Sparky’s Re-a-reiki-ning

Saw this on Asiatraveltips.com:

The Trisara, an exclusive spa resort in Phuket, has partnered with a group of gifted Phuket-based therapists to offer a broad menu of holistic solutions for physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Available by appointment, therapists include a reiki guru to celebrities including Madonna and U2’s Adam Clayton, and neuro-muscular workouts from the consultant to Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France cycling team.

I think this is the first time I’ve seen Adam being used to promote a tourism destination (other than Ireland).

This is a post from the @U2 Blog.

Sparky’s Re-a-reiki-ning

U2 - A Diary Now on Barnes & Noble (pre-order)

Had to add that “pre-order” to the headline because I didn’t want to give the impression that the actual book was available at Barnes & Noble. What I’m saying is that the book can be pre-ordered at Barnes and Noble for those of you who prefer B&N over Amazon.

Looks like B&N doesn’t have a cover image yet:

screenshot

I should really put together a list of all the places it can be bought, huh? Like, that might help sell more copies, wouldn’t it? )

U2: New album out the 18th of November?

It was a rumour in the past few days but now we are pretty sure about the release date of the new u2 album, it will be out the 18th of November. How did we find out about this? Well, if administrators at U2.com show a countdown to the release date, it should be true. (3 [...]

Bono Pays Tribute to Stax Records

 At 9pm on BBC4 this evening there’ll be a documentary entitled ‘Respect Yourself - The Stax Story,’ detailing the rise of the legendary soul label. Bono is said to be making a contributing appearance. For those of you outside the UK, for the next seven days (starting from tomorrow) BBC iPlayer will have the  show available to download. For details follow the link here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv

This is a post from the @U2 Blog.

Bono Pays Tribute to Stax Records

U2 Button Set: Where to Get Them

Still haven’t purchased the Boy, October, or War remixes? But you’re planning to? Okay. Or maybe you’re a collecting completist and don’t want to have a hole in your collection?

This post is for you.

Universal Music is distributing a set of four U2 buttons that’s free when you buy any one of the remastered CDs at select stores in the U.S. There are only 5,000 button sets to go around, and — this is kinda cool — with one or two exceptions, they’re not available at any of the Big Box music stores. You have to go support your independent music store to get the buttons. The full list of stores that has or had, since supplies are limited is available below. But first, here’s what they look like.

u2 buttons

Locations That Received Buttons

Arizona
- Zia Phoenix
- Zia Chandler
- Zia Tempe
- Zia Thunderbird Phoenix
- Zia Oracle Tucson
- Zia Speedway Tucson
- Stinkweeds Phoenix

California
- Rasputin Music - Berkeley
- Dimple Records - Sacramento
- Streetlight – San Jose
- Mod Lang Music – El Cerrito
- Vinyl Solution – San Mateo
- The Beat – Sacramento
- Backdoor Music –Cotati
- The Last Record Store – Santa Rosa
- Backside Records Los Angeles
- Bionic Records Los Angeles
- Boo Boo’s Los Angeles
- Fingerprints Los Angeles
- Lou’s Los Angeles
- Mad Platter Los Angeles
- M-Theory Los Angeles
- Record Alley
- Rhino Records Los Angeles
- Salzers Los Angeles

Colorado
- Independent- Colorado Springs
- Twist & Shout – Denver
- Bart’s CD Cellar – Boulder

Connecticut
- Newbury Comics Manchester
- Cutler’s Record Shop New Haven

Delaware
- Rainbow Records Newark

District of Columbia
- Melody Records Washington DC
- Crooked Beat Washington DC

Florida
- CD Connection Jacksonville
- Park Avenue CD Orlando
- Uncle Sam’s Miami Beach
- Uncle Sam’s Lauderhill
- Vinyl Fever Tampa
- Virgin Megastore Orlando

