Willie Williams leaving the tour

[U2Man]

You don't need the green one.....

 

[U2Man]

Re: Re: Willie Williams leaving the tour

I wonder if he was offended or something? I've heard people comment on how the current tour design is static and a rehash of previous outings, but I personally enjoyed it the other night in Toronto. It was a powerful presentation.

Did we actually have an influence, after all? Blame Chizip. Please, blame Chizip. He was the worst one. You should see his blog www.chizip.blogspot.com

 

[1stOne]

Re: Re: Re: Willie Williams leaving the tour

Did we actually have an influence, after all? Blame Chizip. Please, blame Chizip. He was the worst one. You should see his blog www.chizip.blogspot.com

WOW! That sounds amazing...expensive, but amazing. I like the transparent circular screen idea.

 

[U2Man]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Willie Williams leaving the tour

WOW! That sounds amazing...expensive, but amazing. I like the transparent circular screen idea.

He's a U2 Killer. Nothing but unconstructive complaining.

 

[angelordevil]

Interesting site...some good ideas there. I wonder if his departure is connected with the non-response of 'some' of the crowd on this tour? I can't comment on other shows, but Toronto 2 had a noticeably low level of audience participation. Maybe it lies with the tour designer to get people moving and excited? I also find it interesting that Willie is leaving just as the new Popmart segment is introduced to the tour.

 

[Mr. Millennium]

I don't think Willie leaving has anything to do with the tour itself and how it being received... I think it is more of a personal manner.

 

[neutral]

I wonder if it has something to do with ouizy's post in this thread.

 

[Another Day]

Darn, I can't believe Willie is leaving...

... whose ideas will Coldplay steal now?

 

[U2MaNaIcWeIdO]

Sad to see Willie leaving

 

[chrissybaby]

maybe he's leaving to work with coldplay.

Does anyone know exactly what Bono said last night?
I know I keep banging on about this, but it's one of the biggest blows to U2 EVER in my opinion.

 

[U2Man]

ouizy is always right.

Now all we need is that the band starts listening to ouizy's setlist suggestions

 

[Another Day]

I think Ouizy is really Adam disguised as a 70's sitcom star...

 

[Utoo]

It seems like everything with this tour has been an uphill battle. It will interesting to see what happens after Portland.

It definitely will. I have the tiniest feeling that the tour will end after this leg, despite all the rumors about extending it. Seems like there's just too much personal stuff behind the scenes right now. And then there's this Edge quote:

http://www.interference.com/u2139786/index.html

Personally, if they'd be able to ease the personal troubles more and work on an album at the same time, I'd rather see that than a 2-year tour...

 

[linrnmsncns]

I hate to bring this up, but wasn't there something in U2 at the end of the world about Willie's partner being diagnosed with HIV?
I hope him leaving the tour isn't related to that.
God Speed, Willie.

 

[HelloAngel]

I hate to bring this up, but wasn't there something in U2 at the end of the world about Willie's partner being diagnosed with HIV?
I hope him leaving the tour isn't related to that.
God Speed, Willie.

Gosh. I don't recall that - but if anyone finds this in that book, please let us know!

 

[kellyahern]

 

[U2 addict]

Does anyone know exactly what Bono said last night?
I know I keep banging on about this, but it's one of the biggest blows to U2 EVER in my opinion.

I agree...he's the one who designed ZOO TV, Popmart and Elevation after all...

 

[linrnmsncns]

Okay, I just looked it up in the book, on page 435,

"This has been the longest day of my life," Willie says. "I got a call this morning from my friend in California. He went in for a routine check up and found out he's HIV positive". A couple pages before that on page 430, it says "Willie looks like he's seen a ghost", and that Bono is squeezing Willie's hand, stroking his fingers."

I'm not sure if his friend is his partner, I hope I'm wrong

 

[ouizy]

I wonder if it has something to do with ouizy's post in this thread.

Uh, possibly - read below.

Originally posted by U2Man
ouizy is always right.

Now all we need is that the band starts listening to ouizy's setlist suggestions

Thanks dude - I just think the band has been given some bad direction in the past 8 years..

Originally posted by Another Day
I think Ouizy is really Adam disguised as a 70's sitcom star...

Ha! Close - but nope.

Here are my thoughts:

No matter what the reason, I have to guess that Willie's departure was on good terms with the band. Otherwise, he would simply disappear and Bono would not have said what he said from the stage.

Which brings me to my conjecture as to two possible reasons why Willie may have left.

1. A personal reason. Really anything, health, relationship etc...

2. He is going to tour with the Stones (or other band).

I have this aching feeling that there was an agreement in place that Willie was to leave at the end of the second tour to help the Stones tour get off of its feet, and now that the third (and possibly last) leg of the tour has begun, I think he stayed for the Discotheque / Mofo? / Fast Cars rehearsals/debuts - did some programming, got it working, and now there is not much left for him to do.

I think either of these reasons can be valid, and if there is another future U2 tour I am sure he will design it, but I guess for now, he had a good enough reason to leave this year's most successful tour, and the band he has worked for for the past 20-odd years.

