(10-19-2004) U2 Whining Like A Small Child: "Pay Attention To Meeee" - ChartAttack*

[HelloAngel]

(10-19-2004) U2 Whining Like A Small Child: "Pay Attention To Meeee" - ChartAttack*

U2 Whining Like A Small Child: "Pay Attention To Meeee"


By: ChartAttack.com Staff


Just in case your power’s been out for, oh, about eight months now, here’s some exciting news for you: U2 have a new record coming out.

The band's publicity wheels have been turning for quite some time now and it seems every day brings another U2 news item to our door. As predictable as the sunrise, here’s some more album promotion craziness from Bono and the gang…

It seems the lads are set to announce a deal with Apple Computer, whereby their upcoming How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb will come preloaded on iPods available the week of the CD’s release. You buy an iPod, you get the album — now that’s some savvy cross-promotion.

According to Billboard.com, Applehead Steve Jobs and U2 frontman Bono have both sent emails to the press, inviting them to a "special event" on October 26 in San Jose, California, where the official announcement is expected. The band’s current single, "Vertigo," can be heard in the background of new iPod TV ads.

Bono may be a world-defending peace activist, but it seems he’s also a shrewd businessman. Just yesterday, we told you about a pricey special edition of the album for you to get your mitts on.

It was way back in February that the band first announced plans for a new album. Since then ChartAttack has run many a story about Bono and his merry men, reporting on the build-up to Atomic Bomb’s release. Even stories on the singer’s noble causes (like his endless speechifying against AIDS and oppression) always required a mention of the record’s progress.

Since news of the impending album surfaced, the band slowly let out one small detail after another — "here’s the street date, here’s the title, here’s the track listing" — getting maximum media attention for what should really have been one press release. And then there was the Mysterious Stolen CD Caper, which seemed all the sneakier when nothing from the album was leaked onto the Internet.

But what can we do? U2 craves all this attention and you, their loving public, wouldn’t want to miss a thing. So on we go. Forget the fact that this is the biggest band in the world and likely need none of this publicity to sell records.

Oh and hey, look, some more news: Billboard reports that Bono is one of three individuals to be awarded this year’s TED Prize — a sum of $100,000 that is then used to grant the winner’s three wishes. TEDs are given out to people "making a significant impact on our shared future" and Bono’s wishes will likely benefit people suffering from disease and poverty in Africa.

Great guy, but damned if I’m not sick of his record and it’s not even out for another month. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb hits stores on November 23.

—David McDougall

http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2004/10/1910.cfm

 

[WHYWHY]

Some people just ain't happy with their life it seems....

 

[U2girl91289]

Grrrr

 

[LPU2]

So...wait a minute here, WHO'S whining like a small child?

 

[biff]

Looks like this guy McDougall has a real dislike for the band. He's the guy who just yesterday called Vertigo "lacklustre". Odd he's complaining about all of the publicity they're getting, but he manages to produce two U2-related stories himself in under 48 hours.

 

[SkeeK]

haha. that was a hilarious article title. makes things more interesting.

 

[Catman]

David McDougall is such a little bitch

 

[jer2911]

Why can't people be more positive about life? Come on mister man, put on a smiley face.

 

[RademR]

charming guy...

 

[Judah]

Those who can't rock, become rock critics.

Those who can't become rock critics, become ChartAttack dumbass "writers."

 

[saltwaterkiss26]

Those who can't rock, become rock critics.

Those who can't become rock critics, become ChartAttack dumbass "writers."

 

[digsy]

i'm not quite certain what this guys problem is

he moans U2 are all in the news and then writes about them twice in a 24hour period.

he moans that even bonos charitable causes end up with a mention of the album but then credits such work to chartattack themselves on the MANY STORIES they've run on U2.

and then he moans about bonos that bonos "endless speechifying against AIDS and oppression" and thats he's in the news again today because he's getting an award for "making a significant impact on our shared future". um how is this a bad thing and what does it have to do with HTDAAB?

this seems more like the writer going "Pay Attention To Meeee" by trying very hard to make the best band in the world look bad (and failing)

 

[innocent_eyes]

yeah but they're not failing and its pissing him off!! HAHAAH! I can't wait till U2 sweep the grammys!!!!!

 

[bratty_cat]

haha. that was a hilarious article title. makes things more interesting.

I thought it was pretty funny too!

 

[U2democrat]

So...wait a minute here, WHO'S whining like a small child?

VERY true.

 

[sue4u2]

i'm not quite certain what this guys problem is

this seems more like the writer going "Pay Attention To Meeee" by trying very hard to make the best band in the world look bad (and failing)

I think you pretty much have it summed up

 

[starsgoblue]

David McDougal You're just jealous!

 

[Diane L]

This David McDougal is cruisin' for a bruisin'!

Some people just don't like anything that's popular, sigh....his loss...

