SOE 14: The Morning after Meltdown

[dan_smee]

Is Adam saying that they are waiting until SOE is released before planning where to tour? That would mean live shows are a loooooong time away.
Surely they have a tour plan outlined by this stage.

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Or that the album delay isn't a huge one


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[JamietheEdgefan]

If SoE is their 'last hurrah' in chasing a hit, then i could imagine whatever comes next being finished relatively effortlessly. The big delays in the last couple of albums have been over polishing and crafting songs into hits. Without that agenda, they likely won't agonise over the material too much.

Let's face it: The odds of SoE yielding a hit are probably quite slim. Even if they do, I could imagine them calling it a day (in terms of making hits) because it would've been 2 failed attempts (NLOTH and SoI) to get a success with SoE, and they'd want to finish on a good note. But if SoE fails to get a hit, then that'll be 3 albums in a row.

Whatever happens, I think we'll see a different U2 after Songs of Experience... that is, if they decide to stay together.

I could see them taking a 3-5 year rest, then coming out with something more adventurous and ballsy in the form of an experimental SoA, with a big stadium tour that ties the new material in with the hits in a more tactical way than 360 did.

 

[trevgreg]

I'd bet SoA exists as rough song concepts/overall themes more than anything else. I bet it could be turned into any style they feel like at the time. I think Adam was saying "we're not doing stadiums for the I&E tour, but maybe for the next tour... which SoA might be tied to".

Also, personally I'm disregarding any previous assumptions of SOA's direction (originally described as ambient, ethereal and experimental). I have a feeling U2 are just keeping the title and concept of 'Songs' as a trilogy and scrapping the recorded material. Those songs would've been on the backburner for 7+ years at this point and I can't see it being released just as the Rick Rubin album wasn't.

I think you both might be right And like the idea for the Rubin material, they could always just adapt the songs/ideas from that period into a certain way that differs from the original incarnations.

 

[Sr. Poop]

SOA

WOuld work well to end the trilogy and touch upon concepts of death and after life.


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[BVS]

From PRB216's post...

-Interestingly he also mentions Songs of Ascent is still a project in the works (but down the line) and thinks that those eventual songs will have them return to stadiums/outdoor gigs. Later on he says it is indeed in the pipeline and they will return to it at some point.

Might've been just how they wrote it, but I thought it was a little odd based on their past descriptions of that material. I know a few fans on here felt that the album didn't lend itself to the 360 spectacle for at least half of its songs, but who knows...

I didn't see that part that is weird indeed.


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[BEAL]

The problem with U2 is we are always talking of albums that haven't been made yet.


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[CosmoKramer]

I am just waiting for the day that if TRUMP is elected i will lose EVERYTHING; my wife, my house, my car(s), my life. I mean, okay, it's one thing that Bono has been friends with the Clinton's all of these years. So of course he is pulling for them. It's another that we will all mysteriously die if she loses. This from the guy who wants to send Amy Schumer to fight ISIS. And who spammed every iphone on the planet with their last album. He's literally writing the script for the next South Park parody of himself and mailing it in.

I stay out of political conversations whenever possible because they rarely remain civil and terms like "moron", "idiot", "ignorant" or worse are usually thrown.

With that said, all I will say is that you seem to be a rational and bright person(written with sincerity)






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[zoocarolina]

Shocking to hear SOA mentioned again and that's definitely exciting!!! I would bet the ranch that SOE is March with a single in Dec/Jan and who knows the tweaks may turn it from really good to great. I'm just shocked they played I heart and will play Dreamforce as one offs, they don't do one offs well. They need to be in rehearsals for a long time or be in mid tour form to knock it out.


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[ChargedVT]

It's weird... I keep having "The Best Thing" stuck in my head and singing it to myself, and yet I won't hear the song for the first time for 4 months... assuming it's still the lead single.

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[Mrs. Garrison]

I stay out of political conversations whenever possible because they rarely remain civil and terms like "moron", "idiot", "ignorant" or worse are usually thrown.

With that said, all I will say is that you seem to be a rational and bright person(written with sincerity)






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appreciate your comment

 

[jphelmet]

i've been reading these threads the last few months, and was certainly disappointed by the iheart fest. I was surprised (although I shouldn't have been) they didn't at least play a new song, and release something. The thought of not being a fan or giving up because U2 does exactly what U2 always does seems silly.

I do find it funny though that there seems to be an expectation emerging from a few comments made in passing that they will return to experimental U2 and not care what people think, and effortlessly let albums go. I would love for this to be true, but having followed U2 for 30 years, I know that is probably unlikely. That is why there are all these meltdowns, fans put crazy, unfounded expectations on the band that have no basis in reality. I can see the meltdowns already with whatever they do next.

As for Iheart fest, the trump thing was somewhat funny, but so absurdly ridiculous and over the top- Bono has become an absolute parody of himself (again). He really has become so out of touch in so many ways.

