U2 calls its songwriting process chaotic as new album arrives
A process kept in motion
In an interview for “CBS Sunday Morning” and “Alchemy with Anthony Mason,” U2 members discussed how they make music. Bono called the process “very functionally dysfunctional,” describing work that can feel raw and close to collapse.
The Edge said the band continues to revise songs late in the process. He told Mason the members are willing to change and develop material until the record is nearly in stores.
Album, tour and return
The interview also addresses U2’s latest album, “Carnaval de Luz,” which was released Friday and has received strong critical reviews. The band’s upcoming tour is another subject of the conversation.
Mullen discusses returning to drumming after surgery. The four members—Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge and Mullen—also reflect on their legacy and revisit the Irish school where they met.
Broadcast and podcast details
The interview is set to air Sunday, Nov. 15, at 9:00 a.m. ET on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+. A full version is scheduled for a special edition of Mason’s “Alchemy” podcast, arriving Sunday on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
The Edge also shared that he woke one morning and wrote a treatment for a sequel to the holiday film “Elf.” “CBS Sunday Morning” airs Sundays from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. ET and is also available through the CBS News app, cbs.com and cbsnews.com.
Key points
- Bono described U2’s songwriting as “very functionally dysfunctional.”
- The band’s latest album, “Carnaval de Luz,” was released Friday.
- Larry Mullen, Jr. discusses returning to drumming after surgery.
- The interview is scheduled for “CBS Sunday Morning” on Nov. 15.