Options for the future of U2

[BANZAI]

Which option would you choose for the future...

U2 making only ONE FINAL MASTERPIECE (like TJT and AB) with one farewell tour

or...

U2 making THREE OK ALBUMS, with some classic songs and three tours?


This one isn't easy but I think I'd go for the final masterpiece.

 

[Zooropean103]

If you consider HTDAAB as an "OK album" then I'd surely go for the second possibility (aww come on! 3 more tours! and I really love HTDAAB, it's not so great as AB or POP, but still it's a fantastic album)



PS: however if you consider ATYCLB instead as an OK album then no way! I'd vote for one final masterpiece.

PS2: there was a very similar topic to yours about few months ago...

 

[coemgen]

I think they'll put out another album along the lines of ATYCLB and HTDAAB, then change their style yet again, with three more albums before they call it quits. I think the last three will be less of a specific sound and more along the lines of albums that only U2 can make. The lines of influences and experiental aspects will be more blurred than ever.

 

[Axver]

One final masterpiece. For me, HTDAAB wore off after less than a year, whereas I still love and enjoy UF and JT years after getting them. So a timeless masterpiece is the way to go - 3 OK albums won't be as satisfying 20 years down the track as 1 masterpiece would be.

 

[XHendrix24]

One final masterpiece.

I love HTDAAB, but if U2 could completely blow my mind one more time and go out at the very top of their game, I'd be all for it.

 

[JCOSTER]

Being that I grew up with them I would take 3 ok albums with 3 tours, and a few classics.....I want them to around as long as they don't start to sound silly.

The next album would probably a cross between HTDAAB and Pop
I can't imagine what other way they would go.

 

[U2girl]

I don't know, if they have a 3rd masterpiece in them (assuming it isn't War) I would vote for option one.

Also, what would you consider an OK album?

 

[BANZAI]

Also, what would you consider an OK album?

Most people agree TJT and AB are THE masterpieces...
it's more subjective which albums can be labelled as OK.

Well for me TUF is more than OK, ATYCLB and October are below OK and the rest I label as OK.

 

[jacobus]

U2 should try to record another outstanding album with fresh sounds and great lyrics. after that they should tour china, russia, the americas, the pacific area (nz-aus-jap), africa & europe, with their last concert ever in dublin. after that they should retire and my special friend boner should remain silent for at least one year!

 

[U2FAN4LIFE]

It would be nice to see them turn the volume down a bit for a couple years (in terms of the scale of the tour/promotion etc. surrounding the next release)

I for one would love to see them do something that's like a Zooropa or Passengers (not in terms of groundbreaking & new music - allthough I adore those two albums) but rather something lower key... spend several weeks writing/recording/mixing - release an album at the end of '06 and then come back with something big a couple years later.

I guess what I'm saying is a solid "quiet" album and then a masterpiece

 

[Aygo]

I think that, since the last tour dates were postponed, and we're 6 months far from it, U2 could release a 7-song EP or a 9-song LP with those HTDAAB outtakes, including "Fast Cars" (it deserves to be re-issued), "Mercy" and the James Bond they have already said.
Then, after the end of the tour they could start thinking on the next real album. People are saying that the next album will be an hip-hop album. I'm not sure, but I believe that they said that their next work could be influenced by hip-hop. And I wouldn't mind with that. I'd like to see too U2 making the kind of a real concept album... why not influenced by hip-hop?

 

[babyman]

Why do many talk about a final masterpiece? Why are you considering they must quit? Just because they're near 50?
There are so many bands around who are almost and over 60 and still make grandious music, Deep Purple, Toto, Rolling Stones, Roger Waters and Dave Gilmour and many many others...........music has no age. I see a long future for U2, they have still a lot to do. And for what concerns albums, I wouldn't mind if they would just tour for a while and make another record in 5 years for example. They have done so many tracks that there should be the chance to perform songs they never performed or to take back tracks they don't play since long time. I wouldn't mind if a new album would come out in 2012 and meanwhile they would do 2-3 worldtours, trying some innovations, playing songs in a rearrenged way etc etc. There are so much things that a band like U2 can do after 3 incredible successfull decades. They've reached a skill that improves itself alone

 

[BANZAI]

There are so many bands around who are almost and over 60 and still make grandious music, Deep Purple, Toto, Rolling Stones, Roger Waters and Dave Gilmour and many many others...........

