Cranberries Among Most Pirated in Mexico

February 6, 2003  |  Comments Off on Cranberries Among Most Pirated in Mexico  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

In a study released by the The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) (the international equivalent of the RIAA), the organization reports that The Cranberries are one of the most bootlegged artists in Mexico. The IFPI estimates that nearly 40% of the music sold in Mexico is pirated, making it a “priority country” for the organization. Unlike the commercially-produced live bootlegs so sought after by collectors (most of which originate from Europe), the overwhelming majority of these sales are copies of normal studio albums, like the recent “Stars.”

“I went to the Zocalo which was the downtown part of the city and they were having a little market and there are booths were you can buy pirate copies of CDs,” reports Mummbz, a Cranberries fan back from a recent trip to Mexico City. “And they had ‘Stars,’ but they were sold out. They were really cheap copies too, $1.50 a copy. Granted it’s illegal but, hey, people bought the CD for its music right?”

Other international artists hit hard by the widespread copies include Santana, the Backstreet Boys, and, unsurprisingly, U2. Local top-selling Mexican artists are also heavily pirated.

“Here in Mexico we do love the Cranberries but, about the pirate copies, that’s something we are not proud of,” says Mau, a resident of Mexico. “I’m sure you realized that you can get almost any CD you like for even less than $1.50 USD each (and if they don’t have it, they can get it), but that’s going against the artists themselves. If people buy original CDs instead of pirate ones, I’m sure The Cranberries would have sold 3 or 4 times more original CDs than they have so far. This is also why some artists don’t come to Mexico or Latin America, they think that they’re not selling well here, but that’s because people prefer the cheaper prices of piracy.”

Bootleg markets, like the one seen here, are common in Mexico, parts of Europe, and in Asia (Photo: AP)

The IFPI estimates that legitimate music sales in Mexico comprise about 2% of the total retail sales of music in the world.

Source: IFPI

Official Tidbits: No US Tour in April, More Euro Shows, Possible New Contracts

February 3, 2003  |  Comments Off on Official Tidbits: No US Tour in April, More Euro Shows, Possible New Contracts  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

As posted today on The Cranberries Official Site April will not see The Cranberries touring with Matchbox 20. Instead, the band will continue to make progress on their sixth album until the end of May. North American tour dates will likely come later in the year.

Additionally noteworthy is the possibility of new recording contracts for The Cranberries. It seems that as the word has spread about the band’s split with MCA/Universal, several labels have expressed their interest in working with The Cranberries. Negotiations are beginning to take place; and at this time, it is still the band’s desire to hold individual contracts per market, avoiding a single, global recording contract that can often limit the amount of promotional support the band receives worldwide.

The Cranberries Official Site also announced today that three more shows have been added to their tour with The Rolling Stones in Europe. As reported days ago here on Zombieguide, fans in Milan, Italy will have the opportunity to see The Cranberries on June tenth. German fans in Oberhausen can look forward to June thirteenth; and those in Berlin should mark their calendar for the fifteenth of June.

Here’s an overview of the confirmed shows to-date in which The Cranberries will be supporting The Rolling Stones:

June 4: Munich, Germany at the Olympiahalle June 6: Munich, Germany at the Olymnpiahalle June 10: Milan, Italy at the San Siro Stadium June 13: Oberhausen, Germany at O-Vision Park June 15: Berlin, Germany at the Olympiastadion

In addition to tour and recording news, an Official update also congratulatesthe winner of The Cranberries first online auction, a project in support of the Chernobyl Children’s Project and Amnesty International. More charitable auctions, which offer opportunities to win Cranberries memorabilia, will more than likely come in the form of a lottery. The Cranberries Official Web Site hosted an online poll in which fans voted as to the manner in which the auctions should be featured. The notion of an online lottery was preferred by voters. Opportunities to participate in future auctions within The Cranberries series of online charitable events will come during the second half of 2003 and will likely come in “raffle” or “lottery” form rather than an auction.

Source: Cranberries Official Site

Autographed Guitar Fetches $3500+ For Belgium Charity

February 3, 2003  |  Comments Off on Autographed Guitar Fetches $3500+ For Belgium Charity  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

An autographed Cranberries guitar which was auctioned off in December in Belgium has fetched €3300 (nearly $3560 US) for the Levenslijn Kinderfonds (Lifeline Child Fund). The focus of the recent auction was to promote road safety for children. The guitar was sold in a live 10-hour day-long auction held by the radio station Q-Music.

Other items auctioned off included a signed poster from Joe Cocker, a self- portrait in marker by Moby, autographed vinyl singles from Celine Dion, and a pair of meet-and-greet tickets to meet Tiger Woods. The biggest money- maker was a gold-pated record of David Bowie’s “Scary Monsters” (1980), which brought in €4500. In total, the auctioned items totalled over €25,000 for the charity, matched with another €25,000 donated by the Belgium radio station Q-Music.

“Hi, we’re The Cranberries, and we’d just like to say that we’ve been made aware of the fact that the number 1 cause of death in Belgium is car accidents among young people,” says Dolores in a short promotional clip that can be found on the auction’s website. “And basically it’s really worth slowing down, and you know, if you go out and you party and you want to get out of your head, absolutely fine, just make sure the person who’s driving is not out of their head.”

Rather, Dolores recommends the driver remains “in their head, in their heeeaadd.”

She continues with due seriousness, saying, “And make sure that things are in control because life can be short and nobody wants to end up like that, OK?”

“We’re gonna sign this guitar and hopefully it’ll make some money toward this worthy cause,” Fergal added.

Source: Q-Music

Cranberries “Charmed” Episode to Re-air on TNT

February 1, 2003  |  Comments Off on Cranberries “Charmed” Episode to Re-air on TNT  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Just in case you missed it in it’s first run, on Thursday, February sixth, TNT will be airing the syndicated version of “She’s A Man, Baby, A Man!”, the episode of the supernatural one-hour drama, Charmed, featuring The Cranberries. Originally broadcast in 2000, this episode of Charmed includes a brief, yet interesting segment with The Cranberries “performing” the ‘Bury The Hatchet’ single, “Just My Imagination” for a ficticious animal rights benefit concert in the episode.

The WB’s Charmed airs in syndication Monday through Friday at 6:00 pm on TNT.

Source: RockOnTV

Dolores’s Shoes Going Once… Twice… SOLD!

February 1, 2003  |  Comments Off on Dolores’s Shoes Going Once… Twice… SOLD!  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

The Cranberries auction on Ebid.ie ended yesterday with a price tag of over $3000. In support of the Chernobyl Children’s Project and Amnesty International, The Cranberries donated the pair of shoes that Dolores wore in the Sam Bayer music video, “I Can’t Be With You”.

Yesterday, the shoes, along with an assortment of signed Cranberries memorabilia and CDs, went to Ebid’s high bidder, cranbmexfan, who was willing to spend €2,875 (roughly $3096 US) to become the auction’s winner. That may sound like a lot of money to spend on a pair of shoes; but viewers of The Cranberries’ “I Can’t Be With You” video know that these are no ordinary shoes. And better still, every penny of the high bidder’s payment will benefit both the Chernobyl Childrens Project and Amnesty International.

So congratulations to Cranbmexfan! And to the rest of us, remember that The Cranberries will be participating in more charitable auctions to come… and who knows what could be put up for grabs next! (Maybe… even… dare we suggest… a replica of the couch?)

Source: Ebid.ie

EXCLUSIVE: 5-track Demo Download

January 31, 2003  |  Comments Off on EXCLUSIVE: 5-track Demo Download  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

“A new five-track demo of superior quality was cut, a showcase gig was set up at O’Henry’s Club in Cork, and an eager audience of A&R men (music biz speak for talent scouts) assembled to run the rule over the latest hopefuls to emerge from Eire.” –Michael Heatley, The Cranberries: The Unauthorized Edition

Solid information on The Cranberries’ untitled 5-track demo, circa 1990, is sparse, despite the stir that it caused within the industry. We know for certain that it was cut shortly after the commercial release of the first “Nothing Left At All” tape and was subsequently sent to record companies. However, some evidence (specifically, Stuart Bailie’s In Your Head citing that one “Nothing Left At All” tape had 5 tracks) may even suggest that this is in fact “Nothing Left At All” 1991. However, we have little to confirm or deny that fact.

But what’s important now is that the entire demo is here for your downloading pleasure exclusively on Zombieguide.

As with nearly all of The Cranberries’ early releases, the demo is a compilation of old and (at that time) new demo tracks. For example, the recording of “Nothing Left at All” that appears on “Uncertain” is the same one used in the earlier “Nothing Left at All” demos; the tracks used in the Dave Fanning Sessions consisted of both new (“False,” “Like You Used To”) and old demo recordings (“Linger,” “Take My Soul Away,” released earlier as “Shine Down”). The same goes for this untitled 5-track demo. As a result, four of the five tracks have all been previously to savvy Cranberries fans via the Internet, especially since many of these recordings appeared first here on Zombieguide, thanks to Fergal Lawler himself.

Speaking of the Xeric demos, it seems that many of the tracks that we had labeled as “Xeric Demos” are actually taken from this 5-track recording. (“Xeric Demos” was not the title of any actual demo release; the tracks were labelled as such when we received them, and we had no knowledge of which actual release they came from.)

As for the second-generation copy of the 5-track demo that we received, its original sat in the hands of Island Records in Australia for several years before it was finally given away.

The tracks below are linked to their respective cross-linked releases:
(LINKS NO LONGER AVAILABLE!!)

1. Put Me Down (MP3, 4.3 mb) (same version as Dave Fanning Sessions)
2. Dreams (MP3, 6.1 mb) (previously labelled as “Xeric demo”)
3. Nothing Left at All (same version as on “Uncertain”)
4. Linger (MP3, 7.1 mb) (same version as on “Watercircle”)
5. Them (MP3, 5.0 mb) (demo version with different drums/effects)

These MP3s are now available in the Zombieguide MP3 folder.
But now with all that said, there is a new gem to be unearthered in this find, namlely a demo version of “Them,” the track which concluded the Uncertain EP and was used as a B-side for “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?” The most crucial elements of the track are the same: both the vocals and guitars are essentially the same as the “Uncertain” version. But to veteran fans who are familiar with the “Uncertain” EP version of the track (the same version used as a B-side for “EE…”), the differences will stand out immediately. Both the sound effects and percussion are noticeably different. While there are still the defining water-like effects, these effects are different from the ones used on “Uncertain.” In addition, the sound of a howling wind has been added to the introduction of the song and carries through to the end, an element which was cut from the “Uncertain” version of the song. The drums are also different — the demo version heard here includes a rather loud, resonating tom-tom (or possibly bongo). The beat in the later “Uncertain” release, although similar, is much more sedated. All of this would suggest that although the basic elements of the song (vocals, music) were re-used, the song underwent several edits before the song saw a commercial release in 1991.

Below are scans taken from the original demo tape. As can be expected, the cover is hand-written in the same handwriting which appears on most of The Cranberries’ other early releases, probably belonging to Pearse Gilmore himself, or possibly Noel Hogan, who had by that time quit his job reparing cash registers in order to spend time mailing out demo tapes. As plain as the sleeve is, sans a serial number and bearing only the band and producer’s name, the tape itself is even plainer — no writing whatsoever, only a blank label on one side. What more could be expected of one of dozens of tapes which were painstakingly labelled by hand and sent to record companies?

Thanks to Bruce for help with the scans.

Source: Exclusive

Cranberries Confirmed for Milan Date with The Stones

January 30, 2003  |  Comments Off on Cranberries Confirmed for Milan Date with The Stones  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Concert megasite Pollstar has confirmed the third of five concert dates in Europe where The Cranberries will be opening for one of the biggest bands in the world, The Rolling Stones. The site confirms that The Cranberries will be opening for The Stones on June 10th at the Stadio G. Meazza in the San Siro district of Milan, Italy.

