The Edge

03/28/23 • 67 min

4 Listeners

Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond

U2’s The Edge is one of only a handful of guitarists who's as recognizable as his band’s wildly successful frontman. U2 has been playing together since 1976, when they were all teenagers in Dublin. Nearing their 50-year anniversary as a band, U2 just released their latest album, Songs of Surrender—a 40-track collection of reimagined and stripped down songs that span the entirety of their catalog.

On today’s episode Rick Rubin talks to The Edge about his theory behind the band’s longevity. The Edge also shares stories about writing U2 classics like “New Year’s Day” and “Where The Streets Have No Name.” And he explains why Bono singing at the top of his range can be a bit much.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite U2 songs HERE.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite U2 songs HERE.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Previous Episode

Graham Nash, Part 1

At 81 years-old, Graham Nash describes his life as, “a magic story from beginning to end.” Graham’s career began in 1962 as a singer/songwriter in the British pop band The Hollies. After a string of hits in the UK, Graham left the Hollies, and moved to L.A. to start a band with the former Byrds vocalist, David Crosby, and Stephen Stills, whose band Buffalo Springfield had just broken up. From the start, Crosby Stills & Nash were dubbed a folk-rock supergroup, and they went on to become one of the era's most revered bands, thanks to their gorgeous three-part harmony and exquisite songwriting.

Following the death of David Crosby in January, Rick Rubin sat down with Graham Nash to talk about Graham’s deep love and admiration for Croz. On today’s episode we’ll hear the first part of Rick’s conversation with Graham, who reminisces about the day he met Crosby, who immediately rolled Graham the most perfect joint he’d ever seen. Graham also explains how it was actually Cass Elliot from the Mamas and the Papas who was responsible for bringing CSN together, and he recalls classic stories about Neil Young’s unpredictable early days in CSNY.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Graham Nash songs HERE.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Episode

Graham Nash, Part 2

Today we have the second part of Rick Rubin’s conversation with legendary singer/songwriter Graham Nash. We dropped part one a couple of weeks ago, so definitely go check that out if you haven’t already.

On today’s episode Graham tells Rick about the time the Grateful Dead were recording next to CSNY and how Jerry Garcia improvised a near-perfect pedal steel solo on “Teach Your Children.” Graham also describes a bizarre encounter with the judge who sentenced his father to prison, and he shares the inspiration behind his new solo album, Now.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Graham Nash songs HERE.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond - The Edge

Transcript

Speaker 100:00:15.435

Pushkin. I want to let you know that Rick has a new podcast called Tetragrammaton. After about four to five years of recording Broken Record, Rick decided he wanted to talk to more than just musicians, so on his new podcast, he'll be talking to actors, directors, wrestlers, business people, anyone that Rick finds interesting. So make sure to subscribe to Tetragrammaton wherever you listen to podcasts. You Two's The Edge is one of only a handful o

The Edge Top Questions Answered

What is the latest album released by U2?

The latest album released by U2 is called "Songs of Surrender."

What is the concept behind U2's new album?

U2's new album "Songs of Surrender" brings intimacy and simplicity to their performances by reimagining and stripping down their songs.

How did the pandemic lockdown influence U2's experimentation with their songs?

The pandemic lockdown provided U2 with the perfect opportunity to experiment with rearranging their songs.

Who is The Edge from U2 influenced by musically?

The Edge from U2 was influenced by punk rock and grew up with limited access to records.

How has The Edge's relationship with music changed over the years?

The Edge's relationship with music has changed over the years, becoming more open to different styles and appreciating timeless songs.

How does U2 work on their music now compared to earlier in their career?

U2 now works individually on their ideas and then bring them to the band, whereas earlier in their career they would play off each other in the rehearsal room.

What was the inspiration behind U2's song "Walk On"?

The song "Walk On" by U2 was inspired by the leader of the Democratic movement in Myanmar.

What events inspired U2 to write new lyrics for "Walk On"?

U2 wrote new lyrics for "Walk On" based on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and President Zelenski, who was a stand-up comedian turned politician.

What is the spiritual dimension in creativity according to The Edge?

The Edge believes that insights as creators are often outside of explanation or logic, and accessing the collective consciousness plays a role in creativity.

How do science and faith coexist according to The Edge?

The Edge believes that science and faith can coexist but emphasizes the importance of separating inspiration, which can be spiritual, from scientific proof.

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