SOE 20 - Sometimes, the end isn't coming...

[dan_smee]

When they booked promo shows in the fall of 2016, including the iHeart gig and Dreamforce. When they booked tour dates, including this;



https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...arUAhUB4yYKHRAtCI8QMwgoKAMwAw&iact=mrc&uact=8

But your argument all hinges on it being a corporate decision imposed on the band, and that also relies on corporate either having signed off on dates being firmed up in October, then flip flopping or the band booking dates without their knowledge. Both scenarios are highly unlikely.

You're forgetting it was Edge that wouldn't sign off on SOE, and Bono has been very public about it. The label aren't sitting on a completed album for over 12 months to make their caged monkeys dance. Sure they probably put some pressure on to get on the road because of the delay, but that is VERY different to "Bono having no say" in when the album comes out.

If you think the label don't want to put out a new album and want them touring JT for years, you are wrong. The nostalgia well dries up, and milking it for all it's worth is going to be more unpopular than a new U2 record could ever be.

 

[dan_smee]

If it was all about money they wouldn't have had a 5.5 year gap between nloth and soi.

Sure - but they did push 360 into a 20th anniversary for AB. The most important part here though is who the decision maker is on whether they release new music - they were meant to have SOA out within 9 months of NLOTH. The label knows keeping them on tour =$$$, but I would say that is their default position when quick album turnarounds inevitably fall over.

 

[trevgreg]

If it was all about money they wouldn't have had a 5.5 year gap between nloth and soi.

But hipster street cred, you know?

 

[david]

U2 isn't good at the whole momentum thing.

 

[BVS]

When they booked promo shows in the fall of 2016, including the iHeart gig and Dreamforce. When they booked tour dates, including this;



https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...arUAhUB4yYKHRAtCI8QMwgoKAMwAw&iact=mrc&uact=8

I think those were booked very early on when the band(Bono in particular) were very committed to the idea, but I wouldn't say certain. I think we have Edge and Larry to blame for their uncertainty these days, not some management team pulling strings.

 

[DeVaul]

My tasks are so thankless is back instead of my thoughts are so reckless? (Kimmel version)

Thought the latter fits better

Only in the retconned "Trump voter" story.

 

[kabigon]

Sure - but they did push 360 into a 20th anniversary for AB. The most important part here though is who the decision maker is on whether they release new music - they were meant to have SOA out within 9 months of NLOTH. The label knows keeping them on tour =$$$, but I would say that is their default position when quick album turnarounds inevitably fall over.

Right, they could've had an album gap of longer than 5.5 years and just kept touring, especially if they'd started a JT25 tour in 2012 and gave Europe more than a sprinkling of shows.

 

[dudeman]

Maybe they release TLTTGYA as an official single between tour legs.

Even cooler - what if they busted out different new songs to debut on different legs of the tour. I know, not gonna go down that way. Just fun to think about.

 

[cleazer]

Even cooler - what if they busted out different new songs to debut on different legs of the tour. I know, not gonna go down that way. Just fun to think about.

You don't want to get your hopes too high, but if the December 1 date still happens, it's not hard to imagine them adding another new SOE song by September. (Or even the European leg.)

 

[BVS]

But your argument all hinges on it being a corporate decision imposed on the band, and that also relies on corporate either having signed off on dates being firmed up in October, then flip flopping or the band booking dates without their knowledge. Both scenarios are highly unlikely.

You're forgetting it was Edge that wouldn't sign off on SOE, and Bono has been very public about it. The label aren't sitting on a completed album for over 12 months to make their caged monkeys dance. Sure they probably put some pressure on to get on the road because of the delay, but that is VERY different to "Bono having no say" in when the album comes out.

If you think the label don't want to put out a new album and want them touring JT for years, you are wrong. The nostalgia well dries up, and milking it for all it's worth is going to be more unpopular than a new U2 record could ever be.

