Almost Finished with U2

[dreamletter]

Yes, that's right, I'm almost done with U2. They look to me as though they can't be bothered anymore. It used to be all killer and no filler but since (to my mind) HTDAAB it's just gone downhill fast. Pointless anniversary tours to songs I don't listen to the end of. And now Bono saying he's embarrassed by almost all of their music aside from Miss Sarajevo and Vertigo . When the artist states that they like so little of what they create, for me the passion has gone and it's out of alignment to be listening to it anymore. I'm curious to know what other people's views are?

 

[DaveC]

Yes, that's right, I'm almost done with U2.

omg bono is posting on interference

 

[dan_smee]

Meh. Forty years, it’s a long time. It’s nothing that needs a grandiose leabe statement. They want to still make some music, I’ll listen. Will they ever be what they were? Probably not. Do I care? No. There’s been some good tunes of the last 20 years, even if there’s been some clangers along the way. The thought that is has to be perfect or nothing is the most anti-artistic statement a person can make, by the way.

 

[pacemaker]

k

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

You'll be back

 

[LemonMelon]

Dreamletter: not on board

 

[MrPryck2U]

U2 will always be my Number 1 band. I'm in it for the long haul.

 

[The John Tree]

Don’t worry. The way this band is heading, it sounds like U2 is almost done with U2 as well.

Such a shame.

 

[Salome]

Oh no

 

[Hollow Island]

Bono's been saying he's embarrassed by U2's music since the 80s and saying he "just learned how to sing" since 2000

Just because Vertigo and Miss Sarajevo are the only songs he enjoys listening to doesn't mean they're the only songs he enjoys. It's not uncommon for musicians to dislike their recordings anyway - they hear what they think they could have done better. He clearly likes to perform U2 songs.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i finally listened to the entire 90 minute podcast - and the part that's being put out in the media is such a minor and insignificant part of the interview.

newsworthy for U2 fans - Bono admits they should have put out Moment of Surrender as the first single from No Line.

 

[pacemaker]

MoS as the first single (and opener?) of a different - more in line with the making-of clips, no middle 3, etc yada yada - NLOTH would have made people go bonkers, I think. A(nother) modern classic along with the record making tour? People would be practically begging for the next album for free on their phone as a surprise with no easy way to take it off.

I hate "What-ifs", but I thrive on them and this is a biiiiiig one.

 

[MrPryck2U]

i finally listened to the entire 90 minute podcast - and the part that's being put out in the media is such a minor and insignificant part of the interview.

newsworthy for U2 fans - Bono admits they should have put out Moment of Surrender as the first single from No Line.

I kinda had a feeling that might be the case. I think people saying that they're almost finished with U2 is a bit of an overreaction, but to each their own. If U2's music is no longer enjoyable for people, then they should certainly discontinue listening to them. I had plenty of times where I didn't listen to U2 for months. But, then I'll listen to them again for weeks on end. As matter of fact, right now in my car, I've got an 80's U2 CD in my player that's been in there for a week. Yes, sometimes I'm lazy, but my drive to work is short.


I knew it about about MOS. My favorite track on No Line.

 

[lazarus]

Well, at least now we know they know we were right.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Well, at least now we know they know we were right.

Right and when they celebrate the (insert anniversary) of No Line, they can right another wrong and OMIT Get on Your Boots from any and all remasters.

I'm sure a lot of people were "finished" with U2 thanks to Get on Your Boots.

I can see it now. A support group for people who are finished with U2.

Person 1: I was finished with U2 when I heard Discoteque.

Person 2: I was finished with U2 when I heard Get on Your Boots.

Person 3: I was finished with U2 when Bono said he was embarrassed by their earlier work and that he hated the name U2.

Person 4: I was finished with U2 when I heard The Fly.

Everyone: What!?!

 

[cobl04]

i finally listened to the entire 90 minute podcast - and the part that's being put out in the media is such a minor and insignificant part of the interview.

newsworthy for U2 fans - Bono admits they should have put out Moment of Surrender as the first single from No Line.