Tickets for the venue, which seats nearly 150,000 people, have not yet gone on sale. This is good news for Italian fans, since tickets for the massive venues are selling at a ridiculously fast rate. With the arenas at near full capacity, the upcoming Rolling Stones tour could easily shatter The Cranberries’ record for largest audience at a single concert, which currently stands at over 100,000 at Woodstock ’94.

The two already announced dates at The Cranberries Official Website, for Munich, Germany on June 4th and 6th have already been sold out.

The Cranberries Official Website has not yet confirmed the date, but is likely to do so very soon. Also be sure to keep an eye on RollingStones.com for the latest ticket information.

Keep it tuned to Zombieguide for the latest developments!

Source: Pollstar, RollingStones.com

Got Room For Another Compilation CD?

January 27, 2003  |  Comments Off on Got Room For Another Compilation CD?  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Think you’d never see the day when The Cranberries and Lionel Richie would share billing on the same CD? The soundtrack for SABOR DA PAIXÃO (“The Flavor of Passion”), a Brazilian soap opera, has brought them together along with a number of various artists for a compilation soundtrack available online. Now, whether you’re in the mood for a little Enrique Iglesias or Dolores and company, Sabor da Paixão Internacional , can satisfy your craving for The Flavor of Passion. The full track listing is as follows:

1. Help Me – Nick Carter
2. Goodbye – Lionel Richie
3. My Love – Fab
4. Beautiful – Christina Aguilera
5. Stars – The Cranberries
6. Undeniable – Paulina Rubio
7. Don’t Ask – Rick Astley
8. Alone Again – Craig Mc Clean
9. Quizás – Enrique Iglesias
10. En el Muelle de San Blas – Mana
11. The Tide Is High (Get The Feeling) – Atomic Kitten
12. Barenaked – Jennifer Love Hewitt
13. Heaven – Giselle Haller
14. Sex Baby – Kasino

Select song clips can be downloaded and the soundtrack can be purchased online at Somlivre.com

Thanks to Sigma from Zombieguide Mexico and Jordan for the tips.

Source: Somlivre

A New Year = A New Tour

January 27, 2003  |  Comments Off on A New Year = A New Tour  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

The Cranberries want fans to know that they “feel great” and “excited about the new year”. Already, Dolores and Noel have recorded new material for album six; and in 2003, the band will be supporting well-established rockers, The Rolling Stones, for a number of shows throughout Europe.

The two confirmed live performances with The Rolling Stones in Munich, Germany for June 4th and June 6th have already sold out. Dolores told RTE Radio “it’s an honor to be able to open up for such a legendary band, life is good”. Dolores told RTE earlier this week that there were five confirmed tour dates, which leave three left to be announced

Life is good indeed because 2003 will also mean more opportunities for fans to see The Cranberries live on-stage at various festival shows throughout Europe; and later in the year, the band will tour Asia and the Americas. Part of the US tour may even partner The Cranberries with US radio-favorites, Matchbox 20.

Currently, specific dates and venues for the 2003 tour, other than the two confirmed shows in Germany, await official confirmation; but you can count on finding all the details right here on Zombieguide as they become available. So start ironing those Cranberries t-shirts because this year may be the year you find yourself singing along from the front row!

Source: Cranberries Official Site

A Walk In Dolores’s Shoes

January 25, 2003  |  Comments Off on A Walk In Dolores’s Shoes  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Ever wonder what it would be like to take a walk in Dolores’s shoes? Well, now you can…sort of! In an effort to support the Chernobyl Childrens Project and Amnesty International, The Cranberries are putting the shoes that Dolores wore in the infamous “I Can’t Be With You” video up for auction. If you can spare an extra €1,511.50 ($1,640 US) or more, you could be the winner! (That’s the winning bid as of January 25th at 3:30 pm EST.) And as if this pair of Dolores’s shoes aren’t enough to prompt a trail of drool on your chin, the winner of this charity auction also gets the Beneath The Skin – Live In Paris DVD; the Stars – Best Of Videos DVD; the lastest tour poster— signed, nonetheless; both “Wake Up And Smell The Coffee” and “Stars – Best of 1992 – 2002” — on CD and also signed by the band; AND a copy of the “Treasure Box” 4 album set! It’s enough to make a Cran fan cry. Suddenly sixteen hundred bucks doesn’t sound so bad, does it? And after all, it is for charity! To place your bid, or simply find out more on the Cranberries charity auction on Ebid, visit the Official Site. And hurry… these shoes were made for walking so on January 31st, the auction comes to a close!

Source: Cranberries Official Site

Cranberries on New Compilation CD

January 25, 2003  |  Comments Off on Cranberries on New Compilation CD  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

You take Big rock stars of the 1990’s and add some Shiny happy singles, and you get Big Shiny 90’s, a new two-disc compilation featuring some of the biggest radio releases of the 1990’s! And of course, where would the 90’s be without the Cranberries?

Big Shiny 90’s, a Canadian compilation from WEA Records in association with Canadian music channel, Musique Plus, was released on January 12th, 2003. It’s packed with tunes reminiscent of our last decade and includes the Cranberries biggest single to date, “Zombie”.

If you’re not sure whether or not Big Shiny 90’s is something you want to add to your Cranberries collection, here’s the full track listing to help you decide:

Disc 1:
1 Dammit – Blink-182
2 Been Caught Stealing – Jane’s Addiction
3 Mysterious Ways – U2
4 Wonderwall – Oasis
5 The Rockafeller Skank – Fatboy Slim
6 Cowboy – Kid Rock
7 Indestructible – Matthew Good Band
8 Fake Plastic Trees – Radiohead
9 What’s The Frequency, Kenneth? – R.E.M.
10 Lightning Crashes – Live
11 The Oak (My Luck Is Wasted) – Big Wreck
12 3 AM – Matchbox 20
13 Tomorrow – Silverchair
14 Zombie – The Cranberries
15 Everything Zen – Bush
16 Friday I’m In Love – The Cure
17 Sex And Candy – Marcy Playground

Disc 2:
1 No Rain – Blind Melon
2 Santa Monica – Everclear
3 The Impression That I Get – The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
4 Shine – Collective Soul
5 What It’s Like – Everlast
6 Never Let You Go – Third Eye Blind
7 Only Happy When It Rains – Garbage
8 Pets – Porno For Pyros
9 What I Got – Sublime
10 Volcano Girls – Veruca Salt
11 All That You Are – Econoline Crush
12 Epic – Faith No More
13 Push – Moist
14 In The Meantime – Spacehog
15 Stutter – Elastica
16 Enjoy The Silence – Depeche Mode
17 Someone Who’s Cool – Odds

If these 90’s hits are some of your favorites…or if you’re just a Cranberries completionist who can’t say no, you can order your copy of Big Shiny 90’s online at www.archambault.ca (French) for about $20.00 US dollars.

Source: Thanks to Danny Kronstrom of Gaisetlesbiennes.com for the tip.

The Cranberries to Start Independent Label

January 23, 2003  |  Comments Off on The Cranberries to Start Independent Label  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

“What we’d like to do now really is to be independent and start our own label, I mean, we’ll go off and look for distribution deals,” Dolores O’Riordan told Pat Kenny via telephone earlier this morning on the Today with Pat Kenny radio show on RTE’s Radio One in Ireland.

“At the end of the day, we decided that we’d be better off just to walk away and do our own thing, and we were kind of advised (by our lawyers) to walk away” from what Dolores felt was a very neglectful relationship at Universal, she told Pat Kenny.

Dolores stated that the band would be putting their own personal funds into establishing their own new label. She says that the band isn’t concerned about the expense, since they consider it an investment in themselves. “I know, I mean, when you think about it, in the long term, down the road, at the end of the day, it’ll come out better yourself. You know, when you’ve made your record deal anyway, you only get a percentage as an artist. At the end of the day, we believe in ourselves and we have a very strong fanbase around the world that have been with us for years. And since the birth of Molly two years ago, we’ve sold over three million albums between ‘Wake Up and Smell the Coffee’ and the greatest hits. I mean, that’s a lot of albums, so we believe in ourselves and our fanbase are very loyal. So we want to do it our way… And it means being the captain of your own ship and it means not having to put up with somebody who doesn’t give a toss and being stuck in a situation where you feel like you’re there for security.”

Dolores also implied that although the material itself will be produced under the new label, the band will look for several different distribution companies to manufacture and distribute the new material, separated by regions of the world. “Our problem is that we were signed to Universal New York, so that was it, you know? We didn’t have a record deal in Italy, we didn’t have a record deal in France, we didn’t have a record deal in Asia. You see, our deal was with America and that was that. So that was kind of a problem as well, ‘cos most of our success three or four years has been, like, in Asia, the album went #1 in the Asian charts, and it went Top 10 in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, places like that, you know? But if you don’t have a label there, working, representing you, you’re kind of out there on your own doing it. You’ve got the big guys back in New York just sitting there, not doing anything, and we’re out there working really hard and we just feel like they’re not supporting us.”

“So at this stage, it’s not a situation of ‘them’ and ‘us,’ or ‘they’re all bad guys,’ a lot of them are good guys, you know what I mean, but it’s just such a mess on the inside that we decided that at this stage, that we decided we’d be better off just to walk away. I mean, we’re not compatible anymore.”

Talking specifically about the music scene in the United States, Dolores admits that she has ben consciously concentrating on Europe in the past few years. “We still sell out big audiences (in America), we still sell ten, fifteen- thousand seaters, or maybe even twenty, but since the birth of the kids and stuff, I’ve been concentrating more back on Europe and stuff. And like I said, there’s such a kind of a major weird thing happening over there with hip- hop and stuff that the rock-and-roll bands aren’t really being pushed over there. I know we’re not the only band that feel like this, there’s a lot of other bands that feel kind of like, ‘What’s going on?'”

Dolores said that the band had made several written attepts to MCA to state their interest in leaving the company. MCA’s first response, months after the first letter, stated that they wanted to hold on to The Cranberries. After yet more letters and poor response on MCA’s part, The Cranberries’ management sent their last letter on Monday (the 20th), stating the band’s resolute intent to leave company. MCA has still not sent an official reply.

Finally switching subjects after discussing the break with Universal, Dolores additionally revealed that the tentative summer dates with The Rolling Stones have been confirmed. “It’s an honor to be able to open up for such a legendary band,” she commented. The Cranberries will open for a total offive of the Stones’ tour dates this summer in Europe. Dolores also revealed that there are currently unconfirmed plans for The Cranberries to tour with Matchbox 20 in the United States, but those plans have not yet been confirmed.

“So life is good, it’s looking good, I mean, it might look bad from some people’s point of view, but from my point of view, it’s brilliant, it’s a new day and it’s a new start,” she concluded, and we think most fans who have been following this situation will certainly agree.

To listen to the full interview, click here to go to RTE’s Today with Pat Kenny site and click on Thursday’s show. Dolores’ interview begins at the 1:48 mark.

Zombieguide will have more on this developing news as we know it — watch this space!

Source: RTE’s Today with Pat Kenny

Two Soundtracks for “The Passion of the Christ”

January 21, 2003  |  Comments Off on Two Soundtracks for “The Passion of the Christ”  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

A film as notably intense as The Passion of the Christ will likely rely heavily on the use of music to convey its dramatic moments. This is great news for those of us waiting to own all, or nearly all, of the music from the film…but bad news for those of us who had hoped to own Dolores O’Riordan’s contribution to the soundtrack on February 24th.

According to billboard.com, February 24th will feature the release of the film’s score – not the release of the film’s songs that were performed by various artists. All’s not lost, however, because billboard.com does state that Sony Music intends to release a “Music Inspired by The Passion of the Christ” album that will contain the multi-artist tracks, including [presumably] Dolores O’Riordan’s “Croatia”. According to Billboard, distribution for the multiartist CD is currently being finalized.

Of course only time can confirm Dolores’s work in the film and further release information for the second soundtrack. Big answers for inquiring minds, however, will be available and definite on February 25th, when the film opens in theaters everywhere.

