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

[gareth brown]

thanks for bumping this thread, it's a great read

almost stopped reading after this though it was more than enough

>If 'The Fly' is any indication of the rest of 'Achtung, Baby' and
>U2's musical direction, I think we can fashion 4 caskets, and label
>them: Bono, Edge, Adam, and Larry. U2 is dead. What an unimaginative
>piece of garbage.

 

[david]

I remember years ago I used to go to this old book store that had Rolling Stone Magazine's from the 80's and I was looking through a issue from '87 and I was reading the "Letters" section and there were people writing in and complaining about how The Joshua Tree was U2 selling out blah blah blah. I might use my RS All Access subscriber feature and see if I can find that issue digitally now.

 

[subnet]

I still use usenet omg

 

[gvox]

I still use usenet omg

Yeah but you're still on 56kbps Bell dialup up there, aintcha?

 

[subnet]

Yeah but you're still on 56kbps Bell dialup up there, aintcha?

It's super fast too compared to my old 28.8kbps service they upgraded me from.

 

[subnet]

I have since abandoned mIRC and Hotline since I had to deal with terrible moderators.

 

[gvox]

It's super fast too compared to my old 28.8kbps service they upgraded me from.

I bet! At this rate you might as well just go straight to satellite internet. Skip all the useless steps in between..

 

[doctorwho]

Use.net is a touch before my serious time on the 'net. I used to participate in the alt.music.u2 forum (and alt.fan.u2) and then WIRE. Interference was created partly from WIRE and @U2 sprung from Interference (although some might argue this). Oddly, U2.com came last.

One thing that has stayed constant - bickering about Bono's voice, lyrics, which era is "better", time between albums, lead singles, etc. In other words, these "discussions" have existed for 25 years.

 

[corianderstem]

I can't decide if that is reassuring or depressing.

 

[brooklynmike]

Use.net is a touch before my serious time on the 'net. I used to participate in the alt.music.u2 forum (and alt.fan.u2) and then WIRE. Interference was created partly from WIRE and @U2 sprung from Interference (although some might argue this). Oddly, U2.com came last.

Alt.fan.u2 was great! It got killed with spam and trolls. I remember when U2 finally got online. Didn't they have a deal with microsoft or some other internet company, where you had to be a paid subscriber to see U2's website?

 

[subnet]

Where's Elvis?

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I remember when U2 finally got online. Didn't they have a deal with microsoft or some other internet company, where you had to be a paid subscriber to see U2's website?

yeah, it was microsoft. i remember the website. i found an article about it: MSN Launches First Official U2 Web Site With "Pop Invasion" Webcast And Worldwide Radio Interview June 20

it doesn't seem to be archived, though. and after popmart wrapped, it wouldn't be until 2000 or something until u2.com came along.

 

[david]

I remember that. The band did a radio interview with KROQ at the time hyping the tour and the MSN page.

Sent from my AT300 using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[brooklynmike]

Ha! Yeah, I remember that msn page. It was a while until we got the wonky flash site. There was a list of instructions to view the site- only viewable in Internet Explorer at 800 something resolution, lower your window shades, turn the thermostat to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, turn your computer to face east...

 

[deltau922]

Such a great find, and so true. Have we not learned from the past not to judge these things right away? We're 25 years past R&H and only one single (Vertigo) that I instantly dug. Not The Fly, not Beautiful Day .. Or COURSE it's all still worth it.

 

[gareth brown]

Have we not learned from the past not to judge these things right away?

yeah exactly! 10 years from now we'll all agree that the 2015 Album delay was U2's greatest controversy.

 

[Melon50]

And... We are

just wanted to bump this one as it is a great perspective on the diversity of "reviews" and opinions dating back to Achtung Baby in 1991...

 

[Melon50]

Loved this quote from 1991 by the way

"The problem with 'The Fly' is that it sounds like what INXS has been
doing for a while now. In fact, I thought it was INXS when I first
heard it. And I didn't hear any trademark Edge guitar either. I don't
mind them following NEW directions, but this doesn't seem new to me.
What would have been new after WAR was to beef up the atmosphere a bit
with some drone keyboards, but keep the delayed/echoing guitars, the
upfront drums, and the tight bass. Instead, they lightened up on all
three, and made the smooth transition from alternative rock to pop. I
blame this somewhat on the change of producers from Steve Lillywhite
[a genius] to Eno and Lanois [see Peter Gabriel's SO]. And in keeping
with that tradition, they also turned into celebrities, not musicians."

 

[womanfish]

Wow. Thank you so much. This was the exact point I was going on about a few days ago. Everyone blames the band for THEM losing interest. But the band will do what it does. The listener is the one that either evolves or doesn’t.

The best:
If 'The Fly' is any indication of the rest of 'Achtung, Baby' and
U2's musical direction, I think we can fashion 4 caskets, and label
them: Bono, Edge, Adam, and Larry. U2 is dead. What an unimaginative
piece of garbage.