Exactly. This whole notion that U2 are being pulled by puppet strings is hilarious. Don't you think if Guy was some mastermind that was pushing for nostalgia tours instead of new, that he'd have some mastermind marketing plan behind this? Guy hardly even seems to exist.

 

[BEAL]

Fall 2018 is my best hope.

I think they'll take TJT around the world and we'll look at 2020

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

I'm fairly confident they will play another new song or two as the tour progresses. Bono seems like he really wants to play them.

 

[gareth brown]

SOE cover art/U2's CAREER.

 

[miryclayu2]

forgettaboutit

 

[Mack_Again]

artists being very perfectionist over their songs are very common and I'm not surprised Edge being one of them

 

[trevgreg]

artists being very perfectionist over their songs are very common and I'm not surprised Edge being one of them

How DARE you speak sense in these parts!!!

 

[lazarus]

Maybe I'm grasping at straws here, maybe this is redundant. But let's assume for a moment that this new set of dates was finalized sometime during the band's recent week off. I'll go back to my theory that Bono agreed to extend the tour provided Edge would put the finishing touches/final approval on the album during the month-long break between legs in order to have it out before the end of the year (as Bono made his wishes clear in the RS interview).

What I'm using to support this is the change in his language at Chicago 2. By saying The Little Things... is the new album's last song (instead of just a song from the album as he did in Houston a week earlier the last time it was played), he's talking in considerably more concrete terms. Let's see if this distinction was a fluke or if it continues or is elaborated upon.

So instead of the, yes, IDIOTIC theory that Bono is a figurehead with no power in the band, it might be the case that he actually made a power play to put an end to this stalling.

Come at me.

 

[hasin73]

Maybe I'm grasping at straws here, maybe this is redundant. But let's assume for a moment that this new set of dates was finalized sometime during the band's recent week off. I'll go back to my theory that Bono agreed to extend the tour provided Edge would put the finishing touches/final approval on the album during the month-long break between legs in order to have it out before the end of the year (as Bono made his wishes clear in the RS interview).

What I'm using to support this is the change in his language at Chicago 2. By saying The Little Things... is the new album's last song (instead of just a song from the album as he did in Houston a week earlier the last time it was played), he's talking in considerably more concrete terms. Let's see if this distinction was a fluke or if it continues or is elaborated upon.

So instead of the, yes, IDIOTIC theory that Bono is a figurehead with no power in the band, it might be the case that he actually made a power play to put an end to this stalling.

Come at me.

 

[wolbersu2]

They don't take their fans serious. Money cares, unfortunately. In their video last christmas they made very clear that SOE would be out in 2017. So....Work for it! Bringing the amount of songs back from 15 to 12 is absolute ridiculous and another excuse to postpone SOE. They want to make a quick follow-up?? I remember the eighties and nineties, the gap between Rattle and Hum to Achtung Baby felt like ages, it was just 3 years!!!! A quick follow up these days takes them 4 years!!!
They should take TJT tour down under and after that take a long break from touring and release new music again or don't talk about new music and release out of the blue!!!

 

[ascender_RS]

What logic has lead some to think Bono has "no power"? I thought it was accepted that they all have equal votes so to speak and all have power of veto? Presumably in this case it means that Edge isn't happy with it so is using his power of veto?

Although the last reason we had for the album not being released was because of the state of the world's affairs and the USA in particular... But now its Edge's fault.

More importantly, this clearly can't be classed as the haircuts v the hats, so how do we sum up this current power struggle/conflict?

 

[popacrobat]

Maybe I'm grasping at straws here, maybe this is redundant. But let's assume for a moment that this new set of dates was finalized sometime during the band's recent week off. I'll go back to my theory that Bono agreed to extend the tour provided Edge would put the finishing touches/final approval on the album during the month-long break between legs in order to have it out before the end of the year (as Bono made his wishes clear in the RS interview).

