The horror of Achtung Baby?!??

[elevation]

Well, not exactly

. Don't know if this has been posted before (sorry, if that's the case)...

I just wanted to hear about old fans first reactions on "The Fly" when it first came out?! This single that was so different from U2 had ever done....

Were you thrilled/ or were you scared to death?!
Did you give up on U2 like many did when they heard songs from POP?!
Did you lose faith in U2 or were you amazed by the new sound as soon as you heard it?!

------------------
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is though everything is a miracle". - A. Einstein

 

[HelloAngel]

This might sound controversial, but when I heard The Fly I thought:

Finally! A U2 I can get into!

(I hadn't liked them before then. Obviously I have caught up

)

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ooh eee ooh ah ah ching chang walla walla bing bang.

 

[The Possum Queen]

Me I had no problem with that Fly song. It wasn't so weird to me. I liked it.

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I'm a little bit country, I'm a little bit rock and roll.

 

[david]

I think a lot of fans obviously liked the new harder "edged" sound. What I think might of shocked many old fans was the drastic fashion change the band, mainly Bono adopted.

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The more of these I drink the more Bono makes sense.. - Bean from the KROQ Breakfast with U2.

 

[Like O2]

Originally posted by elevation:
I just wanted to hear about old fans ...

EXCUSE ME - "old fans"?? Reword your question and maybe some more of us "old timers" will answer.



------------------
"Thank you very much. This feels very Elvis. Thank you."

Bono ~ Houston, Texas 4-02-01

 

[MissZooropa]

Originally posted by Like O2:
EXCUSE ME - "old fans"?? Reword your question and maybe some more of us "old timers" will answer.

To defense. I, as a foreigner (not english as first language) didn't see anything wrong in the expression and didn't get what you meant at first. I think that's because it sounds perfectly normal as an translation from our lagnuages, the word "old" can be used both for age and being in the game for a long time, I guess you want something like long time fans, right?

Please, don't be so quick in judging, not all who posts here has english as first language and we do our mistakes.

And just a question for my own education in the language, can't old be used in both these interpretations even in english? I guess it can because otherwise you wouldn't have got what elevation meant. It doesn't feel good that everything written here has to be exactly balanced, specially not when so many of us are off other languages.

And it's not an excuse for not answering a question you understand perfectly just because the wrong word maybe was used. Answer and tell what the correct choice of word would be instead and the same mistake can be out of the picture next time.

Thanks!

By the way, I weren't around when AB came out so I don't have an answer to your question elevation.

 

[doctorwho]

Originally posted by Like O2:
EXCUSE ME - "old fans"?? Reword your question and maybe some more of us "old timers" will answer.

Quiet you old fart, you! Now, get off your rocking chair, turn up the heat and answer the question!

 

[Eliv8]

Originally posted by Like O2:
EXCUSE ME - "old fans"?? Reword your question and maybe some more of us "old timers" will answer.

Yea

 

[Bonochick]

Originally posted by doctorwho:
Quiet you old fart, you! Now, get off your rocking chair, turn up the heat and answer the question!

 

[LOVE MUSCLE]

Originally posted by doctorwho:
Quiet you old fart, you! Now, get off your rocking chair, turn up the heat and answer the question!

Wait a minute, YOU're calling somebody else old????????
-----------

My TARDIS
My TARDIS


------------------
BANANA-friendly

 

[Eliv8]

Originally posted by elevation:
Well, not exactly

. Don't know if this has been posted before (sorry, if that's the case)...

I just wanted to hear about old fans first reactions on "The Fly" when it first came out?! This single that was so different from U2 had ever done....

Were you thrilled/ or were you scared to death?!
Did you give up on U2 like many did when they heard songs from POP?!
Did you lose faith in U2 or were you amazed by the new sound as soon as you heard it?!

Both
No
Amazed

 

[GypsyHeartgirl]

Originally posted by david:
I think a lot of fans obviously liked the new harder "edged" sound. What I think might of shocked many old fans was the drastic fashion change the band, mainly Bono adopted.

You know I really don't know why so many people think us "OLD" fans were so "shocked" by AB and that it was such a "drastic change." I didn't feel that way at all- well not until POP, then I felt that way

THAT was the "horror" for me. They lost my husband at Zooropa. But I am a HUGE AB and ZOOTV fan, and Bono was still very hot!

