How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb 10th Anniversary

[namkcuR]

How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was released ten years ago today(well, yesterday in Europe). The Complete U2 package on iTunes was also released ten years ago today.

The Brooklyn Bridge show was ten years ago yesterday, televised on MTV.

The band's 2004 SNL appearance w/host Luke Wilson, in which they played Vertigo, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, a memorable rendition of I Will Follow at the end as the credits rolled(with the whole cast watching and totally into it), and All Because Of You and Vertigox2(after the broadcast ended) was ten years ago this past Thursday.

It seems like the last time the band was truly relevant, the last time people outside of the die-hard fanbase were legitimately excited for a new U2 album(which is kind of ironic given that inside the die-hard fanbase, it is often in the lower half of album rankings and often considered a creative low point for the band).

I think there are certainly a few standout tracks on the album, but I think what I get most nostalgic about when I think back to the album's release is the sense of excitement about it within the music world. NLOTH and SOI have failed to illicit that kind of excitement, even though many of us think they're both superior to HTDAAB. I also get nostalgic about all of us discovering the Unreleased&Rare tracks for the first time, and passing them around on here since they were album-only on iTunes.

So, raise your glass to the excitement of that album release period, and to an album that can still be enjoyable if you listen to the right tracks in the right order, even if it doesn't touch the highs that this band is capable of.

All Three SNL performances:
Vidéo Vertigo, Sometimes You Can't Make It..., I Will Follow - Live SNL 2004 - U2 - Rare, non-publié, remixé, en concert, le meilleur de U2 est ici ! - Musique

Full Brooklyn Bridge MTV telecast:
U2 - 2004-11-22 - In Manhattan and under the Brooklyn Bridge (full special) - YouTube

Original Of The Species from Brooklyn Bridge, cut from the telecast(Miracle Drug was also played but I couldn't find it on youtube):
U2 - Original Of The Species (Brooklyn Bridge) - YouTube

1. Vertigo
2. Miracle Drug
3. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
4. Love And Peace Or Else
5. City Of Blinding Lights
6. All Because Of You
7. A Man And A Woman
8. Crumbs From Your Table
9. One Step Closer
10. Original Of The Species
11. Yahweh
12. Fast Cars(Bonus)

(BTW, I think this Complete U2 cover is a lot better than the HTDAAB cover.)

 

[VintagePunk]

Very well said. It WAS an exciting time to be a fan. I couldn't leave the house wearing a concert tee without strangers asking me how the show was, and how I got tickets. Crossing the border on my way into Chicago, a border guard asked the reason for my visit. I told him I was going to see U2 shows, and he said that he was going to have to deny me entry, and confiscate my tickets...and then he started laughing and told us to have fun. Good times.

 

[cobl04]

I will always be nostalgic about the album. This was the time I got into the band. Still remember listening to the album on Christmas Day and my life essentially changing forever as I heard the opening chords of City of Blinding Lights. Joined this forum the next year with the single cover as my avatar. The concert I saw in 2006 remains possibly the best night of my life. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face for days. http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f278/melbourne-i-the-greatest-night-of-my-life-168970.html

I haven't listened to the album in years, and doubt I ever will again, but I will always look back upon it fondly.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I can't believe that it's been 10 years since that Brooklyn Bridge show already. God that was such a fun day.

God I'm getting old.

 

[prbiker15]

10 years already? It's my least favorite U2 album of the 21st century, but there are a few great songs (Vertigo, COBL, etc.)

 

[corianderstem]

I met Bono ten years ago? Shit.

Still the highlight of my career at this company.

... make of that what you will.

 

[Yahweh]

Those 10 years have probably been the fastest 10 years of my life.

Not an album I listen to more then once a year but when I listen to it it still sounds good.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I like to pretend that U2 actually went on hiatus between the end of the Elevation Tour and the release of No Line - absolutely nothing good came in between - but wow, 10 years...

 

[Aardvark747]

Just re-watched the Dumbo gig again for the first time years, thanks for the reminder

 

[Kieran McConville]

What I resented, and still resent about the HTDAAB era is that the largely positive press reviews mostly ran the line that, ok, this record was typical of U2, it was a quintessential U2-type record, and that was a good thing.

It wasn't, and it isn't.

 

[lemonfly]

2004/05, U2 got heaped with an avalanche of praise for a middling record by a middle-aged band who had taken too many trips to the same well, and were fast running out of ideas. I'll remember that era as being full of bluster but very little genuine inspiration. While the ATYCLB era had been organic and not so in-your-face, the Bomb era was when they became rock star caricatures, and to a certain degree they still haven't been able to shake that off.

 

[Musikwala]

It seems like the last time the band was truly relevant, the last time people outside of the die-hard fanbase were legitimately excited for a new U2 album(which is kind of ironic given that inside the die-hard fanbase, it is often in the lower half of album rankings and often considered a creative low point for the band).

I think there are certainly a few standout tracks on the album, but I think what I get most nostalgic about when I think back to the album's release is the sense of excitement about it within the music world. NLOTH and SOI have failed to illicit that kind of excitement, even though many of us think they're both superior to HTDAAB. I also get nostalgic about all of us discovering the Unreleased&Rare tracks for the first time, and passing them around on here since they were album-only on iTunes.

So, raise your glass to the excitement of that album release period, and to an album that can still be enjoyable if you listen to the right tracks in the right order, even if it doesn't touch the highs that this band is capable of.

