I'm new here but not a new U2 fan. I've been aware of the band since New Year's Day was on MTV. I became a fan with Joshua Tree and a dedicated fan with Achtung Baby. I loved Zooropa, Pop, ATYCLB. From HTDMAAB, I've felt like U2 records are more a collection of songs than albums. SOE is a bit better as a cohesive whole. I just don't see it having much lasting power in my rotation. The songs don't really mean much to me.
I love all sorts of music. This year I've been to all sorts of concerts:
Spoon, New Pornographers, Elvis Costello, Imelda May, Shovels and Rope, Mastodon, A Perfect Circle, Soundgarden (one of their last), The Avett Brothers, Occam's, Daddy Issues, Diet Cig, The Flaming Lips, clipping, Son Volt, Johnny Irion, Jason Herring & The Mystery Plan, Knives and Daggers, Junior Astronomers, etc.
I'd say none of those artists would be so desperate for radio play as U2. And none are near as successful. I'm not saying what U2 does is wrong, it's just nothing I'm really into. I don't listen to pop radio and that's what U2 seems to want.
I'm also annoyed at the fan club thing. I paid $50 bucks for the chance to roll the dice and maybe get good tickets. It took me 30 minutes of the site crashing to finally be offered $300 tickets. The apology from the fan club was a set of dates that would require me to travel hundreds of miles and spend even more money on hotels. Great, thanks.
The fan club for tickets is almost a form of gambling illegal in my state. I can't think of any big tour act that treats their fans this way. Except for maybe big giant, shallow, pop acts. U2 has moved into that category for me.
This hurts because U2 has meant so much to me over the last 25 years. But I'm sick of being preyed upon by the richest band in the world. Maybe I've got it all wrong but I fear I'm near the end of my fandom.
Apologies for using the intro for this, not sure where else it should go.
I love all sorts of music. This year I've been to all sorts of concerts:
Spoon, New Pornographers, Elvis Costello, Imelda May, Shovels and Rope, Mastodon, A Perfect Circle, Soundgarden (one of their last), The Avett Brothers, Occam's, Daddy Issues, Diet Cig, The Flaming Lips, clipping, Son Volt, Johnny Irion, Jason Herring & The Mystery Plan, Knives and Daggers, Junior Astronomers, etc.
I'd say none of those artists would be so desperate for radio play as U2. And none are near as successful. I'm not saying what U2 does is wrong, it's just nothing I'm really into. I don't listen to pop radio and that's what U2 seems to want.
I'm also annoyed at the fan club thing. I paid $50 bucks for the chance to roll the dice and maybe get good tickets. It took me 30 minutes of the site crashing to finally be offered $300 tickets. The apology from the fan club was a set of dates that would require me to travel hundreds of miles and spend even more money on hotels. Great, thanks.
The fan club for tickets is almost a form of gambling illegal in my state. I can't think of any big tour act that treats their fans this way. Except for maybe big giant, shallow, pop acts. U2 has moved into that category for me.
This hurts because U2 has meant so much to me over the last 25 years. But I'm sick of being preyed upon by the richest band in the world. Maybe I've got it all wrong but I fear I'm near the end of my fandom.
Apologies for using the intro for this, not sure where else it should go.