Lyrics For U2's Next Album Reported Stolen

Words and other work in progress for Irish rock band's record were in Bono's shoulder bag.

Staff Writer Brian Hiatt reports:

A shoulder bag that U2 singer Bono reported missing this week contained lyrics and other work in progress for the superstar rock band's next album, according to the band's manager.

"It's really important that we get it back," manager Paul McGuinness said in a statement Thursday (Dec. 9). "To anyone else it's just a personal computer, and a few pieces of paper. To Bono, obviously, it's much more important."

U2's management company, Principle Management Ltd., is offering a substantial reward for the bag's return, McGuinness said. Reuters reported Wednesday that Bono was offering about 2,000 Irish pounds ($2600).

The black shoulder bag, which had a red luggage tag bearing the management company's address and phone number, was discovered missing Monday night at Clarence Hotel in Dublin, Ireland, according to a statement released Wednesday through U2's UK publicity firm, RMP.

A bag matching that description was reported stolen from the hotel Tuesday, according to Irish police spokesperson Noreen Harrison.

Bono (born Paul Hewson) and U2 guitarist the Edge (born Dave Evans) are investors in the hotel.

U2's album is scheduled for release in 2000. Bono said in an online chat in June that the disc would return the band to a more organic sound than their most recent work.

"It's the sound of four people playing in a room, four people who've known each other all their lives," the 39-year-old singer said of the album, which the band is recording with producers Brian Eno and Lanois Ñ the team behind such previous hit albums as The Joshua Tree (1987).

The band's most recent studio album was Pop (1997).

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