This post absolutely nails it:

I am just waiting for the day that if TRUMP is elected i will lose EVERYTHING; my wife, my house, my car(s), my life. I mean, okay, it's one thing that Bono has been friends with the Clinton's all of these years. So of course he is pulling for them. It's another that we will all mysteriously die if she loses. This from the guy who wants to send Amy Schumer to fight ISIS. And who spammed every iphone on the planet with their last album. He's literally writing the script for the next South Park parody of himself and mailing it in.

I like Bono. I agree with him on many things, but he really seems to be increasingly out of touch with how people perceive and hear him. I am starting to grow tired of him, and I genuinely like, respect and agree with him most of the time.

I am ok with the facts. U2 is an out of touch and there is now way they can be really popular again with a new generation. Bono needs to remember his own line of "two crap albums and your are done". While I enjoyed NLOTH and SOI, commercially speaking they both fit his definition of crap albums. They are done in terms of anyone, other than people who are already fans, caring about their new music. This should give them great freedom, but sadly they just keep going further down the rabbit hole chasing something they will never return to.

 

[Hewson]

Nobody likes a smug, angry Canadian.

Says the smug, condescending American.

 

[Axver]

Yeah, be quiet foreigners, engage with us how we want you to engage.

 

[Irvine511]

Says the smug, condescending American.

Somewhere along the line the point (in this instance you're quoting, the point was being ironically made) about the danger of making incomplete generalizations and stereotypes about entire countries got lost.

For that I am sorry.

 

[Irvine511]

My issue isn't so much people weighing in, but it would be nice if people on the outside realized better that domestic politics, culture, history, regionalism, etc., are all quite complex and difficult to understand even when you live here, and likely impossible from the outside. It's not so much you can't have an opinion, but it would be nice if there were some tempering of let ME tell YOU what's wrong with YOUR COUNTRY. That's going to be 1) incomplete, and, 2) inspire a "who the fuck do you think you are?" reaction in a lot of people.

Yeah, be quiet foreigners, engage with us how we want you to engage.

Yeah, that's what I said. Ok.

 

[The_acrobat]

According to someone who talked to Joe O, the schedule will look like this;

North America- Spring (specifically beginning in April he said)
Europe- Summer
Australia - Late 2017 (maybe some asian dates in here as well?)
South America - Early 2018

So assuming this info is correct, they would have to follow a similar schedule to what the Pop era was like.
Single in January
Tickets onsale February/March-ish
Album Release beginning of March
Tour begins April

I know, the last leg tickets were sold in December and the tour didn't start until May. But U2 don't really need 6 months to sell tickets, 2-3 will do just fine.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Says the smug, condescending American.

 

[Zoomerang96]

I dont care that the band didnt play a new song or that they aren't releasing new music this year. Part of me would probably be relieved if they never did again as it feels every time they do it stains their legacy. Do we need another Boots, Elevation, or Volcano? Fuck me those are bad songs. And yet they played two of them in a semi-set last night.

... Which is what disappoints me most. As others have said, it would be nice to hear U2 play songs their fans want to hear and not songs they think the masses want to hear. Its perfectly clear theyre out of touch in that regard.

It would be great if U2 released new music as they saw fit and toured as they wanted, playing a mix of songs that appeals to them as musicians. In 2009 I last saw the band at Wembley and they managed to squeeze nearly all my most hated material into one two hour time slot. I havent been tempted to waste my money on them since.

U2 Concert Setlist at Wembley Stadium, London on August 14, 2009 | setlist.fm

 

[CosmoKramer]

I dont care that the band didnt play a new song or that they aren't releasing new music this year. Part of me would probably be relieved if they never did again as it feels every time they do it stains their legacy. Do we need another Boots, Elevation, or Volcano? Fuck me those are bad songs. And yet they played two of them in a semi-set last night.

... Which is what disappoints me most. As others have said, it would be nice to hear U2 play songs their fans want to hear and not songs they think the masses want to hear. Its perfectly clear theyre out of touch in that regard.

Every concert I have been to since 2001(~7 shows), they have played Elevation. At every single one of those shows, the crowd went wild and sang along as loud or even louder than any 80's or 90's "warhorse".

While I agree with you on Boots, I feel that Elevation adds to their legacy(save for the video, which was downright embarrassing). Heck, even non-U2 fans in Foxboro MA love that song(it was the Patriots TD song for years).





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[Zoomerang96]

Elevation is naff no matter whether the entire planet loves it and I, being the sole voice of reason, don't.

But nevertheless I dont mean to digress too far, Mr Pennypacker

 

[dan_smee]

U2 didn't play the songs I like, Wah Wah Wah. They play the songs that get the best reactions. Deal with it.


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[Zoomerang96]

U2 didn't play the songs I like, Wah Wah Wah. They play the songs that get the best reactions. Deal with it.


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Waaaaahhhh waaaaahhhhhhhhh waaaaahhhhhhhhh

Fuckin hell you managed to make an even worse post than mine, and I'm actively trying to come across poorly here.

