U2 Rattle and Hum Debate

[silvermarlin]

Hello,
At present, I am completing my degree in Commercial Music. For my dissertation (essay, I am completing a study of U2's Rattle and Hum.
A study of the sociological key issues that influenced the marketing campaign of the movie/album.
I'm looking for different peoples opinions about Rattle and Hum like: Was the movie a marketing gimmick so that the band could crack America? or do you think U2 could have went in a different musical direction than the music featured on the album and so on.
Any feedback would be great.
Cheers,
Pat from Scotland.

 

[HelloAngel]

Regarding the "crack America" statement: U2 had already cracked America, and perhaps the film was meant to be a celebration of that "cracking," of their genuine love of America, the idea of America, and perhaps their new found love of American music - recording at Sun City, visiting Graceland, singing with the Harlem gospel choir, and peforming with BB King.

I hope your dissertation goes well! That sounds like fun!

 

[mebythesea]

Pat, what an interesting topic. As someone who was an American fan at that time, I have to second the remark that America had already been more than fully cracked. If anything, the situation was that U2 was way way overexposed here, and R&H was a marketing misstep, pushing them over a line into just seeming annoying and self-important to an American public that was already tired of them.

I do think they were genuinely infatuated with what they'd learned about the blues etc here, and were honestly trying to show that they themselves were fans, but it sure didn't come off that way at the time.

Have you had a look at the @U2 news archives of articles and reviews from 87 and 88? I think you'd find those very helpful in getting a sense of where American thought on the band was. Especially the famous NY Times R&H review called, I think, "When self-importance interferes with the music."

 

[silvermarlin]

Re: Rattle and Hum

Hello again,
Thanks for your opinions - well appreciated.
Pat.

 

[BVS]

It's a musical journey...

 

[pukebreath]

They were secretly trying to be like The Beatles when they made "Help".

Like many other career choices, they were trying to follow in their idols' path.

 

[madamc]

I agree with pukebreath, interesting name btw

Their idols and their obsessions (Larry with his Elvis infatuation, when he sits on the King's motorcycle, and cries when he finds out that he was buried in the back yard).

 

[silvermarlin]

Cheers everyone for all your opinions, keep them coming in.
Pat

 

[Seabird]

U2 HAD already cracked America, they were big and mostly a household name from the time of War and Red Rocks, which was widely and frequently shown on cable TV. Live Aid only added to their notoriety, and though The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum was them reaching the pinnacle and becoming top sellers, it was not what made them famous in America, only more popular. I don't believe it was any kind of gimmick. They were honestly into the blues and the American west at the time, and it just came out as an excellent product, but there was nothing behind it other than geniune interest and talent.

 

[adamswildhoney]

I think its combo of the band wanting to show their love of America and American music but also that they wanted to show a different side of themselves. I mean Larry is always viewed as the one that doesnt have a sense of humor and doesnt talk that much, but if you watch the video the whole part where he is making fun of Adam really shows that judgements on people arent always right.

 

[ouizy]

I agree that the band had already cracked the nation with the successful tour.

I feel they hired a "deep" director for the film, but the film did not come off as "deep."

had they put any history of the songs in to the film, I think it would have been easier...