U2 NEWSLETTER
Year 8 Issue 02
March 18, 2004
Brazilian Fan Club The Followers Of U2
http://www.u2town.net
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DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEK
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A few years ago, VH1 produced an excellent video documentary about
U2΄s career and aired it in 2001. But here in Brazil we only had a
chance to watch it on TV in 2004. So, if you did not have a chance to
catch it, here it goes. From now until April, we will add parts of
this video documentary for downloading. Have fun...

http://www.u2town.net/eng/html/modules.php?name=Your_Account

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HEADLINES
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NEWS
********* Jacknife Lee To Work On U2 Album
********* Oprah Talks to Bono
********* From U2 tow the White Stripes
********* A New Tune For Bono
********* Stars line up to praise manager McGuinness
********* U2 boss is €4m to the good as loan repaid
********* BONO: I'M GRUMPY
********* Christian artists take on U2
********* U2 on The Biography Channel
********* Adam Clayton - The Best of 1960-2004
********* Excerpts from Bono in O Magazine
********* U2 Not Leaving It All Behind
********* New U2 tour News
********* Oprah Talks to Bono
********* AIDS drug bill fatally flawed, activists warn
********* 46664' Concert, Out April 5th
********* ''Inside Your Threads'' Talks Trouble With Clothes





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NEWS
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***************Jacknife Lee To Work On U2 Album ----2004-03-17
12:42:16

source:XFM

Xfm can exclusively reveal that while Xfm Remix favourite Jacknife Lee
has dropped out of tomorrow's Remix club night, it's on the
express
request of Bono, as there's a U2 new album to work on and certain
rules to adhere to.

Jacknife Lee was originally going to be playing at Xfm's legendary
Remix Night at Cargo in East London on Thursday (March 18) alongside
some four turntable mayhem from Krafty Kuts, Skillz and of course
–
The Remix Show's very own Mr Eddy Temple-Morris himself.

However Xfm Online can exclusively report that Jacknife Lee won't
be
playing due to his commitments on the new highly anticipated U2 album.
Lee is assisting legendary Rolling Stones, Talking Heads and Morrissey
producer Steve Lillywhite on the album in Dublin, and according to
Lee, the new record is "Going really well."

However tomorrow is a national strike in Ireland and U2's singer
Bono
has asked Lee (famous for his Eminem, Run DMC and Missy Elliot
bootlegs) to respect the event and stay in Ireland and not work, hence
he'll be unable to appear at the Remix Night.

But, fear not, his place on the line up is being taken by another
equally wondrous king of electronica Si Begg.

The Remix Night is at Cargo 83 Rivington Street, London EC2 (nearest
Tube Old Street). 7.00pm – 1am, entrance: £7 before 9pm, £9
thereafter. To book tickets call the Xfm Xchange on 0870 121 1049. You
can also join the Remix Night SMS service for up to the minute info
here




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***************Oprah Talks to Bono ----2004-03-17 12:21:19

O magazine, March 15, 2004


[From the April 2004, issue of O, the Oprah magazine]

The superstar U2 front man talks about his excellent marriage, his
Irish gloom, his commitment to Africa, how truth unlocks creativity,
and his fear of being "interesting."


He's the cooler-than-cool rocker, the legendary front man of U2,
husband of 22 years, and father of four, who's singing his heart out
to shine light on a crisis devastating a continent. By the time the
sun sets this evening, AIDS will have claimed the lives of 6,500 more
people in Africa. Before you finish this sentence, another mother,
father or child will succumb to the virus. We've all heard the
numbers, shaken our heads at the horror and moved on to whatever we
had to do next. Bono, on the other hand, takes the AIDS epidemic
personally.

"Our generation will be remembered for the Internet, for the war
against terror, and for how we let an entire continent burst into
flames while we stood around with watering cans -- or not," he said
when I sat down with him on my show. He compared the situation to
watching Holocaust victims being put on trains while the rest of the
world did nothing. Determined to take action, Bono launched a
nonprofit organization, DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa). One of
DATA's goals is to reduce African debt, which would free up billions
of dollars for healthcare and education. Who else could have used rock
'n' roll to get us to feel the impact of Third World economics?

