U2 interview: 'At this point we can look back'

U2 visited Italy to promote their new album "Songs of innocence". Thet met the press - Bono and The Edge sere there - and talked about the album, the writing process, the distribution deal with Apple... a long, pleasant chat.

Can you tell us something about the process which brought to the birth of “Songs Of Innocence”?
This album, to us, was like experimenting the feeling of a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat! Because “Songs Of Innocence” is a special album.

Tell us something more about it!
We had to get ready, especially lyrics-wise, to touch some topics and themes we had been avoiding for a long time. And even music-wise it was like diving head-first into our past, into those “real” things we devoted our lives in the past. But to do this, we had to get into a big wrestling match with ourselves... because people change, personal experiences and life can change you and make you see things in a different way. And sometimes you just don’t want to go back. You don’t want to open the Pandora’s box  So, making an album like that is quite costly, on a personal level. It’s hard.

So you relied on past experiences and your lives, to write the new tracks?
Absolutely. When we were younger, we were busy trying to discover ourselves and our lives were everything but an inspiration. But at this point we can look back and learn from this stuff – or at least talk about it.

What about the illustration on the cover?
Well... the cover was just an image we all loved. It was hard to find it, but ultimately we found it. It’s a very intimate moment between father and son. A very strong and powerful shot.

How did you decide to get in a partnership with Apple to launch your new album?
You know... we like to do confrontational music and confrontational acts, stuff you can love or hate. And releasing our album for free with Apple was one of these acts. Because if you do music to challenge people that’s good for music: what’s bad for music... is bland stuff. Moreover we really wanted to try a new idea, because it’s really tough, right now, selling cds or downloads. We’re really amazed by the number of people who got our work... amazing! Many people who had never heard of U2 in their lives and suddenly they were turned up to our music!

Aren’t you afraid of the partnership with such a giant company?
Not at all. Let me tell you this... someone told me: “I saw your commercial for Apple!”. And I answered him: “You’re the first person to tell me this”. “Why?”. “Because I see it as a commercial for U2!”.

We know there’s already a follow-up album planned, “Songs Of experience”...
Sure. But “Songs Of Experience” is not around the corner. It will be released after the world tour. Which will be an indoor tour, mainly.

And how do you think you’ll distribute it? Maybe another hi-tech partnership?
Who knows what will happen with the next album... it’s two years away!

In the end: what’s the secret of your timeless music?
The secret of our music? I really wish I knew! That’s the problem... probably there’s no secret at all. We work and it’s always difficult, but sometimes we have these moments of great inspiration. Unfortunately the process is usually a lot harder, like trial and error, very long and painful. But you have to keep going. Sometimes you have to be really tough. But we have a naive approach... we don’t have an expert, technical approach. Let’s say that when we’re writing, the ego collapses and you have to face your friends and partners.