Live Nation, the promoter that owns or manages venues such as Wembley Arena and Manchester Apollo, has signed an $80 million (£40 million) upfront deal with U2 that will tie the Irish rock band to its venues for the next 12 years.

The deal underlines the growing battle for live rights and cements the Irish four piece into a long-term deal, where previously the band worked with New York-listed Live Nation on a tour-by-tour basis.

Bono, lead singer of U2, said: “We’ve been dating for over 20 years now; it’s about time we tied the knot.” Live Nation has produced every U2 tour since 1997 but company bosses first worked with the band in Toronto in 1980. Read the rest of this entry »

US concert promotion company Live Nation has signed U2 up to for 12-year deal for merchandising.While U2 will stay with Universal Music, all merchandising, digital and branding rights will now be controlled by Live Nation.

The deal will be global.

Live Nation has managed U2’s world tours for the last 20 years.

Licensing rights, sponsorship opportunities, fan club and web site activity as well as marketing and creative services will be handled now by Live Nation on behalf of the band.

The deal falls short of a similar agreement the company signed with Madonna last year. Under the Madonna deal, the touring company will also release all of Madonna’s new music once her Warner deal runs out after her forthcoming ‘Hard Candy’ album.

Live Nation shares closed at $11.83 on Friday, down from 12 month high of $24.09

by Paul Cashmere, Undercover.com.au

The edge has spoken of how his great friendship with fellow bandmates has contributed to the longevity of U2.

The U2 guitarist credits their three decades of music success to the comradeship that has bonded them together.

In an intimate interview with RTE presenter John Kelly, to be broadcast next week, the Edge reveals how it’s the music that keeps him sane.

“There’s something about performing our songs in front of a large crowd which works and it’s to do with the fact, I think, that a lot of those people at those shows are there to celebrate not just their favourite band, or a favourite band of theirs, but part of their history,” he said. Read the rest of this entry »

U2’s cover of HELTER SKELTER has topped a new online poll of reworked BEATLES songs. The Irish rockers’ rendition of the 1968 track beat Oasis’ cover of I Am The Walrus in the RollingStone.com poll. Joe Cocker’s With A Little Help From My Friends, Across The Universe by Fiona Apple and Aerosmith’s version of Come Together round out the top five.

-contactmusic

Producer Gives Update On U2 Album | CJBK

By: Don Kaye

U2 has been working on its new album since late February at its recording complex in Dublin, Ireland, where the group has once again turned to longtime producer Daniel Lanois to sit behind the sound console. Lanois recently described how the sessions were going: “It’s going well. Very inventive, a lot of hopes and dreams in the room. (Singer) Bono’s a hell of a fighter, and as long as he’s got me in there, I’ll fight along with him, you know. It’s just quality, innovation, better songs, choruses that will communicate in a stadium setting…he wants it all. He wants great bass riffs. There’s still mystery in the room and they really want to do their best. They want it out for the fall as well.” Read the rest of this entry »

‘There’s something about performing our songs in front of a large crowd which works…’ Music, life work and inspiration as RTE’s The View Presents… The Edge.

John Kelly of RTÉ’s arts show The View, discusses creativity and longevity with Edge next week, in an exclusive one-on-one interview. Edge says that things now are as they were in the beginning, explaining how the four band members have managed to maintain such an unusually cohesive unit for over thirty years. Read the rest of this entry »