Source: Billboard.com

Thanks to celticyodels for the information

Breaking News: Cranberries Terminate Universal Contract Effective Immediately

January 21, 2003  |  Comments Off on Breaking News: Cranberries Terminate Universal Contract Effective Immediately  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

After last June’s somewhat vague press conference in Mexico City, where The Cranberries displayed some implicit displeasure at the state of affairs at MCA/Universal, fans have been waiting for a solid follow-up announcement to come — but no one knew when. That announcement came today.

“The Cranberries today announced that they have terminated the remainder of their recording contract with MCA Records, a division of Vivendi Universal, effective immediately,” reads the first line of a press release posted today on the band’s official website.

The Cranberries originally signed a 10-year six-album contract with Island Records America in the summer of 1991. In 1998, Island was engulfed by the mammoth Vivendi Universal. “Bury the Hatchet” was the first Cranberries album released after the massive shift and its effect was apparent.

A solid example of this was seen in Dolores’s 1999 interview with Craig Kilborn, where she said Bury the Hatchet was, “going pretty good, it’s just that alot of fans are coming up, going, ‘Oh, Dolores, have you guys got a new album coming out?’ And I’m like, ‘It came out six months ago!’, so it’s that kind of thing.”

She further continued with her dissent, “It’s [Bury the Hatchet] doin’ OK, like, but alot of people don’t really know it’s out and stuff, ’cause our record company [Island] got bought out, so at the moment it’s a bit messy over here [in the United States].”

Hoping that MCA Records, another American-based company, would give them more of the personal touch that the post-merger Island Records lacked, The Cranberries silently hopped labels in the fall of 2000, although it was not made known to fans until May of 2001. However, the change was not a dramatic one since MCA too was under Universal’s giant corporate umbrella — the band was simply moving from one part of Universal Records to another.

Jay Boberg, President of MCA, with Stephen Street and The Cranberries

Although both the band and MCA’s representatives were optimistic at the new relationship, things began to go sour months after the release of “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee.” Fergal Lawler wrote shortly after embarking on the American tour in spring of last year that, “We weren’t sure what to expect as some (not all), members of our record company informed us that in their eyes, ‘Wake Up And Smell The Coffee’ is ‘over’ in America, and they have moved on to other things. Not exactly the words of encouragement you would like to hear as you are about to embark on a U.S. tour!!! But thanks to you, our incredibly supportive fans we say F*** ’em!!! We are here to play music and enjoy every minute of it, and thankfully that’s the way it’s been working out!”
Last June in a press conference held in Mexico City, The Cranberries made it clear that they were looking forward to ending their contract with MCA, although no specifics were given at the time.

After the release of “Wake Up,” The Cranberries put out their “Treasure Box: The Complete Sessions” boxed set and “Stars: The Best of The Cranberries 1992-2002” later in the year, both on Island Records. However, this may have been more for simplicity’s sake, since the overwhelming majority of the material in both releases was owned by Island.

“Since we were signed in 1991 by Island Records, we have gradually seen our label dissolve from a pioneering independent spirited label into a corporate monolith that completely lost touch with the group’s creative vision” stated singer Dolores O’Riordan in today’s press release. “All of the people we have worked with over the years (in America and England) have been fired or left the company, so the band felt it was time to move on to new opportunities.”

“The Cranberries have released two albums in the past 15 months selling in excess of 3.2 million albums worldwide. Despite the current downturn within the music industry and little support from MCA in North America, the band have also performed 82 concerts to 600,000 people during that time.

The release continues saying, “‘We have had great fan support throughout the world for many years,’ added guitarist Noel Hogan. ‘With little effort from our label, we have been pleased to see top 10 sales in many countries. The band is excited about the prospect of a new beginning, starting fresh, and looking forward to another ten years in the music business. We expect to have a new album released by the end of 2003.’

“The Cranberries are in the midst of celebrating their 10th Anniversary as a professional group. Career sales now exceed 38 million albums. The band are planning a tour later in the year, which they hope to confirm in the coming weeks”

No matter how you look at it, this is big career-changing news on the half of the band. At this point, no indication is known of whether the group will look to another label, or (more likely, it seems) will take their own approach, so to speak, whatever that may be. Zombieguide will have more on this developing news as we know it — watch this space!

Source: The Cranberries Official Website

The Passion of The Christ Soundtrack Release Date Revealed

January 20, 2003  |  Comments Off on The Passion of The Christ Soundtrack Release Date Revealed  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Looking to feel the love this February, your favorite music retailer may just have a little belated Valentine for fans of The Cranberries with the upcoming release of the original motion picture soundtrack for Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. The forthcoming film features the first taste of Dolores O’Riordan’s solo material; and the movie soundtrack will most likely contain Dolores O’Riordan’s Latin acapella for the movie, with the possible title “Croatia”. According to grassroots.com, the soundtrack for The Passion of the Christ will be released on Tuesday, February 24th. That’s one day prior to the film’s theatrical release, and ten days after Valentine’s Day for those who crave the sweet sound of Dolores’s voice in lieu of traditional chocolates. Zombieguide will keep you posted as more details about the film and its soundtrack begin to surface.

Contrary to previous reports, the final score was done primarily by John Debney (Spy Kids, The Princess Diaries) with help from Lisa Gerrard and others. Zombieguide will have more on The Passion of the Christ: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack when we know it.

Source: grassroots.com

Cranberries on “Best of All Time” Charts

January 14, 2003  |  Comments Off on Cranberries on “Best of All Time” Charts  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

The Cranberries (or, more accurately, their songs and albums) have been recently named to several “best of all time” lists around the globe. With the band’s first greatest hits album just put on store shelves, what better time to report this?

Dutch radio station 3FM has compiled a list entitled the Top 715, an appropriately-titled compilation of the 715 most popular songs of all time (don’t ask us why it’s 715, it’s a Dutch thing!). The annually revised list places The Crans’ hits as follows:

· #407. Ode to My Family
· #148. Linger
· #36. Zombie

Next on the list, a recently revised version of The Guinness Book of British Hit Albums put the band’s first two albums in the top 1000 British albums of all time, despite the rather odd handicap that The Cranberries aren’t even British in the strict sense. Semantics aside, check out how the albums fared:

· #631. Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?
· #321. No Need to Argue

Not bad considering the all-too-often underrated response that the British press in general gives to the band.

Last on our list today is the American based Slant Magazine, which has named “Linger” as one of the 100 Greatest Music Videos ever created. “Linger” and Madonna’s “Secret” are tied for the #24 slot, both directed in black in white by Melodie McDaniel.

Says the site, “Photographer and commercial director Melodie McDaniel hit pay dirt with the release of two black-and-white gems, one for The Cranberries breakout single ‘Linger’ and one for Madonna’s ‘Secret.’ McDaniel’s images are less body-horrific than those of Cindy Sherman’s yet they’re every bit as consumed with the way femininity is represented in modern art. McDaniel channeled the spirit of Sherman and John Cassavettes for ‘Linger,’ an abstract video diary that follows Dolores O’Riordan through a seedy hotel with two lookalikes by her side. O’Riordan codifies and displaces her ‘self’ via her doubles, no doubt as a reaction to the way the males in the video choose to consume her.” A very interesting take indeed.

Thanks to Luc Levesque, Irish Phil, and little dolores for the news tips!

Partial Source: Slant Magazine

Writing for 6th Album Going Smoothly

January 14, 2003  |  Comments Off on Writing for 6th Album Going Smoothly  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

The Cranberries Official Website put up a note today to inform readers that The Cranberries “are now back in full swing writing new music” to be eventually be used on the band’s next album. The Cranberries hope to record demos of the new material over the next few weeks. “After that the band will record the songs for their 6th album,” says the site.

The site also notes that there will likely be no live concert dates scheduled until the latter half of 2003. Weeks ago, drummer Fergal Lawler wrote that the band was considering a trip to the United States this spring. However, with this latest revelation, it seems that it won’t be a proper tour as such (that is, if the plans haven’t been changed entirely!).

Lastly, Dolores’s promise to clean out her closet for some famous bits of clothing hasn’t been forgotten (even if it is a bit too late for the original plan of a Christmas contest). The first item, the pair of thick-heeled boots worn in the “I Can’t Be With You” video, will be auctioned online. Proceeds will benefit Adi Roche’s (better known as the wife of U2’s Bono and Ireland’s unofficial “First Lady”) Chernobyl Children’s Project and Amnesty International, two charities that The Cranberries have actively supported in the past.

Source: The Cranberries Official Website

Cranberries Rake In €1 Million in 2002

January 7, 2003  |  Comments Off on Cranberries Rake In €1 Million in 2002  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

According to a report posted today on Showbiz Ireland (that is, if you can forgive them after their last tabloid outing — and no, Dolores isn’t leaving, if you haven’t read), The Cranberries collected an income of about €1 million (roughly $1 million US) last year, which breaks down to roughly €250,000 (roughly $250,000 US) for each member. However, Dolores and Noel would get a larger share of that amount, since they share songwriting duties.

It can’t be helped but to mention that band members in the past have usually scoffed at such estimations, although rarely denying their validity. During an interview in 2000, after Q Magazine estimated that the band have made roughly £60 million ($90 million US) during their careers, one interviewer asked Noel and Fergal, “Why aren’t you living like millionaires?” Noel jokingly responded, “If it was true we would!” Then, after a break for laughing, “I don’t know where they get these figures from — they’re too fuzzy.” It was even estimated several years back that Dolores was the 5th richest woman in the British Isles, again a report that the singer downplayed.

Compare the Crans’ quarter of a million in 2002 to U2’s €8 million each, €1 million apiece for Westlife, and a whopping €36 million for Enya, whose most recent success is her involvement in the Lord of the Rings soundtrack.

So don’t take it as gospel truth, but it’s an interesting bit none the less. I’m glad I’m not the one having to pay those taxes.

Source: Showbiz Ireland

More Vatican Backstage Practice Photos

January 7, 2003  |  Comments Off on More Vatican Backstage Practice Photos  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

CranberriesItalia, The Cranberries’ official Italian website, has posted several backstage of photos of the practice session for last month’s Vatican Christmas concert. The photos show dolores practicing her solo tracks in addition to the finale “Happy Xmas (War is Over),” where she sang together with all the artists present at the concert.






Source: CranberriesItalia

“Stars” on Top of the Pops Screencaptures

January 4, 2003  |  Comments Off on “Stars” on Top of the Pops Screencaptures  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

The Cranberries’ performance of “Stars,” recorded this past fall for the European TV show Top of the Pops, was aired this morning on the Italian network RAI2. Unfortunately, the performance was only playback, as is common on so many TV performances nowadays, but the vocals were live. It appears that Dolores wore the pink-and-white top now made famous by the “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee” photoshoot.

Many thanks again to Matteo (aka MelKain) for the screen grabs.

Source: Exclusive

Poster Bundled with Taiwan “Stars” DVD

December 29, 2002  |  Comments Off on Poster Bundled with Taiwan “Stars” DVD  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

For those that have been keeping track, you’ve no doubt noticed the abundance of freebie pack-ins given to Taiwan in recent Cranberries releases: the deluxe “Stars” with a booklet and CD holder, “Wake Up” Asian Tour Edition, and the “Wake Up” boxed set. Now there’s a fourth reason to envy the small Asian country with disproportionate bonuses; the newly- released “Stars” DVD includes a promo-only poster. As seen below, the bundled-in poster lists the hits contained on the disc as well as the special features, and is limited only to the first edition of the DVD.