I totally disagree with you!! The bands you name don't make any grandious music anymore. They are only a shadow of what they've been once. I hope U2 is wise enough not to become a second Rolling Stones.

 

[U2FAN4LIFE]

I totally disagree with you!! The bands you name don't make any grandious music anymore. They are only a shadow of what they've been once. I hope U2 is wise enough not to become a second Rolling Stones.

I don't know, why is everyone so hard on the Stones? From what I've seen they really seem to love performing and apparently put on really good shows... I guess they've released some sub-par work since their prime but apparently their last album was very well received by critics.

Anyhow... I'm sure there is someone on a Green Day fan site somewhere mentioning how they hope Green Day won't ever turn into a second U2.

 

[ozeeko]

I don't know, why is everyone so hard on the Stones? From what I've seen they really seem to love performing and apparently put on really good shows... I guess they've released some sub-par work since their prime but apparently their last album was very well received by critics.

Anyhow... I'm sure there is someone on a Green Day fan site somewhere mentioning how they hope Green Day won't ever turn into a second U2.

If only Green Day would be so lucky. A once great punk band that sang about masturbating is now a mainstream powerpop band whining about our unfair government. HOW PUNK!

 

[Bono's shades]

One final masterpiece/tour. I'd hate to see U2 go out just being OK and not great.

 

[jacknife23]

I don't think any band can sit down and say hey "lets make a masterpiece shall we". It doesnt work like that.

An artist should always go for what he is feeling, what he wants to do as a musician, just try be honest with yourself. Then after a few years only time will tell if its a masterpiece or not.

For U2, as always I want them to make an album they believe in. If they again want to go for bunch of very good songs then so be it. I think the last 2 albums may not have been very strong in terms of a classic record, but some of the songs are as good as any U2 song and they're more than a few. I'm talking about Beautiful Day, Elevation, Walk On, Kite, In A Little While, Vertigo, Sometimes, City of Blinding Lights, Love and Peace or Else, Original Of The Species. Add Ground Beneath Her Feet and The Hands that built america.... thats one hell of a songwritting.

 

[LMP]

I don't think any band can sit down and say hey "lets make a masterpiece shall we". It doesnt work like that.

what? Axl Rose tried it

 

[Roland Deschain]

I'd be sad that it was the last album but damn it would be awesome to have U2 to end on a masterpiece. But I don't mean to slam HTDAAB or any other previous album I just wouldn't put them on masterpiece level just great albums.

Sadly I don't think it can happen because everyone has their own idea on what they want U2 to be and no matter what people will be pissed.

 

[DignityPassesBy]

I don't know what will happen with the next album but i'll bet the tours from now on will all be stadium shows ... it'll just be easier on them because they won't have to play as many shows

 

[toscano]

Which option would you choose for the future...

U2 making only ONE FINAL MASTERPIECE (like TJT and AB) with one farewell tour

or...

U2 making THREE OK ALBUMS, with some classic songs and three tours?


This one isn't easy but I think I'd go for the final masterpiece.

One final masterpiece, definitely. I rarely listen to ATYCLB or HTDAAB any more, no staying power. those albums were U2 trying to sound to like U2, as oposed to U2 just following their instincts. I listen to Pop a lot mor these days even though i hated it for many years. A lot more depth to it, but the lack of commercial success apparently soured them and now they have to feel they are more "U2-ish".

HTDAAB and ATYCLB are musical fast food, instantly gratifying but ultimately non-lasting.