What I'm using to support this is the change in his language at Chicago 2. By saying The Little Things... is the new album's last song (instead of just a song from the album as he did in Houston a week earlier the last time it was played), he's talking in considerably more concrete terms. Let's see if this distinction was a fluke or if it continues or is elaborated upon.

So instead of the, yes, IDIOTIC theory that Bono is a figurehead with no power in the band, it might be the case that he actually made a power play to put an end to this stalling.

Come at me.

I can buy this totally.

 

[Hollow Island]

So instead of the, yes, IDIOTIC theory that Bono is a figurehead with no power in the band

Hold on, people think this? He's clearly the driving force in the band, or he was anyway when they were great.

My theory is that he wants to resume his old position as a full-time U2er but the other three grew comfortable with his less prominent presence and are resistant to his wanting things to be how they were, ie. Bono being boss.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

When they booked promo shows in the fall of 2016, including the iHeart gig and Dreamforce. When they booked tour dates, including this;

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...arUAhUB4yYKHRAtCI8QMwgoKAMwAw&iact=mrc&uact=8

While I also believe that iHeart and Dreamforce were originally supposed to be part of a SOE promo tour, there is zero proof behind the Columbus gig and could very well have been a placeholder accidentally pushed out by Ticketmaster.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Ok... I'm not an idiot...

But clearly the opinion that U2 are a business that follow the money instead of pure, sacred artists is not a popular one around these parts, so I'll keep quiet.

I don't disagree with you that U2 are a business.

I disagree with your idea that it's management that pushes this and not the members of the band. The band is the management.

 

[womanfish]

They don't take their fans serious. Money cares, unfortunately. In their video last christmas they made very clear that SOE would be out in 2017. So....Work for it! Bringing the amount of songs back from 15 to 12 is absolute ridiculous and another excuse to postpone SOE. They want to make a quick follow-up?? I remember the eighties and nineties, the gap between Rattle and Hum to Achtung Baby felt like ages, it was just 3 years!!!! A quick follow up these days takes them 4 years!!!
They should take TJT tour down under and after that take a long break from touring and release new music again or don't talk about new music and release out of the blue!!!

You're going on the assumption that SOE won't be out in 2017. Maybe don't attack the band for something that hasn't happened yet.

If you look at Bono's talk about the album, the mention of Little Things being the last song on the album, the JT tour hopefully wrapping in October, a video shoot happening, and a date of Dec. 1 for the album from U2songs...
It's looking like there is more evidence for 2017 than 2018.

Yeah, I know, its U2, but still, lets stick with what we know for now.

 

[PRB216]

I just finished listening to the new U Talkin' U2 to Me podcast episode with Adam Scott and Scott Aukerman. They attended one of the Rose Bowl JT shows and were giving a recap of their night and all the latest in U2 land.

Interestingly when they talked about the new song closing the show (roughly about 01:39:00 in), they said The Little Things was not one of the ones Bono played for them after their "white whale" U2 interview in August 2015.

They said one of the preview songs was similar in style/tone to TLTTGYA but "a lot of the stuff he played" was more "driving." They said everything they heard was all "great shit" and both frustratingly questioned and bemoaned them for not releasing the material yet.

I think all of us here would agree...

 

[lazarus]

What logic has lead some to think Bono has "no power"?

Hold on, people think this? He's clearly the driving force in the band, or he was anyway when they were great.

Let's recap one of the most eye-rolling comments I've read here in quite some time:

One thing is for sure... Bono has no say in what happens. If it were up to him SOE would be out and they'd be touring it right now.

Bono is but the show pony, management are clearly calling the shots.

 

[Hewson]

Yeah, there's no way Bono is merely a show pony. Edge may have equal say when it comes to musical decisions which is causing SOE to be delayed, but Bono certainly does not have less clout and the band isn't delaying the release because of Live Nation or Guy O$eary.

 

[mama cass]

ok so i've never heard B-man be described as a show pony before ponies are cool

 

[Registered Dude]

Bono is my stallion