"The records are boring"

[rjhbonovox]

Others do make legitamte points and that's very intersting to me to read.

Thats me your talking about, I know it is!

 

[Popmartijn]

there is a political problem on the forum, and like actual politics, it resides in the extremes.

You have fan #1 who literally has a nervous breakdown if anyone says ANYTHING remotely negative about U2 or the new album

You have fan #2 who is so stuck in a moment that they can't get out of, that anything U2 does will pale in comparison to their era of choice. So they literally gripe because it's not Achtung or War or what the hell ever.

I like to see good criticisms of the album or even U2, reading, responding having those discussions is fun and I think it reaffrims faith in the band and it's music. Because if you can read those things and agree or completely discount them, I think it's just reaffirming.

I think there are absolutely legitmate criticisms about the new album, about U2's direction and such, it's just that most fans who choose to take that route, pick the wrong fights. They often don't even realize their own hyprocrisy in some of those statements.

And their is a clique of them on this board who say the same things over and over and over.

Others do make legitamte points and that's very intersting to me to read.

I don't like the apologists much at all, some of them behave like brain dead zombies incapable of fathoming their precious band could do anything wrong. Any negative comment is met with the typical similie of choice, and they dismiss all negative reaction by default. They too, repeat the same things over and over.

These are the extreme minority, and as usual, they are the most vocal.

I would just say, if you want to praise the album, or detract the album, that's fine, certainly no one should stop you, as long as you aren't downright offensive to other board members.

But when the negatives actually lead to good discussion, all you have to do is not read it.

How many of you could just gloss over a post titled "the records are boring" knowing full and well that it was probably a negative post.

On the other hand, it works both ways, and I don't mean to throw stones, I am just saying I read this forum for good discussion about the band's music, I love U2, and I don't think everything they do is beyond reproach. It's just much more intersting to talk about things with an actual perspective that isn't so damn extreme.

Plus I think you deal with the occasiocal kids who just want a classic U2 of their own and the occasional old fart who just want it to be like the old days.

Just make it constructive people! I try to at least, and maybe I don't make any friends by saying such things, but this board gets redundant.

The horror!
A post with logic! A post that makes sense!

It, sadly, is the truth, though.

 

[Popmartijn]

Re: Re: "The records are boring"

I'm not in the habit of sticking up for things Bono says or does, but I remember the "fuck up the mainstream" speech, and have always thought Bono was pissed that the academy gave a mainstream stadium rock/pop band like U2 the "best alternative album" when it should have been reserved for actual alternative bands - like the Pumpkins - who could have benefitted from the award. And, I may be incorrect, but I thought Bono had actually tried to get the Pumpkins to open for U2 at one point.

I don't think that Bono was 'pissed' at the Academy that they won an award for Best Alternative Album, more a bit surprised. And maybe he also wanted to indicate to the audience that U2 should not be considered part of the music establishment.
The book At The End Of The World also says that Bono thought that U2 deserved the 'alternative' award more than the other bands based on the music. Zooropa really is an alternative album, totally out there, compared to the guitar rock that made up the other nominees.

C ya!

Marty

 

[Saracene]

I thought that once you sold tens of millions of records, played stadiums and arenas around the world and graced the glossy covers of every imaginable mainstream magazine, you're part of music establishment whatever you may say on the subject. If anything Zooropa's win was mainstream fucking up the alternative.

 

[Yahweh]

Zooropa was an alternative to the alternative of that time period.

U2 were actually once considered an alternative band of course not in the grunge sense of the word.

 

[U2DMfan]

that's precisely what Bono meant, you don't fuck up the mainstream from the outskirts, you fuck it up from inside.

I don't think he was pretending U2 weren't mainstream, he was just saying they were gonna try to make the mainstream more interesting. And was there ever a time when the mainstream was more interesting than the early 90's? Not recently, the late 60's were but fuckign Sgt Peppers was 38, yes, that's 38 years ago.

Plus, Bono is to be taken with a grain of salt at all times when he is not crooning or talking about DATA.

 

[*sofia*]

there isn´t one truth about something, it depends how people feel/think/react to something.. and my opininon is this (might as well go for it..) HTDAAB is a very good album. not the best U2 but it´s not all bad, you know..
I know that there´s been a lot of talk about the lyrics and I agree that some of the lyrics just aren´t as good as the previous ones. there´s something missing from this album, but I can´t put my finger on it, it´s more like a feeling.. but yes, the edge´s guitar is very..well..elevating, seriously, it makes me feel incredible..

 

[*sofia*]

and why can´t simple be good?? ATYCLB was an awesome album in my opinion..

