Songs of Experience - Part IV

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I mean, I think there's podcast talking about the making of Cedarwood Road that said that Edge built the song off of Larry's drum loops (instead of fabricating drums with drum machine).

Edge is (kinda) terrible at keeping rhythm/timing but he can make killer riffs using bass. sure, the sense of groove and all that is certainly Adam's best part but Edge can just lay down the starting point that can catalyze the next session; that's probably why all the members aren't really "working" per se, I think.


In addition, I didn't suggest that U2 is doing Siamese Dreams-type of record making where there are essentially only 2 people playing the record.
 
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^^^^^^

Yep. And U2 also had a traveling studio where they were able to jam together for 6 months.

Like Headache said, they're either close to finished or completely scrapped it.
 
I really think they scrapped it.

With every U2 album, when they are close to the finish line they hammer away. It's a mad rush to get everything finalized, and we just haven't seen evidence of that...yet.

They are more active on social media, where on SOI, we didn't get much out of anyone or anything.....so maybe their mad rush was kept a little more hidden.

Bono is definitely all over the news today. Shame to read the comments about his work/story. You'd think he was worse than ISIS
 
The_acrobat said:
I think there's a lot of truth to that. I imagine if Edge works up the basic music to a song, he can sing a basic melody, to give Bono an idea, a starting point. I'm sure Bono writes 95% of the lyrics (who else could write lyrics like that? Both good and bad). Many of Larry's drum parts throughout U2's career have essentially just been loops. So it makes sense that he would just record some loops and have Edge play off those. Drums are drums, it's pretty black and white (at least in Larry's case).



Edge is constantly adding and tweaking guitar, keyboard, bass and vocal parts. The possibilities are absolutely endless for him to do so, and this is why most of the work falls on his shoulders. I'm not sure how involved in the creative process Adam is anymore. The fact is that Edge is a very good bass player as well (no I'm not basing this on his playing on "40", but rather on the fact that a guitarist as accomplished as himself would no doubt be a good bass player, if only by default). I'm sure if he's working on a song at home, he'll record a bass part to go along with it. He's not going to say "Well no, Adam is the bass player, I'll wait until I'm in the same room as him again, whenever that is...".



As somebody who read Bill Flanagan's "U2 at the end of the world" many times, I get the impression this format goes back at least as far as Zooropa. It was mostly Bono, Edge, Flood and Eno working. Adam seemed busy running around with Naomi Campbell. I'm pretty sure that when it comes to the final recording, you're always hearing Adam on the bass. I'm sure he can take the Edge's bass parts and make them better, or at least make them "sound more Adam". I know a lot of U2's songwriting happens by the 4 of them jamming in a room still. But with the band being farther apart these days, and the advancements in protools, it's unrealistic to think that they write and record ALL their music together.
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There's never been any evidence in their history that shows Edge coming up with too many vocal melodies or bass lines. I'm sure he lays basic ideas down with his garage band demos and may add some basic bass lines, but most evidence shows even as early back as the It Might Get Loud movie is that Edge tinkers with a riff forever, so whatever sketch he comes in with gets a complete facelift by the time they're done. For better or worse.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
Let's all stop with the whole The Edge is driving the album creation thing.

Everyone who's read anything about the band and their creative process knows that the big bang happens when the small man with the god complex walks into the room.

That's why this shit takes so long. Bono's off doing other things, and he is the key to their creativity.
 
I hate how that tax dodging, album forcing fucker is trying to help the terrorists get into Europe and the US!!! He wants to destroy our countries and make Africa the new blank slate for the next global superpower!!!


Seriously, people piss me off. I've had to write MANY times on Facebook about how Bono may use his concerts to raise awareness of certain issues, he has NEVER asked his audience to donate money. If you, me and everybody else in the arena donated $10, that wouldn't even put a dent in the problem. Bono knows that. In terms of the general public, it seems the 2 biggest mistakes U2 / Bono have made is 1. moving parts of their organization out of Ireland to avoid taxes, and 2. Force SOI into all of devices without our permission, thus violating and raping us. Had those 2 things not happened, I think Bono would just be another rock star whose interest in charity is mildly annoying to some. The general public absolutely HATE him right now.
 
I'm with the guy who said U2 don't really care about their true fans. They spew all this hype, and yet albums take YEARS. When the albums finally come out they are far too mainstream and that is because this band is more concerned about attracting the Bieber crowd than doing something for the fans that have stuck with them for DECADES.

U2 were my IDOLS during the 80s, 90s, and even through most of the 00s. But I'm burnt out. It's exhausting following a band that takes 5+ years to do anything anymore..especially when they lead you on for years that the next album will be out "very soon!!!!"...........
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
Let's all stop with the whole The Edge is driving the album creation thing.

Everyone who's read anything about the band and their creative process knows that the big bang happens when the small man with the god complex walks into the room.

That's why this shit takes so long. Bono's off doing other things, and he is the key to their creativity.
Click to expand...

Exactly, you only how to watch From The Sky Down to see this.
 
I'm not sure it's always a case of U2 'chasing hits' by restarting recording sessions, but simply a case of them getting easily bored. It seems like they had a good chunk of new material banked a couple of years ago, and so when they revisit it now, it doesn't seem vital to them. It's like if you leave leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days, and no matter how good the original meal was, you'll naturally be inclined to just make something fresh.

