Gene simmons accuses U2 of using backing tracks at gigs

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gvox said:
What sort of shimmy sound?


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It's kinda piano-y or like bells, but not quite. Goes right with the drum backing track in the first couple seconds of the track. Was more audible on 360 than other tours for me. It goes along with Edge's infinite guitar. Really haven't a clue how to name this properly. :lol: But I assume it is a backing track or Terry playing keys or something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZtsEY7AVMg
 
Galeongirl said:
It's kinda piano-y or like bells, but not quite. Goes right with the drum backing track in the first couple seconds of the track. Was more audible on 360 than other tours for me. It goes along with Edge's infinite guitar. Really haven't a clue how to name this properly. :lol: But I assume it is a backing track or Terry playing keys or something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZtsEY7AVMg
Click to expand...


Ah, yes that is an arpeggiated key/bell riff. Very similar to Bad. That's on the track... It can easily be played on a synth, also, but I'm thinking its recorded.

I thought you might be alluding to Edges guitar shimmer, which isn't ;)




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U2 has to use them because they stubbornly insist on touring as a four man group. Their live sound would absolutely benefit from extra musicians.


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gvox said:
Ah, yes that is an arpeggiated key/bell riff. Very similar to Bad. That's on the track... It can easily be played on a synth, also, but I'm thinking its recorded.

I thought you might be alluding to Edges guitar shimmer, which isn't ;)




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I figured as much. :wink: Hence the elaboration. You're right about it being similar to Bad, how did I never notice it before? :lol:

What I don't get though, is why people seem outraged or confused at U2 using backing tracks. It's not like they ever claim they're just four guys playing, nor does anyone else. And honestly? I don't think I'd want them to. The backing tracks add so much. I can't imagine Streets without the Organ. It would wreck the song.
 
Gene Simmons is an interesting fellow. One day, there wasn't much on TV, so I watched a few episodes of his show Family Jewels. His son and his daughter are really nice. Same with his wife, Shannon. I caught the episode where Gene returns to Israel to visit his father's family after being away for decades. It was really quite touching. I won't bullshit you, I got choked up watching it. So I'll give him a pass for comments about U2 and the Stones and also his bullshit about rock being dead. He likes to shoot from the hip and be blunt. Sometimes these are the consequences. I doubt Paul Stanley feels the same way. But, when you're Gene Simmons, for 5 minutes or so, people give a shit about what you say. Kiss is just too easy of a target to go after. The days of artists performing live with nothing but their instruments has been dead for decades. Surely, Gene knows this, but was probably just in one of those "moods" when someone put a mic or a camera or a tape recorder(?) in his face.
 
U2's music is far too complex to be played by four guys on stage in a live setting, and no one has ever claimed that the band does not use backing tracks and stuff. It's clear to anyone with some common sense that there isn't only "live" music involved when they're performing, so the band isn't faking anything.

I haven't heard many people complaining about those sequences, though, most fans are just happy they put on a great show. Take the backing tracks away and the show will be a big letdown, because their music just doesn't work that way.
 
Galeongirl said:
I figured as much. :wink: Hence the elaboration. You're right about it being similar to Bad, how did I never notice it before? :lol:
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Modern day example would be Invisible. That midi bass-ey riff is basically 2 arpeggiated chords or whatever. Im sure someone more technically trained can describe more accurately.

Galeongirl said:
What I don't get though, is why people seem outraged or confused at U2 using backing tracks. It's not like they ever claim they're just four guys playing, nor does anyone else. And honestly? I don't think I'd want them to. The backing tracks add so much. I can't imagine Streets without the Organ. It would wreck the song.
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Well...there was an article or interview about Terry's role that talked about Streets so I still maintain the Streets organ is live most of the time (not Glasto, clearly) but I get what you're saying. The violins on Miracle Drug certainly do add to the song, I love them. As I do the strings on One, etc. Whichever way you want to call it i.e. Terry playing, or backing tracks, the additional music fills out the sound and takes it to another level, imo.
 
I kind hate Gene Simmons because he invokes very meaningless discussion for no reason. I mean, he's in Kiss for Christ's sake.
 
Such a non issue. In most U2 songs there's a shitload of extra stuff going on. It's what makes it enjoyable to listen to. How the hell are you gonna play Lemon or Mofo with 1 guitar, 1 bass, and a drum kit?

Gene is a master marketer. His stone throwing is part of it.

I get the "purist" mindset, I used to think that way too. But, then you realize it's exactly why rock is dead.
 
brooklynmike said:
Such a non issue. In most U2 songs there's a shitload of extra stuff going on. It's what makes it enjoyable to listen to. How the hell are you gonna play Lemon or Mofo with 1 guitar, 1 bass, and a drum kit?

