Ever take a U2 sabatical?

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The_acrobat

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I realized a few months ago that I was getting burnt out on U2, and needed a break. I decided to not listen to them until at least the end of summer, so September. I can make it easily, it's not that. I have literally not listened to any U2 songs (unless I hear them in a restaurant or somewhere that I have no control over the music).

With nothing new likely to happen in the near future with U2, seemed like a good idea to take a break. Anybody else ever do this??
 
My obsession waxes and wanes. (Waning right now.)

But I never make a point NOT to listen to them. If a song comes up on shuffle and I feel like listening to it, I will. I still pay some attention to U2-related stuff, but I don't sit down with an album, or put my U2 playlist on shuffle for my commute.
 
My obsession waxes and wanes. (Waning right now.)

But I never make a point NOT to listen to them. If a song comes up on shuffle and I feel like listening to it, I will. I still pay some attention to U2-related stuff, but I don't sit down with an album, or put my U2 playlist on shuffle for my commute.
Same here, and it doesn't apply to just U2, but with any artist. I'll listen to the artist a lot, then find myself not listening to them much, and the cycle continues over and over again. I've never forcefully NOT listen to an artist that I enjoy. If it plays and I decide, "hey, I wanna listen to this", then I listen to it.

If you like what you're listening to, why stop?
 
My last.fm shows evidence of this. They did go from top of the charts on the 3 month charts to completely off the charts and now they're back in 2nd. On the rise again.
 
Same here, and it doesn't apply to just U2, but with any artist. I'll listen to the artist a lot, then find myself not listening to them much, and the cycle continues over and over again. I've never forcefully NOT listen to an artist that I enjoy. If it plays and I decide, "hey, I wanna listen to this", then I listen to it.

If you like what you're listening to, why stop?

Yes this exactly for me. It goes the same for all artists and I do burn myself out on them at times. But like the others have said, I never go out of my way to NOT listen to them. Lately I made a bunch of mixed CDs for my car where I listen to music most (I know it's old fashioned but my ipod is a pain in the car and I don't have music services or anything.) Anyway, my mixes are usually so diverse I'm fine, but I'll still skip songs I'm not in the mood for, including U2.
 
I think everyone here is on the same point. That goes for U2 and any other favorite artist for me as well.
 
I am right now. I tend to focus on bands that I am going to see live. We desperately need something new. :crack:
 
I tend to lose interest a little when there's nothing going on, like right now. I also listen to CDs in my car a lot because there's no iPod jack, and most of them lately have not been U2. I'm still paying attention to what they're up to (which isn't much) but I haven't really been listening to them. I'm not concerned about it, because I know that something will trigger my interest and I will suddenly be really into U2 again at some point in the future.
 
They'll always be my favourite band, but it's been a very long time since I listened to them often. I'm not sure I've even played a U2 album in full this year. Too much other good music to discover.
 
Just listened to Achtung Baby the other night. I listen to U2 with about as much regularity as other artists, but that's not saying much; I never listen to the same album more than once or twice in a month, because I'm always onto something else.
 
I'm on a bit of a "U2 fast" now myself. Been checking out other bands and buying other records and finding new music to get into until U2 cone back. I figured I needed a break from U2 back in December and bout a couple Interpol records and some other bands and I've just not listened to U2 nearly as much as I used to. In fact I only listen to 1 or two songs every now and then. Just not hungry for their music at the moment. I'm sure I'll be listening to them non stop by the time a new album comes around.
 
the best thing about waning is getting back into them for a few weeks. Ebb and flow. I do this with a ton of bands. Reacquainting one's self with an old friend is an amazing and fun thingy. It's better than finding something new. Cause that what it winds up being with this band. But at the same time.
 
Up until like last week, I was taking a U2 sabbatical. I was listening to the Beatles and some other stuff. But now since U22 is coming soon, I'm spending a few weeks on U2. Although, I'm really liking the new jack white album so I'm listening to that alot.
 
I wouldn't really call it a sabbatical, but I do lose interest in them for long periods.

I became a serious fan of them around 1992 (though I'd been hearing their music since 1987). Listened to them a lot from '92 to about 1995.

From mid-1995 through 2000, I don't think I listened to them at all, bar maybe the occasional spin of The Joshua Tree.

In 2001 (I was living abroad then... as I am now), I got into them again, and became a fan again until about 2006.

Since then, I've listened to them only occasionally. No Line didn't really float my boat except for a few tracks, and I find myself increasingly turned off by the band's public appearances and self-promotion in recent years. So, I'm not really sure I'm a fan anymore, but I do occasionally go on this forum, so I might be!
 
