Why I think U2 should hang it up
From 1979 to 1997, U2 made music that mattered. It was cutting edge, risky, unlike anything else out there. They defined a genre that nobody else really dared to enter because they knew they?d look stupid trying to go up against U2. In that sense, U2 created their own genre.
I was almost 17 when The Joshua Tree was released. If you weren?t between the ages of 14 and 24 in 1987, you probably weren?t that in-tune with the entire context of the time. The pop culture, the politics, the trends ? the general feel of the backside of the 80s. Those of us who were are lucky because I believe we have experienced U2 to their fullest. You can listen to JT now and be moved, but if you weren?t ?there?, you can?t totally appreciate how amazing that record was ? the record that vaulted U2 into the stratosphere and lets face it, made die-hard fans out of most of us. I was a casual fan prior to The Joshua Tree, but I think I only owned the War album. After Joshua Tree, I bought them all. Once I did, I realized the songs I had listened to casually were an emotional and spiritual part of the fabric of my life even in the early 80s.
I was 21 and halfway through my senior year of college when Achtung Baby was released. Again, to be 21 and have your entire adult life ahead of you, to be concerned about the war, to be amazed that the vague, scary and seemingly behemoth idea of communism was crumbling before our eyes ? to be engulfed in all of that and to then have U2 pump out an ass-kicking, confusing, dark yet celebratory album like Achtung Baby?it?s hard to describe how cool and apropos that was. Again, you had to be there.
I only bring up 2 examples ?cause I?m probably boring you to death by now with my introspection, but I write about them to make a point ? U2?s music really mattered then. It was about something bigger than the songs themselves. The stage theatrics and the mysterious personas that U2 used so deftly were all part of the thing that made us think when we listened to U2.
We don?t have to think anymore.
U2 is a fantastic band and they certainly have every right to continue making music ? my opinion has no bearing on them whatsoever ? but I believe they put their untouchable back-catalog at risk if they continue to make music like we got from ATYCLB and even Electrical Storm. There?s very little in their latest music to make anyone stand up and take notice ? which is what U2 was all about for almost 20 years of their career.