Gene is a master marketer. His stone throwing is part of it.

I get the "purist" mindset, I used to think that way too. But, then you realize it's exactly why rock is dead.
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:up:

The best and most innovative music out right now isn't even being made by rock bands with 1 guitar, 1 bass and a drum kit. In fact, a lot of the worst and most derivative music being released in 2015 is by shitty indie rock bands that are superficially authentic but ultimately just boring. U2 prevented themselves from sucking for years by being sonically inventive and anything but traditional.

Time to stop living in the dark ages and simply make the best music possible without worrying who's the most authentic according to some bullshit set of standards, especially if Gene Simmons is among its adherents. What a hypocrite too, considering Alive!!!1!!!11 is like 75% overdubs. Talk about prizing authenticity.
 
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LemonMelon said:
:up:

The best and most innovative music out right now isn't even being made by rock bands with 1 guitar, 1 bass and a drum kit. In fact, a lot of the worst and most derivative music being released in 2015 is by shitty indie rock bands that are superficially authentic but ultimately just boring. U2 prevented themselves from sucking for years by being sonically inventive and anything but traditional.

Time to stop living in the dark ages and simply make the best music possible without worrying who's the most authentic according to some bullshit set of standards, especially if Gene Simmons is among its adherents. What a hypocrite too, considering Alive!!!1!!!11 is like 75% overdubs. Talk about prizing authenticity.
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you said it, buddy. Apparently, Gene can't see that some sounds musicians created in the studio cant be replicated, which seems to be a common knowledge now. Even some great rock bands like Mastodon and Yeah Yeah Yeahs is using pre-made tracks (in the form of loopers). Plus, U2 creatively uses those tracks and try different arrangements on top of those synth tracks, so...... Look at the intro/outro of Beautiful Day and that song has decent amt. of those tracks but Edge plays things on top so i don't feel like it's not played live.
 
djerdap said:
They're morons because they prefer their live music to be hundred percent, well, live? Which is what a lot of great bands actually do?



Hardly.
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Those people are morons for complaining about U2 doing something in 2015 that they've been doing since 1985.

If I don't want to see someone get their head (fake) chopped off at a concert, I simply don't go see Alice Cooper. I don't bitch and whine about how he should change his live show and I don't want to see this when I go and wah wah wah. That's the way his live shows are and have been for at least 45 years. If you can't stand Bob Dylan's singing voice, dont fucking go see Bob Dylan sing. It's that simple.

If you want to see a band that plays everything live on stage, go see one. There are thousands of them out there. U2 is not that band and hasn't been for at least 30 years. Bitching about it now indeed makes those "purists" morons.
 
I don't think anyone is necessarily a moron bit just ill informed of how things work in the concert business(me included).

I for one did not know U2 used backing tracks or had people "under the stage" until the Vertigo tour when I saw a YouTube video of a concert and it hit me. I was disappointed because of course U2 could make all of these beautiful sounds with just 4 instruments!! Lol

In the end, what they create on stage blows my mind and I don't care that there are some backing tracks here and there.

I also got a chuckle out of the "Live in Paris" version of With or Without You. When they stop the song and then go to restart it, it is beyond obvious that the drums at the beginning of the restart are recorded.


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This isnt the first time somebody from KISS has stated this I remember Paul Stanley saying the same thing in the early 90's.

Anyway Gene Simmons would sell his soul to the devil to make a dollar so his opinion on things that make a concert production sound better should be taken with a grain of salt.
 
Yahweh said:
Anyway Gene Simmons would sell his soul to the devil to make a dollar so his opinion on things that make a concert production sound better should be taken with a grain of salt.
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KISS played a private show in my hometown for some rich asshole. Fuck those guys.



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Mack_Again said:
But sequencer is, in some degree, triggered by the Edge, thou. It's not like some other people are pulling strings behind.
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I guess he can trigger (as much as possible) when he's on his position behind his microphone and close to his pedals.
Once he moves around on the B stage etc, probably Dallas triggers it.

Anyway...when did KISS guys became the paragon of everything authentic and "real" in rock ?
 
"invited guests and kids from the Special Olympics."

Yeah, I'm putting that in a different category than Kiss playing for "40 corporate mucky-mucks reliving their days in the KISS Army" or "birthday party for Dictator of Lurleenistan."

(Sure, "invited guests" might have been 40 of Bono's favorite investor pals, but Special Olympics kids automatically cancels the other guys out.)
 
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