 

[MrBrau1]

Bono's quote about the Pumpkins playing arenas wasn't suggesting they couldn't do it. He WANTED them to do it. He wanted to see them playing arenas. One of your many errors.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

do we really have to go through with this disscusion again? its been done before, more than once! for the people that dont like the album, fair enough, but please dont come on making it sound like EVERYONE thinks the album is rubbish and making it sound like a fact rather than your opinion, and for those of us that do like the album, lets just enjoy it, and again those that dont like it, i sure hope you havent botherd buying tickets for the tour, because isnt that abit unfair to the people that do like the album? and havent been able to get tickets, i mean your gonna be dissapointed at about 50% of the show right? simply because its "new era U2"

 

[Zoots]

I don't understand why some people have to get all mad at the slightest hint of negativity. I think the original post was very good! and I like the album, by the way. It's not like the person went... HTDAAB sucks! worst album ever. U2 sucks. etc... and left it at that! He/she has explained in detail the reasons why it doesn't do it for them.

Also, except for the one for Sometimes, the videos have really gone down the drain. ABoY is a pale, lame imitation of Streets. Vertigo is just overblown and silly as hell. Beautiful Day and Walk On were much better!!! And the album is definitely a grower, at least for me. I like it much more now than when I first heard it. Same thing for ATYCLB.

 

[indra]

I thought that once you sold tens of millions of records, played stadiums and arenas around the world and graced the glossy covers of every imaginable mainstream magazine, you're part of music establishment whatever you may say on the subject.

Oddly enough, I thought that too.

 

[zoo99]

Indra how can you have close to 3000 posts and not even heard the new album which was like ten bucks? Thats some weird shit, I'd hate to see how many posts you would have if you actually followed what the band was doing.

 

[Miggy D]

I'm just sick of you people shitting all over modern U2 because you're too - I don't know - to appreciate it. I love the band and I want to talk about my fandom with other people who appreciate them, rather than having these stupid fucking flame wars about how 'boring' or 'crap' or 'commercial' Album-of-choice is.

You mean like how some people tend to shit all over the stuff U2 did in the 90s? You mean like those same people who only put 80s U2 songs in their Top 10 lists? Is it kind of like those people, Axver? Refresh my memory - what is your favorite U2 decade, again? 90s, right?


-Miggy D

 

[indra]

Indra how can you have close to 3000 posts and not even heard the new album which was like ten bucks? Thats some weird shit, I'd hate to see how many posts you would have if you actually followed what the band was doing.

I post in B&C and FYM a lot.

I decided to look over my posts on another board of a band I do buy everything upon release to see how often I post about new releases, and you know, I find I don't post all that often about the album itself. I usually make a post or two of my feelings on the album within a month of it's release and then again later after the album has settled in (six months, a year, two years later). I do discuss the music more in a chat room associated with that other board, but that's kinda casual.

And I find I have to be in the mood to hear new music from any particular band. If I'm not in the proper mood, it never gets a fair shake. Still working on being in the right mood for the newer U2....

But I still like reading the comments of others (and wading in occasionally). Sometimes that will pique my interest. (It did recently with Wilco )

 

[intedomine]

HTDAAB is not "safe" or "accessible" at all.

Rather HTDAAB is not an accessible album, but instead an album that has 11 accessible songs on it.

Barely any average music lover and part time U2 fan is gonna love HTDAAB, because some songs are just too extreme for them.

You're gonna have fans of 80's U2, who will prbably prefer City of Blinding Lights, SYCMIOYO and Yahweh.

You're gonna have fans of Zooropa and PoP, who like songs such as Love and Peace or Else and Vertigo.

You're gonna have ATYCLB fans who love Crumbs, Miracle Drug and A Man and a Woman.

If U2 were playing it safe, they would have written an album that appealed to their fans, not songs that appealed to their fans.

HTDAAB is unique in the way it doesn;t seem to follow any kind of pattern and every song on the album sounds nothing like any of the others on the album.



But I agree....it's time for something new, otherwise U2 may get boring for some people.


Time to sound ambient and throw in some pulsating beats......


A mix of:

Chemical Brothers/Moby/Pearl Jam/Duran Duran/Radiohead


U2 can make music of that bizarre nature, and it can easily succeed.

 

[ElectricalVoice]

The thing is that no matter what the group does, there will be unsatisfied people. That's the way it is and should be. Some praises HTDAAB as a materpiece... I do ... And someone says that they want U2 to experiment more. Well ... If they do that - like they did with POP - there will be much more people that hate it. So no matter what they do, it will not be enough. Someone became fans during JT and want JT-U2 back. Someone became fans with AB and want AB-U2 back. Someone became fans with ATYCLB and/or HTDAAB, and they will miss this U2 some years from now.

