The real reason U2 isn't releasing any of this material

[Cactus Annie]

If SOA was an "art project" they could have given it a download only release. No big promotional push, no singles. Just throw the hardcore contingent a bone. And if it did well, release it in physical form at the end of the year or whenever. But to think they've shelved it outright because they thought it was too artsy fartsy...it sounds like they've forgotten they still have hardcore fans who actually want to hear this stuff.

I 'm confused over about SOA and I'm not ashamed to admit it

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Bono needs to grow up and stop acting like such a child!

Admittedly, I laughed at this post. I think I missed the part where he was acting like a child?

 

[Galeongirl]

Admittedly, I laughed at this post. I think I missed the part where he was acting like a child?

Haven't you heard? He's 51 going 15 these days.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Haven't you heard? He's 51 going 15 these days.

Damn, he's really hit the fountain of youth these days. And all it ever took was to look at the fuggin' drummer.

 

[Cactus Annie]

It was this time last year on this very same day that Bono had to have back surgery. The jury is still out on what exactly happened, but according to one theory Bono allowed a quack doctor to dominate and boss him around for 6 years. Is there a thread to mark the anniversary? My mum has hurt her shoulder.

Boy I wish I had access to the internet at home. If this is the sort of chaos I can cause over a few hours a week just imagine the damage I could cause if I came on here everyday.

 

[Galeongirl]

Nah he stole Larry's formula. So I don't think U2 will have a drummer anymore for the next leg, he's now too old to play.

 

[nirniva]

If SOA was an "art project" they could have given it a download only release. No big promotional push, no singles. Just throw the hardcore contingent a bone. And if it did well, release it in physical form at the end of the year or whenever. But to think they've shelved it outright because they thought it was too artsy fartsy...it sounds like they've forgotten they still have hardcore fans who actually want to hear this stuff.

Exactly. Take Gorillaz, for example: The Fall is quite different from most of their albums, and it certainly isn't as polished, but at least it's not sitting on Damon Albarn's hard drive collecting dust. Why can't U2 adopt that model for what seems to be a similarly "weird" album?

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Boy I wish I had access to the internet at home. If this is the sort of chaos I can cause over a few hours a week just imagine the damage I could cause if I came on here everyday

Oh don't you go there sister!

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Exactly. Why can't U2 adopt that model for what seems to be a similarly "weird" album?

It's U2. It wouldn't actually be at all weird. It's probably just very, very good, but the only marker Bono is using is likely more "Can I hear this on the radio alongside the Black Eyed Peas? No. This isn't what the people want then."

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

It's U2. It wouldn't actually be at all weird. It's probably just very, very good, but the only marker Bono is using is likely more "Can I hear this on the radio alongside the Black Eyed Peas? No. This isn't what the people want then."

I think you just made me cry. That's the most frustrating damn thing i've heard all day... and today is meant to be end of the world.

 

[lazarus]

The other thing is that it's a slap in the face to all the people who DID like No Line. Do they not remember how many gushing reviews it got?

Just because they miscalculated their lead single release and couldn't turn Unknown Caller into a sing-a-long on tour is no reason to make an about-face on a musical direction that yielded some great material.

 

[Niceman]

If SOA was an "art project" they could have given it a download only release. No big promotional push, no singles. .

Yeah, but I don't get how it is an "art project." I mean, we're talking about Every Breaking Wave and North Star! These are good songs, but they're not exactly Passengers!

 

[U2girl]

That Bono quote is infuriating.

It's so sad that they recoil so quickly after perceived failure. Fucking grow a pair.

Without the "art project" influence of Eno, where the fuck would they be now?

Look at it this way: when they recoil, it's usually a reinvention (AB being a reaction to Rattle and Hum, ATYCLB being a reaction to Pop, _____ being the reaction to NLOTH). Second of all the band the guitar player needs to get inspired again. Fall 2012 it is, then. Beats waiting another 4+ years.

