Does U2 Have Studio Weaknesses?

[ponkine]

Just a few classic songs that have always sounded better in studio than Live:

1- Pride (in the name of love)
2- Stay (faraway so close)
3- The Fly
4- Desire
5- Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me
6- All I Want Is You
7- I Still Haven´t Found What I´m Looking For


Peace

 

[edmerch1984]

Still haven't found what I'm looking for on Rattle and Hum... Wow!
I think my favourite live performance on any tour DVD.

 

[Ellay]

They write as they record, so what you get from the studio recordings hasn't had the benefit of live perfomance and repeated rehearsal. They write, record, then try and figure out how to play it live later.

Absolutely right, it's all about how the songs are written, If it wasn't for that process, then U2 songs wouldn't exist in the way they do.

 

[tommycharles]

Just a few classic songs that have always sounded better in studio than Live:

1- Pride (in the name of love)
2- Stay (faraway so close)
3- The Fly
4- Desire
5- Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me
6- All I Want Is You
7- I Still Haven´t Found What I´m Looking For

Wow...I think I disagree with 5 out of the 7.

 

[Exit thru Wire]

5- Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me
6- All I Want Is You

HMTMKMKM kicks ass live - watch mexico popmart

AIWIY - Lovetown Version? AWESOME
sexual healing snippetry, coupled with bono nailing the vocals and edge improved solo.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

here's a problem... it takes 5 years to do anything

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I think the energy tends to sound better live but musically, their sound is pretty hollow/ thin (as someone said) when done live (especially for the more recent songs). I enjoy the fuller sound that the studio allows them to make (layered guitars, double tracking, drum machines, etc.). Some people don't care for it but thats about taste more than anything else.

Outside of the energy thing, I think studio recordings do sound better. Thinking about it more, some songs live may sound better than the studio counterparts b/c they are stripped down and the studio versions might have been to bloated b/c of the different layers of instruments and effects that were added.

 

[VertigoGal]

Sometimes I find the guitar on the studio versions to be almost painfully minimalist compared with the live versions. Even on a song like Beautiful Day, or Stuck in a Moment, the live versions sound more fluid and full because there's more than 3 notes a verse and (slightly) fewer synths.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Sometimes I find the guitar on the studio versions to be almost painfully minimalist compared with the live versions. Even on a song like Beautiful Day, or Stuck in a Moment, the live versions sound more fluid and full because there's more than 3 notes a verse and (slightly) fewer synths.

I would blame that on Eno and Lanois

 

[cypress]

I actually agree with namkcuR for once. However i don't call it a "weakness" that their songs sound better live. Not at all. It is, in fact, another show of great talent that U2 is able to improve their songs over time. Really the only song I can think of that they haven't been able to do much with since its studio release is Pride.

I may write an extended post/article on this subject because it gets to the core essence of what U2 is all about. When U2 says "playing concerts is what we do best" they aren't lying. U2's studio albums are so anticipated in large part because we can't wait for their next tour.

The song that always comes to mind when I think of this subject is "The Fly". It's a very good studio song but it is an absolutely fantastic song to watch U2 perform live.

 

[Niceman]

I think that it's fine for U2 to record the songs in the studio and then tour with them, BUT what I wish they would do is release a full live album after each tour.

I think that's what we all REALLY want!