was like for him.
The Edge: I think he probably loved this place in a lot of ways and was probably also like, “I can’t wait to get back there. Whoa, I’m sorry.”
Zane Lowe: That’s what we want. We don’t want him to wait to get back on the drum stool.
The Edge: Yes and no. The great news is that Larry is getting better each week and we will all get to know him in no time. So we’re very excited about that.
U2 talks to Apple Music about the band’s future, including plans for new music
Adam Clayton: If everything in the world was a loop, I think we’d gotten to the point where we were pushing things as far as we could in terms of adding extra things to the band. And now we want to go back and take the layers off and get down to what the band is really good at, which is playing live in a room. It feels fresh now. And I don’t know if there are still many bands that can make records that way. That’s what we want to explore. Now, that’s not all we do. I picked up some other skills along the way, and that’s definitely something I want to do on my next record.
The Edge: …for me, music speaks to me in a way that I don’t fully understand, even as a listener. we just feel it. We understand it deeply, but we are not necessarily conscious of what sounds we are hearing. So I think music made in real time, in a room with musicians interacting with each other, is just a story, a sonic story that can’t be created using a different approach with layers, drum loops, etc. .
I love it too, so don’t get me wrong, I’m not a purist in any way. But I feel like the culture is changing and morphing based on what feels fresh, what’s overrated, and what’s underrated. Admittedly, this kind of music made in real time has been underappreciated in recent years, but I think it’s starting to feel very fresh again. I think that’s why people love going to see bands live because they’re receiving in that experience what’s happening on stage in real time. And I think an album with that energy and that quality is going to be very interesting to people for some time to come. I think we’re in a good position to make that kind of album, because that’s what we started doing. As a band we were able to be creative by playing live in front of an audience, so we naturally had to keep things very simple. And I hope that this becomes a feature of the next collection of songs.
You can listen to the entire episode live for free today, October 24th at 9am PT / 12pm ET. You can also listen on-demand anytime with an Apple Music subscription.
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