RED (WIRE) - Video clip of a new Christmas U2 song (11/30/08)

[Peterrrrr]

So is there better arguments than musicians or majority of people??

So now i have to dig 20 videdos from Under a Blood or Rattle and Hum to show you how many seconds Bono could hold a note or how deep his low tone sounded back than! I've a fan for more than 20 years i my whole generation grew up listening to them! When the 90's arrived everybody knew that his voice was weaker. No one got crazy about that. We learn to accept that. You can say you like his voice now better than before, but you can't say that is isn't weaker! It's not my opinion, it's a fact!

It isnt the 90s now, it is 08 and Bonos voice has got stronger.

Do i have to tell you that he could never sing Helter Skelter the same way he did? Or i still haven't found? Or the chorus of GOD PART II?

I just wrote that Bono use his voice on the christmas song just like he did on ISHFWILF. HS and GP contains alot of screams and strainings, not high clean powerful notes.

So is there better arguments than musicians or majority of people??
One thing is having an opinion, other thing is close your eyes from the truth!

How can you say that when you havent reply my questions.

He sang the song on higher note than now. You are confusing this with his thin voice now. O the War album, as much as you don't like the vocals, you can't deny that it was much more powerful than now. That's a fact! Not a opinion!

"Say its true" from NYD was much stronger sang on some Vertigo tour versions. Instead of scream them he sang it with more full open voice power. Thats singing!

 

[zwervers2]

Yes, in your simplistic view of the world, maybe.

What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Talk about insulting someone's intelligence without having a clue who you are talking about or dealing with. Bono would not aprove and neither do I

Goodluck with to being in love with Bono and the guys. My favourite band since 1984

 

[bathiu]

So is there better arguments than musicians or majority of people??

yeah, the kind of arguments that can be veryfied by everyone and mean something...
example: I'm smarter than you. Ask any members of my family./Majority of people will tell you that.
See? empty arguments.

You can say you like his voice now better than before, but you can't say that is isn't weaker!

I can and I do.

He sang the song on higher note than now. You are confusing this with his thin voice now. O the War album, as much as you don't like the vocals, you can't deny that it was much more powerful than now. That's a fact! Not a opinion!

hoarseness of voice doesn't mean less powerful, singing out of tune would.

Let it go.
It's your opinion not fact.

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

Why is it? There is no time to be rude!

There is one thing that you can't argue in technical and musical view:
Bono hit the high notes with a more powerful sound clean and without straning. He is better now, you can't argue that.



Im pretty sure that most of these fifty songs contain what you think is strong: straning and screaming. But still it isnt as powerful in singing as it is on those video I posted above. And the number of songs mentioned isnt so important. The christmas video shows that Bono now can use his voice just like he did in ISHFWILF in the 80s. I can also write about alot of other performences from Vertigo tour and the last years performences that are better in singing. BUT lets don't forget that those years you talk bout are 84-92 and thats more years with more performences then 05-08 have.

He is better now??? Huahuahuahuah! Sorry man i don't mean to rude, i'm serious. But Bono hit high notes now??? Let me tell you something new. He doesn't even hit some high notes that he used to. On I will follow, On with or without you, on SBS he doesn't even come close.

I still havent found of RH for example is miles away from the christmas part you mentioned. He sang with a church choral for christ sake! He notes there were from a soul-gospel singer.

O "sadness" his voice simply disapear! He doesn't have the deph he had singing One Tree Hill or Sort of Homecoming!

Do you want more examples???

New years day UBRS!

God part II again.

Angel of Harlem. He can finish all the words without running out of steem.

I know i'm wasting my time so for the last time, its not my opinion, its a fact. He cant sing like before!

 

[PolarCamel]

I think we can now officially rename this thread "Frustrated Vocal Trainers Anonymous".

 

[corianderstem]

I think we can now officially rename this thread "Frustrated Vocal Trainers Anonymous".

HA!

Good times ...

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I know i'm wasting my time so for the last time, its not my opinion, its a fact. He cant sing like before!

I'm going to regret this but, no one is disputing the fact that his voice has changed over the years, what almost every one on this thread you seem to be single-handly arguing with is saying is that does not mean his voice isn't BETTER than before.