I caught up with Bono again in Cape Town, South Africa, after he'd
given a riveting performance in conjunction with World AIDS Day. Born
Paul Hewson to a Protestant mother and a Catholic father in 1960
Dublin, this man with a social conscience and a contagious fervor
makes being a pop star a part-time job. When we talked in Chicago, he
left me with his own blue wraparound sunglasses -- such a hot gift.
This time he left me with an even greater treasure -- his wisdom. We
talked about everything from songwriting to raising kids to working to
save Africa. I have the ultimate admiration and respect for him.


Oprah: How does the music come to you? Quincy Jones once told me that
he can sometimes see melodies.

Bono: I've never seen the music. For me it's a puzzle. I hear strains
of a melody, and only when I work it out to its end can I be at peace.
Until then it's like a twitch.

I got it.

It just comes out. No choice. It's sort of embarrassing because it
happens when you don't really want it to. You're writing a song on the
back of an Air India sick bag, and you're not writing it because you
need a hit -- you're writing it because you need some sleep. You have
to put it on paper so you can quiet the nagging.
Can you set out to write a hit and then actually write one?

Well, one of the things that hits have and that great music always
has, you know -- the music feels like it was already there.

Like your song "Beautiful Day."

I don't know if that's great. But when you stumble on certain
melodies, you think, That was already there.

It's like what Michelangelo said: The sculpture was already in the
stone.

And I don't think he was just being clever. The hit -- what might be
called eternal music, if you want to be high-minded -- is a song that
most people feel familiar with. And the most extreme end of that
spectrum is music...

...that resonates on a level that's indescribable.

Right. Like "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day." Or my favorite song,
"Amazing Grace." My second favorite song is "Help Me Make It Through
the Night." What I like about pop music, and why I'm still attracted
to it, is that in the end it becomes our folk music. In the Seventies,
when we were growing up and all the rock criticism was going on, disco
was supposed to suck. But you listen to some of that music now -- "I
Will Survive"...


And the Donna Summer stuff.

Yes. It's like folk music now. That other stuff with the guitar solos?
Who cares? The great music for so many artists -- the Beatles, the
Rolling Stones -- was always at the moment when they were closest to
pop. It would be easy for U2 to go off and have a concept album, but I
want us to stay in the pop fray.

Do you have anxiety every time you release an album?

Yes.

You do?

Of course. It's much easier to be successful than it is to be
relevant. The tricks won't keep you relevant. Tricks might keep you
popular for a while, but in all honesty, I don't know how U2 will stay
relevant. I know we've got a future. I know we can fill stadiums. And
yet, with every record, I think, Is this it? Are we still relevant?

Well, you haven't been invited to play at a Bat Mitzvah yet.

No, I just don't want to go through what I call the Interesting Music
Phase. That really means "We just don't get it."

So would you stop first?

Yes. Our idea in the band is this: Two crap albums in a row and you're
out. That gives us two to go. One crap album is fine, because you can
pull back and try again. But after two, you're forever "interesting."

I was watching you up onstage last night, and I said, "God, this just
makes me want to go put on a pair of sunglasses and a leather jacket."
Is there anything better than being on that stage in that moment and
being you?

Wow -- I don't remember feeling that good. You certainly have moments
when the music dwarfs you, brings you to your knees, and you're only a
tiny part of it. But most of the time, unfortunately, you're a very
large part of it. And you're self-conscious, or something's irritating
you, or you're under-rehearsed. So, yes, there are moments like last
night when we're standing out there singing a melody -- "It's a
long,
long walk to freedom" -- and the crowd starts singing with us, though
they've never heard the song before. I had just watched this
extraordinary man, Nelson Mandela, who taught us all a lesson, take
that long walk to the podium. As everyone sang, I realized we were
guests of the nation of South Africa. They were singing the hymn, he
was smiling to the crowd -- and we were in between.

I felt that, too.

It was even more poignant because it was a predominately white
audience singing to him. I'm standing there thinking, This might be a
miracle we're witnessing.

The sea of white faces, singing that song to him.

And there was no patronizing from either side.

I agree. I was happy to be a witness to it.

I was pretty knocked out. I wished my entire band were there. With the
band, we would have pulled that house down, because there was a lot of
energy in that crowd.

So when do you really have a good time?

When I'm playing with the band. As a soloist, I'm average at best. But
with the band? There's nothing better, I promise you. I'm sorry, but I
can say that. Two weekends ago, I was in New York with my wife, and we
had a great time. My wife and I surfed our jet lag.

