Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
Doncha think it's a bit arrogant to call yourself the biggest fan? It's a bit of a hyperbole if you ask me..
What did you think when you first heard Actung Baby?
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corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I don't think he meant it in a "I'm the biggest fan and everyone else is a loser turkey," I think he was just expressing that the album made him into a huge fan.
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
Perhaps, but then why not use the term big or huge rather than the biggest hyperbole?
True stories:
• My nephew, whom I turned into a U2 fan, but who approached U2 through an appreciation of metal bands like Metallica, which I never really understood—threw his copy of AB in a dumpster.
• My best friend at the time, who was a snotty indy-music fan, suddenly HATED U2 because of all the "ROCK STAR" pictures with hot women on the streets of Berlin found in the liner notes. Despite all of my attempts to get him to embrace the irony and reinvention, he refused. Years later, he admitted that I was right all along and now considers it his favorite album.
• My introduction to the album was hearing The Fly on MTV. I thought, my God, there's no way this will be played on the radio. I was right. My first thought upon hearing the album was that my speakers were broken. But ultimately, like Bono said once, it was all a con. They really hadn't changed much at all.
I LOVE the fact that this album generated so much rebellion, controversy and anger. I'm hoping the next U2 album does the same thing.
• My nephew, whom I turned into a U2 fan, but who approached U2 through an appreciation of metal bands like Metallica, which I never really understood—threw his copy of AB in a dumpster.
• My best friend at the time, who was a snotty indy-music fan, suddenly HATED U2 because of all the "ROCK STAR" pictures with hot women on the streets of Berlin found in the liner notes. Despite all of my attempts to get him to embrace the irony and reinvention, he refused. Years later, he admitted that I was right all along and now considers it his favorite album.
• My introduction to the album was hearing The Fly on MTV. I thought, my God, there's no way this will be played on the radio. I was right. My first thought upon hearing the album was that my speakers were broken. But ultimately, like Bono said once, it was all a con. They really hadn't changed much at all.
I LOVE the fact that this album generated so much rebellion, controversy and anger. I'm hoping the next U2 album does the same thing.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
In college, I knew a guy who hated U2. Just hated them. He was one of those college music snobs who said stuff like "They sold out after 1983." (I had a serious crush on him despite this, but that's just your boring 'unrequited college crush' story.)
Anyway! He was the music director at our teeny-tiny college radio station (seriously, it was like 10 watts or something), and he got a promo copy of The Fly single. (He even went so douchebaggily far as to ban all post-1983 U2 from the station. I played whatever U2 I wanted just to spite him.)
He played The Fly for all his music snob friends and said "You will NEVER guess who this is." No one believed him when he told them it was U2.
He still hated them, but I always liked that they took even a hater by surprise.
He dogs me on Facebook occasionally by making a snide comment about Bono or U2, and I respond by telling him his little girl (who apparently likes all the hipster indie music he plays) is going to rebel as a teen by blaring U2 at all hours of the day, just to piss him off.
Anyway! He was the music director at our teeny-tiny college radio station (seriously, it was like 10 watts or something), and he got a promo copy of The Fly single. (He even went so douchebaggily far as to ban all post-1983 U2 from the station. I played whatever U2 I wanted just to spite him.)
He played The Fly for all his music snob friends and said "You will NEVER guess who this is." No one believed him when he told them it was U2.
He still hated them, but I always liked that they took even a hater by surprise.
He dogs me on Facebook occasionally by making a snide comment about Bono or U2, and I respond by telling him his little girl (who apparently likes all the hipster indie music he plays) is going to rebel as a teen by blaring U2 at all hours of the day, just to piss him off.
MissVelvetDress_75
Blue Crack Addict
I was a sophomore in high school when the AB CD was released. My older brother give it for me for Christmas. I have no memory of what my thoughts were on the CD but I know I loved it because it was played often.
No spoken words
Blue Crack Supplier
In college, I knew a guy who hated U2. Just hated them. He was one of those college music snobs who said stuff like "They sold out after 1983." (I had a serious crush on him despite this, but that's just your boring 'unrequited college crush' story.)
