http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2008/03/31/li...12-year-deal-u2

 

Live Nation Signs 12-Year Deal with U2

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 31, 2008 - 9:02am.

Los Angeles - Concert promoter and live venue owner Live Nation (NYSE: LYV) announced on Monday that it has signed a 12-year contract to handle touring, merchandising and the website for Irish rock band U2. Unlike Live Nation's estimated $120 million, 10-year deal with Madonna, which covers touring as well as three albums, U2's longstanding relationship with Universal Music for recording and also publishing is not affected by the Live Nation deal.

 

"It's not a do-or-die situation that we have to be involved in the recordings," Live Nation chairman Michael Cohl told Reuters. "We'd prefer to, but it's not always available."

 

The company serves 1,000 artists through its array of services.

 

U2 has recorded eleven studio albums have garnered 22 Grammy Awards and sold in excess of 140 million copies globally.

 

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7322106.stm

 

U2 sign 12-year Live Nation deal

 

The Live Nation deal does not extend to U2's recording and publishing

Irish rockers U2 have signed a 12-year deal with concert promoter Live Nation to handle the band's merchandising, digital and branding rights.

 

The deal follows the ground-breaking recording and touring contract Madonna signed with the company last year.

 

U2, however, will continue to release records through Universal Music.

 

"We've been dating for over 20 years now," said singer Bono. "It's about time we tied the knot." Live Nation has managed U2's tours since 1980.

 

Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

 

Madonna's deal with Live Nation, which brings to an end to her 25-year relationship with Warner Music, has been reported to be worth $120m (£60m) over 10 years.

 

'Great extension'

 

"U2 has created some of the greatest rock music of all time," said Live Nation chairman Michael Cohl.

 

"It has long been our intention to consolidate and extend our relationship."

 

 

Madonna's deal is reported to be worth $120m over 10 years

Live Nation will continue to manage U2's tours and collaborate with the band on its official website.

 

"We feel we've got a great website but we want to make it a lot better," said Bono.

 

"U2 are doing their best work right now, on record and in concert," said the band's manager Paul McGuinness.

 

"The opportunity to integrate U2 and Live Nation's vision of the future is a great extension of our established business."

 

With the decline in CD sales across the globe, artists are increasingly looking at so-called "360 degree deals" that combine their recording, publishing and touring revenues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonder why it does'nt say how much it is worth. It really pisses me off when Madonna's deal is constantly called groudbreaking. FFS, it was Robbie who had the very first major contract that included touring, merchandice etc, five years before Madge, and for a hell of a lot more money too :zzz:

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/eto...90-b12ed1702d05

 

 

U2, LIVE NATION INK DEAL

 

U2 have signed a reported $100-million deal with Live Nation.

 

The band has committed to a 12-year agreement with the concert promoters -- which has produced every U2 tour since 1997, but first worked with the band in Toronto in 1980.

 

The company will continue to handle their tours, along with merchandising, digital and branding rights and will run their website and fan club.

 

 

Some photos of Bono and Edge relaxing in Dalkey ^_^

 

 

http://www.showbizireland.com/news/april08...y-punter-.shtml

 

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/loc...icle3578050.ece

 

U2's Bono linked with Derry civil rights concert

Friday, April 04, 2008

 

By Gary Fennelly

 

A concert planned to be held in Derry later this year as part of the civil rights commemorations could attract some of the biggest names in the music industry including U2 frontman Bono.

 

The concert, to be held in November, is being organised by the Civil Rights 1968 Commemoration Committee. Organisers said they are unable to confirm who is performing at the concert.

 

However rumours are beginning to circulate linking humanitarian rocker, Bono, to the show. The U2 lead singer has spoken in the past about his admiration for Martin Luther King, one of the founders of the American civil rights movement which was a major influence on the civil rights campaign.

 

The gig is part of a series of events throughout Ireland and Britain announced by the Civil Rights 1968 Commemoration Committee and includes conferences, lectures and a summer school.

 

The organisers say it is important to remember the events of 1968 in a "sober and reflective way".

