I know as the years go on there is always speculation that their newest release/tour may be there last but I just don’t see there being an abrupt end to the U2 story. It’s natural for one to assume there will be since this is how most bands end.
But why is this? Most bands end because someone dies ( Led Zepplin, the Doors, Nirvana, etc..) or there are personality conflicts - either between band members or one band member who is conflicted psychologically I.e. man vs. man ( the beatles, Guns n Roses). I don’t see personality conflicts ending U2 nor is it probable one of U2s members will die prematurely from drugs or suicide - even though the inevitable will of course happen eventually.
Of course we also have to look at the clues the band is giving: Sometime around the time of ATYCLB Bono said something about having outlines or rough takes of 50-100 songs and that U2 was just getting started. Larry has also hinted at retirement but also said in VH1 legends “ I don’t one it to end….I know eventually the band may have to do less or record less…” This speaks to what I believe will happen. And after all, they still love what they are doing and are all great friends.
I see SOA going forth as planned and coming out in early 2010 - may guess is early March. The tour also seems likely to go through next year as well. After this, I think it’ll be a 4-6 year wait before new material but that we will get the most experimental U2 album yet. I say this because while I think NLOTH is very good and changes things up a bit from ATYCLB, HTDAAB, it is still pretty much the same style. Its about as similar with some differences to those as War was to Boy and October. And I also see SOA being similar which would make it the longest stretch yet of U2 not really changing their sound too much. I think by 2012 - 2014 opinion will be mixed about U2s direction/sound in 2008 - 2010. These albums will still have very strong supporters but I can also see a backlash & possibly the strongest talk to date about U2 having lost their experimental edge. But this will also be strongest among the more hardcore fans like us and will be unlike with POP where U2 felt they were loosing the mainstream. U2s mainstream popularity will still be about as big as it is now. For this reason, with their fate among the rock gods feeling totally sealed I think we will get something different and unexpected around 2015 or so. After this, something more mainstream around 2020 with a big tour. After this…who knows. Possibly not another U2 ‘album’ - at least not in the traditional sense of all 4 band members, 10-12 songs, etc.. Maybe something comparable to Passengers. Still, odds are IMO at least some new U2 songs will be recorded that decade (I.e. one off soundtrack stuff like with Batman Forever, etc..).
I think the last U2 song will be recorded sometime in the late 2020s. The last performance with all 4 members will be in the early 2030s. The last we will hear from any member of the band in a musical capacity (studio recording or live performance) will be in the late 2030s. With all these lasts, no one will know at the time it is in fact a last. So how much longer? Depending on how you look at it another 10, 20 or 30 more years of U2 if I'm correct. So still a lot to look forward too hopefully!
But why is this? Most bands end because someone dies ( Led Zepplin, the Doors, Nirvana, etc..) or there are personality conflicts - either between band members or one band member who is conflicted psychologically I.e. man vs. man ( the beatles, Guns n Roses). I don’t see personality conflicts ending U2 nor is it probable one of U2s members will die prematurely from drugs or suicide - even though the inevitable will of course happen eventually.
Of course we also have to look at the clues the band is giving: Sometime around the time of ATYCLB Bono said something about having outlines or rough takes of 50-100 songs and that U2 was just getting started. Larry has also hinted at retirement but also said in VH1 legends “ I don’t one it to end….I know eventually the band may have to do less or record less…” This speaks to what I believe will happen. And after all, they still love what they are doing and are all great friends.
I see SOA going forth as planned and coming out in early 2010 - may guess is early March. The tour also seems likely to go through next year as well. After this, I think it’ll be a 4-6 year wait before new material but that we will get the most experimental U2 album yet. I say this because while I think NLOTH is very good and changes things up a bit from ATYCLB, HTDAAB, it is still pretty much the same style. Its about as similar with some differences to those as War was to Boy and October. And I also see SOA being similar which would make it the longest stretch yet of U2 not really changing their sound too much. I think by 2012 - 2014 opinion will be mixed about U2s direction/sound in 2008 - 2010. These albums will still have very strong supporters but I can also see a backlash & possibly the strongest talk to date about U2 having lost their experimental edge. But this will also be strongest among the more hardcore fans like us and will be unlike with POP where U2 felt they were loosing the mainstream. U2s mainstream popularity will still be about as big as it is now. For this reason, with their fate among the rock gods feeling totally sealed I think we will get something different and unexpected around 2015 or so. After this, something more mainstream around 2020 with a big tour. After this…who knows. Possibly not another U2 ‘album’ - at least not in the traditional sense of all 4 band members, 10-12 songs, etc.. Maybe something comparable to Passengers. Still, odds are IMO at least some new U2 songs will be recorded that decade (I.e. one off soundtrack stuff like with Batman Forever, etc..).
I think the last U2 song will be recorded sometime in the late 2020s. The last performance with all 4 members will be in the early 2030s. The last we will hear from any member of the band in a musical capacity (studio recording or live performance) will be in the late 2030s. With all these lasts, no one will know at the time it is in fact a last. So how much longer? Depending on how you look at it another 10, 20 or 30 more years of U2 if I'm correct. So still a lot to look forward too hopefully!