 

[Melon50]

Wow. Thank you so much. This was the exact point I was going on about a few days ago. Everyone blames the band for THEM losing interest. But the band will do what it does. The listener is the one that either evolves or doesn’t.

The best:
If 'The Fly' is any indication of the rest of 'Achtung, Baby' and
U2's musical direction, I think we can fashion 4 caskets, and label
them: Bono, Edge, Adam, and Larry. U2 is dead. What an unimaginative
piece of garbage.

Haha, that was great yes..

I was 15 when The Fly came out and I remember opinions varied, to put it mildly.. Loved it myself but I was wondering where the soaring vocals had gone.

BTW, the original thread from 1991 is still online: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.music.misc/yGTF7NlNLlI

 

[CosmoKramer]

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

The best:
If 'The Fly' is any indication of the rest of 'Achtung, Baby' and
U2's musical direction, I think we can fashion 4 caskets, and label
them: Bono, Edge, Adam, and Larry. U2 is dead. What an unimaginative
piece of garbage.

Hahahahaha

It’s as if the quotes never change during every album review. Let me guess how many were saying “U2 should have quite after Joshua Tree”.....so funny.

I read these same comments from reviewers and average people all the time about SOE....just goes to show, it’s all about what YOU as the listener think.

I think I️m excited for what’s coming!!!!!

 

[womanfish]

Sorry I couldn’t resist posting this one
Remember this is about The Fly:

I don't find The Edge's guitar at all interesting on this track, but hey, he doesn't have to be the star of EVERY track these guys put out.

hilarious

 

[Airseven]

And... We are



just wanted to bump this one as it is a great perspective on the diversity of "reviews" and opinions dating back to Achtung Baby in 1991...

Is the point here that because AB received some criticism, then maybe criticism of the new songs isn’t warranted and a song like AS will become a U2 classic in time? If that’s the case, then this is pure desperation and denial. If that’s not the case, then I agree these comments are interesting. Also, this sentiment about blaming the fans for U2 aging out, running out of ideas, losing interest, and grasping for relevancy is insulting.

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

Wow. Thank you so much. This was the exact point I was going on about a few days ago. Everyone blames the band for THEM losing interest. But the band will do what it does. The listener is the one that either evolves or doesn’t.

The best:
If 'The Fly' is any indication of the rest of 'Achtung, Baby' and
U2's musical direction, I think we can fashion 4 caskets, and label
them: Bono, Edge, Adam, and Larry. U2 is dead. What an unimaginative
piece of garbage.

This also proves the point I was trying to make to one of our new members, that music requires time to give a proper review and to know if the music is good or not. And what we got was a food comparison lol. How much do you want to bet that many of these negative posters think AB and the fly are epic now.

 

[Melon50]

Is the point here that because AB received some criticism, then maybe criticism of the new songs isn’t warranted and a song like AS will become a U2 classic in time? If that’s the case, then this is pure desperation and denial. If that’s not the case, then I agree these comments are interesting. Also, this sentiment about blaming the fans for U2 aging out, running out of ideas, losing interest, and grasping for relevancy is insulting.

There is not really a point, just a bit of perspective.. I don't have any opinion or criticism of the yet to be released SOE. Criticism is always warranted, and apparently, always has been

 

[BVS]

Is the point here that because AB received some criticism, then maybe criticism of the new songs isn’t warranted and a song like AS will become a U2 classic in time? If that’s the case, then this is pure desperation and denial. If that’s not the case, then I agree these comments are interesting. Also, this sentiment about blaming the fans for U2 aging out, running out of ideas, losing interest, and grasping for relevancy is insulting.

Talk about a leap of “logic”...

 

[purpleoscar]

Sorry I couldn’t resist posting this one
Remember this is about The Fly:

I don't find The Edge's guitar at all interesting on this track, but hey, he doesn't have to be the star of EVERY track these guys put out.

hilarious

Holy shit!

 

[Psychobabble]

I remember some of the reaction to The Fly, since that was also my reaction at the time. In addition, I had that reaction to WOWY when it first came out.

 

[gvox]

I wasn’t over the moon with album Fly. Didn’t like the mix. Wanted more Edge. And Bono coasted along on cruise control.

....aaaand then they played it live.

And continued to take it up a notch live with each successive tour, the peaks being Vertigo (stadium especially) and 360.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Loved this quote from 1991 by the way

"The problem with 'The Fly' is that it sounds like what INXS has been
doing for a while now. In fact, I thought it was INXS when I first
heard it. And I didn't hear any trademark Edge guitar either. I don't
mind them following NEW directions, but this doesn't seem new to me.
What would have been new after WAR was to beef up the atmosphere a bit
with some drone keyboards, but keep the delayed/echoing guitars, the
upfront drums, and the tight bass. Instead, they lightened up on all
three, and made the smooth transition from alternative rock to pop. I
blame this somewhat on the change of producers from Steve Lillywhite
[a genius] to Eno and Lanois [see Peter Gabriel's SO]. And in keeping
with that tradition, they also turned into celebrities, not musicians."

This is phenomenal