The new U2 direction in the new album

[Earnie Shavers]

Another thought: Could it be the POP era was all about the moral bankrupcy of modern culture? That we don't seek the big questions? That we instead obsess over the new pair of shoes? That we don't do things in life for the right reasons? That it's all for the dollar? That everything is meaningless and God is dead? Was "Wake Up Dead Man" the key to understanding all of this?

Winner.

There is, obviously, absolutely no connection between a mirrorball in a stage set and electronica influenced music. You can't compare how they are using that technology in, say, Mofo and how it is used in Wake Up Dead Man on any genre level. It's there because as much as they wanted to convey a sense of wide open spaces and this big freedom on the Joshua Tree, they wanted to convey a sense of crammed in, fucked up, traffic jammed, confusing, bombarded with sites/sounds/imagery world on Pop. The iconic/ironic pop art and corporate mimickary, the bright and distracting colours and cartoonish get-up on tour. The bigness of the whole thing. It's all one and the same.

 

[ozeeko]

Don't go, I was just getting into this.

 

[U2DMfan]

Are you trying to say U2 were taking the disco scenery and using it as a mirror, held up to reflect the stupidity and shallowness of everything? The glitz, the fashion, the big stage props, the drum machines, was it all in the name of irony? That they were exposing it all as ridiculous baggage that blinds us all from the truth, the essence of what music/life is all about?

Tell me, I must know.

They were showing themselves as X and meaning Y.

Everything else is a fun excercise, we don't know exactly what they meant. But if you think they showed X and meant X, you're as lost as lost can be. I think POP was about mass consumerism and the swallowing of God in the process, the ideas that you could buy anything but what was important, there are lot of ideas here, musically, they were trying to incorporate their sound into something that sounded like madness, hopelessness, and the calm in the eye of the storm. They thought that the technology of dance music was more interesting that the Beatlesy type pop they'd make years later. It's not rocket science.

I don't even think the album is that great, half of it is, but the steps they took to try and say something were much more adventurous than anything they've tried since. Above all, they were trying to say something besides, "hey, here is a dance song" blah blah. It was at least above the music, behind the music, it was lingering their somewhere. All you could really know was that it meant more than the choppy chords of Last Night on Earth. And if even that was all bullshit, you could beleive it and understand. Anything's better than mailing in the hook and draw of music that is nothing other than a vessel for popularity.

You can't talk about this in context without exposing what U2 have become. It's as simple as that. That offends people. U2 are shells of themsevles, period. Musically, of course, I love simple songwriting, but I know 'mailing it in', which means they hit the brick wall and went simple. A creative standstill. Edge and Bono wanted this and LArry or Adam or Paul wanted that, however it worked out, they are shells of their former selves. That's a great thing for a lot of people.

If they can imagine their love for U2, then imagine this love being torn apart, then maybe they'll see the "bashing" as more than just an opputune kicking and see it as the hopeless intervention we all wish it to be.

Have fun all, I've said what I wanted to say.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

If they can imagine their love for U2, then imagine this love being torn apart, then maybe they'll see the "bashing" as more than just an opputune kicking and see it as the hopeless intervention we all wish it to be.

Not sure which smiley to stick here, but it's a very thankful one.

 

[ozeeko]

This truly was an interesting discussion.

 

[Zoots]

I love simple songwriting, but I know 'mailing it in', which means they hit the brick wall and went simple. A creative standstill. Edge and Bono wanted this and LArry or Adam or Paul wanted that, however it worked out, they are shells of their former selves. That's a great thing for a lot of people.

If they can imagine their love for U2, then imagine this love being torn apart, then maybe they'll see the "bashing" as more than just an opputune kicking and see it as the hopeless intervention we all wish it to be.

Have fun all, I've said what I wanted to say.

Earnie, I believe you're looking for this smiley...



Great post, U2DMFan!!!

