Which Era is U2's Best?

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Which Era is U2's Best?

  • Boy - War

    Votes: 2 2.2%
  • Unforgettable Fire - Rattle And Hum

    Votes: 20 21.7%
  • Achtung, Baby! - Pop

    Votes: 58 63.0%
  • All That You Can't Leave Behind - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

    Votes: 12 13.0%

  • Total voters
    92

Miggy D

War Child
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
974
Location
Davis, California
U2 is a band of many faces, both musically and physically.

They started off wide-eyed and badly dressed, as they recorded the albums Boy through War. Edge still had hair, Larry's was oftentimes shaggy, and Adam's was a fro. Bono's...well Bono is Bono, and he went from shag to mullet, back and forth at will. At times, his hair even had blonde highlights. The band members took to wearing black jeans and t-shirts.

Their sense of style improved only slightly during the Unforgettable Fire - Rattle and Hum era, their sometimes awkward hair styles and clothing only being surpassed by the passion of their maturing music and vocals. Bono's hair was long, and extremely so during his Rattle and Hum days. Edge sported the 'homeless man' look for much of this era, with extremely long hair at points, and an 8 o'clock shadow throughout the day. Adam's hairstyle was conservative, as was Larry's, and their fashions matched their hair in sensibility. In fact, the rhythm section's fashion matched their playing style - conservative, but solid, while Bono and Edge's matched theirs - showy, but signature.

Achtung Baby - Pop brought about a big change for the band - Edge started off wearing bandanas, and eventually switched to his now-standard skull cap. He later wore a cowbow hat and at times, took off his hat altogether. Bono cut his hair, although at times it was still mullet-like, and dressed in leather from head to toe. Later, he wore a lot of form-fitting spandex-like muscle shirts and shaved his head crew cut, and at times, completely bald. Larry's style was probably the most conservative of the group, as it always is, but he spotted a goatee for some time, and grew his hair about a tad. Adam was the Posh Spice of the group, stylish and debonnaire, and bleached blonde. Their music was techno, industrial, and experimental.

The year 2000 ushered in the current era of U2 music and fashion. Not only did U2 'return to basics' musically, but also physically as well. Bono grew his hair out to a reasonable length, and re-dyed it black, until about 2003, when he went to a more Irish-red. He also took to wearing oversize coats and jackets. Edge moved away from the mustachio and back to the Van Dyke which he had sported during his Zoo TV days, donned his now infamous skull cap, and started wearing flared jeans and colorful t-shirts. Adam took about a more conservative, though still very posh and fashionable, style, and Larry wore unbuttoned, tightly fitting t-shirts and jeans.

So which 'era' is U2's best? When voting, please take into account not only the music, but also the appearance. Think of each era as a complete package. Perhaps you like one era because both the fashion and music were 'perfect.' Or perhaps one era shines more than others because, although the fashion is lacking somewhat, the music more than compensates, or vice versa.

My vote: U2 was at their peak creatively and stylistically during the Achtung, Baby! - Pop era. Though I do not care for their Pop style or music that much, 1991-1994 saw U2 at their very best, both in appearance and in the studio. I mean how cool was Bono? How incredibly cool was he back then? Uber cool. All one needs to do is watch the Zoo TV concert to see what I mean. The Zoo Station intro? The Mysterious Ways performance? Musically awesome and iconically cool at the exact same time. Brilliance.


My opinion is far from definitive, so which is YOUR favorite U2 era? Please share - I am eager to hear your opinions, and the reasoning behind them.


-Miggy D
 
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Achtung Baby, just Achtung baby, not including POP. I voted before I realized it also included POP. POP and Zootv were very very different eras and should not be bunched together as one.
 
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Pop and Zoo TV were different, there is no doubt about that, but 'Boy' and 'War' were made at different times too. But both Boy and War and Achtung Baby and Pop can be put into the same era because their overall themes are the same.

Pop is the natural extension of Achtung Baby and Zooropa. Stylistically and musically, it is laden with irony, just like Zoo TV was. Songs like Discoteque and Mofo natural progressions from songs like Zooropa and Even Better Than The Real Thing, among others.

Pop can't be lumped in with ATYCLB and HTDAAB, and it doesn't make sense to lump it in with something from the 80s - the Pop album and style might be different than AB and Zooropa, but the themes and 'ideas' share common threads.

-Miggy D
 
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Miggy D said:


Pop can't be lumped in with ATYCLB and HTDAAB, and it doesn't make sense to lump it in with something from the 80s - the Pop album and style might be different than AB and Zooropa, but the themes and 'ideas' share common threads.

-Miggy D

This kinda explains everything about their most exciting era. The albums were different, fresh. You can't even decide which era Pop belongs in cos its totally different. Where as you can easily lump together ATYCLB & HTDAAB cos they are very similar.:wink:
 
rjhbonovox said:


This kinda explains everything about their most exciting era. The albums were different, fresh. You can't even decide which era Pop belongs in cos its totally different. Where as you can easily lump together ATYCLB & HTDAAB cos they are very similar.:wink:

Actually, I can decide which era Pop belongs in - that quote of mine was actually me defending the decision to put it in with AB and Zooropa - I was saying that you 'can't really put Pop anywhere else,' so to speak. It is most comfortable, and belongs in, the AB, Zooropa, Pop era.

-Miggaly Diggaly
 
well, that´s a hard question :scratch:

But if I had a choice, I´d go with the avant-garde U2 era. In terms of music composition, concepts, shows, images, art, creativity, ideas, rediscovering, experiments, etc is the best one for me !!!!

Achtung Baby - Pop :lol: :yes: :laugh: :heart: :love: :bow: :up:
 
I'd say Unforgettable Fire - Rattle and Hum.

There is plenty of experimental stuff on R&H, just not techno-experimental.

