HelloAngel
ONE love, blood, life
[SIMG]http://forum.interference.com/gallery/data//585/11265u2irish-sml.jpg[/SIMG]
By Kimberly Egolf
2006.10
A "phenomenon," according to Visnja Cogan, is "an event that can be observed but also an event whose exceptional character has to be pointed out." Her book, "U2: An Irish Phenomenon," released in mid-September by Collins Press, considers U2 as a "phenomenon" in this same sense. Cogan's avowed aim in her book is not only to observe U2, but to also point out why the band is considered to be exceptional.
Cogan accomplishes this goal through a series of chapters explaining what she calls U2's "genome," that is what Cogan has identified as the distinguishing features that make the U2 entity what it is. She lists a series of eight factors that she has determined are the building blocks of the modern U2: community, Irishness, independence, spirituality, creative drive, ambition, social conscience and the fans.
She first tackles the idea of community in the U2 organization, explaining how a sense of community is fundamental to the band members and their employees. She delves deeper into this idea by exploring the early days of the band members and she uncovers an interesting, but important aspect, which has rarely been explored in other U2 books: the band's essential birth in the cradle of Lypton Village—the idyllic Neverland community dreamt up by a group of boys in 1970s Dublin. Cogan postulates that the Village—a form of escapism from the crushing adult world around them—came to heavily influence the fledgling U2's philosophy of the world and how it could exist within that world. Couched in an intellectual and philosophical rebellion, Cogan explains that the Village allowed the band (and, of course, the other members of the community not part of U2) to preserve "innocence and honesty" without compromise. This led to the earnest U2 of the 1980s.
Cogan then seamlessly transitions to a discussion of U2's Irishness and how the band has both embraced and rejected the land from which it comes. She explains how both this acceptance and rejection have helped to define U2 not only in terms of its music, but also in terms of its business. While basing its operations in Ireland to show solidarity, the band has asserted its independence from the country and traditions by appealing to listeners the world over. Cogan then provides a probing exploration of U2's difficult relationship with the politics of Ireland and, indeed, the rest of the world.
These very same politics also inspire U2's imagination, the next chapter in Cogan's book. Here again, the author digs to the roots of the band, going back to the earliest days to discover the sources of U2's inspiration (spirituality, love and eroticism, Ireland and politics) and how that inspiration translates into U2's songwriting.
While spirituality is brought up as a theme in U2's song catalog, Cogan devotes her next chapter to a discussion of this very important aspect of the band. While the author points out that she herself is not a follower of any particular religion, she understands that this is an essential part of the band members' past and inspiration not only in their art, but also in their lives. She explores the band's difficult history with religion, and provides a perceptive discussion of the crisis surrounding the "October" period, when Bono, Larry Mullen Jr. and The Edge became involved in the charismatic Christian group called Shalom and considered leaving U2. The band's relationship to its fans through spirituality is also investigated.
From spirituality, it's a short jump to a discussion of the social consciousness of the band. One of the main tenets of Christianity is charity and most fans are aware of how much U2 have given back in this regard during its career. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the entire band was outspoken in support of organizations like Amnesty International and Greenpeace. It even played a series of concerts to raise awareness all over the world for Amnesty International. And, of course, Bono's recent work is brought up. Cogan outlines these basic ideas, but then turns to an exploration of how this charitable support has affected the band and the band's image—not always a happy or productive relationship.
Cogan's next two chapters deal with U2's ambition and strategy, which walk hand-in-hand with the construction of the band image and myth. Cogan manages to intelligently penetrate some of U2's circuitous financial dealings and company decisions in order to explain how the band has built an effective financial strategy. She then explains how this secure financial strategy has allowed the band to work on building an image and a system of myths upon which the band has built its career.
Throughout the book, Cogan is the ultimate scientist, probing logically into each example and extracting the scientific data therein. For good or bad, she has exposed these stories to her rigorous analysis and come up with an engaging new way of considering U2.
But above all, Cogan is a U2 fan and it's finally to her peers that she appeals to end her book, closing with a chapter of quotations taken from interviews she conducted with 70 U2 fans. These quotations illustrate, from a regular fan's perspective, the exact points that Cogan has scientifically made in her book. Though she's a scientist, she never forgets that, above all else, there hovers an almost magical state known as "U2 fan" that defies scientific explanation and is, in the end, completely individual and indefinable.
