Dave Fanning Comments From U2.com

[adotson]

Just saw this on U2.com:

A big song with lots of layers...'
He'll be the first to play it on Monday, so what does Dave Fanning think of the new single ?

On Monday morning, the world finally gets to hear Get On Your Boots. As usual, the person to premiere the track will be Irish TV and radio presenter Dave Fanning, someone who's been championing the band since he first started playing their demos on pirate radio more than three decades ago. Ever since, Dave's got the first play of a new U2 single. We tracked him down at 2FM in Dublin.

So you’ve heard the single, which the rest of the world will hear on Monday - first impressions?

First impressions is that there’s eleven tracks on the album and ‘Get On Your Boots’ is the one you’d instantly say is the single. It’s the ‘Vertigo’ of the album - although a completely different kind of song. That was a new song which was an instant hit night after night on the last tour and this song will be the same on the next tour. People will be impressed, it’s very U2 and there’ s nothing wrong with that, a big song with lots of layers but not overproduced. Great track.

Sounds like you’ve heard the album too?

I have, just a few times though and it’s hard to give you first impressions because I need to hear it in the car and in the bath. But certainly you know in hearing it that they remain a great creative force as a band, what I’m not sure of yet is whether it is the beginning of a new sequence of albums or the third in a series that began with All That You Can’t Leave Behind.
It’s a big record though and I was struck by the running order, that tracks 2 (Magnificent), 3 (Moment of Surrender), and 4 (Unknown Caller) alone are almost twenty minutes of music. Normally you find longer songs at the end of a record, but these come before you even reach Get On Your Boots. Some of the lyric writing seemed more personal than usual to me, and there’s lots of buried songs on there too, songs that will grow on you – like if you ask your average U2 fan to sing ‘A Man and A Woman’ or ‘Crumbs Under your Table’ from How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb they might not be able to, but they were gems. The album has plenty of songs like that, songs to return to.

There was a time when they let you choose the single release.

Yes, it’s hard to believe that thirty years ago they came into my show, all four of them every night for a week, and we played three of their songs a night and asked the audience to decide what the single should be. Out of Control got it, with Stories for Boys as a b-side and we threw in Boy-Girl too. I remember a thousand copies of the single were pressed and we launched it at Windmill Lane and about 15 people turned up.
I’d been playing their demo tapes since being on pirate stations in 1978, I just got behind them, I never even knew they would get as far as another demo. I’m not brilliant, I couldn’t predict anything, I was more into The Undertones at the time but U2 just seemed to be going along the same lines as me and I liked them.

Ever since you’ve always had the world premiere of a new U2 single from a new album.

I’ve had the world exclusive ever since, Paul McGuinness always likes to start a new campaign with me. I asked him about it this morning, he said he thought I was a good luck charm. But my feeling on this album is that while it’s been a really long wait, it is worth the wait. They were the biggest band of the eighties, then they dominated the nineties and now they’re writing a whole new chapter in another decade - not young anymore but still looking very cool. I think of all the 17 year olds who are going to buy this record and it will only be the third or fourth record they have bought - they’re still right up there.

One other song that really stood out for you ?

Stand Up Comedy – the nearest thing they’ve ever done to Led Zeppelin. But I could change my mind, wait till I’ve heard it in the bath a few times. One - from Achtung Baby - never hit me for months.

 

[cdirani]

Loved reading that. It seems NLOTH is a sort of mix of their albums, which pleases me because it turns out to be a different monster. The thing that it runs over 20 minutes in the begining is sort of odd! But cool. It's that different like many has been expecting.

 

[Airseven]

So he thinks this album could be the third album of the ATYCLB-HTDAAB trilogy???

Eck!

 

[cdirani]

So he thinks this album could be the third album of the ATYCLB-HTDAAB trilogy???

Eck!

Why "eck" my dear friend?

 

[jajanee]

So he thinks this album could be the third album of the ATYCLB-HTDAAB trilogy???

Eck!

This kinda worries me too, but we just have to wait a little bit longer..

 

[Airseven]

Why "eck" my dear friend?

Because HTDAAB was horrendous!

 

[SecretFly]

Why "eck" my dear friend?

Because the last album was shit

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

all of the its up there with the joshua tree hype is slowly starting to fade and come back to reality with every day that passes

 

[Acrobat08]

because HTDAAB sucked

 

[cdirani]

Because the last album was shit

I really can't agree with that. How a shit album can get so much accolades around the world?

 

[Airseven]

all of the its up there with the joshua tree hype is slowly starting to fade and come back to reality with every day that passes

It's completely rediculous if that comparison was ever even made in the first place.

 

[SecretFly]

I really can't agree with that. How a shit album can get so much accolades around the world?

Its U2..they will get accolades for doing anything. Plus accolades don't mean squat. Its their worst album IMO.

 

[Airseven]

I really can't agree with that. How a shit album can get so much accolades around the world?

It gets accolades because it's U2. They are enormous. Beloved. A lot of international media folks wouldn't think to criticize them.

 

[cdirani]

Its U2..they will get accolades for doing anything. Plus accolades don't mean squat. Its their worst album IMO.