 

"The things that happened during that pivotal year had a profound effect upon our society, and precipitated an avalanche of change which left no part of our community untouched," the group said.

 

They said they will "seek to learn from what happened, to consider the significance of the Civil Rights Movement for our society today and the continuing resonance of the issues which it addressed, and the ideals which underpinned it".

 

The programme includes a lecture in Magee University next month featuring top academics. It will be chaired by Nobel Laureate John Hume and speakers will include Lord Paul Bew, a Professor at Queen's University, Belfast, and Paul Arthur, a Professor at the University of Ulster. The lecture will be held on April 15 at Magee.

 

Denis Haughey, chair of the committee, said: “The civil rights movement here modelled itself very much on the civil rights movement in the United States.

 

“Those of us who were involved in the civil rights movement were hugely impressed and hugely struck by the dignity and courage, the integrity of purpose and the non-violence of the United States movement.

 

“That motivated us to take the same approach and put the spotlight of publicity on the injustices we saw around us here and it was our intention to generate peaceful pressure on the authorities here and in London to take responsibility in their hands and deal with the injustices over jobs, housing and electoral matters.

 

“At that time a lot of very ordinary people showed a lot of extraordinary courage in peacefully confronting and challenging injustices and showed change could be brought about by peaceful means.

 

“Unfortunately the potential of creating a normal democratic process of gradual and peaceful change was lost in the tragic events which followed but it is important to reflect and learn from these events as we work to create a stable democratic society today.”

 

An international civil rights conference will take place in Derry on October 4th to commemorate the Duke Street march in the city.

 

 

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/no...mp-1339708.html

 

 

No Failte Ireland welcome for U2's proposed Clarence revamp

By Larissa Nolan

Sunday April 06 2008

 

 

U2's plans for a €150m revamp of the Clarence Hotel in Dublin have not been given one hundred thousand welcomes by Failte Ireland, the national tourism authority.

 

 

Failte Ireland criticised the project, saying that the planned dramatic facelift for the hotel -- owned by Bono and The Edge -- contravenes policies relating to conservation and does not constitute sustainable development.

 

The comments were made by Paddy Mathews, the authority's manager for Environment and Planning, in a submission that will be made at an An Bord Pleanala oral hearing about the case later this month.

 

It will be a blow to the band, after they especially requested the hearing to put their case forward before the planning board come to a decision on whether or not they should be allowed to go ahead.

 

The ambitious project for the Clarence -- which involves knocking down four neighbouring listed buildings and erecting a spaceship-like atrium on top -- was given the green light by Dublin City Council in November of last year.

 

However, a number of interested parties appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala. An Taisce, the national trust, and the Irish Georgian Society voiced opposition.

 

Bono, The Edge and developer Paddy McKillen then requested an oral hearing by the board, believed to be in order to put their views forward ahead of the board making a decision.

 

Failte Ireland did not volunteer the submission, it was requested by An Bord Pleanala.

 

In his comments, Paddy Mathews conceded that the development would be "exciting and innovative".

 

But he added: "It is clear that the treatment of these protected structures contravenes Dublin City Development Plan policies relating to the conservation of protected structures and does not constitute proper and sustainable development."

 

He said: "Dublin city derives much of its character and appeal to visitors from its Georgian heritage. It is important that the integrity of this historic fabric be protected.

 

"It is also considered that this may set an unwelcome precedent for development in the Georgian heart of the city."

 

One of the appellants, environmentalist and former head of An Taisce Michael Smith, welcomed and agreed with the Failte Ireland submission.

 

He said: "It is part of a new, serious approach to the environment that the former Bord Failte has started to take over the last few years. Formerly it was inclined to support all tourist infrastructure."

 

Smith also called on the Minister for the Environment John Gormley to make a submission to An Bord Pleanala, as he said would be usual, against what Smith described as "the biggest demolition of protected structures in more than a decade in Dublin" before its oral hearing on the matter starting on April 16.