For those completionists interested in the set, the Taiwanese DVD is Region 0 in NTSC format, which makes it compatible with North American players. Asian online importer SolCD has the DVD and poster package available for $31.99 US

“Stars” #4 Album of 2002 on CNN

December 28, 2002  |  Comments Off on “Stars” #4 Album of 2002 on CNN  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

In a poll of visitors on the website for CNN International’s “The Music Room,” The Cranberries’ “Stars: The Best of 1992-2002” was voted as the #4 album for 2002 in a ranking of the 20 top albums of the year. The Cranberries’ greatest hits compilation was beaten out by Coldplay at the #1 spot, and then Eminem and Avril Lavigne, respectively. Here’s the full list:

1. Coldplay “A Rush of Blood To The Head”
2. Eminem “The Eminem Show”
3. Avril Lavigne “Let Go”
4. The Cranberries “Stars: The Best of the Cranberries, 1992-2002”
5. Nelly “Nellyville”
6. Darren Hayes “Spin”
7. Red Hot Chili Peppers “By the Way”
8. Christina Aguilera “Stripped”
9. Norah Jones “Come Away with Me”
10. Bruce Springsteen “The Rising”
11. Vanessa Carlton “Be Not Nobody”
12. Carlos Santana “Shaman”
13. Matchbox Twenty “More Than You Think You Are”
14. David Bowie “Heathen”
15. Goo Goo Dolls “Gutterflower”
16. Foo Fighters “One by One”
17. Justin Timberlake “Justified”
18. Kylie Minogue “Fever”
19. Oasis “Heathen Chemistry”
20. Beck “Sea of Change”

This weekend’s year-end episode of “The Music Room” features a segment on these 20 top albums. Check out the Music Room website for times in your region. (Note that this is CNN International, so if you don’t have that channel specifically, you won’t be able to get it.)

Not bad for a greatest hits, eh? Thanks to celticyodels for the tip!

Source: The Music Room

Vatican Broadcast Screen Captures

December 27, 2002  |  Comments Off on Vatican Broadcast Screen Captures  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

This past Tuesday, Italain channel Canale 5 made their traditional yearly broadcast of the Concerto di Vaticano in Natale (Vatican Christmas Concert). This year, Canale 5 changed the order of things, putting the finale “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” as the first part of the concert, where all the invited artists performed together. Dolores’s “Linger” and “Adeste Fideles” was broadcasted later. Also included as part of the broadcast was December 13th’s private meeting between the Pope and the Vatican concert performers. During that segment, Dolores’s son Taylor could be seen kissing the Pope’s hand, one of only a few rare moments where Taylor has been seen on camera.

Below are some large 800×600 (larger views no longer available!!) screen captures taken from Dolores’s “Adeste Fideles” performance, broadcasted on Canale 5. Thanks once again to Matteo for the screencaps.

“Blue Jean” Interview Translation

December 25, 2002  |  Comments Off on “Blue Jean” Interview Translation  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Earlier today, Zombieguide posted scans from the Turkish magazine “Blue Jean,” which contains both new photos and an interview. We now have that interview translated into English, thanks to our contributor Haluk!

Blue Jean (Turkey)

A DAY WITH “THE CRANBERRIES”

(I have been waiting for you for 10 years. Where were you?)
Fergal: We were aware of you. Unfortunately, we couldn’t put Turkey on our tour list.

(You came last night so you had one to two hours to see Istanbul.)
Noel: No, we watched TV in our beds. We had been tired. I haven’t felt this type of fatigue before. Fergal: You’re getting old!
Noel: You’re still young anyway. I’ll see you at the concert. After the second song, you’ll be trying to find your hip!

(My God! Whom am I together with? Fergal, you are like a minister, responsible for your fan works. In your web site, I always find your writings and letters. Is there a change in fans’ profiles so far?)
Fergal: The people got married and had children like us who listened the band 10 years ago. We are not sure if they are still listening to us. In general we are not addressing ourselves to teenagers. I can’t say anything about the ages of our fans. Actually, the ages between 12 and 24 our web site the most. But this isn’t important. The important thing is: Cranberries fans are wise and intelligent.
(You have some fans that you had problems with. For example that German fan who sent threat letters to you and your families.)
Noel: I don’t want to talk about it anymore. He disturbed us a lot; we had him arrested and taken to court. It was bad. He wanted to be a part of our family.
Fergal: And, as far as I remember he was a lonely man. I was worried about him.
Noel: We’re worried about people who are lonely.

(How is your social life? Can you talk about your families and life in Limerick a little?)
Mike: Can I participate in your conversation?
Noel: Yes, we’re just talking about our families. You are a member of my family, so let’s get closer.

Fergal: Limerick is a small town and we are happy there with old friends, mates, and kids. We are just a big family.
Mike: Yes, like mafia families in Italian films. But we are living a quiet and a peaceful life.

(You are getting old… your babies… and as far as I am concerned, all are reflected to your music. Can you mention about this change? Your last two album took part at the top of my “Top 10” peace and ease albums.) {Meanwhile, Dolores joins us. I repeated my words to her. Then a delightful smile appeared on her excellent face.}

Dolores: I am pleased with the way you’re thinking. Some people are still thinking that we’re performing songs which were written under adolescent psychology. Because of this, in a sense, they formed an opinion that were aren’t honest. But because we’re all in our 30s now, it couldn’t be realistic writing songs about our 20s. Moreover, while we are writing and singing our songs, we are caring about “what can be done for a better world!” All of us want to leave better things for our and others children.

(…that misunderstanding issue. In my opinion you’re the one that had troubles more than other groups. When you wrote Zombie, most of people thought that you’re a supporter of IRA and that you were advocating terrorism.)

Noel: How they thought this way was a mystery. Zombie was written for a little boy, who was murdered as a consequence of bombing at the center of London. And we dedicated Zombie for both British and Irish children, who were killed because of the Northern Ireland conflict.

(I know that you are so sensitive to war children. Dolores, you participated in Pavarotti’s “War Child Organization.” Is there any project like this in your agenda?)
Dolores: We are striving to do something. And of course it shouldn’t be necessary to do something under musical projects. We have some acquaintances, carrying food and clothes from Ireland to Europe, then to the wrecked nations with their lorries (Ed. note: British word for a semi truck). We are working for this type of organization. Actually I don’t want to mention “we did this, we did that.” We did it because we had to. We have to because we are all human.

(Bono Vox, Sinead O’Connor and you are all sensitive to world problems. I attribute this due to your being Irish. What do you think?)
Dolores: That’s right! Of course, I don’t want to say that other nations are insensitive and we are perfect.

Fergal: It may be related with the geographic condition and the history of Ireland. We’re not close to America nor Europe. And so, there is an isolation both cultural and geographical.
Mike: For me, it is because of Irish’s being faitfull nation. The Irish believed to equipped with missions from God. We believed that every human is equal and we have to run for destitutes in this unjust world.

Noel: We have this type of mission. Everyone has.Dolores: After all, the world is not a perfect place.

(There is an effective quote in Alan Parker’s “The Commitments.” The manager of the Commitments say that: “Irish are the negros of Europe.” Is this right?)
Dolores: It was true in the past. I think it has changed since 1980.

(Lets talk about your ten year old career. Do you think the band adds something new to todays music or, can you say that “We started this…”)
Dolores: Ah, as far as I am concerned everyone designates his own way. Although there have been some guides, and persons that influenced us, yet we followed our own way. This is the rule of a musician.

Noel: Right. As for me, no one resembles each other.
Fergal: I wanted to change the concept of “being a group.” If only everyone was like us.
Mike: Old? You see?
{Laughing…}
Fergal: Maybe, we can provide the feelings of going to the forefront more than other things in music. Noel: And not alone. Together with other groups who had their first album 10 years ago, like us.

(Are you always together, including work hours?)
Fergal, Noel, Mike, Dolores: Yes! This is wonderful. We never got bored.Dolores: There is still something to discover in them (the other band members). I keep striving to find out their unknown sides.
Noel (to Dolores): You’re interesting. You always create new ideas.
{At the moment of the conversation we all come together and hug each other.}

(Well, why do you need a best of album?)
Dolores: Because we have been together for twelve years and we want to bless it.
Noel: It means “The Second Baptism Of The Band.”
Fergal: We shared everything, that was bad and good. Now, we want to congratulate ourselves for bearing each other. It is a huge celebration and we want to invite our fans to this ceremony.

(You came to Istanbul and honoured us. What about new songs ‘Stars’ and ‘New New York’?)
Fergal: New New York is related with New York’s new silhouette like its name. The World Trade Center was ruined for nothing and many people were killed. Being human, it was impossible to accept it. In addition, the US government accepted it as a reason for war and resorted to violence for such severity. Everything will be worse. We have doubts. We loved New York. Last spring we visited the city and we saw that New York was not the same New York as before.

Noel: We understand what actually happened to New York because we had the same terrorism in our country.
Mike: !.. But! Stars talks about good things. The best thing in earth… Love. (smile)

(All right, do you have new plans for the new album? Please say “yes.” -smile-)
Fergal, Noel, Mike, Dolores (All together): Yes!
{Laughing…}

Fergal: Lots of completed songs are waiting for us. After the Stars Tour we will begin some studio work. I think we have to prepare a new album for 2003. And I can’t wait for it. (smile)
Noel, Mike, Dolores (All together): Me too!…

(2003 will be magnificent. I wish you luck. I’m a journalist so it may be wrong to say this but I have to: I love you!)
Fergal: So, absolutely come to Limerick one day.
Dolores: And we wish you luck. (smile)

Source: Exclusive

Pleasant Surprise for the United States!

December 21, 2002  |  Comments Off on Pleasant Surprise for the United States!  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

In a shocking revelation made in his periodic letter on the Official Website, drummer Fergal Lawler announced that The Cranberries will begin a tour of the United States beginning in April. It had been believed that The Cranberries would be taking time off for the first half of the year until summer — which is a plan that apparently was changed on Thursday night.

Fergal wrote yesterday that, “We are at home now in fact I’m in my kitchen having a nice cup of ‘Barry’s’ tea. We (the band) were all out to dinner last night and we were talking about some offers to play gigs in the U.S. in April which we all agreed we should do, as we haven’t spent enough time there in the last few years. We are just going to chill for January and then get working on our new bits and pieces in February. I was browsing some sites recently and YET AGAIN there are rumours that we are splitting up. IT IS NOT TRUE!”

Exactly how large this tour will be is unknown, but being that he says that the band “hasn’t spent enough time there in the last few years,” its reasonable to expect a more extensive tour than we’ve seen in years past — perhaps even a proper television tour, which the United States hasn’t seen since the release of “Bury the Hatchet,” three years ago. Hopefully, this tour will also include more of Canada, which has been woefully neglected in the past few years, with the “Wake Up” tour hitting only Toronto and Montreal.

As a bit of trivia, nearly a third of all The Cranberries’ album sales in their career have come from the United States. Over 70% of the total copies of “Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?” were sold in the US alone. An average of 1 out of every 3 people in Canada own a Cranberires album.

Zombieguide is now counting down the days ’til April… You can be sure to find all the latest on the US tour here as soon as we know it!

Source: Exclusive

Official Site Squashes Breakup Rumors

December 17, 2002  |  Comments Off on Official Site Squashes Breakup Rumors  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Finally, after nearly two weeks of rumors that have snowballed out of proportion, The Cranberries Official Website has put a halt to the widespread (and pathetically false) rumors that Dolores was planning to “quit” the band.

The majority of the reports contained some quotes from the recent Hot Press interview, which were severely taken out of context. But to be fair, the original quotes would have seemed newsworthy to anyone who hasn’t been following the band’s interviews for the past few months. In typical tabloid fashion, with each rewrite of the story, there contained less factual quotes and much more speculation. By this week, such normally reputable sources as MuchMusic, Rolling Stone and Yahoo! were regurgitating whatever they could find elsewhere.

The Official Site threw a cold bucket of water on the flames, saying, “We have received numerous emails regarding the band ‘breaking up.’ Its just like 1994 / 1995 all over again! We would like to put an end to rumours that the band are splitting up, and / or are planning any solo albums. We realise there were some articles in various newspapers and magazines which cited Dolores as having said she was thinking about recording some solo work. The band have expressed their desire to change their approach to songwriting, and this could see them writing separately, initially. Dolores has performed solo before (e.g. ‘God Be With You’, Pavorotti Charity Concert) and no doubt will in the future. She is going to start recording new material in January and the band hope to begin recording a new album by February. They are already in discussions with various producers.”

