DreamTheaterForums.org Dream Theater Fan Site
General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: KevShmev on July 17, 2011, 10:12:01 AM
-
My brother and I will be witnessing this in now a matter of hours at Busch Stadium:
https://blogs.suntimes.com/music/U2_Chicago2_72dpi.jpg
:hat :hat :hat
-
Epic stuff!
Have a great time :tup
-
I was on the floor for it. Epic shit, my man. Have a good time.
-
Thanks, guys! :coolio
-
Nice man, give us a review!
-
In b4 either "lol U2 is garbage" or "lol I WAAAAAAAAALK BESIDE YOOOOOOOU" :neverusethis:
Have fun Kev!
-
We'll make history, honey you and I
-
Where are you seats(?)?
-
I came in this thread thinking it would be about Dexter. Looks epic though, have fun!
-
I'm old, I thought it was a thread about Rod Stewart. :biggrin:
Have fun!!
-
Wow! What is that thing over the stage?
-
That's both ridiculous and amazing that one band can draw in that many people.
-
Seeing that show was like a religious experience!
-
Where are you seats(?)?
https://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/u2_seating_chart_st_louis_360_tour.jpg
Section 152.
-
Where are you seats(?)?
https://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/u2_seating_chart_st_louis_360_tour.jpg
Section 152.
Those are superb seats.
-
We'll make history, honey you and I
I started singing this when I read the title.
Edit: Except it was A.D. 1928.
-
We'll make history, honey you and I
I started singing this when I read the title.
Thank you, I knew I couldn't be the only one. :lol
But yeah, that looks like a fucking stellar setup.
-
Looks awesome! Say what you want about U2, but that is epic. The photo has just become my wallpaper.
-
Enjoy hearing Edge's lush guitar playing. My favorite part of watching them live.
-
Where are you seats(?)?
https://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/u2_seating_chart_st_louis_360_tour.jpg
Section 152.
Those are superb seats.
Agreed! Just to the left of dead center, not too far back to where you can't see anything, but elevated enough to see over the GA folks on the ground. Plus, it is around 100 today, so tonight will still be pretty damn warm, and having seats as opposed to being on the ground will be an advantage as far as staying cool.
-
That's really funny. That's exactly where my mom and step dad sat when we went and saw this. I didn't want to sit that far back (even though you do have a superb view), and all the while, we were talking to one of the guards and we hinted at letting me down, and he seemed pretty cool with it, so he told me to follow a press guy down, saying I was his nephew. :lol Pretty cool experience.
-
Bruce Berry was a working man
-
You know, part of me wants to talk shit because I don't like U2, and I can't fathom how they've become the biggest band in the world.
Then I look at pictures like that, and it shuts me up.
-
Wow. All I can say right now is wow.
Set list:
1) Even Better Than The Real Thing
2) The Fly
3) Mysterious Ways
4) Until The End Of The World
5) I Will Follow
6) Get On Your Boots
7) I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Many Rivers to Cross (snippet)
8 ) Stay (Faraway, So Close!) (acoustic with just Bono and The Edge)
9) Beautiful Day /Space Oddiy (snippet)
10) Elevation
11) Pride (In The Name Of Love)
12) Miss Sarajevo
13) Zooropa
14) City of Blinding Lights
15) Vertigo
16) I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (dance remix version) / Discotheque (snippet) / Life During Wartime (snippet) / Psycho Killer (snippet)
17) Sunday Bloody Sunday
18) Scarlet
19) Walk On
--
20) One
21) Hallelujah (snippet) / Where The Streets Have No Name
--
22) Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
23) With or Without You
24) Moment of Surrender
And I don't take many pics at concerts, as I prefer to rock out instead of spending too much time messing with my cell, but I did take these two:
(https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/kevshmev/281453_2184436701557_1566184753_2214565_1022203_n.jpg)
(https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/kevshmev/281244_2184436941563_1566184753_2214566_2255885_n.jpg)
-
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me.
I'd love to hear that live.
-
I would have rather gotten Ultraviolet (which occupied that first spot in the last encore trilogy for probably 75% of the 360 tour), but Hold Me, Thrill Me... was really nice, too. The set list was nice and balanced; 7 songs from the 80s, 9 songs from the 90s and 8 songs from the 00s.
I went absolutely bananas during Zooropa. I was one of the few people standing to it in my section and singing along, but I didn't care. I joked to my brother at one point during it that 51,000 people right now are going, "What song is this?" :lol :lol :lol The total crowd count was just shy of 53,000.
And I can finally say I have had my face completely melted off by Where the Streets Have No Name live. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
-
I would have rather gotten Ultraviolet (which occupied that first spot in the last encore trilogy for probably 75% of the 360 tour), but Hold Me, Thrill Me... was really nice, too. The set list was nice and balanced; 7 songs from the 80s, 9 songs from the 90s and 8 songs from the 00s.
I went absolutely bananas during Zooropa. I was one of the few people standing to it in my section and singing along, but I didn't care. I joked to my brother at one point during it that 51,000 people right now are going, "What song is this?" :lol :lol :lol The total crowd count was just shy of 53,000.
And I can finally say I have had my face completely melted off by Where the Streets Have No Name live. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
Streets was amazing live, goosebumps thinking about it.
edit: I can't quote
Went searching for the set list when I saw it..
Breathe
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
("Blackbird" snippet)
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
("Dirty Old Town" snippet)
Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
In A Little While
Unknown Caller
Until The End Of The World
The Unforgettable Fire
City Of Blinding Lights
("Mofo" snippet)
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
("Thank You (Falettinme Be … more)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
("Rock The Casbah" snippet)
MLK
Walk On
("You'll Never Walk Alone" snippet)
Encore:
One
("Amazing Grace" snippet)
Where The Streets Have No Name
("All You Need Is Love" snippet)
Encore 2:
Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
With Or Without You
Moment of Surrender
-
Yeah, the set list really changed quite a bit over the course of the 2-year tour. I love Magnificent and Unknown Caller from the last album the most, and neither were played last night, but so much of what they did play came off tremendously, so how can anyone complain?
It is comical to read some of the U2 fan sites where some complain that they play too many hits and not enough deeper cuts, but the hits are what gets a crowd that large going. When you are that popular AND playing in front of 50 thousand plus, you have to play a lot of your biggest and well-known songs. Sure, the diehards love hearing Zooropa and Miss Sarajevo, but Sunday Bloody Sunday and Streets are what make everyone go ballistic.
-
That's beyond awesome. I'm not the hugest U2 fan but their shows really seem like an experience. I'd love to see them one day.
-
In b4 either "lol U2 is garbage" or "lol I WAAAAAAAAALK BESIDE YOOOOOOOU" :neverusethis:
Bad call.
-
I'm old, I thought it was a thread about Rod Stewart. :biggrin:
Have fun!!
yup I'm still humming that damn song....
"it's gonna be all right....."
-
Last night's intro:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myGO1e-a3hU
-
:omg: Holy cow! What a show that must have been.
-
It was. One of the many great things is there were so many moments where the entire crowd sang along:
-The chorus to I Will Follow.
-The entire first verse and chorus of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.
-The "woooooo-oooooo"s in Elevation.
-IN THE NAME OF LOVE!!!!!
-"Oh. You. Look. So Beautiful!" in City of Blinding Lights.
-All of the spanish lyrics in Vertigo (a song I am not wild about, but was fun live).
-About half of One. :lol
-The "ooooooohhhhhhh"s near the end of With or Without You.
-The "oh-oh-ooooooo-oooh"s in Moment of Surrender.
And others I cannot recall off hand. :coolio
-
One of the coolest moments of Sunday night's show (around 2:20 or so):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKZsd4DC2lQ&feature=related
Too bad the shirtless guys weren't lined up in the right order (to spell out U 2 3 6 0), but it was still cool as hell. :coolio
-
I saw them in Raleigh, NC back in 2009. It was the best concert ever!
Kev, in which song did the screen expand? When I went, it was during The Unforgettable Fire which was cool because that's probably one of my top 5 favorite U2 songs. That was easily the most spectacular thing I've ever seen at a concert. I really wish I could have heard Zooropa live.
-
Expand? Do you mean lower? I know it lowered near the end of Miss Sarajevo and stayed that way for all of Zooropa the other day. I can't recall offhand when it else it did.
Edit: I think it stayed down for at least City of Blinding Lights and Vertigo as well, although for Zooropa, it was down so low, you couldn't see the band.
-
Also, I'd love to see U2 release another live DVD from this tour, but from the most recent leg, which will reflect the major set list changes. Plus, I think the Rose Bowl DVD, while good, didn't do that great of a job of showing off the enormity of the stage and the Claw. Another one could focus more on that. I'd love to see that Space Oddity intro on a DVD and the followings songs were played on the most recent legs (that weren't on the Rose Bowl DVD):
Even Better Than the Real Thing
The Fly
I Will Follow
Out of Control
All I Want Is You
Miss Sarajevo
Zooropa
Scarlet
Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
-
Expand? Do you mean lower? I know it lowered near the end of Miss Sarajevo and stayed that way for all of Zooropa the other day. I can't recall offhand when it else it did.
Edit: I think it stayed down for at least City of Blinding Lights and Vertigo as well, although for Zooropa, it was down so low, you couldn't see the band.
Extended downward I guess would be the best way to describe it. I believe it came back together down low and then the whole apparatus moved back up top eventually. If that makes sense..
So cool
(https://i.usatoday.net/life/gallery/2009/l090930_u2stage/screen-lowered.jpg)
-
Okay, gotcha.
Five days later, I am still having post-concert depression. :lol I am thrilled to have seen such an awesome show, but sad that it is over. :(
-
So, like, I've always enjoyed their singles that are played on the radio from the 80s, but don't own any actual albums of thiers.
Should I go ahead and get Joshua Tree or Unforgettable Fire, or is their 1980-90 compilation the way to go?
-
War is easily my favorite U2 album of all time.
-
We might even get that " Quick Follow Up To No Line On The Horizon " in 2013 !
Only 3 years overdue ! :biggrin:
-
Hopefully it's better than No Line. Because that album was not good.
-
It had Magnificent. And The Opener was alright. There were a couple good ones in the middle.
But yeah it got old quickly.
They need another " All That You Can't Leave Behind "
-
So, like, I've always enjoyed their singles that are played on the radio from the 80s, but don't own any actual albums of thiers.
Should I go ahead and get Joshua Tree or Unforgettable Fire, or is their 1980-90 compilation the way to go?
Get the studio albums, not the best of. You'll be glad you did. :)
-
Unknown Caller is the only song I liked off of No Line... oh well.
Also seconding that War recommendation. That's always been my favorite by them.
-
So, like, I've always enjoyed their singles that are played on the radio from the 80s, but don't own any actual albums of thiers.
Should I go ahead and get Joshua Tree or Unforgettable Fire, or is their 1980-90 compilation the way to go?
Yes, just buy Joshua Tree and Unforgettable Fire... they are tops of awesomeness.
-
Then get Achtung Baby and possibly All That You Can't Leave Behind.
Avoid Pop like the plague.
-
Nah, Pop is good, although I would get almost everything else before it. It has a few throwaway songs, but it also has a handful of really good U2 songs (Please, Gone, Mofo, Staring at the Sun, etc.), and the album as a whole has a certain charm to it that I enjoy, even if its flaws are glaring.
Achtung Baby is still their best album from start to finish.
-
Went to the record store today; got Unforgettable Fire, what with it being acclaimed and being sold at a low price.
After one listen, I am very impressed. I enjoy the singles, being familiar with them already (the title track's my favorite), but the non-single tracks are very strong as well. Wire and Indian Summer Sky were kind of surprising; I wouldn't have expected U2 to have gotten funky at times.
-
I love Wire. Saw them on that tour and Bono was like a preacher. If he told us to murder that night we would have.
-
The closing tracks on the War to Rattle and Hum stretch are all great (and in most cases quite undermentioned) songs. Even though two are quite short ("40" and MLK) and two musically fairly minimal (MLK and Mothers of the Disappeared), they're all still strong closers.
Love Is Blindness is probably good enough to go amongst those as well.
-
Wire is awesome; easily a top 20 U2 song, as is The Unforgettable Fire's title track.
-
War is easily my favorite U2 album of all time.
This.
-
I saw them in Raleigh, NC back in 2009. It was the best concert ever!
I was at that show! It was spectacular!! :hefdaddy
-
I'm old, I thought it was a thread about Rod Stewart. :biggrin:
Have fun!!
yup I'm still humming that damn song....
"it's gonna be all right....."
Stop it! It's got me now...
-
War is easily my favorite U2 album of all time.
This.
War is really good, but can't touch either Achtung Baby or The Joshua Tree, IMO. Red Light is one of those "what were they thinking?" songs. :lol
-
I'm thinking that The Unforgettable Fire is my favorite...but then I don't think they have a bad album.
-
U2 has some great stuff on every album, even on Pop and October, but they definitely have some albums that are a bit inconsistent. But no major stinkers in the bunch!
-
U2 has some great stuff on every album, even on Pop and October, but they definitely have some albums that are a bit inconsistent. But no major stinkers in the bunch!
Some albums are better than others...for sure...
-
For me, there is always at least one "throwaway" on a U2 album. I like posting album rankings though, so I guess I'll do that now haha...
12. Pop
11. Zooropa
10. No Line on the Horizon
9. October
8. Boy
7. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
6. Rattle and Hum
5. All That You Can't Leave Behind
4. War
3. The Unforgettable Fire
2. Achtung Baby
1. The Joshua Tree
1-4 are 5 star albums. 5-7 are 4 stars. 8-10 are 3. The last two are 2.
-
Despite being flawed and having some major throwaway tracks, I think both Pop and Zooropa are better than that.
I think No Line on the Horizon could have been a borderline top 5 U2 record, but they smothered it in so much compression that it often barely has room to breathe. The studio version of I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight sounds like it is being choked to death by the compression.
I am always dismayed by how many rate Rattle and Hum so low. Okay, the flow is a bit odd, thanks to have it half live and half studio stuff, but if you look at just the new songs, it is pretty stellar, and the the added live songs are like icing on the cake, even if the flow is a bit rocky.
-
Despite being flawed and having some major throwaway tracks, I think both Pop and Zooropa are better than that.
Me too...
-
This will sound like a bizarre way to put it, and I may have already said something similar in this or another U2 thread, but the Zooropa title track sounds like something you'd listen to while walking through the streets of Hong Kong, while high as a kite. And I don't even smoke ganja, but that is what that song sounds like to me. :lol :lol
-
War is easily my favorite U2 album of all time.
This.
War is really good, but can't touch either Achtung Baby or The Joshua Tree, IMO. Red Light is one of those "what were they thinking?" songs. :lol
Um...no. It's never gotten better than War.
And Red Light is awesome! It's the perfect transition beween Two Hearts and Surrender. I think the Who/Townshend influence is cool and so are those sax solos. Sure there's a drop off in urgency, but I love the contrast.
What bothers you about it?
-
One of my biggest problems with "Pop" is that it is extremely front-stacked.
You have all the best songs on the album and then the second half of the album is really dreary.
At least in my opinion.
-
My favourite U2 albums out of the ones that I am most familiar with.
The Joshua Tree
Achtung Baby
All that you can't leave behind
How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
-
War is easily my favorite U2 album of all time.
This.
War is really good, but can't touch either Achtung Baby or The Joshua Tree, IMO. Red Light is one of those "what were they thinking?" songs. :lol
Um...no. It's never gotten better than War.
And Red Light is awesome! It's the perfect transition beween Two Hearts and Surrender. I think the Who/Townshend influence is cool and so are those sax solos. Sure there's a drop off in urgency, but I love the contrast.
What bothers you about it?
Okay, I just listened to Red Light again, to make sure I wasn't imagining things, and while it didn't sound as awful as I remember it, there was nothing particularly memorable about it. And I found the sax bits annoying as hell. With a strong chorus, maybe the song would have been better, but as is, it is pretty forgettable, IMO.
One of my biggest problems with "Pop" is that it is extremely front-stacked.
You have all the best songs on the album and then the second half of the album is really dreary.
At least in my opinion.