Georgia
- Criminal Records Atlanta
- Decatur CD Decatur
- Value Music Marietta (includes their 14 national indie stores of Bart’s, Backdoor Disc, Gem City, Manifest, Spin Street, Record & Tape Trader and Vinyl Fever)

Kentucky
- CD Central – Lexington
- Ear X-Tacy – Louisville

Idaho
- Record Exchange – Boise

Illinois
- Rolling Stone – Chicago

Indiana
- Indy CD & Vinyl – Indianapolis
- Luna Records 2 stores – Indianapolis
- Side 1 Music – Richmond
- Tracks – Bloomington

Iowa
-Homer’s – Urbandale
-Record Collector – Iowa City
-ZZZ Records – Des Moines

Kansas
-Kief’s – Lawrence
-House of Sight & Sound – Salina

Maine
- Newbury Comics Portland
- Bull Moose Windham
- Bull Moose Waterville
- Bull Moose Sanford
- Bull Moose Middle St Portland
- Bull Moose Lewistown
- Bull Moose Exchange St Portland
- Bull Moose Brunswick
- Bull Moose Bangor
- Bull Moose Scarborough

Maryland
- Sound Garden Baltimore

Massachusetts
- Newbury Comics Newbury St Boston
- Newbury Comics Harvard Square Cambridge
- Newbury Comics Government Center Boston
- Newbury Comics Alewife Cambridge
- Newbury Comics Burlington
- Newbury Comics Natick
- Newbury Comics Braintree
- Newbury Comics Shrewsbury
- Newbury Comics Peabody
- Newbury Comics Saugus
- Newbury Comics Newton
- Newbury Comics Hyannis
- Newbury Comics North Attleboro
- Newbury Comics Avon
- Newbury Comics North Dartmouth
- Newbury Comics Kingston
- Newbury Comics Amherst
- Newbury Comics Leominster
- Newbury Comics Marlboro

Michigan
- Dearborn Music – Dearborn
- Discs & Tapes Unlimited – Brighten
- Record Time – Roseville
- Street Corner Music – Beverly Hills

Minnesota
-Electric Fetus – Minneapolis
-Electric Fetus – St. Cloud
-Electric Fetus – Duluth
-Down in the Valley/Golden Valley – Minneapolis
-Down in the Valley/Crystal – Minneapolis
-Down in the Valley – Osseo
-Down in the Valley – Wayzata

Missouri
- Vintage Vinyl – St. Louis

Nebraska
-Homer’s/Old Market – Omaha
-Homer’s/Saddle Creek – Omaha
-Homer’s/Orchard – Omaha
-Homer’s – Lincoln

Nevada
- Zia Sahara Las Vegas
- Zia Las Vegas

New Hampshire
- Newbury Comics Salem
- Newbury Comics Manchester
- Newbury Comics Nashua
- Newbury Comics West Lebanon
- Bull Moose Salem
- Music Matters West Lebanon

New York
- Record Archive Rochester
- The Stage Door Watertown
- The Stage Door Dexter
- Lakeshore Records Rochester
- The Sound Garden Syracuse
- House of Guitars Rochester
- Record Theater Buffalo
- Record Theater Hamburg
- Sound Garden Syracuse

North Carolina
- Schoolkids Raleigh

Ohio
- Culture Clash – Toledo
- Everybody’s Records – Cincinnati
- Finders Records – Bowling Green
- Magnolia Thunderpussy – Columbus
- Singing Dog – Columbus
- Record Den – Mentor

Oklahoma
- Randy’s M&M (three locations)
- Guestroom Records (two locations)

Oregon
- CD World – Eugene
- Jackpot Records – Downtown – Portland
- Jackpot Records – Hawthorne – Portland
- Music Millennium – Portland

Pennsylvania
- Gallery of Sound (eight locations)
- Chester County Books & Music West Chester
- Main St. Music Philadelphia
- Young Ones Kutztown
- Paul’s Compact Discs – Pittsburgh

