Now that we've heard the clip...

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Roy, almost everything we post about at Interference involves personal opinion. I shouldn't have to add "IMO" to the end of every sentence I write, as it is implied the moment I hit that "submit reply" button. How does "I was young and stupid, very stupid" translate into "all people who like HTDAAB are stupid," anyway? That's your interpretation of my comment. I was mocking myself, not anyone else.

I'm sorry, Gibby, but it really did come off that way at the time. You didn't need to write that you lacked cognitive function because you loved HTDAAB. It could have been phrased just about any other way. Say, for instance "I feel differently now" or "I'm fucking tired of these damn songs" or even "we grew apart".

I try to be objective about this, but yeah, it was a little condescending.
 
I'm sorry, Gibby, but it really did come off that way at the time. You didn't need to write that you lacked cognitive function because you loved HTDAAB. It could have been phrased just about any other way. Say, for instance "I feel differently now" or "I'm fucking tired of these damn songs" or even "we grew apart".

I try to be objective about this, but yeah, it was a little condescending.

Again, that's really not the way I intended it. :shrug: And, personally, I do think it was remarkably stupid of me to suggest that Yahweh was a better song than LIB, given that I had only heard it approximately five times.
 
Yeah, I think it's totally natural for opinions to change, because people are changing, and we are not the same we were 10 or even 5 years ago. I am the first to acknowledge that. But still, I'd never say I was "stupid" to like a song back then. If I liked something and happen not to like it any more today, that's okay, that's just the way things sometimes are, but that doesn't mean I was "stupid". It just means my opinion has changed.

But then again I've never felt the need to compromise just because my opnion is the opinion of a minority. I freely admit that I probably listen to HTDAAB or ATYCLB more often than I listen to AB. I haven't listened to AB in quite some time now. There will be a time when I'll feel the desire to listen to this album again, but just because it's the generally accepted opinion on this board, I won't say I love AB and hate the Bomb and don't listen to U2's 2000's music, because that's not how I feel.

But that's just me, I've always had my own opinion and was quite proud of it, instead of considering myself "stupid".
 
Yeah, I think it's totally natural for opinions to change, because people are changing, and we are not the same we were 10 or even 5 years ago. I am the first to acknowledge that. But still, I'd never say I was "stupid" to like a song back then. If I liked something and happen not to like it any more today, that's okay, that's just the way things sometimes are, but that doesn't mean I was "stupid". It just means my opinion has changed.

But then again I've never felt the need to compromise just because my opnion is the opinion of a minority. I freely admit that I probably listen to HTDAAB or ATYCLB more often than I listen to AB. I haven't listened to AB in quite some time now. There will be a time when I'll feel the desire to listen to this album again, but just because it's the generally accepted opinion on this board, I won't say I love AB and hate the Bomb and don't listen to U2's 2000's music, because that's not how I feel.

But that's just me, I've always had my own opinion and was quite proud of it, instead of considering myself "stupid".

Oy vey... That "opinion" of mine from the HTDAAB leak thread was little more than a knee-jerk reaction to brand new material, resulting out of months of anticipation and Bono sound bytes. It was an over-reaction. It was stupid. And it's nothing compared to some of the stuff I boldly proclaimed during my first listen! :lol: That is what I was laughing at - my initial overly-excited response to hearing the album - not the fact that my opinion changed over time.

Jeeze, you're not even allowed to laugh at yourself at Interference without being accused of mass-condescension.
 
I agree. This is a golden opportunity for super optimistic diehard fans to come out of the woodwork and let their imaginations run wild. I was the same before HTDAAB and thought I KNEW it was going to be one of U2's best albums. A lot of people agreed with me too. Well, we can all see how that turned out. I've learned to expect the worst from U2. Yeah that sounds depressing, but I'm never let down anymore like I was with Atomic Bomb. I didn't like WitS before it came out and I liked it even less when I finally heard it. Same with that "All My Life" song. At first I thought it sounded GREAT. But after a few listens I realized it was going to get old really quick, and it did. Now I dread the thought of that song being on a future album. I'm actually able to think rationally now and say to myself "ok, despite how excited I am this still sounds like stereotypical U2 and it's nothing new".

