Is U2 Having A Mid-Life Crisis?

[LCK]

No disrespect intended, just a-wondering cause I'm about the band's age & was into all the same music they were when they were starting out. And now, with my 40th birthday looming on the horizon this spring, I find myself listening to the Ramones A LOT- and U2's up & coming album allegedly has a punk sound. Ah, what do I know? But surely even the silliest idea can get at least ONE person to agree...so who's up for humouring me here?

 

[Bunbury]

Another thing that set off alarms was his mention that this is their "Who" album, that threw me off

 

[U2Kitten]

I think they've already been through that, it was called Pop. I think they are comfortable with themselves now and have made peace with their time in life. Maybe some of that came out in ATYCLB? They know that they are not that old and still have a lot to give. Bono mentioned that if they were actors or writers, they would be at their peak so why not rock stars? He said, some people expect you to die at 33 or just go buy a fish farm, or fuck off. But they're not fucking anywhere, he and Edge said. He also said he was looking forward to being old, and hitting young whippersnappers with his cane when they annoyed him Bono is so cool! I know their next album will be great. Rock on, guys!

I for one will not be having a mid life crisis. I'm 34 but still can't believe I'm not 17 anymore. I think I'll stay that way

 

[jick]

Yes the mid-life crisis was POP. It's all water under the bridge now.

Cheers,

J

 

[LCK]

He also said he was looking forward to being old, and hitting young whippersnappers with his cane when they annoyed him

I'm looking forward to doing that too! "McFly? Hello!" lol, of course they'll have no idea what I'm on about.

I'm not truly having a mid-life crisis just a Ramones revival. I feel younger and happier now than I did a decade ago.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Another thing that set off alarms was his mention that this is their "Who" album, that threw me off

Why does that bother you? The Who were a great band who made timeless music. If he had said that this was their "Duran Duran" or their "Bread" album, then I'd be worried. If you U2's new album has some of the fury and power of say the Who's "Who's Next" album there'd be nothing nothing to worry about. U2 is way past the "mid-life crisis" stage and into the "I'm comfortable in my own skin" phase.

 

[Seabird]

I was feeling really old and depressed as I approached 40, but I was helped a lot by U2 and knowing they were the same age as me. I remember how I felt when I heard "Summer Rain" on my 39th birthday. When I hit 40 the year of Elevation, I wasn't afraid of it, because I was going there with U2.

 

[mikal]

well bono already did in New York.

 

[Bunbury]

Why does that bother you? The Who were a great band who made timeless music. If he had said that this was their "Duran Duran" or their "Bread" album, then I'd be worried. If you U2's new album has some of the fury and power

I'm thinking more of the power and fury of Achtung Baby than the Who. Personally, I have never found the Who that impressive, no doubt they have good tunes.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Well U2 will never make another Achtung Baby, just as surely as they will never make another Joshua Tree or All That You Can't Leave Behind. I don't truly believe that U2 will make an album that mimics or copies the Who, however whether or not you care for them the Who are one of the most celebrated bands in Rock history, and definitely one of U2's rock influences.

 

[intedomine]

i envy all 40 year old u2 fans.......

as an 18 year old, i never have been able to witness the u2 journey from first hand....... i wasnt even born when the unforgettable fire was released and i never discovered the true significance of u2 until the 21st century....

how could i enjoy the surprise new sound of achtung baby as a 6 year old....

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

He also said he was looking forward to being old, and hitting young whippersnappers with his cane when they annoyed him Bono is so cool!

...I love that! I can so see him doing that!

Also...

Originally posted by intedomine
i envy all 40 year old u2 fans.......

as an 18 year old, i never have been able to witness the u2 journey from first hand....... i wasnt even born when the unforgettable fire was released and i never discovered the true significance of u2 until the 21st century....

how could i enjoy the surprise new sound of achtung baby as a 6 year old....

Ditto all of this, with the exception that I was born the year UF came out...5 days after it was released, in fact. .

