Recommendations of the Editorial team
U2 surprised their fans on Wednesday afternoon with the release of the six-track EP “Days of Ash,” which deals with topics such as Israel, Ukraine and the US government’s crackdown on immigrants through ICE. ZThey also gave fans an update on their long-awaited follow-up to 2017’s Songs of Innocence.
“There are way more than 25 songs in the works,” Bono said in a new interview with the official U2 fanzine Propaganda. “But I would say about 25 are worth considering for U2 projects in the next few years.”
And further: “The album candidates differ greatly in mood and theme from those we selected for the EP “Days of Ash”. More songs of celebration than lament…more of a defiantly joyful kind of feeling to tackle these anxious times…almost a carnival atmosphere.”
“Serious fun is required”
“You can only fight the darkness for so long,” he says later in the interview. “We’re going to try to make the light brighter very soon… We’re going to try to find it in each other and in our fans. And we’re going to try to find that carnival atmosphere in our audience where we can hopefully show each other not only where we are, but where we want to be… Serious fun is required. We can’t always let the bad news drown out the good.”
Work began following the conclusion of their 40-concert Sphere residency in March 2024. They played these shows with backup drummer Bram van den Berg while Larry Mullen Jr. recovered from neck surgery. But for all these recording sessions he’s back on the drums. In an interview with “Propaganda,” Bono says Mullen has been “rebuilt.” “His game is as innovative as ever,” he says. “I can’t get over the feeling in the room when we actually play together.”
Larry Mullen Jr. on his return
In a separate interview with Mullen, the drummer spoke about his time away from the band. “I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t easy missing the Sphere residency due to injury,” he says. “But I ignored my symptoms for a few years and just kept going. It turns out I’m not invulnerable, and if you don’t listen to your body, the consequences are inevitable.”
“To be honest,” he continues. “I wasn’t sure if I could even play again, so being back in the room with Edge, Adam, and Bono was a big deal. However, I had to make some changes, like how I sit on the drums and the height of each part. 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. This may have to do with the fact that I don’t hurt myself as much as I used to.”
There’s no timetable for the new album, but Propaganda notes that it’s “not far away.”