By Kimberly Egolf
2006.10
A "phenomenon," according to Visnja Cogan, is "an event that can be observed but also an event whose exceptional character has to be pointed out." Her book, "U2: An Irish Phenomenon," released in mid-September by Collins Press, considers U2 as a "phenomenon" in this same sense. Cogan's avowed aim in her book is not only to observe U2, but to also point out why the band is considered to be exceptional.
Cogan accomplishes this goal through a series of chapters explaining what she calls U2's "genome," that is what Cogan has identified as the distinguishing features that make the U2 entity what it is. She lists a series of eight factors that she has determined are the building blocks of the modern U2: community, Irishness, independence, spirituality, creative drive, ambition, social conscience and the fans.
She first tackles the idea of community in the U2 organization, explaining how a sense of community is fundamental to the band members and their employees. She delves deeper into this idea by exploring the early days of the band members and she uncovers an interesting, but important aspect, which has rarely been explored in other U2 books: the band's essential birth in the cradle of Lypton Village—the idyllic Neverland community dreamt up by a group of boys in 1970s Dublin. Cogan postulates that the Village—a form of escapism from the crushing adult world around them—came to heavily influence the fledgling U2's philosophy of the world and how it could exist within that world. Couched in an intellectual and philosophical rebellion, Cogan explains that the Village allowed the band (and, of course, the other members of the community not part of U2) to preserve "innocence and honesty" without compromise. This led to the earnest U2 of the 1980s.
Cogan then seamlessly transitions to a discussion of U2's Irishness and how the band has both embraced and rejected the land from which it comes. She explains how both this acceptance and rejection have helped to define U2 not only in terms of its music, but also in terms of its business. While basing its operations in Ireland to show solidarity, the band has asserted its independence from the country and traditions by appealing to listeners the world over. Cogan then provides a probing exploration of U2's difficult relationship with the politics of Ireland and, indeed, the rest of the world.
These very same politics also inspire U2's imagination, the next chapter in Cogan's book. Here again, the author digs to the roots of the band, going back to the earliest days to discover the sources of U2's inspiration (spirituality, love and eroticism, Ireland and politics) and how that inspiration translates into U2's songwriting.
While spirituality is brought up as a theme in U2's song catalog, Cogan devotes her next chapter to a discussion of this very important aspect of the band. While the author points out that she herself is not a follower of any particular religion, she understands that this is an essential part of the band members' past and inspiration not only in their art, but also in their lives. She explores the band's difficult history with religion, and provides a perceptive discussion of the crisis surrounding the "October" period, when Bono, Larry Mullen Jr. and The Edge became involved in the charismatic Christian group called Shalom and considered leaving U2. The band's relationship to its fans through spirituality is also investigated.
From spirituality, it's a short jump to a discussion of the social consciousness of the band. One of the main tenets of Christianity is charity and most fans are aware of how much U2 have given back in this regard during its career. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the entire band was outspoken in support of organizations like Amnesty International and Greenpeace. It even played a series of concerts to raise awareness all over the world for Amnesty International. And, of course, Bono's recent work is brought up. Cogan outlines these basic ideas, but then turns to an exploration of how this charitable support has affected the band and the band's image—not always a happy or productive relationship.
Cogan's next two chapters deal with U2's ambition and strategy, which walk hand-in-hand with the construction of the band image and myth. Cogan manages to intelligently penetrate some of U2's circuitous financial dealings and company decisions in order to explain how the band has built an effective financial strategy. She then explains how this secure financial strategy has allowed the band to work on building an image and a system of myths upon which the band has built its career.
Throughout the book, Cogan is the ultimate scientist, probing logically into each example and extracting the scientific data therein. For good or bad, she has exposed these stories to her rigorous analysis and come up with an engaging new way of considering U2.
But above all, Cogan is a U2 fan and it's finally to her peers that she appeals to end her book, closing with a chapter of quotations taken from interviews she conducted with 70 U2 fans. These quotations illustrate, from a regular fan's perspective, the exact points that Cogan has scientifically made in her book. Though she's a scientist, she never forgets that, above all else, there hovers an almost magical state known as "U2 fan" that defies scientific explanation and is, in the end, completely individual and indefinable.
Last edited by a moderator:
Did she contact people if she used their quotes? I remember I responded....
