mikal
Blue Crack Addict
America! Fuck Yeah!
Tour Rumours
- Thread starter phommel
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
PowerSurge
New Yorker
Your whole argument makes no sense. There are plenty of bands that are big in America that I've NEVER heard of.
Dude, your country loves the JONAS BROTHERS and Highschool Musical.
That alone should say enough.
I don't believe in the whole if you don't make it in america stuff. Ofcourse u2 has loads of fans in America and they love them too, but it's not like you people are more fans than we are and that you should get the first hand treatment.
And let's not forget that U2 are already big, they don't have to become big in America anymore.
Ouch...you went THERE.
How doesn't it make sense? Look at music history. Its completely true. I'm not making it up. Doesn't matter if YOU or I don't believe it. Its True. Let me put it to you this way...yes, there are plenty of bands that have made it big in America that you haven't heard of. But those bands already have a much better chance of making it in the rest of the world as opposed to the other way around.
You know that many music companies have actually sent many American bands that they believe weren't ready to play in America to play at concerts and music shows around the world to practice their material and create a buzz before coming back to the States to make it big.
Your comment about "getting first hand treatment" is common, but misguided. Its not OUR fault. Its the record companies' fault. They want to make profit. Thats why they have bands play 3-4 shows in New York, Chicago, L.A. etc. and only 1-2 shows in London, Paris, etc. You also have to take into consideration the amount of people that live in America. There is a much larger concentration of population in New York, Chicago, and L.A. as opposed to London, Paris, Berlin, etc. Its a numbers game...not OUR fault.
Your other comment about "U2 already being big and not needing America" is also naive. Go read any of their books and you'll understand the importance of America...specifically Boston and New York in the development of U2's career. Not to mention the influence of American Blues and Early Rock music to their music catalog. Now tell me if America is not important to U2.
Again, we can go back and forth on this...but the truth remains. You can become a big band in Europe or Australia or Asia or Africa or wherever. But until you make it big in America you aren't considered to have hit the top. American Music styles influence the music across the world. Its been like that for years.
PowerSurge
New Yorker
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
Calm down there Cheese Head...
we have the only Musician/General Manager in sports:
Irishteen
Blue Crack Addict
I agree with Axver
This definitely must happen, screw everyone else 100 Irish dates is what we need
4U2Play
Refugee
PowerSurge is correct, as usual.
What always mystifies me, though, is why Oasis never made it big in the US. And, why Kylie Minogue is such a big deal outside of America.
However, as anyone who has travelled a bit knows, this whole argument is biased in favor of Western Europe/North American culture. Travel to India or the Middle East or Latin America, and you'll discover a totally different pop music world full of big, popular bands that you've never heard of before.
U2 music is virtually unheard of in much of Africa, South and East Asia and the Mid East.
Additionally, there are plenty of bands that are/were huge in the US/Canada, but not nearly as big in Western Europe (or anywhere else): Van Halen, Def Leppard, Journey, Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffet, Grateful Dead, etc.
When are the French going to produce a great rock band? (Daft Punk doesn't count)
What always mystifies me, though, is why Oasis never made it big in the US. And, why Kylie Minogue is such a big deal outside of America.
However, as anyone who has travelled a bit knows, this whole argument is biased in favor of Western Europe/North American culture. Travel to India or the Middle East or Latin America, and you'll discover a totally different pop music world full of big, popular bands that you've never heard of before.
U2 music is virtually unheard of in much of Africa, South and East Asia and the Mid East.
Additionally, there are plenty of bands that are/were huge in the US/Canada, but not nearly as big in Western Europe (or anywhere else): Van Halen, Def Leppard, Journey, Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffet, Grateful Dead, etc.
When are the French going to produce a great rock band? (Daft Punk doesn't count)
schnumi
Refugee
Sure America is important, but not as important as some people here make it out to be.Ouch...you went THERE.
How doesn't it make sense? Look at music history. Its completely true. I'm not making it up. Doesn't matter if YOU or I don't believe it. Its True. Let me put it to you this way...yes, there are plenty of bands that have made it big in America that you haven't heard of. But those bands already have a much better chance of making it in the rest of the world as opposed to the other way around.
You know that many music companies have actually sent many American bands that they believe weren't ready to play in America to play at concerts and music shows around the world to practice their material and create a buzz before coming back to the States to make it big.
Your comment about "getting first hand treatment" is common, but misguided. Its not OUR fault. Its the record companies' fault. They want to make profit. Thats why they have bands play 3-4 shows in New York, Chicago, L.A. etc. and only 1-2 shows in London, Paris, etc. You also have to take into consideration the amount of people that live in America. There is a much larger concentration of population in New York, Chicago, and L.A. as opposed to London, Paris, Berlin, etc. Its a numbers game...not OUR fault.
Your other comment about "U2 already being big and not needing America" is also naive. Go read any of their books and you'll understand the importance of America...specifically Boston and New York in the development of U2's career. Not to mention the influence of American Blues and Early Rock music to their music catalog. Now tell me if America is not important to U2.
