It's ridiculous how in the dark U2 keeps its fans...

[U2DMfan]

Re: Re: Re: Re: It's ridiculous how in the dark U2 keeps its fans...

Well, cancel your Internet subscription, sell your computer, and you can enjoy the "good old days" all you want. Or, hell, just don't come to U2 fan sites.

I don't know why people would be nostalgic for a time of ignorance. I remember finding out about new U2 albums by ads in the media - I didn't have the Internet until mid-2002 or know U2 fan sites existed until mid-2003. Frankly, that sucked. I cannot fathom why the ignorance of "old days" are preferable to the knowledge we have now.

Who said anything about wanting to return to the days of the old media? I certainly didn't. All I said was that I was nostalgic about that shit. I'm also nostalgic about high school every once in a while but I'd absolutely never want to return to it.

It's about a sentimentality for excitement.
Nostalgia doesn't imply it was a better method of gathering information but it was inarguably more exciting.

I don't and obviously never said that I yearn to become free of newer, faster knowledge.

I am content with the new mediums, I just remember being a kid who looked forward to new music Tuesdays like it was Christmas.

I can't fathom the days before color television but I hardly think it's ignorant for some old folk who are nostalgic about it. It's not like they are selling their new TV sets and getting rid of cable television altogether. Perspective much?

When I think about the ZooTv era for instance, I don't get nostalgic for analog phones, cassette tapes, 800 numbers to order concert tickets, radio premieres, chalk boards full of release dates, etc., etc. because I thought it was a better method, I get nostalgic about a more exciting time. Like most people as they get a bit older, nostalgic about growing up.

I wouldn't trade newer, faster knowledge for the excitement.
I'd rather have both.

 

[U2DMfan]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: It's ridiculous how in the dark U2 keeps its fans...

I think it depends upon what the "knowledge" is-and lack of knowledge does not equate with "ignorance".

How may of us choose to be willfully ignorant when we go see U2 in concert? By not reading setlists etc. Does that make us ignorant? No, of course not. In the same respect, if you are looking forward to, say, Indiana Jones 4, and you refuse to go read pages full of spoilers, does this make you ignorant?

No, I don't think that's what Axver wanted to say at all.

I think what he wanted to say was:

Stop reminding me that I missed Lovetown and that it used to be a lot more awesome to be a U2 fan. I get it.



Really though, another thing I used to remember as a kid was how annoying it was to hear the older folk always talk about the good ol' days.

I would have beaten up an old lady for a CD burner in 1991.
Technology rules. It also makes those days and methods of not-so-long ago seem even further away.

 

[rihannsu]

Actually all this nostalgia was in response to the original poster's attitude that the band owed us constant updates. It is really more along the lines of - be thankful you get what you do because it's way more than what you used to get. Sure it's great to get info but it's also great to have a bit of mystery surrounding the new stuff as well and either way we have no right to demand that U2 accomodate us.

Dana

 

[chocky]

Unfortunately we now live in a world where everyone expects instant gratification.

I'm nudging 40 and my kids just hit their teens. They do their school projects on wikipedia instead of using a library. They want xBoxes without saving up for them. They get cranky if their mates don't reply to sms or email withing 60 seconds (and have never used a pen to write a letter).

Peoples' expectations vary depending on when they grew up.

I think U2 enjoy maintaining an element of mystery to their work. They are never in a hurry to complete an album - and don't want to create pressure for themselves to do so.

As an older fan I enjoy this mystery but I can also understand why younger fans are more demanding. Life has changed in the last 20 years.

But I suppose U2 no longer have financial and/or professional reasons to submit to the demands of fans or record companies. So they can do it their way. And if that means they don't leak details during the recording of an album (and be cryptic if they do) then so be it.

 

[david]

when i became a die hard fan around the time of achtung baby all i really relied on was MTV news when it came to finding out anything about the band.

the period after the zoo tv tour ended and when passengers came out and the single for HMTMKMKM was pretty cool because i was yearning for something and was clueless as to what U2 were doing..

so when KROQ's jed the fish played something off passengers as his catch of the day a-long-ass-time-ago before it came out i was so excited.

then, there was no "where the album has no name" or a U2 website to keep me informed, there was no PLEBA to see updated pictures of what the band even looked like during their off time etc.

it was neat.

 

[RedRocksU2]

Jed the Fish....ah the memories.

