"Live" and "U2" - Why the comparison?

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I never heard that comparison:huh: Nobody sounds like U2. They are unique.
 
The comparison was made during the height of Live's popularity in the States, and it wasn't so much their sound as the intensity of their concerts that was reminding people of U2.

I never liked Live much until the album 'V' came out, and the single 'Overcome' that became linked with 9/11/2001.
 
Maybe it's because Live makes grand romantic and spiritual gestures in lyrics and in concert.. not to mention a very passionate frontman?

That's all I got. :shrug:
 
wolfeden said:


<troublemaking> sure, except for ... and Coldplay...</troublemaking>


I was trying to avoid the "C" word :censored: IMO they TRY to copy them but fail miserably and can't hold a candle to the 'real thing.' :censored:
 
realthing.jpg
 
I agree w/ Hello Angel. It's the passionate lead singer and i also believe people draw a comparison lyrically. both bands tend to use lots of nature imagery and the use of colors. Also, Live tends to have some political messages in some of their lyrics.
 
U2Kitten said:
I was trying to avoid the "C" word

*Nods*
Eh, if people like CP that's their prerogative. I don't personally like them, but it's not anything to do with U2, I just don't care for the music. Hell I thought it was Sting they were working from.

Mostly made mention to tweak the hysteria-laden debates about them that seem to go on here, that's all.

The same degree of fighting went on about Mike Peters and his band the Alarm some 10-15 years ago. Interesting who's still ruling the world and who's faded away, no? :hmm: I think the same will happen in this instance.

Live has sort of a special situation as they came to the forefront when a lot of people in America were sort of put off by the direction U2 had gone (1993-on) and gave people the "UF/JT U2" fix they'd been craving, with soulful passionate music that varied from politics to faith to lust and still rocked the house. It was never that their SOUND was comparable to U2, but their style, their feel.

Now that U2 have come almost full circle there's not the gaping hole anymore that Live filled so well, and thus less of a niche for bands like them.
 
I remember in high school hearing in an interview that Live likes U2.

That's about all I have to contribute to this topic though...I'm not all that familiar with Live's work, besides singles I've heard. My best friend used to be obsessed with them though.
 
I think they're religious too, that might put them in the category. Their latest song is something like, I don't need anybody to tell me about Heaven, I already believe, or something like that.

I am not a fan or a detractor of Live. I admit when I saw the video for Lightning Crashes, it freaked me out and I couldn't stand it. Every time I was driving down the road and the song came on I'd switch the channels because it evoked images of the video I didn't want to see. But years later, like just a year or two ago, I started letting it play and I actually like it. I especially like the part where it builds up in the end and peaks in him going "I can feeeel ittt" I probably won't buy it, but I won't turn it off anymore. But I still don't see/hear a U2 comparison. IMO being religious and political are one thing in common, music is another. If you're going to compare bands for music, it should be about the music and not underlying reasons IMO.
 
BC, yes.. Live have often said they admire U2..

There is a lyric from "people like you" from the V album, gave me a smile first time I heard it:

In a dream I had, I was on the stage with Queen..
Michael Stipe and Elton John, Bono and Springsteen
singing Hallelujah, rock and roll is king


Some people are more sensitive than others to a band's vibe... to a lot of people, even though there's very little musical similarity, Live and U2 have a similar 'feel' -- it's not something that can be explained, either you get it or you don't. not everyone does. :shrug:
 
I don't see any striking similarities between U2 and Live myself. Then again I don't think I've ever heard any of their songs besides the ones from "Throwing Copper." (Pretty good stuff, BTW, especially "I Alone" and "Lighting Crashes.")

The guys from Live certainly admire U2, which is cool. Their lead singer was one of the people making comments during the 22 Greatest Albums countdown on MTV2, and he said "The Joshua Tree" changed his life.
 
I see no big or obvious similarities musically between the two. But I have to say I'm a fan of Live. Until they released "V', that is. The first 4 albums are great, the last 2 were drink coasters.
 
Also in 'Transmit Your Love', which follows the rocking 'People Like You'. Ed makes reference to "where the streets have no name', a unique u2 quote.

The comparison, i agree, is to do with the similarities between bono and ed kowalczyk......both are enigmatic and both are 2 of the greatest lyrical writers in history.....very talented.