It's clearly a matter of opinion. But changing subject, I don't really think Fanning described it well. If he says Stand Up Comedy is the closer to a Led track, it must not be similar in any aspect to the former albums. Other aspect is, if the abum belongs to a trilogy shall we remember that Star Wars was also a trilogy as well. Maybe it's Empire Strikes Back.

 

[Steved1998]

Atomic Bomb was pretty good..to each and their own I guess.

I can't wait for this one!

 

[cdirani]

It gets accolades because it's U2. They are enormous. Beloved. A lot of international media folks wouldn't think to criticize them.

I don't know. U2 has been criticized a lot in the past. POP was savaged.

 

[Steved1998]

It's clearly a matter of opinion. But changing subject, I don't really think Fanning described it well. If he says Stand Up Comedy is the closer to a Led track, it must not be similar in any aspect to the former albums. Other aspect is, if the abum belongs to a trilogy shall we remember that Star Wars was also a trilogy as well. Maybe it's Empire Strikes Back.

Great comparison!

 

[SecretFly]

It's clearly a matter of opinion. But changing subject, I don't really think Fanning described it well. If he says Stand Up Comedy is the closer to a Led track, it must not be similar in any aspect to the former albums. Other aspect is, if the abum belongs to a trilogy shall we remember that Star Wars was also a trilogy as well. Maybe it's Empire Strikes Back.

Hope so.

 

[Bean Skidds]

Dave Fanning lost me when he said A Man and A Woman was a gem. We'll just have to wait and see if this album is actually any good, or if its all been hype. I fell for the hype before Bomb, its not gonna happen again!

I hope its the their best since Achtung Baby. I mean the hype has really been piled on super thick this time by so many people. If it blows, its gonna be unforgiveable

 

[cdirani]

Hope so.

Yes, me too. As much as I like most of U2 albums sooo much, I'd love to get anything different. And I'm sure the album will be very different than their former's.

 

[cdirani]

Dave Fanning lost me when he said A Man and A Woman was a gem. We'll just have to wait and see if this album is actually any good, or if its all been hype. I fell for the hype before Bomb, its not gonna happen again!

I hope its the their best since Achtung Baby. I mean the hype has really been piled on super thick this time by so many people. If it blows, its gonna be unforgiveable

Er...I know lots of fans who like Man And A Woman. Myself counting. I don't understand the bitching about this motown-type ballad

 

[jajanee]

Hope so.

I do too. I am getting the idea they have dropped the songs who are soundwise the most inovative (ask brian eno), but we can still get an album which is new and inovative cause its more layered and different structured. This needs more listening to be discovered and can also be a masterpiece (i hope).

 

[jajanee]

Er...I know lots of fans who like Man And A Woman. Myself counting. I don't understand the bitching about this motown-type ballad

I like it too and at that time it was something they hadnt done before... Most of the bomb besides that song and lapoe is kinda a let down.

 

[doctorwho]

So he thinks this album could be the third album of the ATYCLB-HTDAAB trilogy???

Eck!

Yeah, cause those albums were SO awful.

Both albums that won numerous awards, from fans, fellow muscians and critics. They sold a combined 7.5 million copies in the U.S. during the peak of the illegal download years and over 21 million copies worldwide and produced wildly successful tours. Plus, the albums have some of U2's greatest material on it.

I'm not saying every song is great. I strongly disagree with Fanning regarding his comment about "A Man and a Woman". But I also feel some "off" songs are on JT as well.

Also, if we use that "trilogy" analogy, the final album in each trilogy shows tremendous leaps from the first album. This was true with songs from "War", R&H and "Pop", the previous "third albums in U2's trilogies", when compared to the first and second album in the "trilogies". I even felt this was true for HTDAAB compared to ATYCLB. "Bomb" showed some very innovative work, with songs like "Love & Peace" and "Fast Cars", sounds we hadn't heard from U2 before. Therefore, I would expect the same on NLOTH.

Lastly, remember that all bands have their own unique sound. U2 can experiment all they want, yet they will always have that U2 sound. "Mofo" wasn't the Chemical Brothers or Prodigy - but it was U2's version of that sound. It was still very U2, yet a very different U2 sound. "Fast Cars" was still very U2, yet also very Mediterranean. I expect more of this type of experimentation here - songs that are still U2 in sound, yet different for them. Other reviews have had more discussion regarding experimentation. I think Fanning is saying that here too - there's new layers and sonic arrangements, but it's still clear it's U2.

Remember, if it weren't for U2 having their own unique sound, AB wouldn't have produced "One" and "Zooropa" wouldn't have produced "Stay" - two of U2's more popular tracks. And what might sound like the "same old U2" to you or even Fanning could sound very different to someone else. I recall a roommate stating way back in 1988 how U2 sounded completely different on R&H compared to prior work! I wondered what that person thought of AB.

In other words, album reviews are a bit pointless as they are so subjective. But if NLOTH takes the best from ATYCLB and HTDAAB and throws in some new sounds, I know I'd be very happy.

 

[last unicorn]

It gets accolades because it's U2. They are enormous. Beloved. A lot of international media folks wouldn't think to criticize them.

