U2 was once the world's leading rock band, and their new album sounds like they're out to reclaim that throne.

Slated for a 10/31 release, "All That You Can't Leave Behind," the band's first album since ‘97's "Pop," is also their debut for new home Interscope, reuniting them with their one-time producer Jimmy Iovine, who now heads the label. "Pop" sold 1.4 million OTC and garnered 350k in first-week sales.

Said Iovine: "They've made an album in the true spirit of U2, with all the hope, pain and relentlessness that made us fans in the first place."

Retail pundits will consider the Halloween release a treat if it tops 200k. More than a million copies are being shipped.

•Interscope Head of Marketing & Sales Steve Berman interrupted his attempt to buy Mike Piazza's splintered bat on eBay to say the set-up has been textbook perfect. "We have a massive commitment to retail through the end of the holiday season. Everything we would have hoped for when we set up this project is coming to fruition. The execution, so far, has been excellent. We are thrilled with the reaction we're getting to the album in every area. Now will you excuse me? I have to pick out a baseball cap for Jimmy to wear."

•The band's longtime manager, Paul McGuinness, praised the job being done by the label: "The group is really pleased with the way Interscope is launching this album."

•The first single, "Beautiful Day," which the band says is about "a person who loses everything and has never been happier," came out 10/ 9 with two different CDs and a cassette featuring an array of tracks not on the CD. It has won over old fans at PoMo radio.

•The video, shot at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport by acclaimed director Jonas Akerlund (Madonna's "Ray of Light"), premiered on MTV the week of the VMAs. VH1 followed with an episode of "Legends" on the band as well as a one-hour retrospective of video clips and performance footage, including a special, live-in-the-studio interview with Bono and Larry Mullen.

•The band has been previewing audio and video streams from the album as well as exclusive e-postcards on their lavish U2.com Web site.

•The group performed a special club date in Paris and did a live Internet broadcast of their session for the BBC last Monday (10/23).

•A worldwide tour begins March 2000.

•They will also perform for the Farmclub.com. The show will air on USA Network the night before the album release and will be Webcast live on Friday (10/27) at 3 p.m. (ET).

•Expect tons of positive press on the band and the new album in the next few weeks, including laudatory lead reviews in Rolling Stone and Spin, cover stories in the L.A. Times Sunday Calendar, Request, Revolver, Guitar Player and Bass Player and a major feature in USA Today.