The Playboy Mansion and If You Wear That Velvet Dress are both pretty forgettable for sure, but Please is really good, and I like Wake Up Dead Man quite a bit as well. For me, the best songs are tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 11, so the best songs, IMO, are pretty scattered throughout instead of being front-stacked, as you put it. But at least we both seem to like it more than many others do. :)
-
I just want the next album to be classic U2 like when they did All That You Can't Leave Behind.
Atomic Bomb was good too but had a bit too much filler.
I think they realise that Horizon didn't really go down as expected and that might make them revert to type again.
-
Though Horizon isn't as good as the last two I still liked it more than Zooropa. I still love that U2 still are willing to experiment and not worry about acceptance.
-
I'm kinda surprised they did the massive stage show again after Popmart failed.
Especially to promote such an experimental album.
It#s kinda bizarre how that tour managed to make as much money as it did. ( biggest tour ever I believe ? 750m )
-
My worry about U2's next album is that Bono expressed in an interview a while back that strong singles are what they need to keep them relevant, and I was like :facepalm:. Get On Your Boots was a clear attempt at trying to have a Vertigo-like single, but it flopped as a single (because it sucks), and that probably contributed to No Line on the Horizon not being as popular and well-liked as the two previous albums (although it was probably as good as either). I just wish they would write songs, and if strong singles come out it, great, but if not, they are still U2; they will be fine. I doubt they had singles in mind when they were writing all kinds of different stuff for Achtung Baby. Consciously trying to write singles is the worst thing this band could do at this stage, and I hope they don't fall into that trap.
As for U2360 vs. PopMart, the 360 stage simply looked awesome, while PopMart I think turned people off because it look too excessive; Pop being a disappointment after the disappointment that was Zooropa (to many, in both cases) didn't help either.
-
I think that " Magnificent " should have been the lead single from No Line. It's classic U2 but has a modern twist to it.
-
No Line is mostly a very good album. I don't have the complaints like most. The one thing I love about a hew U2 album is I never know what to expect. To me, that's a good thing.
-
I think that " Magnificent " should have been the lead single from No Line. It's classic U2 but has a modern twist to it.
Definitely. I still can't believe it wasn't the first single. Even worse, when it was released as a single, and had a video for it as well, it was edited down. Because 5 minutes and 24 seconds is so damn long. :facepalm:
-
"Magnificent" may have been a better lead-off singe, but "Get On Your Boots" is a great tune and sounds nothing like "Vertigo"...
-
"Get On Your Boots" is a great tune and sounds nothing like "Vertigo"...
I think it was a clear attempt to write another hit single (which Vertigo was).
As for it being a great tune, we'll have to agree to disagree on that one, because, aside from the "Let me in the sound!" part (which I can get in the intro of Fez/Being Born), I think the song totally sucks.
-
"Get On Your Boots" is a great tune and sounds nothing like "Vertigo"...
I think it was a clear attempt to write another hit single (which Vertigo was).
As for it being a great tune, we'll have to agree to disagree on that one, because, aside from the "Let me in the sound!" part (which I can get in the intro of Fez/Being Born), I think the song totally sucks.
All good. To me, "Vertigo" was U2 writing a guitar-rock tune, which they had not done in a long time. It's very different from "Beautiful Day" (ATYCLB lead single), and very different from "Discotheque" (lead single from Pop). The vibe present on "GOYB" is, to me, unlike their previous 3 lead singles.
If you look at the lead singles from everything since The Joshua Tree (Get On Your Boots, Vertigo, Beautiful Day, Discotheque, Lemon, The Fly, Desire, With Or Without You), they never really released the same song twice in terms of sound, IMO.
"The Fly" pretty much bombed, and they quickly followed it with "Mysterious Ways" which went Top 10. "GOYB" bombed, and I'm surprised "Magnificent" didn't quickly follow it.
-
Actually, checking into it, "Magnificent" bombed worse than "GOYB"...it only went to #79 while "GOYB" went Top 40.
-
I think Numb, not Lemon, was the lead single from Zooropa, and I hear what you are saying, but while the vibe on Get On Your Boots might be different for them, it still screamed of "This is us trying to write a hit single after the huge success we had with Vertigo." I don't even think Vertigo it that good of a song, but I get why it was popular, and it was good fun when I saw it played live last year. Get On Your Boots was a dud live, though. They tried like hell to get audiences to like it, playing it at practically every show on the 360 tour, but I think a small number of U2 diehards are the only ones who probably hope it gets played again on future tours.
Also, I don't put too much stock into how high their singles charted. Look at Rattle & Hum: Desire and Angel of Harlem both got into the top 20 here in America, while All I Want Is You never came close to reaching the top 40.
-
Also, I don't put too much stock into how high their singles charted. Look at Rattle & Hum: Desire and Angel of Harlem both got into the top 20 here in America, while All I Want Is You never came close to reaching the top 40.
I don't really either...I was just drawing a failed comparison to how the single from Achtung Baby was handled...flop followed by a huge hit. Had "Mysterious Ways" suffered the same fate as "The Fly", musical history would be very different for U2 these days, I think.
-
War is easily my favorite U2 album of all time.
This.
War is really good, but can't touch either Achtung Baby or The Joshua Tree, IMO. Red Light is one of those "what were they thinking?" songs. :lol
Um...no. It's never gotten better than War.
And Red Light is awesome! It's the perfect transition beween Two Hearts and Surrender. I think the Who/Townshend influence is cool and so are those sax solos. Sure there's a drop off in urgency, but I love the contrast.
What bothers you about it?
Okay, I just listened to Red Light again, to make sure I wasn't imagining things, and while it didn't sound as awful as I remember it, there was nothing particularly memorable about it. And I found the sax bits annoying as hell. With a strong chorus, maybe the song would have been better, but as is, it is pretty forgettable, IMO.
I like it a lot. It may not be the best song on the album, but I think the strength lies where it is placed. To each his own.
-
Looks like a new album is coming pretty soon:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/4746374/u2-album-name-10-reasons-to-exist.html
Please, please, please don't compress the shit out of it like you did No Line on the Horizon. :censored
-
Finally. Wasn't this supposed to come out 3 years ago and called Culture of Ascent? :lol
EDIT: Songs of Ascent, I meant. For some reason, I'm thinking of a Glass Hammer album. Derp.
-
I have no idea if any of the songs they supposedly had in mind for that album have been saved for this forthcoming album.
-
Looks like a new album is coming pretty soon:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/4746374/u2-album-name-10-reasons-to-exist.html
Please, please, please don't compress the shit out of it like you did No Line on the Horizon. :censored
That's what you get when Brian and Danny are producing.
-
Perhaps that was one of the ten reasons? That and Guinness.
Fancy that ! A tabloid "newspaper" saying booze is a reason to exist !
-
I want Bono to stop thinking that he is the master of the world.
Is it really possible ?? :hefdaddy
-
It's probably not, but interesting bump nonetheless. :lol :lol
-
An update on the next album would be good. It's supposed to be out this year.
-
I am more interested to see what they do on their next tour. I doubt they will want a big extravaganza like 360 again - I think they have even all but said that already - so I think they'll scale it down this time around.
-
I'm surprised they even did it for the last tour seeing as how PopMart was a failure and the Vertigo and Elevation tours were so lucrative and simple.
I'm expecting something along the lines of Elevation for the next tour if they do one.
-
There are a variety of factors as to why PopMart wasn't as successful as it could have been, but I think Pop having a lead single that flopped so badly sure didn't help. Following the disappointing (to many people) Zooropa, to have such a lame lead single as Discothèque from Pop was a disaster.
-
Not sure what the lead single from Pop should have been. It wasn't a very good album all round.
-
I like it for what it is now, but I was pretty iffy on it when it first came out. The problem was they booked the tour when still working on the album, so they had to rush finishing the album to have time to get ready for the tour. And you can tell, as some of the songs had major potential and could have been a lot better with some more work.
-
Yeah the versions on the Best Of that they re-worked were better than the originals.
Back when Oasis were still together - Noel said Andy Bell suggested putting out a stripped down version of Be Here Now.
I wish they'd have done that. There are some good songs on Be Here Now buried under 50 rhythm guitar tracks.
-
I must be one of the few who actually liked what was happening on Pop. Sure I think they nailed it out of the ballpark with All That You Leave Behind but I liked the elements of Pop and how they came together on a lot of the songs. The first half of Pop is definitely better than the last half. I really never got into No Line on the Horizon probably because I listened to it once and nothing grabbed me and I haven't played it since. Looking forward to their new album.
-
I agree about the first half of Pop. I think they just misfired on that album. I do like that fact that U2 is willing to take so many chances album to album.
-
No Line... is similar to every U2 album since Achtung Baby: some great songs, a bunch of good songs and a few I can do without. I'd love for them to do one more album that is great from start to finish, but I am not expecting it. I just hope we get the usual 3-4 great songs and it sounds a lot better than No Line on the Horizon sonically.
And since Pop has been the focus lately here, here is my breakdown of that album:
The great songs: Staring at the Sun, Gone and Mofo (although I prefer both the live version from the Mexico DVD and the Phunk Phorce remix)
The bunch of good songs: Do You Feel Loved (this was a small tweak or two away from being great), Please, Last Night on Earth, Wake Up Dead Man and Miami
The few I can do without: Discothèque, If God Will Send His Angels, The Playboy Mansion and If You Wear That Velvet Dress
-
As an "hommage" to U2 (and Oasis too by the way!! :biggrin:), here's my top 8 of the most OVERRATED rock bands of all time!! :yarr
- 1) Nirvana
- 2) U2 (here they are!! :rollin)
- 3) Oasis (here they are, too!! :eek)
- 4) Muse
- 5) Pink Floyd
- 6) Radiohead
- 7) REM
- 8) The Rolling Stones
I admit it takes some balls to write this, but it feels soooooooo good... :loser:
-
I agree with most of those but not REM.
They were one of my faves.
* * * * * According to Rolling Stone Magazine * * * * *
The band are in New York mixing their new album.
Finally some news !!
-
OMG, how could I forget the REAL NUMBER 1:
GUNS'N' f*cking ROSES ah ah ah!! :rollin
Axl Rose, the most awful voice in rock history, but hey, after all it worked very well!! :tup
-
* * * * * According to Rolling Stone Magazine * * * * *
The band are in New York mixing their new album.
Finally some news !!
Great to hear! Hopefully, the mixing and sound of this one is better than the last, although I am not optimistic.
-
Well they haven't worked with Danny & Brian this time so we'll see.
But whoever produces it - Edge's guitar will sound like it's coming thru a 10 watt combo amp panned hard left for the entire album and the drums will sound like a casio keyboard as ever.
I wish for once they'd put the guitar way up front, double track it and make a rock album.
-
It really is funny and kind of annoying how many U2 records you can listen to and think, "Man, I wish this sounded better." The answer is most of them. :lol
Fortunately, they always bring it live, so there are always great live versions of most of their good songs, although with Bono's voice getting older and not as consistent live, it is harder to get great live versions of newer songs, so it really would be nice if they would make this new album sound great.
-
I've heard a few times that the guitar and bass on " Bullet The Blue Sky " are in different keys.
But from what i've seen and heard Edge playing live - he's definitely playing in E minor and Adam is modulating back and forth between E and D.
Ergo - they're both in E minor.
So I don't know what they're going on about.
-
I've read that that happened on a quite a few songs on the early albums.
-
But not on Bullet.
-
Latest news is that the album will be out in 2014 - tying with "...Horizon" as the longest gap between albums at 5 years each.
A bit crap considering they originally wanted to release a hasty follow up to "...Horizon" in 2010.
Even worse considering that the album was reportedly "finished" a lot earlier in the year.
-
* * * * * According to Rolling Stone Magazine * * * * *
The band are in New York mixing their new album.
Finally some news !!
And now they're saying that they *hope* to finish recording by Christmas. God above. Why does it take them so fuckin long ?
Just go in a studio, record 10 songs and release it. Not every fuckin note has to be scrutinised under a microscope for months on end.
This is why their most recent albums are so devoid of any feeling . It's because they over produce the shit out of everything til there's no life left
to the songs then compress the remaining shit out of it.
By the time the album comes out - it will be the longest gap between studio albums in their career.
-
Sounds like U2. :lol :lol
I'll definitely be checking this out when it finally hits stores, but I just know they will compress it to death. Ugh.
-
All that you can't leave behind is a great album but think how much better it would have sounded if it had any dynamics AT ALL.
I can't stand how the guitar is always on one side and sounds like it's being miked up from 100 metres away.
And the drums always sound like a tiny tippy tappy drum machine.
All their songs are better live because that's how they're supposed to sound.
-
I still like that fact that U2 is willing to experiment with their sound all these years later. They are not afraid of failure and that what I love about them except for their great knack for incredible hooks.
-
On the other hand - it's easy to sell "only" 5 million copies of an experimental album when you're $250m up.
-
But they were like that when they were piss poor as well and it's about art not anything else. That's what matters for me as a music lover.
-
One could be very cynical about them releasing two very U2 sounding albums back to back after Pop. Plus those two tours were extremely lucrative as well.
I wonder why they decided to try out the enormo-stage again for 360 given that PopMart was such a flop.
After all - NLOTH was hardly a blockbuster album. But the 360 tour was one of the highest grossing tours *EVER*.
I guess you could fit more people in the stadium but first you had to sell the dates etc.
-
kingshmegland is correct; U2 has almost always been pretty daring and not afraid to experiment with their sound. The irony is that a lot of people think they always sound the same, but I think that has mostly to do with Bono's voice and Edge's guitar sound being so identifiable that when some hear either or both, their reaction is, "Yep, sounds like U2." But think of how ballsy is was to do what they did with Achtung Baby, radically changing their sound like that when they were at the time already the biggest (regular working*) band in the world. That could have backfired on them, but it did the opposite: it solidified their standing as the biggest band in the world at the time (which was no small feat, considering how big Metallica and Guns N' Roses were in the early 90s).
*regular working meaning bands that regularly still recorded and toured, as opposed to bands like the Stones, Floyd, The Who, etc.
-
Yeah and it annoys me when people say Edge can't play guitar and has to rely on delay.
Just check out *any* of his Bullet The Blue Sky solos. Preferably the one from Popmart or Zoo TV.
-
I can't keep track of every live version of Bullet the Blue Sky on official releases :lol, but I just know that none of the others have ever come close to touching the Rattle & Hum one.
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN-HQicdLus
This will do ;)
+ the final one sounds a bit ropey. Must have been an off night.
-
I remember how they went slightly Americana for The Joshua Tree and the live album at at time when they were breaking big in the US. They are in a position many bands don't have the luxury of. Making music they want to make and still have a large following.
-
https://www.nme.com/news/u2/73795
April looking likely ?
-
At last, the return of the most overestimated and egocentric rock band in history... :yeahright
Can't wait!! :loser: :facepalm: :'(
-
You know, I can't really say I'm a fan of U2. Appreciate their importance, like the occasional song, but a fan? Not particularly.
That fact doesn't mean I should come into the thread dedicated to them and throw around insulting emoticons. If you don't like em, fine, but don't stink up their thread letting us know.
-
At last, the return of the most overestimated and egocentric rock band in history... :yeahright
Can't wait!! :loser: :facepalm: :'(
Then don't post in this thread.
-
At last, the return of the most overestimated and egocentric rock band in history... :yeahright
Can't wait!! :loser: :facepalm: :'(
Then don't post in this thread.
-
I know All That You Cant Leave Behind is considered an album where they went back to their Rock roots, but too me it just sounds like bland pop music. Pop-rock. Or is that what U2 has been doing all along. I'v listened to Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree, and those IMO are rock albums. ATYCLBehind just sounds just so goddamn poppy and commercial. The Atomic Bomb album...well, it's been awhile since i heard it and can't remember much. I did like the song Miracle Drug and thought it was very catchy.
ATYCLB just feels to be lacking depth. The songs have no soul, regardless of what Bono may think of himself.
-
SO - what does everyone think of " Invisible " ?
It's a free download from iTunes or their website if you didn't already know.
It's a little more like All That You Can't Leave Behind with a bit of Atomic Bomb.
To me it sounds like a mixture of Beautiful Day & City Of Blinding Lights - i.e. more like U2.