Music Plus+ record stores.....
Lines the night before tickets would go for sale....
People playing U2 music on their car radios......doors opened....
Tickets going on sale the next morning at 8am.......
Getting to but them 3 hrs later ........and STILL getting good seats........(Obviously before Internet)


Good times.

 

[nathan1977]

Bono's Diary, 26/11/07

Work on the new album progresses. Some amazing things are happening in the studio. Some of our fans want to know the latest, so here's the Big Album Update:

Edge's new didgidaroo arrived at the studio from Australia on Wednesday of last week. Came FedEx (or was it DHL?). Anyway, it was triple wrapped, so it took Edge about an hour and a half to get it out of the heavy pine wooden box sealed with triple-screws for safe travel and get it assembled. (He had to use a triple-length crescent wrench.) Then he had to assemble the various didgidaroo appendages, which took him about 2.5 hours. By then it was close to 12.30, so we stepped out for some tandoori. Ali called and asked what time I was planning on coming home, and reminded me to get some cat food on my way through town. The kittens sure do love the Meow Mix. Took a phone call from the Australian PM, who wanted to know if the didgidaroo had arrived safely. He and the Edge talked for about 45 minutes or so, discussing didgidaroo assemblage and what not. Then we got back into the studio around 3.30, and Edge continued with the didgidaroo assembly. Then he got his new Samsung 12000 keyboard in. Lord, you wouldn't believe how long it took him to get that thing out of the box. Then he asked Larry to help him assemble that. (I wanted to help, but I had to sit down to map some lyric sketches for the new album. Hmmm, what rhymes with "knees"?) Anyway, Larry gave up when Edge told him to throw away the instructions and just visualize the finished product in his head. Eventually Edge put the whole thing together, and then played each synth pad to see what sounds the keyboard came with.

And Adam got a new bass. He really likes it.

 

[indra]

Bono's Diary, 26/11/07

Work on the new album progresses. Some amazing things are happening in the studio. Some of our fans want to know the latest, so here's the Big Album Update:

Edge's new didgidaroo arrived at the studio from Australia on Wednesday of last week. Came FedEx (or was it DHL?). Anyway, it was triple wrapped, so it took Edge about an hour and a half to get it out of the heavy pine wooden box sealed with triple-screws for safe travel and get it assembled. (He had to use a triple-length crescent wrench.) Then he had to assemble the various didgidaroo appendages, which took him about 2.5 hours. By then it was close to 12.30, so we stepped out for some tandoori. Ali called and asked what time I was planning on coming home, and reminded me to get some cat food on my way through town. The kittens sure do love the Meow Mix. Took a phone call from the Australian PM, who wanted to know if the didgidaroo had arrived safely. He and the Edge talked for about 45 minutes or so, discussing didgidaroo assemblage and what not. Then we got back into the studio around 3.30, and Edge continued with the didgidaroo assembly. Then he got his new Samsung 12000 keyboard in. Lord, you wouldn't believe how long it took him to get that thing out of the box. Then he asked Larry to help him assemble that. (I wanted to help, but I had to sit down to map some lyric sketches for the new album. Hmmm, what rhymes with "knees"?) Anyway, Larry gave up when Edge told him to throw away the instructions and just visualize the finished product in his head. Eventually Edge put the whole thing together, and then played each synth pad to see what sounds the keyboard came with.

And Adam got a new bass. He really likes it.

See I think that would be great. Doesn't tell you squat about the new album, which is fine with me because most people can't describe music to save their lives, but it's just plain fun.

 

[Rob33]

Bono's Diary, 26/11/07

Work on the new album progresses. Some amazing things are happening in the studio. Some of our fans want to know the latest, so here's the Big Album Update:

