For comparison: Usenet discussion from 1991 about "The Fly"

[edgeplaytheblue]

Reposting my thoughts on GOYB as they seem pertinent to this discussion:

Let me start by saying that I love Get On Your Boots, and I am a fan of U2's work this decade. I think Get On Your Boots rocks harder and has more depth than Vertigo; so far I think it's a better lead-off single.

That being said, I just don't see this as a "new sound" for U2. The track is derivative of Vertigo, Big Girls Are Best, Fast Cars, Discotheque, Bono's rock/rap improv on Rockin' In The Free World, and other previous works. Electronic drums and some squeaks in the background do not a "new sound" make.

Yes, there are some sonic differences between Vertigo and Get On Your Boots, but are they as big as the yawning chasm between Desire and The Fly, two previous consecutive lead off singles. Certainly not. I just think that with their post-punk beginnings, the atmospheric UF-JT era, the experimentation of the 90's, and the back to basics sound of the last two albums, they've covered too much sonic ground in their career for me to be shocked and amazed by any "new sound" that they've created.

true true .. it is almost impossible to create a new sound. You will always recognizes edges guitar work ... the pride-esque / ultra violet way of riffs .. that's edge. Maybe that the eno sounds can add a new sound. It's difficult i think. I will only be shocked if they starting make dance music or R&B ...

 

[Melon50]

Back then AB it was not regarded that groundbraking sonically by the way, it was seen as tapping in on the Manchester/Baggy/HipHouse scene. I remember a review saying that Edge turned his delay pedal from 10 to 9, and larry's drumming switched to what was popular at that time.

While I'm typing this I hear the song "All together now" from the man scene in 1990 in a TV commercial Sounds familiar..

 

[OrARoundabout]

People didn't like Fly when it first came out...I CANNOT BELIVE THAT!

 

[jasonlee]

I wonder what pre-Unforgettable Fire fans thought about hiring Eno as a producer...

"Beep, beep, boop, boop, tinkly, dinkly."

 

[Utoo]

 

[U2387]

I dont buy the whole "this is vertigo produced like Pop" argument we keep hearing in this and other threads. I have listened to GOYB too many times to count by this point and I dont think it sounds like anything they have done before. This is about 2x faster and much more going on here than Vertigo. If it sounds even remotely like anything from the Pop era, it is Holy Joe, but that had been hanging around probably since the AB days.

On another note, forums like these are the only places so far I have heard GOYB trashed. Everyone else seems to like it!

 

[bram]

People didn't like Fly when it first came out...I CANNOT BELIVE THAT!

It should also be remembered that this song is virtually unknown outside the U2 fanbase in 2009. It didn't exactly have a huge impact on music history.

 

[bram]

I dont buy the whole "this is vertigo produced like Pop" argument we keep hearing in this and other threads. I have listened to GOYB too many times to count by this point and I dont think it sounds like anything they have done before. This is about 2x faster and much more going on here than Vertigo. If it sounds even remotely like anything from the Pop era, it is Holy Joe, but that had been hanging around probably since the AB days.

On another note, forums like these are the only places so far I have heard GOYB trashed. Everyone else seems to like it!

Yeah I feel you. I'm pretty shocked at the lazy and lackluster descriptions and comparisons people have been using with this song. I guess I shouldn't be. I'm fine with people not liking it, but I'd like to see some semblance of (reasonable) analysis behind those opinions.

 

[OrARoundabout]

Good point...

I wonder what people would think about it if it was released today?

 

[bram]

Good point...

I wonder what people would think about it if it was released today?

Yeah, hard to say. I like GOYB, but I don't think it'll be remembered by many in another 18 years. But like AB, I think the album might....

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Wow, it seems that GOYB is getting quite a similar reaction to what the Fly got 18 or so years ago.

Interesting read.

 

[MMP]

To me GOYB sounds like The Fly mixed with Vertigo (not the music itself, but the idea behind it)...

and that's good.
Very good.
Almost perfect.
No, it IS perfect.
Actually, a few times only they came up with something better than that.

 

[Utoo]

Yeah, hard to say. I like GOYB, but I don't think it'll be remembered by many in another 18 years. But like AB, I think the album might....

Agreed. We'll see!

 

[rileybug]

Wow, I'm starting to feel old now. My first "online" experience was on Prodigy in 1990. They had music message boards on there, and I remember being so excited being able to dial up with my 2400 bps modem and talk with other U2 fans that I printed out any messages that were interesting to me on my dot matrix printer. I still have a big stack of them. And let me tell you, lots of people hated The Fly on there too! I remember one girl who was into King's X and prog rock and she said she was done with U2. She was also mad that Bono made that "pop kids" comment ("we may lose some of the pop kids, but we don't need them."). I also remember AOL back then, I got my AOL account in 1991 and they had a U2 area on there too. Same reactions there.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

To me GOYB sounds like The Fly mixed with Vertigo (not the music itself, but the idea behind it)...

and that's good.
Very good.
Almost perfect.
No, it IS perfect.
Actually, a few times only they came up with something better than that.

Get On Your Boots I reckon is like Discotheque and Zoo Station. I know that's a weird opinion but yes.

 

[OrARoundabout]

Well, in my opinion The Fly is an exponentially greater song than Boots, not saying Boots is bad...

Fly is just EPIC!

 

[OrARoundabout]

Get On Your Boots I reckon is like Discotheque and Zoo Station. I know that's a weird opinion but yes.

