New Article on U2's 2002 Super Bowl Appearance

[The Panther]

Blue Room, do learn to read before having a Drama-King moment:

Thanks for the condescending response.

Wasn't condescending.

Considering my first U2 show was on the Joshua Tree I do not consider myself a "third generation" fan.

Didn't say you were, or weren't.

So if someone wasn't born yet or just born in 87 or prior, their opinion does not matter because they are a "third generation" fan.

Didn't say this.

I thought it was a semi logical discussion until you directed that comment at me.

Comment about 3rd-generation fans wasn't directed at you (it was actually about me, and I said I DON'T blame 3rd-generation fans).

Joshua Tree U2 was a corporate machine even then.

Didn't say they weren't (although I disagree with you, by degrees).

They are in this to make a living and make the most of it and ALWAYS have been.

Didn't say otherwise (in fact, I conceded this exact point in my previous post).

(For clarification purposes, my "Do learn comment" above, WAS directed at you, and WAS condescending, so if you want to have another Drama King moment now, I won't mind.)

 

[mikal]

Don't lose your nipples over this.

 

[dazzledbylight]

U2 has always been about grand gestures. Are you posting in the right forum? lol.
.

I don't have a problem with someone sharing their love and support for another country. And I don't think Bono pretends to be American, but has always shown an interest and love for the country.

yes, very much so> I wrote a piece here in the ? articles section after Bono gave a talk about helping Africa either :0 oh no i forgot < been up all night , nice reasons>> either --no i think i got<tracking it by majorly personal scary events during time X>
---in 04 where he also talked about America, the idea of America, how he wanted us to be a better America following our ideals....

Was the 2002 Super Bowl -- with giant screens showing the names of people who had been mass murdered -- really the time for irony? Was this a corporate moment? Was this them saying, "buy our 18-month old album?" Or was this actually an opportunity, knowing that the Super Bowl is almost a national holiday and a huge portion of 300m people are watching the TV, perhaps a veey good time to publicly mourn?

Finally, if we want to get nick-picky, bono didn't wave a flag. He revealed a flag in his jacket, and to me, it felt like he was saying, "we're not Americans, but we've got your back, we're friends."

all round well-said post but <red highlight> never thought about the gesture in just that way. i like.

As for the post 9-11 shows>>>

Born & bred NYC'r. Worked in the South Tower 80-81 (just as i discovered U2) North-East Big-Corner open office on the 73rd floor<2 elevators> not more than a floor or so ?below where the 2nd plane would come flying out of that day.
Minus (a big one) the Destruction down in The Plaza already- I stood at those windows dozens of time... a far way down...looking both down to the sculpture/water fountain and out towards the Skyline.

We couldn't get tixs ( something went wrong with our friend's computer system at work).... I had to be at the first show...totally compelled.
I did my first on-line search for tixs for about 4 days ahead.

I managed to meet someone with a ticket ...2-3 hours before the show.

When I ran home that mid-morning hands over mouth, screaming, in Brooklyn at the time after not knowing what building <seemingly biggish> and where in the 5 bourroughs these firefighters "covered in ashes" were because i woke up late <10am> did not turn on my walkman on till i left the house <about 10:30 > in the middle of 3 radio people talking until they fell silent as i kept walking toward the subwayn that would take me into lowerish Manhattan-- about 15- 30+ secs (fairly long "dead air")....

..... when they suddenly announced "The Towers are GONE" and it suddenly dawned on me that that "happy" summer cloud i saw coming out of my building was in the general direction i was now also facing which was mostly west in the direction of Lower Manhattan -- was not all white/shaded in light blue-gray...but a beige-gray-yellow and somehow denser- that i realized that it was the cloud of destruction.....

.... I got home sobbed hard into my pillow for 5 mins or so and then hardly a tear since...

Until that u2 show. I had little access time to The Net then so i didn't even know about what they would do. As soon as i saw them walk on stage i started crying- danced and sung through my tears for almost all of that show.
One of the most cathartic expenses I'd ever had. Very grateful.

And felt the Super Bowl was appropriate too for them to be there as they did.

 

[Blue Room]

Blue Room, do learn to read before having a Drama-King moment:

Wasn't condescending.

Didn't say you were, or weren't.

Didn't say this.

Comment about 3rd-generation fans wasn't directed at you (it was actually about me, and I said I DON'T blame 3rd-generation fans).

Didn't say they weren't (although I disagree with you, by degrees).

Didn't say otherwise (in fact, I conceded this exact point in my previous post).

(For clarification purposes, my "Do learn comment" above, WAS directed at you, and WAS condescending, so if you want to have another Drama King moment now, I won't mind.)

The third generation comment was condescending and I know it was not directed at me. You missed the point, your comment implied that 3rd generation fans simply do not know any better. It was dismissive of their opinions. Sorry you could not see it and still can't.

Is that "Drama King" enough for you? Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle. Done.

 

[powerhour24]

To me, U2 are a musical group -- i.e., they're artists. They're not businessmen.