I've listened to and I found it a bit more disappointing than you let on. That part the media has focused on is very short and minor and insignificant, but they're clearly the most interesting parts to a general audience. Who the fuck wants to read an article that's like Bono and The Edge talk about the history of the band in generalities for the millionth time?

It's also insane to me that they wouldn't do over the iTunes thing, that they would do over Spiderman. (I can't even remember what the fuck that was all about, no one does.)

And finally, on your last point, he fucks up. The question is about which song they most expected to become a hit and it didn't, and he answers putting out Get Out of Your Own Way as the first single, when they should have picked Moment of Surrender - just off by two albums and eight years, Bono

But it is quite disheartening that in my view they're so wrong about their own music. I understand why he's proud of Vertigo, it was huge, and it is heaps of fun live, as much as I'd be glad not to hear it again. But they expected Get Out to become a hit - it's so irredeemably bad. They really think the new Sing 2 song is this great, transformative, meaningful piece of music.

There were some nice parts though. Talking about the power of their live shows, Edge saying some nice things about Bono's early years. I also thought it was interesting getting an insight into the anxiety that drives their bad decisions. I so often think of them as not human, so I feel the tiniest bit more empathetic towards them now, even though I wish someone would just shake them and tell them to go the other way. (But then, I also found myself a little frustrated with their sense of their own importance and their legacy... it's almost like well, this is what U2 is and has to be and we have to follow this path.)

 

[The Panther]

"Moment of Surrender" would have been a commercial dud as a first single, but no worse than the actual (and cringe-inducing) first single they issued, so no further harm done, I guess. There were no hits on that album, so probably the noble thing to have done would be no singles. I guess U2's default revisionism regarding their failed 2009-10 album period is now the "wrong 1st single" syndrome, which of course is nonsense. (See the revisionism regarding their 1988-89 minor critical backlash ["it grew into this BIG thing that we didn't actually want!"], and the 1997-98 backlash ["We just didn't have enough time to finish Pop properly... we needed three more years!"].)

Anyway, people are suddenly disappointed with U2's music now... Er, not really a shocker at this point, is it? They've pretty much been following the same veteran-band formula since 2000, with continually mixed results.

Also, they are now 3 years from being senior citizens with free bus passes.

 

[mikal]

I've listened to and I found it a bit more disappointing than you let on. That part the media has focused on is very short and minor and insignificant, but they're clearly the most interesting parts to a general audience. Who the fuck wants to read an article that's like Bono and The Edge talk about the history of the band in generalities for the millionth time?

It's also insane to me that they wouldn't do over the iTunes thing, that they would do over Spiderman. (I can't even remember what the fuck that was all about, no one does.)

And finally, on your last point, he fucks up. The question is about which song they most expected to become a hit and it didn't, and he answers putting out Get Out of Your Own Way as the first single, when they should have picked Moment of Surrender - just off by two albums and eight years, Bono

But it is quite disheartening that in my view they're so wrong about their own music. I understand why he's proud of Vertigo, it was huge, and it is heaps of fun live, as much as I'd be glad not to hear it again. But they expected Get Out to become a hit - it's so irredeemably bad. They really think the new Sing 2 song is this great, transformative, meaningful piece of music.

There were some nice parts though. Talking about the power of their live shows, Edge saying some nice things about Bono's early years. I also thought it was interesting getting an insight into the anxiety that drives their bad decisions. I so often think of them as not human, so I feel the tiniest bit more empathetic towards them now, even though I wish someone would just shake them and tell them to go the other way. (But then, I also found myself a little frustrated with their sense of their own importance and their legacy... it's almost like well, this is what U2 is and has to be and we have to follow this path.)

I have no problem with them feeling so warm towards Vertigo. A lot of times, bands will feel that way about songs that were most fun to write and play in the studio, and I bet they were ecstatic as this song pieced together.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i don't remember them saying that they expected Get Out Of Your Own Way to be a hit. i heard Bono accidently call Get On Your Boots "Get Out Your Way" - which, i mean, i'm not going to kill the guy for mixing up the titles of two songs that contain the words Get, Your and a word that starts with O.

and as someone who thinks the iTunes debacle has permanently damaged their reputation - i can also see why Edge picked Spiderman because, well, they invested a lot of their own money and put a ton of time into something that turned out to be a complete disaster. it was the most expensive broadway production of all time (at the time) and i don't think it ever got out of previews.

re: bono and edge talking about the history of the band... outside of the nutjob fans you find here who the hell knows that shit? you might know a thing here or there, but does anyone who doesn't have an interference account really know what Lypton Village was?

the craziest part of the thing was their weird affinity for New Radicals.