There is no way to prove that he sounded BETTER during the 80's or 90's or 00's, it's all a matter of personal taste, not fact. There is no quantifiable way of factually showing that he sounds better on JT than on HTDAAB. Sorry, he just sounds different, you can argue that his voice has lost some of it's strength, does this mean it's not as good? IN YOUR OPINION, yes, it's not as good but in an other person's opinion it may sound better.

 

[PowerSurge]

I think we can now officially rename this thread "Frustrated Vocal Trainers Anonymous".

How about:

Frustrated
U2
Critics &
Know-it-alls?

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

I'm going to regret this but, no one is disputing the fact that his voice has changed over the years, what almost every one on this thread you seem to be single-handly arguing with is saying is that does not mean his voice isn't BETTER than before.

There is no way to prove that he sounded BETTER during the 80's or 90's or 00's, it's all a matter of personal taste, not fact. There is no quantifiable way of factually showing that he sounds better on JT than on HTDAAB. Sorry, he just sounds different, you can argue that his voice has lost some of it's strength, does this mean it's not as good? IN YOUR OPINION, yes, it's not as good but in an other person's opinion it may sound better.

Ahaaaaa. I would never force someone to like one thing more than other. But what others did was try to convice people and even posted videos that his voice now is stronger than before! It is not! This is not an matter of taste! Its a matter of being a fact!!!

He can not sing with the same power than before. Not even close!

 

[PowerSurge]

*sigh*

wait for it....


waaaait foooor it!

 

[zwervers2]

Ha, it's that love fever that you have for U2, now I understand!!

j/k hope you feel better.

Thanks! Fever is rising, especially comming next year

I am still pissed off by the remark of the last sad purple haired unicorn though.
Everyone can call me whatever they want and use the worst cursewords imaginable to express anger at me but to accuse me of having a simplistic worldview is beyond rude.

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

Hey, why didn't we have a new video from the studio this week? just when things started to become intersting ...

 

[zwervers2]

Hey, why didn't we have a new video from the studio this week? just when things started to become intersting ...

Bono's voice in the video sounded too much like the 80's so they decided to cancell it

seriously though. When was the last video released?

 

[bram]

Hey, why didn't we have a new video from the studio this week? just when things started to become intersting ...

You have been easily the most vocal critic of the studio videos, so I'm a bit surprised that you've missed them.

And anyway, we did get a new studio video this week and it was actually a recent studio video unlike the rest.

 

[Irishteen]

Can people (as in both sides) just please maybe...shut up?


I hear U2 have a Christmas song out let's talk about that

 

[BEAL]

Bono's voice has changed. It doesn't have that open ended sound that we all were used to in the 80s. Even he has commented on how he didn't really know what he was doing back then.

While I will state I don't think his vocal chords are as powerful as they were when he was in his 20's. How many artists get stronger singing as they get older though?

What I do agree with is Bono being a better singer. He understands how to use his voice in the context of the song, rather than just belting it out because he could. Those days are completely over. There was no way it was going to last.

It's almost parallel to how U2 have changed over time. While people wish U2 would be more experimental, I think what's really changed isn't U2 doesn't care about new sounds, it's that they've become better musicians.

A lot of the charm of early U2 came from the fact that they didn't really know what they were doing, which would create different soundscapes, especially compared to what was being played on the radio.

The Edge's playing has always been unique, but Larry and Adam never really had formal lessons until later in the career.

I think what you see now is a band that actually knows how to construct a song, and have gotten very good at it. The past 2 albums have shown how much better U2 has gotten at writing songs. While that's a departure in itself, it probably has alienated fans who liked U2 to be a little looser, not bound by Verse/Chorus/bridge/Chorus/End in typical Beatle fashion.

I think/hope that U2 in this next album have tried to take their ever growing abilities into a new realm. From what we've heard, we're being led to believe this is the case.

Bono, along with everyone else in the band has evolved. It's OK not to like it, but to get into silly arguments of which period is better just isn't healthy. Just goes in circles.

 

[bram]

Bono's voice has changed. It doesn't have that open ended sound that we all were used to in the 80s. Even he has commented on how he didn't really know what he was doing back then.

While I will state I don't think his vocal chords are as powerful as they were when he was in his 20's. How many artists get stronger singing as they get older though?

What I do agree with is Bono being a better singer. He understands how to use his voice in the context of the song, rather than just belting it out because he could. Those days are completely over. There was no way it was going to last.