Again, we can go back and forth on this...but the truth remains. You can become a big band in Europe or Australia or Asia or Africa or wherever. But until you make it big in America you aren't considered to have hit the top. American Music styles influence the music across the world. Its been like that for years.
I can't see the problem a lot of people have with U2 starting their tour out in europe and then doing a US leg. Why does the US need to be the first leg? If the people in the US have forgotten U2 when the 2nd leg comes around then i suppose their not real fans anyway. And speaking about profit, i got this out of a thread from the Vertigo tour section and looking at that U2 actually made more profit from their Europe leg. They made 155 million profit compared to 139 million on 2 U2 legs. And i bet that if U2 would consider another Europe leg (maybe just 2 shows a city then as a max) then they could have made even more profit.
And as i have read so many times the 1st leg is considered as a "warm up leg". So why not be happy that maybe now the US will get the 2nd leg of the tour?
WildHoneyAlways
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Can we just 
this thread?
Please? Or merge it with the already existing tour speculation thread?
this thread? Please? Or merge it with the already existing tour speculation thread?
PowerSurge
New Yorker
I think the importance that America plays in the music world isn't as prominent as decades past, but it still is of paramount importance.
Correct me if I'm wrong (because I'm not 100% sure) but didn't U2 play mostly arenas in America versus STADIUMS in Europe? That might explain the profit discrepency...also the effect of the dollar against the Euro.
I totally agree with you regarding the first leg as the "warm up leg". So true....I have a number of bootlegs from the early Vertigo shows in California and many on the final leg and the difference is striking. They are so much better on their second and third legs. It only makes sense. Its new material, so the more they play it the better they are.
HA! My fiance would beg to differ...but thanks!
PowerSurge
New Yorker
we have the only Musician/General Manager in sports:
hahahahahaha!
that's awesome!
"BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE!!!!!!"
Americans think that America is more important than Europe. Europeans think that, because Bush fucked over the world, America should be permanently deprived of U2's presence.
Why do I need to read this thread to find that out?
Why do I need to read this thread to find that out?
PowerSurge
New Yorker
PowerSurge
New Yorker
Actually, that's not at all what the debate is about.
Though I agree its pretty off topic and unnecessary now that I think about it
Anji
New Yorker
But EVERYONE knows the UK is the center of the Music universe!
I'll get my coat...........
PowerSurge
New Yorker
But EVERYONE knows the UK is the center of the Music universe!
I'll get my coat...........
hahaha!
no, no.....stay a while
maybe this will help?
Anji
New Yorker
hahaha!
no, no.....stay a while
maybe this will help?
Drink is the root of ALL evil!
I gave it up yesterday after 2 days hitting the Jack Daniels! (We give the world our music and the Americans give us the BEST falling down water) But then my excuse... it IS my birthday today
Anji
New Yorker
UK/Ireland = U2, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Oasis, The Smiths, Joy Division, Sex Pistols, David Bowie, Queen, Radiohead
Nuff said
AND Def Leppard, who American's took to their hearts more than some of us did Oh and that other Export Coldplay moreu2
The Fly
In a feeble attempt to get back on topic...
Whatever happened to that "Spotlight Audio" they hoped to use a few years back? Or remember the crazy Lazer Tower from that PopMart pre-vis video?
Any ideas on the tech that will be used this time out?
Whatever happened to that "Spotlight Audio" they hoped to use a few years back? Or remember the crazy Lazer Tower from that PopMart pre-vis video?
Any ideas on the tech that will be used this time out?
AndrewCowley
Refugee
Pyrotechnics so that Edge really can be 'on fire'.
Lemonfix
Refugee
UK/Ireland = U2, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Oasis, The Smiths, Joy Division, Sex Pistols, David Bowie, Queen, Radiohead
Nuff said
US/Canada = All the artists who influenced those UK/I artists
(Elvis, Buddy Holly, Muddy waters, Robert Johnson, BB King, Chuck Berry, The Jackson 5, Supremes, Temptations, Johnny Cash...and later, Bruce Springsteen, The Ramones, the Replacements, Neil Young, Chrissy Hynde, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire, white Stripes, pretty much all good hip-hop...)
Yeah, but I kid, both areas have great artists, trying to compare them is silly.
US/Canada = All the artists who influenced those UK/I artists
Yeah, but I kid, both areas have great artists, trying to compare them is silly.
Agreed.
But we have Cliff Richard
Lemonfix
Refugee
Mrs. Edge is American, and Bono's daughter goes to school in the US.
marik
Refugee
a US university? how was this confirmed?
vaz02
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
WTS Cliff Richard
russmadem
The Fly
As an American I can proudly say I am from the US, but at the same time I can sympathize with those who belittle us. We tend to be a bit pompous and our government a whole lot arrogant, but we are good, decent people. We might fuck up as a nation, but we will also be the first to lend a hand. U2 may have needed America at one time, but they are past that now. Even with Paul McGuine$$, they can do as they please when they please. WE ALL are lucky they strive to remain relevant and not just look for the $$$$. I hope for 2 US legs for the tour, but it does not bother me if Europe gets the first leg. There is no right and no wrong answer to this question.....only us idiots who are wasting precious time arguing over it.
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