What does that mean?

When you have kids, you have to go to bed and get up at a certain
time. But if you don't have the kids with you -- which we didn't --
you can go to bed when you're sleepy and stay up when you're not. That
means you can stay out until 4 in the morning.

I've got to learn how to surf my jet lag. How old are the kids now?

The two girls are 14 and 12; the two boys are 4 and 2. They're great.
I don't know why I have the life I have. I don't deserve it. I think
the family is as strong as it is because of my wife, Ali. She is just
really so cool.

How long have you been married?

Longer than I haven't been. We married when we were kids. We couldn't
have known what we were getting involved in.

And after all these years, you still think she's cool?

Oh, yeah. She's quite a character. And she has a very strong sense of
herself. She's capable of extraordinary things. Right now she's
working on a new way of doing business in apparel. It involves fair
trade practices in which people in Third World countries get paid
properly and get health insurance -- and you still make a fortune. It
may be one of the biggest brands in the next years, so watch out. It's
called Edun.

My wife is not ambitious in any way you may be familiar with. For her,
ambition is a slow kind of burning. If each partner wants the other to
realize his or her potential, the relationship will probably be okay.
If one has to sacrifice for the other, which is so often the case, I
don't think it's as good as two people trying to outdo each other
[with support]. I think she has sacrificed more than I have, so I'm
trying to balance that now.

How often are you home?

I'm home a lot. Because I live in Ireland, we can live under the
celebrity radar. I might go missing for a whole year. As it happens,
that might have been the last couple of years. You may get the
impression I'm always out there, but I'm usually home driving my kids
to school. I like morning better than night.

I thought all musicians kept those crazy "Quincy hours" -- working
late at night.

I peak early in the morning. It's downhill from there.

Are you a full participant in parenting?

Yes, except when I'm on tour. Even then I'm never away from Ali and
the kids for more than three weeks.

What have your children taught you about yourself?

I have very little memory of my childhood, so as I raise my kids the
memories come back in the most bizarre ways. Like you're singing your
baby a song, and you don't know why you remember it, but somehow you
do. You don't even know the tune, but you sing it anyway and think,
How am I singing this song?

There's a theory that whatever stage your children are at, it reminds
you of that stage of your own childhood. Like if you have a 7-year-old
and something traumatic happened to you when you were 7, that's when
all your stuff comes up. Has this been true for you?

I certainly thought my 20s were turbulent, but I didn't realize that
the real turbulence comes later in life, when you get a chance --
whether it's through your own children or others -- to revisit what
made you who you are.

And brought on your rage.

Yes. I wrote a piece called "Rage Is Not a Great Reason to Do
Anything, but It'll Do." It's a story of me learning to write songs as
a kid. I didn't go to music school, because I wasn't from that kind of
family. And I remember the frustration of hearing a melody in my head
but not being able to quite put it down. So you learn to rely on other
people, the band, and you start thinking that's a weakness. But it's a
strength to rely on others.

You have a gift, though. Does it come from a place you can't really
describe?

Before I answer you, I want to say this: I think God gets annoyed with
the gifted. We should know that our work is no more important than a
plumber's or a carpenter's. And here's what I love about hip-hop
artists: They set up the brand and start selling T-shirts. It's like,
"Here's my chair. I built it. How many do you want?" Whereas with some
other musicians, it's like, "I don't know anything about my record
contract. I'm not involved in that stuff." That's such bullshit.
That's one reason hip-hop is walking all over rock 'n' roll right now.
In what I would call alternative music, there has been a bunch of lies
-- which meant that you couldn't own up to your ambition. You couldn't
own up to the idea that art and commerce are certainly cousins, if not
brothers. So where does all music come from -- be it hip-hop or rock
'n' roll? I don't know. But I do know that all music is praise.

I'll be quoting you on that.

It's praise to the god of your making. Which, in the case of a rock
star, might be oneself. Or a woman. Or an idea.

I love that.

When I was 10, I learned what unlocks creativity. We were studying
William Butler Yeats, one of the great poets of the 20th century, and
my teacher explained that there was a period when Yeats had writer's
block. I put my hand up in class and asked, "Why didn't he write about
that?" It was like, "Oh, shut up." I've since learned that there's
something to being truthful. The Scriptures say the truth will set you
free. The truth is at the root of every piece of creativity. So if
you're truthful about your situation, whatever it is as an artist --
whether it's despair, whether it's hope, whether it's ambition --
suddenly you're there.

