MERGED->What is wrong with Vertigo 2005?+Bono's singing. hmmm+Bono, your killing me

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I dunno maybe I haven’t been here long enough for the brainwashing to take affect or the pod people to find me because I still have an opinion that varies from the party line. I’ve seen plenty of bands play and on a scale of 10 I rate the Jersey show I saw a solid 6. Not the best but certainly not the worst most suck ass show either. Being technically proficient playing your instruments and remembering most of the words to your songs and putting on a great show are different things. Face it U2 has turned into a corporate band that lacks originality, spontaneity, or accountability to their fans.

Most of the presentation seems phony and it’s amazing that so-called diehard fans let them get away with such mediocrity. Some seem to be happy just to lap up whatever they put out and then say “thank you sir may I have another”. Pearl Jam was a great band that I loved that turned to crap. When they release a descent cd no one will be happier than me though that won’t change my opinion of the junk they tried to pass off lately. I may be a jaded degenerate moron but I never would have thought that being objective or having taste and standards would be a liability.

With all that being said my comments are strictly limited to the 05/17 concert and my intent is not to insult hardcore fans but rather to agitate and to get people to think. Their latest cd is okay and has some descent tracks although a talented producer can make four screaming chimps banging on trashcans sound good too. Remember Milli Vanilli?
 
slimJim said:
I dunno maybe I haven’t been here long enough for the brainwashing to take affect or the pod people to find me because I still have an opinion that varies from the party line. I’ve seen plenty of bands play and on a scale of 10 I rate the Jersey show I saw a solid 6. Not the best but certainly not the worst most suck ass show either. Being technically proficient playing your instruments and remembering most of the words to your songs and putting on a great show are different things. Face it U2 has turned into a corporate band that lacks originality, spontaneity, or accountability to their fans.

Most of the presentation seems phony and it’s amazing that so-called diehard fans let them get away with such mediocrity. Some seem to be happy just to lap up whatever they put out and then say “thank you sir may I have another”. Pearl Jam was a great band that I loved that turned to crap. When they release a descent cd no one will be happier than me though that won’t change my opinion of the junk they tried to pass off lately. I may be a jaded degenerate moron but I never would have thought that being objective or having taste and standards would be a liability.

With all that being said my comments are strictly limited to the 05/17 concert and my intent is not to insult hardcore fans but rather to agitate and to get people to think. Their latest cd is okay and has some descent tracks although a talented producer can make four screaming chimps banging on trashcans sound good too. Remember Milli Vanilli?


I've been to a number of u2 shows and the two NJ shows, in my opinion, were absolutely the best ... the energy was amazing, the crowd was intense, , , I think too many peole are being nitpicky , , , there is a reason why U2 is still Rock's Hottest Ticket .... I think the complainers are expecting U2 to cater to the hard-core fans and play different shows every single night. In reality we aren't the only type of fan. There are casual fans as well that still love the band very much. These fans haven't been checking every single setlist and listening to every boot. Let's just enjoy U2 as much as we can why they are still touring, , , to those with the positive reviews ... you guys rock! :p

Talking about why Bono's voice sounds like it is on helium. .. That is an effect when you are listening to extremely loud music. The high ends are more clear. This effect is very very apparent were the music is the loudest (the floor and close seated sections). For an experiment, try listening to the show with earplugs (Bono will sound like he does on the CDs) and then remove the earplugs, presto! Bono on helium.

PS. Slimjim, why are you on this board if you aren't a fan? I have better things to do than to go to message boards of other bands and make erroneous posts just to get a rise out of people.
 
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slimJim said:
I may be a jaded degenerate moron but I never would have thought that being objective or having taste and standards would be a liability.

You're only a jaded degenerate moron if you think your opinion is gospel truth. Anyone can have a subjective opinion.

To me, U2 are no more corporate today than they were in 1985.
For 25 years they have made money for large corporate record labels, and nobody said shit until the "image" was skewed.

The only difference is this "image". Some people get sucked in by this idealistic image. Maybe these people are the jaded morons.
You know the kind, "indie" elitist fruitcakes who think that there is more credibilty to something that is less known, just because it appears that way with the image, although there is no truth to it.

If U2 are corporate monsters now, then what were they in 1987/88 when they had their biggest selling album and had a god damn huge corporate movie made about them? Silliness.


other topics......

As far as criticism goes, I say bring it on. I am secure enough in my own opinions that it doesn't offend me to read something I don't agree with. Unfortunately there is a boat load of apologists on this board who seem to be personally offended at any criticism.