 

The revamp has already been given the go-ahead by Dublin City Council, despite its own city conservation architect, Clare Hogan, advising a refusal in her report, stating that the planned development did not meet legal requirements.

 

She expressed concern that the band was unable to provide "exceptional circumstances" to demolish four neighbouring listed buildings -- as required under the Planning and Development Act 2000.

 

Bono and The Edge plan to demolish the Georgian buildings and transform the 44-bedroom boutique hotel into a 141-bedroom five-star hotel and spa -- complete with restaurant, bar and fresh food market.

 

A spokesman for Failte Ireland said: "Our position is as outlined in the submission to the oral hearing. We would be happy to meet developers to talk about plans in great detail, if developers think that would be of benefit."

 

A planning source said the Failte Ireland comments were not as damning as they may initially seem. They said: "It is pretty balanced. They make a nod towards the good points of the project, while also voicing a bog standard concern about gutting buildings."

 

- Larissa Nolan

 

 

http://www.ticketnews.com/Utwo-might-retur...he-road48101826

 

 

U2 might return to the road in 2009

Thu, Apr 10th 2008 9:45 am EST

By Bob Grossweiner & Jane Cohen

U2 is back in a Dublin, Ireland studio recording a new album being produced by long-time producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno with a proposed fall release date. With that news there is speculation that the band will tour in 2009 following their trend of touring after the release of a new album.

 

Live Nation, U2's long-time concert promoter would not confirm a tour when contacted by TicketNews, only saying that U2's manager Paul McGuinness hoped the band would tour, a story reported in Billboard. On March 31, Live Nation and U2 reached an agreement in principle to enter into a 12-year global contractual relationship without spelling out any details. Thus, Live nation's non-committal was understandable.

 

Universal Records has set a July 22 release for remastered, expanded editions of the band's first three albums: "Boy" (1980), "October" (1981) and "War" (1983) with The Edge, U2's guitarist, overseeing the CDs which will include the original album on a single-disc, 180-gram vinyl and in a two-CD package featuring B-sides, rare tracks and live material. This follows the 2007 reissue release of "Joshua Tree."

 

 

http://www.kbsradio.ca/news/music/87/697172

 

U2 Back In Studio After Holiday Break

By: Don Kaye

 

U2 has returned to its Dublin studio to resume work on the band's next album, according to Billboard.com. The group took a break for the Easter holiday and is now recording again, with a message at the official U2 web site saying, "Everyone (is) still hoping the new album will be out this year." The yet-to-be-titled disc will follow up 2004's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and will be supported by a world tour in 2009. The band is working on the new CD with producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who together and separately have been involved with classic U2 records like The Unforgettable Fire, Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree.

 

Meanwhile, July 22nd will see the arrival of remastered, expanded editions of U2's first three albums, 1980's Boy, 1981's October and 1983's War. Each will be reissued in a two-CD package featuring rare studio tracks, B-sides and live material. A single-disc heavyweight vinyl edition will be available as well.

 

U2 guitarist The Edge is overseeing the reissues, which began last fall with The Joshua Tree.

 

U2 recently signed a 12-year worldwide contract to have Live Nation handle its merchandising, digital and branding rights. Live Nation, which has handled U2's tours for 20 years, will now also oversee its merchandising, sponsorships and other corporate partnerships, its fan club and other Web sites, plus other digital, marketing and creative ventures.

 

 

http://www.pr-inside.com/bono-finally-sell...ome-r538858.htm

 

 

BONO FINALLY SELLS NEW YORK HOME

 

2008-04-15 19:53:38 -

 

 

U2 rocker BONO has finally sold his New York apartment for $4.9 million (£2.45 million), three years after first putting it on the market.

The singer and his wife Ali moved out of the pad on Central Park West in 2005, after upgrading to a $14.9 million (£7.45 million) home in an apartment block on the same street.

But it has taken him longer to find a buyer to snap up the 16th floor home they paid $3.4 million (£1.7 million) for in 2001.

They finally found a buyer after dropping the price from $5.5 million (£2.75 million) to $4.9 million, reports the New York Post.

