U2's Musical Experimentation Discussion!

[namkcuR]

There is more to experimentation than just messing around with Edge's guitar.
POP is not that experimental as some people make it out to be - for the most part it's a straightforward rock album.

ATYCLB did feature new sounds for U2, whether it is your kind of experimentation or not. They never tried out pop music before. Beautiful day, Stuck, In a little while, Wild honey, even the ambiental Grace are all new ground for the band.

To a smaller extent, so did the Bomb. 60's type of rock with All because of you, the glam rock stomp of Love and peace or else, the punk-ish Vertigo. Continued research of pop genre with A man and a woman and Original of the species.

There's nothing glam about LAPOE imo.

And U2 were doing punk before they did anything else in the late 70s and early 80s. Punk is nothing new for them.

And Pop is not as straightforward as you think. Yes, not all the tracks are like Mofo or Miami as some would have you think, but If God, Gone, Please, LNOE, etc are not that straightforward. They're not verse-chorus-verse. ATYCLB and HTDAAB are far more straight-forward. Not that they're the only ones. UF, Zooropa, Passengers, and Pop are the least straight-forward U2 records, but the rest are all relatively straight-forward.

 

[starvinmarvin]

There's nothing glam about LAPOE imo.

Nothing glam about LAPOE? maybe not lyrically, but musically (esp. rythmically) it sounds like it was lifted directly from the Gary Glitter/early 70's David Bowie/ T Rex songbook.

Not that I have a problem with this. I love glam rock, and I'm glad U2 experimented with it.

 

[namkcuR]

It depends on what your idea of experimentation is. For me, it's finding new sounds to make on/with the instruments, daring to write/record songs that aren't at all radio-friendly, daring to make a work of art with a record rather than a hit. That doesn't mean it can't be a hit. It just means it wasn't made to be a hit. JT was a hit. I don't think it was made to be a hit. Same with AB. Passengers and Pop weren't made to be hits and they weren't(relatively speaking with Pop). ATYCLB and HTDAAB were made to be hits and they were/are. Which is what a rock star today is supposed to do, right? Make hits. And U2 are doing what rock stars today are supposed to do. And I think that's where the fundemental lack of experimentation in recent years has stemmed from. For most of their career until 2000, U2 expirimented with the very nature of rock stardom, of what it meant to be a rock star and how you're supposed to handle the stardom and how you're supposed to make the music after achieving that stardom. In recent years, it seems like they're slowly but surely morphing into typical rock stars, ala The Rolling Stones, which is the antithesis of experimenting with the very nature of rock stardom. That's my two cents anyway.

 

[namkcuR]

Nothing glam about LAPOE? maybe not lyrically, but musically (esp. rythmically) it sounds like it was lifted directly from the Gary Glitter/early 70's David Bowie/ T Rex songbook.

Not that I have a problem with this. I love glam rock, and I'm glad U2 experimented with it.

I just don't hear glam rock in it. Honestly, if LAPOE reminds me of anything it reminds me more of Alice In Chains than it does 70s glam rock.

 

[U2girl]

There's nothing glam about LAPOE imo.

And U2 were doing punk before they did anything else in the late 70s and early 80s. Punk is nothing new for them.

And Pop is not as straightforward as you think. Yes, not all the tracks are like Mofo or Miami as some would have you think, but If God, Gone, Please, LNOE, etc are not that straightforward. They're not verse-chorus-verse. ATYCLB and HTDAAB are far more straight-forward. Not that they're the only ones. UF, Zooropa, Passengers, and Pop are the least straight-forward U2 records, but the rest are all relatively straight-forward.

True, but IMO Vertigo is a nod to the "neo punk" bands like the Vines and the Hives, so in a way it is new for them.

Pop is more straightforward than you think. UF, Zooropa and Achtung Baby are a lot more experimental.
If God is a slow love song, Gone is a rock song, Please is a political song, Last night on earth is a rock song. So is Miami, only with a slightly unorthodox beat. And I don't know about you, but I hear the verse-chorus-verse on every one of them.
The only really new direction for U2 on that album is on songs Do you feel loved, Mofo, Playboy Mansion and If you wear that velvet dress.

 

[innocent_eyes]

I agree with U2 Girl,

Pop, is very much still a chorus-verse song album.

Discotheque, LNOE, Starin at the Sun, please are very much, verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus.

and I think the point of the last 2 albums was to experiment with formal, verse-chjorus rock songs, wioth tradtional rock and roll instruments, in a 4 peice rock band.

Even doing this, u have to admit, their last 2 albums, don't sound like many of the other bands out there. I think they wanted to write the single's, 45's, in thier own style, and they have succeeded in my opinion!

 

[innocent_eyes]

 

[Pero]

Distortion started in 88 with Desire at the latest, so Achtung didn't start the distortion.
Delay started in 79 with The Silver Lining (early 11 O'Clock Tick Tock) and A Day Without Me, so your statement of AB having the first use of delay is wrong. Also, pretty much EVERY U2 song until AB used delay. If that's what you mean is experimental (the lack of delay) then I apologise.
Oh, and phaser was debuted in 1982 with Treasure (Whatever Happened To Pete The Chop?). So all three of your examples are flawed in some way as AB was not the first album to use ANY of these effects.