Edge's new didgidaroo arrived at the studio from Australia on Wednesday of last week. Came FedEx (or was it DHL?). Anyway, it was triple wrapped, so it took Edge about an hour and a half to get it out of the heavy pine wooden box sealed with triple-screws for safe travel and get it assembled. (He had to use a triple-length crescent wrench.) Then he had to assemble the various didgidaroo appendages, which took him about 2.5 hours. By then it was close to 12.30, so we stepped out for some tandoori. Ali called and asked what time I was planning on coming home, and reminded me to get some cat food on my way through town. The kittens sure do love the Meow Mix. Took a phone call from the Australian PM, who wanted to know if the didgidaroo had arrived safely. He and the Edge talked for about 45 minutes or so, discussing didgidaroo assemblage and what not. Then we got back into the studio around 3.30, and Edge continued with the didgidaroo assembly. Then he got his new Samsung 12000 keyboard in. Lord, you wouldn't believe how long it took him to get that thing out of the box. Then he asked Larry to help him assemble that. (I wanted to help, but I had to sit down to map some lyric sketches for the new album. Hmmm, what rhymes with "knees"?) Anyway, Larry gave up when Edge told him to throw away the instructions and just visualize the finished product in his head. Eventually Edge put the whole thing together, and then played each synth pad to see what sounds the keyboard came with.

And Adam got a new bass. He really likes it.

 

[kennerado]

Just another reason why I hardly come to this forum anymore. "fans" like this.

 

[OrARoundabout]

These days, visit most band's websites and they at least occasionally put some comments about what they're working on, etc.

With U2 we get nothing. It's ridiculous. Four years between albums and the band says and does NOTHING to commuinicate with its fans as to how things are going. We only get info when something is released to the press.

U2 has been and always will be my favorite band - I love their music. But beyond that, I find it very frustrating and ridiculous that they do nothing to keep their fans informed. There is simply no excuse for this. At least one of the four could occasionally post or communicate something on u2.com. With the following U2 has, I don't think this is unreasonable.

I guess we just get to sit here and dissect beach clips, and every little quote from Eno and anyone else within a stone's throw of the band, until the time that an official announcement is made, which probably won't be until shortly before the album is released.

I ain't complaining my friend, THE LESS I KNOW THE BETTER

All the more to look foward to

(Just tell me "It's going well" without lying and I'm fine)

Bono's Diary, 26/11/07

Work on the new album progresses. Some amazing things are happening in the studio. Some of our fans want to know the latest, so here's the Big Album Update:

Edge's new didgidaroo arrived at the studio from Australia on Wednesday of last week. Came FedEx (or was it DHL?). Anyway, it was triple wrapped, so it took Edge about an hour and a half to get it out of the heavy pine wooden box sealed with triple-screws for safe travel and get it assembled. (He had to use a triple-length crescent wrench.) Then he had to assemble the various didgidaroo appendages, which took him about 2.5 hours. By then it was close to 12.30, so we stepped out for some tandoori. Ali called and asked what time I was planning on coming home, and reminded me to get some cat food on my way through town. The kittens sure do love the Meow Mix. Took a phone call from the Australian PM, who wanted to know if the didgidaroo had arrived safely. He and the Edge talked for about 45 minutes or so, discussing didgidaroo assemblage and what not. Then we got back into the studio around 3.30, and Edge continued with the didgidaroo assembly. Then he got his new Samsung 12000 keyboard in. Lord, you wouldn't believe how long it took him to get that thing out of the box. Then he asked Larry to help him assemble that. (I wanted to help, but I had to sit down to map some lyric sketches for the new album. Hmmm, what rhymes with "knees"?) Anyway, Larry gave up when Edge told him to throw away the instructions and just visualize the finished product in his head. Eventually Edge put the whole thing together, and then played each synth pad to see what sounds the keyboard came with.

And Adam got a new bass. He really likes it.

THAT WAS HILARIOUS! (For a second there I was like "Bono is blogging?)

 

[babyman]

I think that U2 could actually have more talks with their fans on the various boards, i know many other boards where even better and busier musicians as U2 do interact with their fans...............For instance, Joe Satriani posts on his board, interacting with fans like he would know them all personnally! He's asking right now for title suggestions for his new upcoming album! Toto's Steve Lukather posts on his board, recently he posted even his newborn babydaughter's photos.............
I mean, I'm not waiting to know all this stuff, I'm not living better, but it would be fine if sometimes, even twice every 2-3 months, one of the guys would appear and say: "Hi, this is Edge (or whoever of the guys) we're working on a new track! This is the direction of our record, what do you think about this? What do you think about that?!" And so on. Or giving some suggestions to the ones who play, or share some opinions, just as a normal human being, as a friend, as a normal friendship relation, not as a star who waits to be only worshipped. There are myriads of arguments that could be treated. Everything that we know about them (music) comes always from official statements to the press. I think this is actually pretty frustrating and deceiving. I'm not pretending anything of their lives, but I think it could be the least that someone can do when he got so many people talking about him around the world. I'm not talking of "wanna enter in their private life", but just more interaction...........