Anywho...yeah...there's times when I'm so happy that I'm alive during this time, but then I look at all this stuff U2 did back before I was born and when I was a little kid and stuff, and wasn't a diehard fan and everything...and it really makes me wish I was born earlier....

Angela

 

[jick]

i envy all 40 year old u2 fans.......

as an 18 year old, i never have been able to witness the u2 journey from first hand....... i wasnt even born when the unforgettable fire was released and i never discovered the true significance of u2 until the 21st century....

how could i enjoy the surprise new sound of achtung baby as a 6 year old....

You don't have to witness they journey first hand. You can always buy their old albums. Most of their songs are timeless anyway. Besides, U2 are a little too old for you don't you think so? You should be listening to Limp Bizkit, Korn, Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, The Hives, Coldplay, Eminem, etc.

Cheers,

J

 

[Axver]

Besides, U2 are a little too old for you don't you think so? You should be listening to Limp Bizkit, Korn, Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, The Hives, Coldplay, Eminem, etc.

With the exception of Coldplay, what moron would listen to that crap? Who cares how old U2 is? Age has no impact on how good or bad music is. I'm hoping you're being less than serious in your statement.

 

[gareth brown]

I hope so too. But on that subject, (I mention this all the time), but at fifteen it's always surprising for my friends to talk to me on the subject of Music as I always have and always will hold aloft Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Who, Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones The Clash, Ramones, and earlier U2 in my personal tastes amongst Radiohead and Coldplay and they're always baffled why I have the same record collections as their Fathers.

It's actually quite annoying (this is no longer going to Jick) to be told I should be listening to stuff from my own time such as all these try-hard bands who dare call themselves Punk and loads of crap Nu-Metal, or The White Stripes. Because Music is nowhere near as talented as it should be. (Except Radiohead, the best band on Earth at this present moment in time)

It's as if these bands are all coming off a conveyor belt and the Music industry is full of people saying, 'hey that New-Punk style crap works for those million other bands, lets get another one...!'

I await U2's next album with Relish...to teach all these bands a lesson in Rock Music.

 

[jick]

With the exception of Coldplay, what moron would listen to that crap? Who cares how old U2 is? Age has no impact on how good or bad music is. I'm hoping you're being less than serious in your statement.

U2 don't write music for 18 year olds. They write music from the point of view of MEN, not boys. But that is not to say that 18 year old cannot take any value from U2's music. If you read the original post carefully, I did mention that U2's music is TIMELESS. Why only point out the last sentence of my post to take it out of context?

Cheers,

J

 

[gareth brown]

U2 don't write music for 18 year olds. They write music from the point of view of MEN, not boys.

Mmmm, that's right.

U2 were writing from the perspective of 40+ year old men back in 1979. Just listen to the Three EP and Boy. You'll be amazed how ahead of their time they are .

 

[LCK]

Well Paddy, if you're too young, according to some cranky ole , to 'get' music written by MEN, not boys, then I guess an old harpie like me shouldn't be listening to the music they wrote as BOYS not men. . So how about we divide their catalogue in half? You get everything from pre-Boy to Joshua Tree and I'll take everything from Achtung Baby to the present. R & H kinda straddles the fence so we'll divvy up the songs with a few coin tosses.

You can come by the old folks home to visit me and tell me all about what you young'uns are listening to these days, so I can feel like I'm cool once again like I was back in me prime. And I'll explain all the meanings of the lyrics a wee whippersnapper like you can't understand yet til he's growed up some more.

 

[gareth brown]

Ha ha ha!

 

[jick]

Originally posted by


Mmmm, that's right.

U2 were writing from the perspective of 40+ year old men back in 1979. Just listen to the Three EP and Boy. You'll be amazed how ahead of their time they are .