Basically unless the band does something totally out of left field and suprises the crap out of me I don't think I'll be too excited.
...I'm not a super optimistic diehard fan by any means. Yes, I try to be optimistic about things, but I'm far from diehard.

I think it's quite rude to presume that just because I strained and was able to listen past the noise and glean a few things about the clip makes me a crazy fan that is just hearing what she wants to hear.

It's possible that some of us might be going slightly over the top. But you know what? That's okay. It's called excitement. Why aren't we allowed to be excited about U2 anymore? Why aren't we allowed to be optimistic and hope the new album sounds good, and think that this clip, what little we can actually hear of it, sounds promising?


It's like... on this site, people try so hard to come off as cynical and bitchy about U2, because apparently that's the IN thing to do. God forbid any of you got excited in the past and said something positive about the band. Surely it will come back and bite you in the ass in the future. You'll be embarrassed that you actually claimed to like something the band did.

But I think it's cute. I think it shows that under that crusty exterior of professed apathy, you too got caught up in the excitement of new U2 music. And maybe you will again, maybe you secretly are now... but now you know better than to admit it, because it'll ruin your cred.


It's unlikely that the new album will be the next Achtung Baby, but it might actually... *gasp* be good. Is it so bad to hope for that? Is it so bad to think that they might possibly step back into some of that 90s experimentalism? Is it so bad to think the album might be better than HTDAAB?
 
Sometimes I think posters like shart1780 would be devastated if U2 released another masterpiece. Without the outlet to incessantly moan they probably wouldn't even come on here. :shrug:

:up:

This is the truth. I've said this numerous times as well...so true.
 
Basically unless the band does something totally out of left field and suprises the crap out of me I don't think I'll be too excited.

Good songs aren't "left-field." They're as simple as can be. That's what you should be hoping for.

If you want wacky and strange music that reflects just how wacky and strange you are, go listen to Ween or Mike Patton. I'm sure your friends will think you're wacky and strange for listening to such wacky and strange music.
 
what i can make out of this clip, im very disappointed.
not impressed at all, it sounds like a left over off Bomb! who ever thinks its a new sound or direction needs to listen to the clip again!
hope they change directions soon.
 
I'm so confused. My impression was that Interference was a U2 fan site, but so many people seem to dislike so much of what they have done. Especially recently. I'm not blind and think that everything they have done is the greatest thing ever, but as a fan of the band and their music, I like it because they have their own unique sound, that is unmistakably U2. Would I like to hear something ground breaking that changes music and makes rock history, well who wouldn't. But at the same time, if it is close to as good as their last 2 albums then I will be totally happy because it will sound like U2, which is what I am a fan of.
 
what i can make out of this clip, im very disappointed.
not impressed at all, it sounds like a left over off Bomb! who ever thinks its a new sound or direction needs to listen to the clip again!
hope they change directions soon.

You can't tell anything from the clip. But you can tell quite a bit about people who think they can.

.
 
the new coldplay song is 100 times better than this!

dude. you are comparing a completely recorded song, mixed and released and even better yet - READY to be released to the public to a song that was recorded with a digital camera in the middle of a street with the music being blasted. you can hear a faint melody, and that's it.

so you're basically comparing a fetus to a 2 year old baby. look, this one is walking, the other one is a piece of shit, it's WAAAAAAAAAAAY more advanced!

i know you're known for some off the wall stuff here, but come on man, this goes for the people who are calling this the best stuff since ZooTV as well. You can't tell a damn thing from the clip!
 
I don't think I'd ever say I felt embarrassed about LIKING any of U2's music. I actually NEVER feel embarrassed about liking anyone's music. :tsk:


I'm not embarassed about liking HTDAAB at all. I still like the album, but there are so many dozens of albums I absolutely love I simply can't get excited about it anymore. That's the thing, I listen to so many dozens of bands now that are releasing amazing stuff, and then we got U2, who I know is as talented as anyone out there, who decide to release safe, derivative music over and over and it gets under my skin, especially as a diehard U2 fan who's been singing the band's praises for almost a decade. I know it sounds selfish, but I think the fans deserve something to be excited over. If you're happy with the same stuff over and over and over again I guess that's cool, but to me it's a shame because I'll just find something by another band to be blown away by.
 
