LP15 - We're due for a break from the norm

[U2387]

The Edge: Lots of people, including me, don’t read the instructions. When you select automatic download on iOS, you’re signing up to be pushed free content. It’s not exactly small print, it’s just a box you tick or don’t. I understand how and why people got annoyed. But really, with all that’s going on in the world. . .come on. Apple and U2 were genuine about this whole thing. Apple were being generous and we were trying to do something different to get through the noise.

My understanding, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, is that the mistake the band made wasn't in misreading how people would take having the album forced on them. Or forced on them so long as they had auto download checked, as Edge was correct in qualifying. Rather, I thought, from reading Bono's remarks in the same interview, that they intended from the get go to make it an OPTION to download for free and some mix up or error by APPLE pushed it to the auto download category. The only reason I remember Bono's remarks was he made an analogy- something to the effect of "we meant to say the milk is on the door step, when actually, the milk was in the middle of your kitchen floor."

So the mistake we are debating becomes much more complicated and open to interpretation and discussion if we look at it like that. Of course, it was a disaster that SOI auto downloaded and required the jaws of life to remove from your IPHONE. But the band didn't mean for that to happen.

So the question in my mind is "was it a good or bad idea to offer the download for free through Apple?"

In my mind, it was a good idea, and the auto download debacle and the lead single choice is what sent the ship into the rocks. Far more the auto download- not the band's intent- than the single- the band's poor choice.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The band knew it would be added to your library.

Blaming people for having songs that are added to their library for, ya know, having songs added to their library is bullshit. The "oh people didn't know it would automatically show up it's their fault" line is a load of crap. Of course you would want music that you added/purchased show up in your library. You don't but iTunes albums to not listen to them.

It's okay to simply say "hey, they meant well but they fucked up. Not the end of the world, dinged up their legacy a little, but they've clearly survived.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

"Oops, I'm sorry about that," Bono said in answer to a Facebook fan question. "We had this beautiful idea, we got a carried away with ourselves, artists are prone to that kind of thing. Drop of megalomania, touch of generosity, dash of self-promotion and deep fear that these songs that we poured our life into over the last few years mightn't be here. There's a lot of noise out there, I guess we got a little noisy ourselves to get through it."

Everyone knew what was going to happen. It was purposefully done.

It was a horrible misreading by both parties. Anyone with an iTunes account and half a brain could have realized that an album added to a user's library would automatically download. Marketing decisions like these aren't made on a whim.

That fucked up. To say anything else is revisionist history and/or straight fanboy denial.

 

[U2387]

The band knew it would be added to your library.

Blaming people for having songs that are added to their library for, ya know, having songs added to their library is bullshit. The "oh people didn't know it would automatically show up it's their fault" line is a load of crap. Of course you would want music that you added/purchased show up in your library. You don't but iTunes albums to not listen to them.

It's okay to simply say "hey, they meant well but they fucked up. Not the end of the world, dinged up their legacy a little, but they've clearly survived.

Everyone knew what was going to happen. It was purposefully done.

It was a horrible misreading by both parties. Anyone with an iTunes account and half a brain could have realized that an album added to a user's library would automatically download. Marketing decisions like these aren't made on a whim.

That fucked up. To say anything else is revisionist history and/or straight fanboy denial.

I'm not blaming anyone who had auto download on or saying that marketing decisions are made on a whim if you read my posts.

Where was it ever said that they meant for it to auto download?

I realize how it normally works. As did Apple and the band, obviously, as you stated, the extensive thought that goes into these marketing decisions.

My understanding was that the band and Apple both wanted a way to make it available, unique to this event, that wouldn't auto download and they fucked it up.

If not, how then do you explain the milk analogy Bono used?

From that, it seems like the band intended to do for the full album what they had done for Invisible. Make it an option to download for free.

The "oops, sorry" quote from Bono seems to cover the people who felt offended by the auto download- because the rest of his statement seems to defend the move overall as a way to cut through the noise.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I'm not blaming anyone who had auto download on or saying that marketing decisions are made on a whim if you read my posts.

Where was it ever said that they meant for it to auto download?

I realize how it normally works. As did Apple and the band, obviously, as you stated, the extensive thought that goes into these marketing decisions.