Kudos go to E! Online who evidently did their own research into the matter today rather than simply believing another report as gospel. It appears that they’re the only online publication as of yet to have noted the Official Page’s report.

Of course this just tells us what we already (hopefully) knew: Dolores ain’t goin’ nowhere. The Cranberries are as much of a band now as they have ever been, and heck, they even have a sixth album in the works. In other shocking and revealing news today, the sun rose in the morning and it was cold at the North Pole.

Slap your comments/criticisms/cries of ecstatic relief onto the Zombieguide Discussion Forums.

Source: The Cranberries Official Website

More Vatican Press Conference Photos

December 15, 2002  |  Comments Off on More Vatican Press Conference Photos  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

On the Italian site Papaboys, a site which appears to be entirely dedicated to Pope John Paul II, several new pictures from Friday’s X Concerto di Vaticano in Natale press conference in Vatican City have been published. The two photos show Dolores standing with one of the concert’s organizers and another which shows The Cranberries’ frontwoman sitting in the front row at the conference.

Thanks to Klarebel for the tip!

We’ll have more details on the Vatican Christmas Concert very soon. Check back here at Zombieguide very soon for more! We still do not have any pictures of Dolores’ performance, so if you have seen pictures or information regarding Saturday’s concert, email us and tell us!!

Source: Papaboys

English Cricket Captain Feeling Like a “Zombie”

December 12, 2002  |  Comments Off on English Cricket Captain Feeling Like a “Zombie”  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

In a bit of off-key humor, English Cricket team captain Nasser Hussain has chosen The Cranberries’ track “Zombie” as his entrance theme for tomorrow night’s SCG match against Australia in Sydney, to be played over the stadium’s PA system.

The team’s players were given the priviledge of choosing their own entrance themes for tomorrow night’s match. Hussain, who has been feeling rather lifeless after a straight 11-loss tour, picked the song in an amusing bout of self-depricating humor. The Australian Associated Press notes, “By reputation, he’s no comedian at the best of times but he’s shown a lighter side by his pick of the pops.”

Other songs chosen by the English teammates include Elvis’ “A Little Less Conversation” and Queen’s classic “We Will Rock You.”

Source: Australian Associated Press

Hot Press “Astounded” by Magazine Sales

December 11, 2002  |  Comments Off on Hot Press “Astounded” by Magazine Sales  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

In an email sent out today to those who participated in the “My First Taste of Cranberries” section, Hot Press’ Executive Director Duan Stokes admits that the magazine staff has been “generally astounded” by the global response to the issue.

“Hot Press released the Cranberries Special Edition just over 10 days ago. They’ve been flying off our shelves and out by post to Cranberries fans all around the world. We’ve been generally astounded by how well its been received!” he writes.

He also warns that supplies are dwindling. “One word of warning, this is a limited edition and copies are finite.”

Order your copy of Hot Press here. (link no longer available!!)

Source: Hot Press

The Cranberries on Record About Their Future

December 10, 2002  |  Comments Off on The Cranberries on Record About Their Future  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

With the release of the Cranberries Limited Edition of Hot Press magazine and several recent gigs across Europe, The Cranberries have had the chance to briefly speak several times about what they plan for the coming year. Below are a few quotes gathered from various appearences.

Giving her goodbye message last Monday, December 2nd in Amsterdam, Dolores told the crowd before announcing Dreams, “Thank you guys! This is our second time here in one year; Amsterdam absolutely rocks! Thank you for your support, seriously. You know, it’s coming up to Christmas, and we’re going to take a little break from touring at Christmas, ‘cos I think we’re all getting confused as to where we are every day, but after the summer next year we’re gonna come back here, so I look forward to seeing you again, OK? Thank you so much for your support again.”

Additionally, Fergal Lawler told a gathering of fans outside the Forest National in Brussels, Belgium on November 30th that plans to open for The Rolling Stones are, in fact, in the works, but that nothing has been officially confirmed as of yet. Unfortunately for Cranberries fans, tickets for The Stones’ European tour go in sale in a few short days, and Stones fans often gobble up tickets like chickenfeed. By the time we know for certain of the exact “opener” dates, it may be too late for some European Cranberries fans to get good seats.

But of course the quotes causing the most amount of discussion are the ones that Dolores made to Hot Press for their special Cranberries edition (scans). It seems that some of the quotes have been taken far out of context, causing organizations like Showbiz Ireland to draw the false conclusions that Dolores is quitting the band entirely. However, Dolores’ full statement reveals that this is only something she is doing for her own personal enjoyment and may not be something that is commercially released at all! For the record, here is the full quote, as it appears in Hot Press:

You’ve just come back from playing Turkey. Listening back to “Dreams” off the Greatest Hits album in that context, there was stuff going on in your vocal that was suggestive of Eastern European sacred music.

“When I was out in Turkey, at the Mosque at five o’clock in the morning, through the PA system they have this chanting every two hours — the day we flew out of there was the first day of Ramadan. And for me, I’m so taken with that, if I do a solo project I’m definitely going to go into that kind of stuff, ethnic music. I’m definitely going to mess around now after the Greatest Hits, I’m definitely not going to go back and do another Cranberries album. I need to do a different project completely, and the boys need some freedom for awhile. I’d like to do a little bit more work in the studio, or a little bit more flying out to places like Turkey or Africa and recording some different ethnic things and bringing it back for inspiration. Nobody might ever listen to it or get it, but these are things in life you have to do for yourself.”

You touched on that area before with Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart, and it was mooted that you’d work with Brian Eno at one stage. Is that still a possibility?

“It would be, yeah. The reason we didn’t at the time was because Brian likes to experiment in the studio, he likes to go in with pretty much nothing and just write in there. And we were like, ‘Aw, but sure we’ve everything written!’ So with The Cranberries we have a format and we write a certain way and that’s that, so I think it’s important for us to go and experiment now.”

Do you think the boys are capable of stretching as players?

“No, I think Mike’s a bass player, Ferg’s a drummer and Noel’s a guitarist and that’s it. I don’t think Noel’s gonna suddenly take up the piano or double bass. I think if he was going to he would’ve done it in the last five years, I think that’s his gift and his talent and he likes to stick with that. He likes time off to be time off. As regards people playing different instruments, you would have to pretty much hire those.”

And the last new revelation of great importance comes to us from the December 6th issue of the Irish gossip tabloid The Star. In it, Dolores tells the paper, “It’s a relationship, as if you were going out with a girl for a long time but needed a break. If you miss her, you go back, if you don’t, you don’t go back.” The rest of the article is quoted as saying, “The relationship is now on a temporary break, as all involved decide if they want to continue together or seek pastures new… As for the future, she talks about working again with The Cranberries, on their own terms, and maybe getting involved in film soundtracks.” Of course, when reading this, keep in mind that this is a gossip magazine, so take it with a pinch of salt.

Zombieguide will have more as we know it. Thanks to Stéphane, Mickael, and an anonymous contributor for the information.

“Ooof, now I’m becoming verklempt, talk amongst yourselves!”

Source: Exclusive!

Exclusive: Hi-Res Hot Press Scans!

December 7, 2002  |  Comments Off on Exclusive: Hi-Res Hot Press Scans!  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Major props to Hot Press! With this month’s release of The Cranberries issue of The Hot Press Collectors’ Series, the staff over at the Irish magazine have put together an awe-inspiring ode to Limerick’s finest. The 80-page issue is jam-packed with Cranberries material ranging from a 1991 interview to a brand new one taken less than a month ago.

So as you take a look at our exclusive, high-res scans, just take it from us that the new issue is worth every bit of the $5 plus shipping that they ask for international orders (about $11 total for the US). The Hot Press staff no doubt put a good bit of time and effort into putting this issue together, so if you like what you see, be sure you patronize them. After all, if the staff (and other any other magazine, for that matter) gets a good response to this issue, they’re more likely to do something like this again in the future with The Cranberries. Case in point, put your money where your mouth is and head over to HotPress.com and order the new the new issue online — you won’t regret it!!

And now that you have your issue ordered (we know you do!), head over to the Magazines section and check out our high-resolution scans! We’ll have more scans very shortly, as soon as time allows!

Also, if you see one you like, be sure you save it to your hard drive, as we probably won’t be able to host these images in hi-res format forever… Enjoy!!

Source: Exclusive!

Help Kids This Christmas Through New Hernandez

December 7, 2002  |  Comments Off on Help Kids This Christmas Through New Hernandez  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

We told you days ago about the New Jersey-based organization New Hernandez, which is holding the 2002 Time Is Ticking Out Awards. As we told you before, New Hernandez is dedicated to sponsoring and assisting less-fortunate kids in their area, and they’re asking for a bit of help from the Cranberries fan community.

Cordell Adams, one of the group’s organizers tells us that, “We do not want any money form the fans, we just would like unopened toys or store gift certificates (Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc.) for the kids! … the kids here & the center nominated you, we just help build the site. There are over 30 kids here at the center and it is hard for us to give the kids what they want for Christmas! We usually just settle for things we can afford and we know it isn’t what they want but we teach them ‘It’s the thought that counts!'”

So if you’d like to help the organization with making a kid’s Christmas a little brighter this year, you can email them at Newhernandez@hotmail.com for the mailing address or for more information.

Source: N/A

Cranberries Proud to Say “I’m From Limerick”

December 3, 2002  |  Comments Off on Cranberries Proud to Say “I’m From Limerick”  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

The Cranberries are starring as part of a new cinematic short film entitled,“I’m From Limerick,” created by the town in order to boost citizens’ morale after a strong recent wave of bad press against the city. The video presents many native-born celebrities relating their pride in their identity as residents of Limerick.

“I’m from Limerick is a campaign whose message is directed at and for the people of Limerick. It is designed to impart a sense of identity and belonging, confidence and civic pride. The message itself – I’m from Limerick – is simply stated, yet lends itself to broad application and interpretation,” related the city’s center coordinator, Andrew Mawhinney.

The short film is being shown in the Irish city’s cinemas until the end of the year, being placed before such blockbusters as Harry Potter II and Lord of the Rings II. The film is also being shown in primary (elementary) schools in the community, and the campaign also extends with posters and other propaganda.

Other local native celebrities joining The Cranberries include Frank McCourt, JP McManus, Ciarán Carey, Geri Maye, Sam Lynch, Mick Hanly, Vincent Browne, and Peter Clohessy. The Cranberries’ famous track “Dreams” is the main musical feature in the film, several scenes from the song’s music video included.

The city’s Mayor John Cronin helped launch the video in the primary schools this past September, commenting, “I want… people to be more proud of being from Limerick than anything else, because they should be. I’m from Limerick and I’ve always been so proud of that and am delighted to tell anyone I meet that I’m from Limerick. I want to see others doing that too. This will have a huge impact on children. It will be right up their alley as it’s snappy, enjoyable and not at all boring for them to watch.”

Recent negative “outside” press has blighted the town’s reputation, a trend which the campaign’s organizers hope to reverse. “We are turning people’s perception of how we view Limerick around, and are promoting Limerick as a wonderful place to live in.”

Speaking of the people and personalities that appear in the video, Mawhinney commented that “The people in the video come from many walks of life, and were filmed in a variety of settings in Limerick city and county.”

Both the campaign and the film, which will continue to run for several weeks, are being funded by both the EU Lodis Project and Dell Computers.

Source: Limerick Leader

Translated Interviews from “Rockstar,” “A Night With…”

December 3, 2002  |  Comments Off on Translated Interviews from “Rockstar,” “A Night With…”  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

In two recent interviews from Italy, Rock Star (scans) and A Night With the Cranberries (video captures), singer Dolores O’Riordan and guitarist Noel Hogan talked extensively on what the release of “Stars” means to the band’s outlook. Furthermore, both Dolores and Noel dropped several hints about what they would like to explore in the near future, including several more hints about ethnic music and instruments and studio experimentation. Read the English translations of both interviews below for yourself for more detail.

