Breaking Waves…Bram, Gavin, Haim and More

Original Story by Aaron J. Sams (2025-06-20)

There’s a new question and answer session with Gavin Friday in todays Irish Times. The questions dive into Gavin’s lifelong friendship with Bono and Guggi, as well as his relationship with the other members of U2. “I have a very strong friendship with Bono and we have a very direct communication. It’s not just with Bono, but the whole of U2, because I know them 50 years. I’ve always been at a recording session when they go in to make an album, at the beginning, middle and the end. We’re almost like brothers – you very rarely blow smoke up your brother’s ass. ‘What do you think of these songs?’ ‘I love these five, that needs more work, that’s brilliant.’ Albums to me are not jobs. It’s an expression of who you are and what you’re going through. To me, if you want to say something, the best way to say it is to make the tune have a sweetness or a tangibility.” You can read the whole conversation with Nadine O’Regan here.

Haim have released their new album, I Quit, and the final song may sound familiar to U2 fans, as it borrows from U2’s “Numb”. Take a listen to “Now it’s Time” below.

Haim have worked with U2 in the past. U2’s “Lights of Home” is built off of a base line from Haim’s “My Song 5”, and Haim were part of the recording sessions for the U2 song, joining them in studio and providing backing vocals on the track. Now Haim are returning the favour and borrowing a bit from U2.

You can hear Haim’s “My Song 5” below. Check out the 1:10 mark for the “Lights of Home” riff that was borrowed by U2.

On “Now It’s Time” U2 are credited as composers and lyricists.

The lyric videos are coming fast and furious. A couple of times a week, a new video pops up, with the most recent being “Sunday Bloody Sunday”. We are tracking these as they come out in our video section.

So far all of the songs have been featured in Bono’s Surrender – either as chapter titles, or in the case of “40” at the end of the book.

If they are doing a full set of videos for the song titles from the book what songs are left that have never had a video?

• “Out of Control”
• “Cedarwood Road”
• “Stories for Boys”
• “11 O’Clock Tick Tock”
• “October”
• “Bullet the Blue Sky”
• “Miracle Drug”
• “Moment of Surrender”
• “Breathe”

Other songs, such as “The Fly” and “Invisible” have videos that were produced for the song when originally released.

Bram van den Berg has decided to take his leave from his band Krezip. Bram was the drummer for Krezip when U2 approached him to fill in for Larry Mullen for the shows at Sphere in Vegas. Yesterday it was announced Bram will play with Krezip this weekend at Pinkpop, and another show at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on December 6, but after that he will be taking his leave from the band. Krezip share that they are looking forward to playing these “special shows” with Bram, and saying goodbye to him in a beautiful way.

Bram joined Krezip a few years after their formation, in the early 2000s. In 2023, he was introduced to U2 by Martin Garrix, as a possible temporary replacement for Larry Mullen for the shows at Sphere. Bram played 40 shows with U2, and features on the live version of “Atomic City” released for Record Store Day. Mullen is reported as fully recovered from his surgeries, and better than ever according to Bono, and is currently working with U2 on their next studio album, which is expected before he joins them for their next tour.

Bram told RTL Boulevard, “The whole adventure with U2 was something no one saw coming, not even me. But as that international journey progressed, it really sparked a strong curiosity in me to see what else is out there in the world. I don’t have anything concrete yet, but it’s true you can’t start a new adventure until you’ve properly closed the current one.” (Thank you Edith for the quote.)

We’re extending our thoughts to the family of Henry Mount Charles, who passed on June 18. Mount Charles was 74, and had been fighting a long battle with cancer. Mount Charles was known as Viscount Slane, and was the custodian of Slane Castle, running the estate since 1976.

It was Mount Charles that spearheaded concerts at the castle over the years. The first concert, held in 1981 featured local act Thin Lizzy, supported by U2. Over the years the castle featured headline acts from around the world including David Bowie, Madonna, Metallica, R.E.M., Robbie Williams and The Rolling Stones. The most recent concert featured Harry Styles in 2023. U2 had returned to the Slane venue to perform two shows in 2001, and have been rumoured to return ever since.

U2 had also recorded portions of The Unforgettable Fire at the castle, which can be seen in documentaries filmed during recording. In the documentary Henry Mount Charles: A Lord in Slane (RTÉ, December 2024) Mount Charles credited Adam Clayton with helping him to overcome his battle with alcohol addiction.

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