I hope the rest of the album is as big and catchy.
-
Dang, I grabbed the free download on Sunday, but forgot to listen to it. :lol :lol Combination of the Super Bowl and the nasty cold I had just made me forget, I guess.
Anyway, listening now, sounds pretty good. Nothing too special, but catchy enough.
-
There's been one song on the last 3 U2 albums that is just boring and should have been cut -
• Grace
• One Step Closer
• White As Snow
There will probably be one on the next album too.
-
Yep, I listened to it twice, and while the hook is kind of catchy, there really is very little substance to the song. More and more, the band sounds like they are on auto-pilot.
-
To be quite honest - i'd much rather have an album of U2 on autopilot than another album like Passengers 1 or No Line On The Horizon.
Their best albums are when they sound like themselves.
Achtung Baby being the only exception.
-
I'll be curious to hear their new one when it drops in April. Last saw them with the giant stadium stage back in 2008 and they're still a fantastic live experience.
-
Seeing U2 live was like a religious experience for me lol
-
I'll be curious to hear their new one when it drops in April. Last saw them with the giant stadium stage back in 2008 and they're still a fantastic live experience.
It's June or July now. Of course last year they said they will be done by November. Now Bono has said it's still not finished.
They always tinker and fiddle all the way to the end. Apparently they were still recording vocals whilst they were MASTERING Pop....
FFS. Why do they over-over-over-analyse everything ? Just record your 12 best songs and put it out....Gawd.
-
U2 on Jimmy Fallon's first Tonight Show last night:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FrXq_c_DHM
-
That acoustic version was great !
Ordinary Love is a great song but it does remind me of non-album single " Electrical Storm " from about 2000.
I hope the production of " Invisible " is indicative of the whole album. It's what was lacking in ...Horizon.
-
I'v listened to Achtung Baby and Juniper Tree, and also ATYCLB and Atomic Bomb.
The early stuff is where they were very much a rock band. But ATYCLB just sounds like a Pop Rock band to me. Anyone agree that these days they are just pop rock these days? even more so than Coldplay?
-
^^ Is there anything wrong with them being pop rock?
Anywho, I checked out their 360 Rose Bowl show DVD thing and yeah, it started pretty good and all of that, but somehow the ending was not really a strong one. Overall, I found them enjoyable and I didn't hear too much about them prior to that with the exception of Beautiful Day.
-
I was disappointed with the Rose Bowl DVD primarily because they had that massive structure that actually changed shape and rotated...
..And most of the shots were close ups of the band.
It was nowhere near as good musically as the Elevation Tour DVD or as Epic as the Popmart DVD ( at least at showing the actual structure ).
But " I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight " is so much better live - as are most of their songs thanks to Eno & Lanois and their suffocating production style.
-
That acoustic version was great !
Ordinary Love is a great song but it does remind me of non-album single " Electrical Storm " from about 2000.
I hope the production of " Invisible " is indicative of the whole album. It's what was lacking in ...Horizon.
Hmmm, I hadn't thought of that, but, very true.
^^ Is there anything wrong with them being pop rock?
Nope.
But " I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight " is so much better live - as are most of their songs thanks to Eno & Lanois and their suffocating production style.
Yeah, that live "dance" version of that song kills the studio original, partly because the suffocating production of NLOTH makes the studio version sound like ass, but mostly because the live arrangement is simply better.
-
I'm glad that Eno & Lanois aren't producing the new album. They might actually sound like a band for once.
And not like a cheap drum machine with a guitar in the distance.
-
I'm glad that Eno & Lanois aren't producing the new album. They might actually sound like a band for once.
And not like a cheap drum machine with a guitar in the distance.
While I thought that NLOTH was pretty underwhelming in terms of both content and production, it seems a bit harsh to slam Eno as if they've never done anything good with him at the desk. Unforgettable Fire, Wide Awake In America and All That You Can't Leave Behind all sound great to my ears. :tup
-
But every song on those albums sound 100% better live.
The lack of dynamics especially on " All That You Can't Leave Behind " is way too apparent.
Plus whenever Edge has distorted guitar - it's panned 100% to one side with nothing in the other channel - with drums and bass & vocals in the middle.
It's just so empty.
They've even said that Danny and Brian "hate" rock music - and U2 are a rock and roll band who sound so castrated on record.
I preferred the sonics of Atomic Bomb** - but the songs weren't as good as Leave Behind.
**Produced by Steve Lilywhite.
[ I think Coldplay even commented that Danny and Brian don't like distortion - so why the fuck do they produce rock bands ? ]
-
Just want them to split.
-
Just want them to split.
1. Don't listen to them,
2. Problem solved.
-
I'm glad that Eno & Lanois aren't producing the new album. They might actually sound like a band for once.
And not like a cheap drum machine with a guitar in the distance.
You act like all of their studio albums sound like crap, but let's face it, prior to the 2000s, most of their studio stuff sounded great (even if many of the songs did sound better live). And the problem with the sound of the 2000s albums is more about compression and the loudness wars than anything else.
Just want them to split.
1. Don't listen to them,
2. Problem solved.
Bingo. Although, U2 is so huge that any time they do anything, it is big news, and you hear about it everywhere, so if you aren't a fan, I get the whole "I'm tired of hearing about them" factor, but still, if you don't like them, no one says you have to listen to them. Seems rather easy to me.
-
I'm obviously not a 1D fan but ivd never knowingly heard any of their music.
Ergo - they don't affect me. I wouldn't go in a thread about 1D and post that
I hope they quit because I can just avoid them or not listen to them. Simple.
-
I have to get off my ass and listen to the new song. I haven't heard it yet.
-
You can download it free on iTunes.
www.itunes.com/u2
-
For me U2's recordings were never about the quality of production or technicalities of the musical performance, but more about the songs and the incredible passion exuding from them. I cannot think of many lead singers with more character and conviction than Bono. I've been a fan of theirs since my college days and the release of War. Saw them live once during their promotion of Achtung Baby......that was one helluva concert!
-
Kotowboy. I forgot I taped the Jimmy Fallon show which they were the musical guest. Very cool with the skyline on top of the GM building. Not a bad song at all. Nothing new style wise for them but I dug it.
-
I thought it was a much better lead off single than Get On Your Boots.
-
Well, Get On Your Boots sucks major swamp water, so it doesn't take much to top it.
-
Yeah and it annoys me when people say Edge can't play guitar and has to rely on delay.
Just check out *any* of his Bullet The Blue Sky solos. Preferably the one from Popmart or Zoo TV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN-HQicdLus
This will do ;)
I'm not saying there is anything bad about those solos. But I don't see anything all that great about them either. I mean, don't get me wrong, they are fine. They fit the song. But there is nothing that jumps out about them and makes me say "Edge is SO AMAZING!" either.
-
I didn't post that vid to say look how f--ing incredible he is.
Just to prove that he can actually play a solo and not just do arpeggios with delay - which is what everyone thinks is all he can do.
-
The Edge is about textures and melody which I love. He is unique and when you here a U@ song you know it's him which shoud be a staple for any guitarist. That is the highest of praise.
-
Just to prove that he can actually play a solo and not just do arpeggios with delay - which is what everyone thinks is all he can do.
Yes, clearly "everyone" thinks that.
-
I think that.
-
/thread. Kowtowboy must be crowned king this very instant.
-
:lol
Shadow Ninja, open you ears and eyes to all styles and possibilities. It can be great without being flashy.
Though Bosk1 did say it better than I ever could. :lol
-
I'm kidding, I love some really restrained stuff as well.
-
/thread. Kowtowboy must be crowned king this very instant.
(https://elvis-tkc.com/forum2/style_emoticons/default/king.gif) Eyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
-
dadgummit, I thought that was a new emote. :(
-
Bosk can make it so.
:kotowboy:
-
Latest news : Despite saying that they were aiming to have the album in the can by Nov 2013...
..now they're saying the album night not even come out this year.
Sigh.
Why oh why do some bands find it SO hard to write 12 songs and put them out ?
No - they have to be over analysed to the point of suffocation and over recorded and re-written to the point of stagnation.
If the New U2 album comes out in 2015 - that'll be the longest gap ever between U2 albums at 6 years.
SIX YEARS to write and record twelve new songs. That's an average of two whole songs a year.
-
Why oh why do some bands find it SO hard to write 12 songs and put them out?
I laughed a sympathetic laugh.
As a Tool, Metallica and GN'R fan (yes, I follow the modern line-up), I know the frustration all too well.
-
We could debate about bands don't owe us anything and they're wealthy enough not to make albums and tour regularly like Dream Theater or Mastodon do...
But when you keep telling people things that blatantly aren't true and pushing the album back more and more and more.
Remember when No Line On The Horizon was originally going to get a 2010 follow up ?
Ha.
Ha Ha.
More bands should put out EPs with 3 or 4 new songs on every so often like Pixies are.
Instead of one album every 78 years.
-
Bands like DT can't do that to their following but U2 can do whatever they want to be honest. How much would they delaying kill their fanbase?! I say none.
-
The wait would be fine without all the misinformation.
-
I agree but they are in a power position. Sometimes, this wait works towards their mystic. As bands get older they go at their own pace. Sucks for us but that's how it goes for us fans.
-
U2 can talk about a new album without revealing anything about it.
Bono called All That You Can't Leave Behind - " Titanium with Soul ".
You what ?
Also - whatever a band says their new album is - it's the opposite.
They said that " How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb " was their rock album.
It was anything but...
I'd say All That You Can't Leave Behind was more rock than Atomic Bomb.
-
I take whatever Bono says with a grain of salt. Just release music baby!
-
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for U2 has denied that the band have pushed back the release date of their 13th studio album to 2015. It was rumoured that the band's new record would now be released next year, but a spokesperson for the band flatly denied the claims, saying: "U2's album is planned for this year, is still on track and touring plans haven’t been confirmed yet.
Finally some news !
-
Well, considering they had to rush finishing up Pop because they already had booked the tour, which they said was the reason why that album never was as good as it could have been, they are obviously very careful to not make that mistake again, hence these constant delays. Given their ages, I sort of lump them into the "anything we get out of them is gravy at this point" category.
-
You'd think that in the last 17 years they'd have gotten around to releasing that album as it should have been.
They put out 4 songs on the Best of 1990-2000 compilation.
-
Fuck U2. They are one of the blandest bands out there. They used to be a rock band. What happened? Now they're basically creating music that's in the exact same style as Coldplay. U2 is not a pop band. Pop rock.
-
Still waiting on new stuff from these guys.....although nothing tops the older material.
-
Fuck U2. They are one of the blandest bands out there. They used to be a rock band. What happened? Now they're basically creating music that's in the exact same style as Coldplay. U2 is not a pop band. Pop rock.
Thanks for your contribution. :lol :lol
Still waiting on new stuff from these guys.....although nothing tops the older material.
That can be said for most bands, but if the next album is of similar quality to the last few, but with better sound, I'll be content. I'm not expecting another Achtung Baby or Joshua Tree at this point.
-
True.....I'm one of the biggest U2 fans out there and I love every album they've done. I really miss the cold, dark tone of Bono's voice from the early records, even though that's not something he can help cuz of his age. The softer warmer tone does fit the newer material though.
-
I hope it's true that the album is still on course for this year. It's a heck of a gap but it could be good if the last two singles are anything to go by.
Less experimentation - more "U2".
Apart from Achtung baby - their best albums are when they are basically just being U2 and not straying too far from their core sound.
-
SONGS OF INNOCENCE. On ITUNES NOW.
FREE. :o
-
I was watching the Apple Keynote when they performed and announced that! I couldn't believe it. It looks like you can download it for free up until mid-October
-
Wow, that is pretty awesome. I'll be listening to this later today when I have time. :coolio
-
Wow, that is pretty awesome. I'll be listening to this later today when I have time. :coolio
Every Breaking Wave is like classic U2.
Interestingly - neither "Ordinary Love" or " Invisible" are on the album. But You can add them to your own playlist if you want anyway.
-
This is a pretty solid album. Much better than "...On The Horizon".
I'm on track 9 of 11 and there's been nothing as dreary as "Grace" or "One Step Closer" or "White As Snow".
This is probably what NLOTH could have sounded like if Danny and Brian weren't so heavily involved.
-
I'm checking it out now on iTunes and I'm not a huge fan of U2. However, so far, it's sounding pretty good.
-
I just found it in my iTunes library. It just downloaded into it by itself. Fucking cool!
-
First play thru and nothing stood out as bland as anything from the last album. I need to give it a proper listen.
Also I think this is the first album in yonks that doesn't have Danny Lanois or Brian Eno involved in any way.
-
" In a three star out of five review on behalf of The Guardian, Caspar Llewellyn Smith noting how U2's "treading old ground without much of a sense of how to move forward."[8] "
:lol They've been going for nearly 40 years. Just be happy they're putting out music at all.
-
First listen....sounds good so far. I really liked some of the songs near the end.
Am I imagining it, or does this sound much better than the last few records, meaning not nearly as much compression? It sounds like the music is actually being allowed to breathe. I liked NLOTH, but man oh man, that one was so squashed, I can barely listen to it anymore.
-
Pretty good stuff! This coming from someone who has deliberately avoided U2 since The Joshua Tree was released. Perhaps my tastes have changed and I should revisit their releases since then.
Who'd have ever guessed that someone would characterise Joey Ramone as "The Miracle"? :lol
-
First listen....sounds good so far. I really liked some of the songs near the end.
Am I imagining it, or does this sound much better than the last few records, meaning not nearly as much compression? It sounds like the music is actually being allowed to breathe. I liked NLOTH, but man oh man, that one was so squashed, I can barely listen to it anymore.
NLOTH soured really quickly to me. I though Atomic Bomb sounded ok compression wise and ATYCLB had great songs on but hardly any life to it.
This album is the first album since Pop on which Danny Lanois & Brian Eno had no input.
They virtually joined the band on the last album and it shows.
I think the first few songs are all good.
Seeing as they're basically in 's back pocket - it's funny how they have a song called Iris - which is Siri spelled backwards :lol
-
I just found it in my iTunes library. It just downloaded into it by itself. Fucking cool!
Yeah this happened. I don't really have an interest in U2 - I like a few of their songs - but I'm not sure if its fucking cool or not... seems to me a little off (... Orwellian?) that Apple can just add whatever music they like to someone's iTunes library. I guess there's something in the terms in conditions (that EVERYBODY reads :\ ) that makes it fine. Whatevs, its their house, I just live in it.
Nevertheless its a fascinating concept, and I wonder if this is where the tattered anus that is the record industry is headed in the future. I even heard on the radio this morning 'The new U2 album has been downloaded by half a million people!!" lol yeah, unwittingly maybe.
-
Most of the critics in France about this album are catastrophic... :facepalm:
https://www.lesinrocks.com/2014/09/10/musique/u2-apple-grand-cambriolage-11523731/
"U2 impose their new album to the world via itunes : the method is as questionable as the album is bad." :biggrin:
"A group of millionaires "offers" his album exclusively on iTunes and the devaluation of music reached its climax. Well done, U2 "
A comment from the Ultimate Classic Rock website : "U2 made their money from Apple by being on stage..." :tup :rollin
Totally hilarious!! :lol :lol :lol
"Songs of Innocence is an argument for the album-as-background-noise, or maybe just the album-as-accessory-to-technology, the forgettable prize drowning in the much-more-desired Crackerjacks. On one of the album’s most elegiac songs, Bono sings, “Every breaking wave on the shore tells the next one there’ll be one more.” So does every iPhone." :loser:
The most pathetic and egocentric band on earth... :hefdaddy
-
It's 2014.
What better way to promote yourself to new fans than to give away your album and even take away the "chore" of downloading ?
The hate for U2 is ridiculous. You try selling 250 million records worldwide and see how you change as a person.
-
Nevertheless its a fascinating concept, and I wonder if this is where the tattered anus that is the record industry is headed in the future. I even heard on the radio this morning 'The new U2 album has been downloaded by half a million people!!" lol yeah, unwittingly maybe.
Half a billion :p
And I may be mistaken - it was in everyone's cloud and you still had to transfer it.
-
It's 2014.