 

[lazarus]

"Moment of Surrender" would have been a commercial dud as a first single, but no worse than the actual (and cringe-inducing) first single they issued, so no further harm done, I guess. There were no hits on that album, so probably the noble thing to have done would be no singles.

Moment of Surrender wouldn't have burned up the charts, but it would have earned them more respect from an audience waiting to hear their next move, and been a more accurate representation of the album it was previewing. Boots (which I actually like) turned a lot of people off and made them not even want to hear the album.

It's also likely there would have been a single/radio edit of the song and it could have gone over as well as Stuck, who knows? And it could have been a powerful performance at the Grammys that might have converted even more people.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

how come people are incapable of seeing a slower song as a lead single?

who gives a turkey what kind of song it is. is it the best song? yes? that's your lead single.

 

[lazarus]

Well I’m not sure if “Best” automatically equals single. Many feel The Troubles is the best on SOI. Not a good single choice. I think Running to Stand Still is JT’s best. Not a single. Or Acrobat.

But I agree with your general point that a slow song shouldn’t be ruled out. When you’re dropping a big left turn album like Achtung Baby, you want to make a splash. But for a more introspective album mostly recorded in Morocco? Boots wasn’t the right choice, and MOS fits both the album as well as its accompanying artwork/promo images.

 

[DeVaul]

Magnificent had the best of both worlds - that driving, chiming guitar coupled with atmospheric elements that hinted at a record that was quite different from the previous two. MOS as a second single to drive home the point would’ve supported the approach without miffing the album launch at radio.

 

[ascender_RS]

Yes, that's right, I'm almost done with U2.

But not quite? What would it take to tip the decision one way or the other?

Honestly, I don't know what people expect from a band who've been together for this long... you're bound to get hits and misses; bad decisions along the way and of course, all of these things might look different when you're now in your 60s and looking back on it all.

 

[phanan]

Magnificent had the best of both worlds - that driving, chiming guitar coupled with atmospheric elements that hinted at a record that was quite different from the previous two. MOS as a second single to drive home the point would’ve supported the approach without miffing the album launch at radio.

I support this statement.

 

[mikal]

But not quite? What would it take to tip the decision one way or the other?

Honestly, I don't know what people expect from a band who've been together for this long... you're bound to get hits and misses; bad decisions along the way and of course, all of these things might look different when you're now in your 60s and looking back on it all.

I'm thinking "Your Song Saved My Life - Tiesto Remix" fan club release would be the tipping point.

 

[Hewson]

I'm thinking "Your Song Saved My Life - Tiesto Remix" fan club release would be the tipping point.

But in which direction?

 

[DeVaul]

but in which direction?

 

[MattD]

Boots is an utter mess of a song, but I don’t think it’s offensively bad like I’ll Go Crazy. If I were the interviewer, I’d be saying the failure of that album is that song. Kind of sums up why it failed - that desperate contrived, middle of the road shite that torpedoes the album dead. You could release Moment of Surrender as the lead single but the album would still have failed regardless.

And getting that coffee salesman Will.I.Am on board to help write I’ll Go Crazy, well to be brutal any band deserves to kill their career with such embarrassing creative choices. No way back from that.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Boots is an utter mess of a song, but I don’t think it’s offensively bad like I’ll Go Crazy. If I were the interviewer, I’d be saying the failure of that album is that song. Kind of sums up why it failed - that desperate contrived, middle of the road shite that torpedoes the album dead. You could release Moment of Surrender as the lead single but the album would still have failed regardless.

And getting that coffee salesman Will.I.Am on board to help write I’ll Go Crazy, well to be brutal any band deserves to kill their career with such embarrassing creative choices. No way back from that.

Will.I.Am sells coffee?