Live were my favourite band between 1997 and mid 2002, and have only recently been overtaken by u2.....still i love live though....

saw them when they came to melbourne last december, brilliant experience, not as much of an extravaganza like a u2 show, but very intimate with the audience.

Live are not u2 and u2 are not live, but if you dont know live and your looking for a band which possesses some of the same qualities as u2, id get into Live.....a great band and just like U2, and very daring....powerful anthemic music and fantastic lyrics

Live are a band who deserve grammies but dont get them....

Live's 2 main inspirations are u2 and rem, i guess that is what makes them kinda similar
 
I think the comparisons began back in the early 90's when in many interviews the guys from Live proclaimed their love for U2. I remember watching a Live rockumentary on MTV years and years ago that showed footage of Live in high school and they covered U2 songs and had U2 posters on their bedroom walls.
 
They were influenced by U2? Maybe they can induct them into the Hall of Fame! ;)

I wonder how many other bands were big U2 fans and we don't know it?
 
intedomine said:
Live are not u2 and u2 are not live, but if you dont know live and your looking for a band which possesses some of the same qualities as u2, id get into Live.....a great band and just like U2, and very daring....powerful anthemic music and fantastic lyrics

Live are a band who deserve grammies but dont get them....

Live's 2 main inspirations are u2 and rem, i guess that is what makes them kinda similar

:up:
 
U2Kitten said:


I was trying to avoid the "C" word :censored: IMO they TRY to copy them but fail miserably and can't hold a candle to the 'real thing.' :censored:

I forget how he phrased it, but Bill Flanagan said the reason bands who try to sound like U2, but fail, is because of their rhythm section.

I do like "C"-word, but the similarity is really some of the guitar playing and keyboards, and sometimes the singer. People who make these "this is the next U2" comments about a band, it seems like they tend to focus just on the guitar/keyboard and singing. "C"-word, and other bands can kinda sound like U2, if the focus is on the singing and guitar.

Listen to the rhythm section of U2... Live, "C",---they are not like U2's. ;)

Obviously few people outside U2 fans, know who Adam is, or anything about him, and Larry, prefers to be out of the spotlight. But Adam's bass playing is very unique, because he kinda taught himself to play, it wasn't till later, after "Joshua Tree" that he took any sort of formal lessons. "C's" bass player sounds nothing like Adam, just listen to Pop, Achtung Baby,...October. No really, they're great albums hehe. ;)

Larry, well I don't know, know very little about drumming, but according to Flanagan, Larry doesn't set up his drum kit like most drummers. Some drummers will fill in gaps, Larry says something like, nah, should leave those gaps. How many drummers, outside those in Irish bands/showbands, use a bodhran.

It's all four of them, that make the band unique, and why no band really sounds like them.
 
The very first song that Live performed live (as the name Public something?) was "Like a Song" at a high school talent show.

Just a little piece of useless knoweldge for you.
 
The bassline in "Heropsychodreamer" off of Secret Samadhi is very derivative of New Year's Day (Ok not derivative, a direct theft).

Also while Ed has professed his influence by U2, back in '97, Chad Taylor said in an interview that Live could "blow U2 off the stage". Now I like Live, have seen them 3 times, but they couldn't blow U2 off stage with a wind machine.
I seriously doubt they'll be the ones to induct U2 into the HOF.
 
heh, back in the day everyone was making statements like that though... Oasis about the Beatles, Creed :madspit: :barf: about Pearl Jam, Live about U2... there was a fashion for awhile to talk smack about your acknowledged influences. Glad it's gone by....for the most part anyway.

(Amy Lee take notice -- trash talk about other bands makes you look like the young, inexperienced, egotistical thing you are... )
 
Public Affection was the original name for Live..........that interests me that Live did a cover of Like A SOng......no copy would be in existence of the cover, but itd sound very good....
 
Someone mentioned the use of "Where the streets have no name" in a song. The whole part is the following:

"Put your ear to the door and
put your face to the floor and
through the crack, see the people kickin it inside
and leave it all behind
in the name of love, we raise the roof,
in the name of love, do what we came to do
in a town tonight where the streets have no name
and everyone feels the same
the outside world is a goddamn shame"
 
Being from the same home town as Live, I can honestly say that there is no comparison:wink:

BTW I might be wrong, but I think the song they covered in HS was an instrumental version of Pride. (no lead singer yet) I might be thinking of another local band though..
 
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