Who knows?

 

[U2Man]

I guess this means that we shouldn't expect any new songs to appear during the rest of this tour, except perhaps Mofo?

 

[nurse chrissi]

Gosh. I don't recall that - but if anyone finds this in that book, please let us know!

Carrie - it's on page 434

"This has been the longest day of my life," Willie says. "I got a call this morning from a friend in California. He went in for a routine checkup and found out he's HIV positive."
I don't know what to say. Willie smiles, letting me off the hook. "That's why I've been sort of preoccupied all day. I told Bono, but I don't want everybody to know. I don't want people treating me differently."
Willie leans on the bar and stares into midair. "It means nothering, I know. Scientists are working round the clock to find a cure." He takes a drink and says quietly, "He hasn't told his mother yet."
"Are your parents still alive, Willie?" I ask.
"No, neither of them."
"Mine either. You know, in life you have this little window - maybe ten yeras - between when the older people you love finish dying and your own generation starts. It feels like that window is closing."
We drink to long life and better days. I show Willie pictures of my kids and he says they're beautiful; he shows me a photo of his friend and realizes that I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say, so he laughs and says, "If you go for that type!"
It's the middle of the night here in New Zealand, but Bono is on the phone to Ireland, where it's afternoon. He is reading on the radio from Oscar Wilde's "Requiescat":

Coffin-board, heavy stone,
Lie on her breast,
I vex my heart alone,
She is at rest.

Peace, peace, she cannot hear
Lyre or sonnet,
All my life's buried here
Heap earth upon it.

Willie and I are in the bar, drinking a toast to World AIDS Day, here at the end of the of the world

 

[AliEnvy]

Here is to hoping that Ouizy is right and that he pops up on the Stones tour very soon.

Unfortunately, given the hastey nature of the departure, the uncertainty of his return and the heartfelt dedication of Yaweh, I think it's a more serious, personal and unexpected reason.

Godspeed to the man who singlehandedly changed the production/look/feel of rock concerts everywhere with ZooTV, PopMart and of course, the heart.

 

[neutral]

Okay, I just looked it up in the book, on page 435,

"This has been the longest day of my life," Willie says. "I got a call this morning from my friend in California. He went in for a routine check up and found out he's HIV positive". A couple pages before that on page 430, it says "Willie looks like he's seen a ghost", and that Bono is squeezing Willie's hand, stroking his fingers."

I'm not sure if his friend is his partner, I hope I'm wrong

I hope that is not the reason.

 

[FlyYourKite]

 

[scottyT]

i hope with my heart that it is not for personal reasons, and i hope as a fan it is because he just wants to settle down and isn't sick of U2.


Willie is innovative and has the heart of an activist, entertainer and lover of life.....


I hope that he lives well the rest of his days, and i hope the band can find a young and equally beautiful mind to fill the void left by this friend of them all. Someone who can try to relate in vision what the band is portraying in song.


Godspeed Willie.
Godspeed Paul.
Godspeed Larry.
Godspeed Dave.
Godspeed Adam.



i know this seems somber, but the band are in my heart as servants, and i as well as many fans neglect the crew and the people that make the show happen.....Terry and Willie especially. i love the noise, the message, the visual and the overall spectable that is my favorite band in the world.

 

[u2wedge]

Is this official? Any confirmation? He has been moving in Mysterious Ways lately!

I have a source... I'll see if she knows details.

Will post info when I hear back from her.

 

[u2wedge]

Here is to hoping that Ouizy is right and that he pops up on the Stones tour very soon.

Unfortunately, given the hastey nature of the departure, the uncertainty of his return and the heartfelt dedication of Yaweh, I think it's a more serious, personal and unexpected reason.

Godspeed to the man who singlehandedly changed the production/look/feel of rock concerts everywhere with ZooTV, PopMart and of course, the heart.

Right... Willie's been with them for the long haul. If it was on bad terms Bono wouldn't have dedicated a song to him.

It's got to be serious for him to bail mid-tour.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Did he ever talk much about his private life in his diary?

Also, it should be noted that he's perhaps the only person, outside the PLEBA anagram, that works every year on a u2 project of some kind.

u2fp

 

[VertigoGal]

wow, I can't believe I missed this. that's pretty serious, and so sudden. I hope everything's alright...

 

[snowbunny00774]

Bono said something along the lines of...I cannot remember exactly, he seemed a little upset/unhappy...that "tonight is Willies last show", pause, "he says" (it seemed like he said this the way you would be sceptical of someone saying something), and then there was nothing happening for a few moments, and he asked Edge what would they play..it seemed like a really unscripted part, compared to how confident Bono is about all his pronouncements. For a few moments there was definite melancholy...that's what I got in the stands anyway...looking at him wandering around while he was talking about it.
It seemed like it would be either they talked Willie into coming back or whatever reason he was leaving for would be resolved (personal reasons, and he would be ready to come back). It didn't seem to me like Bono believed that whatever it was would be absolutely permanent if he (Bono) could help it.