I'm not embarassed about liking HTDAAB at all. I still like the album, but there are so many dozens of albums I absolutely love I simply can't get excited about it anymore. That's the thing, I listen to so many dozens of bands now that are releasing amazing stuff, and then we got U2, who I know is as talented as anyone out there, who decide to release safe, derivative music over and over and it gets under my skin, especially as a diehard U2 fan who's been singing the band's praises for almost a decade. I know it sounds selfish, but I think the fans deserve something to be excited over. If you're happy with the same stuff over and over and over again I guess that's cool, but to me it's a shame because I'll just find something by another band to be blown away by.

The fans deserve something to be excited over, WTF? Your lack of excitement is not U2's fault. I'd rather the band is excited and enthusiastic about what they are doing. They cannot meet everyone's expectations. As artists, they should concentrate on what they really feel like doing, not what possibly gets some fans excited.
 
Alot of peolpe are saying that the band was repeating theirself with ATYCLB, but thats total wrong. Tell me one record by the band that sounds like that and other songs that sound like that ATYCLB is one of their more imporant album they have done, why? Becuase it was a strip down album, I think they realise how fun they have togheter with just simple music. That album made them even more better musicans. The Elevation tour was also an important tour, just them, the music and the crowd. No special effects...

There is a lot of difference between ATYCLB and HTDAAB. They are two total different albums.


On HTDAAB only songs I see as basic U2 songs is:

MD
But not as the old U2 sound, more the current sound.

COBL
Streets

Yahweh
Edge!

CFYT
But not as the old U2 sound, more the current sound.

OSC
Zooropa, First time.

The other songs is like no other they done before.
 
I listen to so many dozens of bands now that are releasing amazing stuff, and then we got U2, who I know is as talented as anyone out there, who decide to release safe, derivative music over and over and it gets under my skin, especially as a diehard U2 fan who's been singing the band's praises for almost a decade. I know it sounds selfish, but I think the fans deserve something to be excited over. If you're happy with the same stuff over and over and over again I guess that's cool, but to me it's a shame because I'll just find something by another band to be blown away by.
if I didn't think your behaviour on this site wasn't mere trolling (since I do think the only satisfaction you get here is by dishing out negative crap re. U2) I would be interested in finding out which bands you do like and see how much their music changes album after album

as it is I have to agree with Peter that in the end the last 2 albums objectively speaking don't sound like any of their other albums
even though I do think they can put out a more interesting album than Bomb
 
The fans deserve something to be excited over, WTF? Your lack of excitement is not U2's fault. I'd rather the band is excited and enthusiastic about what they are doing. They cannot meet everyone's expectations. As artists, they should concentrate on what they really feel like doing, not what possibly gets some fans excited.

again LU I agree 100%. There are two things I think we need to remember:

1) Bomb was a actually very popular and successful album. The general disdain for it that you'll find on this part of the forum really does not represent the general public's (or critics') response to it. It sold tons of albums on its own merits (not every U2 album has sold so brilliantly just because it's U2), shows were sold out across the world, and it won fecking Album of the Year at the Grammys! It's perfectly fine if you don't like the direction taken by the band with the last two albums, but just recognize that that's only an opinion, and not exactly a majority opinion by any accounts.

2) Because U2 has over the course of their career released such an incredibly diverse collection of music, it has naturally brought an incredibly diverse group of music lovers into fandom. If their style had been relatively constant and unchanging, there wouldn't be so much controversy among us, but it hasn't..so, there is. It's totally to be expected then that some sector of the fan base will be disappointed no matter what direction they take and that's just something we have to live with. The band do not owe us anything, and we can't expect them to cater to each of our individual tastes. Even beyond ethically, it's just not physically possible. So, I would recommend that everyone just suck it up and try to see the best in whatever the boys decide to to. After all, U2 does not just make great music, they're a great band, and I believe in them and stand behind them as people and as artists.
 
again LU I agree 100%. There are two things I think we need to remember:

1) Bomb was a actually very popular and successful album. The general disdain for it that you'll find on this part of the forum really does not represent the general public's (or critics') response to it. It sold tons of albums on its own merits (not every U2 album has sold so brilliantly just because it's U2), shows were sold out across the world, and it won fecking Album of the Year at the Grammys! It's perfectly fine if you don't like the direction taken by the band with the last two albums, but just recognize that that's only an opinion, and not exactly a majority opinion by any accounts.