This era also comprises the classic vintage, mint U2 sound. Although I think AB is the best overall album, the songs that will echo down through time as "U2 at their best" are in this era:

Bad
Pride
Streets
ISHFWILF
With or Without you
In God's Country
All I Want is You
 
Miggy D said:
Pop and Zoo TV were different, there is no doubt about that, but 'Boy' and 'War' were made at different times too. But both Boy and War and Achtung Baby and Pop can be put into the same era because their overall themes are the same.


-Miggy D

No, they're not. Just take a look at the band. You have Bono with luscious black hair, black shades and a leather suit, then you have him bald, with big orange glasses, and the muscle shirt. Look at the stage sets. You have the coolness of the TV's vs. the garishness of the gaudy arches and flashy muliticolor screens. ZOO was cool at its finest, Pop was over the top. There is no way you can compare these 2 eras. Even their quotes and interviews reflect they were at a very different place during Pop than during AB.

Pop should be a category all its own, because it is like nothing else. I agree with your other groupings. I also know that whatever category contains AB is going to win by a landslide, but I gurantee you if you split them up AB would wipe out Pop by a landslide too. That having been said, I voted UF-R&H. These were good years for the band, my high school years, wonderful music, hot looks, great memories, and the height of their MTV greatness back when it meant something because MTV was good!
 
I know Achtung Baby and Pop are 100 % differents, but what Miggy D tried to do was to put some clearly different U2 eras, and then to put albums that are inside that era. :yes:

I mean, the first era may be called the "White Flag era", with all those raw and extraordinary albums. Three chords and the truth.

the second one may be called the "anthemic era", in which the band started to write extraordinary epic classics like Bad, WTSHNN, With Or Without You, All I Want Is You, etc.

the third one may be called the "avant-garde era", with experimental and awesome albums like Acthung Baby, Zooropa or Pop.

the last one may be called ... ( well I won´t say it because some fans will kick me :tsk: )
 
Pop was its own unique era, different from anything else, and should be voted on as such.
 
Despite my user name, my fave era is the most recent. I love this stuff. My leats fave is Achtung Baby - Pop. Never got into Pop.
 
U2Kitten said:


No, they're not. Just take a look at the band. You have Bono with luscious black hair, black shades and a leather suit, then you have him bald, with big orange glasses, and the muscle shirt. Look at the stage sets. You have the coolness of the TV's vs. the garishness of the gaudy arches and flashy muliticolor screens. ZOO was cool at its finest, Pop was over the top. There is no way you can compare these 2 eras. Even their quotes and interviews reflect they were at a very different place during Pop than during AB.

Pop should be a category all its own, because it is like nothing else. I agree with your other groupings. I also know that whatever category contains AB is going to win by a landslide, but I gurantee you if you split them up AB would wipe out Pop by a landslide too. That having been said, I voted UF-R&H. These were good years for the band, my high school years, wonderful music, hot looks, great memories, and the height of their MTV greatness back when it meant something because MTV was good!

Well, you make good points, but I disagree with you, simply because one could make the same argument about any 'grouping' I've done. Why is it a stretch to group Pop with AB, but not UF with R&H? UF and R&H are two very different albums, seperated by 4 years of time and a LOT of growth by the band. They're two entirely different albums, and fashion/style-wise, two very different things. But yet they are similar, and I think comparisons can be drawn between the two. They are both very earnest, yearning, and anthemic, and though they are different sounding, they share a common 'soundscape', if that makes sense. Yes, AB was 'cool' and Pop 'garrish' but they were both drenched in irony - both were statements on what it meant to be a rock star and how immersed our culture had become in media. I think comparing AB to Pop is actually easier than comparing UF to R&H, or even Boy to War. But I respect your opinion and it's a valid one.

-Miggy D
 
I picked the current era, but really I love all their eras.

I picked the current era is because they continue to be masters of their craft. They've written some amazing tunes during this stretch. Beautiful Day, In A Little While, Vertigo, City Of Blinding Lights, Original, Crumbs, etc.

Plus, the Elevation tour was their best, I think -- I don't know how they can improve on it this time around.

And there's no better time than the present. The current era is full of possibilities, while the history of the other eras is already being written.
 
My vote for AB-Pop comes with a disclaimer as well: I'm voting for the Achtung Baby portion NOT the Pop portion!

I love all their eras, including the current one, but in all honesty these guys were at the absolute tip-top of their game w/AB.
 
BluRmGrl said:
My vote for AB-Pop comes with a disclaimer as well: I'm voting for the Achtung Baby portion NOT the Pop portion!


Join the crowd :sigh:
 
ponkine said:
the last one may be called ... ( well I won´t say it because some fans will kick me :tsk: )

Considering the amount of trashing on ATYCLB/HTDAAB the trinity of 90's worshippers has lashed out, you are in NO position to complain.
 
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UF - Rattle & Hum

My U2!! IMO, no other band has had a stretch quite like this one. The music was out of this world awesome, totally original and so far beyond everything else of the time that they really seemd like they had come from another time or another place.

And the fact that they looked like they had picked their clothes out of a thrift store dime back just fit so well. It was pretty cool to see a band that looked like real people during the dreadful hair metal band era.
 
AB-Pop no question

I think they were at their most exciting musically in AB era and i adore that and Pop for how all the guys looked and behaved.
 
rjhbonovox said:


I voted for the era up 1998 and yes that includes Pop. So stop slaggin pop!

I'm saying the two eras are very different. Looks like a lot of people in this thread agree.
 
Like I said earlier, Pop is no more different from AB than R & H is from UF! Honestly, can you see NO similarities between them, or are you arguing for argument's sake.

-Miggy D
 
I just don't see why you didn't make it a separate category. You are allowed up to 30 poll options:)
 
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