UF, JT, and AB are fine wines, getting better with age. Pop is just now starting to mature (for me) and I'm finding alot more to enjoy there than the last 2. Better and more imaginative Bass, Drums, Guitar and lyrics. Occasionally lacking melodies but there's not one song on HTDAAB that ROCKS like Gone.

Either way, whatever they do, I wanna see them ROCK. where's the "angry guitar" album Bono has been promising ?

 

[vaz02]

Re: Re: Options for the future of U2

Either way, whatever they do, I wanna see them ROCK. where's the "angry guitar" album Bono has been promising ?

lol i was expecting a led zeppelin style album when bono said it be rough hard and garage rock like , instead we got AB met ATYCLB.

 

[mad1]

I think, two more albums and then quits. and me crying for 3 weeks solid.

LOL! I didnt like the ATYCLB album, only two songs from it I loved.

I think U2 have already peaked because of Joshua Tree, I think that that is the real U2......the highlight of the group (and a lot of their stuff before it). and will always be remembered.

(but thats me!)

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Polka. There's not enough polka in modern music.

 

[clifedge]

Polka. There's not enough polka in modern music.

 

[Ifeelnumb84]

I think one final masterpiece followed by a tour of some magnitude never before attempted would pretty much solidify U2 as the greatest or second greatest (damn Beatles) band of all time.
U2 have never attempted a masterpiece, but that attitude produced AB and JT, so why can't it happen again? A rock-oriented album with some WOWY or UV type love songs might be just what the music world is missing.

 

[the tourist]

How about an epic album? One with 14 songs. 67 minutes. A 7 minute opening song which begins as a simple organ and slowly adds an instrument at a time until it's a wall of sound. Then Bono comes in. How about only one or two singles and those singles being more daring than catchy. One ballad-single and one more rocking single. A With Or Without You and a Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me. A bunch of longer songs. Like the last poster said, like Ultraviolet. And in my opinion, a song like If You Wear That Velvet Dress. A closing epic with lots of pianos and a REAL orchestra. That's the type of album U2 would have to make for me to call it another masterpiece.

 

[Axver]

That's the type of album U2 would have to make for me to call it another masterpiece.

You're not asking for much really, when you compare it to MY masterpiece.

A 77 minute long album that has a continuous flow linking every single track. The album itself is a deep and complex concept album of intellectual theorising, exploring themes drawn from topics as diverse as Calvinist theology and anarchist political theory in light of historical context, and rich with literary references ranging from W. B. Yeats to Soren Kierkegaard to G. K. Chesterton to Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The music is epic and atmospheric, and paints rich sonic landscapes that put The Unforgettable Fire to shame. Edge has a series of soaring, technically intricate solos and shares vocal duties with Bono. Both Adam and Larry have solos at points, and not a single song is in 4/4.

The album opens with some crunchy metal riffs to grab the listener's attention and Bono gives his most aggressive vocal performance yet before the album settles down into its sweeping, expansive atmospheric path. Traditional Irish influences enrich the middle of the album, and the only single comes during the second half - a soaring rocker like New Year's Day. The album concludes with two of U2's most emotional songs: a soft lament in the style of Mothers Of The Disappeared, mourning forgotten and overlooked tragedies of the 20th century, followed by a dramatic 10 minute long song of hope and optimism that starts softly and builds up to one of U2's greatest and most breath-taking conclusions ever: as Edge plays arguably his most sweeping and incredible solo ever, Bono sings his lungs out in his best vocal performance since Bad. As the album soars to its end, you feel as if you are atop a snow-capped mountain in New Zealand on a gloriously sunny day, overlooking an untouched rugged wilderness of unrivalled beauty. The world feels perfect and you feel refreshed as the final notes fade away.

Now THAT would be an album.

 

[U2girl]

If we're talking what would qualify as the third masterpiece, on one hand the songs would have to feel as part of the bigger whole, Bono would have to find the third big theme in his songwriting (after America in 87 and the broken relationhip in 91).