 

 

( affected by the Credit Crunch obviously :P )

 

 

http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectio...3111097&c=0

 

 

Bono prepares to face planners over £120m Foster hotel

14 April, 2008

 

By Sarah Richardson

 

U2 frontman will appear before officials to seek permission to start building Clarence hotel extension

 

Bono, the frontman of rock band U2, is expected to appear before planning officials this week in a bid to win approval for a £120m Foster-designed extension to a hotel development in Dublin.

 

 

Bono and a group of investors have worked with Foster to draw up radical plans for the £120m redevelopment of the rock star’s Clarence hotel in Dublin, which are understood to include a glass atrium in the shape of a Viking boat. :o :wub:

 

It has been reported that Bono is now in Dublin consulting with lawyers and architects ahead of a meeting with planning officials.

 

The project, which will involve the partial demolition of several large Georgian buildings around the site in Wellington Quay, has attracted criticism from local preservation groups.

 

 

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/.../breaking80.htm

 

 

Clarence 'big coup' for Dublin, says Edge

Olivia Kelly

 

The demolition of the Clarence Hotel, Dublin, a protected structure, and its rebuilding to a design by British architect Norman Foster was "an incredible coup for Dublin city" U2 guitarist and one of the owners of the hotel The Edge has said.

 

He was speaking outside a Bord Pleanála appeal hearing against plans to demolish all but the facades of the hotel, its expansion form 49 to 140 rooms, and the addition of a metallic elliptical roof called the "sky catcher".

 

One of the appellants to the project conservationist Michael Smith yesterday described the proposed building as a "cannibalistic behemoth" and said the sky catcher looked like a spaceship which has landed in the middle of Temple Bar ( :o Good God, don't tell Robbie!).

 

The hotel had done an "immense amount of good for the city", The Edge said, however it had run into financial difficulties in recent years and if it was to be sustained into the 21st century it needed to be redeveloped.

 

Although the hotel and surrounding buildings, which have been purchased for the €150 million extension and redevelopment, are listed on the Record of Protected Structures, it is proposed that they will be demolished and only their front facades retained.

 

The fact that the building had been designed by Foster who created the Swiss Re Tower in London, also known as "the Gherkin", was an incredible coup, and "outweighed the sacrifice of parts of ordinary period buildings", The Edge said.

 

The 34-metre five-star hotel with its "sky room floating above the city" would be "completely commensurate with the scale of that grand street - the River Liffey" Andy Bow of Foster and Partners told the planning hearing.

 

It would "soften the impact" of surrounding buildings such as the Central Bank and the Civic Offices on Wood Quay and would bring a "new vitality to the west end of Temple Bar". The demolition of the buildings and the back facade facing on to Essex Street would rid Essex Street of its current "prison-like" look, Mr Bow said.

 

An Taisce's Kevin Duff said the applicants had not demonstrated the exceptional circumstances which are legally required to permit the demolition of protected structures.

 

The design was a "unsatisfactory combination of facade retention and new build" he said and was the largest proposed demolition of protected structures since legislation was introduced in 1999. The loss of the facades on Essex Street was a serious loss for Temple Bar he said.

 

Architect James Kelly said given the capabilities of Foster his reverting to facadism was "very sad". The design was coming "perilously close to pastiche", he said.

 

Mr Smith said the design was "behind the times". "Ten years ago a scheme like this might have got planning permission, surely not now. If it gets permission we can wave goodbye to proper development in Dublin City."

 

The proposed roof "looks like a flying saucer" it was a "rag-bag, leviathan, a silly set piece" he said. The architects had shown no awareness of their surroundings.

 

"This building is in the wrong place - like a little black dress on your great aunt," Mr Smith said.

 

© 2008 ireland.com

Artist's impression of what a revamped Clarence Hotel will look like

 

 

http://i28.tinypic.com/fkr5s2.jpg

 

 

:w00t:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iZLQmeU...M-WYygD907I3600

 

 

The Edge hosts charity auction amid work on new U2 album

By SANDY COHEN – 10 hours ago

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — For the second year in a row, The Edge is putting his money where the music is.

