U2's downfall...

[Zoots]

It's easy. When the music has lost it's edge (no pun intended) and there is nothing remotely controversial or offensive about the image, that's a sure sign!

 

[Salome]

so around The Joshua Tree then?

 

[Zoots]

so around The Joshua Tree then?

Incorrect. JT had it's Bullet The Blue Skys and Exits.

Not to mention the mothers of sons missing.

 

[Salome]

so when you add 2 songs with some electric guitar you immediately are not pandering?
if only All that you can't ... had 1 more song like New York then

I'm taking down notes

 

[Zoots]

so when you add 2 songs with some electric guitar you immediately are not pandering?
if only All that you can't ... had 1 more song like New York then

I'm taking down notes

You are missing the point. Scratch off those notes!

Then go and read the lyrics to Bullet The Blue Sky or Exit or Mothers and tell me they are safe, crowd pleasing songs.

 

[Salome]

I'm still perplexed that 2 or 3 songs can stear an album from pampering to artistic triumph
it just boggles my mind

 

[JOFO]

Eh....I don't fucking know.......

For the launch of POP it was a Kmart; at the time it seemed alternative or whatever and cool and the general public thought it was stupid; I guess I thought there was no pandering....

For ATYCLB they were on every fucking talkshow, TRL, SNL, NFL, anything else that has 3 letters ending with an L, whatever......

That seemed like pandering for an audience, but at the time they said as much because:
1. they were coming off an unpopular last album (POP)
2. they were up against Britney/BSB/ etc.

so whatever, they won that.
great.
why they needed the machine for HTDAAB after the success of ATYCLB and the tour I don't know...EVERYONE KNEW THEM AT THAT POINT.


They don't need to do excessive marketing/advertising/kisssing ass for this record.
Make it good.
That's all.
Stay away from Entertainment Tonight etc........

 

[kingofsorrow]

Everything is so vague and radio-friendly because Clear Channel would probably ban their stuff if it were politically challenging of the US. U2 is more terrified of not being popular than saying what needs to be said or being true to their art. Bono used to decry American neocolonialism in Latin America on "The Joshua Tree"; where's the modern response to present-day neo-colonialism toward the Middle East or even Hugo Chavez' Venezuela.

 

[fna692002]

Eh....I don't fucking know.......

For the launch of POP it was a Kmart; at the time it seemed alternative or whatever and cool and the general public thought it was stupid; I guess I thought there was no pandering....

For ATYCLB they were on every fucking talkshow, TRL, SNL, NFL, anything else that has 3 letters ending with an L, whatever......

That seemed like pandering for an audience, but at the time they said as much because:
1. they were coming off an unpopular last album (POP)
2. they were up against Britney/BSB/ etc.

so whatever, they won that.
great.
why they needed the machine for HTDAAB after the success of ATYCLB and the tour I don't know...EVERYONE KNEW THEM AT THAT POINT.


They don't need to do excessive marketing/advertising/kisssing ass for this record.
Make it good.
That's all.
Stay away from Entertainment Tonight etc........

I think they feel that with every album, they need to treat it like its their first, and no one knows them. I dont care how they promote, I'm just happy to get a new U2 album. Seriously I think were looking way to much into things, without even hearing a sec of new music.

 

[asr]

I agree. They need to go back to that "A Day Without Me"-type morbidness. Now THAT was a freaky kind of song.

 

[Saracene]

I mean, at this point, you can't really be bigger or richer than they are, so it should be about something more; "Reaching out to a larger audience" is really not a plausible argument at this point....who on the planet doesn't know them?

I think that U2 want to reach out to the audience with their -new- music, rather than being known for their older hits. This after all is the fate of most long-term bands and artists - to have their new music totally ignored by the radio because they can just play those old familiar hits instead. Which is probably one of the reasons U2 feel like they have to work harder at promotion than before.

 

[rihannsu]

I think that U2 want to reach out to the audience with their -new- music, rather than being known for their older hits. This after all is the fate of most long-term bands and artists - to have their new music totally ignored by the radio because they can just play those old familiar hits instead. Which is probably one of the reasons U2 feel like they have to work harder at promotion than before.

I agree. They want to be just as popular for the new material as with the old which is why the tours always have a strong selection of songs from the latest albums.

As for the other comments in this thread about "everybody knows U2", you'd be amazed at how many people have never heard of them or barely know them. I work as mobile dog groomer and since I'm such a U2 fan I naturally started talking to my clients about them and especially about Bono and I would say that a good 3/4's of my customers had only a vague notion of who Bono was other than "oh, is that the guy in the sunglasses" and even fewer knew much of anything about U2 other than "is that the irish band?".

As much as Bono and U2 have been in the press they are still not as universally known and The Beatles and Elvis.

Dana

 

[fna692002]

I will say U2 seem to be one of the only groups, whose new stuff is just as popular as the classics, altho sometimes it seems as if they are just flat out trying to hard for a young fanbase.

 

[last unicorn]

Well, can you really blame them? I wouldn't like to always see the same old fuckers at every concerts either.

 

[LemonMelon]

i can't for the arguments that will no doubt occur when the new album comes out.
"too dark"
"too poppy"
"too metal"
"when the hell is edge going to catch on fire again?"
"they sound like coldplay"

"Daniel Lanois ruined this album for me by saying that he liked it"

 

[clipper699]

I agree. They want to be just as popular for the new material as with the old which is why the tours always have a strong selection of songs from the latest albums.

As for the other comments in this thread about "everybody knows U2", you'd be amazed at how many people have never heard of them or barely know them. I work as mobile dog groomer and since I'm such a U2 fan I naturally started talking to my clients about them and especially about Bono and I would say that a good 3/4's of my customers had only a vague notion of who Bono was other than "oh, is that the guy in the sunglasses" and even fewer knew much of anything about U2 other than "is that the irish band?".

As much as Bono and U2 have been in the press they are still not as universally known and The Beatles and Elvis.

Dana

Indeed, I am stuck by how many people still think its pronounced "Beau-no", and not "Bah-no".