I don't feel like it was such a change, but I am a head-banger and I like harder rock (but not techno) I think the change between AB and POP was much bigger, more shocking and more repellant. I know it was for me and many others. As you all know by now, Pop devastated this OLD fart fan, but AB, that was cool, and very good! It is tied for my favorite album.

GASP-cough-Doctorwho, now that I have answered the youngun, would you kindly return my oxygen tank?! I'm still pissed you burned the motor out of my rascal. If I catch you, I'm gonna beat the crap out of you with my four pronged cane!


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"I've been all over,
and it's been all over me!"

[This message has been edited by GypsyHeartgirl (edited 04-21-2002).]

 

[Zooropa]

When I heard it the first time I wasn't a big U2 fan yet, although I was familiar with their music. I can only imagine the shock that older (as in longtime

) fans felt. However it was what drew me into the band bigtime.

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Don't let the bastards grind you down.

Zooropa FTP

 

[Like O2]

Originally posted by doctorwho:
Quiet you old fart, you! Now, get off your rocking chair, turn up the heat and answer the question!

"What'd ya say sonny? Speak up, I can't hear you!"


First, let me say sorry to elevation and MissZooropa. I should have included the little

because I was teasing, you can call me old all you want.

In regards to your question, now I'm really embarrassed to tell this story, but it seems the good Dr. Who leaves me no choice.

I purchased AB the day it was released on my lunch break from work. I made a co-worker who really didn't know U2's music come with me so she could hear this great cassette (that's right, this was before CD's). So we get back in the car, pop it in and out comes this very ODD sound. She couldn't believe I made her leave work to hear that and I was sure that it was a bad tape. Here's the embarrassing part, I exchanged the tape after work knowing that the new one would sound better - LOL!

Needless to say, AB is one of my favorites.

Now get back to your knitting, Doc!

------------------
"Thank you very much. This feels very Elvis. Thank you."

Bono ~ Houston, Texas 4-02-01

 

[elevation]

Originally posted by Like O2:
EXCUSE ME - "old fans"?? Reword your question and maybe some more of us "old timers" will answer.

ZZoorryy...didn't mean to be rude

I knew something was wrong..."Long time fans" that's what I SHOULD have said...

elevation is crawling away in embarrasement to find her dictionary....

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"There are only two ways to live your life. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is though everything is a miracle". - A. Einstein

[This message has been edited by elevation (edited 04-22-2002).]

 

[truecoloursfly]

No, it wasn't a horror ... the shock of the change really did come, I think, when we saw the videos and ZooTV... hmmm.
I do remember the first time I heard The Fly: I loved the funk in it, but I was especially into the words. I thought it witty and challenging, like U2 throwing down a gauntlet -- like always. Sending up the status quo. Over the first few weeks, I heard quite a few tracks from the album on the radio, and you know? None of 'em grabbed me. The sound was dense, not ringing out with irresistable hooks like we'd learned to expect. Yet I still didn't think of it as a radically different sound.
But I did dutifully go out and buy, yes

the cassette, and a very cool thing happened: when I listened to the album as a whole, it COMPLETELY captivated me! I saw then, it is a radically different sound, a radically different... worldview, and a changed sonic space to go with it. I was fascinated. All the intellectual stimulation they'd ever given me was still there, all the carefully sculpted and detailed sounds, just very different colours and new (more personal) inspirations.
It should be noted that I never saw any of the 90s videos 'til just last year. The first I knew of the Image Change was when I saw ZooTV in April of '92. I began to understand then...

I acknowledged they'd as much as become a different band. BUT -- comprising the same four guys! Different musical agenda, same emotional integrity and intellectual edge, so they were still "my" U2, and I loved them for their new journey. Besides, ZooTV was simply the most incredible thing I've EVER seen a rock band do -- never my mind my all-time favourite rock band, who used to lobby for compassion (that's why I loved them) with a straight face. Yes, I was shocked by the change, but ecstatic at its creative success. Ten years later, ZooTV still challenges and stimulates. Long live Mr. MacPhisto!

peace all,
Deb D

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I wanna walk with you along an unapproved road

the greatest frontman in the world - by truecoloursfly: http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=1575

 

[MissZooropa]

Originally posted by Like O2:

First, let me say sorry to elevation and MissZooropa. I should have included the little

because I was teasing, you can call me old all you want.