Thanks to Maurizio for the translations.

Rock Star (Italy): UNDER A GOOD STAR

Exclusive: Revealing Interview with Dolores O’Riordan

Stars is out: The compilation with all the singles of The Cranberries to celebrate the 10 years career of the band. But it’s not just a Best of; it’s also, according to the words of an enigmatic Dolores, the end of an era.

One meter and sixty centimeters tall, enclosed in her totally black dress and apparent frailty, Dolores gladly accepted to spend part of a grey Milan afternoon talking to us about the first 10 years of the Cranberries. Allusive but at the same time also elusive, Dolores let us understand that the future, somehow or other, will be more interesting than the past.

Q – The Cranberries celebrate the first 10 years of their career. How has been this adventure?
A – If I had to draw a diagram, (on the next page) the start of this adventure was not in 1992 but in 1990, 12 years ago! We had a first peak in 1992-93, when our first album went out; than we disappeared in 1996, the year of To the Faithful Departed; After that the ascent restarted: since 1996 I spent much time searching my own dimension and spirituality; And finally now I’m very well and at peace with myself.

Q – What allowed you to reach this higher level of spirituality?
A – The experiences I had, in particular the negative ones. When you are near the limit and all everything’s close to breaking off, and you succeed in getting out of this situation, you feel stronger than ever. The difference between now and before is that nowadays I don’t feel under pressure and I don’t care about the number of copies we sell. When our first album went out, Everybody Else is Doing it So Why Can’t We?, we felt a lot of pressure, we were immature teenagers; Now we’ve grown up and we are able to do our best when we write songs.

Q – But many people say your first album is also the best!
A – This is what people think; now we’re talking about what I think!

Q – In this 10 years have you ever seriously risked splitting up?
A – Yes, In 1996 we didn’t just risk, we really split up even there was no official communication: we didn’t meet each other for approximately 1 year and we had no plans to come back.

Q – And what let you change your ideas?
A – Noel sent me a tape with some songs he had written when I was in Canada, and they were beautiful! So one night, in the middle of a drink, I phoned him and I told that I missed him and that he was an extraordinary person! So we decided to meet and try the new songs.

Q – In Stars there are two new songs: one is New New York, clearly in regard to September 11. Don’t you think you are just one of the people that wrote and sang about it?
A – I don’t care about what the others do. I just do what I like and what is going throuth my mind.

Q – Have you ever thought to write a song called “New Kabul”?
A – No, and I think I’m not going to do it now; I was in New York when I wrote that song and I wrote just the one thing that made sense for me.

Q – Are you worried about the possibility of a War in Iraq?
A – Yes of course. I think that the situation could just get worse not better: bombs are never the best way to achive something good. Instead they are just used to start something wicked! History says this, not myself.

Q – Coming back to the GH, do you think it could synthesize the essence of the Cranberries?
A – It’s just a collection of our singles. It’s a good CD to give as a gift to someone and, at the same time, let him know The Cranberries. There are all our most popular songs.

Q – Do you think there’re still people that don’t know the Cranberries?
A – There’re a lot! Maybe they sing the refrain of Linger or know other songs, but they often don’t know that it’s played by the Cranberries and they have never seen our faces. I often go to shops or malls and no one recognizes me. A few days ago some people asked me for some information. They thought I was a shop assistant!!!

Q – Where did you take the cover picture? It looks like a runway of an airport.
A – It’s a road in Las Vegas. We were there for some shows and we liked the place very much. So we called Andy Earl, our photographer, and he found this road. It seems that part is just the end of the road and behind it there’s nothing.

Q – On the back of the cover the band walks away straight toward the horizon line. Is there a metaphor?
A – Yes. We’re arrived at the end of an era and no one knows what there is beyond the horizon.

Q – What will happen?
A – The world has arrived at the end of an era and ironically, this is linked to the destiny of the Cranberries. I can say that there’s some expectation in the air.

Q – Are you thinking of starting a solo career?
A – I’m not sure. I would like to do many things that I couldn’t do in the last 10 years. Everytime I tried to take a break, I had a baby or I got a nervous breakdown. That’s 2 babies and a nervous breakdown!!

Q – Will you try something different from the Cranberries?
A – I am attracted to ethnic music and ethnic instruments, from flutes to bongos, and every type of steel drum; I don’t like the didgeridoo, I tried to play it but I’m a total disaster; I don’t Indian music, the kind that you hear in restaurants, there’s too much stuff inside. I like the music with many pauses just like African music.

Q – Will you act, maybe in a musical?
A – Maybe I will act, but certainly not in a musical! I hate them. When I was 12, at school, I was asked to do an audition for the part of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, because at that time I already had a good voice; Disgusting! I arrived in a hall with all the teachers looking at me, and all I could do was laugh, laugh and laugh. At that time I already had my strong character; In the classroom I made a lot of jokes and I made a real mess. I was a leader and I was too much of a “bully” to act the part of that idiot Dorothy. Obviously I didn’t get the part! They let me do a peasant, I had to sing offstage and walk across the stage pushing a cart.

MTV Italy: A NIGHT WITH THE CRANBERRIES

Dolores: We’ve completed a circle. It’s been an incredible lesson in life but we feel like we’re at the end of an era and at the beginning of a different kind of era. We started as teenagers than we went to America and we become very big, [only] a few Irish bands did it — we did! Than we played around the world and we decided to take a break because we lost our own identity. And than we got together just for fun and we’ve got the fun back into the band that we’ve lost to become such a big and famous band. We captured that fun again and now we feel like beginning again just like we were teenagers.

Noel: Stars in many ways sounds like the other stuff but some people tell us that there’s something different. It’s hard to say if this will be the direction we’re going! We haven’t thought about it yet.

Dolores: We always start from music, I think that if I started from lyrics the result would be less natural. When there’s something that only involves me, I can start writing music by myself with the piano; Other times Fergal or Noel write music and record it on a tape; then they give me the tape and just by listening I can think about something and I start to write lyrics.

Noel: In the future, I think we would like to, maybe with the next album, experiment with our sound a bit more and see if we can take a different direction for awhile.

Dolores: We definitely know that it’s time to try different kinds or ways of writing because, as Noel said, we have a couple of formulas but we’ve never actually gone into a studio and said, “Oh, let’s experiment!”

Noel: You become a little too comfortable, things get too easy and you don’t push yourself to your limit, so I think it’s definitely what we are going to try over the next year or so.

Dolores: For example we could start from the bass line — dododododo dodod dodod — and continue from it. We’ve never experimented with different music writing; So we kinda need to do that; Just different stuff… and it will be different!

Source: Exclusive

Special Edition Hot Press Released

December 1, 2002  |  Comments Off on Special Edition Hot Press Released  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

We’ve heard bits and pieces about it over the past month, but finally the Special Edition Hot Press Cranberries Edition has been released in Ireland. The new Cranberries issue is Issue 1 of an upcoming Collectors’ Series of the magazine.

Our first picture of the new magazine’s cover is below, showing Dolores with her arms covered in embroidered hosiery, gazing over the rim of a glass of wine.

Of course if you’re among the lucky ones pick up the new issue, we’re on the lookout for high-resolution scans! Send them to alex@zombieguide.com

Cranberries to Open for the Rolling Stones

November 28, 2002  |  Comments Off on Cranberries to Open for the Rolling Stones  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

According to an interview with Cranberries bassist Mike Hogan that appeared in Tuesday’s edition of the Mexican newspaper El Universal, The Cranberries are on tap to open for the classic rockers The Rolling Stones sometime next year.

“We have the same company that schedules our tours, so they proposed it to us to be part of it and of course we accepted, although it’ll only be five or six dates in Europe,” Mike told the paper while in Treviso, Italy earlier this month.

The gigs are likely to come in early summer, as Fergal Lawler wrote on the Official Website last month, “We will be doing some shows with some other artists in June and July to wrap up a great 2 years on the road.”

When asked if The Cranberries had any plans to release a full live album anytime soon, Mike said that no such plans were on the drawing board. “I don’t believe we’ll do one, although it’s only been a few days since we released a DVD with a live show that we recorded in Paris, France.”

Mike also went on to talk about the importance of his family life and how it fits in with the band. “Having a family makes things easier and we have more fun because you can go home and take your time with your family. In addition, it lets us do new things in our music, (it makes it) more happy and optimistic. It’s been a big influence.”

Thanks to Reynel for the info.

Source: El Universal

First Details: Dolores O’Riordan Solo Project

November 28, 2002  |  Comments Off on First Details: Dolores O’Riordan Solo Project  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

In an interview from the forthcoming Cranberries edition of the Hot Press Collectors’ Series, Dolores relates the somewhat shocking news that she will be recording her first solo album, because, she says, “the boys need some freedom for a while.”

“I’m definitely going to mess around now after the Greatest Hits,” she says. “I’m not going to go back and do another Cranberries album. I need to do a different project completely, and the boys need some freedom for a while.”

Indeed, Dolores stresses that the solo project will be much unlike anything The Cranberries have done before, which is why she plans to do it without “the boys.” Dolores plans to incorporate a mixture of ethnic sounds into the project as well. “Istanbul blew me away! At 5.00am the music from the Mosques, the chanting awoke me. It was so gorgeous, it sounded a little scary at moments and at other moments very reassuring. It was like something from another dimension. I’d love to go back there on vacation and go and visit the Mosques. I believe it would really be inspiring,” she wrote only days ago on the band’s Official Site. “I’d like to do a little bit more work in the studio,” she told Hot Press, “or a little bit more flying out to places like Turkey or Africa and recording some different ethnic things and bringing it back for inspiration.”

The Cranberries chanteuse also hinted at the possibility of working with the eclectic producer Brian Eno sometime in the future. “It would be (a possibility), yeah. The reason we didn’t at the time was because Brian likes to experiment in the studio, he likes to go in with pretty much nothing and just write in there. And we were like, ‘Aw, but sure we’ve everything written!'”

The Special Edition Cranberries Issue of Hot Press will be available sometime in early December with a cover price of €5 (about $4.90 US). We’ll have much more on this solo project as we know it, and more on the Hot Press issue very soon. Major thanks to Jessica van Kessel for the info!

Source: Hot Press

Sunday Independent Interview Transcript

November 27, 2002  |  Comments Off on Sunday Independent Interview Transcript  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

We received some feedback that some of our visitors weren’t quite able to read the scans taken from this weekend’s Sunday Independent, so we took a little bit of time to type of the entire article, below. Certainly an excellent read, so make sure you get through it all!

Berried treasure

The biggest Irish rock band since U2 are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their debut album with a global tour. The Cranberries, still friends, still three lads and a lass from Limerick, have sold over 38 million albums. But next year they’re taking time out. Barry Egan met up with them in Milan.

THE disguise works a treat. No one recognizes her. Not even the security guard who block the superstar’s path to her own show. There are no stampy-feet hissy-fits. She manages a laugh until one of the tattooed brick- shithouses on patrol comes to his senses.

He realises that the elfin figure in the shades with the baseball cap pulled down over her face is actually Dolores O’Riordan — one of the reasons why 20,000 people are queuing up outside a giant venue in Milan tonight as the pouring rain rolls off the Alps.

O’Riordan was bored hanging around the drab hotel in the italian city and walked up to the venue on her own. She wanted instead the sanctuary of her own dressing room, a world of scented candles, sumptuous cushions and coming colours. It is in here that Dolores disappears.

Before a show she has a routine of Reiki, a massage and yoga. However, beneath all that Eastern calm, Dolores is desperately missing her two children. She’s chartering a private jet to be home for her son Taylor’s birthday on Saturday. Thirty thousand euros. Worth every cent. Giant balloons are being inflated and clowns hired. (Editor’s note: We hope Mickey the Clown is not among those invited.)

“He’ll never be five again. I don’t care about the money,” she says. “I’m a mother more than I’m a rock star.”

