So with SOE now released, we have been getting bits of info on "how" this album was made. It made me think back over the decades about how U2 has written songs, made records and how that has changed, or in some ways stayed the same .
I've been a fan since TUF and have tried to keep up pretty well with the band and such, but I'm sure there are others here with a lot more insight.
The first window into their creative process that I remember was the "Making of The Unforgettable Fire" documentary. At the time, it seemed as though Eno/Lanois were producers in the traditional sense, not necessarily "co-collaborators", but again, others may know more of the inside scoop!
The first "aha" moment for me was Eno getting co-writing credit on Luminous Times, but again, I don't know how involved Brian and Danny were in the actual creation of the songs on the album.
I remember R&H being the first time that Bono mentioned his obsession with being able to play U2 songs on an acoustic guitar, an obsession that's never left, for good or bad!!
Again, in my opinion, the 90's were U2's creative peak, AB through Pop, but then the creative process seems to get cloudy. Eno upset about songwriting credits on ATYCLB, the "collaboration" on NLOTH, then we come to the current period.
I admit, as much as I love Summer of Love, it's nagging me a bit that Ryan Tedder/One Republic MAY have written huge portions of the song, but without songwriting credit. It nagged me a little that he wrote the chorus melody of EBW, not because of the quality, I love it, but no songwriting credit.
I know lines are blurred often with producers/writers/co-creators etc, but to ME, this may be a transparency issue for U2. Are they seeking relevance and the "fountain of youth" so badly that they will pay other songwriters to NOT get a co-writing credit, and pretend it's their own work??
I love Brian Wilson, and am glad he has still been making good records over the last 30 years, but sometimes it's had to determine how much of it is Brian, really, and how much is it his collaborators doing Brian Wilson imitations??
Is it like when Aerosmith started writing with Desmond Child and Diane Warren?? Anyone and Glen Ballard??? Where the "future is drying up", so lets keep the band/artist on life support as long as we can , under the "illusion" that they "still have it"??
Again, I am asking those who know more about these things to please chime in?? I don't know what I think right now. It won't stop me from enjoying SOE, but it may help us understand where the band is REALLY at creatively after 40 years.
Thoughts??
I've been a fan since TUF and have tried to keep up pretty well with the band and such, but I'm sure there are others here with a lot more insight.
The first window into their creative process that I remember was the "Making of The Unforgettable Fire" documentary. At the time, it seemed as though Eno/Lanois were producers in the traditional sense, not necessarily "co-collaborators", but again, others may know more of the inside scoop!
The first "aha" moment for me was Eno getting co-writing credit on Luminous Times, but again, I don't know how involved Brian and Danny were in the actual creation of the songs on the album.
I remember R&H being the first time that Bono mentioned his obsession with being able to play U2 songs on an acoustic guitar, an obsession that's never left, for good or bad!!
Again, in my opinion, the 90's were U2's creative peak, AB through Pop, but then the creative process seems to get cloudy. Eno upset about songwriting credits on ATYCLB, the "collaboration" on NLOTH, then we come to the current period.
I admit, as much as I love Summer of Love, it's nagging me a bit that Ryan Tedder/One Republic MAY have written huge portions of the song, but without songwriting credit. It nagged me a little that he wrote the chorus melody of EBW, not because of the quality, I love it, but no songwriting credit.
I know lines are blurred often with producers/writers/co-creators etc, but to ME, this may be a transparency issue for U2. Are they seeking relevance and the "fountain of youth" so badly that they will pay other songwriters to NOT get a co-writing credit, and pretend it's their own work??
I love Brian Wilson, and am glad he has still been making good records over the last 30 years, but sometimes it's had to determine how much of it is Brian, really, and how much is it his collaborators doing Brian Wilson imitations??
Is it like when Aerosmith started writing with Desmond Child and Diane Warren?? Anyone and Glen Ballard??? Where the "future is drying up", so lets keep the band/artist on life support as long as we can , under the "illusion" that they "still have it"??
Again, I am asking those who know more about these things to please chime in?? I don't know what I think right now. It won't stop me from enjoying SOE, but it may help us understand where the band is REALLY at creatively after 40 years.
Thoughts??