When someone becomes fans in a certain era, it looks like they get a certain idea of what U2 should be. But when U2 goes on with other stuff, they become dissapointed, because U2 are no longer what they want them to be. But then U2 gets other fans. And it is easy for "old" fans to say that U2 was much better before ("when I was young, everything was so much better"). But the new fans might not agree at all - and they have the right to say it - and they are probably right.

So HTDAAB is a masterpiece ...

 

[doctorwho]

I can respect that some people might find HTDAAB not to their liking - whatever their reasons may be. Some might indeed find it "boring". Some aren't inspired by it. Some might not like the music. Some might not like the image. All of this is fine - music is subjective.

However, you also have to realize that there are people who strongly disagree. There will be those who find HTDAAB U2's strongest work since AB (like me). There are some who find loads of beauty and inspiration in HTDAAB. There are those who feel some of U2's past work is severely over-rated and over-glorified (I'm looking at you, JT).

Hence no flames for me - but if you want us to accept your views, please accept ours.

 

[doctorwho]

Rather HTDAAB is not an accessible album, but instead an album that has 11 accessible songs on it.

If U2 were playing it safe, they would have written an album that appealed to their fans, not songs that appealed to their fans.

Yes, why write for their fans when they can write for their fans?
And why make an accessible album when you can make accessible songs and put it on an album?

I'm sure you had a point here somewhere...

 

[Zoomerang96]

if you want us to accept your views, please accept ours.

never!!!

 

[James U2]

All I can say is that this would be a pretty boring place if everything was pro-U2 all the time. The flipside, respectful or not, is what pushes this forum in the manner in which it is. The overtly negative posts illicit something - emotion - that makes being a U2 fan so great.

If it didn't affect you, then you wouldn't care.

james

 

[dezmaas]

If you can't appreciate the lyrics and emotion on this album then you really must have a heart of ice.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Someone once told me that if I can't say anything nice, I shouldn't say anything at all.

I think I'll take that advice as I don't want to be banned for flaming the crap out of you.

I think you should be more scared of flames, Mr. "Achtung Baby isn't in my top six"

 

[intedomine]

Yes, why write for their fans when they can write for their fans?
And why make an accessible album when you can make accessible songs and put it on an album?

I'm sure you had a point here somewhere...

Haha..

I mean an accessible album would have songs that all explicity and blatantly relate to each other, like Johua tree for example.

HTDAAB is 11 songs, 11 accessible songs.

When the songs combine with each other as a collective album, it is not such an easy safe album.

 

[shaun vox]

oh my god HTDAAB is such a ricky album.

it gives a kick in the arss off all adult contemporary easy listening on a sunny day music!


oh my the edge is doing something new on his guitar/bano's vocals and lyrics are so new and out there that it will fuck up the mainstream!






HTDAAB has nothing new or fresh just old songs that are not that good!

u2 are just too boring and predictiable now!!!!!!!!!!!

you have to hand it to them they made alot of $$$$ buy making so called music and going on a tour!!!

the music might suck but they are fucking smart!!!!!!!!!
when it comes to $$$$$

who did not see htdaab coming after atyclb?

you could make a double album out of it its the same shit!!!!!

 

[KUEFC09U2]

shaun your just starting to piss ALOT of people off now, you might think your big, clever, whatever, but your not, your just a child, that thinks they can get a rise out of people with whatever you say, when really your just pathetic,

i will probabley be told off for being "personal" but when it comes to you, someone who has a fuckin pic of slash in as there profile pic, well need i say anymore

 

[shaun vox]

so what slash rules

not ever one will like the stuff u2 are putting out now!

i dont know what kind of music you listen to and i dont want to attack you personally!

just chill and know that some people dont like shit music!!

 

[KUEFC09U2]

so what slash rules

not ever one will like the stuff u2 are putting out now!

i dont know what kind of music you listen to and i dont want to attack you personally!

just chill and know that some people dont like shit music!!

you make it sound like fact, but am sure more people like it than hate it,

and no slash dosent rule.... in fact him and guns n roses are nothing more than crap

 

[shaun vox]

you make it sound like fact, but am sure more people like it than hate it,

and no slash dosent rule.... in fact him and guns n roses are nothing more than crap

 

[KUEFC09U2]

yes and that proves what? he is flexable? has had a major operation in order to suck his own testicles?