Bono - " best 3 weeks in the studio since 1979"

[popacrobat]

They had finished that Chris Thomas album - late Summer 2003.
It was then that Larry and Adam said it wasn't good enough.
This is documented in U2 By U2.

COBL was known as "Scott Walker" back in '96, originating during the POP sessions. The title - A Man and a Woman appeared on the ATYCLB white board that was mentioned in some magazine. I still have a copy of all those songs titles somewhere.

Gotcha, it's been awhile since I read U2 by U2. I knew they were really close, probably had to touch up the songs a bit (production sounds... I don't know, dry? on Native Son and alternate Sometimes, but whatever, that's just semantics on 'done' at this point).

Did not know that on Scott Walker or A Man and a Woman, thanks. Still do wonder at what point they morphed into what we had for Bomb. Doubt if we'll ever find out.

if they really wanted to release an album this year, there's no doubt in my mind they can easily have 10-12 songs finished, signed, sealed and delivered to interscope by August 15, if not sooner. just seems to me that they spend that extra time in the studio, both for Bomb and No Line, just tinkering with the songs already. The Dublin street clip of Breathe is the same song, but obviously, different than what we wound up with...and I think that was recorded by some fan in May or June of 2008. Obviously, the Crazy Tonight beach clip had the song completely changed come 2009.

guess we'll see if Bono is serious (or has enough say) this time around.

 

[digitize]

Is it that time already?

You win Interference

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i think there may be a need for a reopening of the office of u2 security

Indeed!

The Office of U2 Security - U2Security.com

 

[Popmartijn]

The Office of U2 Security - U2Security.com

 

[doctorwho]

You win Interference

Worst prize ever.


I would also add squares that said "is there a need for another U2 album" and "is Bono O.K.?"

 

[bono_man2002]

Worst prize ever.

Haha, I was about to post the same thing. Is the prize refundable?

 

[gvox]

i think there may be a need for a reopening of the office of u2 security

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

gimmie a week or so...

 

[U2girl]

I thought they were pretty darn close to having a complete album prior to Lillywhite. I mean, we have Chris Thomas takes of Vertigo, Fast Cars, Sometimes You Can't...., Yahweh, All Because of You and then stuff like Mercy (though i don't think anyone knows when Mercy was written, or when that version we have was recorded) and Smile. I think one of the first songs to come out of the Lillywhite sessions was Miracle Drug, right? I don't know when COBL, A Man and a Woman and One Step Closer were born... Original of the Species had been kicking around since ATYCLB.

U2 by U2 mentions seven demos Bono and Edge presented to the rhythm section. And actually this was before Thomas even joined in.

Taking out the very inferior Sometimes, the decidedly non-closing-song-just-yet aka Yahweh and One step closer (Xanax and Wine, Native Son) then there's only two Thomas songs that didn't survive the sessions in some form. Maybe Thomas is behind Mercy. So that's one song left.

7 songs doesn't an album make. And they weren't finished. They wore the producer out by plodding along with the songs. Though of course the "haircuts vs hats 2.0" didn't help either.
Which is more or less what Lillywhite said : "You need more songs." They had enough time with Thomas, nine months according to U2 by U2...instead they were done with Lillywhite in about half a year.

 

[U2DMfan]

This is old shit - but nothing is more annoying than defying objective reality. Or to be more pointed, for some around here to continue to use logical fallacies as retorts. Those 7 demos are not, in any way, shape form or fashion, the 'Chris Thomas album' being discussed. It was BEFORE he was ever brought in. You couldn't find a better fallacy.

As I've mentioned before, there were a few of us back in '03 and '04 that were able to gather from tidbits of news and info, our own speculation that Larry and Adam had halted the release of the CT album well BEFORE U2 By U2 came out. And just so you know...guess who disagreed with that - even back then. I'll give you one guess.

I'll just quote the source. And as an aside, I can tell you firsthand that there is corroboration outside of U2 By U2 that they had finished it around August or September 2003 but for sake of ease I'll just use U2 By U2.

The 7 demos were in the 2002 period before they hired Chris Thomas.
This is the stuff that began in December of 2001 and included "Full Metal Jacket".

Adam:
(page 317) "We started in March 2003" = that's after they had hired Chris Thomas.
(page 318) "We worked through the summer and coming into autumn 2003 we
had recorded an album's worth of material, Jimmy Iovine had heard the tracks
and was saying 'you've got a record, we're ready to release it' But there was unease
within the band"

Larry:
(page 318) "It just wasn't there. The songs had a lot of things going for them
by they had no magic, that thing that separates the ordinary from the extraordinary...
It was a very difficult thing to say to Bono and Edge. Bono was really pushing for us to release those songs. He was unhappy when we didn't agree with him. "
Larry also cites "tense moments between the hats and the haircuts".
"It must have been soul-destroying to work so hard and put so much in and have these two guys say 'Well, actually it's not ready'.

Steve Lillywhite said (as quoted by Adam) that the "material was there but needed reworking". The material was there = plenty of material for an album, the issue for 'the haircuts' was quality. Larry and Adam are never quoted anywhere saying that this album wasn't finished. They just didn't think it was good enough. And so what was finished to Bono, Edge, Iovine and Chris Thomas would become 'unfinished'.