Isn't that what all real art is -- truth?

Yes. Truth is beauty. That can be a hard thing to say, because some
things are not so attractive on the surface. But by owning up to them,
we change them -- just by speaking them. The first line on the page
can be "I have nothing to offer. I'm empty today." That's why public
confession -- whether it's part of religious practice or on your show
-- is so important.

Yes. Twenty years ago, people were living dysfunctional lives, but
they thought they were the only ones living that way. I grew up
thinking that people really did live like Leave It to Beaver. I
thought, Gee, if I had a mom who made me milk and cookies, my world
would be okay.

In my music, I try to be as truthful as I can. I'm not sure I can be
as honest in my life as I can be in my music, because with manners
comes insincerity. Like "How are you?" "I'm very well." But I'm not. I
have a massive hangover. Truth is sometimes difficult.

What makes you happy?

I'm not the happiest person, and I'm certainly not happy-clappy.
There's a bit of "woe is me" that comes with melancholy, the Irish
thing, and it's draining.

Okay, so what gives you joy? Joy is a better word anyway.

Joy is the hardest possible thing to contrive as an act. It's easy to
describe anger, rage, happiness. But joy is difficult.

Is joy elusive for you?

I don't know. Our band has it when we're going off. There's a joy
vibration there. It's not miserable-ism.

Joy is a very high energy field.

I'm grumpy. You seem to have a level of joy. Are there months when
things aren't going right for you, when you're in a trough, or do you
have just, like, one bad day a week?

Not even a bad day a week.

Really?

Absolutely not.

Well, I have a couple of bad days a week.

So tell me this: Where do your commitment and passion come from? For
as long as I can remember, you've been using your voice to make a
difference in the world.

Growing up in Ireland was part of it -- the simple, practical life of
Irish people. Wherever you go in Africa, you find an Irish priest or a
young nun. They're everywhere! And, then, of course, Bob Geldof
[formerly of the Boomtown Rats] is my friend, and we did the whole
Live Aid thing together. {Held simultaneously in the United States and
the United Kingdom in 1985, Live Aid was the biggest benefit concert
in history, raising millions of dollars for famine relief in
Ethiopia.} Around that time, my wife and I lived in Ethiopia for a
month, in a tent in a feeding station in the middle of nowhere. It was
extraordinary. That royal Ethiopian thing is in these people; that
Solomon and Queen of Sheba thing is all around. At my site, there was
barbed wire, like a concentration camp -- but the wire was meant to
keep people out, not in. A man walked up to me, gave me a child, and
said, "You take my son. He'll live if you take him." And I couldn't
take the boy. But that really formed my commitment. I remember coming
home on the plane saying, "We'll never forget this."

And did you forget?

I did. Yet somewhere inside me, I'll always remember it. Somewhere
there was a prayer to say, and there will be a way to help. What I saw
in Ethiopia wasn't just about people falling on hard times. It was a
wider problem -- political, not just social. So in this work, the
circle is becoming a bit completed for me now. And my people have been
supportive. The Irish can be annoying -- and I'm one of them -- but
they really are good. Here in Africa, I'm the anomaly. It's an odd and
freakish thing that I, an Irish guy, am sitting here and that you're
even asking me questions. Yet the people we'd choose to describe the
condition of the world are not often the people God would choose. The
chosen may be punk rockers or hip-hop people. But nonetheless, the
state of the world will be described.


© O magazine, 2004. Transcript by @u2





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***************From U2 tow the White Stripes ----2004-03-17 12:08:30

The March issue of Q Magazine comes with a special story about rock in
the 90s. There is an interview with The Edge.






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***************A New Tune For Bono ----2004-03-16 19:46:11

PHILADELPHIA, March 16, 2004

(AP) U2 lead singer Bono will be the speaker at the University of
Pennsylvania's 248th graduation ceremonies on May 17.

"With his tireless efforts and use of his celebrity to remind us of
our moral duties as citizens of the globe, Bono has been a powerful
force for change, galvanizing the action of presidents, countries and
the general public," Judith Rodin, president of the prestigious Ivy
League university said in a statement Monday.

