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U2 back in studio?

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Eileen Murphy

Rumors are running rampant that U2 is holed up in the studio working on a new album that will be released before the end of the year. True to form, the band’s public relations minions are denying, denying, denying. So what else is new?

Though nothing’s confirmed, we’re hearing that the new album, “Rather Go Blind,” will be released in stores on Sept. 8.

Hot Press quotes a Polygram Records source who reveals that it will be “a ‘Rattle and Hum’-style mix of live and new material. The latter will include the more heavily techno-flavored tracks that the band decided to leave off ‘Pop’ and the fruits of their recent week in Windmill Lane [recording studio].”

Principle Management, the band’s spokespeople, have denied all reports with a terse “No, not true.” But then, anyone who’s followed the band over the years knows that the guys like to play their cards close to their hairy chests.

Principle is also debunking the “myth” that Bono, Larry and Paul McG are considering joining Simple Mind-ed Jim Kerr in buying the Glasgow Celtic football club.

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“It’s a big mystery where that’s come from,” sniffed a spokesperson. “They haven’t been approached and they’re not interested.” So there.

You can pick your friends

It must be hard being John Kennedy Jr. He’s still trying to live down that “People’s Sexiest Man Alive” thing from a few years ago, trying to be a real, live magazine publisher, gosh darnit, and trying to throw a little work to one of the family. Unfortunately, when the “family” is irascible writer Gore Vidal, you takes what you gets – or you don’t gets it at all, at all.

Kennedy commissioned “uncle” Gore (who was Jackie Onassis’s stepbrother) to write a piece for his magazine, George. While Vidal has, in the past, dished the marriage between JFK Jr.’s famous parents, he chose to examine the life of a different chief exec – the magazine’s namesake, George Washington. It seems that, in his research,Vidal unearthed some less-than-flattering information about the father of our country: apparently, he was something of a ladies man. Yes, kids – false teeth were no barrier in the devil-may-care 1700s.

Kennedy, unwilling to air any juicy scandal about his mag’s namesake, tried to get uncle Gorey to rework – or, perhaps, refocus the article, but the notoriously cranky writer flipped him the bird – well, metaphorically speaking. So George ran George-less, and Gore stuck the piece in a collection of recently published essays. So everybody’s happy. Except maybe poor Martha, who’s no doubt spinning in her grave.

Briefings

You’ll be happy to know that Boyzone have not been resting on their well-honed laurels since Ronan’s surprise marriage to that big blonde model whatsername. The boyz are currently on tour in the Philippines, they’ve been named MTV Trendsetters (whatever that means) and they have some new singles ready to hit the stores and empty their fans’ piggybanks. Nothing new in that.

‘Course, what is new is that the boyz are readying three singles for the American market (thanks you, Lord) and one of the tracks was written by that singer-turned-psychic Dionne Warwick. They’ve also been tapped to perform a song from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new show, “Whistle Down the Wind.” Of course, that’s the show that closed here during its previews, but we’re sure Boyzone’s boffo baritones will guarantee its success . . .

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