Adam: "It's not an easy thing to call a halt and put the album release back..."
Even on this same page Adam is referring to it as an album delay.

The 7 demos were not part of anything "finished". And in fact should not even be part of that discussion. That the straight truth, take it or leave it.

 

[U2girl]

As I said. The 7 demos Adam and Larry heard in total silence was before Thomas.

Sure...they started with Thomas in 2003. Given the final result with 3 Thomas songs included (Xanax and Wine, Native Son, Mercy*, Smile*)...there is indeed very little magic there, especially when considering the alternative versions of Sometimes/Yahweh.
* assuming those are from Thomas sessions.

It might have been finished to Bono and Edge but not to anyone else. U2 by U2 confirms the band wore Thomas out, with him finally coming up to McGuiness and saying "I'm letting them down. I've never worked with any other artist where nothing gets demoed. They just wait for it to arrive."

So they didn't finish it from March until 9 months later (according to U2 by U2)...then Lillywhite saved the day in 5 months.

 

[angelordevil]

^ I think that is 2 bingo squares covered!

Larry's face is my favourite part of that whole bingo card!

I think he's objecting to the 'dance album' concept.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

gimmie a week or so...

I'm quoting this just because.

 

[Steved1998]

I think he's objecting to the 'dance album' concept.

I'm just a fan of the angry mullen jr. meme

 

[david]

the Bono hyperbole bingo card is PRICELESS.

 

[DeVaul]

"Smile" and "Mercy" were stronger cuts than anything that made HTDAAB. "Vertigo" and "COBL" are fantastic, fun tracks, but don't have the same emotional punch and depth. But then, I think they should've closed the album with "One Step Closer". I like my music to be devastating.

 

[cobl04]

Mercy probably was. Smile? Not even close.

 

[djerdap]

Both weren't. I like every opportunity to say "fuck Mercy". Fuck Mercy.

 

[digitize]

 

[gvox]

Yeah I wouldn't trade a single track from HTDAAB for Mercy, either.

 

[Galeongirl]

Oh, I'd gladly trade in OSC, OOTS or Yahweh.

 

[gvox]

You WOULD!

 

[Galeongirl]

Yep, I sure would.

Perhaps even LAPOE or SYCMIOYO. Though I do actually like those songs.

 

[dazzledbylight]

"Smile" and "Mercy" were stronger cuts than anything that made HTDAAB. "Vertigo" and "COBL" are fantastic, fun tracks, but don't have the same emotional punch and depth. But then, I think they should've closed the album with "One Step Closer". I like my music to be devastating.

have to disagree on COBL from my perspective.
Even though COBL has some lyrics that question situations, and also refer to perhaps to partial future personal decline of sorts; BUT other parts - esp the chorus, and most of the music- to me radiate utter, bountiful JOY.

As a person who has a very serious side (both personally and aware of many serious issues in our world) but also a playful, fun-loving, and very expansive joyous side; expansive, bountiful joy is as seriously necessary for many, if not most people in some measure as seriousness.


OTOH... Acrobat is an incredible song of anguish... and where Edge's guitar playing is like sonic devastation!


ETA
i love the original "mercy"... i think the lyric changes ESP the "because, because" is weaker, boring.

 

[lazarus]

LOL @ Mercy being worse than everything on The Bomb.

Hyperbole much?

 

[DeVaul]

Really? "A Man & A Woman", "Crumbs...", "OOTS"? Agree to disagree, I suppose. I think I like that record more than I should, though...

 

[The_acrobat]

There's no need to argue... Mercy should have just been the 13th song on HTDAAB. I think it was fantastic in it's undercooked, unfinished glory in the 2004 version.

 

[doctorwho]

Yeah I wouldn't trade a single track from HTDAAB for Mercy, either.

I'd happily trade in several songs for "Mercy" and "Fast Cars". Add those two, take out "One Step Closer" and "A Man and a Woman" and NOW HTDAAB is a fantastic album.

 

[LemonMelon]

With 80s Bono on vocals, AMAAW would take off. As it is, I really like it a great deal and always have; the current vocal just isn't really youthful or vibrant enough to suit the song. Sounds like an awkward midlife crisis track as is.

Swap Yahweh for an acoustic Yahweh, swap ABOY for Alt ABOY, swap Miracle Drug for Xanax and Wine and swap OOTS for Mercy. And then add Smile. The result? Something closer to punk rock from Venus with superior songwriting.

 

[Hollow Island]

Mercy isn't that great but I'd trade nearly every track on Bomb for it. I'd only keep three tracks from the record, and one is filler. If A Man had been recorded in 1988 it would have been great.

Native Son
Xanax and Wine
Miracle Drug
Neon Lights
COBL
All Because of You (alt)
Mercy
Smile
A Man And A Woman
Yaweh (alt)

Still not the best album, but it's pretty good and a hell of a lot better than the crap they released. That record is what happens when they chase the perfect pop song, and I hope they get distracted or lost, or stoned and listen to Can.