Rhode Island
- Newbury Comics Providence
- Newbury Comics Warwick
- Music Box Newport

South Carolina
- Music City Record Dist. stores
- Earshot Greenville

South Dakota
-Ernie November – Rapid City
-Ernie November – Sioux Falls

Texas
- Good Records- Dallas
- Forever Young- Grand Prairie
- Cactus Records- Houston
- Waterloo Records- Austin
- End of an Ear- Austin
- Encore- Austin
- The Rock Box- San Antonio

Tennessee
- Music City Record Dist. stores
- Grimey’s Music Nashville
- The Groove Nashville
- Cat’s Music / Pop Tunes Nashville
- Disc Exchange Knoxville

Utah
- Graywhale CDs – Salt Lake City

Vermont
- Pure Pop Burlington
- Buch Speiler Montpeiler

Virginia
- Plan 9 Music (six locations)
- Birdland Records Virginia Beach

Washington
- Silver Platters – Queen Anne – Seattle
- Silver Platters – Northgate – Seattle
- Silver Platters – Bellevue
- Sonic Boom – Ballard – Seattle
- Sonic Boom – Capitol Hill – Seattle
- Easy Street – West Seattle – Seattle
- Easy Street – Queen Anne – Seattle
- Hot Poop – Walla Walla

Wisconsin
- Atomic Records – Milwaukee
- B-Sides Records – Madison
- Exclusive Co (eight stores)

There you go. Don’t say we never did anything for you. )

This is a post from the @U2 Blog.

U2 Button Set: Where to Get Them

JAY-Z TREATED TO SPECIAL PREVIEW OF U2 ALBUM

JAY-Z received a special treat from his pal BONO when he visited Ireland last month (Jun08) - the rocker gave the rap superstar a special preview of U2’s new album.

The 99 Problems hitmaker played a gig in Dublin at the end of June, and he took some time out of his busy schedule to pay a visit to Bono, who is currently working on the band’s forthcoming LP.

And Jay-Z was flattered when the singer decided to bounce ideas off him.

He says, “I heard about four tracks. And the thing about Bono is, he’s in the studio like a kid, excited and singing the lyrics back, asking what I think. That’s passion, only passion. Trust me. He doesn’t have to do it.

“Music is a challenge. Music’s like, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ Don’t matter if you make seven, eight great albums. U2 are arguably one of the greatest bands ever. (But) if their next album is not great, people are going to say they’re finished! U2!”

-ContactMusic

Post from: U2 Exit News Blog

JAY-Z TREATED TO SPECIAL PREVIEW OF U2 ALBUM

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Larry Mullen Beats David Beckham…

…at burning calories, that is! (And in a few other areas too…but I don’t want to get too gushy about Hitman.)

According to the Irish Independent yesterday, drummers are more fit than footballers because “it was found that the drummers’ heart rates were raised to as high as 190 beats per minute and they could burn off 600 calories in a performance.”

It goes on to say:

But while footballers play only about 50 games a year, the 46-year-old U2 drummer gets sweaty in front of a drum kit far more often.

Dr Marcus Smith from Chichester University in England, who helped to carry out the research, said: “They (footballers) find playing a Champions League game once every two weeks a drain, but musicians are doing it every day when they are on tour. Their fitness levels need to be outstanding.”

There’s so much more to Mr. Mullen that’s outstanding…glad to know that we can count fitness levels as one area )

This is a post from the @U2 Blog.

Larry Mullen Beats David Beckham…

U2: video filming in Cadiz has started

As has been expected, the filming group for the shoot of U2’s new video clip went last night to the city of Cadiz, after previously recording in Tarifa and Bolonia. At 10:30 PM yesterday, the filming group formed by 20 people was arriving at the Cathedral of Cadiz to film as of 1AM, taking advantage ot [...]