Bono will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the
university.
Born in Dublin in 1960, Bono formed U2 with high school friends. The
band has won seven Grammy awards and sold more than 100 million albums
over the past 20 years.

Other Penn honorary degree recipients will include cell and molecular
biologist Elizabeth Blackburn, photographer Lee Friedlander,
historical theologian Jaroslav Pelikan, and jazz drummer Max Roach.

© MMIV The Associated Press



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***************Stars line up to praise manager McGuinness
----2004-03-15 09:48:51

Music Week
March 13, 2004

A stellar line-up of artists and industry figures including U2, PJ
Harvey, Universal Music group chairman Doug Morris and Solo Agency
founder John Giddings paid tribute to veteran manager Paul McGuinness,
who received the Music Week Awards' key honour - the Strat Award.

McGuinness repaid the compliment by saying he had "always learned a
lot from Music Week". "I was reading it before I was in the industry
and always tell people I work with they should read the trades," he
said.
"I was the sort of student who always knew The Beatles were managed by
Brian Epstein, The Rolling Stones were managed by Andrew Loog Oldham
and I knew Bob Dylan was managed by Albert Grossman. I was aware this
was a great job. I found out later it was a very difficult job, but it
is easy to be good at it if you have a great team."

He thanked colleagues at Principle Management, Island, Universal
Publishing and Warner/Chappell, as well as a roster of acts including
The Rapture, Paddy Casey, PJ Harvey and "the incomparable" U2.

Kicking off a stream of tributes, producer Steve Lillywhite said, "It
was the summer of 1979 and I was flown in to Dublin to see this great
new band called U2."

In a video message featuring all the band, Bono was unstinting in his
praise for the man who had impressed on the band the importance of
owning their own copyrights. "He made us realise that if we did things
right we could own our own copyrights and fought really hard to ensure
we own those songs and that is something we hold to be very dear,"
added the singer.

Solo's John Giddings commented, "He was one of those people who made
his group bigger than they were capable of being." PJ Harvey added,
"He has that thing I love most about people - he is a music man."



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***************U2 boss is €4m to the good as loan repaid
----2004-03-15 09:37:34

Sunday Independent
14th March 2004
by NICK WEBB

PAUL McGUINNESS, the U2 manager, was repaid a €4m loan by his firm
Principle Management last year, according to latest accounts.
McGuinness was owed nearly €8m by the company but the figure was
reduced to €3.8m by March 2003.

Principle runs the affairs of U2 but has also taken on Meteor
award-winner Paddy Casey. The firm reported a 70-fold increase in
pre-tax profits to over €700,000 last year, up from just
€10,000.
Directors' remuneration soared to €1.5m over the same period.

(c) Unison.ie 2004




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***************BONO: I'M GRUMPY ----2004-03-15 09:20:01

Copyright 2004 MGN Ltd.
Sunday Mirror
March 14, 2004, Sunday

BONO has admitted he's "grumpy" and added: "I'm not the happiest
person."

The star tells US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey in an interview in the
April edition of her magazine, Oprah: "I peak in the early morning.
It's downhill from there.

"I'm not the happiest person. There's a bit of 'woe is me' that comes
with melancholy, the Irish thing, and it's draining.

"Joy is the hardest possible thing to contrive as an act.

"It's easy to describe anger, rage, happiness. But joy is difficult.

"Our band has it when we're going off. There's a joy vibration. It's
not miserable-ism. I'm grumpy."




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***************Christian artists take on U2 ----2004-03-15 09:01:54

IN THE NAME OF LOVE/ARTISTS UNITED FOR AFRICA
Various artists
Sparrow

Why can Christian musicians, from Bruce Springsteen to U2, be so
stirring when using spiritual sensibilities, while artists who
identify with the narrower Christian pop-rock movement often give us
music so lacking in character and depth that it seems anonymous?

Although not fully answering that question, this CD, which features
some of the Christian music world's stars performing U2 songs,
suggests the problem may be the material.

In the Name of Love is a response by several Christian music artists
to Bono's challenge last year to get involved in the campaign to raise
money to fight the African AIDS crisis.
Not everything works on this album, which donates a portion of the
proceeds to World Vision. Some singers seem so intimidated by Bono's
vocals that they are unable to break away from his interpretations.
And several of the arrangements seem timid.