 

[Salome]

I do agree that for U2 POP was more adventurous than anything they did after it
they stay closer to what they know nowadays yes

to say that U2 went "simple" (whatever that might exactly be I don't know) is more your opinion than anything else
maybe I am a freak, but I find Stuck in a moment .... probably the most interesting song U2 have ever done
it mainly interests me enormously because it almost does sound like a song they made 20 years earlier, but the fact is that they didn't make it then and they really couldn't have made it back then
they sound more soulful than they sounded like gospel on I still haven't found, but still somehow it also just sounds like U2
I am more intrigued by this song than by Miami (which is one of the better songs on POP IMO)
that really is just my opinion though

which is the real problem about supposed U2 bashing
turning an opinion into fact and then whining on about it

 

[Snowlock]

To whoever:

You need to fucking ask Bono why he doesn't sing it more.
I already told you why I thought he didn't but it's a sore spot for some of you and you have nothing else to say but ask more questions... so that's cool. The rehearsed it a few times and it's been documented, but believe what you like, fools.

Also, 120bpm, that's the tempo and the basic chord structure is primarily in G#, which the whole song basically revolves around.
You have the bass playing the same riff almost entirely thru the whole song, if I had said "industrial" rather than metal which I said in the span of 30 seconds I wrote that first post, I'm not sure much else would have been said.

Instead we aren't talking about the myth that I spoke of, we are talking about genre bullshit, otherwise this thread would probably be dead. So, again, go ahead and counter what I said eariler and for ther record Mofo is whatever you want it to be, a dud, a non single, whatever, claim it as whatever you want.

In fact, my err to bring up Mofo as a metal song has exposed you hilariously. It's almost like a political argument, I gave you the meat and potatoes and you talk about the silverware. Hilarious.

I don't know why the band made it a remix single, I never professed to know, all I know is that you said it wasn't a single. So I tried to help you out with some info.

And as far as "being there" in 1996, I don't know where 'there' is.
All I know is I wasn't oblivious to dance music or dance rock, whatever stupid ass genre term you want to use. And U2 were just grabbing ahold of a DJ and trying to get some loops and beats going. They'd never done it before in that way. But I'm sure they wanted to grab the share of Howie B's market, who I'd swear never dold more than 100K copies in the US, for example.
Ambition baby!!!

Yes, they were chasing disco...because at least one person was duped by the Discotheque video, "Look at them they are the Village People!" Yeah. chasing disco. And also, they had an agreement with McDonalds to use that arch and every cheesebruger sold they get a quarter. God damn.

You say that the formula they are using is their own but say they are chasing disco, or what the fuck ever the other nonsense was, the myth is that they are bandwagon jumping, okay, U2 is using their own way....

U2 either tried to make a buck by making some dance music
Or didn't.

And if they tired to make a buck with dance music, they are more than certainly doing it now, and in the last 5 years, so where does everyone stand?

Are U2 just trying to fucking capitalize on the market space onf the indistry or chasing down musical ambitions???

Let's call it like we see 'em. Maybe not a fun answer for those who care about truth rather than a fanboy montage of cotton eye joe and firestarter. For fucks sake.

God almighty. If you can't keep track of your own point, I can't help you. Don't go crying because we're talking about Mofo's genre. You called it a metal song as an EXAMPLE that Pop is not a dance album. So we went off on that tangent; discounting your theory on Mofo also helps discount your theory on Pop. Just because a song is 120bpm doesn't frickin' make it a metal song, LOL. Frickin' Tubthumping is 120 bpm. Fool.

You don't know why the band made it a single remix? I know. But you also don't care to try to explain it or offer a theory. I said Mofo wasn't a single. You said the remix was. Fine. So answer the question if you want to correct me? Why wasn't it just released as the album track? Why was it released as a remix? C'mon this song according to you is Bono defining himself! This is HUGE! This song is so big, so important that... they weren't comfortable releasing it as they recorded it?

To dance music... Obviously you weren't there. Maybe all they have are country bars in OKC. And you have an interesting choice of examples in Howie B (whoever that is). How about choosing something more legitimate? Garbage? Nine Inch Nails, 311, Beck? Same genre, at least an extension of the same genre who were top sellars in the mid to late 1990's. Don't even TRY to tell me U2 weren't trying to imitate that. Fanboy.