After the birthday bash in Kilmallock, her home in Co Limerick, Dolores is due to fly back to Italy the following day for a show in Trevisio, then move on to Strasbourg, Brussels, Amsterdam, Glasgow and London. In the past 48 months, the band have performed in 30 countries around the world. It is non-stop. Or at least it was.

Come January, the Cranberries are taking a year off. O’Riordan is taking some long-overdue time out. Being on tour for long periods, she misses Taylor and baby daughter Molly like crazy.

“We were asked to go to Asia in January but I couldn’t,” she says before the show. “You miss them growing up. You’ll never have that back.”

The year 2003 is Dolores O’Riordan’s year for being mammy again. She also has plans to take acting lessons and maybe do a movie if the right part comes along. “But then maybe I’d be f**king crap!” she laughs. (She was offered a part in Titanic but turned that down flatly — and the offer to write some music for the film.)

She would also like to record — at home — an album of left-of-centre songs. She played a snatch of just such a number behind the big white piano at soundcheck earlier in the day: it is ethereal, surreal, sad, beautiful and trance-like. And decidedly unlike anything we’ve ever heard Dolores play before.

“We were in school when the Cranberries took off, so that’s all we’ve ever known,” she says later. “We’ve never really fully experimented and tried different things.”

Meanwhile, guitarist Noel Hogan is running the London marathon in April next year. (He runs 15 miles every second day.)

“And I…” begins his brother, Cranberries bassist Mike, “…I’m going to have another sex change next year.”

“I can just imagine you in a wig and women’s underwear!” says drummer Fergal Lawler.

Dolores doesn’t have to imagine. She can recall the early days of the Cranberries when the brothers Hogan would break into her room, liberally applying her make-up before helping themselves to their singer’s undergarments.

Like two gaelic Danny La Rues, Noel and Mike would then appear on the tourbus imitating the two girls, young Dolores and her good friend Brefni. “They used to bust my bras and knickers all the time!” Dolores remembers as Mike and Noel look on horrified that their secret’s finally out. There I was minding my own business when suddenly the two of them would run down the bus in my underwear and plastered in lipstick.

Another night, after traveling up in the back of a bread van from Limerick for a Dublin show, Dolores and the band, desperate for digs, stayed in accommodation in Mountjoy Prison. (Relax: Dolores’s brother works there.) Apparently the brothers Hogan found loads of women’s clothes in the hot- press in the ‘Joy and once again dressed up to take the mickey out of their young singer.

They can all laugh about it now, the days of having nothing. They can remember the early days when Dolores was dating (“nothing serious”) Liam O Maonlai of the Hothouse Flowers, and the times the unknown Limerick band played the support slots to the then hugely popular Dublin band. Starving, the male members of the Cranberries would pester Dolores into getting food from her boyfriend’s band’s dressing room.

“The Hothouse Flowers have very nice cheese,” Mike, Noel, and Fergal would say. “Get us some!”

“Leave me alone!” she would reply. “I’m not scoring cheese off my boyfriend for you!”

“We were the bummer opening act,” Fergal remembers now. “We had nothing. No food. No drink. No prospects. And no cheese!”

Ten years on, dairy products are no problem for the biggest rock band to come out of Ireland since U2. (Their opulent, cheese-filled dressing room is a testament to this.) The Cranberries, still friends, have sold over 38 million albums. They are known right around the globe.

Closer than ever, their trust, loyalty and friendship remain incalculable. They also have a shared, out-of-kilter sense of humour of people who have spent years living in each other’s pockets.

Dolores tends to begin anecdotes with a[n] anxiety-inducing “He’ll kill me for this,” before dredging up the time Fergal drank a bottle of local tequila in Mexico in 1997, complete with the worm inside the bottle and some ants’ eggs, before “throwing up for hours.”

Unfortunately for the Cranberries, the next morning they were brought like visiting dignitaries to see a local attraction. Somewhat the worse for tequila and wine, a day in the baking hot sun was not what their fragile Limerick systems needed.

“Our throats were like someone had poohed in them,” says Dolores. “We were all dying of hangovers. This religious Indian guy, who took peyote every day, kept trying to get us to chant, but all we wanted was water. He gave us names. I was Snake.”

Another night, after a binge in an English country pub, the band were cycling back to their posh hotel when Dolores’s husband Don fell off and lay prostrate on the ground. Once she got him back to the hotel, Dolores, in search of some life-giving elixir, slipped her tiny hand in behind the locked bar downstairs and managed to turn the key. Drinks for everyone.

“You have to be a bit naughty sometimes,” she says. “One of the great things is, it’s still fun being in the Cranberries. And if it stops being fun, you should stop doing it. It would ruin it. Because we’ve been there before, when we almost became a commodity. We were like four basket cases freaking out of our heads all the time. “How many panic attacks have you had today?”

Panic attacks are very much a thing of the past. They are now celebrating the 10th anniversary of the release of their debut album, Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?

It all started in May 1990: a[n] 18-year-old Dolores Mary O’Riordan turned up at the Hogan’s house with a keyboard under her arm to sing Linger. Within three years, the Cranberries had achieved staggering success in America and the UK. The massive stardom hasn’t overpowered Dolores to the extent that she has withdrawn from public life. You still occasionally see her around the clubs of Limerick.

“We don’t think of ourselves as stars,” she says. But they are. Bigger than a thousand Pop Idols put together.

Growing up in Limerick, and still living there, has stopped the band from ever getting big heads, says Fergal. “Irish people slap you down if you start getting too big for your boots,” he laughs.

The path to fame is not always an easy one. Those whom the gods wish to destroy are granted fame and fortune at a dangerously early age, they say. And the Cranberries were but babies. They survived where others before them perished. “When you become famous very young — when you become a millionaire almost overnight — people expect you to be screwed up,” Dolores says. “So it makes you more determined to keep your life together. It makes you more determined to make the simple things in life right.”

Like?

“Like a good marriage,” she says. “Having children. Being a good parent.” Keep your marriage together. Staying loyal, and seeing the big picture. And not getting caught up with the small, quick temptation, or whatever.”

Dolores and Don Burton, Duran Duran’s former tour manager, were married in 1994 in Holy Cross Abbey outside Tipperary. (Noel’s wife is Catherine, his brother Mike is married to Siobhan and Fergal’s wife is Laurie.) They seem blissfully happy together. Tonight in Milan, Don buzzes adoringly around her all evening. She dotes on him in return, hugging and kissing him at every opportunity.

On the tourbus later, she recounts affectionately how her husband is like an animal in bed. Snores like an animal, that is. To illustrate her point, Dolores reaches over and demonstrates how she holds his nose, but even that doesn’t stop him, it seems. When he finally stops, baby Molly will invariably wake up in the other room.

Earlier, while Dolores held 20,000 Italians in thrall for two hours, Don brought me up onto the side of the stage where he gushed with the praise of the truly in love: “That’s my wife! And she’s the greatest singer in the world!”

From the reaction of the crowd to Dolores’s vocal dynamics on Dreams, Linger and Zombie, there are plenty of people who agree with his assessment.

Don’s relations from Canada are over for the show. While his wife gets changed for the night’s main entertainment in her dressing room, Don orders pasta and steak for everyone, and, in the backstage dining area, holds court: outlining the special freedom of riding his horses bareback on their 250-acre ranch in Kilmallock (it makes the Ewings’ South Fork look like an afterthought). He says proudly that their children get up on horses like sitting up on a chair.

He charms everyone. Well over six foot, with spiky blond hair, he reminds me of nobody so much as Fachtna O Ceallaigh, Sinead O’Connor’s former boyfriend, about who she sang Nothing Compares 2 U. When I comment on the similarity, Don tells me about the occasion a long time ago when Sinead sat down on his knee — platonically, of course. Until Don’s future wife noticed that he was being used as an armchair and said: “Grrr!”

TONIGHT, Dolores runs around the stage like Penelope Pitstop on tequila. For other reasons, it must be exhausting being Dolores. Everybody wants you. Even the Pope. She will make a solo appearance at the Vatican’s Annual Christmas Concert in Rome on December 14.

Last year, she sang for His Holiness with the Vatican Orchestra (and Westlife — Dolores and Don’s son Taylor has Westlife on the side of his lunchbox. Dolores bought it for him.)

“Don is not Catholic — he’s atheist or heathen or whatever you call it, he was never baptised — but when he met the Pope, he was moved,” O’Riordan recalls. “The Pope’s presence is amazing! He is so old but is still rocking at his age. And he’s bigger than the Rolling Stones!”

The Cranberries can’t wait to be home for Christmas. Noel Hogan will have a double celebration. He was born on Christmas day, 1971. “My dad was pretty pissed off,” he says, “because there weren’t any pubs open on Christmas day in 1971 to celebrate.”

Dolores will be bringing Taylor to midnight mass for the first time. “At the age of five, Taylor and kids his age start to become really aware of Christ. Thankfully, at school the heavier elements of the catechism for children have been taken out. When we were kids we learnt about burning in hell and the devil. That is gone.”

None of the Cranberries are practicing Catholics but they all bring up their children in that belief system, because, says Fergal, “You should give your child some identity, and then when they’re older they can choose.”

Churches have a special potency for Dolores. When she was 15, she played the organ at mass in Ballybricken. The choir ranged in age from 35 to 75, she remembers. “It was like my youth club. I learnt a lot of good things — like Latin and hymns.”

At school in Laurel Hill in Limerick, Dolores used to play camogie. He legs were permanently black and blue from the wallops she got on the field but that only seemed to embolden her. She and another girl were the only two in a class of 35 who played camogie. The other 33 girls played hockey.

Dolores hated hockey. It was, she says, for posh sissies. You had to wear culottes. “I wanted to wear shorts and socks and push and shoulder and shove like the boys.”

Stuff patriarchy! Give me those hurleys now!

Twentysomething years later, the same girl emerges from the dressing room at nine o’clock, a glamorous Dolce e Gabbana goddess. The crowd greets her appearance onstage like the arrival of gladiators in ancient Rome. Noel and Mike Hogan and Fergal and Dolores play like their lives depend on it.

Afterwards, beyond the security guards at the backstage door, hundreds of fans have waited patiently in the rain for a glimpse of their idols. Genuinely shy, Dolores sees the crowd and asks me whether I think she should go out or not. I tell her that they love her. Soon Dolores is shaking hands and giving autographs for the multitudes.

“Ciao, Dolores! Dolores! Brava Dolores!” they shout.

Fifteen minutes later the object of their devotion is inside her state-of-the- art tourbus, opening a bottle of wine and contemplating the nature of her existence. She knows God’s existence is as impossible to prove as it is to disprove. But she knows there’s something else after death. She views her life as being like river water, gushing over rocks to begin with, later flowing wider, and finally merging painlessly with the sea, losing its individuality but continuing as part of the greater whole.

On tour in Turkey in mid-November, Dolores recalls waking up at dawn to prayers being chanted from the mosques. After the concerts, the Turkish fans gave Dolores presents of decorative eyes that, they said, kept watch to keep evil away.

“I have a big collection of eyes,” says the green-eyed chanteuse. “That’s the great thing about traveling the world: you realise how similar a lot of religions are.”

She tells me about her lucid dreaming — crashing on planes into bunkers then waking up still on the plane. Freud wouldn’t get a look in.

Dolores, who turned 31 last year [sic], says she appreciates life more than she used to. “I’m more impulsive. Instead of talking about things, I just do them. I trust my own instincts, I’m a little bit more connected with the spirit. That is one of the good things about getting older. Gravity kicks in, yeah, but there are better things than the visual.”

One of Dolores’s earliest memories is being about five at school in Limerick. The headmistress brought her out of the class and up into the sixth grade class where the 12-year-old girls were. She sat Dolores up on the teacher’s desk and told her to sing for them. The five-year-old loved it — singing was something she had “that could win people over.”

Tonight in Northern Italy more so than ever.

The Cranberries play the Point in Dublin on December 6, 2002. Their album ‘Stars — The Best of 1992-2002’ is now available.