2) Because U2 has over the course of their career released such an incredibly diverse collection of music, it has naturally brought an incredibly diverse group of music lovers into fandom. If their style had been relatively constant and unchanging, there wouldn't be so much controversy among us, but it hasn't..so, there is. It's totally to be expected then that some sector of the fan base will be disappointed no matter what direction they take and that's just something we have to live with. The band do not owe us anything, and we can't expect them to cater to each of our individual tastes. Even beyond ethically, it's just not physically possible. So, I would recommend that everyone just suck it up and try to see the best in whatever the boys decide to to. After all, U2 does not just make great music, they're a great band, and I believe in them and stand behind them as people and as artists.

:applaud:

I agree 100% rosebud! :)
 
again LU I agree 100%. There are two things I think we need to remember:

1) Bomb was a actually very popular and successful album. The general disdain for it that you'll find on this part of the forum really does not represent the general public's (or critics') response to it. It sold tons of albums on its own merits (not every U2 album has sold so brilliantly just because it's U2), shows were sold out across the world, and it won fecking Album of the Year at the Grammys! It's perfectly fine if you don't like the direction taken by the band with the last two albums, but just recognize that that's only an opinion, and not exactly a majority opinion by any accounts.

2) Because U2 has over the course of their career released such an incredibly diverse collection of music, it has naturally brought an incredibly diverse group of music lovers into fandom. If their style had been relatively constant and unchanging, there wouldn't be so much controversy among us, but it hasn't..so, there is. It's totally to be expected then that some sector of the fan base will be disappointed no matter what direction they take and that's just something we have to live with. The band do not owe us anything, and we can't expect them to cater to each of our individual tastes. Even beyond ethically, it's just not physically possible. So, I would recommend that everyone just suck it up and try to see the best in whatever the boys decide to to. After all, U2 does not just make great music, they're a great band, and I believe in them and stand behind them as people and as artists.

great post, one of the best on here for a while...
 
if I didn't think your behaviour on this site wasn't mere trolling (since I do think the only satisfaction you get here is by dishing out negative crap re. U2) I would be interested in finding out which bands you do like and see how much their music changes album after album

as it is I have to agree with Peter that in the end the last 2 albums objectively speaking don't sound like any of their other albums
even though I do think they can put out a more interesting album than Bomb

Couldn't have said it better.
 
again LU I agree 100%. There are two things I think we need to remember:

1) Bomb was a actually very popular and successful album. The general disdain for it that you'll find on this part of the forum really does not represent the general public's (or critics') response to it. It sold tons of albums on its own merits (not every U2 album has sold so brilliantly just because it's U2), shows were sold out across the world, and it won fecking Album of the Year at the Grammys! It's perfectly fine if you don't like the direction taken by the band with the last two albums, but just recognize that that's only an opinion, and not exactly a majority opinion by any accounts.

2) Because U2 has over the course of their career released such an incredibly diverse collection of music, it has naturally brought an incredibly diverse group of music lovers into fandom. If their style had been relatively constant and unchanging, there wouldn't be so much controversy among us, but it hasn't..so, there is. It's totally to be expected then that some sector of the fan base will be disappointed no matter what direction they take and that's just something we have to live with. The band do not owe us anything, and we can't expect them to cater to each of our individual tastes. Even beyond ethically, it's just not physically possible. So, I would recommend that everyone just suck it up and try to see the best in whatever the boys decide to to. After all, U2 does not just make great music, they're a great band, and I believe in them and stand behind them as people and as artists.

I'll agree with this as well. :up:

The only weak thing about Bomb was its production and occasionally its lyrics. I believe that it's song-for-song much stronger than ATYCLB, and it only deserves a fraction of the criticism it gets. I honestly think the band has improved over where they were 9 years ago.
 
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