 

[DaveC]

boy this thread has been fun today.

 

[dan_smee]

Waaaaahhhh waaaaahhhhhhhhh waaaaahhhhhhhhh

Fuckin hell you managed to make an even worse post than mine, and I'm actively trying to come across poorly here.

 

[Axver]

Yeah, that's what I said. Ok.

It pretty much is. "Hey, before you say whatever, remember THIS and THAT, because they are obviously unique to my country,* and once you do you better not forget to frame your input in a certain way."

*Spoiler alert: they're not. Don't even try to play the "my country's complexities are more complex than your country's complexities" card.

 

[dan_smee]

It pretty much is. "Hey, before you say whatever, remember THIS and THAT, because they are obviously unique to my country,* and once you do you better not forget to frame your input in a certain way."

*Spoiler alert: they're not. Don't even try to play the "my country's complexities are more complex than your country's complexities" card.

Further to this - somone like Axver, or Bono, or you know, millions of people, know FAR MORE about the American political system than a good number of Americans do. The disengaged masses don't by rights know more than the particularly engaged (and presently frightened) just because they happen to live there.

 

[Peterrrrr]

After listening to the soundboard on this show I must say that ISHFWILF sounds really great, Bono actually sings out the words more.
Havent heard him sound like this in a long time on this song.

 

[CMIS]

Bono is over the top. He pisses me off sometimes too. You know, Trump could just come back with a tweet: I stand accused of the things I said @bono #u2sucks #dinosaurband #Upayyourtaxes2.

While I love WLCTT and have used that line many times during arguments, it doesn't fit a presidential candidate. The words he says matters a hell of a lot. I am surprised and disappointed that some here seems to be playing the foreigners-don't-understand-our-country card and even going so far as to imply that foreigners should not say anything about the shitstorm brewing.

The lesser point here is that that is a ridiculous statement considering America's military and economic interventions into other countries and societies around the world. It's a lesser point because it's a tit for tat argument and can sound churlish to Americans.

The greater point is that, to say Trump doesn't warrant any kind of protest, be it by foreigners, is plain wrong. I am sceptical of the political establishment. I happen to think that if (god forbid) trump is elected foreign policy and interventionism will remain relatively unchanged (unless he says kim jong un has a small penis). Obama has overseen drone strikes that have killed hundreds of thousand civilians.

But while you may not immediately lose your job, house or car, trump's ascension to the office will harm america most, at least in the short term. He will have given official sanction, just through the power of his words, for further division in an already racially divided country. And that will have a knock-on effect.

I was born and live in a country halfway across the world that in the 1960s and 70s suffered untold atrocities partly because of American policies in that region, and we are still struggling to leave that legacy behind. Even in a place full of good people like interference I cannot fully identify myself because of what has gone on in America. Brexit will make UK weaker but in the long run the xenophobia will have knock on effects throughout the world. The same multiplied by two or three will happen in Trump's america.

So I applaud Bono for sticking up for the rest of us and also the Americans who don't want a racist billionaire to hijack a country as powerful and meaningful to the rest of the world as America.

Sorry for the rant, but seeing people I respect say things I cannot respect has depressed me a little.

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[chocky]

U2 didn't play the songs I like, Wah Wah Wah. They play the songs that get the best reactions. Deal with it.


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You've just inspired me to drag this hidden gem out....

 

[CMIS]

I think they're actually quite adventurous sonically, which is why we got Passengers in the 90's, North African music in NLOTH, and an album full of Dangermouse produced 'Sleep Like a Baby Tonight' style songs (before they got reeled back and added producers to make more hits). Larry and Edge both mentioned that whilst making SoI, the sounds got pretty weird, and that in an album making process they'll explore a lot before reeling themselves back in. So they seem to naturally gravitate towards more avant-garde stuff.

But they're also a stadium band, pretty much always have been. They've shown a drive for 'big' music, and i don't think that makes them sellouts - they just want to have songs that are uplifting, and a stadium crowd that is engaged and goes crazy.

So, musically I'd say they're naturally geared towards experimentation. But they personally like writing anthems. I don't think there's a 'post-pop' version of u2 that sold out, i think maybe they just got a little more transparent about what the really want (which is to be a big band making big music). That's how they've always been.

Perhaps after SoE they'll accept those days are behind them (they're unlikely to have any more big singles), and explore that adventurous side a little more. But during gigs it'll be hard to reconcile the 'weirder' stuff with the classic hits... they'd be so fundamentally distinct.

You know, I was sure of anthemic being their natural persona but after reading your post I am not sure. Even as far back as Boy (eg An Cat Dubh), weird sounds seemed to be their thing. They may always have gravitated towards that. Weird elements set in rock music could be a good way to describe them.

Not sure now. Kind of thought that soaring choruses and ringing guitars were their thing.

Put another way, it could be that what they search for is the atmospheric, weird experiments to concoct something beautiful. But what they are most comfortable with is the 80s stuff. Dunno.

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