U2’s Frontman The Edge Interview About ‘Songs of Surrender’ Album

U2‘s frontman The Edge interview Apple Music’s Zane Lowe and talks about the ‘Songs of Surrender’ album. The Edge also described the chemistry behind his and Bono’s songwriting process for U2 albums.

U2 is a band that needs no introduction. With over four decades of music-making, the Irish rock band has captured the hearts of millions of fans worldwide. In this article, we delve into the minds of U2’s lead singer, Bono, and guitarist, The Edge. We explore their inspirations, their creative process, and their views on the music industry. Join us as we take a deep dive into the world of U2.

For Bono and The Edge, inspiration can come from anywhere. It could be a personal experience, a news headline, a movie, or a piece of art. They believe that the key to great songwriting is to be open to new ideas and experiences.

During the interview on The Edge with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe he reveals his chemistry between Bono and their songwriting process for U2 albums:

“It’s not like Lennon and McCartney where there are two guys the rivalry probably made them better. They are also basically doing the same thing – singers and songwriters. I do a lot of music composition, but I need Bono to finish the song. So we complement each other; we don’t ever cancel each other out. It’s addictive. So we shine brighter working together than we ever could on our own, and I think that’s why the band is still together, as much as the friendships are sort of the same. Meaning, the friendships are real, and they work.

Our songs are the boss, and they were through this whole project. They told us what to do. I think it was a lot of opportunism because of the lockdown. Suddenly we had the space and time to just make music without there being any kind of pressure or any expectation. And this idea, I’d been knocking around for a while, to try some more of our songs in a stripped-down way that we had done over the years. In our show, we’d take the song ‘Every Breaking Wave,’ and we’d bring it down to the piano, or ‘Staring at the Sun,’ bring it down to acoustic guitar and voice.

This was a golden opportunity to see where it would take us. But also the joy of it was there was no necessity to put it out if we didn’t like it. We could just do it and see how it worked. So we could really just enjoy the process. It was really amazing fun.”

Also, Bono added:

“It’s both a vanity project and a grudge match. The grudge match is, we were trying to prove, or else maybe obfuscate, what if our songs could stand up with the best songs, our favorite songs. And so that was it. We wanted to see it. It was some trepidation. Will they stand up? People say your songs are like your children. Wrong. Your songs are like your parents. They tell you what to do, how to dress in, and to turn up for work, in the video, whatever. They do boss you about the songs, but, after a while, if you’re successful, and as a songwriter, songs become big. They are owned by other people, not you.

And in with this collection, we were sort of trying to listen to them again and trying to think, well, first of all, will they hold up? Will they stand up to being broken down outside of the firepower of a rock and roll band like U2? Because the songs, if they’re any good, they never end. But rock and roll bands, they do.”

U2 has been influenced by many artists throughout their music careers. When asked about their influences, The Edge mentioned David Bowie, Brian Eno, and Kraftwerk. Bono, on the other hand, cited Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones as some of his biggest influences. They believe that being open to new sounds and ideas has helped them evolve their sound over the years.

U2 is a band that has left an indelible mark on the music industry. Bono and The Edge’s commitment to creativity and their willingness to explore new sounds and ideas have helped them stay relevant and continue to produce great music after all these years. Their impact on music and society is a testament to the power of music to inspire change and make a difference.

U2‘s latest album ‘Songs of Surrender‘ is out on March 17th, 2023. ‘Songs of Surrender’ is the fifteenth studio album from this Irish rock band. You can listen to U2‘s latest album below!