U2.com

[RedRocksU2]

I hate it, just like pretty much everyone here. But what do you think it needs?
Def a better forum, but what else would you change?
Now that it is being taken aver by Live Nation, I hope it gets better fast.

 

[the tourist]

Fan mixing/mastering stations, where fans can purchase a song, and change whatever levels/mixing they want for any song, for any instrument. Say you really don't like the piano in City of Blinding Lights--you could take it out, or turn it down. Say you think the drums are too quiet on Zooropa--you can turn them up. Say you think Bono's voice has too much reverb on Stay--you can take it off. Etc.

 

[pacemaker]

I wonder how long it will take for the LiveNation deal to fully go through, and what number on the list of priorities the website is.

I don't often go there, and when I do, I usually find SOMETHING worth looking at. But I really would love for it to be a site that I go to every day. Or at least regularly.

 

[Caroni]

If I didn´t have to pay I would be happy (I wonder if that is correctly written )

 

[bono_212]

If I didn´t have to pay I would be happy (I wonder if that is correctly written )

2nd. I don't understand why I have to pay to do almost ANYTHING on that site. Presale stuff, got it. Video content..fine whatever. But, News Stories?

 

[EdgeIsTooSexy]

^ yeah thats ridiculous

& the message board is really lame unless you have a paid membership.

 

[europop2005]

Fan mixing/mastering stations, where fans can purchase a song, and change whatever levels/mixing they want for any song, for any instrument. Say you really don't like the piano in City of Blinding Lights--you could take it out, or turn it down. Say you think the drums are too quiet on Zooropa--you can turn them up. Say you think Bono's voice has too much reverb on Stay--you can take it off. Etc.

you mean i can take Bono out completely??? make U2 an instrumental band???

 

[vertpomme]

you mean i can take Bono out completely??? make U2 an instrumental band???

Yes europop; they are called multitracks. Each
"track" contains a different part of the song, and the vocals
are usually a separate track. So, you could definitely take
Bono out completely and make U2 an instrumental band. In fact,
with the proper software, you could remix any song any way you
wanted - you could remix Kite into a strung out house-influenced
dance song.

I'd love to have U2 multitracks, but I don't think we should
have to buy them separately. I am a huge fan of Nine Inch Nails,
and NIN multitracks are available either for free via remix.nin.com or
included on the special edition of the album (as in the case of
Ghosts I-IV).

Perhaps the guys could include them on the special edition of the
next album. ray:

 

[Rob33]

Fan mixing/mastering stations, where fans can purchase a song, and change whatever levels/mixing they want for any song, for any instrument. Say you really don't like the piano in City of Blinding Lights--you could take it out, or turn it down. Say you think the drums are too quiet on Zooropa--you can turn them up. Say you think Bono's voice has too much reverb on Stay--you can take it off. Etc.

this is just silly...bad idea

 

[the tourist]

this is just silly...bad idea

Why? Because you wouldn't know where to begin?

 

[Rob33]

Why? Because you wouldn't know where to begin?

umm..what makes you say that?

 

[the tourist]

umm..what makes you say that?

Well, I noticed you had no reason whatsoever backing your statement, and the average joe (or Rob, in your case) doesn't generally have mixing and mastering skills.

EDIT: If you've already read this, I want to apologize for the harshness. Bad days can really get to a bloke.

 

[Purplereign]

Getting a reply to a problem you are having with the site would endear me a little more . . .

 

[cobl04]

I think it's just so incredibly fugging strict. You can't do anything unless you're a paid member. And replies as well. Or just hand the running over to Joel.

 

[Axver]

What does it need? Simple factual accuracy! They write like they have only a tenuous connection to the band, and frankly I wonder how much of that is actually a reflection of reality. The basic errors are shocking. Forget lyrical mistakes; they even get song titles wrong. U2 doesn't have a song called Running To Standstill. It's Running To Stand Still. "Standstill" and "Stand Still" don't mean precisely the same thing.

And their concert reporting throughout the Vertigo Tour was pathetic. It became clear that they were given the pre-show set and didn't make an effort to confirm the band actually played that set, to the point that they would post sets when the band had only just begun the show - and then the band would change the set midshow and leave U2.com looking especially dumb.

