Elsewhere in the world, the album was known as Rainbow Warriors, however Greenpeace wanted to use this as an opportunity to use popular music to reach out and break through (as it were) to the millions in the then-police state of the Soviet Union. It was 1989 and the fall of the Berlin Wall had yet to happen. Billy Joel had just completed his tour of the Soviet Union a couple of years prior and the feeling of glasnost was still present. Greenpeace took this as an opportunity to get their message out.

So, as U2 tour Moscow this week, the buildings may be the same but so much has changed since Edge visited Red Square in 1989. Greenpeace asked the question on the front page of their November/December 1989 magazine, “Can Rock ‘n’ Roll Save the World?” Two decades later, the answer is it certainly has helped to an extent.

To find out more about Edge’s trip to Moscow with Greenpeace, check out the Hot Press article written by Bill Graham, reprinted in Propaganda.

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

The Edge Returns to Moscow

He cites “new information” as his catalyst for writing the post, and refuses to share his resources, but calls the possibility “reasonably solid.”

To read the full post, click here.

Thanks to @U2 reader Andrew A. for sending us the tip. We’ll be staying tuned for further updates.

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

Rumor: Bono to write for Pixar?

The guest performance by Edge also sparked the conversation in my house about if a band member leaves U2, should the band continue on? This is a question that has been on the @U2 fan survey over the years, so it is an ongoing debate between my husband and myself. Surprisingly, fans felt more strongly in 2005 than they did in 2010 about U2 not continuing as a band should one of them leave. Here’s the stats according to the survey results:
(band member to leave / percentage who said “no – U2 should not continue”)
Bono: 96.1% (2005) / 95.27% (2010)
Edge: 96.81% (2005) / 96.02% (2010)
Adam: 90.67% (2005) / 88.14% (2010)
Larry: 92.67% (2005) / 90.48% (2010)

I don’t know if it’s because everyone’s gotten older and we’re less picky as to if U2 was to continue or not. What does stand out is that fans feel Edge is the most valuable member of U2. After seeing the Glastonbury performance with Muse, U2 just wouldn’t be U2 if it wasn’t for Edge and his gift of playing the guitar. I’ve heard countless others try to mimic Edge, but as Dallas Schoo pointed out, even he can’t make it sound like Edge. This is why, I believe, Edge can join forces with anyone else to recreate the magic of U2…as long as the tune stays instrumental. As soon as you put in someone else’s voice, well, then it just doesn’t feel right.

So, going back to that sensation I felt: I was wrestling with how insanely awesome it was to have Edge doing what he does best and how odd it was to not see the rest of the band up there with him as the song sounded so signature U2. Could I really be happy knowing that it wasn’t the full band peforming? No, not really. Could I embrace a future where they could continue on without one (or three) of the legs in the four-legged-table? Hard to tell. Had Muse and Edge not done a U2 song, the challenge wouldn’t be so tough. All I know is that Bono better listen to what Dr. Tonn told him because I don’t want to picture U2’s music being performed by less than all 4 members any longer than I need to!

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

Who Needs ‘Em Anyway?

The project launched back in December, and the 50+ angels have been on tour around Ireland since then.

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

Edge Has an Angel

The most telling part of the article is where Edge predicts the next decade:

What you foresee for U2 in the next decade?
I can’t think that things will change radically for us, because we are already enjoying being in the band. It matters to us that we still make music that connects, and we are still capable of potentially doing our best-ever album. It’s not a foregone conclusion that our best work is behind us. That still makes it really exciting.

So, if Edge is correct, then it’s going to be very much the same-as-usual we have been experiencing over the past 30+ years of U2.

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

Decade of U2

Advert on Edge's twitpic page

I have been thoroughly enjoying seeing the tour through Edge’s Blackberry with all of his subtle nuances and unique perspective on the world. It’s been fun keeping up with it all.

I know that users can’t control what advert pops up on their twitpic page, but I found this to be ironic – Ticketmaster’s TicketsNow inviting you to purchase U2 tickets. This would make it seem like U2 (or Edge himself) may be promoting the TicketsNow service.

