Edge's recent solos

[the tourist]

Originally posted by Aardvark747

[Zoots]

Originally posted by LemonMelon

The U2 cycle of discontent, updated 2008 version:

1. New song, album is released. Fans are so tired of previous release that they embrace it with open arms.

2. Tour begins. Album is beginning "to grow on" some people. Some say it will age like fine wine.

3. Bootlegs from tour are released. People begin to discuss production quality, using adjectives such as "loud" and "sucks ass" to describe the album versions of their favorite live songs.

4. Threads begin to emerge about how horrible the album was. Pitchfork and Stylus articles are used as "proof".

5. Rumors of new album begin. People breathe a sigh of relief, but are only cautiously optimistic, due to the crappiness of previous release.

6. New song, album is released. Fans are so tired previous release that they embrace it with open arms.

I think what you're saying is true for only this decade. Words like "discontent" and "disappointment" were not in my U2 dictionary before ATYCLB.

[TheBrazilianFly]

I think Edge's minimalistic style has now become an excuse for him to not really focus and try to come up with something more diferent and daring with his solos. He's gotten too confortable and has mastered that way of soloing far too much for it too sound as interesting and as innovative as we feel like a U2 song can be. However U2's songwritting style doesn't really seems to demand a huge solo or something full of notes or too complicated (not that I don't like those kinds of solos - I love them), they are usually more like melodic brakes but they have become far too similar and a bit boring. All Because Of You is an exemple of that, the beginning is perfect, really awesome, the rest is ridiculous just holding notes, which creates a cool rocking effect but it doesn't really work that well if he doesn't build to it more than he did.

I think it's more than time for Edge to step up and come up with stuff that are not only as melodic and interesting as his old solos but with something that he usually doesn't do and go for. By exploring that he might end up coming up with some really great stuff.

I wish a producer would flat out say something like that to him, try to chalange him on that aspect of his playing, he might not like it but being a person who seems really interested in innovation he might also want to try and do something about it. But he should be chalanged about it I think and maybe give himself more time to focus just on that, even if they need to stay more time in the studio.

[Dr. Lemonseed]

Hallelujah, a well-considered response! Much obliged...

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Originally posted by LemonMelon

The U2 cycle of discontent, updated 2008 version:

1. New song, album is released. Fans are so tired of previous release that they embrace it with open arms.

2. Tour begins. Album is beginning "to grow on" some people. Some say it will age like fine wine.

3. Bootlegs from tour are released. People begin to discuss production quality, using adjectives such as "loud" and "sucks ass" to describe the album versions of their favorite live songs.

4. Threads begin to emerge about how horrible the album was. Pitchfork and Stylus articles are used as "proof".

5. Rumors of new album begin. People breathe a sigh of relief, but are only cautiously optimistic, due to the crappiness of previous release.

6. New song, album is released. Fans are so tired previous release that they embrace it with open arms.


... you nailed it – but I'm really sorry, that this is the way it is, really sorry ...

[U2girl]

LemonMelon , so, so true.

[LemonMelon]

Originally posted by Zootlesque


I think what you're saying is true for only this decade. Words like "discontent" and "disappointment" were not in my U2 dictionary before ATYCLB.

I forget what the site is, but there is this one out there that was a U2 message board-ish community during the 1990's. I wish I knew the address off the top of my head...anyway, it goes all the way back to the Zoo TV era, and no, not everything was positive back then either. It's quite eye-opening, really. Sometimes things really don't change.

[LemonMelon]

Originally posted by No spoken words
The thing with the Edge is not can you play his solos, but would you have come up with his solos on your own. He's not about complexity, he's about being inventive. INMYOPINIONALLCAPSVERSION.

That is, indeed, the whole point. Too bad folks expect more than sheer inventiveness from Edge...they want technical proficiency too. Personally, I couldn't care less about solos. As long as the song is good, who cares?

[Zoots]

Originally posted by LemonMelon


I forget what the site is, but there is this one out there that was a U2 message board-ish community during the 1990's. I wish I knew the address off the top of my head...anyway, it goes all the way back to the Zoo TV era, and no, not everything was positive back then either. It's quite eye-opening, really. Sometimes things really don't change.

I know what you're saying, believe me. Cos I had a roommate who loved JT & RH but hated Achtung. He didn't like the whole "making fun of themselves" stance they took. Then again, he didn't care about anything else in their discography either other than JT & RH. But yeah, I know Achtung and especially Zooropa and Pop received a lot of backclash and they lost a lot of fans in the 90s. But speaking only from personal opinion, I think their material from Boy thru Pop is better quality-wise than ATYCLB & HTDAAB. I still like those albums but I cannot change the fact that I prefer the earlier stuff.

[Mr. V]

Originally posted by Zootlesque


I think what you're saying is true for only this decade. Words like "discontent" and "disappointment" were not in my U2 dictionary before ATYCLB.

i dunno... if Interference was around back then... i dunno...

[U2girl]

Originally posted by LemonMelon


I forget what the site is, but there is this one out there that was a U2 message board-ish community during the 1990's. I wish I knew the address off the top of my head...anyway, it goes all the way back to the Zoo TV era, and no, not everything was positive back then either. It's quite eye-opening, really. Sometimes things really don't change.

Ever read Flanagan's book from Zoo TV era ? Some of the opinions would fit in nicely in the current era U2...

Eazy-V - I don't know, I have a feeling we'd get lots of posts like:
"omc!!! Macphisto!" "YAY! Big stage!" "woot! Achtungftw"" "One >>>> everything else they ever did"...

[gherman]

The Miracle Drug solo is one of my favorites ever.

[kingofsorrow]

where did this thread start? where is it now? where is it going?

[Moser]

U2 doesn't give a rat's ass what people want to hear. That's where its always been.

[Tip Top Prince]

Originally posted by Dr. Lemonseed
Was anyone else really disappointed in the solos Edge offered up on HutDub? They sounded more or less like scales, nothing really interesting. Almost like something a novice would come up with to make themselves think they were really rocking out.

Love and Peace and All Because of You are especially culpable... He just works up and down a scale, or else repeats the same riff over and over.

Your thoughts...?

You obviously don't know much about The Edge or guitars. It's more than the note - it's the sounds.