The boy’s spin their favorite record’s alongside Dave Fanning and take phone call’s on RTE radio. As the interview progresses, the band members strip down to their jockey’s and laugh it up all caught on the air.
Two songs of interest was played:
Lost Highway (Hank Willams) starts at about 9 minutes into the clip and Puppy Love (Donny Osmond) located at the 1:07:40 mark.
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Heroin and NASCAR, who knew? U2 fans watching the NFL playoffs on Fox this weekend surely heard what would seem to be an oddly placed song scoring the network’s preview of the upcoming Daytona 500: U2’s mid-’80s hit “Bad.” The commercial features little more than a snippet of one of the Edge’s most recognizable guitar riffs — the few slow, glistening notes that set the table for the song’s explosive rock ‘n’ roll release.
U2 hasn’t exactly shied away from commercial endorsements of late, or massive sporting events. Also, anyone who has attended any NFL, NBA or MLB game in recent years has likely heard “Beautiful Day” piped throughout the arena or stadium, further linking U2 with the sporting world. Yet judging by some previous NASCAR-branded music releases, U2 seems to be a bit out of place with the barroom hits and country rock more closely tied to the sport.
Granted, it’s more a story these days when rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t appear in a commercial, but are U2 fans ready to have one of the band’s most iconic songs forever associated with auto racing? If the quick responses on Twitter are any gauge, then no.
Though Bono’s lyrics in “Bad” are vague and open to interpretation, it’s a song long believed to be about heroin addiction, making it feel a bit out of place in hyping the Feb. 14 race. It should be noted, of course, that it’s not the first time a rock ‘n’ roll tune about drug use has appeared in a commercial, as Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” more famously promoted a cruise line.
Pop & Hiss has reached out to the U2 camp for more info, and for clarification as to what clearances and permissions may have been needed. It’s possible the band was just as surprised as some of its fans were at hearing the tune in the network promo. Some may recall that Fox once used the Arcade Fire’s “No Cars Go” in a promo for the NFL, and it was widely reported that the network did not seek — or need — the band’s permission. The clip is embedded above.
Pop & Hiss did, however, waste more time this weekend than is worth admitting comparing the few seconds above with the actual album track, as well as the various live versions to gauge where it came from. The edition used by Fox seems to most closely resemble the take on U2’s “Wide Awake in America” EP, but fans are invited to set us straight.
Of course, there may not be any real reason to be surprised. After all, U2’s name has indeed been seen on the race track of late, appearing on Elliott Sadler’s vehicle to promote the film “U2:3D.”
Still, we would have voted for “Daddy’s Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car” instead.
U2 Live From Wembley, on BBC Radio Two. Monday December 21st, 7pm to 8pm. Presented by Chris Evans.
Radio 2 broadcasted a one hour selection of songs from U2’s 360 Tour at Wembley Stadium this past summer. U2 played over two nights at Wembley – this recording is from the Saturday show on 15 August, 2009.
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California, US U2 have confirmed via video blog that their sold-out concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California, this Sunday, 25th October, will be streamed free, in full and live on YouTube. It’s the first time a show of this size will be streamed live.
The Rose Bowl show is the penultimate U2 show this year – with more to come in 2010 – and already is set to host the venue’s biggest ever audience of over 96,000 fans. The 360° Tour, which has been critically acclaimed and ‘re-invents rock’n'roll’ (Rolling Stone Magazine), will now boast unique access for fans worldwide – as fans in territories yet to be visited by the tour, or not at all, will be able to enjoy the whole show online.
Managed in partnership with Live Nation, this sell-out tour has broken attendance records in most venues it has visited – its success due in part to increased capacity coupled with a lower ticket price and great sight lines afforded by the stunning in-the-round stage set.
U2 manager Paul McGuinness said, ‘The band has wanted to do something like this for a long time. As we’re filming the LA show, it’s the perfect opportunity to extend the party beyond the stadium. Fans often travel long distances to come to see U2 – this time U2 can go to them, globally.’
YouTube will be streaming live across five continents. The show will be available in the usual You Tube way, as video-on-demand, following two full replays – after the live stream – on both U2.com and You Tube.
‘YouTube is thrilled to be able to provide our global audience with a live streaming performance from one of the world’s greatest bands,’ said Chris Maxcy, Director of YouTube Partner Development. ‘We are always looking for new ways to connect fans around the world with their favourite artists, and this is the perfect opportunity to do just that.’
For more information stay tuned or visit You Tube .
Main Set: Breathe, No Line On The Horizon, Get On Your Boots, Magnificent, Beautiful Day – Here Comes the Sun, Mysterious Ways, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – Stand By Me, Angel of Harlem – Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough, In A Little While, Unknown Caller, The Unforgettable Fire, City of Blinding Lights – Rain, Vertigo, I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, MLK, Walk On – You’ll Never Walk Alone, Where the Streets Have No Name, One
Encore(s): Ultraviolet, With or Without You, Moment of Surrender
Main Set:Breathe, No Line On The Horizon, Get On Your Boots, Magnificent, Beautiful Day – Blackbird, Elevation, Desire, Stuck In A Moment, The Auld Triangle, One, Until the End of the World, The Unforgettable Fire, City of Blinding Lights, Vertigo, I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, MLK, Walk On – You’ll Never Walk Alone, Where the Streets Have No Name, Bad
Encore(s): Ultraviolet, With or Without You, Moment of Surrender
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