Anyway! He was the music director at our teeny-tiny college radio station (seriously, it was like 10 watts or something), and he got a promo copy of The Fly single. (He even went so douchebaggily far as to ban all post-1983 U2 from the station. I played whatever U2 I wanted just to spite him.)
He played The Fly for all his music snob friends and said "You will NEVER guess who this is." No one believed him when he told them it was U2.
He still hated them, but I always liked that they took even a hater by surprise.
He dogs me on Facebook occasionally by making a snide comment about Bono or U2, and I respond by telling him his little girl (who apparently likes all the hipster indie music he plays) is going to rebel as a teen by blaring U2 at all hours of the day, just to piss him off.
Shouter has a kid????
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
Earnie Shavers
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Did the Fly not get much radio play in the US?
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I honestly don't remember how much I heard it on the radio. I think I heard Mysterious Ways more, but .... yeah. Just don't remember. So long ago!
I remember that was right around the time when the commercial "alternative" stations were popping up more, and Milwaukee had one or two, so I'm sure I heard it.
I remember that was right around the time when the commercial "alternative" stations were popping up more, and Milwaukee had one or two, so I'm sure I heard it.
Very little. You could hear it occasionally on more progressive formats, but it got almost no play on top 40 formats.
But I'm sure that's exactly what U2 wanted for their first single. This was a record they wanted to absolutely annihilate people's expectations. The Fly was perfect for that.
And to this day, it's one of a handful of U2 songs that I just never get tired of hearing.
cobl04
45:33
Would have been so cool to be blown away by The Fly at the time. So different, but it's still undeniably U2.
I'd say the same thing about me and Outkast
I'd say the same thing about me and Outkast
i hardly have the best memory (plus i was a kid), but yeah, like cori said i mostly remember hearing mysterious ways.
BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
The Fly got very little airplay and actually had a very short run on MTV as well. It's why Mysterious Ways was released only a month after The Fly and slightly before the album was in stores.
There's a lot of revisionist history about AB and this time period of U2, but they were still VERY strategic about the releasing of this album.
There's a lot of revisionist history about AB and this time period of U2, but they were still VERY strategic about the releasing of this album.
Earnie Shavers
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Gotcha. I'd just noticed a few people from the US suggesting that it wasn't such a big song there. And yeah, it was definitely a statement single, not an impact single. They would never have expected it to be 'the big one'.
BluRmGrl
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I don't remember which song I first heard on the radio - if I heard one at all. In 91/92 I was living in western Kentucky & was just thrilled that I could pick up a Evansville, IN rock station so I didn't have endure getting my ears raped every day by the local country music stations. 
Anyway, what I do remember is that Kelly arrived home at our little apartment one afternoon, shortly after I'd gotten home from work, and with great satisfaction presented me with the CD that he'd just run out & bought for me - Achtung Baby. First I kissed my wonderful husband, then I ripped into the CD wrapper & sprinted for our stereo system, heart racing. The following hour went something like this:
The internet came along within in a few years & completely obliterated the information vacuum that most of us used to live in, so no album since AB has held quite the surprise that album did - but that's one reason AB is still one of my fave U2 albums. It was so radically different and unexpected & helps me remember that there are times when not being so informed can be a good thing.
Anyway, what I do remember is that Kelly arrived home at our little apartment one afternoon, shortly after I'd gotten home from work, and with great satisfaction presented me with the CD that he'd just run out & bought for me - Achtung Baby. First I kissed my wonderful husband, then I ripped into the CD wrapper & sprinted for our stereo system, heart racing. The following hour went something like this:
The internet came along within in a few years & completely obliterated the information vacuum that most of us used to live in, so no album since AB has held quite the surprise that album did - but that's one reason AB is still one of my fave U2 albums. It was so radically different and unexpected & helps me remember that there are times when not being so informed can be a good thing.
BlueSilkenSky
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I was hooked on this album as soon as it started! I was expecting something a LOT weirder than what I got. It didn't hurt that I watched Zoo TV Live From Sydney right after listening. Everything clicked, I guess. For the longest time I would say my favorite album was The Joshua Tree or Achtung, it changed from day to day. Now there;s no question- Achtung Baby is the best U2 album of all! I also love Zooropa.
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