About u2rok

Longtime U2 fan, and educational technology geek.

U2 In Their Own Words, Manchester Radio

While in Manchester UK on the first leg of the Unforgettable Fire Tour, Adam and Edge are interviewed by Picadilly Radio DJ Tony ‘The Greek’ Michaelides.  Topics include; The Unforgettable Fire and the UK album charts, U2 at the Manchester Apollo, Bono climbing on the PA stacks, working with Brian Eno, 80’s soul music, touring in the US, another record with Brian and Danny?, writing and recording The Unforgettable Fire, Bono’s voice and the right microphone, Pride, albums vs. singles, the album title Unforgettable Fire, NME trashes U2’s new album, Bad and Heroin, more singles from the album?, 4th of July, plans for 1985?

Originally recorded on or about November 10th, 1984 and recorded by taper Rick14.  Believed to be first broadcast, December 31st, 1984.

Steve Lillywhite NPR Interview

This is an excellent interview of Steve Lillywhite by the NPR program World Cafe.  Steve Lillywhite has an on going relationship with NPR due to the NPR Lillywhite Sessions show.  The interview covers his work in the early days on U2’s first three albums, Boy, October, and particularly War.  Topics include;  Martin Hannett, how Steve became the Boy producer, meetingPaul McGuinness, an early U2 gig, A Day Without Me, unfocused passion and October, War, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Larry and the click track, aren’t I great or aren’t I crap, New Years Day, Adam’s bass, Drowning Man.

Originally broadcast June 1th, 2008 by NPR.  Copyright 2008 NPR.

“The Real Thing” fanzine interview with Bono (2 parts)

On June 26th 1997, Bono and the rest of U2 had a day off from the first leg of the PopMart tour.  The next day, the band would play the first of three nights at Chicago’s Soldier Field.  On this off day, Bono participated in a phone interview for the UK fanzine “The Real Thing”.  The phone interview was conducted by the two co-editors from The Real Thing,  Debbi and Jackie.

Topics included; Popmart tour, Bono allergic to wine, Popmart setlists and songs, Until The End of the World visuals, Popmart changes for Europe, origin of Mofo lyrics, somebody is at the door, view from Bono’s Chicago suite, European support acts, Sarajevo show, reception of the Pop album, tour preparation in Vegas, shooting Peacocks up the arse with Super Soakers, Gavin Friday, Edge’s lyric credit on Pop, studio camera, U2 MSN website, U2 Dublin shows and criticism, media life vs. real life, U2 vegetarians, celebrity and U2, stripped down shows, MTV unplugged, friends and family on tour, Adam and Larry are waiting.

Special thanks to Debbi Voisey for her kindness in sending us this rare interview.  To read Debbi’s introduction to this interview, entitled “Shooting Peacocks Up The Arse!”, click HERE.  Interview conducted 3:00pm, June 26th, 1997 CST via phone from Chicago.

Part01:

Part02:

Edge interviewed on RTE

Host John Kelly interviews The Edge for RTE’s The View.  Topics include:  Surviving the early punk movement, Dublin in the 70s, Lipton Village, Bowie, The Sex Pistols, the early days of U2, Dylan, Springsteen, the band as Social Democrats, the pressure of number one, the songs come first, conflict within the band, playing live, the future of the music business, Eno and Lanois, in the studio, Bono’s lyrics, the evolution of cooperation.  Originally broadcast March 31st, 2008 on RTE 1.

Paul McGuinness Joshua Tree Interview

Paul McGuinness is interviewed by Phantom 105.2 FM Dublin. The topic is the recent 20th Anniversary reissue of The Joshua Tree album. Topics include; The Unforgettable Fire, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, the Joshua Tree B-sides, America, Brian Eno and Streets, One Tree Hill, Greg Carroll, Anton Corbjn, Time Magazine, playing arenas, opening acts, LAPD closing down the Streets video shoot, Steve Lillywhite, Jimmy Iovine, Rattle and Hum backlash, Joshua Tree CD reissue, The Sweetest Thing, Waves Of Sorrow, touring before recording, re-recording Pop, Joshua Tree as a double album, the new album sessions. Original interview courtesy of Phantom FM Dublin can be found here. Originally broadcast December 9th, 2007.

Bono opens Anton Corbijn Museum Exhibit

In 2000, Bono made a brief speech at the opening of Anton Corbijn’s “25 years work” (werk) exhibit at the Groninger Museum, Netherlands. The exhibit displayed photographs from Anton’s first 25 years as a photographer.  A related article from the atu2.com website can be found HERE.   Taped/Compiled by B.R. on  April 8th, 2000.

Bono on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams

Bono is interviewed by Brian Williams on the set of Saturday Night Live. Topics include; Africa, AIDS, the One Campaign, Product Red, Bono’s Liberty Medal speech and his torture remarks. Bono also briefly discusses the upcoming U2 album. After the main interview, Bono talks about the interview and thanks Brian and NBC for the coverage.