Random Music Talk XXVII: The Return of Knife Crime

[lazarus]

They're going to have to have a more concrete excuse than that with McCockne$$ saying it was likely an album was coming out in the first half of this year.

 

[mobvok]

I'm listening to Michael Nyman - Fish Beach and Eric Satie - Gymnopedie #1 (the latter thanks to tonight's Community). Trying to think of any other great songs in that vein....I might add Moby - God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters and Philip Glass - Metamorphosis One. That should make a decent EP, anything more and the repetition probably will drive people crazy.

 

[cobl04]

There hasn't been a U2 album, I've been saying it since January. They're gonna go "We've gotten lost in the music" and move on till 2013.

I've been saying this since Songs of Ascent was rumoured for a late 2009 release.

 

[nirniva]

There hasn't been a U2 album, I've been saying it since January. They're gonna go "We've gotten lost in the music" and move on till 2013.

Called it almost word-for-word.

 

[PhilsFan]

I'm sincerely amazed that people are surprised.

I'll bet I can think of one person who still insists there's an album.

 

[iron yuppie]

I'm sincerely amazed that people are surprised.

I'll bet I can think of one person who still insists there's an album.

A few people are clinging to the hope that they're going to make the announcement tonight and then proceed to debut some tracks live. I'm certainly not one of them.

But yes, after SoA failed to materialize despite explicit claims that it was ready to be released, it defies logic that anyone would trust what the band/management/random websites have said about the DM material.

 

[nirniva]

They're going to have to have a more concrete excuse than that with McCockne$$ saying it was likely an album was coming out in the first half of this year.

Nope, we got a variation on the classic "lost in the music" excuse. You overestimate this band.

A few people are clinging to the hope that they're going to make the announcement tonight and then proceed to debut some tracks live.

No.

 

[corianderstem]

I'm a little disappointed, but I think it's telling that I'm more annoyed by the reactions online than I am in U2.

It's cool. Whatever. U2 are U2, and I love those fuckers, frustrating and aggravating as they are. I'll enjoy the two shows I'm seeing, and am actually relieved to hear that they're not going to Dublin.

*although I'll wait for more than a 'probably' on that one before pulling the trigger with my Ireland plans.

 

[iron yuppie]

I am firmly in the camp that U2 have earned the right to do whatever they choose at this point in their career; however, I do think that they owe it to the fans at least to address the issue of the new material. They must be aware of the rumors, so, if nothing is on the horizon, they should at least make that clear.

 

[Reggo]

Even two years ago when they were talking about SoA being released within a year of NLOTH, I was skeptical. Now I'm kind of like, yeah. They've got this every-four-years thing down pat and that's probably what they'll stick to, intentional or not. I never believe U2 (or any band for that matter, cause release dates get pushed around all the time) are going to release something until I can hold it in my hand. I don't think they're going to try to release a new album with a tour starting in a few weeks.

 

[corianderstem]

Yeah, it's frustrating for sure, especially with the comments we've gotten up until now. Oh well.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Even two years ago when they were talking about SoA being released within a year of NLOTH, I was skeptical. Now I'm kind of like, yeah. They've got this every-four-years thing down pat and that's probably what they'll stick to, intentional or not. I never believe U2 (or any band for that matter, cause release dates get pushed around all the time) are going to release something until I can hold it in my hand. I don't think they're going to try to release a new album with a tour starting in a few weeks.

This.

I don't understand how anybody takes what the band (or, as you've said, any band, unless they're doing internet self-releases) says about release dates (or the sonics of an upcoming album, for that matter) seriously. Judging by the past, it's pretty clear that all they're doing is verbally fapping about these things, and fans still happily eat it up.

 

[corianderstem]

I still say this time was a little different, as there were comments from Paul McG (a more reliable source than Bono), and other artists referring to Dangermouse "wrapping up the U2 project."

You have to admit, that's a bit stronger than the usual vagueness and weird hyperbole we get from the band members.

 

[onebloodonelife]

Sure, there was a bit more, but McG is all about the money, so him creating fake buzz isn't all that weird to me. As for other artists talking about the Danger Mouse project, that happens frequently too, as I'm sure you know. Artists get together, record something, and it may or may not see the light of day.

I don't know. I just find it hard to take much of anything coming out of the U2 camp seriously. But, if others get off on the optimism, more power to them. I'll stay amused by watching all of the despair and "WHY OH WHY DID THEY LIE TO US...AGAIN???" here instead.