U2: some title tracks and info about Red Rocks

The U2 reissue onslaught continues with a digitally overhauled version of their 1983 live album, “Under a Blood Red Sky,” out here on September 20.  It’ll be available in three different formats – DVD + CD Deluxe, single CD and single vinyl – which will all have expanded artwork and sleeve notes. Meanwhile, the word from Cadiz in Spain is that [...]

“Bono will be cremated”

No, not yer man. I’m talking about Bono, the retired K-9 police dog in Palm Springs, California. He died on Tuesday.

Sorry. Didn’t mean to alarm you.

This is a post from the @U2 Blog.

“Bono will be cremated”

Scattered Thoughts: Waving That White Flag

Hey look: just in case U2 isn’t available to be the first band to play at the new Point Depot (the O2) in Dublin this December, it looks like the venue has a U2 cover band all lined up for a big gig around Christmas-time: Coldplay to be the first to play new O2 at the Point ?

(Just joking Chris Martin, you know I love like you.)

Is it at all possible that U2 could play a gig there earlier in December? Who knows what U2 has planned. We think we know their new album is coming out on November 18. We think we know it could possibly (maybe?) be called No Line On The Horizon. We know Daniel Lanois thinks it is grrrrreat. Other than that, what with this whole not talking thing U2 has going on right now, who knows for sure?

Laying low. This is an interesting tactic, U2. I like it. But I sort of wonder how you guys have managed to keep Bono quiet for such an extended period of time. Have you contemplated the repercussions of when you eventually let him loose? Will you ever be able to shut him up again? (I’m sure you guys thought this through.)

In any case, when you do all start chirping away again, I’m hoping (but doubting), that you’ll explain exactly when every single aspect of the music for Angels Too Tied To The Ground was put together. Of any of the “new” or “deluxe” tracks on the Boy, October and War remasters, this is the track that intrigues me the most. The liner notes say that it was originally recorded in 1982 with additional recording in May, 2008.

How many of the vocal parts on Angels Too Tied To The Ground are new? Maybe the “Oh ohh ohhhh” parts are from 1982? What about the drums? Piano? Guitar? Bass? If these vocals are new, why are some of them still in nonsensical Bono language and not English? Why is the song titled Angels Too Tied To The Ground? What does that mean?

Do you want to know how many more questions I have? (I don’t think so.) That’s all for now …

-This post brought to you by Scatter O’ Light.

This is a post from the @U2 Blog.

Scattered Thoughts: Waving That White Flag

3D At Home

Gizmodo.com is reporting that “The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, the folks behind such innovations as the color bar test pattern, want to codify a standard for watching 3D content in home theaters. They’re casting the net wide to include all possible sources and displays, from over-the-air broadcast to DVDs and Blu-ray.”

Perhaps we’ll get U23D in the comfort of our own homes sooner rather than later?

This is a post from the @U2 Blog.

3D At Home

U2: Fejenoord Stadium in 2009?

At this time we can’t stop speculations, informations about possible tour venues are popping up during these days. The site Ticket4events is already accepting booking for next year, U2 should perform at The Fejenoord Stadion De Kuip Rotterdam the 9th and 10th of July 2009. Ticket’s Prices start from 130€ (the floor) to 179€. As you [...]

Whoopsie (Deluxe Boy Sleeve)

AC sent in this image, which was posted in the U2.com message boards. It’s the sleeve of the Deluxe Boy 2-CD set — or, at least the version released in the UK. Seems like someone thought “remastered” means putting the same songs on both CDs. )

Boy CD sleeve

D’oh!

(Don’t know who the photog/owner is on this photo, but let us know and we’ll be glad to credit appropriately.)

This is a post from the @U2 Blog.

Whoopsie (Deluxe Boy Sleeve)

U2: No line on the horizon, album name revealed?

The domain name www.nolineonthehorizon.com has been registered by people at Universal Music at the end of June, will be this the title of the new album or the first single (and video) which is going to be filmed in Cadiz this week? The name “No line on the horizon” as the title of a song [...]