Will.i.am: An asset or a liability to NLOTH?

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i'm not sure you can really tell either way, to be honest. i like the album, i guess he was an asset.....
 
I don’t think he’s noticeable. He might have been an influence on the pop of Crazy Tonight/SUC, but on record his presence is neither here nor there. But I am actually really, really interested in hearing his Magnificent remix.

As an aside – Bono talking about turning the Spiderman songs into a U2 album, and saying it would be their “most accessible”, one that could feature other artists... think about it. You know it’s going to be people like this. Get ready for U2 featuring Justin Timberlake “Stuck in a Web You Can’t Get Out Of” or some shit.
 
He did keyboards on Magnificent
He did keyboards and production on Crazy Tonight
He did production and vocals on NLOTH 2


I think he did a pretty good job
 
If you didn't read the liner notes you would never know he was even there, so really he's neither an asset or a liability.

He's as about an asset or liability as this thread.

Just kidding :wink:
 
Haven't noticed him at all to be honest. Probably means he was ana sset, because the album is good, and he didn't ruin it... ergo must have helped
 
I've always felt that for SUC, they were going for funk, but maybe didn't push it quite far enough. It's on my bottom tier of songs on the album, but I don't hate it or anything. I still think it's catchy.
 
i will admit when i first heard his name mentioned about this album i was nervous. but the album is awesome and i am surprised to find he supplied keyboards or other levels of involvement on some of the best songs.

so i can't believe i am going to say it, but he must have been an asset. i definitely respect him more.
 
Well, dropping a keyboard part here and there on its own isn’t “influence”, i.e. we don’t know whether those parts were at his suggestion, or if he was just essentially a very big name session player. His real influence isn’t completely known – did he actually shape any of those songs? We know he certainly had a large part in Crazy Tonight, that the song being based around that line and even given that title seemed to come from him.

Did he do that synth part in Magnificent, or is that Eno? If it were him, and it was at his suggestion – big thumbs up for that.
 
By the way, whilst surfing on the web I came across this bit on recording with U2:

Excerpt of an MSN interview:

Switching tracks, in Rolling Stone, Bono praised you for your remix on "Magnificent." How did working with U2 on their new album come about?

It was summer in the south of France. I was DJ'ing in St. Tropez and [Interscope Records chairman] Jimmy Iovine called and said, "Hey Will, why don't you take a car and come meet me at Bono's house." I was like, "All right." So I took a car and went to meet him at Bono's house. Cindy Crawford was there and George Clooney. I was like, "What? This is crazy." We had lunch and Bono says, "Hey, I'm playing the record for people." People left and Bono was like, "I want to change something on the song. Hey Edge, get your guitar out." So I'm standing there watching them. Then they started asking me all these questions and they said, "You want to come back tomorrow, we're going to start recording some more." I was like "Cool, all right, sure." The vibe was so dope. I felt like a family member they hadn't met. I'd met them at Jimmy's house, but this was my first time vibing with them.

What happened next?


They were like, "What are you doing the whole month of November? Do you want to come out to London with us to record?" What? Hell yeah, right? So I did that. We recorded on "Magnificent" and "Crazy Tonight," [which] we did in the south of France. The name of the song was [originally] something different. I was like, "What was the lyric you said there: 'I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight?'" That's the hook right there. [I said] "If you're not going to use that can I have that? Can I sample it before it even comes out?" I was so enthused by that sentence.
 
as an aside – bono talking about turning the spiderman songs into a u2 album, and saying it would be their “most accessible”, one that could feature other artists... Think about it. You know it’s going to be people like this. Get ready for u2 featuring justin timberlake “stuck in a web you can’t get out of” or some shit.

:d
 
Judging from the two Will.I.Am songs I know - his smarmy, sycophantic, fawning, puke-inducing, mind-numbingly banal, pseudo-messiah worshipping, aesthetically fascist Obama campaign songs - I'm going to go with liability.

Unfortunately, of late, U2 (or Bono at least) seem enamored of mediocrities like this Will.i.Am guy, Kanye West, Wyclef Jean, Beyonce/Destiny's Child, The Killers, Snow Patrol, etc. (anyone remember Third Eye Blind? U2 were big on them circa Pop; where are they now?).

More Eno/Lanois please, less Will.I.Am (after all, how seriously can you take anyone who insists on putting periods between the syllables of his name?).
 
Thanks, cdrani. I wonder if Bono would have looked to him if Black Eyed Peas hadn't been popular. Their stuff sucks, especially Fergie's though. Notice how no one noticed them until they invited the T & A to join in? She could at least be subtle about it in her lyrics, though; jeez!
 
Judging from the two Will.I.Am songs I know - his smarmy, sycophantic, fawning, puke-inducing, mind-numbingly banal, pseudo-messiah worshipping, aesthetically fascist Obama campaign songs - I'm going to go with liability.

