(01-18-2006) Willie Williams Resurfaces? - Interference.com*

[HelloAngel]

Willie Williams Resurfaces?

U2 afficianados will recall the shock and sadness of when we all found out longtime U2 show designer Willie Williams had left the Vertigo Tour, and presumably the U2 camp, after years of successful collaborations.

Today, Interference.com reader Thomas spotted what looked to be Williams' latest gig on the official website of former Savage Garden lead singer Darren Hayes. Here is an excerpt of a post from Hayes' journal on the site, dated January 17th, 2006:

Had my first production meeting today for my 2006 tour.
Sat with Willie Williams in his Covent Garden house for
three hours and came up with the coolest show opener EVER.

Last year we had our initial meetings and discussions to
decide the tour name, the basic concept for the show,and
our general objectives.

But today we got into the deeper things. We worked on the
finer details - like a first draft of the set list and started
to solidify some of the stage design.

At any rate, we wish Willie all the best in his future endeavors. Good to see he's still around, if not with U2.

Thanks Thomas!

 

[Canadiens1131]

Willie come back

 

[Carek1230]

I am "will"ing to bet he'll come back!

 

[Dragonfave]

Darren Hayes?? Eewww...........

 

[ouizy]

Not such a big deal - he has worked with him (and SG) for years.

Good to see he is working though and noth anything else...

 

[doctorwho]

I'm out of the loop. I didn't know he left. When and why did this happen? Was it just the end of the tour in 2005? Or were there other reasons?

 

[nikkyjade]

he left during the 3rd leg in the US

dont know why he left...i dont think any explanations were given

would be interesting to know like

 

[cypress]

I hope he comes back for the next U2 tour. But it is possible that the band's move to more scaled-down shows have somewhat squelched his creativity. Zoo TV and Popmart were unbelievable. IMO, he's the best in the world at what he does when he's given a blank slate and allowed to just do his thing. It was obvious that starting with the Elevation Tour, U2 reigned him in a bit.

I'd really love to see Willie come back and make U2 a magical huge stage design ala Zoo TV and Popmart. Those concert productions were on their own level. Nothing else I've seen has approached them - not from U2 or anyone else for that matter. If U2's next tour stage design is just a facelift of Vertigo and Elevation I will be a little disappointed. It's time for U2 to go back to the future a bit.

 

[Canadiens1131]

But it is possible that the band's move to more scaled-down shows have somewhat squelched his creativity. Zoo TV and Popmart were unbelievable. IMO, he's the best in the world at what he does when he's given a blank slate and allowed to just do his thing. It was obvious that starting with the Elevation Tour, U2 reigned him in a bit.

Hell yes. Fuck the arenas! I want the giant pissing inflatable baby, AND the mobile discotheque trucks circling the stadium!

 

[Vincent Vega]

Yes, but ZooTV was so expensive that they didn't make profit. The ticket price would have to be much higher to make this tour a success.

And with the PopMart tour many complained that they didn't understand what the Lemon was for and all that.

So U2 changed the stage design for Elevation and Vertigo, and now the fans of the PopMart concept complain about that.

So U2 has really no chance to make it right.

I would say Willie Wilson maybe also left because after so many years working with U2 he wanted to work with some other artists and try out concepts which he couldn't do with U2. Also because these concepts wouldn't fit for U2.

He for sure didn't left U2 without knowing that there are some other jobs available.

 

[nurse chrissi]

I think that Willie Williams left the Vertigo Tour only - he did the same with Elevation (staying on for the 1st and 2nd legs only).

I'm betting he'll be back for the next tour

 

[WILATW]

No, offense, but how is this really news?
He left the Vertigo Tour after the 2nd leg, he left the 2nd leg of Vertigo after the Milan show and even posted about it in his Diary on U2.com but came back shortly for the Toronto Shows on the 3rd leg.

He regularly does lighting for other bands, one only has to look at his webpage to see that.

Seems like much ado about nothing.

 

[U2FanPeter]

<<bet he's back for the next tour>>

Bono said , during a Toronto show, his decision to leave may be permanent.

<<fuck the arenas>>

It didn't hinder WW's creativity for the indoor 87 shows, the 89 tour and the indoor 92 shows.

<<zootv didn't make money>>

show me one fucking credible source!!!!!!

I have a 1992 Q mag with a Paul McG. quote saying the first 2 legs od the 1992 had to sell at 75% to break even. This excludes merchandizing profits. The outdoor leg would have been gravy, particularly the 2nd and 3rd nights. Why do a 2 year tour for no money?

I think WW departure was a comment on U2's current creative state and the fact he can make great money anywhere he wants.

u2fp

 

[Vincent Vega]

<<zootv didn't make money>>

show me one fucking credible source!!!!!!

Sorry for being offending.

I can't say which show it was in particular, but they said that the ZooTV tour was very expensive, and ticket prices were very low because U2 wanted them to be affordable also for not so rich fans. So all in all ZooTV wasn't the greatest success money wise.
For the rest ZooTV was great, the greatest ever done I would say, but it also was not the most economic one.

Maybe this show was wrong on that fact. Like most shows usually mix things up or say it something differen than it really was, but I don't think thaty they are totally wrong on that point.

Okay, no profit might be wrong, since they didn't make a loss, but it also was no major success... only in money terms.

 

[HelloAngel]

No, offense, but how is this really news?
He left the Vertigo Tour after the 2nd leg, he left the 2nd leg of Vertigo after the Milan show and even posted about it in his Diary on U2.com but came back shortly for the Toronto Shows on the 3rd leg.

He regularly does lighting for other bands, one only has to look at his webpage to see that.

Seems like much ado about nothing.

It's not Breaking News, per se', but alot of people around here care about Willie and we try to post updates about peripheral people to U2 because alot of members care.

 

[babyman]

Willie is great, but I think U2 will find someone up to the work he used to do

 

[WILATW]

<<zootv didn't make money>>

show me one fucking credible source!!!!!!
[/B]

U2 At the End of the World, by Bill Flanagan, page 484 3/4 of a page down.

"This week it's possible to look at the final figures for the two years of heavy work. U2 has landed in the black, but not by a wide margin. What saved them from being wiped out was the garment industry. "We grossed $30 million in T-shirt sales," McGuinness says. "Without those, we'd be fucked."

It's a well known fact that U2 almost bit off more then they could chew on ZooTV. Numerous articles since then have referenced the near financial failure of what could arguably be one of the greatest tours of all time.

Now yes, I know, U2 MADE money on ZooTv, but in regards to the percentage of a return on their investment it was dismal and was reportedly nowhere near the bare minimum of 10% that most business investments need to recoup in order for it to be considered worthwhile.