U2 stunned their fans on Wednesday afternoon by dropping the six-song EP Days of Ash, which tackles heavy topics like Israel, Ukraine, and the U.S. government’s assault on immigrants via ICE. They also gave fans an update on their long-awaited follow-up LP to 2017’s Songs of Innocence.
“There’s a lot more than 25 songs in the works,” Bono said in a new interview with the U2 official fanzine Propaganda. “But I’d say about 25 are worth considering for U2 projects in the next few years. The album contenders are very different in mood and theme than the ones we’ve chosen to put out on the Days of Ash EP. More songs of celebration than lamentation … more of a defiantly joyful kind of feel to take on these anxious times … almost a carnival vibe.”
“You can only kick at the darkness for so long,” he said later in the interview. “We’re going to try and make the light brighter real soon.… We’re going try finding it in each other and our fans. We’re gonna try to find that carnival atmosphere in our audience, where hopefully we can both show each other not just where we are at but where we want to be at … Serious fun is required. We can’t always be letting the bad news drown out the good news.”
Work started following the conclusion of their 40-date Sphere residency in March 2024. They played those shows with replacement drummer Bram van den Berg while Larry Mullen Jr. recovered from neck surgery. But he’s been back behind the kit for all of these recording sessions. In the interview with Propaganda, Bono said that Mullen has been “rebuilt.” “His playing is as innovative as ever,” he said. “I can’t get over the feeling in the room when we actually get to play together.”
In a separate interview with Mullen, the drummer spoke about his time away from the band. “I’m not gonna lie, it wasn’t easy missing the Sphere residency through injury,” he said. “But I ignored my symptoms over a few years and just pushed through. Turns out I’m not invincible, and when you don’t listen to your body the consequences are inevitable.”
“Being honest,” he continued. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get back to playing at all, so it was a big deal to be in the room with Edge, Adam, and Bono again. That said, I’ve had to make some changes, like how I sit at the kit and the height of the various pieces. Other changes require more practice, they’re more about my approach and intention. I’ve always been an intense player, but I’m trying a more relaxed approach, and I’m enjoying the experience. That may not be unconnected to the fact that I’m not hurting myself like I used to.”
There’s no timeline for the new album, but Propaganda notes that it is “not far behind.”
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