The members of U2 are still talking about their September release Songs of Innocence, but not because they necessarily want to talk about it. Bono said the band's current concentration is writing new material. The Edge added that while they knew they would have to "weather the storm," they simply wanted to try out other methods of putting out music before their Innocence + Experience tour.
"Apple and U2 were genuine about this whole thing," The Edge told Rolling Stone. "Apple were being generous and we were trying to do something different to get through the noise. There's always a few teething problems when you're in new territory ... One of which was that people thought we were giving the album away, that we'd suddenly become all about free music, when the opposite is true. We fervently believe all artists should be paid for their work. But we, like every musician, have to look at other models of getting paid."
Last year, Apple released Songs of Innocence for free on iTunes. The band immediately caught criticism from people who did not appreciate having the new music without buying it. Others were also critical about the band because they thought U2 was advocating giving away music. It has since been discovered that Apple paid the band in advance of the release.
The band is well on its way to putting the whole ordeal behind them when they hit the road May 14 for the Innocence + Experience Tour. The group is scaling back from its huge 360-date tour, playing indoor arenas around the world this time around. U2 has multiple dates scheduled for the same cities, so fans can expect a different show every night.
Bono also added during the interview that he will not be in top physical shape since he is still recovering from a bicycle accident that occurred in November.
"It'll be a battle to be match-fit for May 14," he said. "My southpaw is a bit tricky, but my right hook is ready to rumble for sure."
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