There's also something to the idea of the four of them finally getting together in a studio and jamming to create new music, which may be enough of a rare occurrence these days that whenever it does happen, the guys are so energized that they can't help but focus on what they've just come up with, to the detriment to past material.

The_acrobat said:
In terms of the general public, it seems the 2 biggest mistakes U2 / Bono have made is 1. moving parts of their organization out of Ireland to avoid taxes, and 2. Force SOI into all of devices without our permission, thus violating and raping us. Had those 2 things not happened, I think Bono would just be another rock star whose interest in charity is mildly annoying to some. The general public absolutely HATE him right now.
Click to expand...

It's probably a sad comment on our society that if Bono had the average rock star life (a few broken marriages, a drug habit, run-ins with the law, etc.), he would somehow be vastly more respected than he is now, after spending over 30 years of his life championing several important causes. While Bono can certainly overdo it with the messaging at times, I simply can't understand why the guy is SO hated.

Reason one: if I had a multi-million dollar company and could save a fortune in taxes by way of a perfectly legal tax strategy, I'd totally do it.

Reason two: if any hot pop star or critical darling had pulled off the iTunes automatic release, the media would've fallen all over themselves praising it. If Beyonce or Taylor Swift do it, they're hailed as innovators. If Radiohead does it, Pitchfork explodes from a typing orgasm. As usual, U2 is ahead of their time and ends up taking all the early flak for something that will probably be commonplace in 5-10 years time.
 
The_acrobat said:
I hate how that tax dodging, album forcing fucker is trying to help the terrorists get into Europe and the US!!! He wants to destroy our countries and make Africa the new blank slate for the next global superpower!!!


Seriously, people piss me off. I've had to write MANY times on Facebook about how Bono may use his concerts to raise awareness of certain issues, he has NEVER asked his audience to donate money. If you, me and everybody else in the arena donated $10, that wouldn't even put a dent in the problem. Bono knows that. In terms of the general public, it seems the 2 biggest mistakes U2 / Bono have made is 1. moving parts of their organization out of Ireland to avoid taxes, and 2. Force SOI into all of devices without our permission, thus violating and raping us. Had those 2 things not happened, I think Bono would just be another rock star whose interest in charity is mildly annoying to some. The general public absolutely HATE him right now.
Click to expand...

Haha, I read your comment on facebook. I so agree. I mean, it does bother me a bit IN THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT when Bono goes into a monologue that's a bit too long. But that's just the excitement of the concert and wanting the music in that moment. I totally get why he does it though, and would never dare complain about it. And then the tax argument... Oh well, being a U2 fan also means standing the criticism I guess.

As for the album, we all know how it goes. Edge comes up with an idea, they get together in the studio to see where they can take it. Either it takes off (often due to Bono's creative spark), or it doesn't. The problem in our particular case is that we have no idea where in the process they are. Edge tinkering by himself could indicate either that they are done and he's just playing around, or it's back to start. Or they could have a part of the songs (nearly) finished but want/need a few more. And hence Edge starts at 0 with just a few songs. That would be the most fitting with Edge's comments about the status of the album. But it also means it can take anywhere between a few weeks and a few years before SOE is finished...
 
PopFly said:
I'm not sure it's always a case of U2 'chasing hits' by restarting recording sessions, but simply a case of them getting easily bored. It seems like they had a good chunk of new material banked a couple of years ago, and so when they revisit it now, it doesn't seem vital to them. It's like if you leave leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days, and no matter how good the original meal was, you'll naturally be inclined to just make something fresh.
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That's all true, with the exception of something like Bolognese or a Lasagne, which actually matures in the fridge for a few days and can often be even nicer when reheated!!

Here's hoping anyway!

Roll on Songs of Leftovers
 
Confirmed rumour: the lead single for Songs of Experience will be "Lasagne (There Is No End to Leftovers)".
 
The Morning After Burritos is going to be the best album opener since Zooropa.

Much More Butter will slay as the closer.
 
Zoocoustic said:
I'm with the guy who said U2 don't really care about their true fans. They spew all this hype, and yet albums take YEARS. When the albums finally come out they are far too mainstream and that is because this band is more concerned about attracting the Bieber crowd than doing something for the fans that have stuck with them for DECADES.



U2 were my IDOLS during the 80s, 90s, and even through most of the 00s. But I'm burnt out. It's exhausting following a band that takes 5+ years to do anything anymore..especially when they lead you on for years that the next album will be out "very soon!!!!"...........
Click to expand...


Confirmed rumor: Beiber is on the next album cover hugging Larry.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
U2 have always a) wanted to be huge commercially, saying otherwise is revisionist history, and b) been incredibly self conscious.

These are not two things that go together well. As they get older and get families and other interests, it only makes the process longer.

But this is not something that's new.
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
Let's all stop with the whole The Edge is driving the album creation thing.

Everyone who's read anything about the band and their creative process knows that the big bang happens when the small man with the god complex walks into the room.

That's why this shit takes so long. Bono's off doing other things, and he is the key to their creativity.
Click to expand...

yea, I don't think Bono gets enough credit to be honest. yea yea, his ego and complex etc., but to me, he is the driving creative force of the band.
 
I think you're all wrong. Adam Clayton is the driving creative force of U2.

This was proven during his solo tour:

 
IMG_4594.jpg


Bono's transformation into Geddy Lee continues...
 
Bono will start playing bass and keyboard simultaneously during live concert, which will probably make Adam pretty useless.
 
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