Songs that sound oddly like a U2 song...

[RademR]

Whenever I listen to end of of the solo in "All These things that I've done" by the Killers, I think EBTTRT.

 

[Dorian Gray]

the new John Mayer song is very reminiscent of Stuck in a Moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXUjckYkKDI

 

[GibsonGirl]

They cite them as influences, but I doubt Adam consciously started playing the bass lines to "With a Hip." I find Adam's bass line a little more driven.

These parts your playing are based off tabs though, I mean, with the nature tablature, being open to interpretation. I tried looking at a few bass tab sites for both songs and I couldn't find any, well I gave up after 8 pages on google.

The extended E is enough to make it different. I'm not really convinced other than a subtle few notes. Your own tab shows the opening note is different, one starts at open E, the other at a higher E. How is that the same note?

Then there's like 2 notes in the same sequence, the 8th fret on the E string and the 10th fret at the E string.

I listened to both the actual songs, back and forth, only 30 seconds of "With a Hip," but I didn't hear it being the same bass line.

I'm not gonna argue this any further, if I find sheet music to prove it, I'll believe it.

I'm not as convinced by tabs as I am by published sheet music. No offense.

Considering every song gets published by some record company, if the basslines were the same, or similar enough, Echo and the Bunnymen's bassist could've sued, or issued cease and desist from having that song on Unforgettable Fire. Either they didn't care to persue that, or the basslines were different enough to not be plagarism. "Send in the Clouds" snippet had to be removed from Under a Blood Red Sky at the time. So Echo had the influence at the time, to do something if they felt they were being ripped off. U2 were still and up and coming band at the time.

I'm not saying that Adam consciously sat down with his bass and said to himself, "hmm, I think I'm going to jolly well rip off Echo And The Bunnymen today." All I'm saying is that the two bass lines sound terribly similar. And that's what this thread is about. Songs that sound similar to U2, not songs that are direct rip-offs of U2.

How is an open E and a fretted E the same note? Are you serious? They're both E! One is higher than the other, but they are both an E note! You can play an open E over a fretted E and it will similar. That's the point.

And don't give me that condescending "sheet music is superior to tablature" nonsense. I have been playing the guitar for over six years now - I think I know how to write a tab, if you're doubting what I've written. It really isn't all that different when you get down to it. If I had sheet music transcription software, I'd write the sheet music for you since it seems to matter so much. I play both of those bass lines identically to the album versions. Listen to the clip I provided of both songs played in unison.

As for the sueing issue, don't forget that Echo And The Bunnymen were also an up and coming band between 1980 and 1984. They were at exactly the same point in their careers as U2 were. It would be senseless for Les Pattinson to sue Adam Clayton over that bass line, because Adam did play it a bit differently. However, Echo And The Bunnymen were not silent in their dislike for U2. Ian McCulloch certainly wasn't silent. And if you go to any Echo And The Bunnymen forum today and ask them what they think of early U2, it'll be the same; Echo and The Bunnymen-lite.

 

[RavenBlue]

Green Days Give Me Novocaine.. mostly in the drumbeat.. sounds alot like BTBS

 

[stonecircle]

Without U2, there would be no Coldplay. Keane IIAW sounds so much like U2...but overall, UTIS sounds incredibly like King Crimson (oops...dating meself here).

Every car commercial on the telly has Edge guitar innit.

 

[XHendrix24]

Whenever I listen to end of of the solo in "All These things that I've done" by the Killers, I think EBTTRT.

Actually, now that you mention The Killers, the solo in When You Were Young sounds way too close to the solo in Miracle Drug. Like, way too close.

 

[thelaj]

"Is it Any Wonder?" The guitar reminds me of a cross between Dirty Day @ Sydney/Adelaide and some love child of EBTTRT.

 

[Lemonfix]

Speaking of Dirty Day, the new(er) Flaming Lips single, The Wand, has a similar sounding bass part...

 

[Ardara]

New lead singer who sounds like Bono

I am new to this board, but reading the posts made me think of the first time I heard of U2 in the 80s. I came across a band from Belfast whose lead singer reminds me of Bono during the Red Rock concert. The Fast Emperors. Their song "Electric Me" has the same energy as that concert. They renewed my interest in hearing some of the old songs again.

 

[Yahweh]

From what I have heard Gibson Girl play she sounds like a great guitarist to me. Don't agree with every single one of her points of view but overall she has very good taste in music too

 

[LyricalDrug]

I think Rock and Roll all night from KISS kinda sounds like Desire..

All music is derivative. "Desire," Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away," the Who's "Magic Bus," and George Michael's "Faith" sound exactly alike, because they all use the Bo Diddley riff. There are other songs that use it, too, but I'm blanking on them now...

Edge has admitted this, by the way.

 

[BVS]

Actually, now that you mention The Killers, the solo in When You Were Young sounds way too close to the solo in Miracle Drug. Like, way too close.

I thought so too, that's why that "U2 should sound like the Killers" thread was so hilarious...