will.i.am 'excited to be producing U2 album'

will.i.am has said that producing the new U2 album will be a milestone in his career.

The Black Eyed Peas frontman has signed to produce the next album from the 'With Or Without You' rockers, and expressed his excitement at joining up with the band in the studio.

"You talk about one day looking back at milestones in your career - working with those guys will be light-year stones," will.i.am told The Sun. "I look at U2 and think, 'Wow, I hope our group can stay together that long and still make brilliant music.'

"And just being around Bono and the guys is inspiring. It's like how a government should be. Bono for president of the world, I say. I try and do good and my bit to help the world but Bono is on another level. My car's pretty cool but he has a spaceship."

will.i.am also suggested that his decision to work with the band - despite both acts coming from two very different musical backgrounds - is not as surprising as it may appear to some.

"There's only one type of music and that's good music, no matter what genre it is," he said. "Bono is one of those guys who sees it that way and there's no right or wrong. There are no rules once you lift the veil off.

"I went to Bono's house for lunch and George Clooney and Cindy Crawford were there. I played some of the songs we'd been working on together and everyone was blown away. They all left the finger food to come and hear."

Bono recently claimed that U2's current world tour may directly inspire their new studio album.