I'm not saying you shouldn't defend the band if you feel neccessary. I am saying you shouldn't discount something because it effects you personally because you are not able to detach yourself and your own personality from that of a band of rock musicians who only make music, however powerful it may be, they are just humans making music and selling it. And they always have been that way. So they if they are corporate whores now, then they were in the 80's. The truth is, they all are. You can not make music and get it played on radio or TV without having a giant push behind you of old men is suits with fat wallets trying to make a buck. This is the system, it hasn't changed.

The other side of the token is the tiresome bashing, not critique but bashing takes place by a select few on the board. Like Martha said, why are you wasting your time with it? Go listen to some band that meets your fucking ridiculous ideals. I don't particularly love ATYCLB/HTDAAB era U2. But I still love the band, I'm still a fan, and I don't waste time belly-aching about they way it used ot be or the way it should be. I'm here because I am interested, still a fan, doesn't mean I have to swallow the whole pill. Nothing about "fandom" has to be absolute. I like Star Wars too, but I think The Phnatom Menace sucked a giant lobster cock.

There is the way it is and that's all. I mean that is something that is not subjective. The music is there, is stands for what it is. The live performances are what they are. I think if you believe a performance sucked, say so. Voice your opinion, I think that is legitimate. If you pepper your negative concert review with terms about "selling out" and U2 losing their idealism, you can fuck off. It's YOU who are the idealist.

If you don't like it, be disappointed, voice your criticsms, be willing to accept the fact that maybe your expectations are the things that are fucked up. Maybe you are just an idealist who is either pining for the "old days" or you just flat out don't like the new music.

There is nothing wrong with not liking the new music, I don't happen to think it stacks up with their old catalog, but I have accpted it. I understand what U2 are doing, I don't have to love all of it. I try not to spend too much time griping about it, there is much to enjoy about that. Now if I were some kid who attached a social meaning to the music I listen to, and felt like it represented me in some social aspects, maybe I'd get offended more so at negativity and maybe I'd be railing at U2 for not making the music I want, because I would be a selfish pretentious little asshole.

I don't spend much time worrying about what U2 aren't. I am glad that they still make music, and I would never be shy to say that something they did sucked. And if I think it sucks, then it really has no signifigance to me, I listen to what I think doesn't suck. If you think they "sold out" I can tell you for a fact that are a cluless zombie, and you are just as bad as the blinded sheep.
Just be a fan, either like it or don't.

Don't pretend that your idea of U2 is the only right one, because it's not. There is what they are and there is what you want them to be. I want them to be whatever the fuck they want to be. And if it sucks, I'll probably say it. And if it's great, I'll probably say it. And if you disagree, well then we can probably have a fun conversation as long as you aren't an apoligist or an idealistic zombie.
 
I just wanted to add, that sometimes a clear concise message gets mixed in my brain as a I type and my posts are generally long. So sorry for that, all.

I am basically just saying, avoid extremism.
Don't act as if you have to accept everything the band does and not hear anything negative.
And don't act as if U2 sold themselves out because you don't like the new incarnation of U2.

I'd say in both cases, maybe these people are better off not being on this board.

Maybe group #2 needs to head over to the Radiohead board and wait 5 years so you can claim they "sold out" when they change direction and start to sell lots of records.

Maybe group #1 needs to just stick to PLEBA or something ;)

don't mean to offend anyone, just seems like there aren't enough people in the middle anymore, regardless of the subject matter. Seems like the ones on the extremes drag down the greater good, which in this case is merely conversation or entertainment.
 
U2DMfan said:
I like Star Wars too, but I think The Phnatom Menace sucked a giant lobster cock.

:lmao:


OMG. It was hard to pick out a highlight of this most excellent post, but this particular line will keep me laughing for days.


Holy crap. My cough will be back because I'm laughing so much.


:tryingtobreathesmiley:
 
U2DMfan said:

Don't pretend that your idea of U2 is the only right one, because it's not. There is what they are and there is what you want them to be....if it sucks, I'll probably say it. And if it's great, I'll probably say it. And if you disagree, well then we can probably have a fun conversation as long as you aren't an apoligist or an idealistic zombie.

:up: :up:

Good points throughout, Star Wars included, and ying without yang is definitely boring. Hopefully I’ll be back later with my typical fury and venom.
 
U2DMfan said:

...don't mean to offend anyone, just seems like there aren't enough people in the middle anymore, regardless of the subject matter. Seems like the ones on the extremes drag down the greater good, which in this case is merely conversation or entertainment.

You didn’t write anything offensive, in my opinion. Stick to your guns and don’t let the bastards, you know who you are, grind you down.
 
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