"Don't write" and "were writing" - there is a difference in tenses. I used the present tense and you didn't. But please don't ignore what I said that U2's music if TIMELESS (unlike other bands). Some people try to ignore the good things I say to portray me as some negative, grumpy, sour jack*ss who has nothing better to do with his free time than infiltrate a U2 forum. But most of what I say are good things, it's just that a small minority here highlight the bad things and raise it to the nth power while they conveniently sweep away the good under the rug. So don't you agree that U2's music is timeless?

Cheers,

J

 

[~*Buffalo*~]

I agree that U2 had their mid-life crisis with Pop. But who knows? Maybe it will resurface. It really doesn't bother me

 

[jick]

I agree that U2 had their mid-life crisis with Pop. But who knows? Maybe it will resurface. It really doesn't bother me

If taken literally, there were about 37 years old during POP. So if that indeed in their "mid-life" - then does it mean that they will be productive and making music until they are 74? I sure hope so, but I know that is stretching it and too much of wishful thinking. But who knows - U2 have been notorious for beatings most odds and expectations.

Cheers,

J

 

[Liesje]

Some people try to ignore the good things I say to portray me as some negative, grumpy, sour jack*ss who has nothing better to do with his free time than infiltrate a U2 forum. But most of what I say are good things, it's just that a small minority here highlight the bad things and raise it to the nth power while they conveniently sweep away the good under the rug. So don't you agree that U2's music is timeless?

and some people find it impossible to ignore your extensive criticisms of everything from Bono's personal motivations to Edge missing a wrong note.....recommending songs you think suck so that the ones you like sound better is hardly a "good" comment.

And who are you to say who U2 does and does not write music for?

Are you a friend of Henry Rollins or something?

 

[jick]

And who are you to say who U2 does and does not write music for?

Are you a friend of Henry Rollins or something?

I am a thinking entity using this part of me called a brain to voice out my opinions on U2's music. I think U2 would love it that people interpret and analyze their music.

I don't know or haven't heard of Henry Rollins. Not to go so far off-topic, is Henry Roillins related to U2 and what kind of role did he play in U2's mid-life crisis?

Cheers,

J

 

[Liesje]

nevermind

 

[Flaming Friar Sr]

actually i remember bono saying about 2 or 3 years ago that if he ever did have a midlife crisis, it was when he was 27 not during pop or atyclb

 

[shaun vox]

i dont want to be in a crap band and the minute u2 turns crap we are all out of here!(bono vh1 legends)

 

[U2luv]

You don't have to witness they journey first hand. You can always buy their old albums. Most of their songs are timeless anyway. Besides, U2 are a little too old for you don't you think so? You should be listening to Limp Bizkit, Korn, Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, The Hives, Coldplay, Eminem, etc.

Cheers,

J

I think it's fantastic that U2 has transcended the age barrier in music. Avril Lavigne and the others can't hold a candle to U2 and never will. When they're gone by the wayside, U2 will still be going strong.
Keep up enjoying the QUALITY music that's out there. Forget what other people say about age.
(by the way, I'm also in my 40's and was one of those lucky enough to have the chance to watch U2 develop through the years.)

 

[follower]

I was feeling really old and depressed as I approached 40, but I was helped a lot by U2 and knowing they were the same age as me. I remember how I felt when I heard "Summer Rain" on my 39th birthday. When I hit 40 the year of Elevation, I wasn't afraid of it, because I was going there with U2.

Exactly, we?re the same age and that happened to me as well, at the same time. I don?t know about men, but for women a mid-life crisis does happen around 40 usually.

But, on the topic, I would like you to remember that Bono mentioned having gone through his mid-life crisis in the song New York, which is a song from ATYCLB, not from Pop. So my point is, it might have happened to him around that period, 1999/2000. Don?t know about the others though. Anyways, I think the tough stuff called mid-life crisis is part of their past already.

Cheers
MT

 

[U2Kitten]

I remember an interview from back in 2001 where Bono got kind of mad when people started thinking he had a midlife crisis and lost his wife because of the lyrics to New York. He said, it was just a song, and he was not the character in the song. At some Elevation shows, he even changed the word "midlife" to "midwife" as a joke because of that