When I clicked on another photo, the ad changed to a television show, a lose weight without dieting website, and then a hair therapy shampoo. Now, if I were to use the same mentality of “hey, Edge must be promoting this…” then it would be very odd to have him promoting a dieting site or a hair therapy shampoo. Instead, a hat company would be far more likely, wouldn’t it? I’m having flashbacks to “Even Better Than The Real Thing” at the moment!

By the way, in my every-so-often check of Ticketmaster, you can still pull tickets in very large blocks for Raleigh, Atlanta, Tampa, and a few other Southern states. (For those keeping track).

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

Truth In Advertising?

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

Edge v. Malibu

However, Broadway.com reports that the date has been moved up to January 16, 2010, and advance group orders for tickets are already being accepted. Click on this link: http://www.broadway.com/SpiderMan/broadway_show/5021941 to read the full story.

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

Spidey is Coming…Sooner

During the quiet times in U2-land, my friends and I start to ponder the “what if’s” to keep ourselves from going bonkers as we wait for something new. My husband stumbled upon this amazing guitar (or should I say guitars) and asked me if Edge would consider adding this to his fine collection. While scary to look at, it could serve a real purpose should Edge feel like experimenting with U2’s sound a bit more.

My friend, Phil, sent along this from Engadget where someone’s figured out how to rig their Nintendo Wii controller up to their *real* guitar to use “the acceleration data on the Wii controller and capturing movements of the instrument and translating that into different effects.” I think Edge could totally rig a Wii controller up to his space station and bring a whole new dimension to “The Fly” or anything off of Passengers for that matter!

Man, will the new material come already? I’m turning into a techno-geek without really trying!

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

Holy Guitars, Batman!

CBS’s The Early Show featured Saturday’s Music Rising “Icons of Music” auction this morning. They also listed some of the estimated prices items will go for.

Here are some of the items The Early Show featured:

Bono Stage-Worn Bullet Leather Jacket From the 2005 Vertigo Tour

Black leather and cotton appliqué jacket designed by Sharon Blankson for Bono to wear onstage during the Vertigo tour in 2005-06. “The design of this jacket was inspired by a red jacket of recycled leather and military detailing found in LA. Worn by Bono with black trousers and T-shirt, creepers, colored glasses and a white headband. Bono usually changed into this jacket onstage for the ‘Love and Peace’ through to ‘Bullet the Blue Sky’ part of the show. All versions of this jacket differ slightly with varying appliqué, webbing and printed patches owing to the recycled nature of many of its component parts.” — Sharon Blankson, U2 Stylist (est. $6,000-$8,000)

Edge Stage-Played Gibson Explorer Guitar

1976 Limited Edition Reissue Gibson Explorer electric guitar, serial number 00230010. Mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, 500T and 496R ceramic humbucking pickups with gold hardware in a natural finish, with black leather Allan’s Music guitar strap, an extra brown leather Levy’s guitar strap and 10 packages of replacement strings.

“This guitar has been in my collection for 22 years. I am always on the lookout for these limited edition Gibson Explorer guitars. They are not as rare as the original 1958 edition but still very hard to find. Dallas found this one in Cincinnati and it became of the backup instruments for my main 1976 reissue Explorer during the 1987 Joshua Tree world tour and many U2 tours since. The guitar has the sound that gives U2’s early albums their unique timbre. Combined with a Memory Man Deluxe and a Vox AC30, most of the sounds of the Boy, October, and War albums are achievable. It’s a classic design and in my mind one of Gibson’s most innovative.” — The Edge

“It comes with all original parts and the original case. It has a very fine neck, and is overall in very good condition, considering how well-traveled it is.” — Dallas Schoo, U2 Guitar Technician (est. $80,000 and up)

Edge-Worn U2 Rings

Silver adjustable rings, one a “U” with a brick wall design behind it, the other a “2,” both in bas relief on a square, stamped “STURE” and accompanied by a copy of the Achtung Baby CD. These silver U2 rings were designed by Joe Casely-Hayford and are one of two sets created for The Edge during the early 1990’s. A pair is featured and worn by The Edge on the cover of the album Achtung Baby, which was photographed by Anton Corbijn. These were also worn by The Edge for various videos and photo sessions around that time. (est. $2,000-$4,000)

For more on this story, visit CBS News’ page here.

This is a post from the @U2 blog.

Music Rising Auction Preview