It's almost parallel to how U2 have changed over time. While people wish U2 would be more experimental, I think what's really changed isn't U2 doesn't care about new sounds, it's that they've become better musicians.

A lot of the charm of early U2 came from the fact that they didn't really know what they were doing, which would create different soundscapes, especially compared to what was being played on the radio.

The Edge's playing has always been unique, but Larry and Adam never really had formal lessons until later in the career.

I think what you see now is a band that actually knows how to construct a song, and have gotten very good at it. The past 2 albums have shown how much better U2 has gotten at writing songs. While that's a departure in itself, it probably has alienated fans who liked U2 to be a little looser, not bound by Verse/Chorus/bridge/Chorus/End in typical Beatle fashion.

I think/hope that U2 in this next album have tried to take their ever growing abilities into a new realm. From what we've heard, we're being led to believe this is the case.

Bono, along with everyone else in the band has evolved. It's OK not to like it, but to get into silly arguments of which period is better just isn't healthy. Just goes in circles.

Great post. I also want to praise Peterrr for providing a respectful, evidence-based argument that has made me appreciate Bono's modern voice even more.

 

[PowerSurge]

I hear U2 have a Christmas song out let's talk about that

I hear it sucks.











tee hee!

 

[PowerSurge]

Bono's voice has changed. It doesn't have that open ended sound that we all were used to in the 80s. Even he has commented on how he didn't really know what he was doing back then.

While I will state I don't think his vocal chords are as powerful as they were when he was in his 20's. How many artists get stronger singing as they get older though?

What I do agree with is Bono being a better singer. He understands how to use his voice in the context of the song, rather than just belting it out because he could. Those days are completely over. There was no way it was going to last.

It's almost parallel to how U2 have changed over time. While people wish U2 would be more experimental, I think what's really changed isn't U2 doesn't care about new sounds, it's that they've become better musicians.

A lot of the charm of early U2 came from the fact that they didn't really know what they were doing, which would create different soundscapes, especially compared to what was being played on the radio.

The Edge's playing has always been unique, but Larry and Adam never really had formal lessons until later in the career.

I think what you see now is a band that actually knows how to construct a song, and have gotten very good at it. The past 2 albums have shown how much better U2 has gotten at writing songs. While that's a departure in itself, it probably has alienated fans who liked U2 to be a little looser, not bound by Verse/Chorus/bridge/Chorus/End in typical Beatle fashion.

I think/hope that U2 in this next album have tried to take their ever growing abilities into a new realm. From what we've heard, we're being led to believe this is the case.

Bono, along with everyone else in the band has evolved. It's OK not to like it, but to get into silly arguments of which period is better just isn't healthy. Just goes in circles.

HA!

Hopefully U2 banged their heads against the studio wall and forgot how to make music. If so then this next album will rock!!!!

Seriosly though,

yes he's lost his range that he had when he was young...but he's gotten a better tone to his voice as he gotten older and wiser with his techniques. Tenors are know for their vocal range, but also for the beautiful tone of their vocals....which is why Bono still has one of the best voices around.

 

[Peterrrrr]

He is better now??? Huahuahuahuah! Sorry man i don't mean to rude, i'm serious. But Bono hit high notes now??? Let me tell you something new. He doesn't even hit some high notes that he used to. On I will follow, On with or without you, on SBS he doesn't even come close.

Okey, all you do is ignoring what I write. I take this one more time!
First of all "I Will Follooooooooooooooooow" note is scream.

But I admit that he did WOWY better in the 80's.

So follow isnt an high note from 05-08?:

High C in "Wide Awake"
He also did sang that note in three parts of the song on Vertigo tour, on JT and LT tour he NEVER hit that note.

Holdning the chours in Pride
Instead of screaming it short like he did in the 80s

"L'amoure"
Give me one example from the 80s when Bono sings opera... And also hold such a high note in 11 seconds.

"Sing" in SYCMIOYO(live)
Give me one example when Bono holds a high note like this in 8 seconds in the 80s

"Yooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" in AIWIY
In the 80s Bono screamed this, in 2006 Bono hit the high note clean and hold it for 7 seconds

""Keep My AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARMS Down Below". in DGU"
Its a B4

"Say it true" is sang in full voice, he holds the note also
Give me one example from, not in UABRS.

"Toooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuch" in Bd
5 seconds long

"Im A Man" in Kite 5th leg

"Highway To Hell" snippet on Vertigo
The falsetto is one of his highest, an E5

High C in "Don't You Look Back" in WGRYWH

"Staaaaaaaaaaay"

"Yeah Yeah" in AOH
High C

"Wave" note in the studio version of WOS
Please can you give me a clean note from the 80's that is powerful like this one?

"Feel" in Vertigo
A nice note

I still havent found of RH for example is miles away from the christmas part you mentioned. He sang with a church choral for christ sake! He notes there were from a soul-gospel singer.

He still sings like that on the last performence, but without screaming/straining at all...

O "sadness" his voice simply disapear! He doesn't have the deph he had singing One Tree Hill or Sort of Homecoming!

If you want to hear something deep from the 80s, try Wild Irish Rose. But if you want something even more deeper, try A Dying Sailor To His Shipmates or Summer Wine.

New years day UBRS!
God part II again.
Angel of Harlem. He can finish all the words without running out of steem.

There still screams and strainings in NYD, GP2... Thats not singing...

I know i'm wasting my time so for the last time, its not my opinion, its a fact. He cant sing like before!

Did you know that in the 80s Bono didnt hold the notes "Wide Awake", "You" in AIWIY, "Say its true"... and when he tried he straind his voice or screamed.
Do you know when a singer strain or screams? WHEN HE HASNT ENOUGH VOICE AND POWER TO HIT THE HIGH NOTE. Bono does it now, so how can he be worse?

 

[zwervers2]

Did you know that in the 80s Bono didnt hold the notes "Wide Awake", "You" in AIWIY, "Say its true"... and when he tried he straind his voice or screamed.
Do you know when a singer strain or screams? WHEN HE HASNT ENOUGH VOICE AND POWER TO HIT THE HIGH NOTE. Bono does it now, so how can he be worse?

You know why? because he completely underwhelmes in the verses. He SAVES himself for the chorusses where in the 80's and beginning of the 90's he gave everything during the WHOLE song. The tempo of the songs is also slower AND songs like pride ishfwilf are tuned down. It is not a problem he sounds good but please don't tell me that his voice isnt worse or that he doesnt strain now. Again he sings the chorusses very very good, the verses is a completely different story.

about newyears day : check out New years Day Live Sydney 08-09-1984 on youtube. There is no way that he will be able to sing that last verse like he did there. I love the man, but lets face it he is almost 50. You loose high you loose swagger it is inevidible. Come to think of it: Sting may be the only acception.

discusions about these completely useless subjects in the big scheme of things are great by the way!

 

[BVS]

about newyears day : check out New years Day Live Sydney 08-09-1984 on youtube. There is no way that he will be able to sing that last verse like he did there.

I think it's interesting that you and Boy and others use moments like this as an example...

It sounds OK, but that is such a throaty voice, that's the type of singing that did some of the damage that led to his shit voice of Popmart.

 

[Peterrrrr]

You know why? because he completely underwhelmes in the verses. He SAVES himself for the chorusses where in the 80's and beginning of the 90's he gave everything during the WHOLE song. The tempo of the songs is also slower AND songs like pride ishfwilf are tuned down. It is not a problem he sounds good but please don't tell me that his voice isnt worse or that he doesnt strain now. Again he sings the chorusses very very good, the verses is a completely different story.

about newyears day : check out New years Day Live Sydney 08-09-1984 on youtube. There is no way that he will be able to sing that last verse like he did there. I love the man, but lets face it he is almost 50. You loose high you loose swagger it is inevidible. Come to think of it: Sting may be the only acception.

discusions about these completely useless subjects in the big scheme of things are great by the way!

First of all, that is call song technique. To prevent that his voice isnt going to be hurt. Look how it went after the 80's, Popmart and Elevation tour. They played alot of songs in the 80's in keys lower. But on Vertigo tour they played a few in its original key or even higher.

The "Say its true" on the syndey was scream and some lines very low... He sounded very uncontrolable, he uses his throat alot there.

 

[PowerSurge]

I think it's interesting that you and Boy and others use moments like this as an example...

It sounds OK, but that is such a throaty voice, that's the type of singing that did some of the damage that led to his shit voice of Popmart.