And make up your mind, or maybe you're just pissed because I've got you cold. "And if they tired to make a buck with dance music, they are more than certainly doing it now" Well did they or didn't they try to make a buck back then? You rant and rave that I'm so wrong for about 8 paragraphs, then say "Um, yeah maybe they did". Pff. Wasting my time.

 

[Snowlock]

It's not rumour that Mofo was rehearsed; there is even a news report mentioning it being soundchecked in Atlanta. Plus, it seems the band did work quite seriously on it, given fans overheard it being soundchecked on a few occasions across a decent period of time (starting in September; the news report is from November).

K. Said I wasn't sure. Way to prove a point I wasn't trying you prove. You're a genius.

And your "why can't he remember the lyrics?" argument holds about as much water as a sieve and is one of the most ridiculous comments you've made on this thread. Why can't be remember? Because he seems to be hopeless with his own lyrics! Bono dislikes rehearsal and is notorious for his inability to recall his own lyrics - just check out Walk On from 2005-09-20, Chicago. I also believe that for some other performances of Walk On and WGRYWH this tour, he had lyrics sheets taped to the stage. So to claim the song isn't all that important due to Bono's inability to recall lyrics is simply preposterous.

Yeah? But Mofo sums him up as a singer. It's not rediculous in when Mofo is worshipped in that sense. I said it before, if this song were so big, so important and so huge, Bono would REMEMBER THE LYRICS!

Christ, Axver, just cause you geek out on set lists doesn't make you the be all and end all of all things U2.

 

[Aygo]

God, this thread is getting hillarious! And only because a folk came with the idea that "MoFo" is a metal song and some other folks tried to put the things in its places.
What is making me laugh is that the guy believes that his theory(ies) is(are) "irrefutable" and nobody can make a statement against it. Is incredible that he has always an answer for the replies, even if his answers are full of crap and they don't have anything to do with the sublect he was trying to reply...
I give up, it's getting useless.

 

[BVS]

God, this thread is getting hillarious! And only because a folk came with the idea that "MoFo" is a metal song and some other folks tried to put the things in its places.
What is making me laugh is that the guy believes that his theory(ies) is(are) "irrefutable" and nobody can make a statement against it. Is incredible that he has always an answer for the replies, even if his answers are full of crap and they don't have anything to do with the sublect he was trying to reply...
I give up, it's getting useless.

And all of that is coming from someone who thought they were trying to tap into the "Cotton Eyed Joe" craze...

 

[YBORCITY]

You can't talk about this in context without exposing what U2 have become. It's as simple as that. That offends people. U2 are shells of themsevles, period. Musically, of course, I love simple songwriting, but I know 'mailing it in', which means they hit the brick wall and went simple. A creative standstill. Edge and Bono wanted this and LArry or Adam or Paul wanted that, however it worked out, they are shells of their former selves. That's a great thing for a lot of people.

If they can imagine their love for U2, then imagine this love being torn apart, then maybe they'll see the "bashing" as more than just an opputune kicking and see it as the hopeless intervention we all wish it to be.

Have fun all, I've said what I wanted to say.

Wow U2DMfan!!! I couldn't have said exactly what I think about what U2 has becaome than what you stated.

CHEERS

 

[bsp77]

K. Said I wasn't sure. Way to prove a point I wasn't trying you prove. You're a genius.



Yeah? But Mofo sums him up as a singer. It's not rediculous in when Mofo is worshipped in that sense. I said it before, if this song were so big, so important and so huge, Bono would REMEMBER THE LYRICS!

Christ, Axver, just cause you geek out on set lists doesn't make you the be all and end all of all things U2.

Seriously, go meditate or something.

 

[Snowlock]

Seriously, go meditate or something.

Oh yeah, and here comes the rest of the mob. Never fails whenever someone has a different opinion or comes from a different direction on this board. You all say you are for peace love and understanding, unless someone disagrees with you. Then we're stupid or crazy or telling you what to do or how to think. You get offended when your half thought out ideas are challenged. What a bunch of spoiled brat kids.