Unfortunately, of late, U2 (or Bono at least) seem enamored of mediocrities like this Will.i.Am guy, Kanye West, Wyclef Jean, Beyonce/Destiny's Child, The Killers, Snow Patrol, etc. (anyone remember Third Eye Blind? U2 were big on them circa Pop; where are they now?).

More Eno/Lanois please, less Will.I.Am (after all, how seriously can you take anyone who insists on putting periods between the syllables of his name?).
Well said. Obama's already typical American conservatism in his foreign policy, bombing innocent people in Pakistan and supporting Zionist policy in the Middle East by refusing to negotiate with a democratically elected group. Bill Moyers did an excellent discussion on the immorality and unhelpfulness of bombing:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/01302009/profile.html

Also, why does Bono name drop people AFTER they're famous and multimillionaires?! Cate Blanchette, Coldplay, Beyonce, Jay Z, The Killers, Oasis. He even mentioned Pulp (who is amazing) in 1997 because they were big back then and then never again. It's like a sickness with him. How about bringing unknowns to fame, Bono, like Radiohead does? That actually might be a goodwill gesture instead of just showing off and ingratiating yourself with celebrity.
 
To be honest, I was scared shitless when I heard he even knew who U2 was let alone worked with them.
That being said, I barely notice he is there.
I can't stand Crazy tonight but that isn't bc of William.
 
Well said. Obama's already typical American conservatism in his foreign policy, bombing innocent people in Pakistan and supporting Zionist policy in the Middle East by refusing to negotiate with a democratically elected group. Bill Moyers did an excellent discussion on the immorality and unhelpfulness of bombing:
Bill Moyers Journal . Pierre Sprey and Marilyn Young | PBS

Also, why does Bono name drop people AFTER they're famous and multimillionaires?! Cate Blanchette, Coldplay, Beyonce, Jay Z, The Killers, Oasis. He even mentioned Pulp (who is amazing) in 1997 because they were big back then and then never again. It's like a sickness with him. How about bringing unknowns to fame, Bono, like Radiohead does? That actually might be a goodwill gesture instead of just showing off and ingratiating yourself with celebrity.

Would you push the goddamn button already?
 
Well said. Obama's already typical American conservatism in his foreign policy, bombing innocent people in Pakistan and supporting Zionist policy in the Middle East by refusing to negotiate with a democratically elected group. Bill Moyers did an excellent discussion on the immorality and unhelpfulness of bombing

Thanks for the "well said," but you are mistaken if you think Obama is "conservative". As for those who oppose American actions in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I'd like to know what they would like to do to eradicate alQaeda and other Islamic extermists? Opposing the Iraq war is one thing - it was arguably not an absolutely necessary as a response to 9/11 and could have been handled better militarily and politically (though I don't think any sensible person could argue that the Iraqi people as a whole are not better off without Saddam, Qusai and Uday running the show!), but opposing US actions in Afghanistan and Pakistan is another thing altogether, intervention in both places was absolutley necessary after 9/11 (again, however, things could have been handled better in some cases - being too friendly toward Pakistan, the main safe-haven and harbor for al-Qaeda and Taliban, for example.) One must distinguish between unintended civillian casualties as a result of legitimate military actions and terrorist actions that have as their sole aim the killing of as many civilians as possible.

As for Hamas being "democratically elected," that does not make them a worthy or legitimate negotating partner. The National Socialists were democratically elected elected in Germany too Should we therefore have "negotiated" with Hitler over control of Europe and the fate of the Jews? Hamas (and Hezbollah in Lebanon) are brutal cleptocratic terrorist organisations (like the PLO, now so-called Palestinian-Authority); they rule by force and intimidation (numerous reports are available of they way they abuse and intimidate Palestinian Arabs who oppose them, especially by knee-capping). Like the PLO (especially under Arafat) they mouth democratic platitudes when speaking to Western leaders and media, but their real principle is "one vote, one time" (after which they will never voluntarily relinquish power. Hugo Chavez has also implemeted this principle in Venezuela) Hamas' charter still calls for the elimination of Israel and contains numerous anti-Semitic passages.

It is simply inconceivable for one to think that negotions can be opened on a truly just basis with Hamas when they insist on the elimination and utter destruction of their purperted negotiating partner (Would you "negotiate" with someone who said his chief aim was to kill you? No, you'd do whatever you needed to to stop him from killing you, with all necessary force.). Then again, they way you use "Zionist" as if it were a self-evidently bad thing to be, indicates that you probably do think we should have negotiated with the Nazis in the same way you wish to negotiate with the fascist anti-Semites of Hamas.

Finally, Bill Moyers is hardly an objective source for news and information. He has a long track record of extreme Leftism and is a former LBJ and Carter operative.

