Since we're always looking at setlists and tracklistings, I thought I'd raise a question that I've thought of before that could have changed U2's career significantly. First, R&H could have been a double disc live album with a few of the new songs thrown in but no covers unless it was from the Joshua Tree Tour. Something closer to Under a Blood Red Sky, I guess.
But, more importantly, what if U2 had simply toured with Zoo TV in 1992/93 simply off of Achtung Baby, and then come out with POP in 1995, touring again in '96 & '97? The Machpisto character could have been introduced during POPMART and would still have been a perfect evolution from Zoo TV. As for the album, I'd propose something like this:
Zooropa
Numb (industrial remix version on video only)
Mofo
If God would send his Angels (single version)
Please (single version)
Stay
Hold me, Thrill me
Staring at the Sun
The First Time
Discotheque
Gone
Ditch the Discotheque video and lead off with Hold Me, Thrill Me or Numb. Promote the album as U2 exploring new colors with Numb, Mofo, Discotheque, etc., mixed in with some rockers and a few ballads. I believe this would have been a solid if not great album, and ATYCLB would still have succeeded in 2000 due to the rampant bubblegum trash and the need to get back to what U2 does best - soaring, uplifting athems and an earnest, elevating world tour.
Hard to argue with U2's success just as it is...this is something that I've just thought about occasionally and now finally put it into writing.
But, more importantly, what if U2 had simply toured with Zoo TV in 1992/93 simply off of Achtung Baby, and then come out with POP in 1995, touring again in '96 & '97? The Machpisto character could have been introduced during POPMART and would still have been a perfect evolution from Zoo TV. As for the album, I'd propose something like this:
Zooropa
Numb (industrial remix version on video only)
Mofo
If God would send his Angels (single version)
Please (single version)
Stay
Hold me, Thrill me
Staring at the Sun
The First Time
Discotheque
Gone
Ditch the Discotheque video and lead off with Hold Me, Thrill Me or Numb. Promote the album as U2 exploring new colors with Numb, Mofo, Discotheque, etc., mixed in with some rockers and a few ballads. I believe this would have been a solid if not great album, and ATYCLB would still have succeeded in 2000 due to the rampant bubblegum trash and the need to get back to what U2 does best - soaring, uplifting athems and an earnest, elevating world tour.
Hard to argue with U2's success just as it is...this is something that I've just thought about occasionally and now finally put it into writing.