My understanding was that the band and Apple both wanted a way to make it available, unique to this event, that wouldn't auto download and they fucked it up.

If not, how then do you explain the milk analogy Bono used?

From that, it seems like the band intended to do for the full album what they had done for Invisible. Make it an option to download for free.

The "oops, sorry" quote from Bono seems to cover the people who felt offended by the auto download- because the rest of his statement seems to defend the move overall as a way to cut through the noise.

To say that Apple didn't realize that adding an album to someone's library would cause many people to auto download it is a ridiculous statement.

It's Apple.

It's not some rinky dink little start-up that got in over their heads. It was, at the time at least, the biggest company in the world, one of the 2 or 3 best tech companies in the world, and the company that changed the music industry with their software.

Of course they knew. There isn't a world that exists in which they didn't know.

 

[U2387]

To say that Apple didn't realize that adding an album to someone's library would cause many people to auto download it is a ridiculous statement.

It's Apple.

It's not some rinky dink little start-up that got in over their heads. It was, at the time at least, the biggest company in the world, one of the 2 or 3 best tech companies in the world, and the company that changed the music industry with their software.

Of course they knew. There isn't a world that exists in which they didn't know.

Well, then I don't know how you explain Bono's statements as well as Apple's on the topic.

Again, my understanding from many things I read at the time was that both parties had attempted to develop some kind of technological work around that didn't work.

I just don't know why the band would come out a month later and lie about this when they were already getting backlash. It would've been exposed and they would've faced more criticism.

Edge wasn't trying to say he intended for auto download, just pointing out that there are far worse problems in this world and that in fact, those with auto download do sign up to be pushed free content. Even if they do so the same way he does- without reading the details too closely. That's providing context, not blaming them.

 

[DaveC]

remember this?

remember how they said right before, "the new u2 album is going out for free to half a billion people in 5...4...3...2...1... <touch fingers> NOW"?

this is not the fault of some anonymous cross-eyed intern at apple who apparently was in charge of making the album available on itunes all on their own (because that's how massive tech firms work, ya know), and clicked the "auto-download" button by mistake.

 

[The_acrobat]

I had to look up how to change my personal settings to allow it to be downloaded! I was starting to get pissed off because I couldn’t figure it out!

 

[rennowba]

Let’s be honest here regardless what the band or Apple say , if they say they didn’t know it would automatically go onto people’s iTunes then their lying and what their saying is aload of rubbish.

Of course they knew , their saying they didn’t know it would happen because it backfired on them.

To think a company as big as Apple wouldn’t have known that would happen is ridiculous. They would have known every outcome for that process.

Myself being a fan thought it was great and I’ll never forget struggling to watch the press conference at my in laws. Soon as I heard the album had dropped I ran to my wife and said we have to go now, theve dropped the album. Regardless what happened after that was one hell of a u2 moment. Wait years for a record then all of a sudden you’ve got one on your phone.

What it did do was open there name to a younger audience, young people now know who u2 are. But it isn’t as if the record got youngsters into u2. There just the band that got onto people’s iPhones to Youngsters [emoji2]

 

[rennowba]

More on the topic of the bands decisions of recent years , (since bomb) there’s been some shockers, just off the top of my head

Get on your boots as lead single

Invisible not being a big single from a record and not just a free throwaway single

Not having an option to download SOI on iTunes

Miracle being lead single from SOI

The crystal ballroom not being on the album or being a single, that song is to good to be a fan known only song

Best thing being lead single above much stronger songs on SOE.

American soul being promoted a lot, probably the worse song on the record.

The Blackout should have been pushed a lot harder

 

[Gzusfrk]

I know I'm late on the Bono memoirs chat, but I agree with those that if don't right, it could be amazing.

Bono's "The Showman". Like Springsteen said "everything in Jersey is mixed with a bit of fraud, and he will reveal his "magic trick", much of what Bono has said has been platitudes, shiny versions of stories.

Well, he's always wanted to be John Lennon. If he does a memoir consisting of "Lennon Remembers" or Springsteen type honesty, and storytelling, it could be one of the best ever

 

[Rachel D.]