 

[MrPryck2U]

This thread reminds me of a classic line in rock music history:

"...reached for the secret too soon..."


Bottom Line: I don't need Bono, Edge, Adam, Larry or Paul giving me updates on what U2 is working on. When the album comes out, that's when the party starts!

 

[Utoo]

.

 

[Utoo]

i know many other boards where even better and busier musicians as U2 do interact with their fans...............For instance, Joe Satriani posts on his board, interacting with fans like he would know them all personnally! He's asking right now for title suggestions for his new upcoming album! Toto's Steve Lukather posts on his board, recently he posted even his newborn babydaughter's photos

what are you smoking??

 

[babyman]

I could pass you some if you want........It seems obvious that there are a couple of steps in music history that you miss if you don't know who Satriani and Lukather are...........

 

[Utoo]

I could pass you some if you want........It seems obvious that there are a couple of steps in music history that you miss if you don't know who Satriani and Lukather are...........

I know who they are, but I wouldn't say that in the year 2007 that they're better or busier than U2. To me, even if a solo artist releases twice as many albums in the same amount of time as a band does, it doesn't make him busier. A solo artist is more likely to release his tinkerings and middle-of-the-night thoughts than a band is. Edge, I'm sure, could potentially release an album or two a year if he were a solo artist. But his work has to be filtered through three other guys' opinions, goals, and ideas, as well as the image of the band--obstacles that aren't there for a solo performer. And I'd say that Bono & Edge are easily as busy as Lukather and Satriani, Bono ten times more so.

 

[babyman]

Ok, anyway, it was not this the main sense of my past thread. But remaining shortly on this, probably I would set Edge as a busier musician as Bono, who is more busy with other stuff rather than music. That's one of the big reasons why U2 make a record every 4 years. I tell you why, for instance, Steve Lukather and Satcho are busier artists, because they have this path: writing-recording-tour, writing-recording-tour, and this goes around since they started over. It's because they're ONLY musicians, lately, Steve Lukather is touring with Toto since February 2006 and there are concerts scheduled until May 2008, in February his new solo album comes out, and after the ending of current Toto tour, they have already announced they will enter the studio again to put out a new record for 2009 and to start again a tour...........if this means not being busier than U2, then................... Satcho also, he's been touring since 2 years, in April comes his new record and he will tour further, and this is going on this way since he started his career. The fact that he's a solo artist means nothing, he got his band, with whom he records and plays............so...................Not counting when he goes on tour with the G3................Have U2 the same path as them?? No. Different kind of artists under each and every aspect, but the theme of my post was this. Artists like Luke and Satch, who are fully loaded of music 365 days a year, find the time to post on their boards and to have really nice interactions with their fans, U2 do not, and this is an aspect which could be maybe get better.

 

[Rob33]

oh lord so much whining!

who cares who is busier!!! I'll say it again, YOU HAVE NO IDEA how Bono's travels influence him musically. You simply think of it as "Just another trip to Africa" or "Just another political meeting," and thats it...you're speaking from an ill informed perspective! Bono has been quoted many times about how he is constantly writing no matter where he goes, who are you to say that he isn't concentrating on U2 and the music aspect of his life enough?

Hey honestly, do you really think they aren't providing the fans with enough in between albums? I mean, aside from actually getting on interference and saying hi to everyone, lets be realistic here...they are on the top of the world and in the middle of recording a highly anticipated album! I say don't expect anything, they've already dumped a lot on us recently and U23D is just around the corner... (that trailer on the website is insane!)

Alright sorry if that rant came off a little edgy It wasn't meant to be....

 

[babyman]

I'm talking of a pure human perspective of friendship or relationships, that's all, I just made a couple of examples of how other artists relate themselves to their fans on their boards.................I live good without talking to Bono, I'm not waiting on his comments, was just a thought, but on this on board everything is opinionable, no one supports the contrary....................

 

[babyman]

I just don't understand why many here are used to get so upset when someone dares a critic to U2, that's a mistery to me, maybe it's the power of idolatry...........................Live in peace people, they're not better than anyone, they go at the toilet every morning like everyone

 

[Bonochick]

I think that people are insulting each other too much, and I don't see any constructive discussion coming from this thread. Sorry, but I'm just going to close this thread.