I think this is the reason why they are waiting with SOA, Danger Mouse, or whatever it is they will follow up NLOTH with. It needs to be something fresh/new, not yet another collection of songs with Eno and Lanois, with Lillywhite in the back. They even said they don't want familiar producers for awhile.

Eno has certainly done a lot for their career. But the Eno/Lanois influence has been bigger on UF, JT and AB in comparison to ATYCLB and most of NLOTH. Most people would also consider the three masterpieces to be better albums than the two 00's albums produced by Eno and Lanois. Maybe U2's choice of well known producing names is at least partially to blame for the familiar U2 sounds on the last two records...

 

[Salome]

if U2's next album doesn't force a connection with mainstream consciousness it would be interesting to see what would happen with the band

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I would think that's a large part of their thinking.

 

[gvox]

If you research music, why not spell it properly?

At least color and favorite are actually correctly spelled in American English... gospal is correct in no language but Engrish.

Don't tell her, but I spell color...color. And favorite..favorite.

 

[nirniva]

It's U2. It wouldn't actually be at all weird. It's probably just very, very good, but the only marker Bono is using is likely more "Can I hear this on the radio alongside the Black Eyed Peas? No. This isn't what the people want then."

The worst part of all this is that "the Black Eyed Peas" and "very, very good" are more or less mutually exclusive.

 

[ozeeko]

I said months ago that maybe the best thing for U2 would be to release another BOMB styled album, only to watch it fail, and then be FORCED to rethink their whole approach.

 

[edge-evans]

JT-Achtung was U2' s Empire Strikes Back. Bomb and the 3 shit songs from NLOTH are like the Star Wars prequels. The same way we ask the question how did George Lucas go from writing Empire to writing about fucking Jar-Jar is the same question of how we go from Acrobat to SUC. These guys have stopped listening to each other and to some outside influence.....I pray that it's not the other way around but it could be the case.

 

[Galeongirl]

Don't tell her, but I spell color...color. And favorite..favorite.

You bloody Americans and your weird lingo. How dare you spell things differently than the British!

 

[gvox]

American??

 

[U2girl]

if U2's next album doesn't force a connection with mainstream consciousness it would be interesting to see what would happen with the band

It would appear it is happening right now.

NLOTH didn't really connect with the mainstream the way ATYCLB and Bomb did.

 

[Galeongirl]

American??

North American then. Bloody Canadians and their weird acceptation of nationality.

Still confusing for me how people from the continent of North America aren't all Americans. It's just weird, but I guess United Statesians doesn't really flow nicely..

 

[mama cass]

JT-Achtung was U2' s Empire Strikes Back. Bomb and the 3 shit songs from NLOTH are like the Star Wars prequels. The same way we ask the question how did George Lucas go from writing Empire to writing about fucking Jar-Jar is the same question of how we go from Acrobat to SUC. These guys have stopped listening to each other and to some outside influence.....I pray that it's not the other way around but it could be the case.

Lucas was fucking Jar-Jar?

 

[Niceman]

That explains a lot.

 

[No spoken words]

Lucas didn't even write Empire, but, whatever.

 

[Rachel D.]

but I guess United Statesians doesn't really flow nicely..

I think that's actually what it translates to in Spanish, from estadounidenses.

EDIT: Urban Dictionary says "since it's too long we usually say gringo."

 

[Irvine511]

JT-Achtung was U2' s Empire Strikes Back. Bomb and the 3 shit songs from NLOTH are like the Star Wars prequels. The same way we ask the question how did George Lucas go from writing Empire to writing about fucking Jar-Jar is the same question of how we go from Acrobat to SUC. These guys have stopped listening to each other and to some outside influence.....I pray that it's not the other way around but it could be the case.

nah. cheer up.

 

[gvox]

Lucas didn't even write Empire, but, whatever.

That's not entirely accurate. He wrote the story. Brackett and Kasdan wrote the screenplay. It's still his story.

I don't really agree with the rest of edge-evans point per se, however.

 

[No spoken words]

Good point.