U2 To Release Rarities

Irish rock giants U2 are set to release newly unearthed out-takes from their epic 1984 album 'The Unforgettable Fire'.

U2 burst onto the British music scene after winning a talent competition in their native Dublin. Bristling with ambition the band soon took to the emerging post-punk scene, adding a widescreen sheen to their music.

However after three albums the group seemed spent. The raw talent of 'Boy' soon gave way to the bombast of 'War' and it seemed as if the band have hit a glass ceiling. Searching for inspiration, they received a call from Brian Eno which was to change their lives.

The collaboration resulted in 'The Unforgettable Fire' one of the band's most remarkable albums to date. Swapping clenched fist politics for open ended soundscapes, Brian Eno helped U2 re-define themselves and conquer America.

Now it seems that U2 are ready to turn the clock back. In a recent interview with BBC Radio 1 guitarist The Edge claimed that the band have discovered a clutch of songs that they had previously forgotten about.

Now it seems that this material is due to be released on a very special 25th anniversary edition of 'The Unforgettable Fire'. The Edge claimed that despite the decades passing by, the tracks still impress.

"I listened to some tracks that we're gonna release with the new 'Unforgettable Fire' reissue, some new songs that we discovered that we'd recorded, back in that era - the '80s - that we're gonna put out. And they sound amazing."

Frontman Bono enthused about the material, describing one song - 'Disappearing Act' - as being "incredibly special".

The Edge claimed that the band have put the finishing touches to the track recently. He said: "Well, it was originally called 'White City', and it was a track we started with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois back in 1983 when we were recording 'The Unforgettable Fire'. And we discovered it about six months ago, and we dug it out and did some work on it in France a few weeks ago, and it's now finished."

Bono continued: "It's 25 years ago, the drums, the bass and the guitar. And now, the voices. It is a strange, weird thing. And it's going out with 'The Unforgettable Fire' reissue, but no one's heard it."

Later in the interview the pair confirmed that their much rumoured 'Spiderman' musical is currently being written. Bono and The Edge described the show as being "not a straight take on the myth" of 'Spider-Man'".

The Edge added "it touches on opera, it touches on rock 'n' roll. There are some real character-driven songs as well, very unusual song types for us."