The U2 website and presale fiasco did substantial damage to U2's image. It was the longtime fans who were hurt the most. Fans began to doubt U2's integrity and their desire to continue on. Fans began to doubt U2's priority shift - postulating that perhaps they are now motivated more by money than by music.
To make things worse, U2 handled the matter the wrong way. Instead of coming to the fans' help, they left it to U2.com and Ticketmaster to explain themselves. Surely, U2's high-handed manner of ignoring the problem and being silent about it showed arrogance on their part.
So begun the massive U2 boycott. U2's American Chart positions dropped tremendously, from 13 to 22 to 28! It's torrid sales pace suddenly fell behind All That You Can't Leave Behind (no pun intended). Even in their home country of Ireland, the disappointed fans vented their ire by dropping the album to a lowly 13th on the Irish charts.
When you add up image problems, chart failure, and the fact that the band are already in their 40s and have lingered over 20 years in the industry, then the conclusion in inevitable: their relevance is waning and they are slowly morphing from contemporary trailblazing band to a mere nostalgia act (like the Rolling Stones right now).
Surely even U2 can no longer dig themselves out of this hole. Surely.
That's until Mullen comes to the rescue.
The Mullen Apology triggered everything. In one of the most touching artist-to-fan confessionals in rock'n'roll history, Mullen tells the fans regarding the fiasco that "some of it was beyond our control, but some of it wasn't." When he said some was within U2's control yet it still happened, he showed the humane fallible side of U2. The imperfection of U2 was exposed and admitted for the first time in such a public form of fans, many of whom thought of U2 as demigods who could do no wrong.
He went further to say "I want to apologise to you" and he ended by reassuring the fans of U2's "total commitment to our audience." Some may have thought U2's commitment was no longer to their audience but towards other material things such as riches. But with The Mullen Apology accompanied by the membership refund offer, all doubt was erased. Why would U2 turn down so much profits (membership fee refunds)? It can only be the total commitment Mullen stressed out.
What made The Mullen Apology so unique was the action that accompanied the words. Some artists (one U2 band member quickly comes to mind) are full of big words but no action to back it up. The Mullen Apology came with the refund offer, a new U2 fan ticket distribution scheme for the North America fall tour, and added dates for the first leg.
The after-effects of The Mullen Apology have already started to trickle in. Fans have related to the humane and imperfect side of U2 and sympathize with their guilt. The boycott is a thing of the past. Week 11 chart positions in U2's birthplace, Ireland, saw a massive climb from #13 to #5. The Netherlands saw the album shooting up from #8 to #6. In Britain, U2 withstood 5 new entries to lose only 1 position and hold steady in the top 20 at #18. Chart-wise, U2 are already making a grand comeback. I predict that the comeback in American charts may not be immediately evident this week, but look out for next week's results - and don't forget you heard the prediction here first.
U2's image was already tarnished. They were destined for commercial failure. There was no way they could rebound from the debacle. But they are doing it now. But the comeback won't mean a return to #1 in the charts. So you may ask - why am I labelling it the mother of all comebacks?
The answer is simple. In the music industry, you are only entitled to one comeback - then it's back to the commerical vacuum grave for you. Sting had his one-off with Brand New Day, Santana got his renaissance with Supernatural, the Eagles shook of their 14-year vacation with Hell Feezes Over but are on permanent vacation now, Blondie had her brief spell when Maria made the charts, and the list goes on. But is there anyone who can make a comeback twice? The answer supposed to be no. That is until U2.
U2 suffered their worst commercial and artistic disappointment with POP. From the disappointing chart nosedive of POP after a #1 debut in 33 countries, to the band looking "lost" in their first concert in Vegas (which also features a restart of Staring At The Sun with Bono arguing with Mullen), to the assortment of boos they received in the Macarena karaoke performance in Spain, up to the third leg where they played to half-empty stadiums in USA and Canada. Let's not forget zero Grammies. Surely U2 were done as a relevant music force after this.
But U2 made the grandest of all comebacks with All That You Can't Leave Behind, with its 11 million worldwide sales and 4 million U2 sales. Beautiful Day seemed to stay forever in the charts and the album seemed to win a gazillion Grammies. The tour grossed a record amount. So people were thinking U2 already used up their "one allocated comeback." Well think again!
After this presale fiasco, U2's image problems and the chart nosedive, U2 are supposed to have run out of lives. They aren't supposed to comeback from this. But thanks to The Mullen Apology, U2 are back in track and have resurrected from another certain death. An improbable second comeback? Well, this would have to be the mother of all comebacks!
Oh wait, the comeback has not really happend yet. It's just that I am positively predicting it: a rebound in the American charts, the lost love from fans found again, a successful tour that will have the fans feeling that they got their money's worth (as opposed to being robbed), and doubts about U2's integrity problems erased. All this hasn't happened yet but my prediction is that it will. I know this is a bold positive prediction because many think U2 have run out of lives. But who can prevent me from being positive and optimistic?
I think The Mullen Apology should go down as one of the legendary U2 written literature, right up there with the lyrics of "One" and Bono's introduction to the Book of Psalms.
Cheers,
J
By the way, a note to those so-called U2 fans who are quick to accuse me of posting nothing positive in this forum, I've only got two words for you...
as much as he does. As befits a PLEBA girl, I'm starting what I trust will someday be a hugeass Larry collection in my photo accounts; I started it the day of the Open Letter.
