Album cover - Fanning - SoE

[Needle_Chill]

In this climate, artists are ignored unless they stir up controversy. I'm sure Guy Oseary knew that the album release format would stir the pot... So we can assume that the album cover is a calculated risk as well.

For U2, the worst reality is not polarizing the public, or inciting a public outcry, it's when nobody cares that they exist.

 

[gvox]

How does this pic have anything to do with pedophilia? Children have
beards?

It's quite clearly a man clinging to a young man who to these eyes is no longer a child.

So it's either gay, or a father trying to hold on to his grown son.

Either way big deal.


Sent from my ass crack

 

[mikal]

This album cover is awful! What's next? The band filming a music video in drag?


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Needle_Chill]

This album cover is awful! What's next? The band filming a music video in drag?


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

How quickly we forget...

 

[last unicorn]

This album cover is awful! What's next? The band filming a music video in drag?

Or, even worse: Dressed like the Village People, dancing in a giant glittering Disco ball Nightmares.

 

[stray dog]

Why could I pre-order SOI on Amazon earlier but not now?

 

[mikal]

Why could I pre-order SOI on Amazon earlier but not now?

The album has been delayed.


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[gvox]

The album has been delayed.


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Haven't you learned already Mikal? Never trust Amazon listings for information about U2. Do try and keep up!


Sent from my ass crack

 

[aMansAman]

You know, this Larry/Son pic is as innocent as it gets, if you compare it to really disturbing album covers (just google "The Beatles - Yesterday and Today" or "Pantera - Far Beyond Driven alternative cover")


and these are.. well ... just fun

Spoiler

 

[jeevey]

This album cover is awful! What's next? The band filming a music video in drag?

Or, even worse: Dressed like the Village People, dancing in a giant glittering Disco ball Nightmares.

I guess that in a rather twisted way, we can in fact rely on them to keep fucking up the mainstream.

 

[Musikwala]

You know, this Larry/Son pic is as innocent as it gets, if you compare it to really disturbing album covers (just google "The Beatles - Yesterday and Today" or "Pantera - Far Beyond Driven alternative cover")

Don't forget death metal covers like Cannibal Corpse's Butchered at Birth.

Your spoiler was quite something.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

The album has been delayed.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

Is it OK for me to listen to the one on iTunes...

 

[popacrobat]

Older person holding onto the 'innocent' former self > Ok, lets use a man/boy > Ok, a personal connection would be good > Ok, lets use a band member > Ok, but of course Bono would look so fucking ridiculous doing this that it doesn't bare mentioning > More impact the more tough the man looks too > Ok, that certainly rules out Adam and Edge then too > Ok, lets use Larry > So we need a boy > ... how about his son, it (a) is a better connection to his youth, (b) adds a secondary dimension to the photo, (c) takes the wind out of the sails of any right-winger nuts who want to give it another meaning because sex is all they can think about because they're all so sadly repressed themselves > Ok, but no way Larry says ye... oh...

Ha. This is good.

 

[centuryhouse]

I really hope it's NOT the Larry & son thing on the cover - I don't like it that much as a U2 cover, and do think it will be uncomfortable to many.

That said, remember that the original BOY cover was controversial. U2 isn't new to this.

 

[AEON]

If this photo is the cover of the physical version, to me, it'll be one of the band's best album covers. I really like it.

No, no, no.

Please, please, please do not let this be the cover...

 

[AEON]

This post is a thought process from 40 years ago rewrite.

Not exactly - A grown man caressing a bare-chested male child will still be considered provocative. Believe it or not - pedophilia is still taboo in Western Civilization.

This photo is atrocious and a desperate cry to be considered "in" with the Lady Gaga crowd. Especially considering the lyrics of "Sleep Like a Baby Tonight."

 

[AEON]

I really think we should distinguish between someone having a homophobic reaction to this shot,.

If not liking the photo means your homophobic - then sign me up.

