(07-27-2006) The Who's Not U2 -- Interference.com*

[dsmith2904]

The Who's Not U2

As U2 fans, we know our favorite band isn't a typical rock group, especially when it comes to the close interpersonal relationships Bono, Edge, Larry and Adam have managed to maintain for the past 30 years.

The Who's Pete Townshend agrees, as shown in this recent comment to NME:

"Roger is my partner in The Who. He is not my partner in anything else. We love each other but we are not regular social buddies like Bono and The Edge, we do not discuss or share ideas, and we have no unified joint vision of strategy for The Who or for creative projects in general."

 

[doctorwho]

The Who is great and I fully respect Townsend's view. After all, do all of us hang out with coworkers after work? We work, we go home to family or friends. Some coworkers do become friends and that's great, but when that happens, you don't often talk about work with them when away from work.

However, the unity between the members of U2 could be one reason for their enormous success. The Who stayed very popular for about 20 years. But in the mid-80's, that started to wane. While The Who could easily sell out arenas on tour, it would be filled with older people as kids wouldn't know them.

Also, their lack of unity has led to more solo work, with Townsend having the most success there. Nothing wrong with that, but if one needs to do solo work to truly express one's self, that suggests a limitation within the group. That expression isn't allowed when other members are present. I think some of Townsend's solo work could have worked well within a Who album, but he had to go solo to release it. In contrast, the members of U2 have very little solo work. Sure, there's the occasional tune here and there, and Edge did some movie work early on, but overall, it seems that their solo work is limited. And I find this is because the members are able to all express themselves even within the confines of U2.

So while U2's dynamic is unique, I also feel it's refreshing. If more companies operated like U2, there might be a lot less turnover and frustration!

 

[dsmith2904]

And I think if more bands operated like U2, we'd see more of them fully intact and on speaking terms when they make it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Right now, I think U2's the only inducted band to have never broken up or lost members.

 

[david]

They're also the only band inducted that got stuck inside a large mechanical lemon.

 

[ME2U2]

They're also the only band inducted that got stuck inside a large mechanical lemon.

And even then things didn't turn sour

 

[Rachel D.]

It is amazing that they have stayed together since they were in high school. I just graduated from high school last May and it's incredible to think that U2 were a band already when they were my age. And they're still a band now and even have kids of their own in high school!