Now that the dust has settled, feel free to discuss any mis-steps you feel U2 made during 2014. Points to consider: why didn't U2 release the album in spring after Ordinary Love and Invisible had given them the best buzz they had enjoyed in years (huge missed opportunity?). Epworth/Tedder's involvement -yay or nay? The choice of The Miracle as the lead single(!). That album cover. Everything Apple-related (of course). Bono's non-apology. And anything else you'd like to contribute.
SOI autopsy - what went wrong?
- Thread starter lemonfly
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BVS
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Yeah, none of this has been discussed ad nauseam. We definitely needed a separate thread.
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Hollow Island
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I don't see how we can criticize Tedworth's involvement since we haven't heard earlier versions of the songs they worked on except for EBW. And the finished version is a lot better than the earlier one.
CosmoKramer
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The_acrobat
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I'll bite, as this is a favorite topic of mine!
The question I keep wondering is why U2 basically shut down after Bono's accident? I get it, Bono is out for awhile. Give him the time he needs to get rested up and recover. This is where Edge, Adam and Larry needed to step up. Go on Fallon and do an interview, maybe even play a couple U2 songs with Edge singing? Actually try to push and promote a single, since they have a song as good as EBW. Do SOMETHING to promote the fact that they currently have shows on sale that aren't sold out.
Guy O and the new management team are a joke. Fire that fucker and get somebody else who gives a shit!
Maybe they're being quiet on purpose, but I'd think with a tour coming up they'd want to at least create SOME buzz.
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The question I keep wondering is why U2 basically shut down after Bono's accident? I get it, Bono is out for awhile. Give him the time he needs to get rested up and recover. This is where Edge, Adam and Larry needed to step up. Go on Fallon and do an interview, maybe even play a couple U2 songs with Edge singing? Actually try to push and promote a single, since they have a song as good as EBW. Do SOMETHING to promote the fact that they currently have shows on sale that aren't sold out.
Guy O and the new management team are a joke. Fire that fucker and get somebody else who gives a shit!
Maybe they're being quiet on purpose, but I'd think with a tour coming up they'd want to at least create SOME buzz.
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prbiker15
Blue Crack Addict
Shouldn't even be a talking point anymore.
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
As far as I'm concerned, the only mis-step wasn't even a mis-step. It was a turn of a wheel.
popacrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Because U2 is not U2 without Bono. He is the single most important member and it's not even close. It was cool that the other three went on and did the World AIDS Day thing, and Chris Martin + Bruce Springsteen did a fine job for what they were asked to do.
But it sure as shit wasn't really U2. The Edge singing anything off of SOI would be a disaster. Why even open that can of worms? Not sure that's really going to promote any type of new single or song to take off.
The remaining shows will sell out as the tour gets closer.
Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
What about that one hot Chile night?
RaisedByWolves
War Child
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
I'd call that a mis-thrust.
The release.
It was all down hill after that.
It was all down hill after that.
Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
Are we talking SOI or Leo here?
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
Nothing went wrong, it's a beautiful album. People were overreacting about the release method and the media was blowing things out of proportion. The live performances of the new songs were great. Unfortunately, Bono's accident happened. It's just really really bad luck, especially for him. I agree with whoever said that the other band members shouldn't have kept so quiet in the meantime but instead should have keep the thing going as well as they could, but I guess they preferred to concentrate on the tour instead while Bono concentrated on getting fit. With a proper (US) promo tour, we wouldn't be having this discussion now. There's too much negativity on this forum, it's as if people are addicted to being miserable about most things U2 are doing. We have an album that is widely loved and we have a huge tour coming up. U2 won't have any major radio hit ever again, I can live with that, personally. I enjoy their music and I don't care if I hear it on the radio or not.
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
I would say I'm in agreement here. There's been way too much overreaction on this forum regarding the release method.
It's kind of funny that many here make fun of the band for caring what the teenagers/millenials think, yet point to them as proof as to why the release was a failure.
I'd rather just focus the conversation around the music. I personally love the album but respect those that don't as well.
RaisedByWolves
War Child
SOIthavidesco
Refugee
Miracle --- acoustic promo --- Adele EBW --- Bono´s accident = one of the best records U2 has ever made ruined in terms of public perception 
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
Since when did Adele cover a U2 song?
thavidesco
Refugee
She confused it with Spmeone like you :")
CosmoKramer
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1-Overreaction on this forum about the release method?? Yep, couldn't agree more.
2-People making fun of U2 trying to be relevant with the younger generation and then using them as proof as to why it was a failure? Never looked at it that way but....yeah, you're right. Well said!
3-Focus on the music? You mean the brilliance that is Reach me now, The Crystal Ballroom, The Troubles, Iris and Every Breaking Wave, Volcano and Song for Someone (I really like those last two...even though they aren't loved in these parts)... I'm in!
4)Respect those that don't like it? I don't like Zooropa or Pop all that much but if someone writes that one of those albums are their favorite....I get it and that's cool that people dig that era/style of U2(goes to show that they reached people with those albums). However, if you write that SOI is in your top 3....well, you know how that goes.
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U2DMfan
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SOI's autopsy is telling us it suffered from no-risk disease. No creative risk in the music whatsoever. And the bungled release came in part from abating the financial risk of album sales. I've got a much longer explanation of everything but I'm debating if I really want to go there. Bottom line is - this U2 has no balls (especially not after NLOTH flopped) and therefore, have become far too risk-averse to be interesting. The change in songwriting approach also prevents much of that old U2 magic from ever showing its head again.
U2DMfan
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
There is no logical correlation there.
If I told you I was making a sci-fi film that was geared to appeal to sci-fi fans and then you told me that sci-fi fans didn't like it...you would only be talking about whether my film succeeded or failed in that respect.
Making fun of me for even trying is an issue unto itself. And specifically in U2's case, it's no so much making fun of them as it is saying "they're trying to do something impossible and wondering why they fail". Like every other artist that has tried to do the same. People are calling it what it is. Insane.
Scorpionac
War Child
Album cover was too gay
Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I'm glad at least this forum is finally acknowledging that something did go wrong.
Acceptance is a big first step.
Acceptance is a big first step.
Mrs. Garrison
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Sperm like you?
Sr. Poop
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I wouldn't say "risk" and I think that's thrown around here too often.
I just think that U2s best stuff was when they just did what excited them and didn't pay attention to what others around them were doing (example: UF, JT, and AB).
The other problem is that they are U2 and they have been around for 30 years and copied by thousands of other bands over the years. Anything they do at this point is going to sound done already. They really can't realistically go off in any major direction anymore.
May be this is just the best thY they can do anymore.
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Irvine511
Blue Crack Supplier
Achtung Baby is the sound of 4 very self-aware men consciously choosing to make different music than they had made in the past by paying close attention to what was going on in European clubs in 1989/1990.
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mikal
Blue Crack Addict
Yeah. The closest U2 has been in that kind of mindset since the 90's is NLOTH until they chickened out.
One thing I've gotta give SOI is that every song interests me in some way, some more than others. But I can still listen to the album all the through and find it enjoyable even without Invisible and Crystal Ballroom.
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