 

The U2 guitarist announced Wednesday he will donate two Gibson guitars and other items from his personal collection to the "Icons of Music" auction benefiting Music Rising, a charity The Edge co-founded to replace musical equipment lost or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

 

"No one could ever come close to repaying the debt of those who have established this form (of music) that we all take totally for granted, this hybrid of European melody and African-American rhythm that's given us jazz and R&B and rock 'n' roll," he told The Associated Press by phone from Dublin, Ireland, where he and his U2 bandmates are crafting a new album. "There's something powerful about musicians giving instruments they own to an auction to aid musicians who are going through a particularly difficult time."

 

The Edge, whose real name is David Evans, created Music Rising in 2005 with record producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson chairman Henry Juszkiewicz to preserve New Orleans' rich musical culture after the devastation of Katrina.

 

"A lot of musicians were forced to leave the city, leaving behind their instruments and record collections, everything they needed to do what they do," The Edge, 46, said. "The kind of organic community music academy that was so supportive of handing down the traditions of this music from generation to generation was really vulnerable."

 

Music Rising has provided grants to replace instruments and equipment for 2,700 professional musicians and 50,000 students and church parishioners to date, he said.

 

The "Icons of Music" sale, hosted by Julien's Auctions, features guitars played by Kurt Cobain, Slash and Johnny Cash; a trumpet played by Miles Davis; and handwritten notes by Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Janis Joplin. Highlights from the collection will be exhibited in Chile, Ireland and Los Angeles before the May 31 auction at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City. Aaron Neville is scheduled to perform at the event, which The Edge will host.

 

Meanwhile, he and U2 have been recording in their native Ireland. A new album is taking shape, The Edge said, offering no hints about its sound or release date. "It won't be in the next few months," he said.

 

"We went into this project allowing ourselves the indulgence of making music without thinking about where it was going to end up," he said. "We're starting to get serious now."

 

On the Net:

Julien's Auctions: http://www.juliensauctions.com

Music Rising: http://musicrising.org

U2: http://www.u2.com

 

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking...icle3639979.ece

 

 

U2 still Ireland's richest entertainers with €618m

 

Friday, April 25, 2008

 

U2 are reportedly top of the rich list of Irish entertainers for the 12th consecutive year.

Reports this morning say the Dublin super-group have a combined fortune of €618m.

 

Michael Flatley is the second-richest entertainer with an estimated €465m.

 

This year's overall Sunday Times rich list is reportedly headed by Dublin-born model Hilary Weston, who married into a retailing dynasty in Canada, giving her an estimated fortune of €7bn.

 

 

http://top40-charts.com/news/Music-Industr...tles/39950.html

 

Omnibus Press Announces New Titles

 

New York, NY./London, UK. (Top 40 Charts/ Omnibus Press) - Omnibus Press, the leading publisher of pop and rock books has announced an amazing array of new titles this fall, including a new photo book on Bob Dylan, new biographies of Pete Townshend, U2, and Dolly Parton, and an extraordinary photo book from 'THE Rock and Roll Photographer' Jim Marshall, entitled 'TRUST'.

 

 

U2 is the biggest band in the world and U2: A Diary (Oct., 2008, $29.95) is the single most comprehensive resource that details all of the relevant day-to-day events that have shaped U2 into the group it is today. It provides the important stories behind the 'who, what, when and where', including insights about key moments in U2s development that have never been told before. Their story is revealed through an unprecedented timeline of facts and events, with interviews and quotes from those involved.

 

 

:dance: (Just in time for Xmas! :P )

 

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=126069#4

 

 

Tesla Rolls Out Signature Edition for Europe Only

Date posted: 05-02-2008

 

 

SAN CARLOS, California — Following on the heels of its splashy European debut at the 2008 Top Marques Monaco Auto Show, Tesla Motors has announced that it is putting aside a special allocation of 250 Euro-spec Roadsters. The so-called "Signature Edition" Roadster is fully loaded, the company said, and is priced at €99,000 or about $152,000.