Yet there are eye-opening moments, especially when artists tackle some
of the more intimate moments in the U2 catalog. The poignant vocal by
Sixpence None the Richer's Leigh Nash and the personal take by Nichole
Nordeman on Grace are especially passionate.

Along with other highlights, these tracks make you want to hear more
by these artists. A similar album devoted to Springsteen's songs would
be another good step.

-- Robert Hilburn

Los Angeles Times



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***************U2 on The Biography Channel ----2004-03-15 08:53:43

According to The Biography Channel, a documentary about U2 will be
broadcased on March 17, 21:00 in England.

Description:"They formed courtesy of a school notice board advert in
70s Dublin, Antemic songs and an ever-evolving style keep Bono and the
boys of the forefront of music. Achtung Baby!"

There are no more details about it.

It will be repeated on March Haverα reprises nos dias 18 (8:00 e
13:00) and 26 (21:30).




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***************Adam Clayton - The Best of 1960-2004 ----2004-03-13
14:31:48

@U2, March 13, 2004

Ben McCarty

Welcome to the first in a series of "Best Of" articles intended to
highlight the lives and careers of U2's four talented members on the
occasion of their birthdays. Our first subject has been known as Posh
Spice, Sparky and Spoon Boy. You might know him better as Adam.

To begin with, it is acknowledged that Larry Mullen Jr., posted the
notice that started the band, the Edge built his own guitar, and Bono
was a charismatic son of a gun with a penchant for world causes. Fair
enough. But, U2 could not be U2 without the unique qualities brought
to the table by all four of its members. And now the time has come to
bring Adam Clayton out of the shadows and celebrate the highlights of
his distinguished career.

This is not a biography, but a look at the "bass"-ics of who Mr.
Clayton is, and from whence he came. Born Adam Charles Clayton to
mother Jo and father Brian in Oxfordshire, England, on March 13, 1960,
the future star moved with his family to Ireland at the tender age of
five. At sweet 16, Adam "left" St. Columba's boarding school and began
attending a rather unique institution in Dublin called Mount Temple.

full story.




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***************Excerpts from Bono in O Magazine ----2004-03-13
14:13:05

source:Interference

Bono talks...
On U2: "I know we've got a future. I know we can fill stadiums. And
yet with every record, I think, Is this it? Are we still relevant?"

On Ali: "Right now she's working on a new way of doing business in
apparel. It involves fair trade practices in which people in Third
World countries are paid properly and get health insurance - and you
still make a fortune. It may be one of the biggest brands in the next
few years, so watch out. It's called Edin."

On Home: "I'm home a lot....You may get the impression I'm always out
there, but I'm usually home driving my kids to school. I like mornings
better than night."

On Truth: "The Scriptures say the truth will set you free.The truth is
at the root of every piece of creativity. So if you're truthful about
your situation, whatever it is as an artist -whether it's despair,
whether it's hope,whether it's ambition - suddenly you're there."

On Africa: "....the people we'd choose to describe the conditions of
the world are not often the people God would choose. The chosen may be
punk-rockers or hip-hop people. But, nonetheless, the state of the
world will be described."




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***************U2 Not Leaving It All Behind ----2004-03-12 23:33:57

03-05-2004

source:HotPress.com Steve Lilywhite is "an additional producer
not a
replacement" on U2's new album

Paul McGuinness has confirmed that it's full steam ahead, not
back to
the drawing board, for the new U2 record as Steve Lillywhite takes
over the production reins from Chris Thomas.

"There are various producers involved in this album," the U2
manager
reflects. "Chris has done some great work. It's good to work
with
Steve again but it's not as if we're starting from
scratch."

According to a source close to the band: "Cynics are bound to go,
`That's McGuinness glossing over the fact that they're
unhappy with
Chris Thomas', but my understanding is that Steve Lillywhite
really
has been brought in as additional producer, not a replacement. The
attitude in the camp is, `Let's take the extra month or two
and get it
absolutely right."




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***************New U2 tour News ----2004-03-12 23:31:09

According to Interference.com: "A source currently involved with the
planning of the next U2 world tour has told Interference.com that the
tour is currently planned to start in February 2005 and last for 18
months. The tour will start with arenas, and then move into stadiums.
No word yet on where the tour will commence. Stay tuned!