Well where I live most critics don't exactly praise U2.

 

[cdirani]

Yeah, cause those albums were SO awful.


Remember, if it weren't for U2 having their own unique sound, AB wouldn't have produced "One" and "Zooropa" wouldn't have produced "Stay" - two of U2's more popular tracks. And what might sound like the "same old U2" to you or even Fanning could sound very different to someone else. I recall a roommate stating way back in 1988 how U2 sounded completely different on R&H compared to prior work! I wondered what that person thought of AB.

In other words, album reviews are a bit pointless as they are so subjective. But if NLOTH takes the best from ATYCLB and HTDAAB and throws in some new sounds, I know I'd be very happy.

That's really the best description of rock bands one can do. I agree on every point. I'm a huge U2 fan but MoFo does not please me that much. It seems U2 were trying to much. Zooropa's tracks were much more U2 using the technology and the contemporary sound on their behalf. Still, some of the songs are not my favourites to this day. As for AB, everything is perfect there. Back on topic, I think NLOTH will be a very rocking album. That's when world will really see Edge on fire, like Bono loves to describe his performances

 

[buzzkill27]

all of the its up there with the joshua tree hype is slowly starting to fade and come back to reality with every day that passes

Why can't people really reserve judgement until they
HEAR THE FUCKING ALBUM!!!!!!!
The 4 songs we heard on the beach clips were amazing....unless U2 really messed with the songs to the point that they do not sound anything like what we heard..no one should say boo about what one person who heard the album two or three times thinks of it...everybody's opinion differs from one person to the next.I remember when a newpaper review of AB came out before it was released and the critic gave it three stars but said that "Acrobat" and "Love Is Blindness" were weak songs that brought a really good album down a notch...now,who here really thinks that those songs are weak?? ......anyone? Let's just all relax a little and pick up the conversation in April after everyone has a month to digest the new album

 

[Galeongirl]

Why can't people really reserve judgement until they
HEAR THE FUCKING ALBUM!!!!!!!
The 4 songs we heard on the beach clips were amazing....unless U2 really messed with the songs to the point that they do not sound anything like what we heard..no one should say boo about what one person who heard the album two or three times thinks of it...everybody's opinion differs from one person to the next.I remember when a newpaper review of AB came out before it was released and the critic gave it three stars but said that "Acrobat" and "Love Is Blindness" were weak songs that brought a really good album down a notch...now,who here really thinks that those songs are weak?? ......anyone? Let's just all relax a little and pick up the conversation in April after everyone has a month to digest the new album

And wow, that review. I don't think I can express how BADLY I disagree with that critic!

I actually agree with Dave Fanning, AMAAW may be boring to some, but I really like the song. It's one of the rare songs with a great bassline!

 

[Steved1998]

AMAAW is a great song to have sex to! It's a hidden gem for me.

Although I liked most of the songs on Bomb, All Because of You, One Step Closer and Yahweh...not so much

 

[PowerSurge]

I continue to struggle to understand why everyone keeps wanting to lump U2's albums into "trilogies". Are they really able to be categorized as such? or is it because people are in love with the idea of looking back at them in such a neat and clean organized way?

I don't see the "trilogies" thing working for their albums, and if you really look at the differences from one album and one era to another you don't see that neat and clean "3 part" break unless you are trying to force it to happen.

Here's my example:

BOY/October - these make sense, songs about discovery and being young. Bono singing about looking out back at himself and out to the immediate world around him with a childlike inquisitiveness. He starts to hit on some big subjects of faith and touches on politics, but doesn't quite cross that line

WAR/UF - this is where subject wise, and sonically they got mature and open to the world around them and how they fit in it. They challenged people regarding their political beliefs, and crossed that line from being the young boy band with songs about being young and inquisitive to the more mature band thats going to take on the world. War sounds like a complete departure from the previous two albums for me both sonically and lyrically leading me to group it with UF which took their sound and song writing to the NEXT level.

J-Tree/R&H - They arrive with these albums. They are mature men, with mature sounds and thoughts. The song writing is vastly different from anything that was written before...yes the songs are atmospheric in a similar way to UF, but I still think the difference between the two albums can easily separate the two, making them distinctly different.

A-Baby/Zooropa/POP - The easiest group to put as a trilogy. THESE albums are truly a trilogy. Technically you can throw in Passengers, though I don't/won't. Totally different sounds and song writing...darker sounds...darker meanings....I think everyone knows these well.

ATYCLB/HTDAAB - back to the basics...a coming down from the ether so to speak. A big change from the previous 3 more "experimental" (whatever that really means) albums.

NLOTH- The beginning of something new...PERIOD. We haven't heard it yet...but if you go by all of the descriptions...all of the interviews...and some of the intial impressions from those who were lucky enough to hear it, I can't in any way validate grouping it with the previous two because its being heavily compared to Achtung Baby/Zooropa/POP. If thats true then there's no way to group it neatly as a trilogy with ATYCLB/HTDAAB unless of course....going back to my original point...you find it necessary to force it into that category because you find it more neat and organized.

I personally don't...and won't group them in that fashion.