It's actually kind of disturbing to me how many U2 fans (I'm tempted to say 3rd generation fans, but I can't blame it all on the kids) are so quick and eager to paint them as "businessmen" and "a corporation". I find that very depressing.

I'm not an idiot, so yes I'm aware of the fact that music with a price tag is commercial enterprise regardless of how one goes about selling it. But there are various ways -- not only one -- to go about selling it. There are shades of grey here. I'm certainly not as strict in my mores as some people. I actually have an ex-girlfriend who had tickets to a PopMart gig and then gave them away when she found out U2 was now accepting corporate sponsorship. She's never returned to them.

Lordy, I'm about as snobby about music as art & artistic integrity as they come (with a degree in music theory & composition to boot), but this is asinine. One could complain if a band took money from a company and then started doing product placement for them in lyrics or singing about the virtues of that company, but teaming up with a large entity to meet a band's ends is not an evil in and of itself. U2 have always wanted to push the envelope with live performances and reach the ears of the masses, always. They began dreaming up huge ways to achieve that live and that requires investment, even for hugely successful men such as themselves. For instance, they wanted to pull of an in-the-round show that could make a stadium intimate with 360 and LiveNation and Research in Motion helped them achieve it, it cost $100m upfront to stage that tour.

Nowadays, with the exception of dumb luck, YouTube viral success or being picked for a soundtrack (which could be met with "sell out!" crap too), there's very little opportunity for artists (and I'm using that term in the full sense of the word, not extending it to pop acts) to grow their audience or be heard in this decentralized music industry without being used in commercials, are you or people like you're talking about going to smear any and all bands that have done that in the past decade? You'd be whittling down the list of "worthy" artists down to next to nothing if you did.

But while we're on that subject, it's pretty darn rare to see U2 agree to license their music, and I'm guessing the offers haven't been that rare.

 

[The Panther]

your comment implied that 3rd generation fans simply do not know any better.

No. I stated clearly that, while I'm tempted to, I CAN'T blame 3rd-generation fans.


I have some links to some good basic reading materials for struggling Elementary school students. PM me if you're interested.

 

[The Panther]

Lordy, I'm about as snobby about music as art & artistic integrity as they come (with a degree in music theory & composition to boot), but this is asinine. One could complain if a band took money from a company and then started doing product placement for them in lyrics or singing about the virtues of that company, but teaming up with a large entity to meet a band's ends is not an evil in and of itself. U2 have always wanted to push the envelope with live performances and reach the ears of the masses, always. They began dreaming up huge ways to achieve that live and that requires investment, even for hugely successful men such as themselves. For instance, they wanted to pull of an in-the-round show that could make a stadium intimate with 360 and LiveNation and Research in Motion helped them achieve it, it cost $100m upfront to stage that tour.

Nowadays, with the exception of dumb luck, YouTube viral success or being picked for a soundtrack (which could be met with "sell out!" crap too), there's very little opportunity for artists (and I'm using that term in the full sense of the word, not extending it to pop acts) to grow their audience or be heard in this decentralized music industry without being used in commercials, are you or people like you're talking about going to smear any and all bands that have done that in the past decade? You'd be whittling down the list of "worthy" artists down to next to nothing if you did.

But while we're on that subject, it's pretty darn rare to see U2 agree to license their music, and I'm guessing the offers haven't been that rare.

I apologize for my asinine post.

Your post was utterly brilliant. (And I'm looking forward to seeing apologia of U2 fans when "Pride in the Name of (Beef)" is licensed in McDonald's commercials. I can see the comments now -- "You HAVE to do this nowadays to win over the kids! Everyone else is doing it, so why can't U2? They've ALWAYS been a corporation!")

 

[LemonMelon]

Pride in the Name of (Beef)

How did we get from U2 showing respect to 9/11 victims to this?

 

[lemonfly]

(And I'm looking forward to seeing apologia of U2 fans when "Pride in the Name of (Beef)" is licensed in McDonald's commercials. I can see the comments now -- "You HAVE to do this nowadays to win over the kids! Everyone else is doing it, so why can't U2? They've ALWAYS been a corporation!")

I just shot coffee through my nostrils. Thanks for brightening up my Monday morning

 

[mikal]

No. I stated clearly that, while I'm tempted to, I CAN'T blame 3rd-generation fans.


I have some links to some good basic reading materials for struggling Elementary school students. PM me if you're interested.

The thought of you looking up anything regarding Elemantary school students makes me nervous considering your history with open shirts.

 

[Blue Room]

I have some links to some good basic reading materials for struggling Elementary school students. PM me if you're interested.

Clearly you have needed them for self help in the past.

PM, not necessary, I do not wish to have further diaglogue with you in any way, ever. Thanks!

 

[Galeongirl]

I guess I have no right in saying anything in this discussion, being a fan for only 10 years.....

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

the article's been posted, it's been discussed. i think the discussion has more than run its course now.