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  1. At the time I thought Rick Rubin was supposed to produce an album with U2 but then later we learned that they worked on Window In The Skies and The Saints Are Coming but decided not to work together.

    Did any information come out later about what happened with that collaboration and why it didn't work out? Rick Rubin has done some intriguing work with other artists so I'm surprised that he and U2 weren't able to make it work. Seems like it could have been promising, if it had.
  2. I think I remember reading that their working styles didn't mash very well together.
  3. I really like those songs and would have loved to have heard a full album.
  4. Guitarist The Edge said the Irish four-piece scrapped early sessions with the renowned knob-twiddler because it did not suit the band’s style of recording.

    “We actually laid all that stuff to one side. Really out of deference to Rick and that set of songs we just said, OK, that’s that, and we drew a line,” explained the guitarist. “So none of the Rick material went into this project. Everything has been written subsequently.”

    https://www.nme.com/news/music/u2-336-1334710

    Window In The Skies is still one of my favourite tunes. And it was such a treat hearing it right after the final Vertigo show too then going out and getting the singles early 2007 and 18 Singles not long after the song's release).
    The '18' mix with the slightly different vocals is better than the 'single/radio' edit.

    The harmonies are where that song succeeds. A whole album could have been great but glad we got No Line too (which without going into it here, was sadly a missed opportunity).
  5. I think Rick Rubin expects bands to have their songs written before they go into the studio to record them.
  6. They had a real banger there with "All My Life"
  7. I don’t think they pursued much with Chris Thomas either
  8. My impression is the opposite: the band comes in and jams and Rubin gives some advices and then grabs a whole lot of money. As with Red Hot Chili Peppers.
    Jimmy Iovine did the same on Rattle and Hum. Works on some songs, but U2 often needs more than that from the producer to reach beyond themselves and become larger than life.
  9. Rubin famously has multiple projects on the go at all times. Drops in, sits on the couch, makes suggestions. Notoriously doesn't like under-rehearsed bands. That is, no songs.

    U2 don't have songs prepared but make them up in the studio which is far from the norm. This approach seems to work for them but they are the exception.
  10. Originally posted by Hole:[..]
    My impression is the opposite: the band comes in and jams and Rubin gives some advices and then grabs a whole lot of money. As with Red Hot Chili Peppers.
    Jimmy Iovine did the same on Rattle and Hum. Works on some songs, but U2 often needs more than that from the producer to reach beyond themselves and become larger than life.
    Direct quote from Rubin: “I tried to get them to do something that, historically, they don’t do so much: work on songs before recording them.”
  11. They shafted a few producers who if they weren't this mega successful band they would have had to complete the albums with ,Chris Thomas,Dangermouse,Rick Rubin ,Red One Anton Corbijn (JT film) not many bands would have the luxury of using these guys and then saying sorry we've changed our minds and want somebody else or not using the material they've done.
  12. Originally posted by TheRefugee:[..]
    Direct quote from Rubin: “I tried to get them to do something that, historically, they don’t do so much: work on songs before recording them.”
    Ironically that seems to be their new way of working as of the last few albums where they have gotten into the practice of "formal songwriting" according to Bono.