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It sounds like U2 guitarist The Edge and singer Bono are working on material that could be on the band's next album.
Speaking with the Toronto Star, The Edge discussed U2's next steps. While they have done sessions with drummer Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton, The Edge and Bono have also been working on music, having “generated a lot of material.” However, at the moment, it is unclear what project it is for — the guitarist acknowledged that it could end up on the next album from the band.
“There are some other, more experimental projects that Bono and I are working on — there's this sort of Irish sci-fi folk thing that we're kind of playing around with, which may end up on the next U2 album,” The Edge revealed. “We're not sure yet, but we're excited about that.”
While it is unclear if his collaboration with Bono will be a side project or a part of the next U2 album, he sounds optimistic about where the band is at. “There's also some U2 recording sessions coming up,” he said. “We've already done one a few weeks ago with Larry — Larry's feeling good, and he's playing well. He doesn't want to overdo it, is sort of being sensible, but is playing really well. So that was a thrill for us.”
If the “Irish sci-fi folk” material ends up being a side project, it would not be the first time Bono and The Edge worked separately outside of U2. Bono and The Edge wrote the theme song for the James Bond movie GoldenEye. Additionally, they composed the music for the Broadway musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
What is next for U2?
Currently, U2 seems to be in the early stages of developing their next album. They have not released an album of new material since 2017's Songs of Experience. Since then, they have put out singles such as “Ahimsa”; “Your Song Saved My Life” (for the Sing 2 soundtrack); and “Atomic City.”
In 2023, the band released their 15th studio album, Songs of Surrender. The album is a collection of 40 songs from their back catalog that were re-recorded. The new renditions featured new arrangements of familiar songs.
Songs of Surrender tied in with Bono's memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. He also embarked on a solo tour, Stories of Surrender, after the release of the book. While no other U2 members joined him, he was accompanied by Kate Ellis, Gemma Doherty, and Jacknife Lee, who has produced some of the band's material.
U2 is also coming off their first-ever concert residency. They played 40 shows at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 29, 2023, to March 2, 2024.
The residency was centered around their 1991 album Achtung Baby. They played the album in full for the first time in a live concert during each show.
However, Larry Mullen Jr. was not able to perform with U2 during the residency. Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton were joined by Bram van den Berg for the residency. The Krezip drummer filled in for Mullen at every show.