Source: Exclusive

No Special Edition “Stars” for 2002

November 27, 2002  |  Comments Off on No Special Edition “Stars” for 2002  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Representatives from Universal/Mercury Germany have today told Zombieguide that the planned Special Edition 2CD German version of “Stars”will not arrive before the end of the year. The new edition, which was to include a bonus CD with live acoustic tracks taken from radio performances, was originally slated to be released in Germany before Christmas.

“We have decided not to produce or release a German edition with acoustic tracks from the radio sets this year,” said the Mercury Germany representative, with emphasis on the “this year” portion. This, of course, leaves a 2003 release open to possibility, but nothing has been officially confirmed for next year as of yet.

Thanks to a special contributor for the tip.

Source: Exclusive

Sunday Independent: Big Break for 2003, New Song Played!

November 26, 2002  |  Comments Off on Sunday Independent: Big Break for 2003, New Song Played!  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

An interview out of the November 24th issue of the Irish newspaper, the Sunday Independent divulges more details about The Cranberries’ future plans than what we have amassed in the span of the last several months. Below are some pieces that we’ve pulled out of the article.

Dolores told the Sunday Independent that she plans to spend a good deal of money to be home for Taylor’s fifth birthday, which occurs later this week (30,000 Euros [$29,800 US] for the private jet alone). “He’ll never be five again. I don’t care about the money,” she admits. “I’m a mother more than I’m a rock star.”

According to the article, the band plans to take nearly the entire year of 2003 off. “We were asked to go to Asia in January but I couldn’t,” Dolores says during the interview in Milan. Dolores and Noel plan to do some writing in the Spring for an “experimental” sixth album, while Fergal hinted only days ago that some touring plans for the summer are in the works. In April, guitarist Noel Hogan plans to run the annual London marathon — as he runs 15 miles every other day.

As for the new material, Dolores sat herself behind the white piano at soundcheck in Milan to play a new song for the interviewer. The interviewer describes the song as “left-of-centre” and “ethereal, surreal, sad, beautiful, and trance-like. And decidedly unlike anything we’ve ever head Dolores play before.”

Dolores also told the Sunday Independent that she may use time next year to take professional acting lessions. On a rather shocking sidenote, she relates that she was offered an acting part in the movie Titanic, the highest- grossing film of all time. Additionally, she was offered the chance to write music for the film. She flatly declined both offers.

There’s tons more to be read out of the new interview, so head over to theMagazines section to view full scans from the Sunday Independent. You won’t regret it.

Huge thanks to an anonymous contributor for the scans.

Source: Exclusive

New Commercial Bootleg: “Granada”

November 22, 2002  |  Comments Off on New Commercial Bootleg: “Granada”  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

A new bootleg originating out of Spain has hit the streets, simply entitled”Granada”. The CD includes the full concert from the Palacio de los Deportes in Granada, Spain on October 23, 2002, plus bonus tracks from the band’s concert in Barcelona in March. The new disc is pressed under the “Bees Records” label and is currently confirmed to be available in Barcelona. The tracklisting goes as follows:

CD1:
1. Intro
2. Analyse
3. Time is Ticking Out
4. Zombie
5. Animal Instinct
6. Linger
7. Ode to My Family
8. Put Me Down
9. Just My Imagination
10. Hollywood
11. Desperate Andy
12. Pretty
13. Daffodil Lament
14. I Can’t Be With You
15. When You’re Gone
16. New New York
17. Stars
18. Free to Decide
19. Salvation
20. Ridiculous Thoughts

CD2:
1. This is the Day
2. Dying in the Sun
3. Empty
4. You and Me
5. Promises
6. Dreams

Bonus Tracks (Barcelona, March 15, 2002):
7. Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
8. Zombie
9. Analyse
10. Time is Ticking Out
11. Animal Instinct
12. You and Me
13. Ode to My Family
14. Just My Imagination
15. Loud and Clear
16. Desperate Andy
17. Pretty
18. When You’re Gone
19. I Can’t Be With You

The sound quality is described as “very good.” Thanks to Jérôme for the additional help and info.

Source: Cranberries Tape Trader

Special Edition Hot Press Preview in Current Issue

November 22, 2002  |  Comments Off on Special Edition Hot Press Preview in Current Issue  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

The newest edition the Irish entertainment magazine “Hot Press,” which hit the newsstands yesterday, carries a teaser advertisement for the “Limited Edition Collectors Issue Celebrating 10 years.” According to the ad, the special Cranberries issue will be released next week. Most immediately obvious is the new photo of Dolores in the center, which will undoubtedly be part of the new issue. Also listed are some of the goodies we can expect to be included, namely:

– Every single Hot Press article ever written on the band from the ealiest to the very latest
– Every Hot Press feature on the Cranberries, complete and unedited
– Complete Hot Press Cranberries archive material
– Exclusive pictures
– Never-before-seen memorabilia
– Brand new interviews with all members

Check out the scan below. Very special thanks to an anonymous visitor for sending the scan our way!

Source: Exclusive

Official Updated Album Sales Figures

November 19, 2002  |  Comments Off on Official Updated Album Sales Figures  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

For the first time in approximately two years, the Official Cranberries Website has updated the “Album Sales” page on in its “Stats” section. The band’s earlier albums have accumulated a few hundred thousand sales each since the last update. The band’s (approximate) sales stand currently as follows:

Everybody Else Is Doing It  7,600,000

No Need To Argue  16,700,000

To The Faithful Departed  6,200,000

Bury The Hatchet  3,300,000

Wake Up And Smell The Coffee  1,300,000

Stars – Best Of 1992-2002  1,100,000

Miscellaneous combinations / limited edition  1,800,000 approx

(These stats as of November 2002)

The updated statistics certainly clear up a bit of speculation. The Irish magazine Hot Press reported in April of 2000 that “Bury the Hatchet” had already sold 5 million, which apparently by these stats, makes it an erranous report.

Source: Official Cranberries Website

New Commercial Bootleg, Spanish Sampler

November 19, 2002  |  Comments Off on New Commercial Bootleg, Spanish Sampler  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Collectors on the lookout for the latest and greatest have two new items to look for to add to their collections.

The first is a new commercially-pressed bootleg titled simply “Live at Olympia”. The bootleg is an “excellent sound quality” recording of the October 16th Olympia Music Hall concert in Paris, France. No word yet under what label the bootleg is being manufactured, although it appears to have been crafted by the same group that released both “French Dreams” and “Les Printemps de Bourges”. (“Printemps” was released under the pseudo-label “France Inter Records.”) And, once again it seems, Zombieguide.com is listed on the back for “other info on internet.” Tracklisting is:

1. Analyse
2. New New York
3. Ode to My Family
4. Linger
5. Animal Instinct
6. Just My Imagination
7. Free to Decide
8. Hollywood
9. Desperate Andy (Long)
10. I Can’t Be With You
11. When You’re Gone
12. Stars
13. Salvation
14. Zombie
15. Ridiculous Thoughts
16. This Is The Day
17. Promises
18. Dreams

In related news, Universal Spain has sent out 5-track samplers for “Stars” to media outlets on the Iberian Peninsula. A small scan of the cover image can be seen below.

“Stars” DVD Menu Captures

November 18, 2002  |  Comments Off on “Stars” DVD Menu Captures  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

While the “Stars” DVD was released in many regions of the world a week ago, those in North America are still waiting on the November 26th release, while those in the UK and Ireland have to wait until early December.

Nevertheless, Matteo (aka Melkain) was kind enough to make some screencaptures of the menu layout on the DVD, so take a look below.

(images no longer available)

Rolling Stone Interview Translation

November 14, 2002  |  Comments Off on Rolling Stone Interview Translation  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Just a few days ago, you’ll no doubt recall that we posted a new interview with Dolores from the French version of Rolling Stone in the Magazines section of the site. Ever since, the discussion forums have been ablaze with speculation on what Dolores had to say…

So what is it that Dolores is talking about that has everyone running in circles? The sixth album. Here’s a human translation, done by Guillaume:

“For me, this Best Of is the end of an era and the beginning of another one. I’m not quite sure yet what the new era is going to be like, but it definately is going to be very different. The next album may not even be a Cranberries album, it could be released through another identity, be a soundtrack for a movie, what do I know? I could decide to take a new direction and try to be an actress for a year. It’s like being with someone for years and doing the same thing over and over again; there are all these things that you would like to try. So we are going to start to do it right now. You know, stretch our wings and go where we never went before.”

Wow.
Huge thanks to Guillaume (aka Insider27) for the translation.

Source: Rolling Stone France

Dolores on MTV2’s “EMAs Come to Barcelona”

November 14, 2002  |  Comments Off on Dolores on MTV2’s “EMAs Come to Barcelona”  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

MTV’s annual European Music Awards take place tonight in Barcelona, Spain, and to celebrate, MTV2 has put together a special called “2002 EMAs Come to Barcelona”, which has been airing all week. The show highlights the sights and sounds around Barcelona’s cityscape and music scene. One segment includes several artists talking abut the city, which includes The Cranberries’ own Dolores O’Riordan in the mesh in an interview which looks to have been recorded earlier in the year.

“It’s a great gig,” Dolores said about the city, where the band has played numerous times in recent years. “They have some great wines!” she added in a segment where artists commented on Spain’s exceptional cuisine.

For those that missed the painfully short interview, we’ve made some large videocaptures which are for your viewing pleasure below.

(images no longer available)

“Stars” DVD Scans and Screencaps

November 12, 2002  |  Comments Off on “Stars” DVD Scans and Screencaps  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

The DVD “Stars: The Best of Videos 1992-2002” has already been released in a few select European countries. Below we have several scans of the new release, including the outer art and the inner booklet (which looks to be more comprehensive than the “Beneath the Skin” sheet). As can be seen, the art is heavily borrowed from the “Stars” album release, with a few alterations as needed.

In addition, you can check out over 100 DVD image captures here, mostly taken from the “Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll” documentary and the “Stars” video.

Big thanks to Patrick for both the scans and the captures.

(images no longer available)

Dolores to Sing for the Pope Again!

November 10, 2002  |  Comments Off on Dolores to Sing for the Pope Again!  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Several reports on newswires out of Italy like this one are all reporting that Dolores O’Riordan is on schedule to sing for Pope John Paul II yet again this year at the 10th Annual Vatican Christmas Concert. This year’s concert will take place at the Paolo VI concert hall on December 14th, 2002. Other invitees this year (and possible duet partners!) include Alexia, Francesco Renga, Pooh, Mariella Nava, Elisa, Gigi D’Alessio, Anna Tatangelo, The Corrs, Lisa Stanfield, Bryan Ferry, Lionel Richie, Josh Groban, the ScottishPower Pipe Band, and many more.

Last year, Dolores was personally picked by the Holy Father to perform at the 9th Annual Christmas Concert. She performed “Analyse” and “Panis Angelicus” alone, “Little Drummer Boy” with Westlife, and “Silent Night” with all of the invited artists. She noted that she was incredibly honored by last year’s invitation, and a second invitation should be twice the pleasure. The concert will be broadcasted by Canal 5 in Italy, and will probably be picked up by a few other channels throughout the globe (UK Satellite channel Tara was one of the few other channels that broadcasted last year’s concert).

Thanks to several people for the tip!

Source: TgCom

Vicar St. Is Complete After All

November 9, 2002  |  Comments Off on Vicar St. Is Complete After All  |  by Zombieguide Archives  |  The Cranberries

Reports that the “Stars” DVD would not include the full Vicar Street gig, which seem to have stemmed from a listing on Universal Germany have been proven to be false. Fans in some European regions where the DVD has already been released report that the full Vicar Street is included on the DVD, not just one track as Universal Germany has listed.

No word yet on the other bonuses that Universal Germany has listed — namely, an alternate version of “Just My Imagination,” and a few more live tracks. Perhaps this is the sign of multiple versions of the DVD, but that is only speculation at this point.

Thanks to cranascom for the tip.

Source: Exclusive

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