Now, I understand the Disco comparison...BUT ZOO STATION?

Come now, thats a bit of a stretch LOLO

BTW: I still don't really understand the Vertigo comparisons...

 

[Marko]

I dont buy the whole "this is vertigo produced like Pop" argument we keep hearing in this and other threads. I have listened to GOYB too many times to count by this point and I dont think it sounds like anything they have done before. This is about 2x faster and much more going on here than Vertigo. If it sounds even remotely like anything from the Pop era, it is Holy Joe, but that had been hanging around probably since the AB days.

On another note, forums like these are the only places so far I have heard GOYB trashed. Everyone else seems to like it!

please give me some link....I'm trying but I can't find it...

the only thing I found is:
Forums - The new U2 single is abysmal.

and I go there for my injection of new music so I usualy agree with some people there

 

[Marko]

Yeah I feel you. I'm pretty shocked at the lazy and lackluster descriptions and comparisons people have been using with this song. I guess I shouldn't be. I'm fine with people not liking it, but I'd like to see some semblance of (reasonable) analysis behind those opinions.

I don't think that there is a need to analyze why you do or don't like something. It's a feeling, you can't put it in arguments that would be valid for everyone...
I heare a song, I listen to it many times, and than I just know if I like it. Arguments, reasons? Does this mean that if I dont have a proper analysis and arguments that I'm lying or maybe that I don't even know what I think or feel

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Now, I understand the Disco comparison...BUT ZOO STATION?

Come now, thats a bit of a stretch LOLO

BTW: I still don't really understand the Vertigo comparisons...

Zoo Station only because I think the "let me in the sound" part is similar to the "alright, alright, its alright" part.

 

[OrARoundabout]

Zoo Station only because I think the "let me in the sound" part is similar to the "alright, alright, its alright" part.

Yeah...okay, I C were ur coming from...
I never made that connection

 

[LDM007]

Though "the FLY" is in my top five favorite songs from U2, my reaction to "Get on Your Boots" resembles what this person says:

---------------------------------

If it's something that you "have to get used to", is it really worth it?
Playing the album 100 times in a row to drill the chords and melody
(such as they are) into your brain along with all the Led Zepplin, Pink
Floyd and Rush you have burned into your EPROMS is not MY idea of a
quality record. And I think if you were as real about U2 as you seem to
think you are you would be a bit more of a free-thinker instead of a
slave to musical fashion.

-Phil

------------------------------------------

Keep in mind, I like some stuff from Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Rush.

 

[Murray]

"Listen, they say this is the most aggressive track from the album
The rest of the tracks are more mass-appeal. The next single Mysterious
Ways (Nov.6th) is rumored to be the With or Without You or
I Still Haven't Found What I'm lookinf for of the new album.
Give U2 a chance. The Joshua Tree was a great album, and they may never
live up to it...."

Wow U2 fans haven't changed at all.

 

[cdirani]

I've collected info regarding GOYB...so far, it's been compared to 15 or 20 songs which made me repeat the line again and again: there are only 7 notes. Sometimes they'll sound similar in style or melody, arrangement, beat etc.

 

[monsieur fly]

Yes, I think the reaction has been similar but I support both The Fly and GOYB. I've no problem at all with the sound of Joshua Trees crashing to earth!

 

[cdirani]

Yes, I think the reaction has been similar but I support both They Fly and GOYB. I've no problem at all with the sound of Joshua Trees crashing to earth!

 

[U2387]

I love the fly, everyone, dont get me wrong. I was too young to remember 1991, but I do know that when I first discovered the fly, it was on the Vertigo DVD. That BLEW ME AWAY. I didn't get treated to a performance of it in Boston.

However, after listening to the studio version, I was a little underwhelmed to say the least. You can tell its a great song, but if I had been in this position in 1991, I probably would have loved the fly and more importantly, urged the nay sayers to wait for a few live performances before judging it. The consensus here(or as close as inteference will get to a consensus) is that they didnt nail the Fly live until somewhere on the Vertigo tour(I personally say U2:3D).

Just remember, everyone, that live performances have to factor into overall opinions of songs for U2. I loved Vertigo, still do, but I was on the verge of being sick of it and forgetting about it for awhile when the tour started. It became, IMHO, one of their best live songs ever.

Take away point: I just personally do not hold the Fly studio/single version from 1991 to be the pinaccle of anything U2 has ever released. The Fly became the awesomeness that is the fly live.

 

[subnet]

The FLy is simply stellar

one exception: any bootleg where you hear Bono's guitar too much in the mix

 

[Vlad n U 2]

The Fly tops my favourite U2 songs of all time list. The ultimate rocker.

 

[AEON]

They Fly is a song I loved instantly (Edge's solo almost brought me to tears...it is still his best). Being a huge shoegaze fan - I'm a sucker for echoing/distorted/layered guitars. I loved The Fly more when I heard the rest of the album. It is still one of my Top Ten U2 songs of all time.

I can't say I loved GOYB instantly, but I am certainly liking it more and more. Now, I can say I love it - slightly. There is something about it that keeps drawing me closer, something almost subliminal. I have a strange feeling that U2 is throwing us a curveball, just like they did with The Fly. I'm starting to truly believe that NLOTH is going to blow us away.

One thing for sure - it is now safe to say that U2 is certainly moving in another new direction, which is very exciting.