I am right now. I tend to focus on bands that I am going to see live. We desperately need something new. :crack:

I am the same way. Last summer I saw U2 twice, and I was just up for U2 all the time. I seemed to always find something else I liked about the albums, especially the 3 90s albums. This wednesday I have Radiohead in Cleveland, so I've been on a huge Radiohead kick lately. Excited, this will be my first time seeing them. Also in a few weeks I have Dave Matthews Band in Indiana, and I'm rediscovering them after many years of not paying them much mind.

Was on a Red Hot Chili Peppers kick for a few good months this winter, and tomorrow night they'll be about 45 minutes from my house. But I find that their studio quality BY FAR outweighs their live performance quality, so I passed on them.
 
My obsession period goes by albums or tours. It ended when U2360 ended back in July. Then, I focused my attention on RHCP, Radiohead, Madonna, Coldplay, and other artists and bands that I thought I wasn't going to listen to. I still listen to U2, usually pops up on shuffle frequently, but sometimes I skip them and not skip other songs from other artists or bands. It'll come back soon. :shrug:
 
I have to admit that this is the most engaged I've been during a downtime since JT into AB. I have a tendency to go off the U2 grid during a period of inactivity. I totally spaced between AB and Pop, and even more so from Pop to ATYCLB. I'd say what's different this time around is that I became so engrossed in the last few legs of 360 that it was sort of rebirth for me as an mega-fan (having been a fan since 1983). With so much on the internet with the earliest videos to interviews and clips I never saw before - there's been plenty to keep me interested. And having U2 friends here has kept me faithful. I still listen to new stuff and other bands - it's just U2 is usually not on the radar for me until they have an album in the can. This time, I'm chomping at the bit.

What also has helped is that we've been selective with concerts. They are so expensive. I see bands like Radiohead, Florence, Bruce Springsteen, Garbage and such touring.....then I see the ticket prices....I just can't. I have to save my pennies for the Arcade Fire, Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam shows. And of course, the next U2 tour.
 
yeah definitely do- my interest tends to cycle around the albums and tours (although not every album/tour). But I tend to do that with most bands I like

I rediscovered U2 with AB/Zooropa during 92/93 and played the music alot then (what a year 1993 was U2 Zooropa Tour, Dep Mode- Devotional and Duran's Dilate Your Mind tour)- then it wasn't really until Atomic Bomb I connected with them again

funny thing is with the last couple of albums I've gone back and re-found they're older stuff- with Atomic Bomb I dusted off Joshua Tree again and with NLOTH it was TUF and R&H/Love Town tour (via the Dublin shows).

last time I think my U2 obsession went almost twelve months from late 2008-2009. It was harder to fully engage with the second run of shows in late 2010- but still really enjoyed them

Since then (after a lengthy break) I've returned to Duran Duran via All You Need is Now, then indulged my pop side with Lady Gaga, re-visited Abba and uncovered some fab Depeche Mode concert recordings and of late I've gone back to playing Madonna again.....

I'm looking forward to U22, hearing UC live made my U2- senses tingle slightly.
 
Sometimes i wil say to myself i wont listen to them for a while,then a song comes on shuffle and im sucked back in!

Right now though im into a band called Some Velvet Morning,and i have been listening to a lot of the chili peppers at the moment.
 
There's four new 2012 albums out at the moment that I'm really digging.

Lotus Plaza - Spooky Action at a Distance (ps - youtube "Out of Touch", the guitar is awesome and reminds me of Mercy)

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Father John Misty - Fear Fun

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BADBADNOTGOOD - BBNG2

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and The Tallest Man on Earth - There's No Leaving Now

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Why debate about whether Bono said "12 songs" or "11 songs" when you can discover plenty of other great music, which comes out nearly every day :)
 
Lotus Plaza. Beach House. Tallest Man On Earth. Japandroids.

U2's spot has been sufficiently occupied for the time being, although they are more than welcome to contribute.
 
another wonderful thing about records is they can be played for years and years and years after they're released. They don't evaporate 6 months after release date.

Saturday I played a Mott The Hoople album that was released in 1971. It still exists 41 years later.

And it was awesome.
 
I hate Mott the Hopple for two reasons 1) stupid name and 2) I heard their cover of All the Young Dudes about 30 million times on the radio of our hire car when we were in the States in 2010.
 
I hate Mott the Hopple for two reasons 1) stupid name and 2) I heard their cover of All the Young Dudes about 30 million times on the radio of our hire car when we were in the States in 2010.

Those are valid reason for writing off a great band.
 
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