Note: Arenas = indoor / Stadiums = outdoor"




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***************Oprah Talks to Bono ----2004-03-12 23:15:49

Coming next month in the April issue of O, The Oprah Magazine:

Oprah Talks to Bono about his excellent marriage, his Irish gloom, his
commitment to Africa, how truth unlocks creativity, and his fear of
being "interesting."




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***************AIDS drug bill fatally flawed, activists warn
----2004-03-12 23:12:55

source;The Globe and Mail

Provisions for brand-name drug firms must be removed, Bono's group
urges

By STEVEN CHASE
Friday, March 12, 2004 - Page A6

OTTAWA -- A relief group founded by rock star Bono has written Prime
Minister Paul Martin warning him that Canadian legislation to get
cheap copies of patented medicines to poor countries will set "a poor
precedent for the world" unless key provisions benefiting brand-name
drug firms are removed.

"At the [Liberal leadership] convention, Bono said the world needs
more Canadas. First the world needs Canada to shoulder its
commitments," Debt Aids Trade Africa director Jamie Drummond tells the
PM in a March 10 letter obtained by The Globe and Mail.
Bono, leader singer of the Irish rock group U2, has sent Mr. Martin a
personal letter that also expresses concerns over the legislation,
DATA spokesman Seth Amgott said. Bono's letter is not being made
public.

Ottawa drafted Bill C-9 last fall after a worldwide deal that said
countries that skirted patent laws to copy brand-name drugs in order
to help fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa and elsewhere
would not be prosecuted for it.

The aim of the deal was to allow cheaper versions of lifesaving drugs
to be made available to especially poor countries.

But the bill as currently written gives brand-name drug firms the
"right of first refusal" to fill contracts that generic drug firms --
those that copy drugs for a living -- might arrange for poor
countries. Critics say this provision is a fatal flaw that would
destroy any incentive for generics to arrange humanitarian contracts
for poor countries.

DATA tells Ottawa it must not legislate this right or similar rights
in the bill and it scolds the government for planning to restrict in
the bill which drugs can be copied to ship to developing nations.

"Giving patent holders a 'right of first refusal' or 'equal
opportunity' and restricting what products are eligible sets a poor
precedent for the world after so much promise from Canada," the group
said.

It also warns that Bill C-9 as currently written "would undermine the
very purpose of the law, which is to get affordable medicines to the
14 million people who die every day from treatable diseases."

An official in the PMO said Ottawa is listening and is ready to rework
Bill C-9 to ensure it isn't a failure on the world stage. "The
government's view is we should get this right because it's very
important," said the official, who asked not to be named.

But another senior official in another department said Ottawa is still
not prepared to deny brand-name drug companies the right to supply
medicines ahead of generic companies that would simply be copying
their intellectual property.

"I still believe that patent holders should have a right to sell their
product before those who don't have a patent on the product."

Bono, who appeared at the Liberal leadership convention in November to
beg for relief for Africa, told Mr. Martin then he was going to follow
up to ensure the PM keeps his promises, warning he would be the
"biggest pain in his ass."

Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D) -- which
represents patent holders -- could not immediately be reached for
comment. Brand-name companies have argued that since they hold
intellectual property rights on drug patents, they should have a right
to bid on contracts that generic companies might arrange. They have
said they believe there will still be instances where a generic
company could still fill a contract instead of the patent holder.

The Canadian HIV-AIDS Legal Network is one of several groups that have
been lobbying Ottawa to ease up on restrictions in the
drugs-for-poor-countries bill.

"This bill is supposed to be about an international consensus that
market competition from generic drug producers is needed to bring
prices of medicines down, but instead it provides an early opportunity
for Big Pharma to block competition," said Richard Elliott, director
of legal policy for the group.

"There is nothing currently stopping brand-name drug makers from
supplying these products at cost to developing countries tomorrow if
they want to."



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***************46664' Concert, Out April 5th ----2004-03-12
22:41:19

source: u2 11/03/2004

The `46664 Concert' hosted by Nelson Mandela in Cape Town in
November,
will be released as 3 CD Albums and a Double DVD on April 5th.