Apology definatly accepted.

And thanks for that very amusing story!!

First time I heard AB which also was the first thing I ever heard KNOWING it was U2 almost made me think something was wrong with the record (vinyl) too. I almost turned it off and never looked at something by U2 again....

Luckily enough I gave it another chance.

 

[doctorwho]

Originally posted by LOVE MUSCLE:


Wait a minute, YOU're calling somebody else old????????
-----------

My TARDIS
My TARDIS

*beats love muscle with a wet noodle.

*gets tired after two smacks, takes nap.

*awakes, forgets what happened before.

*complains about U2 being too loud - quiet you whippersnappers!

And its *MY* TARDIS, banana-brain.

Oh, as for the question... as a long time fan, I admit, I was surprised when I heard "The Fly" - but I also loved it. I long felt that U2 simply didn't have enough fun, rocking tunes out. Sure, there was "Pride" and "Desire" - but most of their songs were too political or somber. AB changed that, with fun tunes like "Even Better..." and "Mysterious Ways." "The Fly" wasn't "fun" - but it was a good hard rocking song, something I felt U2 needed. So while surprised, I was also excited.

If I had (have) one disappointment with AB, it's that it really does not showcase Bono's vocals. With R&H and the Lovetown Tour, Bono reached new vocal heights - and I think this could have (should have) carried over at least a tiny bit to AB. Granted, the music on AB wasn't geared towards Bono's previous vocal acrobats, but still, why waste that talent? It's a shame to wonder what "could have been" had Bono really let loose on at least one AB song.


[This message has been edited by doctorwho (edited 04-22-2002).]

 

[Like O2]

Originally posted by elevation:
ZZoorryy...didn't mean to be rude

I knew something was wrong..."Long time fans" that's what I SHOULD have said...

elevation is crawling away in embarrasement to find her dictionary....

No, please don't be embarrassed elevation. You weren't rude, I was when I forgot to

& say I was teasing about my "who ya calling old" comment.

*hugs elevation*



------------------
"Thank you very much. This feels very Elvis. Thank you."

Bono ~ Houston, Texas 4-02-01

 

[Spiral_Staircase]

I thought it sucked, and that U2 had gone all "hard rock" and weren't "being true to themselves." Of course, I thought the exact same thing the first time I heard Bullet. I've learned never to trust my first impressions.

 

[LOVE MUSCLE]

Originally posted by doctorwho:



And its *MY* TARDIS, banana-brain. :H AB song.


[This message has been edited by doctorwho (edited 04-22-2002).]

What does that mean, btw??



------------------
BANANA-friendly

 

[joyfulgirl]

ol' joyfulgranny liked it right away because it was loud enough for her to hear

 

[doctorwho]

Originally posted by LOVE MUSCLE:
What does that mean, btw??

You kept saying it was your TARDIS, and it's really my TARDIS.

And a TARDIS is what a DoctorWho uses. Get with the program.

 

[chain]

"The Fly" ? Are you sure that's a U2 song?

I can not remember it.

I'm gonna ask my grandchildren about it.

I have grandchildren, I think.

Nurse!

 

[LOVE MUSCLE]

Originally posted by doctorwho:
You kept saying it was your TARDIS, and it's really my TARDIS.

And a TARDIS is what a DoctorWho uses. Get with the program.

Does it require batteries?

?

?

?

?

?

?



------------------
BANANA-friendly

 

[forbonou2]

Hmm-good Q! I was hearing the new Album on the radio, and they first played "the Fly"! I thought, Eh! So what's the next one? In which they played "Mysterious ways"..I said ok, it's different! But MW-Wow! They had a contest to win the new 'album', only they were on tape and cd now. And I won it! I choose the tape, cuz I didn't have have a cd player! I also won a poster of them and a lil' plastic 'fly'! What do u do with that? lol, then I fell in love with AB!

 

[Tech]

A lot of my friends who love U2 love this song, but I must say that it has taken me a long time to get to like it. I don't know why because it is a great song, but it's just different. I guess It takes me longer to like something good!!