What better way to promote yourself to new fans than to give away your album and even take away the "chore" of downloading ?
The hate for U2 is ridiculous. You try selling 250 million records worldwide and see how you change as a person.
Agreed. They give their new record away for free and some still find a way to bitch about them. It's both hilarious and pathetic at the same time.
Anyway, I am enjoying this record a lot. Most of the songs I am liking a lot. California and Cedarwood Road are the only ones not standing out much to me at the moment, but they might soon enough. It's hard to pick an early favorite, but I'd probably go with The Troubles or Sleep Like a Baby Tonight. I'm sure my favorites will change and move up and down like crazy the more I listen.
-
Nevertheless its a fascinating concept, and I wonder if this is where the tattered anus that is the record industry is headed in the future. I even heard on the radio this morning 'The new U2 album has been downloaded by half a million people!!" lol yeah, unwittingly maybe.
Half a billion :p
And I may be mistaken - it was in everyone's cloud and you still had to transfer it.
Yes, sorry half of BILLIONS!! And yeah, I realise it was in the cloud, I was commenting more on the idiotic statement I heard on the radio this morning.
It's 2014.
What better way to promote yourself to new fans than to give away your album and even take away the "chore" of downloading ?
The hate for U2 is ridiculous. You try selling 250 million records worldwide and see how you change as a person.
Agreed. They give their new record away for free and some still find a way to bitch about them. It's both hilarious and pathetic at the same time.
Myeah I guess its just the somewhat underhanded way it was snuck into iTunes libraries that bothers a lot of people, which I understand. Bands (maybe not of U2's calibre) have been releasing music for free for years, its just never been 'SURPRISE I put my new album in your iCloud without your knowledge, Love Bonzzz xx.'
I'm no U2 hater, the whole concept is just very interesting to ponder - the changing face of the cultural field of music, whether this event signifies a change in the industry and whether we will see more of this sort of thing. The music fan in me is kinda excited by it. But the anti-capitalist, anti-corporate anarchist in me (lol) is wary.
-
They give their new record away for free and some still find a way to bitch about them. It's both hilarious and pathetic at the same time.
By giving it away for free you mean they negotiated a fee with Apple for which they would allow Apple to give it away for free.
-
It's still free to us, regardless of what the band got paid by Apple. Jeez. :\ :facepalm:
-
It's 2014.
What better way to promote yourself to new fans than to give away your album and even take away the "chore" of downloading ?
The hate for U2 is ridiculous. You try selling 250 million records worldwide and see how you change as a person.
Agreed. They give their new record away for free and some still find a way to bitch about them. It's both hilarious and pathetic at the same time.
Anyway, I am enjoying this record a lot. Most of the songs I am liking a lot. California and Cedarwood Road are the only ones not standing out much to me at the moment, but they might soon enough. It's hard to pick an early favorite, but I'd probably go with The Troubles or Sleep Like a Baby Tonight. I'm sure my favorites will change and move up and down like crazy the more I listen.
I put on the album on the way to work today and " Song For Someone " could be the most beautiful thing they've ever put out.
I thought " Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own " was gorgeous but this easily tops it. I was welling up.
-
The most pathetic and egocentric band on earth... :hefdaddy
Why bother posting in a thread about something you hate ?
My twitter timeline is all
" I wouldn't check out the U2 album if you paid me "
" I'd rather a child in Africa died every minute than listen to U2 "
" If any of the new U2 album comes on the TV - I might have to destroy my TV "
" Coldplay wannabes " ... erm - cart before the horse ? Coldplay want to be so U2 so hard that it's actually funny.
" Lol - U2 have to give their album away coz nobody would buy it "
Right - let's see how you react if your favourite band gave their new album away - bet you'd change your tune then...
-
Yep, U2 haters are often times so irrationally dumb, it's comical.
Song for Someone is definitely a gorgeous tune. I think that, The Miracle, Every Breaking Wave and Iris (Hold Me Close) are the no-brainers to get played live.
This is Where You Can Reach Me Now is a major sleeper tune.
The Troubles would be awesome live, especially if they expand that ending, where it sounds like Edge was gonna play a ripping solo before it faded out, but will they trigger the female vocal? That might be odd, as they've never had a problem with backing tracks, but a backing lead vocal being triggered would be new.
-
I find it unsettling that iTunes can just download stuff on its own like that.
I don't have a problem with U2 or anything, I mostly just hate iTunes.
-
I gave it a full listen last night, and I really liked it. Can't really compare it to their other recent stuff though, I've only listened to their 80s and 90s albums.
-
Compared to their three 00s albums :
It's more experimental than All That You Can't Leave Behind
It's closest to How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb song wise
and it's way way better than No Line On The Horizon.
-
Man, I wish NLOTH would be rereleased with a fresh mix where the music is allowed to breathe. Magnificent, Unknown Caller and Fez/Being Born are all outstanding, and the majority of the rest is good. Get On Your Boots and Stand Up Comedy still blow big hairy chunks, however.
-
Yeah, I'm really, really liking this new album. I think Every Breaking Wave is my favorite so far.
-
Theirs an automatic download option, which you can turn off, because I have it set to manual. Which makes it funny why people are complaining, plus couldn't you just delete it. Or better yet, turn off the auto-download option. Or...why not get rid of itunes if your so concerned about future downloads.
-
Itunes says I purchased it, but I can't find the damn thing. Oh well.
-
Itunes says I purchased it, but I can't find the damn thing. Oh well.
Go to your Purchased tab and download it from there.
-
Yeah, I'm really, really liking this new album. I think Every Breaking Wave is my favorite so far.
Since ATYCLB - every album has had a "Grace". A song which is just blandness in a song.
on Atomic Bomb it was " One Step Closer "
On Horizon it was " White as Snow "
There's nothing like that on Songs Of Innocence.
Their 2000s albums :
1. All That You Can't Leave Behind.
2. Songs Of Innocence.
3. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
4. No Line On The Horizon.
-
Itunes says I purchased it, but I can't find the damn thing. Oh well.
Go to your Purchased tab and download it from there.
Thanks. There was a Purchased link on the main store page where I found it. I just checked and I have automatic downloads turned off so that's why I initially couldn't find it anywhere.
-
I like the rockers most, like Volcano and Raised By Wolves. U2 has never been a ballad band for me.
-
Their ballads can definitely be hit or miss, especially in the 21st century.
I just discovered the song Disappearing Act, which was included on the 2009 remaster of The Unforgettable Fire as a bonus track. Holy crap, what a song. :eek :eek :eek :eek
And I had just done redid my U2 mp3 CD for my car, and then I go and discover that song. Not to mention that I now the U22 live album from the 360 tour, which has several live versions that are totally awesome that I want to include now - Zooropa (I love finally having a great live version of this), Unknown Caller (far better than the live version from the Rose Bowl show) and the acoustic version of Stay (Faraway, So Close!).
-
So Sharon Osbourne claims that they gave it away because nobody would buy it :lol
If she wants to get into popularity -
U2 total worldwide sales : 250m
Black Sabbath - 70m
No Line On The Horizon : 5m sales
13 - 1m sales
Ozzy's last solo album ? less than 1m total sales...
U2 - Exact same line up since 1976.
Black Sabbath ?? :lol
-
She's a terrible human being. In every way possible.
I will be curious to see if anything from No Line on the Horizon gets played on the next tour. By the last leg of the 36 tour, only Get On Your Boots and Moment of Surrender were still getting played at every show, with Magnificent getting played here and there, but they have to have realized by now that Get On Your Boots was not liked by fans and should be dumped, and I can't imagine Moment of Surrender being played anywhere in the set but at the very end, and they won't close with it again, so that will likely go bye-bye as well. I could see Magnificent getting played again, which would be great since it wasn't played at the show I saw. Sadly, they ditched Unknown Caller about midway through the tour, so I doubt they'll ever play that again; I still love that tune.
-
So Sharon Osbourne claims that they gave it away because nobody would buy it :lol
If she wants to get into popularity -
U2 total worldwide sales : 250m
Black Sabbath - 70m
No Line On The Horizon : 5m sales
13 - 1m sales
Ozzy's last solo album ? less than 1m total sales...
U2 - Exact same line up since 1976.
Black Sabbath ?? :lol
Not to mention that amount of money that U2 has made on tours and the # of people that came to their shows within the last four decades or so.
-
I'm pretty sure that "360" is the biggest grossing tour of all time.
750m dollars ?
Since she didn't ask. She just took a jab at what she thought was an easy target.
-
Just for shits and giggles - i looked up black sabbath's past members on Wiki
:eek
Really didn't realise quite so many people could lay claim to being part of the band.
They're almost the metal Fleetwood Mac ! Probably worse !
-
Sharon can only be in the public eye thanks to Ozzy's money since she is the only person I would promote that needed plastic surgery. Now imagine if he had Bono's money. :lol
-
The reason U2 have never had a line up change in 40 years is because they split everything 25%.
Now look at Black Sabbath - I bet Tony and Ozzy get the lion's share whilst Geezer and Bill probably had to share a pittance.
Hardly surprising he had to leave the band before the 13 sessions.
Probably cheaper for Iommi and Osbourne to pay a session drummer a wage rather than give Bill 25% of all income.
-
I'm sure making a shit ton of money probably helped in their decision to stay in the band.
-
That's a helluva deal for Clayton and Mullen, both of whom most would agree are far less valuable than Edge or Bono. Rush does the same thing, spitting everything three ways equally, although in their case the value of all three is about the same. I'm surprised more bands don't do that, for the sake of band harmony and unity, but then again, most bands are not as unique as Rush and U2.
-
" Songs Of Innocence " will be followed be a companion album called " Songs Of Experience " within 18 months...
:lol Hmmm where have I heard that before ?!
There was supposed to be an album called "Songs of Ascent" ready to come out in 2010...
-
I'll believe it when it randomly shows up in my iCloud. :lol :biggrin:
-
Physical release is next month. Not the cover art I was expecting, but hey, I like the album, I'll buy the 2-disc version.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NI5RLOW/ref=asliqfspasiniltlie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00NI5RLOW&linkCode=as2&tag=intersrecor05-20
-
I'll believe it when it randomly shows up in my iCloud. :lol :biggrin:
:lol
-
Physical release is next month. Not the cover art I was expecting, but hey, I like the album, I'll buy the 2-disc version.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NI5RLOW/ref=asliqfspasiniltlie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00NI5RLOW&linkCode=as2&tag=intersrecor05-20
It's better than seeing Adams wang on Achtung Baby.
-
Is that really the cover?? Good Lord. :lol :lol
-
Is that really the cover?? Good Lord. :lol :lol
It's not just two guys. It's Larry Mullen Jr and Larry Mullen Jr. Jr. :lol
-
Wouldn't that be Larry Mullen III? :lol :lol
-
Larry Mullen The Second Second. :millahhhh
-
This is my brother Larry Jr, My other brother Larry Jr, Jr........
-
Let's play " Rank the 21st Century U2 albums !! "
For me this is easy.
1. All That You Can't Leave Behind. 2000
The first time I heard " Beautiful Day " me and my bro were both like " Oh finally ". :P . It was U2 sounding like U2 again. A few people claim it was them playing it safe -
- but they usually make their best music when they do what they do best - and this album is choc full of great songs that were even better live. The Elevation Tour DVD was amazing.
2. Songs of Innocence. 2014
Already better than No Line On The Horizon and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. Just U2 being U2 and writing great songs with amazing melodies and choruses. The Miracle is a
fantastic opener and Song For Someone is probably their best song this century. There's no real dud track and when sequenced with Ordinary Love & Invisible - a really strong album
overall.
3. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. 2004
Not quite as good as the two above but I absolutely adored Vertigo and wished the whole album was that rocking. Unfortunately - it's basically All That You Can't Leave Behind - just
not as good. Got a few really weak songs in the shape of " One Step Closer " and " Love and Peace Or Else ". As with the preceding album ( ATYCLB ) - the best track on the album
is the bonus track. The Ground Beneath Her Feet, and here - Fast Cars. However - Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own is gorgeous.
4. No Line On The Horizon. 2009
Not entirely sure what to make of this album. The lead single was poor and really only has a handful of stand out tracks ( Breathe, Fez, No Line On The Horizon & Magnificent ) . The rest
are really dull ( " White as Snow " ) or just uninteresting ( " Stand Up Comedy " , " Unknown Caller " ). Good closer in " Cedars Of Lebanon " though. I like Bono's
Mark Knopfler-esque talky singing style on that one. But overall a really difficult album to like and not much to enjoy.
-
My brother and I will be witnessing this in now a matter of hours at Busch Stadium:
https://blogs.suntimes.com/music/U2_Chicago2_72dpi.jpg
:hat :hat :hat
That picture is now my desktop background ;D
-
I think the new one is much better than the others from this century, although I thought that about NLOTH at first, too, but that one didn't age that well, so we'll see. However, unlike NLOTH, I am liking every song on the new one a lot; nothing even close to a dud on there. Iris might be their best album track since Achtung Baby; it's that great, IMO. It sounds so effortlessly rocking and enjoyable, and the section near the end is freaking incredible:
Iris standing in the hall
She tells me I can do it all
Iris wakes to my nightmares
Don’t fear the world it isn’t there
Iris playing on the strand
She buries the boy beneath the sand
Iris says that I will be the death of her
It was not me
:hefdaddy :hefdaddy
-
Iris reminds me of Exit with that single note clean guitar in the verses just twice as fast.
That section from Volcano that goes : You were alone, and now you 're not alone - you and I are rock and roll - reminds me something off Pop.
Mainly the vocal effects - the funk guitar part and the way Bono sings " You were aloo--one. " the second time he says it.
I always enjoy Edge's funk guitar parts. The one from Discotheque is a great part and quite tricky to play.
What about Miracle Drug ? I think it's a good song but sounds like they were trying to re-write With Or Without You.
-
Just listened to "Fast Cars" again.
First line : " My cell is ringing - no ID i need to know who's calling ".
Interesting...
-
I like Miracle Drug, but I don't love it. Most of the songs on How to Dismantle... are like that for me, except for Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own (which is great), City of Blinding Lights (which is far better live) and Crumbs from Your Table, which are my three favorites from it.
I've never heard Fast Cars; I'll have to check it out.
-
It might be just me but I think U2 can pull stuff off that other bands would find extremely naff - and make it seem
Cool.
Like the Popmart tour. If any other band had done that it would have seemed completely ridiculous.
It *was* completely ridiculous but when it's U2 - it's acceptable because they're so huge that it kinda makes sense.
Also they all four of them look great as a band. You couldn't imagine anyone but Adam playing bass for them.
-
I'm still amazed by the backlash to them giving this new album away for free. Reading reviews on various sites, the vast majority of negatives ones mention Apple or something about it being bull shit that the album was shoved on to them and their iCloud. Hell, I've been around long enough to know that people love to bitch about the stupidest shit (this is DTF, after all :lol), but this really takes the cake. It's like, some are so pissy about it that they want to hate the album. It's pathetic, really.
-
BTW, Kotowboy, have you heard the bonus disc yet? It's out there. ;)
There are two other new songs, the album version of Invisible (which is better, as the intro and outro are both a bit longer), and a bunch of alternate versions of songs from the normal album (mostly acoustic ones). Of the two new songs, The Crystal Ballroom, which is a very dancy track, is pretty great. The other, Lucifer's Hands, is okay, but I've only listened once.
-
Not yet. i'll wait til it's out / on Spotify.
I don't really download music as it spoils the end product for me.
When the album is released physically - does the album just stop working on your iTunes ? What if you burned it to CD ?
PS - i've sequenced the album so that Invisible is track 2 and Ordinary Love is Track 13. Works for me.
-
I'm still amazed by the backlash to them giving this new album away for free. Reading reviews on various sites, the vast majority of negatives ones mention Apple or something about it being bull shit that the album was shoved on to them and their iCloud. Hell, I've been around long enough to know that people love to bitch about the stupidest shit (this is DTF, after all :lol), but this really takes the cake. It's like, some are so pissy about it that they want to hate the album. It's pathetic, really.
I really don't know what there is to hate about them apart from people don't like Bono's rockstar behaviour.
Even if Bono can be a bit of a rockstar at times - it shouldn't affect how people feel about the band as a whole or their music.