Well said, man! I agree. It was an exciting time to be a U2 fan. The whole world was actually talking about them. They had not been this present in the collective public conscience since maybe 1992 or 1993?! (not counting ATYCLB/Elevation tour)

Though it is my least favourite U2 album, I do not actually hate many songs here. It is just consistently mediocre and boring (almost) throughout. But I do like COBL, Crumbs, One Step Closer and to a lesser extent, AMAAW, Vertigo and Sometimes.

 

[Musikwala]

Very well said. It WAS an exciting time to be a fan. I couldn't leave the house wearing a concert tee without strangers asking me how the show was, and how I got tickets. Crossing the border on my way into Chicago, a border guard asked the reason for my visit. I told him I was going to see U2 shows, and he said that he was going to have to deny me entry, and confiscate my tickets...and then he started laughing and told us to have fun. Good times.

Haha nice story! I too remember being asked a couple of times about my Vertigo tour tee by total strangers.

 

[cobl04]

I thought you only liked 90s music, Zoots

 

[trainmaniac]

Great promo done for the album, but for me it was the worst album since October or Rattle & Hum.

 

[Musikwala]

I thought you only liked 90s music, Zoots

Well, who told you that?

Btw, this album.. as boring as it is overall, still has more interesting CD artwork and liner notes than the new one.

And I'm not talking about the album cover. Album cover for SOI is just fine.

 

[VintagePunk]

I thought you only liked 90s music, Zoots

Ohhhhhhh. I've been away for a while.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Wait, are you both Zoots? Cause I'm actually Sting 2.







Ok, I'm not.

 

[cobl04]

I am back

 

[Kieran McConville]

in an interstella burst

 

[gvox]

The album was middle of the pack for me, but the tour and my experiences on it - for so so many reasons - off the charts. I could and probably should write a book on it one day.


Sent from my ass crack

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I bought my first iPod in 1994 because of U2! I still have my other one in the original package that I've never opened. Hopefully it's worth a lot one day.The Complete U2 was a stellar bonus and I enjoyed rare U2 songs like "Street Mission" which before I had never heard. The Vertigo tour was great and also the highest amount of U2 shows for me on any tour. Seattle, Las Vegas, Portland and LA.

In regards to HTDAAB, I'm over the general opinion of most here that it was a weak album. Yahweh though is still one of my favorite U2 songs and so is COBL.

Hey I still like this CD/Album more than NLOTH, featuring Vertigo Part II - Get On Your Boots (Shutter!).

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

i have nothing to add to this discussion

 

[thavidesco]

2004/05, U2 got heaped with an avalanche of praise for a middling record by a middle-aged band who had taken too many trips to the same well, and were fast running out of ideas. I'll remember that era as being full of bluster but very little genuine inspiration.

I totally agree

While the ATYCLB era had been organic and not so in-your-face, the Bomb era was when they became rock star caricatures, and to a certain degree they still haven't been able to shake that off.

ATYCLB was their worst album for me. I guess the starting point for it in their heads was: "we are not relevant anymore, let´s stop challenging ourselves musically, we have to make pop, radio-friendly record, shoot bunch of silly videos and sell it to most people as possible". In the end, they completely suceeded with this goal

No line album meant to be original, creative record again. That was the reason for Morocco, but then fear from commercial fail came back to their minds and the final production back in studio in Dublin made that album much less ambitious...

Songs of Innocence is finally album that is great (despite moments of dad-rock and generic 70´s riffs)

 

[mikal]

I bought my first iPod in 1994 because of U2!

Is that the iPod with high speed dubbing?

 

[Hollow Island]

2004/05, U2 got heaped with an avalanche of praise for a middling record by a middle-aged band who had taken too many trips to the same well, and were fast running out of ideas. I'll remember that era as being full of bluster but very little genuine inspiration. While the ATYCLB era had been organic and not so in-your-face, the Bomb era was when they became rock star caricatures, and to a certain degree they still haven't been able to shake that off.

I totally agree. It's when U2 became "U2." They were impersonating themselves. They had no ideas or passion. It was easily the low point of a career that to that point had been unparallelled in its consistency.

 

[thavidesco]

Pop fiasco was also a big low point, althought not so bad like ATYCLB, which was simply U2 sellout. They wanted to make futuristic rock record with POP, but they didn´t know how Moreover they didn´t have enough of good material

 

[Hewson]

i have nothing to add to this discussion

I totally agree.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Is that the iPod with high speed dubbing?

sorry Mikal that was 2004 not 1994.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I totally agree



ATYCLB was their worst album for me. I guess the starting point for it in their heads was: "we are not relevant anymore, let´s stop challenging ourselves musically, we have to make pop, radio-friendly record, shoot bunch of silly videos and sell it to most people as possible". In the end, they completely suceeded with this goal

No line album meant to be original, creative record again. That was the reason for Morocco, but then fear from commercial fail came back to their minds and the final production back in studio in Dublin made that album much less ambitious...

Songs of Innocence is finally album that is great (despite moments of dad-rock and generic 70´s riffs)

SOI and it's moments of "dad rock" (such an overused term) is almost perfect. I like the 70's riffs as U2 are from the 1970's! Hey at my age if I was in a band, I would be greatly influenced by the music of the 80's I grew up listening too.

Agreed on the ATYCLB music videos, after starting out strong with Beautiful Day, they shat the bed with Tomb Raider tie-ins ("This is evil Bono......") and obvious NFL american football themes of Stuck.....

Horrible! (the videos not the music)

HTDAAB had much better videos at least IMO COBL was great!