I said delay, phaser and distortion because i don't know any more. And you didn't say the best example of delay(Pride).
If you don't believe me about my post, that Achtung-Zooropa-Pop is u2's experimenting period, JUST LISTEN TO THEM AND COMPARE THEM TO OTHER U2 ALBUMS.
btw. Desire has no distortion

 

[starvinmarvin]

btw. Desire has no distortion

Yes it does. Desire is the sound of a guitar amp being cranked up to 10, which gives it a naturally distorted sound. Sounds great!

 

[starvinmarvin]

I think the basic point that hasn't been addressed is that u2 has almost always been a band that has made radio friendly music. If you have a problem with radio friendly music, then maybe U2 is the wrong band for you. U2 has always wanted to have their songs played on the radio, and they have never made any qualms about it. Almost every single U2 song has a traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-guitar solo-chorus, and even most those that don't don't stray far from the formula. The only exceptions are the odd atmospheric/experimental track tucked away at the end of an album, most of Passengers, and some of Zooropa and Unforgettable Fire. And Miami, but that song sucks anyways.....

 

[Zoots]

And Miami, but that song sucks anyways.....

oh yeah, of course... everyone knows that and it's in the CIA world factbook.

 

[starvinmarvin]

oh yeah, of course... everyone knows that and it's in the CIA world factbook.

LOL!!! It probably is

 

[financeguy]

3.) ATYCLB was experimental for the band, though i think the appraoch didn't have giant Lemons, Flys and Devils, it was not so obvious to most U2 fans. They had never really written songs like In a Little While, Elevation, or Wild honey before! IO think the 'goal' was to inject some 'soul' into pop forms of rock music, similar in style to the Beatles...if you see what I'm getting at. They wrote songs that sounded like 'safe lieetle pop tunes' but injected them with meaning and soul.

Anyway, just because some didn't enjoy it as much, doesn't make it less unique and experimental.

That is an interesting point. I never really thought of it that way. Not really a huge fan of the album, but that's just an opinion.

Yes I think you are correct here. U2 had almost consciously AVOIDED writing 3 minute Beatles'-style intelligent pop up to then, with a small number of exceptions. In this regard, it is interesting that they released a re-recorded version of 'The Sweetest Thing' in 1998, which in a way offered pointers to where they were going to go with their next album. A song like Wild Honey - you can really see the Beatles influence there.

Sweetest Thing is probably one of the best out and out '3 minute' pop singles they have ever done, but they never put it on a album and just left it hanging around the archives for years, because it wouldn't really have suited any of the albums. But in 1998 they decided to re-record and release it as a single, perhaps because at that time it was much more in tune with the direction that they wanted to go.

Interesting post all round, as regards the blues and American influences on the R & H era, this is something that would merit further exploration I feel.

 

[LJT]

Just a wonder (i do this a lot i have noticed hmm).....what were the long-term U2 fans reaction to the single release of Sweetest Thing in 98? What did you think they were up to as such?

 

[innocent_eyes]

Thanks Finance Guy, your new perspective on ATYCLB made writing this thread worth it!!!! lol!!!

Also, appreciate the well thought-out discussion!

I agree with what you said about Sweetest thing, I never thought of it that way, it makes ALOT of sense. Brilliant observations and interesting to think about!!

 

[financeguy]

Well in Ireland, which should be where U2's fanbase is, out of 35 people, only one said he liked U2(Me).My history teacher was rambling on, like usual then he starts talking about the plane U2, then he asks, Does anyone like U2 the band, I was the only person who said yes, and was slaged about it for the rest of the year. I was locked in a small room almost everyday, and was told I would not be allowed out till I said U2 were the shitest band who ever lived, and say Rap music was the only good type of music. I was in there for sometimes up to a hour, by myself, trying to break down a firedoor, all over liking U2. People even try to burn my Vertigo tour t-shirt when i wear it, so to me U2 aren't that popular.

I really fucking hate the U2 dismissal of some Irish people, it's funny because with my generation (I am 30) most people like them, because we grew up with them. (I am not saying all of my generation are U2 fans, but most would at least like one or two of the albums, if not all of them).

As regards the being locked in a room stuff, did you complain to the school authorities / your parents, there is no reason why you should have to put up with this harassment.

Alternatively just tell me where they live, and we will see what happens next (just kidding).

 

[financeguy]

Thanks Finance Guy, your new perspective on ATYCLB made writing this thread worth it!!!! lol!!!

Also, appreciate the well thought-out discussion!

I agree with what you said about Sweetest thing, I never thought of it that way, it makes ALOT of sense. Brilliant observations and interesting to think about!!

Cheers

 

[starvinmarvin]

I really fucking hate the U2 dismissal of some Irish people,

You know, think Ireland isn't alone in that regard. I think that any band from countries other the USA that makes it big internationally is rejected by their own people. It's almost as if they regard these musicians as "abandoning them," or "selling out." For example, I'm Canadian, and I can tell you first hand that a lot of Canadian musicians (or even actors) who have experienced international success are trashed by us, and are often less popular at home. I'm not giving you my actual opinion on some of these musicians, but Bryan Adams, Shania Twain, Nickelback, Celine Dion, Alanis Morrissette, Sum 41, and many others I can't think of off the top of my head are/were not nearly as popular in Canada as they are/were in other countries. We tend to like Canadian artists who are unheard of outside of Canada, bands like Sloan (great band!), Blue Rodeo, The Tragically Hip, Our Lady Peace, etc.