His shit voice was mostly a result of his allergy to salicyclates (a compound in red wine) Thats one of the main reasons why his voice was shit then and is much better now. Huge difference between Vertigo tour and Popmart. So I wouldn't use that tour as a reference point seeing that it really isn't a true reprentation of his voice due to the afore mentioned condition.

 

[Peterrrrr]

His shit voice was mostly a result of his allergy to salicyclates (a compound in red wine) Thats one of the main reasons why his voice was shit then and is much better now. Huge difference between Vertigo tour and Popmart. So I wouldn't use that tour as a reference point seeing that it really isn't a true reprentation of his voice due to the afore mentioned condition.

The story behind the soundboard recordings on the Dublin shows from 1989 was that Bono recorded them for a doctor to analize his singing. When the doctor had listend to it, he gave Bono a warning. Contunie to sing like this and your voice will destroyed. Bono gave his all on the remaining shows in 1990.
You could realy hear then on ZooTV how much his voice had changed, he was much more tired in his voice, but still he strained alot, specially on the first legs of ZooTV. He strained and overscreamed "Wide Awake", falsetto screams... He did alot on ZooTV also. On the shows from 1993 his voice was so worned out, he was very tired in his voice.
When he did the surgey there where knots on his cords wich was caused by all the straining, screaming and overuse of his voice.

 

[StaySafeTonight]

It's one thing to LIKE his current voice. But you can't compare with his 80's voice and say that the next tour the 48yo Bono shaky Vox will be the strongest of all time. That's losing sense. Ask any musician about his power and range now...

I'm a tenor singer as a major and the frontman of every band I've been in. So I'm singing every day and night. I have the range of a tenor and a counter tenor.

And I can honestly say his voice is much better now. It's more powerful, more at ease, and has less strain. Granted people like me can easily hit those notes because that's where they more most comfortable singing-
But I'm extremely impressed with Bono' new voice. It gets stronger and he hits the higher notes better every time I hear something new from him. Good on him

 

[last unicorn]

Peter, I didn't know the story about the taped show.

I usually agree with you, but Bono has said himself that the problems he was facing after Pop were due to allergies, that's what the doctors said to him after he had the biopsy, it wasn't a surgery, they just wanted to see what these "knots" on his vocal cords were. But I agree that the over-straining,his life style, smoking, drinking and so on also added to the problem. Fact is, he has a sensitive voice and he has to take (better) care of it. If it's rested and trained, it can still sound fantastic.

 

[BVS]

His shit voice was mostly a result of his allergy to salicyclates (a compound in red wine) Thats one of the main reasons why his voice was shit then and is much better now. Huge difference between Vertigo tour and Popmart. So I wouldn't use that tour as a reference point seeing that it really isn't a true reprentation of his voice due to the afore mentioned condition.

Trust me, you don't sing that way for years and it not damage your throat. I don't buy the allergy thing one bit, I have no doubt that he has an allergy to certain red wines, a lot of people do, but it doesn't put your throat out of comission, unless you are drinking a bottle before you get on stage.

 

[Chill Mike D]

Well...

 

[PowerSurge]

The story behind the soundboard recordings on the Dublin shows from 1989 was that Bono recorded them for a doctor to analize his singing. When the doctor had listend to it, he gave Bono a warning. Contunie to sing like this and your voice will destroyed. Bono gave his all on the remaining shows in 1990.
You could realy hear then on ZooTV how much his voice had changed, he was much more tired in his voice, but still he strained alot, specially on the first legs of ZooTV. He strained and overscreamed "Wide Awake", falsetto screams... He did alot on ZooTV also. On the shows from 1993 his voice was so worned out, he was very tired in his voice.
When he did the surgey there where knots on his cords wich was caused by all the straining, screaming and overuse of his voice.

I heard that too.

Truth is, many singers that earn their money belting out BIG tunes can suffer from knots on their chords. Didn't Celine Dion suffer from that recently? (Geez...did I just bring that name up in a U2 forum??? ) Especially as they age.

Lets face it...Human vocal chords just weren't meant to sing 20-30 songs during 100 or more gigs at a time, or go on tour for two years. Its kind of like your arm isn't built to withstand lancing a ball 95 mph 30-40 times a year either. but people do it...and they all do it better than I do