To pivot to a different topic that isn't rehashing what was an obvious horrible decision to 99% of the human race...


I found this u2.com posting very interesting...

https://www.u2.com/news/title/its-never-become-their-job

Not the content of the video... but the idea that u2.com is doing interviews with Eno and Eno and Bono are sharing friendly texts.

It makes me think that maybe this might be the next move. We've wondered if the relationship between the band and Eno/Lanois wasn't healthy over song writing credits, but this shows that clearly that's either not the case or at the very least not the case anymore.

I was surprised, too, when I saw this. There hasn’t been any mention of Eno or Lanois in U2 Land for years. Maybe NLOTH’s tenth anniversary has made the band remember SOA... I would really be excited if they got back together with Eno and/or Lanois and took another shot at making the album that NLOTH should have been.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I would love the band to reconnect with Eno and Lanois.

I have zero interest in seeing another "Songs of..." album. Enough is enough. Move on and start fresh.

 

[lazarus]

I can't read that because I cancelled my membership.

Anyone care to copy/paste?

 

[Rachel D.]

Yeah, I think they’re done with the Songs Of Whatever era and would be surprised if they actually called it Songs of Ascent. But I’m still curious about what the songs from that project sounded like, or what could be done with them in the future. I wish they would stop trying to be popular, get back with Eno, and make something really weird/abstract/atmospheric.

 

[Rachel D.]

I can't read that because I cancelled my membership.

Anyone care to copy/paste?

Eno mostly talks about how U2 is still passionate about working and how they always have been, stuff like that. But the interesting thing is that he’s talking about them in the present tense, like he’s been around them lately...? And then he says that he texted Bono and said that he (Eno) should maybe retire and get a pair of slippers, and that Bono replied with a text that just said “NEVER!!!!!!!” with a lot of exclamation points. And the video ends by showing the EI Tour logo for some reason. I’m confused, and intrigued.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Yea there wasn't anything overly interesting in what Eno said on the short, 3 minute video... but that Eno is doing things for U2 and actively talking with Bono in some fashion, and seemingly happy to be doing it, is a great sign all by itself... as the thought was that they had a falling out

 

[lazarus]

Now that McGuinne$$ is out of the picture they should be able to move past whatever petty financial squabbles they had before.

 

[marik]

Jeez, I know this has been analyzed on here before, but I can't quite recall the conclusion we came to.
I believe the sole proof we had came from a writing (book or article) with some quote by Eno''s wife/manager. I think it was a more passive comment than aggressive... So the whole theory could be blown up bigger than in reality

 

[Mac_Fly]

And the video ends by showing the EI Tour logo for some reason. I’m confused, and intrigued.

Well, it had the EI Tour logo but the line from Song for Someone played concurrently, reminding us not to let the light go out.

As a stab, i'd suggest it was a message to Eno, and a statement that Batman and Robin will reunite with the band in the future. That light isn't going out.

 

[lazarus]

Eno always seemed more like Alfred to me.

 

[Catman]

Who would Lanois be?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Selina Kyle

 

[Hewson]

Who would Lanois be?

Selina Kyle

From the 60's TV show, Aunt Harriet

 

[Catman]

Selina Kyle

that's stupid

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

And?

 

[Catman]

Nothing. I'm just a little pissy after the Saints/ Rams game lol

 

[zoocarolina]

We need something like that hopeful Eno teaser to stop debating about the SOI release issue. . I like many were just happy to get a sudden U2 release and all the silly complaints about getting something for free was just bombastic overreaction just bc people like to complain and latch onto something. Listened to SOI the other day and most of it is actually pretty damn good after giving it a rest for awhile.

 

[lazarus]

Well I just lost this whole post due to a power outage, but in short I wanted to say that while it's good news that Eno is on friendly terms with the band, that doesn't mean that at 70 years old he's going to want to commit himself to someone else's project for such an extended period of time. Lanois isn't much younger and is also an active musician who has his own projects.

So while I know many of us are wishing for an Abbey Road-type situation where the band approaches their veteran producers and asks if they want to help recapture the magic one last time, it's not very realistic.

 

[Mack_Again]

I just want U2 produced by Brian Eno with Adrian Belew as an additional guitar player