The other day I watched a video on YouTube where Adam Clayton was talking about Streets Have No Name - and the sole comment was " wanker ".
I don't get it. It's not like the music is god awful or they're all four of them completely humourless rockstar divas.
They all seem like really decent down to earth people.
-
I can't imagine it would stop working in iTunes. Not sure why it would.
I haven't thought about where those tracks go in the sequence yet, but Ordinary Love last seems odd; that doesn't seem like a last track kind of song. And I cannot imagine The Troubles not being the closer.
-
Invisible stands out wherever it's sequenced . The album is quite melodic and catchy but that song is especially poppy with that synth bass intro playing octaves.
-
I really don't know what there is to hate about them apart from people don't like Bono's rockstar behaviour.
Even if Bono can be a bit of a rockstar at times - it shouldn't affect how people feel about the band as a whole or their music.
The other day I watched a video on YouTube where Adam Clayton was talking about Streets Have No Name - and the sole comment was " wanker ".
I don't get it. It's not like the music is god awful or they're all four of them completely humourless rockstar divas.
They all seem like really decent down to earth people.
I'm not sure I would call Bono down to earth; he comes across as quite the arrogant mofo, to me. :lol But then again, isn't the music ultimately what matters? You'd think so, but a lot of people have such a strong hatred for this band, it's weird. What's odd is the people I know who have been or who are U2 fans aren't much of ones anymore. My younger brother went with me to the show here on the 36 tour, but I doubt he'd pay to see them again. My older brother was a huge fan of theirs in the 80s, but he jumped ship when Mysterious Ways (which he thought was total dog shit) came out and he hasn't been a fan of anything new of theirs since. I have a few friends who still sorta like them, but not sure any of them would pay $100+ to see them, so if/when they come here on the next tour, finding someone to go with me might be difficult. :lol :lol :facepalm:
-
Invisible stands out wherever it's sequenced . The album is quite melodic and catchy but that song is especially poppy with that synth bass intro playing octaves.
True. I haven't thought about where I would rank Invisible in regards to the other new songs, but I know my favorites are Iris, The Troubles, This is Where You Can Reach Me Now and Song for Someone, and Volcano is definitely my least favorite.
-
I really don't know what there is to hate about them apart from people don't like Bono's rockstar behaviour.
Even if Bono can be a bit of a rockstar at times - it shouldn't affect how people feel about the band as a whole or their music.
The other day I watched a video on YouTube where Adam Clayton was talking about Streets Have No Name - and the sole comment was " wanker ".
I don't get it. It's not like the music is god awful or they're all four of them completely humourless rockstar divas.
They all seem like really decent down to earth people.
I'm not sure I would call Bono down to earth; he comes across as quite the arrogant mofo, to me. :lol But then again, isn't the music ultimately what matters? You'd think so, but a lot of people have such a strong hatred for this band, it's weird. What's odd is the people I know who have been or who are U2 fans aren't much of ones anymore. My younger brother went with me to the show here on the 36 tour, but I doubt he'd pay to see them again. My older brother was a huge fan of theirs in the 80s, but he jumped ship when Mysterious Ways (which he thought was total dog shit) came out and he hasn't been a fan of anything new of theirs since. I have a few friends who still sorta like them, but not sure any of them would pay $100+ to see them, so if/when they come here on the next tour, finding someone to go with me might be difficult. :lol :lol :facepalm:
I don't think i've heard Bono say anything quite like " Yeah we're the best band ever and we're all amazing musicians " etc..
Probably the opposite actually.
-
He's never that blatant with it, but read the "U2 By U2" book; his arrogance just leaps off the pages at times. Off the top of my head, I remember his comment how he thought Zooropa was a work of genius at the time. And of course his famous comment after the release of All That You Can't Leave Behind about them reapplying for the title of best band in the world just reeks of arrogance.
But, don't get me wrong, Bono's arrogance is a large part of why he is such a great entertainer on stage; he has no fear for doing whatever it takes to make a show great, and that takes a little bit of fearless arrogance.
-
So it's out & on Spotify including the 10 track bonus disc.
I didn't think Bono would hit the high note in "Raised By Wolves" live but he does it fine - which is weird as it sounds really tuned on the album...
Maybe it was a style choice.
-
I'm not a fan of many of the acoustic versions on the bonus disc. It's like they brought the music down to a more subdued vibe, but Bono was still all loud and "shouty" with his vocals too often. I doubt I'll ever listen to any of those versions over the proper album ones.
-
It's nice to have though. I'll buy the 2CD version when I can.
-
Having had Songs Of Innocence in my headphones a lot recently - I think i'd now place it #1 of their 2000s albums but All That You Can't Leave Behind is not far behind.
It just doesn't have a duff track and ATYCLB has "Grace" - which is just meh.
Listening to Songs Of Innocence today - a lot of it actually makes me think of Pop - albeit much better executed. Some of the vocals and guitar parts etc.
-
I can sorta see that. U2 sure does love to end their albums with a song that is a bit of a downer, don't they?
I'll be interested to see what new song they end with on the next tour, given that they almost always pick a new song to use as the last encore on a given tour (Love Is Blindness on Zoo TV, Wake Up Dead Man on PopMart, Walk On on the Elevation tour, Moment of Surrender on the 360 tour).
-
U2 were awesome on Later With Jools Holland tonight.
They opened the show with Volcano - and closed with Every Breaking Wave - with Edge on piano and a string section. Bono's voice was outstanding.
-
Volcano was a bit disappointing, mostly cause Bono can't really go all out live like he used to, and that song has some really powerful vocals.
Every Breaking Wave was nice. It won't surprise me if that becomes their "go to" way to perform it live, sans the strings of course.
-
Volcano was a bit disappointing, mostly cause Bono can't really go all out live like he used to, and that song has some really powerful vocals.
Every Breaking Wave was nice. It won't surprise me if that becomes their "go to" way to perform it live, sans the strings of course.
I'd sa his voice was amazing for how long he's basically been belting it out and for his age.
-
So what do we think is Bono's singing range ?
On " New York " - from All That You Can't Leave Behind -he sings really low and on " Sleep Like A baby Tonight " on the new album - his falsetto is pretty damn high.
-
I've seen quite a few U2 fans online criticizing that falsetto in Sleep Like... I think it sounds good, but what do I know? :lol
-
He is struggling slightly but it's totally fine.
-
Well, the guy is 54 now, so I certainly do not expect him to nail notes like he did back in the 80s or early 90s. There's a reason they rarely play Bad live anymore, and I cannot imagine him attempting to sing Lemon nowadays. :lol :lol
I think in the case of that live Volcano clip, I guess I was expecting more cause it was a show where they were only playing a few songs, so he can afford to go all-out, as opposed to a normal show where he can't go all-out too much or else he'll have no voice left by the time the halfway point of the show hits.
-
I think his voice is in good shape but he is noticeably trailing off at the end of vocals. I think he's fine for the forseeable....
-
The new album finally clicked with me and I think it's fantastic. Same rankings as everybody else: ATYCLB, SOS, HTDAAB, NLOTH.
Every Breaking Wave, California and Song For Someone are my favs on it.
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmJp6QWWV4g - Volcano on Jools Holland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpZgpeFsDmk - Every Breaking Wave - Piano version on Jools Holland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taR_2WGflds - California on Jools Holland
:)
-
I'll quote this here since this is basically the official U2 thread:
U2 tour:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/u2-announces-innocence-plus-experience-tour/ar-BBghIIs
Bummer that they are doing so few cities in 2015, but they are supposedly gonna do more in 2016, so that gives me more time to save up the arm and leg they charge for shows now. :lol
-
Thanks, I knew the other thread wasn't right, but took a quick skim and I couldn't find this one.
-
I don't have the money for a U2 concert. And they all sell out in 2 seconds anyway.
-
Even though I love their music, this is another dick move on their part:
-Making fans pay an arm and a leg for concert this far in advance.
-Announcing it during the holiday season with very short notice - "Hey, here are the dates, and tickets go on sale in four days!"
-
I'm still amazed by the backlash to them giving this new album away for free. Reading reviews on various sites, the vast majority of negatives ones mention Apple or something about it being bull shit that the album was shoved on to them and their iCloud. Hell, I've been around long enough to know that people love to bitch about the stupidest shit (this is DTF, after all :lol), but this really takes the cake. It's like, some are so pissy about it that they want to hate the album. It's pathetic, really.
I realise this is an old topic now, but:
I like U2's earlier material and don't buy into the pointless bashing of the band, and yet if I had found their new album in my iTunes without me asking for it to be there, I probably would have deleted it and not listened to it based sheerly on that fact. Giving away your album for free? Cool. Manipulatively forcing it on people? Not even remotely cool.
And I realise that it was actually a matter of the way the auto-download thing worked, but even if you could show me the band and Apple explicitly stating that they weren't intentionally taking advantage of the fact that many people will have it set to manual, and it's thus "their fault" if it ends up in their library when they don't want it, I still don't think I could completely believe it.
-
With all due respect, I still think that's a silly stance (I said it back then when some bitched about it).
*below is meant in general and not directed at you, Fluffy*
Complaining about getting free music? Good grief, people. If you don't like U2, then don't listen to it. Some people just love to complain about anything.
-
Noel Gallagher joins U2 onstage for " I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bWM6dnjCXQ
-
OK, seems there was no need to start a new thread. I'm still surprised there's not that much talk about U2 in this forum (only one post in the last year 15 months?!).
These are 10 nice U2 songs I like, from throughout their history:
From the '80s
1980 "The Electric Co." (that 'solo' :hefdaddy)
1983 "Surrender"
1984 "Pride" (obviously)
1987 "In God's Country"
From the '90s
1991 "Lady With The Spinning Head" (the 'extended dance mix')
1997 "Discothèque"
From the '00s
2000 "Walk On"
2004 "Yahweh" (favourite U2 song)
2006 "Window In The Skies"
From the '10s
2014 "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight"
-
He's never that blatant with it, but read the "U2 By U2" book; his arrogance just leaps off the pages at times. Off the top of my head, I remember his comment how he thought Zooropa was a work of genius at the time. And of course his famous comment after the release of All That You Can't Leave Behind about them reapplying for the title of best band in the world just reeks of arrogance.
But, don't get me wrong, Bono's arrogance is a large part of why he is such a great entertainer on stage; he has no fear for doing whatever it takes to make a show great, and that takes a little bit of fearless arrogance.
Little late to the party on this, but I wanted to chime in on this thought in particular. I have "U2 By U2" and I'm familiar with the comment about "best band in the world", so I know where you're coming from, but I take it differently. I don't take it like he KNOWS that, I take it in the sense of "I need to be better". You can say a lot about U2 both good and bad, but you CANNOT say they do things halfway, and you CANNOT say they phone it in. So if that's Bono's way of saying "we're giving it everything we have!" then it's hard to knock. With the new album, supposedly they had an entire album ready to go, and it didn't seem right, so they went back and came up with TWO MORE albums, one of which was released as "Songs of Innocence".
I don't know; I kind of wish more bands pushed the envelope like they do. And for all the comments about Bono, that little fucker can still sing live. You watch him walk out on the runway, with just Edge strumming an acoustic guitar, and you listen to EVERY FUCKING WORD he sings. I think it's a really weak argument to say they aren't one of the three best bands in the world right now (Springsteen is another, and I'll leave the third for the discussion).
-
1991 "Lady With The Spinning Head" (the 'extended dance mix')
Nice call! Obscure B-side, but excellent song!
No U2 list for me is complete without "Ultraviolet", "One Tree Hill" and "Original of the Species".
-
I find that all the hate U2 get is mostly because people think Bono is an arrogant tosser.
But it's mostly an act. Mostly.
They never really say they're shit musicians or that bono can't sing or larry and Adam can't play.
They do like to trot out that Edge plays the same thing in every song but that guy can play..He plays guitar. Piano, can sing as well as Bono if not better...He's amazing.
Songs of Innocence was a brilliant album and light years better than the bland, compressed, too many cooks sound of No Line On The Horizon.
I'm looking forward to the next album because Eno & Lanois have nothing to do with it again.
-
You can say a lot about U2 both good and bad, but you CANNOT say they do things halfway, and you CANNOT say they phone it in.
I think it's a really weak argument to say they aren't one of the three best bands in the world right now (Springsteen is another, and I'll leave the third for the discussion).
About the 1st part: didn't they release Pop half-baked? I remember reading that they weren't pleased with some of the songs/mixes, and that's why they included many different versions on The Best Of 1990-2000.
About the 2nd part: if U2 is a Top 3 band, Maiden also have to be in the Top 3. They've been around for basically the same ammount of time than U2, they keep releasing strong music, the musicians have a strong bond with the fans (and amongst themselves), they tour all the time, etc.
-
Stadler, I am sure that is what Bono meant, in regards to the best band in the world, but putting it the way he did just came off as arrogant...which is a problem he often seems to have. I love the guy as a singer and entertainer, but sometimes I really wish he would shut up. :lol :lol
As for best bands in the world right now, that is obviously subjective as hell, but I think they are unquestionably the most popular active* band in the world right now. I mean, what other band in the world could do a stadium tour for years like they did with U2360 and pack them in at pretty much every show?
*By active, I means bands that still record and tour at least somewhat regularly.
-
They released Pop unfinished since Paul McGuinness booked the tour and they didn't finish the album in time for the tour so they just put it out.
-
You can say a lot about U2 both good and bad, but you CANNOT say they do things halfway, and you CANNOT say they phone it in.
I think it's a really weak argument to say they aren't one of the three best bands in the world right now (Springsteen is another, and I'll leave the third for the discussion).
About the 1st part: didn't they release Pop half-baked? I remember reading that they weren't pleased with some of the songs/mixes, and that's why they included many different versions on The Best Of 1990-2000.
About the 2nd part: if U2 is a Top 3 band, Maiden also have to be in the Top 3. They've been around for basically the same ammount of time than U2, they keep releasing strong music, the musicians have a strong bond with the fans (and amongst themselves), they tour all the time, etc.
This is hard for me; VERY hard. Maiden is literally the first band I ever saw live (they opened for Priest when I went to the "Screaming..." Tour back in '82. And I would put them up there.
But I think about this more transformationally. As much as I love Maiden, they aren't going to be asked to do a Super Bowl halftime any time soon. They aren't going to be asked to headline the 9/11 tribute concert any time soon. No one was waiting for them to issue their "take" on 9/11 when it happened (like many - not all, I get it, but MANY) were with Springsteen (his response was "The Rising").
There are bands that transcend their genre. They transcend their time. They transcend their fan base. Look, I love Maiden; Dickinson is my favorite lead singer of all time, and Murray is in my top ten guitarists. Powerslave, top ten albums all time. I get it. I love them. But they don't transcend like U2 do.
I think the top three right now are:
Springsteen
U2
McCartney (I'm iffy on this one; I could go either way here).
-
By the way, it's not just 'size of venue'; I know Maiden does football stadiums everywhere else other than the States. And Taylor Swift and Genesis can do stadia without an album. I'm talking more about how a band comes to represent their time. Musically, politically, socially. Beatles, Dylan, Hendrix in the 60's. Zeppelin, Sex Pistols, Floyd in the 70's. Duran Duran, Van Halen, and The Police (you could put AC/DC here too) in the 80's. Pearl Jam, as much as it pains me Nirvana, and Metallica in the 90's.
-
Maybe we take into account different factors when considering how great a band is. I mainly focus on their art, their work ethic, and how strong a bond they share with themselves and their audiences. I don't take into account any political or historical aspects - I'm not interested in that. For instance, had Bono never developed his interest in third world countries, politics, religion, etc., or had they never associated with Apple, I would still consider U2 one of the greatest bands of all time - for many reasons. To each their own, I guess.
They released Pop unfinished since Paul McGuinness booked the tour and they didn't finish the album in time for the tour so they just put it out.
Oh yeah, you're right, thanks.
By the way, how do all of you rank Pop? When I was young, and started reading about '80s/'90s bands in music magazines, I always read that it was usually considered by critics/audiences as the worst album. Still, to me, it's not their worst - I think October is.