Inspired by Nelson Mandela, the 46664 campaign, named after
Mandela's
prison number, was born to raise awareness of the global HIV/Aids
pandemic, as well as funds for South Africa - with proceeds going to
the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The aim is for this initiative to be
the largest call to action for HIV/AIDS in history. More information
here www.46664.com

As well as some great performances from Bono, Edge and Beyonce (see
our earlier report here) the show featured unique artist
collaborations and songs especially written for the concert. The full
list of artists is as follows: Abdel Wright, Anastacia, Angelique
Kidjo, Annie Lennox, Baaba Maal, Beyonce, Bob Geldof, Bongo Maffin,
Bono, Danny K, David A Stewart, Jimmy Cliff, Johnny Clegg, Ladysmith
Black Mambazo, Ms Dynamite, Paul Oakenfold, Peter Gabriel, Queen, The
Corrs, The Edge, Watershed, Youssou n'Dour, Yusuf Islam, Yvonne
Chaka
Chaka, Zucchero.


As we reported last month, the DVD will feature the entire 4½ hour
concert together with Nelson Mandela's address and a wealth of
behind
the scenes footage including :
* Launching 46664 – The press conference from London when Nelson
Mandela announces the event to the world's media.
* Behind The Concert – A backstage documentary showing the making
of
46664 filmed during the week leading up to the event in Cape Town.
* The Interviews – The artists talking about the event and why
they
are supporting Nelson Mandela's 46664 campaign.
* Fighting Aids – Footage from a project visit to Mothers 2
Mothers-2-Be and the Baphaumelele Childrens' Home.
* A Minute of Art – 12 x one minute films by some of the
world's
leading and most influential contemporary visual artists representing
their vision of HIV/Aids.
* Spirit of Africa – A documentary about the true story of a
Ugandan
orphan who has lost his parents from Aids.
* Photo Gallery – Pictures featuring all the artists involved in
the
event.

The three CDs, entitled "46664 Part 1: African Prayer",
"46664 Part 2:
Long Walk to Freedom" and "46664 Part 3: Amandla" each
form one part
of the Concert.

Track listing for the release in our earlier story here.



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***************''Inside Your Threads'' Talks Trouble With Clothes
----2004-03-12 22:25:15

The Gate 11th March, 2004

For all the cool kids, socialites, and other folks (including parents)
who can't get enough of their brand-name clothes, MuchMusic has a show
for you that shouldn't be missed. Proving once again that the station
has a serious mind for real issues, Much is airing a documentary
called "Inside Your Threads" that it calls, "a special look at the
working conditions of youth factory employees living in Tehuacan,
Mexico and Dhaka, Bangladesh."

The show airs Thursday, March 25th @ 9 p.m. ET, and deals with the
controversial issues of overseas labour, which often is only used
because of the poor working conditions of workers who are paid next to
nothing.

The documentary is aimed towards Canadian teens by "providing an
updated, youth perspective on the situation" and follows the paths of
three Canadian recording artists - Sam Roberts, Hawksley Workman, and
Jully Black as they meet Mexican and Bangladeshi youth struggling to
earn a living wage at a variety of apparel factories.

The show also includes interviews with local activists and factory
managers, European and North American executives, and comments from
Bono, Ben Harper, Incubus, Nickelback, Pink and Nelly Furtado.

With the number of companies around today that are using cheap, and
usually abused, labourers, I'd say that it's pretty important to shop
with a conscience. A number of big North American companies don't seem
to care what they have to do to make a dollar and it's nice to see
MuchMusic touching on this important issue. In my mind it's a really
helpful way to remind shoppers about the main way they can help make
change - and that's merely by supporting the companies that aren't at
the root of this problem.
MORE...

"INSIDE YOUR THREADS" FAST FACTS

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Article 23
(1948): "Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment,
to just and favorable conditions of work, and to protection against
unemployment...and the right to form and join trade unions."

The Canadian Oxford Dictionary's definition of sweatshop: "a factory
in the garment industry, where workers work long hours in unpleasant
conditions for low pay."

In recent years, some change and upgrades in factory conditions have
taken hold in these regions, albeit slowly.

In Mexico, factories that produce goods for export are referred to as
Maquilas, short for Maquiladora.

Since 1994 more than 700 Maquilas sprung up in the Tehuacan region
promising better lives for locals, but since 2000, more than 200,000
Mexican jobs have been transferred to countries where wages are even
lower.

Approximate Minimum Hourly Wage
Comparisons:
Mexico - 6 Pesos/hour = 71 cents CDN/hour
Bangladesh - 4 Taka/hour = 10 cents CDN/hour
Canada - $6.70/hour

© The Gate & W. Andrew Powell, 2004.



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