Perhaps the world could use a little homophobia these days...it sure beats homomania

 

[lazarus]

If not liking the photo means your homophobic - then sign me up.

Perhaps the world could use a little homophobia these days...it sure beats homomania

Go fuck yourself, bigot.

Surely we shouldn't be subjected to hate speech like this.

 

[Hawkmoon269]

It is the cover

Songs Of Innocence (U2) by Interscope Records | Barnes & Noble

 

[AEON]

Go fuck yourself, bigot.

Surely we shouldn't be subjected to hate speech like this.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Translation: "How dare you disagree with me! I know what is right and wrong! Get rid of this man that disagrees with me! I only want to hear from people that agree with me!!!"

Thanks for making me feel like a rebel

 

[lazarus]

Promoting homophobia is not a "disagreement". You're advocating intolerance and prejudice.

There shouldn't be any room for that here.

 

[AEON]

Promoting homophobia is not a "disagreement". You're advocating intolerance and prejudice.

There shouldn't be any room for that here.

There's room if you make room if for those that think differently than you...

I should be "allowed" to not like the album cover because I think it's gross...will you permit me to have my own opinion?

I am a father and I have a son, and I can think of a THOUSAND images that would do a better job of conveying "innocence".

 

[last unicorn]

It is the cover

Songs Of Innocence (U2) by Interscope Records | Barnes & Noble

No writing on it?


I must say it looks beautiful. But I understand people being afraid of controversy. I don't see it that way. There's a reason why U2 would choose this picture especially for the cover and not some other "Father and Son" theme. They're not stupid.

I wonder when we'll have the definite confirmation on the different album editions and songs that made the final cut.

 

[lazarus]

I should be "allowed" to not like the album cover because I think it's gross...will you permit me to have my own opinion?

Perhaps the world could use a little homophobia these days...it sure beats homomania

Uh-huh.

 

[AEON]

Uh-huh.

Okay - lets just like it because it hints at something gay...

 

[AEON]

And it's not a crime to be "homophobic"...it's only a crime to treat people unjustly.

 

[LemonMelon]

U2 seems to be going out of their way to piss people off these days. I wish the album was as daring and aggressive as the cover and release method so I could really get into this era.

I think it's great that U2 took $100 million from Apple, made them look like creeps and then plastered this cover on it.

 

[AEKU2]

And it's not a crime to be "homophobic"...it's only a crime to treat people unjustly.

Rumour has it the man on your avatar was gay.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Not exactly - A grown man caressing a bare-chested male child will still be considered provocative. Believe it or not - pedophilia is still taboo in Western Civilization.

Caressing? I think you're projecting

I'd be pretty sure it's not meant to be seen as father/son. It happens to be his son, possibly because he was just a decent model for the photo, possibly because he naturally looks like a younger Larry, possibly because they needed a teenage boy and he just happened to be around that day, possibly because they predicted some people who can't help seeing sex in everything would see something wrong here and they wanted to be able to point out 'actually, that's his son...'

I would think it's fairly obvious that the photo isn't representing two people at all. It's an older adult male coming full circle and thinking about their teenage self who likely hated themselves and everything around them, as teenagers do, who in these cases (the band members) did something quite extreme to remedy those feelings, and now being very proud of that and wanting now to love and hold onto those memories/feelings/the person they once were etc. He's not caressing, he's clinging. He's not coming onto a random boy, he's trying to not let go of his former self.

Sure, it could be represented in a different way. Maybe it should be a soft focus photo of Larry sitting at a dining table in a huge room in his mansion, surrounded by the spoils of success and wealth... but he's sitting there alone, holding in his hand a crumpled photo of himself at age 15, a silent tear rolls down his cheek... Not sure that is quite as moving or striking, pretty shit actually. But yes, it would mean there's no room for some people who have no capacity to think beyond sex and outrage to get all excited and panicked.

 

[LemonMelon]

I think the cover's great

Spoiler

No homo

Spoiler

Spoiler