I wouldn't rank it as a Top 3, either. I'm no U2 fan, but I've listened to every album except for 2 (Zooropa and NLOTH). My Top 3 might be:
1. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
2. Boy
3. Achtung Baby
I have a feeling I might like NLOTH a lot, though.
-
Pop is a disorganized mess that still manages to sounds good because there is a lot of good stuff on there, even if some of the songs are unfocused and a bit too clunky. I think it's a better album than Zooropa, which has a few total throwaway tracks. Even the least best songs on Pop still have something to offer.
-
Yeah Zooropa is a very strange album. Most of it sounds like they were on acid when they wrote/recorded it, which makes it difficult to listen to casually. You need to be in a certain mood to listen to it, or at least I do. But props to them for trying something so different.
-
My favorite U2 album is Rattle amd Hum. Followed by Achtung Baby. :)
-
See what I wrote in the other U2 thread; I think... wait, I'll bring it over here, too...
U2 has a history of sorts with albums being up and down, so it's no surprise. It's like they put out an album and it kills, and they have the inspiration but maybe not the ideas and the next one flounders, but then they realize they have to knuckle down and the next one after that is a monster...
WAR
Unforgetable Fire
THE JOSHUA TREE
Rattle and Hum
ACHTUNG BABY! (My vote for their best album)
Zooropa
Pop - isn't great, but it was a vast improvement over Zooropa, and was of a longer period (the "Achtung-Zooropa-Pop" touring arc).
All That You Can't Leave Behind - isn't great, but was a more muted, reserved return after the glitz of Pop).
ATOMIC BOMB (Third best album, after AB! and TJT)
No Line...
SONGS OF INNOCENCE
Pop is the anomaly, because it's not for lack of ideas, or inspiration, it's lack of time. That really COULD have been a great album (the last song is one of their best ideas, but just... needed to gel. The other "lesser" records are the opposite. They put a LOT of time into No Line, and it's a mess. Zooropa would have been a better EP than an actual standalone album (the only song I REALLY like is the title track).
-
I don't see how Rattle and Hum is a down album when it delivered us Desire and All I Want Is You and the best live versions of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and Pride. But then again, maybe it's my love for those songs that is coloring my view of the album.
-
I prefer All That You Can't Leave Behind to Atomic Bomb probably because HTDAAB came out during the absolute lowest point in my life. So every song bar Vertigo which I love just brings all the negative emotions back.
-
I don't see how Rattle and Hum is a down album when it delivered us Desire and All I Want Is You and the best live versions of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and Pride. But then again, maybe it's my love for those songs that is coloring my view of the album.
Perhaps I'm failing, but I am trying to keep the subjective out of it. I personally love Rattle and Hum (and I don't like War much, for example). AIWIY is a top five U2 song for me.
-
R&H was big but I didn't play it much. I don't have an answer to why.
-
I don't see how Rattle and Hum is a down album when it delivered us Desire and All I Want Is You and the best live versions of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and Pride. But then again, maybe it's my love for those songs that is coloring my view of the album.
Perhaps I'm failing, but I am trying to keep the subjective out of it. I personally love Rattle and Hum (and I don't like War much, for example). AIWIY is a top five U2 song for me.
All I Want Is You is really good on the PopMart DVD.
-
Rattle & Hum was, by all accounts, a big success. It had four hits that were all pretty successful to some degree, and it sold 5 million copies. It just had the unfortunately timing of being sandwiched in between what most agree are, far and away, their two best albums, plus it does have a weird flow because of the half live/half studio format.
-
What gets me when I read critic reviews of Rattle and Hum is that a lot of the criticism is not about the music, but mostly about U2's choices of paying homage to rock and roll greats, which the critics said was pretentiousness because U2 was supposedly trying to put themselves at the level of the greats at that point in their career.
What a bullshit criticism, if you ask me.
-
Bashing U2 for the sake of it is trendy.
-
Critics are the worst, and while U2 have always been a critics' darling, even those darlings are not immune from the poison pen of the dolts who are good at nothing but bashing the work of true artists.
-
I prefer All That You Can't Leave Behind to Atomic Bomb probably because HTDAAB came out during the absolute lowest point in my life. So every song bar Vertigo which I love just brings all the negative emotions back.
Sorry, bad to hear. Many of its songs ("Miracle Drug", "City Of Blinding Lights", "Yahweh") made me feel happier when I was feeling down (the album was released when I was 15, so that happened frequently).
I remember enjoying playing guitar along many of Atomic Bomb's songs - the aforementioned, "Vertigo", "All Because Of You", "Sometimes...". Leave Behind also had some songs which were/are fun to play along to, though - the four singles, and "Wild Honey".
-
Achtung Baby will always be the best U2 record for me.
On Rattle & Hum, I thought it was fantastic. But it was clearly a band in the midst of an identitiy crisis in that period. It has some fantastic studio tracks and a LOT of definitive live versions of songs like Pride, Bullet the Blue Sky. They were clearly struggling between their musical inherritance (blues/punk/rock) and trying to catch up with the modern sound at the time.
After a lot of internal struggle, they fully embraced dance music on Achtung Baby, and did so brilliantly in my opinion.
-
Rattle & Hum was, by all accounts, a big success. It had four hits that were all pretty successful to some degree, and it sold 5 million copies. It just had the unfortunately timing of being sandwiched in between what most agree are, far and away, their two best albums, plus it does have a weird flow because of the half live/half studio format.
But as a record, it's transitional at best. Part and parcel with the film, it was a roaring success, but - singles notwithstanding - it was a trying record. If you believe the story about the "double set" of Joshua Tree, you know that there was a battle (that The Edge ultimately won) between The Edge and Bono for TJT. The Edge wanted it the way it was, and Bono wanted a rootsier, more "Americana" record, in keeping with the "MJK" vibe of TUF, or Silver and Gold. R&H was much more in that vein, but it wasn't necessarily the way the entire band wanted to go. Even when they started Achtung Baby, the band was conflicted; many interviews say that they almost called it a day, until they came up with "One" which became the catalyst and the lynchpin for the album.
-
The band always seems to struggle in the studio, taking forever sometimes to write songs. Plus, they a) care too much what critics think, and b) worry about singles too much, so when R&H was ripped by brain dead critics and didn't have a hit the likes of With or Without You or I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, I am sure they considered it a step back, hence them beating themselves up early on when writing for what eventually became Achtung Baby.
-
Get On Your Boots was a terrible lead single. It should have been "Magnificent".
-
Get On Your Boots is a terrible song. We can just leave it at that. :lol :lol
-
The opening two songs on that album are great. After that....hmmm... Breathe is ok i guess ? ???
-
Eh, the title track is okay. With Breathe, you can tell that it had a lot going for it, but it's like they just missed the mark with it.
Best songs from that are definitely Magnificent, Moment of Surrender, Unknown Caller and Fez/Being Born.
-
Rattle & Hum was, by all accounts, a big success. It had four hits that were all pretty successful to some degree, and it sold 5 million copies. It just had the unfortunately timing of being sandwiched in between what most agree are, far and away, their two best albums, plus it does have a weird flow because of the half live/half studio format.
But as a record, it's transitional at best. Part and parcel with the film, it was a roaring success, but - singles notwithstanding - it was a trying record. If you believe the story about the "double set" of Joshua Tree, you know that there was a battle (that The Edge ultimately won) between The Edge and Bono for TJT. The Edge wanted it the way it was, and Bono wanted a rootsier, more "Americana" record, in keeping with the "MJK" vibe of TUF, or Silver and Gold. R&H was much more in that vein, but it wasn't necessarily the way the entire band wanted to go. Even when they started Achtung Baby, the band was conflicted; many interviews say that they almost called it a day, until they came up with "One" which became the catalyst and the lynchpin for the album.
Since you put it that way, yeah, it is indeed a transitional record. Still, it produced All I Want Is You, so it is a big :tup for me. :lol
-
Not to mention 'Desire'.
-
All I Want Is You is still not only the best song U2 has ever done, but one of the best songs ever by anyone.
Hawkmoon 269 is still criminally underrated.
-
^^^ I don't disagree with either of those statements.
-
IMO the 5 album run of War > The Unforgettable Fire > The Joshua Tree > Rattle and Hum > Achtung Baby! may be one of the best by any artist ever. For me The Unforgettable Fire is just as strong as the others in this 5 album run. I find it hypnotic and very atmospheric.
I was so hooked by U2 at that point, that The Joshua Tree was the first album I ever purchased on the day it was released.
-
Eh, the title track is okay. With Breathe, you can tell that it had a lot going for it, but it's like they just missed the mark with it.
Best songs from that are definitely Magnificent, Moment of Surrender, Unknown Caller and Fez/Being Born.
Breathe worked great as the show opener on that tour. After I saw that, I liked the song way more.
-
It didn't work that well as the opener, considering it didn't stay the opener, or even in the set lists at all, for very long. :P
7deg_inner_happiness, I love the atmosphere of TUF. It has a few songs that are a bit average, but as a whole, the vibe of the album is pretty sweet.
-
Today - U2 are 40.
" I will sing. Sing a new song "...
The band formed today . 25th September 1976.
Happy birthday guys ! Looking forward to Songs Of Experience. :police: :yarr :metal :coolio
-
Can't wait till Judd Apatow makes a documentary about it.
-
He should stop making movies.
-
The usual predictable anti U2 hatred on Twitter.
-
U2 is doing a stadium tour this summer and they're playing The Joshua Tree in its entirety for the 30th anniversary!
-
Yeah I saw that and Noel Gallagher is the opening act.
Predictably - Liam Gallagher is blasting him on twitter as usual
" all that brown nosing finally paid off LG "
Totally forgetting that OASIS opened for U2 in 1997 on the PopMart tour. Guess he didn't have a problem with them then.
And let's be honest - if U2 rang Liam "out of work" Gallagher and offered him a tour support slot - he'd be all over that in a heartbeat.
Liam is a such a prick. I hope to God Noel never reforms oasis but that Liam does with someone else and it's terrible.
- - - - - - -
Looking forward to both Noels album and the new U2 as well :)
-
I've never seen U2 but I will definitely try and make it out to see them if they come anywhere near me.
-
No St. Louis date. Bastards.
-
I've never seen U2 but I will definitely try and make it out to see them if they come anywhere near me.
There are no words that can describe their live experience.
-
Not coming to north carolina but they are going to Tampa. I make a trip down if my brother is game.
-
A lot of concern about online U2 fans about the new album being delayed because of this tour. And many seem to be unhappy that they are jumping on the bandwagon of doing nostalgia tours where you play a whole album from decades ago, but that's typical from a fanbase that takes themselves and the band way too seriously. If legendary artists like Rush and Peter Gabriel can do it, then U2 is not above doing it.
That said, my brother and I are considering going to the Dallas show.
-
That said, my brother and I are considering going to the Dallas show.
just be aware that AT&T Stadium has TERRIBLE concert acoustics. That place was designed to be a football stadium first and foremost, and as such the acoustics have LOTS of reverb to keep the crowd noise at peak levels. Anything other than sitting right in front of the stage and the music gets lost in the wash.
-
Noted, thanks! :)
My brother was a big U2 fan in the 80s, but they lost him post-Rattle and Hum, so seeing all of TJT is definitely something he'd love to see.
-
That said, my brother and I are considering going to the Dallas show.
Scratch that idea. Ticket prices are insanely ridiculous.
-
Chicago sold out with an hour. But they usually do more than one show, so here's hoping.
-
Looks like most of the shows saw tickets go fast. Not surprised, as fans usually eat these nostalgia tours up with a spoon, and U2 usually draws well anyway, although I have heard blurbs about them doing this to get some good vibes back after the arena tour they did for Songs of Innocence wasn't the resounding success that they hoped it would be.
-
The Joshua Tree tour has begun (with a very safe and greatest hits-like set list).
Their appearance on Jimmy Kimmel the other night was cool (although Kimmel, while funny, is a terrible interviewer).
-
The Joshua Tree tour has begun (with a very safe and greatest hits-like set list).
But they're still playing my favorite U2 song (Ultraviolet)
-
That is also one of my favorites. In a set of mostly "hits,' it's good to see they at least busted out one killer deep track.
-
Ultraviolet is an amazing song; probably my favorite song on my second favorite U2 album.
-
Ultraviolet is amazing on the Rose Bowl DVD.
-
Ultraviolet is an amazing song; probably my favorite song on my second favorite U2 album.
I think it's my favorite song on my favorite U2 album. :biggrin:
Yet still probably only my 3rd or 4th favorite U2 song (All I Want Is You will never be topped, and I think Bad is comfortably number 2 now).
-
GREAT call on "All I Want Is You". What an incredible vocal.
-
The PopMart version is really good even though Bono's voice isn't the best on that tour.
-
GREAT call on "All I Want Is You". What an incredible vocal.
For sure. Then again, everything about that song is incredible. That outro is just out of this world. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
-
Every time U2 say they're gonna release a quick follow up it takes at least 3 years :lol
It doesn't look like Songs of Experience will be out this year.
They labour over their music too much.
Even though they claim they record quickly - it's just the arrangements that take the longest.
-
They joked about that blaming The Edge on Jimmy Kimmel's late night show.
-
Yes they're never satisfied.
They allegedly recorded backing vocals to a song whilst mastering the album... :lolpalm:
-
:lol
That's crazy!
-
No Line On The Horizon was overcooked to the point of it losing all of it's flavour and was re-heated in the microwave and covered in spices to try and make up for it...
...but it just ended up an over produced stodgy bland stale mess.
Songs of Innocence was a lot more raw and was much more lively for it.
Also - crucially - No Eno or Lanois to compress the living shit out of it.
-
I remember the delay for the Pop album and they already booked the tour so they had to release it.
-
The finished songs on the Best of 1990 - 2000 compilation were all better versions.
No Line might be their worst album by a long way.
I loved Songs Of Innocence though.
-
No Line On The Horizon >>> Songs Of Innocence
-
:lolpalm:
-
No Line On The Horizon >>> Songs Of Innocence
While I do not agree, No Line on the Horizon does have a soft spot in my heart because it was integral in me getting back into U2 in a big, big way (after being off of them for well over a decade). That said, I never listen to anything from it anymore, largely because it sounds like a muffled mess. Granted, Get On Your Boots would sound like trash no matter how well mastered it was, but Magnificent could have been a major U2 classic, if it had sounded better.
-
No Line On The Horizon >>> Songs Of Innocence
While I do not agree, No Line on the Horizon does have a soft spot in my heart because it was integral in me getting back into U2 in a big, big way (after being off of them for well over a decade). That said, I never listen to anything from it anymore, largely because it sounds like a muffled mess. Granted, Get On Your Boots would sound like trash no matter how well mastered it was, but Magnificent could have been a major U2 classic, if it had sounded better.
I only say that because I love Magnificent, Breathe, the title track, and White As Snow more than anything off of SoI
-
From No Line On The Horizon I really like the title track and Magnificent. i loved the album initially then it got old real fast.
Everything else is just MEH for me.
Whereas I loved every song on Songs Of Innocence and still do to this day.
Plus Songs of Innocence just sounds better. U2 have said that Eno "hates distortion" - which is probably why on " When I look At The World " -
- you can barely hear it as it's way in the back and panned hard to one side.... ::)
Why not get a ROCK producer ?
Apparently Rick Rubin told them they always cover up weak songs with fancy chords and electronic sounds - and that made them start Songs Of Innocence over.
I agree with him. They always have that one song on the album which is just dull - and smothered in window dressing so you don't notice it has no tune.
-
These old farts added some dates to the tour in September and St. Louis is one of them.
More money to spend... :lol :lol
-
U2 from the Orpheum in Boston, 1981
FM broadcast-Full show!
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=681850
WOW!
-
So.... I was ripping my Deluxe version of Achtung Baby - an album I like a lot - and I've been watching the "Zoo TV Special". And it's... weird. I like it - the music that is, and the idea - but the execution is really unsettling. It's almost like watching a video game (which surely was the intent). Plus the "reporters", especially the 'field' guy make it very creepy in a very real way.
What does everyone make, 30 years later, of the irony of that stage presentation? I never fully bought into "The Fly" as a purely separate persona for Bono; I also never really got into the real earnestness of Rattle And Hum, either, so the notion of "chopping down the Joshua Tree" was lost on me a bit. To me, it was a shade convenient, but even now, I'm not entirely sure.