I was continually stunned that I, a guy with absolutely no connections to the band and half the world away from the concerts, could post an accurate setlist complete with snippets to U2VT/U2gigs.com just seconds after U2 left the stage, while U2.com would bumble around in factual inaccuracy for periods of time as long as hours (and forget snippets; they never covered those). There was one incident, the second Paris show, where their post-concert report centred around a performance of Bad - and yet Bad was not played at that concert.

It's factual inaccuracies like these that cause me and others to simply not take the site seriously. Can you trust them? Frankly, with all their errors, no. U2 deserves a better website. Forget enhanced features or anything like that; let's get back to the basics of getting news right.

 

[pepokiss]

U2 should hire FANS to run the site...

really


I mean... who else KNOWS what fans do, want, and need?

Sebastian Clayton surely doesn't

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

It needs news that's actually reported while it's still relevant. I mean, we all knew the remasters of the older albums were coming out this year long before U2.com announced it.

Even more, though, it needs more exclusive content. I liked how they were doing that playlist series, but it's been updated only twice this year I think. They could have blogs, if not by the band themselves, then by crew members, as they did with Willie's tour diary (though I think they could choose someone more interesting--all of Willie's entries started sounding the same to me after awhile on the last tour). I really liked how they did the crew profiles, but those seem to have disappeared. I think it's embarrassing for U2.com that we have more "exclusive" content than they do, and we don't charge for our stories!

Aside from presale codes, I have no idea why anyone would want to join U2.com. The Zoo allows ridiculously huge signatures, which slows load times on pages and means few messages appear on one page, which means it takes forever to read a thread. Beyond that, the search feature is really clumsy; in fact, the whole interface is. I think this forum puts the Zoo to shame in terms of ease of use and functionality.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Aside from presale codes, I have no idea why anyone would want to join U2.com.

Exactly. There really is no incentive to join whatsoever. Fan sites are far more effective in delivering current and (above all) accurate U2 news. Virtually every official music video released by the band is available on YouTube. Many of the so-called "exclusives" can hardly be called "exclusive." I mean, come on, a free double CD of U2 Go Home if I join now? I can just as easily rip the audio from my DVD to a CD for nothing. And as for that video of Larry drumming...

 

[Bonochick]

Axver...

I barely even go to U2.com. I use Interference for most of my U2 needs.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I barely even go to U2.com. I use Interference for most of my U2 needs.

I just pictured you saying this on a TV commercial

Interference; now with 30% less suck than U2.com….

Or

4 out 5 Crazed U2 fans agree; Interference.com is the best U2 fan site on the Internet.

 

[Bonochick]

 

[nathan1977]

U2.com should just redirect to Interference....

 

[dsmith2904]

Regularly updated stories and video from the studio would be a nice start. It would also be nice if the band used the site as a way to directly communicate with fans like so many other bands do. Even if one of the guys posted, "Hi! We're hard at work! Can't wait to see you all one the road!" it would mean a lot.

 

[RedRocksU2]

I say we hire Axver for all the 411 and Sicy to keep order.

 

[RedRocksU2]

and Lila for the setlists.

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

U2.com should just redirect to Interference....

Now youre talkin!

 

[Morgoth321]

The only time I've ever wished I'd joined U2.com was the day I tried vainly to get Vertigo tour concert tickets on a general sale day in 2004. For anyone who had the same experiences, no more detail is necessary...!

If they offer any sort of presale system again, then I'll join (along with all the scalpers and ticket agency people!). That's the only real value that an official site has - otherwise, I get all my news and speculations from Interference. Also, like plenty of other people here, I've already ripped the audio from my DVDs and therefore U2.com's prime free gifts would be of no benefit to me.

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

The only reason I've maintained my membership over the last few years is because I wonder if they're going to give preference in the presale to members with lower member numbers. It makes sense to me that they'd do this, since it could help prevent scalpers from joining just to buy tickets. But then again, since it makes sense, U2.com will probably do the exact opposite

 

[Caroni]

Regularly updated stories and video from the studio would be a nice start. It would also be nice if the band used the site as a way to directly communicate with fans like so many other bands do. Even if one of the guys posted, "Hi! We're hard at work! Can't wait to see you all one the road!" it would mean a lot.

 

[chrissybaby]

the way that BRAT, a fan, runs the Depeche Mode site is a model way to run an official site IMO. They have the rabid enthusiasm and the human touch of a fan (who understands other fans), plus the respect and inside information from the band and management.