Your favourite Edge "guitar hero" riff of this decade?

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We know his time with Page rubbed off, and he had some classic rock inspired riffs in 2004. But which of the riffs is your favourite, of the following :

Vertigo
All because of you
SUC
GOYB
Glastonbury
 
I would have to say Native Son.

No, but really, ABOY is probably the best guitar performance outta those. But I find it to be more Who-ish.

Glastonbury's hypothetical studio version will blow goats if it's anything like the live takes we hear now.

Vertigo is ugly as sin.

GOYB would be ok if Vertigo didn't exist, but since it does, Boots gets demoted from ok to lame.

As for SUC....it's bad....OMFG NOOOOOO!(Ozeeko suffers an aneurysm)
 
For me, 'Vertigo' is one of the more impressive pieces of music U2 have ever done. Maybe the lyrics could have been more interesting, but there's no denying it's one of the great post-punk guitar riffs.
 
For me there's nothing remotely punk or even post-punk about Vertigo. At best, it's a corny-ass song you can appreciate drunk in a state of whimsy, but there's nothing dangerous about it, nor does it seem to have a reason to exist, except to show that Edge can pretend to play garage rock at the age of 86.
 
For me there's nothing remotely punk or even post-punk about Vertigo. At best, it's a corny-ass song you can appreciate drunk in a state of whimsy, but there's nothing dangerous about it, nor does it seem to have a reason to exist, except to show that Edge can pretend to play garage rock at the age of 86.

well, that is a little bit harsh. But, you have to appreciate that riff is pretty damn catchy...
 
well, that is a little bit harsh. But, you have to appreciate that riff is pretty damn catchy...

Ever since i started writing songs at the age of 1 and a half, I held the belief that mere catchiness is not good enough. Hell, look how successful "Achy Breaky Heart" was! Would you say that song is catchy? Don't lie, the second you read that title, you immediately flashed back to the melody of that chorus. Catchy as hell, but any good? Hells freakin' no. (unless you like that sorta thing)
 
Ever since i started writing songs at the age of 1 and a half, I held the belief that mere catchiness is not good enough. Hell, look how successful "Achy Breaky Heart" was! Would you say that song is catchy? Don't lie, the second you read that title, you immediately flashed back to the melody of that chorus. Catchy as hell, but any good? Hells freakin' no. (unless you like that sorta thing)

Well I didnt say the song was good (even though I think it is), I said the riff is good and that is what this thread is about. I think it is an amazing riff that really gets under your skin and I think many people agree with me given the popularity of the song.
 
Well I didnt say the song was good (even though I think it is), I said the riff is good and that is what this thread is about. I think it is an amazing riff that really gets under your skin and I think many people agree with me given the popularity of the song.

I think the riff is adequate, but nothing amazing. It's nothing compared to I Will Follow, which is as simple a riff as they come. Vertigo's riff sounds like its "supposed to be" hard rock, "supposed to be" punk, "supposed to be" garage, "supposed to be" young, "supposed to be" rocking, "supposed to be" fun, "supposed to be" U2 letting their hair down, "supposed to be" a retro throwback anthem, "supposed to be" proof that U2 still rock. Yes, it sounds like all those things, and that's why i don't like it. It sounds studied. It sounds formulaic. It is bled dry of anything rock and roll. It will never be I Will Follow. There's no urgency. There's not even a pop song. It's a front.
 
^ Sounds like you're thinking about it too much :doh:

I'd go for Glastonbury, sounds like a quality riff.
 
Are You Gonna Wait Forever should be on the list as an option. The riff by itself qualifies in the discussion but also the opening seconds of the track are a clear homage to Hendrix who is, of course, the ultimate and end-all "guitar hero."

Ya heard?
 
For me there's nothing remotely punk or even post-punk about Vertigo. At best, it's a corny-ass song you can appreciate drunk in a state of whimsy, but there's nothing dangerous about it, nor does it seem to have a reason to exist, except to show that Edge can pretend to play garage rock at the age of 86.

First of all, I said nothing about "punk" (a dubious term) music. I said "post-punk", which means responding to/after punk, from roughly 1978/79 until now.

This is no way equates 'Vertigo' with punk rock, but rather was to contrast the post-punk era (which U2's career arc spans) to the pre-punk era (early rock/R&B and 'classic rock' era if you like). I would not rank 'Vertigo's riff that high if we're going to hold it up against Hendrix, Led Zep, Byrds, Stones, Beatles, etc., but in the post-punk (new wave/MTV/grunge/boy-band) era, I would say it's one of the best I've ever heard.

You'll have to explain to us how a musically powerful song needs "a reason to exist".

I assume you are not a musician.
 
You'll have to explain to us how a musically powerful song needs "a reason to exist".

Maybe (maybe) he's drawing a comparison to it's use in Native Son? It's a part of the song/story there, not just used for it's riff-o-riffick catchy riffiness, which is the entire, only point of all of Vertigo.
 
Vertigo with what's listed. I'd probably throw a vote up for Magnificent if we were talking 'memorable', and BD for overall technically if needed.
 
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