-
U2 from the Orpheum in Boston, 1981
FM broadcast-Full show!
http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=681850
WOW!
I wonder if this is from the WBCN simulcast?
Stads, it certainly was a weird time for them live. I'm glad they pulled back the "glitter" a bit.
-
So.... I was ripping my Deluxe version of Achtung Baby - an album I like a lot - and I've been watching the "Zoo TV Special". And it's... weird. I like it - the music that is, and the idea - but the execution is really unsettling. It's almost like watching a video game (which surely was the intent). Plus the "reporters", especially the 'field' guy make it very creepy in a very real way.
What does everyone make, 30 years later, of the irony of that stage presentation? I never fully bought into "The Fly" as a purely separate persona for Bono; I also never really got into the real earnestness of Rattle And Hum, either, so the notion of "chopping down the Joshua Tree" was lost on me a bit. To me, it was a shade convenient, but even now, I'm not entirely sure.
U2 has always struck me as more of an arena band than a stadium band, but I do love that Zoo TV live DVD from Sydney. Bono had enough charisma and on-stage arrogance to pull off the alter-egos he played, so I think it mostly worked well. Some rock stars over the years just had/have that magnetic personality where you just can't take your eyes off of them when they are performing, and Bono for the longest time was one of those guys.
-
I sW them in their raw state live twice so it's hard for me to see the glam. I loved that they showed their guts early on live.
-
I've never seen U2 live :( but I WISH i'd seen Popmart. Bono's voice wasn't great at that time but it was such an awesome spectacle.
-
I don't understand people dissing Songs of Innocence / Experience for "sounding like U2".
They're always at their best when they stop trying to be all experimental and different.
When they try too hard to be different we get No Line On The Horizon which was a turkey.
-
So I just (in the last day or so) watched Live At Red Rocks, and now I'm working through the video portion of The Unforgettable Fire deluxe version (it's got the Conspiracy of Hope show from '86 and Live Aid from '85 on it).
It's so fascinating to go back 20, 30, 40 years and watch artists - especially artists that are still creating - knowing what we know now.
Bono is obviously the focal point of the band, and it's interesting to see the evolution of his performances. He was a better singer then, no doubt, but, IMO, a much better front man today. So much of what he did then was just charisma and youth and energy, a young man trying desperately to find a voice that fits him (and his band) compared to later, when he HAD the voice, and was trying desperately for it to say something new and important.
It's also fascinating to see how BANDS evolve and change, and how so many bands change in so many different ways. U2 at Red Rocks, the music is almost (not quite, but almost) incidental to the experience, the environment (the rain, the sparse crowd, the cold) and the energy that the band put forth to connect with that crowd. U2 at Live Aid, the music is almost (moreso) incidental to the experience, the community that was formed, not one of exclusion but inclusion, and the way Bono bridged that gap between band and audience (essentially the message of the entire event). Then you have Zoo TV, where the music is almost (less so) incidental to the experience, which is almost the opposite; it's colder, it's more reserved (with the personas taking over for the band members themselves), it's more exclusionary (you're either in on the joke or you're not).
Oh, and the "Patrick Swayze jump into the audience" move in the Pride video never gets old (though Swayze stole it from Bono, not the other way around).
-
I've never seen U2 live :( but I WISH i'd seen Popmart. Bono's voice wasn't great at that time but it was such an awesome spectacle.
Only got to see them once, but it was on the Popmart tour and it was amazing. To this day, I don't think I've seen a show that has impressed me more visually than that show. Doesn't hurt that I'm also a fan of most of the Pop album.
When they try too hard to be different we get No Line On The Horizon which was a turkey.
Gotta beg to differ on that - while far from perfect, there's a lot more on NLotH that I like than most of U2's post-Pop output, altho Get Your Boots On and Stand Up Comedy are garbage.
-
Popmart was insane. I saw that in Miami (contest winner!). I wish I was into the music of that era at that time (I later warmed to Achtung Baby a lot but at that point I wasn't into the post-Joshua Tree material yet).
-
I like both Pop and No Line on the Horizon quite a bit.
Pop is like a beautiful mess. You can tell it needed more work, but as it is, it somehow mostly works.
I agree with Scotty that Get On Your Boots and Stand Up Comedy are garbage, but everything else there is at least good, and there are few great ones. The production/mix lets it down a lot, as it is too suffocating at times, but the songs were there.
-
I like both Pop and No Line on the Horizon quite a bit.
Pop is like a beautiful mess. You can tell it needed more work, but as it is, it somehow mostly works.
I agree with Scotty that Get On Your Boots and Stand Up Comedy are garbage, but everything else there is at least good, and there are few great ones. The production/mix lets it down a lot, as it is too suffocating at times, but the songs were there.
Agreed with all of this. I cannot get behind the Innocence/Experience albums though.
-
I cannot get behind the Innocence/Experience albums though.
I can. There are a few misfires on both, but I dig a lot of songs from both, and I really like the vibe throughout most of Songs of Experience. If that ends up being their last studio album, they went out with a mostly good one, IMO.
-
I also LOVE the last 2 albums and if they end up being their swan song it will be better than ending on the dud that was No Songs On The Horizon.
U2 music is not that hard to play live - but Adam, Bono and The Edge are all 60 now with Larry catching up this year, so I don't know how much longer they will keep going.
Also U2 the band are 45 this year. I imagine they'll want to stick around at least for their 50th anniversary and do some MASSIVE shows.
-
I've never seen them live either, but I'm also a realist in that I'm not interested in spending hundreds of dollars to see them.
If I won free tickets though..
-
I like em. The Joshua Tree is one of the best albums ever made, imo. Saw them on its whatever anniversary a few years back and they were pretty great.
They are a classic but really patchy band for me. I liked the All That You Can't/How To Dismantle/No Line run of albums but I kind of doubt they'll do much to interest me again at this point.
-
I've never seen them live either, but I'm also a realist in that I'm not interested in spending hundreds of dollars to see them.
If I won free tickets though..
I saw them for like $40 back in 2018. The key is to wait till the day of the concert to buy a ticket. You can always get one fairly cheap using that method.
-
Listened to The Unforgettable Fire earlier tonight. I’ve at times called this my favorite U2 album and I think it still may be. A little more adventurous musically than Joshua Tree, but similar vibe and still has a bunch of essential U2 songs like Pride and Bad. A Sort of Homecoming is a definite favorite. The album is a little more aggressive guitar wise than Joshua Tree, I like the use of keyboards in places. I don’t think this one gets enough love. It’s up there with Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby at least.
-
HOF, saw the tour. 2 days later Triumph, Thunder Seven tour. What a weekend.
-
Listened to The Unforgettable Fire earlier tonight. I’ve at times called this my favorite U2 album and I think it still may be. A little more adventurous musically than Joshua Tree, but similar vibe and still has a bunch of essential U2 songs like Pride and Bad. A Sort of Homecoming is a definite favorite. The album is a little more aggressive guitar wise than Joshua Tree, I like the use of keyboards in places. I don’t think this one gets enough love. It’s up there with Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby at least.
I've always had an affinity for the underdogs Wire and Indian Summer Sky from that album. I love how absolutely frantic they are and I can't recall them really going that nuts on any songs after that. Also, the b-side Love Comes Tumbling from this era is probably a top 10 favorite of mine and absolutely nobody knows the damn thing. I wouldn't say this is my favorite of theirs (that'd be Pop) but most likely my favorite of their 80's output.
-
HOF, saw the tour. 2 days later Triumph, Thunder Seven tour. What a weekend.
:tup :metal
I've always had an affinity for the underdogs Wire and Indian Summer Sky from that album. I love how absolutely frantic they are and I can't recall them really going that nuts on any songs after that. Also, the b-side Love Comes Tumbling from this era is probably a top 10 favorite of mine and absolutely nobody knows the damn thing. I wouldn't say this is my favorite of theirs (that'd be Pop) but most likely my favorite of their 80's output.
I think the Wire is really great. I always thought Indian Summer Sky sounded too much like the same song just with a slightly different melody. If it weren’t on the same album it probably wouldn’t bother me but I always notice it. I’ll have to find Love Comes Tumbling. Don’t think I’ve heard that one.
-
Elvis Presley and America is another one that I really like.
-
The funny thing is - I love The Edge as a guitar player - he has a completely unique style. And yes he can actually play.
BUT as a guitar player myself - jamming to U2 songs is so boring. Unless you've got his sound there's almost no point.
Which is why it's way more fun to just put on my Telecaster and play some fast power chords to Green Day ;D
-
I've always had an affinity for the underdogs Wire and Indian Summer Sky from that album. I love how absolutely frantic they are and I can't recall them really going that nuts on any songs after that. Also, the b-side Love Comes Tumbling from this era is probably a top 10 favorite of mine and absolutely nobody knows the damn thing. I wouldn't say this is my favorite of theirs (that'd be Pop) but most likely my favorite of their 80's output.
I think the Wire is really great. I always thought Indian Summer Sky sounded too much like the same song just with a slightly different melody. If it weren’t on the same album it probably wouldn’t bother me but I always notice it. I’ll have to find Love Comes Tumbling. Don’t think I’ve heard that one.
Wire is incredible. Such a fun song to just crank and rock out like there's no tomorrow. :metal :metal
-
HOF, saw the tour. 2 days later Triumph, Thunder Seven tour. What a weekend.
:tup :metal
I've always had an affinity for the underdogs Wire and Indian Summer Sky from that album. I love how absolutely frantic they are and I can't recall them really going that nuts on any songs after that. Also, the b-side Love Comes Tumbling from this era is probably a top 10 favorite of mine and absolutely nobody knows the damn thing. I wouldn't say this is my favorite of theirs (that'd be Pop) but most likely my favorite of their 80's output.
I think the Wire is really great. I always thought Indian Summer Sky sounded too much like the same song just with a slightly different melody. If it weren’t on the same album it probably wouldn’t bother me but I always notice it. I’ll have to find Love Comes Tumbling. Don’t think I’ve heard that one.
Yeah I can see how they sound similar. If they were back to back on the tracklisting it'd probably bother me, but they're a few tracks apart so I guess it never really jumped out. Love Comes Tumbling is pretty chill, but the atmosphere and vibe is just incredible. Disappearing Act is another great obscure b-side that was only unearthed when they did the most recent remaster. I guess they never finished vocals back then since the vocals are present-day Bono but it's worth hearing. This whole era spawned some really incredible atmospheric songs which is amazing considering how stark and raw War was just a year earlier.
-
Yeah I can see how they sound similar. If they were back to back on the tracklisting it'd probably bother me, but they're a few tracks apart so I guess it never really jumped out. Love Comes Tumbling is pretty chill, but the atmosphere and vibe is just incredible. Disappearing Act is another great obscure b-side that was only unearthed when they did the most recent remaster. I guess they never finished vocals back then since the vocals are present-day Bono but it's worth hearing. This whole era spawned some really incredible atmospheric songs which is amazing considering how stark and raw War was just a year earlier.
Hell yeah! I love Disappearing Act. That would have been one of my favorites had it made the proper album, as I prefer it over everything not named Bad after the title track.
-
I've been on a U2 kick lately, and it's amazing how well their early catalogue has held up. I've been ripping "Go Home", the 2005 (or so) live show from Slane Castle - essential listening by the way - and even with their latter day ethos and Bono's sort of slightly diminished vocal power, those early songs STILL are the heart of the set.
TUF is not my favorite of their - though Bad is still a powerhouse live - it's a great and necessary album. We would never have gotten The Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby (my two favorites) without it. Jsut don't watch the "Making of" documentaries (there are two, though a lot of the material overlaps). Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois are such pretentious prats, at times.
-
I've been on a U2 kick lately, and it's amazing how well their early catalogue has held up. I've been ripping "Go Home", the 2005 (or so) live show from Slane Castle - essential listening by the way - and even with their latter day ethos and Bono's sort of slightly diminished vocal power, those early songs STILL are the heart of the set.
TUF is not my favorite of their - though Bad is still a powerhouse live - it's a great and necessary album. We would never have gotten The Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby (my two favorites) without it. Jsut don't watch the "Making of" documentaries (there are two, though a lot of the material overlaps). Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois are such pretentious prats, at times.
That Slane Castle concert was awesome. I was only a tangential U2 fan having grown up hearing the hits but not much else before my friend showed me that concert film. Definitely made me want to get into the band more.
-
Hell yeah! I love Disappearing Act. That would have been one of my favorites had it made the proper album, as I prefer it over everything not named Bad after the title track.
Yeah, it's awesome. I'm dying to know what the hell were thinking when this was abandoned back then. Maybe they felt it was too safe?
I've been on a U2 kick lately, and it's amazing how well their early catalogue has held up. I've been ripping "Go Home", the 2005 (or so) live show from Slane Castle - essential listening by the way - and even with their latter day ethos and Bono's sort of slightly diminished vocal power, those early songs STILL are the heart of the set.
TUF is not my favorite of their - though Bad is still a powerhouse live - it's a great and necessary album. We would never have gotten The Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby (my two favorites) without it. Jsut don't watch the "Making of" documentaries (there are two, though a lot of the material overlaps). Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois are such pretentious prats, at times.
I enjoyed the TUF Making Of though I haven't watched it in a very long time so I don't remember Eno/Lanois's behavior. Maybe I'll rewatch it on youtube today.
That Slane Castle concert is essential. I'm not the biggest fan of ATYCLB (Elevation is possibly the dumbest song I've ever heard) but songs like Walk On, Kite, and Stuck In A Moment are classics. I saw Edge and Bono do an acoustic Stuck In A Moment on a talk show and that's when that song really came to life for me. They released another live show from the Elevation tour which is worth seeing. It had In A Little While on it, which is probably my overall favorite song from that album plus some other different songs. The early songs are usually the highlights, but there's honestly only so many times I can hear Pride, I Still Haven't Found, I Will Follow, Bullet The Blue Sky, Sunday Bloody Sunday, etc. Streets could be in every live show for the rest of time and I'd enjoy it, but the other ones are a bit tired imo.
-
Hell yeah! I love Disappearing Act. That would have been one of my favorites had it made the proper album, as I prefer it over everything not named Bad after the title track.
Yeah, it's awesome. I'm dying to know what the hell were thinking when this was abandoned back then. Maybe they felt it was too safe?
Hard to say. It is hard to envision where it fits in the running order, so maybe they viewed as not an essential track to the album when viewing it as a whole. That was obviously back before they became a bit too worried about hits, so I could see that having been the reason.
That Slane Castle concert is essential. I'm not the biggest fan of ATYCLB (Elevation is possibly the dumbest song I've ever heard) but songs like Walk On, Kite, and Stuck In A Moment are classics. I saw Edge and Bono do an acoustic Stuck In A Moment on a talk show and that's when that song really came to life for me. They released another live show from the Elevation tour which is worth seeing. It had In A Little While on it, which is probably my overall favorite song from that album plus some other different songs. The early songs are usually the highlights, but there's honestly only so many times I can hear Pride, I Still Haven't Found, I Will Follow, Bullet The Blue Sky, Sunday Bloody Sunday, etc. Streets could be in every live show for the rest of time and I'd enjoy it, but the other ones are a bit tired imo.
As much as I like newer U2, most of ATYCLB is a miss for me now. The sound of the album is just so bland and lifeless. I still love Kite (their best song, IMO, since Pop), and I dig a few others, but the majority of the album I am fine with never hearing again. Elevation is kind of a dopey song, but it's fun live; I will at least give it that.
-
I loved All That You Can't Leave Behind - when it first came out as it sounded more like "classic" U2.
...Atomic Bomb I found harder to enjoy despite sounding better. It didn't help that it soundtracked a really awful time.
From Atomic Bomb I loved the first 6 songs and Fast Cars but thought everything else was crap - especially One Step Closer.