 

Tesla Motors said it is going ahead with its European offensive, despite the fact that "U.S. demand is likely to exceed production capacity in 2009," the company said in a statement.

 

The Signature Edition gets some cosmetic touches that will set it apart from the U.S. version of the Roadster, most notably interior/exterior color schemes that are exclusive to Europe. It also gets "Signature Edition" badging, a numbered interior plaque, unique wheel options and a choice of hard tops in either clear-coat carbon fiber or painted carbon fiber.

 

Tesla Motors executives have said on several occasions that they feel compelled to launch in Europe to take advantage of the weak dollar, as well as generous tax incentives for low-emission cars in places like Denmark.

 

Tesla Motors recently posted images of its appearance in Monaco that include such celebrities as Bono behind the wheel of the Roadster.

 

What this means to you: Sorry, the 2009 Signature Edition Roadster is available exclusively to residents of Europe. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent

 

 

http://i30.tinypic.com/2hx0j1y.jpg

Some photos here of Angelina, Brad and The Edge :lol: on holiday in South of France

 

 

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/05/04/br...elina-the-edge/

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/ne...on-1369132.html

 

 

U2 tower ready for elevation

 

Wednesday May 07 2008

 

After years of planning, wrangling and rowing, it finally looks like the landmark U2 tower is finally set to get off the ground.

Plans for the Liffey highrise remain on course even though a formal agreement with the developers has still not been struck.

 

 

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) said negotiations between it and the preferred bidders – a consortium including U2 members – “are due to be completed shortly”.

 

 

The DDDA expects “construction of the tower to begin by the end of this year or early next year”, a spokesman said.

 

 

Geranger Ltd was chosen by the DDDA as the preferred bidder for the €200m project on Britain Quay in October, beating off competition from Sean Dunne's Mountbrook Homes.

 

 

Geranger, a consortium consisting of Ballymore Properties, developer Paddy McKillen and the members of U2, plans to build a skyscraper soaring 60m higher than the Spire.

 

 

ENERGY

 

 

The scheme contains a design for an egg-shaped recording studio suspended beneath a battery of vertical wind turbines and a huge solar panel at the top. This “energy centre” will raise the overall height from 130 metres to 180 metres.

 

 

The Geranger project, a tilted triangular tower designed by Foster & Partners, will include a public viewing platform offering panoramic views over the city and Dublin Bay.

 

 

This will be located just below U2's “pod” studio, which will be separated from the structure for acoustic reasons.

 

 

Norman Foster's practice is best known for the Swiss Re or “Gherkin” tower in the city of London.

 

 

DDDA director of architecture John McLaughlin said that the Foster scheme “had the edge because its public spaces were really well handled” and it provided a gateway to a bridge over the Dodder where it joins the Liffey.

 

 

In addition to the tower, which will largely comprise luxury apartments, the scheme includes a five-star hotel in a flanking building, and a block of 34 social and affordable apartments.

 

 

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http://i26.tinypic.com/fkn1jq.jpg

 

 

(It looks rather fantastic to me )

http://undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=4865

 

 

Queen, Annie Lennox To Sing for Nelson Mandela

by Paul Cashmere - May 9 2008

 

 

The line-up for Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday has been announced.

 

 

Queen + Paul Rodgers, Annie Lennox, Leona Lewis, Simple Minds, Razorlight Shirley Bassey, The Sugababes and Andrea and Sharon Corr will play at the gig in London's Hyde Park on June 27.

 

Early is was reported that Eminem would play the concert. That is still a rumour. U2 is also rumoured to be a special guest act, as is (the more unlikely) Amy Winehouse and Spice Girls.

 

At the 46664 website, the official site for Mandela, he says "you all know that I am supposed to be retired but my friends and the charitable organisations that bear my name want to use my 90th birthday year to raise funds to continue our work and so of course I want to help them. So, we have a bargain - I am going to London and they will host a concert in Hyde Park, which will raise awareness of our continuing work and much needed funds."