Anyway..sorry to go on, but it needed to be said. I would prefer to stay focused on music and not politics, at least here on this site (One aspect of U2 I've always found intriguing is that I know as many conservatives as liberals who are fans, and who respond to many different aspects of their music, often despite disagreements with some of Bono's flightier political pronouncements).
 
Well said. Obama's already typical American conservatism in his foreign policy, bombing innocent people in Pakistan and supporting Zionist policy in the Middle East by refusing to negotiate with a democratically elected group. Bill Moyers did an excellent discussion on the immorality and unhelpfulness of bombing:
Bill Moyers Journal . Pierre Sprey and Marilyn Young | PBS

Also, why does Bono name drop people AFTER they're famous and multimillionaires?! Cate Blanchette, Coldplay, Beyonce, Jay Z, The Killers, Oasis. He even mentioned Pulp (who is amazing) in 1997 because they were big back then and then never again. It's like a sickness with him. How about bringing unknowns to fame, Bono, like Radiohead does? That actually might be a goodwill gesture instead of just showing off and ingratiating yourself with celebrity.

Thanks for the "well said," but you are mistaken if you think Obama is "conservative". As for those who oppose American actions in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I'd like to know what they would like to do to eradicate alQaeda and other Islamic extermists? Opposing the Iraq war is one thing - it was arguably not an absolutely necessary as a response to 9/11 and could have been handled better militarily and politically (though I don't think any sensible person could argue that the Iraqi people as a whole are not better off without Saddam, Qusai and Uday running the show!), but opposing US actions in Afghanistan and Pakistan is another thing altogether, intervention in both places was absolutley necessary after 9/11 (again, however, things could have been handled better in some cases - being too friendly toward Pakistan, the main safe-haven and harbor for al-Qaeda and Taliban, for example.) One must distinguish between unintended civillian casualties as a result of legitimate military actions and terrorist actions that have as they sole aim the killing of as many civilians as possible.

As for Hamas being "democratically elected," that does not make them a worthy or legitimate negotating partner. The National Socialist were democratically elected too? Should we therefore have "negotiated" with Hitler over control of Europe and the fate of the Jews? Hamas (and Hezbollah in Lebanon) are brutal cleptocratic terrorist organisations (like the PLO, now so-called Palestinian-Authority), they rule by force and intimidation (numerous reports are available of they way they abuse and intimidate Palestinian Arabs who oppose them). Like the PLO (especailly under Arafat) they mouth democratic platitudes when speaking to Western leaders and media, but their real principle is "one vote, one time" (after which tehy will never voluntarily relinquish power. Hugo Chaves has also implemeted this principle in Venezuela) Hamas' charter still calls for the elimination of Israel and contains numerous anti-Semitic passages. It is simply inconceivable for one to think that negotions can be opened on a truly just basis with Hamas when they insist on the elimination and utter destruction of their purperted negotiating partner (Would you "negotiate" with someone who said his chief aim was to kill you? No, you'd do whatever you needed to to stop him from killing you, with all necessary force.). Then again, they way you use "Zionist" as if it were a self-evidently bad thing to be, indicates that you probably do think we should have negotiated with the Nazis in the same way you wish to negotiate with the fascist anti-Semites of Hamas.

Finally, Bill Moyers is hardly an objective source for news and information. He has a long track record of extreme Leftism and is a former LBJ and Carter operative.

Oh snap. It's on like Donkey Kong.

m_elk.jpg
 
By the way, whilst surfing on the web I came across this bit on recording with U2:

Excerpt of an MSN interview:

Switching tracks, in Rolling Stone, Bono praised you for your remix on "Magnificent." How did working with U2 on their new album come about?

It was summer in the south of France. I was DJ'ing in St. Tropez and [Interscope Records chairman] Jimmy Iovine called and said, "Hey Will, why don't you take a car and come meet me at Bono's house." I was like, "All right." So I took a car and went to meet him at Bono's house. Cindy Crawford was there and George Clooney. I was like, "What? This is crazy." We had lunch and Bono says, "Hey, I'm playing the record for people." People left and Bono was like, "I want to change something on the song. Hey Edge, get your guitar out." So I'm standing there watching them. Then they started asking me all these questions and they said, "You want to come back tomorrow, we're going to start recording some more." I was like "Cool, all right, sure." The vibe was so dope. I felt like a family member they hadn't met. I'd met them at Jimmy's house, but this was my first time vibing with them.

What happened next?


They were like, "What are you doing the whole month of November? Do you want to come out to London with us to record?" What? Hell yeah, right? So I did that. We recorded on "Magnificent" and "Crazy Tonight," [which] we did in the south of France. The name of the song was [originally] something different. I was like, "What was the lyric you said there: 'I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight?'" That's the hook right there. [I said] "If you're not going to use that can I have that? Can I sample it before it even comes out?" I was so enthused by that sentence.

Very interesting.
Thanks for the info. :up::up:
 
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