Go fuck yourself of something I've got better things to do.

 

[bsp77]

Oh yeah, and here comes the rest of the mob. Never fails whenever someone has a different opinion or comes from a different direction on this board. You all say you are for peace love and understanding, unless someone disagrees with you. Then we're stupid or crazy or telling you what to do or how to think. You get offended when your half thought out ideas are challenged. What a bunch of spoiled brat kids.

Go fuck yourself of something I've got better things to do.

Nothing to do with whether I agree or disagree with you. I actually fall in the middle with a lot of this Pop discussion. The bottom line is your attitude towards everyone else in here sucks. Maybe you should think about how you treat others.

 

[Aygo]

Oh yeah, and here comes the rest of the mob. Never fails whenever someone has a different opinion or comes from a different direction on this board. You all say you are for peace love and understanding, unless someone disagrees with you. Then we're stupid or crazy or telling you what to do or how to think. You get offended when your half thought out ideas are challenged. What a bunch of spoiled brat kids.

Go fuck yourself of something I've got better things to do.

The guy was pretty rude and offensive and I turn that off, but unfortunatelly, I have to agree with what he said. It sums what has been happening here on the forum for a long time. It's a shame that someone who claims to be fan of a band with such ideals and thoughts acts towards as we see everyday here.

 

[Tiger Edge]

What a bunch of spoiled brat kids.

Pot, meet kettle.

Go fuck yourself of something I've got better things to do.

It's only a message board.

And secondly, it's only a band.

 

[bsp77]

The guy was pretty rude and offensive and I turn that off, but unfortunatelly, I have to agree with what he said. It sums what has been happening here on the forum for a long time. It's a shame that someone who claims to be fan of a band with such ideals and thoughts acts towards as we see everyday here.

Yeah, I am all for challenging other fans. There are just proper ways to debate. Pretend you are actually talking in-person to someone and not sitting behind a computer. Would people still tell someone to go fuck themselves over disagreements about music?

 

[LMP]

And secondly, it's only a band.

WTF CHARLESS NOOOOOOOOOO.

U2's music is used on the threshold of MOUNT OLYMPUS ITSELF to welcome the gods and goddesses to feasts of yam and goatmilk.

 

[bram]

By Snowlock:

And you have an interesting choice of examples in Howie B (whoever that is).

Well, he's only the guy who co-recorded, produced, and mixed Pop.

 

[Snowlock]

The guy was pretty rude and offensive and I turn that off, but unfortunatelly, I have to agree with what he said. It sums what has been happening here on the forum for a long time. It's a shame that someone who claims to be fan of a band with such ideals and thoughts acts towards as we see everyday here.

If you're saying I'm the one getting rude and offensive, that's a load. My posts were most definately NOT offensive until I started reading stuff like this:

Axver: "most ridiculous comments" - Never spoke to him in this thread prior to this comment.

U2DMFan: "believe what you like, fools." - Not one ounce of personal attack toward him prior to this response.

Zootlesque: "I've read some bizzarre comments on this site but that's just too much for me to take!" - Not even sure I've ever spoken to him in general.

And then the peanut gallery jumps in; not to the discussion, but rather to make snide comments about the poster and well, after a while you take enough of that and say fuck it and start to give it back before just saying to hell with it all together. Of course though since I don't have posts in the thousands, I'm the rude one.

 

[Aygo]

^ You know what? Fuck off, You all! This is not a discussing forum anymore about the band we were supposed to like anymore! This is a site where supposed fans come here to insult each other with disgraceful posts and senseless testements.
I got tired of presumptuous people who want to impose their thoughts and opinion even though they're completly wrong, and want to take it by force presenting their own opinion as if it was official things.
I got tired, don't want to get around the scumbag anymore and read this kind of things each time I get in a thread.
Mods are few and I know their job here must not be easy, but what pisses me off is that even them and premium members (that were supposed to say 'calm down') put more ashed on the fire.

 

[neutral]

http://forum.interference.com/misc.php?s=&action=faq&page=5#29

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