New U2 Is "Real Molten Metal"

01/07/09 7:00pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Bono and The Edge have said the guitar playing of Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and The White Stripes' Jack White inspired many of the songs on the upcoming No Line On The Horizon.

The Edge (real name Dave Evans) appears with Page and White in the documentary It Might Get Loud, which was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The three guitarists talk about their influences and explain how they developed their style. They also come together for a jam session.

"I was fascinated with seeing how Jimmy played those riffs so simply, and with Jack as well," The Edge says in the documentary, before explaining that the guitarists' stripped-down, bluesy riffs influenced the No Line On The Horizon songwriting sessions. The album will be released in five different formats on March 3.

"It started with just me playing and Larry [Mullen] drumming," says The Edge. "And we took it from there. It's very raw and to the point. It's like rock 'n' roll in 2009."

Bono told Rolling Stone magazine that The Edge's guitar work on No Line On The Horizon was "very hardcore" and "real molten metal."

The singer also told the mag that Will.i.am. remixed the album track "Magnificent." So it appears Kanye West was confused after all.

Bono and The Edge continue to work on Spider Man: The Musical with director Julie Taymor (The Lion King) and scriptwriter Glenn Berger. They've been writing the production's music, and have also worked on its plot and dialogue. The shows will feature musicians playing strings, brass, woodwinds and more rock 'n' roll instruments.

"It is happening," The Edge told Q Magazine. "We've written a lot of songs at this point.

"It's in a pretty good state, and I hope it'll open this year. We're not sure where in the world, but most likely it will be in New York."