U2 have called in the police after a CD featuring unfinished tracks from their forthcoming album was stolen at a photo shoot in France. The new album, their first since 2000, is likely to be called Vertigo, and the tracks on the CD have already started appearing on P2P networks such as Overnet.
Edge said on the U2.com website: “A large slice of two years’ work lifted via a piece of round plastic. It doesn’t seem credible but that’s what’s just happened to us… and it was my CD.” Should have kept an eye on it then.
“This matter is of great concern to us.” said Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group UK. “As the missing CD is our property, we’re very keen find it as soon as possible and the French Police are being extremely helpful in this regard.”
Having tracks available, even in unfinished form, so far in advance of the album’s release is likely to tempt many fans who would not normally lift music from P2P networks. However, even though many people will undoubtedly download the tracks using file sharing programs, it is unlikely that this alone will result in lost sales.
If the disk finds its way to a CD pressing plant, then they’ll have a problem.U2.com