 

[whitehead]

I don't know who this author is but I am sensing a little sarcasm. Mainly because the last line sounds like a nice plug instead of driving home any degrading point. Seems like he would of used another word other than "hit" to describe the album's arrival in stores. Maybe he is a closet fan that is using his position to secretly promote the band.

"It was way back in February that the band first announced plans for a new album." Yeah, February of TWO YEARS AGO maybe!!

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

Parents should stop letting their teenager kids do their work.

 

[pianorocker]

I think that he is wrong in the fact that they do not need this publicity to sell their records. In the United States, publicity is the way you sell records to the masses who follow music trends, as opposed to people who are more focused on one or two bands.

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

The only thing I agree with here is that Bono did mention the album a bit too much when doing his charitable type speeches. It always made me cringe a little, but not too bad. This article is still far too abrasive.

 

[Savi424]

who's whining now???

Bono wants to make a difference in the world, he gets recognized and awarded for it. It is good for him and good for the world. I am inspired by Bono. We don't need another feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world won't devote itself to making him happy. We need more people who devote their lives to making the world a better place than the one they were handed. Thank you Bono for waking me up, entertaining me, and inspiring me to use my life for something more than satisfying my own whims. I can't wait to hear him speak in Portland tomorrow! ....getting off my soapbox now.

 

[edgeu22]

I don't know who this author is but I am sensing a little sarcasm.

Same here.

Relax people.

 

[cseggleton]

This guy is obviously just taking an unpopular stand to draw attention to himself. He is the only person I have heard speak negatively about the new record. So I guess since I am commenting about the article....he wins?

 

[GibsonExplorer]

Actually, this writer sounds like a fan poking a little fun. Why are U2 fans so defensive?

 

[Teta040]

WOW.

I never expected this angle to surface. The band may need that publicity blitz. This is an unexpected development.

The media may actually turn against U2 this time simply b/c of Bono's in-your-faceness about Africa. Africa is not popular. It has no oil, or what it does have, is not gotten cheaply (Nigeria?) Its AIDS victims are black. And a lot of people in high places don't like black people and think, privately, that they're getting what they deserve.

What else could explain such indifference? And they might not be afriad to openly turn on U2 this time, after Bill OReilly's chat.

Hypocrites.

I don't mind shelling out top dollar for U2, b/c I know that I am supporting more than those mansions in France. I know that only half of U2's funds go for that. OK, I don't KNOW, but you know what I mean. Bono works his behind off for true good, and he's not in those pricey houses as much as he could be. How do we know that Bono's not signing up with Apple so he can fork those added profits over to DATA, b/c he knows that Bush is in the process of cutting a further $69 mill from that fabled $5 bil bill? Or that govts around the world who had pledged they'd help him are now in the process of dropping their promises en masse now that he's not breathing down their necks? The US isn't the only one guilty.

How do we really know?

So he's promoting the Album every where he can? Excuse me, I didn't hear him promoting it at either Convention, or on Bill O Rielly's show. Just the opposite: like last time, every time someone tries to bring up the album, he says I'm not here to talk about the album, if you want to ask me another time, but not now. Which flabbergasts the press.

U2 are dangerous. Thet actually get results, so they're now a target of abuse.

The S*** is hitting the fan, folks....

 

[biff]

The only thing I agree with here is that Bono did mention the album a bit too much when doing his charitable type speeches. It always made me cringe a little, but not too bad. This article is still far too abrasive.

Sorry, but I cannot disagree with you more strongly on this. A reading of Bono's serious speeches will show you clearly that he NEVER mentions the U2 product when he is addressing his non-musical, humanitarian efforts. He completely stays on topic. That is inarguable. I cannot imagine which "charitable type" speeches you are referring to. Can you name one?

 

[Teta040]

Right on Biff! SOmeone please give me a list of interviews or speeches where he mentions the album. Chart Attack usually loves the band, this editorial stance is new. This dork does not watch TV. It is clear he is taking a preditermined stance set forth by his editor. I see it in the media all the time, on other issues. "This guy does not do popular things, he is fighting for the wrong peopke, so he is a major pain in the ass. Thou shalt dis him and all his works, therfore."

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

I hate to be a bastard. I really don't agree with what this guy was saying. It was comments like this, subtle and possibly unintentional, that irked me:

"Now you know why Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are really excited that U2's got a new album coming out - why?

Because I'll be away on tour next year."

This is from the labour conference speech. Basically, he was saying that the politicians would be left to their own without him to pester them. Which is cool. But I'm not sure if the comment is supposed to be self-effacing or a bit self-promotional.



http://www.data.org/archives/000605.php



This may in fact be the only instance, and I understand that it may be incidental. But it just bugged me. Again, I love and appreciate everything Bono is doing, and find ChartAttack's article to be an unnecessary and vitriolic wrongful indictment. But there is some justification for that comment, albeit less than I seemed to recall