U2

In an interview with the US magazine Rolling Stone, The Edge touched on several topics, from the new version of "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb", released for its 20th anniversary on November 22, to U2's future plans, which could include a reissue of "Pop" in 2027, marking the album's thirtieth birthday.

The Irish band's guitarist was also asked to comment on a remark made by Noel Gallagher of Oasis, who, after hearing the extra tracks from How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb in advance, is said to have joked: "I want my money back. I paid out a fair bit of cash back then because you said those were the best songs you had, and now it turns out you were sitting on this stuff all along".

Some of the tracks included on what the band calls their "shadow album" (namely "Picture Of You", "Luckiest Man In The World", "I Don't Wanna See You Smile", "Are You Gonna Wait Forever") had already surfaced in finished or rough form. Others ("Evidence Of Life", "Treason", "Country Mile", "Happiness", "Theme From Batman") have remained locked away in a drawer for the past 20 years.

According to The Edge, the whole operation tied to the 20th anniversary of “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb” is essentially a chance to revisit a period the guitarist describes as “happily messed up”.

The Edge went on to reveal that the lockdown was a highly productive period for the band, during which they piled up ideas that are now being sifted through. He hinted that guitar will play a central role in the next project: “It won't be a heavy album, but we'll be exploring different ways of using it, away from traditional rock sound”. Producer Jacknife Lee, the Dublin band's longtime collaborator, is actively involved in the project.

After the Las Vegas residency devoted to Achtung Baby, fans are eagerly awaiting the return of drummer Larry Mullen Jr., absent due to health issues. The Edge reassured the public: “We did a session with him and we'll do another one soon. He's in great shape and we're having a good time together in the studio”.

Finally, on the subject of the 30th anniversary of “Pop”, an album often misunderstood at the time and still criticized by die-hard fans today, The Edge instead had warm words: “We were doing a lot of interesting experimenting. I'm sure we'll do something to celebrate it”. A box set could bring back to light the experimental spirit of that era, which the band itself had partly disowned in the years that followed.

Meanwhile, after “Country Mile” and “Picture Of You (X + W)”, U2 have released another previously unheard track, taken from the sessions of “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb“, released twenty years ago in 2004. It's called “Happiness” and, like the previous tracks, will be included on the ten-song collection titled “How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb”, alongside remixes and live recordings unearthed from the original album's session archives. “Happiness is for those who don't really need it”, sings Bono in the chorus.

Listen to the track below.

“We were inspired to revisit our earliest musical influences – explains The Edge – and it was a moment of deep personal introspection for Bono, who was trying to work through – ‘dismantle’ – his father's death. To put together this celebratory edition of the album I went digging through my personal archive for unreleased gems, and we picked ten of them. Although they were set aside at the time, with hindsight we recognize that our initial instincts about them being part of the album were spot on, we were on the right track”.

“How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb”, which the Irish band calls a “shadow album”, will be released in various formats on November 22nd. Exactly twenty years to the day after “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb“, released on November 22, 2004 and winner of eight Grammy Awards.

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15/01/2026