-
The thing about Slane is that it's so raw, emotionally. You can see they are comfortable, there isn't that air of seriousness that Bono in particular (but Edge and LM, Jr. are there too) give off live, and they are having fun. There's a lot of chatter on line about what Bono meant when he turned and smiled at Larry during "With Or Without You" (missed cue, whatever) but it's irrelevant; it's a Duchenne smile for sure, and it's infectious. Oddly the only songs that DON'T resonate for me are the Achtung/Pop songs, I think because they aren't as naked as the rest of the catelogue. I always thought "Stuck..." was about Michael Hutchence, but Bono introduces it as a song for his dad, and it's really powerful that way (and resonates in my life).
I think it's really something that they turned what is essentially a stadium show into something that feels like an intimate hometown club gig.
-
I've seen clips of the Slane concert, and it always looks really good, but I have never bought it. I guess I figure I have all I need as far as U2 goes in regards to concerts/DVDs since I have the Rattle and Hum film and then live DVDs from the Zoo TV, PopMart and 360 tours.
-
My fave U2 live DVD is easily Popmart. Bono's voice isn't the best on it but it's such a spectacle and I wish i'd ben to see that show.
I've got the innocence + experience live DVD but something about it just doesn't click. It doesn't have the same euphoria of other U2 DVDs
Elevation is also really good. An amazing version of The Fly on it.
Maybe I should get Slane Castle ( if I find it dirt cheap on Amazon ).
...Edit : Just found it on Amazon for £1.80 so i'll buy it soon :)
-
I've seen clips of the Slane concert, and it always looks really good, but I have never bought it. I guess I figure I have all I need as far as U2 goes in regards to concerts/DVDs since I have the Rattle and Hum film and then live DVDs from the Zoo TV, PopMart and 360 tours.
There's some good stuff on there; the intro to Out Of Control is creative and cool. His outro to Sunday Bloody Sunday is heavy, and I'm convinced he was crying when he said it. I don't know; its a different vibe from some of the other live stuff I've seen by them, including other shows from that tour (including the two I saw myself).
-
I've seen clips of the Slane concert, and it always looks really good, but I have never bought it. I guess I figure I have all I need as far as U2 goes in regards to concerts/DVDs since I have the Rattle and Hum film and then live DVDs from the Zoo TV, PopMart and 360 tours.
There's some good stuff on there; the intro to Out Of Control is creative and cool. His outro to Sunday Bloody Sunday is heavy, and I'm convinced he was crying when he said it. I don't know; its a different vibe from some of the other live stuff I've seen by them, including other shows from that tour (including the two I saw myself).
I have seen the performance of Kite from that show (I thought that was the one he dedicated to his dad?), which was tremendous. I guess, for me, I so rarely bust out the live DVDs I own already that buying more seems almost unnecessary, especially since I have four already by U2. :biggrin: :biggrin:
-
I've probably said this before but - It's frustrating how live - their songs are nearly always better.
Like - live the songs sound like rock songs and have so much life to them. And in the studio - the drums sound like a drum machine
and the rhythm guitar is panned hard left and down in the mix ???
I can't remember which album it was but Bono said " we've finally made a rock album "
and it was the same blanket over the speakers production again.
-
They really neuter Larry's drum sound in the studio. There's no boom or depth to it, which does a disservice to the songs that attempt to be rock songs.
-
I've seen clips of the Slane concert, and it always looks really good, but I have never bought it. I guess I figure I have all I need as far as U2 goes in regards to concerts/DVDs since I have the Rattle and Hum film and then live DVDs from the Zoo TV, PopMart and 360 tours.
There's some good stuff on there; the intro to Out Of Control is creative and cool. His outro to Sunday Bloody Sunday is heavy, and I'm convinced he was crying when he said it. I don't know; its a different vibe from some of the other live stuff I've seen by them, including other shows from that tour (including the two I saw myself).
I have seen the performance of Kite from that show (I thought that was the one he dedicated to his dad?), which was tremendous. I guess, for me, I so rarely bust out the live DVDs I own already that buying more seems almost unnecessary, especially since I have four already by U2. :biggrin: :biggrin:
I wait until I can get them on Discogs for $2.00 along with other things I buy. I'm not sure I'd run out SPECIFICALLY to get them, either.
And yes, you're right; it was Kite ("This is for Bob Hewson"). Didn't he die like a week before that show?
-
I've seen clips of the Slane concert, and it always looks really good, but I have never bought it. I guess I figure I have all I need as far as U2 goes in regards to concerts/DVDs since I have the Rattle and Hum film and then live DVDs from the Zoo TV, PopMart and 360 tours.
There's some good stuff on there; the intro to Out Of Control is creative and cool. His outro to Sunday Bloody Sunday is heavy, and I'm convinced he was crying when he said it. I don't know; its a different vibe from some of the other live stuff I've seen by them, including other shows from that tour (including the two I saw myself).
I have seen the performance of Kite from that show (I thought that was the one he dedicated to his dad?), which was tremendous. I guess, for me, I so rarely bust out the live DVDs I own already that buying more seems almost unnecessary, especially since I have four already by U2. :biggrin: :biggrin:
I wait until I can get them on Discogs for $2.00 along with other things I buy. I'm not sure I'd run out SPECIFICALLY to get them, either.
And yes, you're right; it was Kite ("This is for Bob Hewson"). Didn't he die like a week before that show?
Not sure when he actually passed away, but I think he was buried the day before that concert. Brings the emotional impact of that song to a whole new level. I love Kite but the last verse never really made any sense to me.
-
Re that last line in Kite, I always thought of it as kind of like Bono writing his own obituary, perhaps in a little tongue in cheek sort of way. Wikipedia has this explanation though, which makes sense:
The song concludes with an odd coda in reference to the new media. In concert the coda is sometimes repeated, with almost all instrumentation dropped out; Bono later said the coda was intended to pinpoint the narrative by "just setting it in time, saying that's the moment, and then leaving it behind you."[1]
Just kind of signing off the song by giving you a historical frame of reference. Could just as well have been “Bono, 2000.”
-
They really neuter Larry's drum sound in the studio. There's no boom or depth to it, which does a disservice to the songs that attempt to be rock songs.
While I agree that many of their songs become better and more lively in the live environment, I never mind the mixing of the drums on their albums. No, they aren't loud and in your face a lot of the time, but U2 has rarely been a rock band that feels the need to melt your face off with the rock. Their music is always about mood and atmospheric and feeling, and loud drums are not needed in order for them to achieve that vibe.
-
I'm probably just repeating variations on a theme now, but one thing that struck me watching the videos from the 2000s as opposed to the vid's from the '80s and '90s is the demeanor and presence of Bono. He seems more comfortable, and the less earnest Bono seems a bit more sincere. There's a bit of humility in the song intros, and a LOT of introspection. I've never been a fan of heartstring activism, and so the "my God's not short of cash, MISTER!" stuff never really resonated much with me. The subtlety of the later stuff to me is actually MORE believable.
-
I'm probably just repeating variations on a theme now, but one thing that struck me watching the videos from the 2000s as opposed to the vid's from the '80s and '90s is the demeanor and presence of Bono. He seems more comfortable, and the less earnest Bono seems a bit more sincere. There's a bit of humility in the song intros, and a LOT of introspection. I've never been a fan of heartstring activism, and so the "my God's not short of cash, MISTER!" stuff never really resonated much with me. The subtlety of the later stuff to me is actually MORE believable.
I think Bono by his own admission in his younger days was of the "do and say anything to get the fans going" mentality at shows, while he has obviously mellowed out quite a bit over the years. I am sure he meant everything he said back in the day in regards to politics and whatever, but he seems to do it with more candor now. The 2021 Bono probably would not yell out, "fuck the revolution!" during Sunday Bloody Sunday. :lol :lol
-
I hope we get a new U2 album next year. 5 years 7 months is the longest gap between albums to date ( No Songs On The Horizon - Songs Of Innocence )...
It'll be their 15th and the whole band is now 60. It would be great if it was a career best.
I read once that someone asked them why they always take so long with albums
I think Larry or Bono said that "We only take our time on arrangements and the actual tracking is really quick"
I can believe the 2nd part. Their albums aren't always sonically the best.
-
I think they have too many cooks in the kitchen and listen to outsiders way too much. I'm pretty sure they've shelved multiple albums and started the entire process over because whatever idiot was producing at the time got in their ear. The original concept of NLOTH sounded really interesting and unique but they ditched the more experimental ideas and shoehorned in stuff like Get On Your Boots, I'll Go Crazy, and Stand Up Comedy.
Just get in a room, jam, and write songs and I'm sure it will be pretty damn good.
-
And just for once make a rock and roll album with a rock and roll producer.
Not an ambient guy who notoriously hates rock ( Eno ) or producers who use nicknames (DangerMouse?)
I'd love them to make an out and out rock and roll album with a producer like Brendan O Brien or Garth Richardson.
People who always make great sounding albums.
Basically they need to make an album that sounds like how they sounded live on the Elevation DVD
-
Speaking of which.... if anyone wants to know what I imagine it's like to be a "rock star!", there's a moment on the Elevation DVD that I imagine speaks to that. In the bonus materials, there are two songs - Elevation and Until The End Of The World - that are filmed from a camera on Bono's glasses, so you see what he sees, and the audio is his "in ear" mix (more or less). At one point in "UTEOTW", he's out on the catwalk and singing the lines "In my dream I was drowning my sorrows... but my sorrows, they learned to swim. Surrounding me, going down on me..." and as he sang them he was leaning down, looking into the front row and touching hands. At the last four words, he looked right at this attractive woman who was looking directly back at him, not an ounce of uncertainty in her face, and who mouthed the words "going down on you" right back at him. I don't know what he felt - he's probably used to it by now - but it was an oddly sexy and sexual moment even through the camera. It seemed electric - though Bono then finished the line and looked up and ran to The Edge, who was meeting him on the catwalk, so who knows what he was taking from that moment - and I'm not sure how I'd feel if I experienced that kind of electricity 125 times a year, every year, at my job. :)
-
I buy so much from charity shops that I forget what I own but i'm fairly sure I have that DVD and I feel like watching it actually.
Vertigo live DVD didn't have QUITE the same vibe to it and despite 360 at Rose Bowl being a massive show - the camera angles
rarely pulled back and let you see the whole thing. It was a lot of close ups.
-
Speaking of which.... if anyone wants to know what I imagine it's like to be a "rock star!", there's a moment on the Elevation DVD that I imagine speaks to that. In the bonus materials, there are two songs - Elevation and Until The End Of The World - that are filmed from a camera on Bono's glasses, so you see what he sees, and the audio is his "in ear" mix (more or less). At one point in "UTEOTW", he's out on the catwalk and singing the lines "In my dream I was drowning my sorrows... but my sorrows, they learned to swim. Surrounding me, going down on me..." and as he sang them he was leaning down, looking into the front row and touching hands. At the last four words, he looked right at this attractive woman who was looking directly back at him, not an ounce of uncertainty in her face, and who mouthed the words "going down on you" right back at him. I don't know what he felt - he's probably used to it by now - but it was an oddly sexy and sexual moment even through the camera. It seemed electric - though Bono then finished the line and looked up and ran to The Edge, who was meeting him on the catwalk, so who knows what he was taking from that moment - and I'm not sure how I'd feel if I experienced that kind of electricity 125 times a year, every year, at my job. :)
:hat :hat
-
RE : Slane Castle DVD...
:yeahright How the hell is it called " U2 Go Home " and not " A Sort of Homecoming " ;D ;D
-
Rick Beato unimpressed with the news of the upcoming Larry-less Vegas residency.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gCzG84ptYXo
I don't think it's that big of a deal to be honest, but I guess it does contribute to the metaphysical "when does a band stop being THE band" debate. U2 are such a 'democracy' that I guess I can see his point. They wouldn't dare advertise a "U2" gig without Bono, so why do it without Larry Mullen? Still, it's their business (literally) and I presume Mullen gave his consent.
-
I've heard Mullen gave his blessing so with that I say it's good and I don't really see the big deal. As bands get older there will be members who don't want to tour or may want to retire. If they are cool with letting the rest of the group carry on why not. It's up to the audience to decide if they want to spend the money on the show or not.
If I were to guess a lot of people going to those shows won't even notice he is gone. Not all U2 members are equal.
-
Yeah, but if you follow U2, Larry is not a hired hand. He's by most accounts the backbone of the band and I would daresay, U2 doesn't take a shit if Larry's not on board. He founded the band, and he's driven a lot of the behind the scenes stuff to this day.
I'm not sure how I feel about this myself, since the dynamic of U2 is a big part of what I like about them. Larry is sort of the guy that keeps Edge from falling over (pun intended) and keeps Bono sort of tethered.
-
Yea I get that, he has been there since day 1 and is integral to the band but as far as I can tell they aren't releasing new music as a new band. Should the other three guys toss U2 out and just go by the moniker Bono and The Boys? U2 (the band name) in itself has massive appeal so there is a lot of motivation to keep the branding.
This reminds me of the Alice in Chains show I saw last year and I heard more than a few folks there going "well actually this isn't really Alice in Chains." True, it's not the original lineup but if you feel strongly about it don't come to the show.
-
Dang, we didn't even mention that they're putting out a third "Songs Of ___" album next month, Songs of Surrender" except this time it's a bunch of re-recorded hits and instead of any of their kids being on the album cover it's photos of them when they were younger.
Multiple versions of the album. 16-track standard cd, 20-track deluxe cd, but the "main" version of them album is four discs, each named after a band member, 40 tracks total.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dc/Songs_of_Surrender_album_cover.jpg)
-
They basically disown the Pop album and rarely include songs from it, but then this new album cover is all images of them from the Pop era. U2 and their creative decisions are endlessly confusing
-
Dang, we didn't even mention that they're putting out a third "Songs Of ___" album next month, Songs of Surrender" except this time it's a bunch of re-recorded hits and instead of any of their kids being on the album cover it's photos of them when they were younger.
Multiple versions of the album. 16-track standard cd, 20-track deluxe cd, but the "main" version of them album is four discs, each named after a band member, 40 tracks total.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dc/Songs_of_Surrender_album_cover.jpg)
Is this release like an F'U to the music industry so they can get royalties from their songs? Or what is the purpose of this release? Any significant changes to the original songs?
-
Is this release like an F'U to the music industry so they can get royalties from their songs? Or what is the purpose of this release? Any significant changes to the original songs?
My understanding from what little I've heard from it is that they all seem to be slower and more acoustic.
-
I saw about the Songs of Surrender thing a few weeks and rolled my eyes. I heard the new version of Pride, which was a travesty, and have no intention of checking out the rest. Hard to believe that they put so much time and dedication into re-imagining so many old songs, but I guess they wanted to release something. To anyone who enjoys it, however, more power to them.
I don't have a problem with them doing the Vegas thing without Larry. If the others want to play and he doesn't and he gave their blessing, I don't see the issue. I doubt they'd be doing this without him if he voiced displeasure about it. Remember that they did a show without Adam on the Zoo TV tour. With all due respect to Adam and Larry, they aren't nearly as valuable as Bono and Edge. If Bono or Edge cannot do a show or tour, they'd be extremely difficult to replace. The others, not so much.
-
Bono and The Edge: Tiny Desk Concert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxo-loXdcH0&ab_channel=NPRMusic)
I always enjoy watching how big artists and band handle an intimate concert. Even if the artist finds it intimidating to play small gigs they often times results in a vulnerable and magical moments.
-
bump.
any fans who might go to Vegas this Fall (September 29 - December) = U2 in the Sphere looks epic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0-HNkh9JtY
https://www.u2zoostation.com/
https://www.thespherevegas.com/shows/u2
https://www.fox5vegas.com/2023/09/25/sphere-las-vegas-releases-general-admission-policy-upcoming-u2-shows/
-
yeah I’ve been watching quite a few these U2 inside the sphere videos and it looks absolutely incredible
-
yeah I’ve been watching quite a few these U2 inside the sphere videos and it looks absolutely incredible
Agreed, I would love to see a show in there.
-
I even looked at ticket prices.. Not cheap as expected.
-
Been watching some of these videos (which are astonishing frankly) and it’s gotten me on a U2 kick tonight actually. So kind of cool to see this thread pop up.
But also the new single/Blondie re-write is bad.
-
that one shot of the sun rising in the desert behind them as Where The Streets Have No Name is starting... it really looks like they're playing outside it's crazy