 

[corianderstem]

I hung on to the optimism for quite a while, and I think what turned me around was realizing how much more complicated my plans would get if there were a Dublin show (because me NOT going was just not going to happen, unless the concert was going to be in July or something).

I figured if there was no album, there probably wouldn't be any more shows added in the fall. So I found myself suddenly on the "no album" bandwagon.

I'm glad I was able to take the bitching with a grain of salt and be amused by it rather than getting caught up in it and letting it bother me a lot like this damned site sometimes can.

It helped that I wasn't able to get onto the site until later in the morning and most people had gotten it out of their system.

 

[PhilsFan]

I never took McGuinness's comments seriously. Wasn't it someone quoting him from something at a conference or dinner or something?

U2's scared. They were never going to release an album in that fashion.

 

[corianderstem]

They should get over it, get over themselves, and grow a pair. Or four pairs, as the case may be.

That being said, I'm looking forward to seeing them again. Twice!

 

[PhilsFan]

They're so coy!

 

[iron yuppie]

I never took McGuinness's comments seriously. Wasn't it someone quoting him from something at a conference or dinner or something?

Yeah, it was from a dubious source - something like a German website reporting from a French film festival. The "information" was channeled through something like three parties and three languages, so it's not hard to see how whatever comment he may have made could have been skewed in the process.

 

[PhilsFan]

I would have bet money on their not being an album months ago and I could have made a fortune.

Like, Edge and Adam come into a press conference and say "Maybe" and "We'll see what happens" like they did for every other album delay for the past decade and everyone just assumes they're going with a stealth approach. It's beyond stupid.

 

[corianderstem]

I never assumed that what was for sure, totally, absolutely going to happen, but I will admit I had an inkling of hope that maybe, just maybe, they were trying something different. I don't think that's so stupid.

 

[lazarus]

What Cori said.

The part about the more concrete information, not the mouseketeer stuff about being happy with whatever the band does no matter what.

 

[BoMac]

Not directed at anyone in particular:

 

[corianderstem]

not the mouseketeer stuff about being happy with whatever the band does no matter what.

I never said anything like that. I said I enjoy seeing U2 in concert. That's not secret code for "being happy with whatever the band does no matter what."

 

[lazarus]

Cori, you said "whatever", "I love these guys despite..." in response to this news, and you also said "I'll enjoy these shows..." which implies that you're fine with whatever they play as long as you get to see them again.

And forgive me but that's just a little too Don't Worry, Be Happy for me. You're clearly level-headed enough to make your own critiques as you often do but I think this is the worst in a long line of boneheaded moves and should be met with contempt, not a shrug and a smile.

 

[corianderstem]

I also posted a little later that I did wish they'd mix up the setlist so it was at least a bit of a different show. Would I prefer a little setlist variation on this next jaunt? Hell, yes. I'd enjoy the shows more if they did so, but I still like to see them anyway. I'm a Mary Sunshine compared to you, but I don't agree with everything they do. Most of those things that bother me, though, just don't bother me as much as they bother you.

It's not like I'm ragging on you because you want to sell your tickets. That's a valid decision (not like you need my approval), and it sucks that you're so disappointed in them.

But it also sucks to go around and toss of insults or snide remarks at people who don't feel the same way.

 

[lazarus]

Well I wonder what it WOULD take to make some of you become disenchanted. Boner cheating on his wife? A Budweiser commercial? Collaboration with Bieber?

How many more stupid decisions do they have to make? Just because they're not selling out in the traditional sense doesnt mean they still can't compromise what if is that made themselves so great in the past. No Net, instead of being what seemed (mostly) like a step in the right direction, could have just been the last gasp of inspiration.

We're not going to be able to fully judge Hedge's explanation until we eventually see what they DO pull the trigger on. But I can't imagine anyone being confident that their post-tour pow-wow is going to lead to a best-case scenario.

 

[corianderstem]

I honestly don't know what it would take. I can tell you I don't really care how many chicks Bono's boned over the years. It's certainly not going to make me disenchanted of the band overall.

I probably won't know until it happens. And when I do start to lose interest, it might just be because I'm losing interest, not because of something they did or didn't do.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Anybody got a link to this Edge interview?

Was it an interview in the print media? Via radio, television, what?

 

[lazarus]

Forget it, GAF. It's Shuttletown.