LP 13/Invisible: Please return, there's stuff to see!

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Oh, and to clarify something, I've kind of realized that I've been secretly dreading this album for some time thanks to a lot of this generic MOR stuff we've been getting recently (specifically, the "new" songs that tried out on the tour and "Ordinary Love")...just had this weird feeling that they've been moving to a boring, less artsy center over the past couple of years.

But I guess we won't really know until the new album drops in 2017.
 
Ok - so I am trying to piece what I can together. What we know is this:

U2 have been ACTING as if they are gearing up for a promo / tour cycle. They are all in pretty good shape, they are making music videos, they are releasing singles.

Their management change has lead to SIGNIFICANT changes to their marketing, social media presence and the performance of the website. They are now first with news, have Vine, Facebook, Twitter presences that actually contribute substantive information, and they seem to genuinely want to be in the spotlight.

They have just won a Golden Globe, and they are nominated for an Oscar - they have a very good chance of winning it.

They are releasing a single, which is in Bono's own words from the album. IT'S done. U2 don't finish one song months ahead of others too often. They tinker with all of them until they are happy.

They are appearing on Jimmy Fallon. This appearance serves what purpose? Oscars needs no promotion, because it isn't a reality TV contest. RED will be over, so no promotion there. WHAT is the purpose?

They appeared at the Haiti benefit, and played as a full band in a small room. Not Bono and Edge, but the FULL band. Why are they all together for these things? That benefit screams a Bono and Edge show, like the Clinton thing.

And in all of this, with all the media, hype, goodwill, promotion - all the general benefits these things will give them, they would rather fuck around and tinker with the album for a few months.... really???? They will NEVER again have a platform to launch an album form this big.

I just can't believe it. I know it's borderline insane to propose that they are still planning a surprise, but with all that stuff, it doesn't add up. I am setting myself up for a long few months of disappointments.

So if anyone from U2's management, inside circle or whatever reads this page, please, for the love of god, talk some sense into these people!
 
Miringeltje said:
I thought BoA pledged $10 million.
Which probably is $8 million for a 60 sec ad during the Super Bowl.
$2 million donation to the Global Fund.

Is u2 paying for the costs of actually filming the ad?
If no, another $ from the total $ donation substracted.

Really makes you wonder how many cents on the dollar actually end up being spend on medicine that will end up in the hands of an African person.
Click to expand...

I think I read that the total pledges (not counting the ad) will be up to $22,000,000. The ad itself is supposedly thirty seconds and therefore cost $4,000,000.
 
And you know what else - if they weren't planning Invisible for the album cycle, then why the fuck not cash in and release the best of 2000-2010 with it as the new song and make some cash while they finish the album???
 
BigMacPhisto said:
I think I read that the total pledges (not counting the ad) will be up to $22,000,000. The ad itself is supposedly thirty seconds and therefore cost $4,000,000.
Click to expand...

The ad is 60 seconds. this has been confirmed. The cost of the ad is likely form a variety of sources - given it is a charity, it may have been discounted, plus BoA, other corporate partners and U2 themselves likely contributed in some way.
 
The difference in tone between the start of the thread and here is amusing but also very depressing.
 
dan_smee said:
And you know what else - if they weren't planning Invisible for the album cycle, then why the fuck not cash in and release the best of 2000-2010 with it as the new song and make some cash while they finish the album???
Click to expand...

As I pointed out in the other thread, they now have eight locks for a third Best Of. Elevation, Walk On, Vertigo, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, City of Blinding Lights, Moment of Surrender, Ordinary Love and Invisible. It's definitely a very probable release especially since there's a lot of other worthy tracks from the last three albums that would befit such a collection.

But as I said earlier, with a new album potentially on the way, they've been halting any big U2 products (new compilations, album remasters) and we aren't likely to see such things until after the new record has been out for some time.

But, certainly, especially after this album's cycle, there's more than enough material for a strong third compilation. Could've been insanely strong had the second one been limited to just 90's tunes...
 
I think it's pretty courageous for U2 to release Invisible from an album that has no title and is, according to Bono, not ready yet. Who knows if the song will even fit the final album or survive the final cut? What if they decide to throw it out? It's an unusual practice for this band. But maybe, just maybe, they'll release a lot of songs instead of an album, so everyone can make their own U2 album? I'm serious. The album seems to be a very obscure project at this point.

As for Fallon, I expect them to play Invisible and Ordinary Love - surely, I cannot see them not playing OL with the Oscars coming up - and maybe an old song. Also, they still have to announce the video for Invisible. And, if the album is still an ongoing project by then, they might at least announce the next single. From the USA Today article I get that they want to release a real lead single form the album next. It might come in March, so Fallon seems to be the place to announce it. As for an album announcement, I don't get my hopes up. But I'm fine with a June release, I don't care waiting two months longer.

I just found it really bizarre that we had Larry talking about the album a year ago by the start of 2013 (!), saying that they want to release in September (2013!) and have Danger Mouse as the only producer. Oh my, how things have changed! I'd love to take a peek into these guys' heads and be a fly on the wall when they are discussing things behind closed doors.
 
dan_smee said:
Ok - so I am trying to piece what I can together. What we know is this:

U2 have been ACTING as if they are gearing up for a promo / tour cycle. They are all in pretty good shape, they are making music videos, they are releasing singles.

Their management change has lead to SIGNIFICANT changes to their marketing, social media presence and the performance of the website. They are now first with news, have Vine, Facebook, Twitter presences that actually contribute substantive information, and they seem to genuinely want to be in the spotlight.

They have just won a Golden Globe, and they are nominated for an Oscar - they have a very good chance of winning it.

They are releasing a single, which is in Bono's own words from the album. IT'S done. U2 don't finish one song months ahead of others too often. They tinker with all of them until they are happy.

They are appearing on Jimmy Fallon. This appearance serves what purpose? Oscars needs no promotion, because it isn't a reality TV contest. RED will be over, so no promotion there. WHAT is the purpose?

They appeared at the Haiti benefit, and played as a full band in a small room. Not Bono and Edge, but the FULL band. Why are they all together for these things? That benefit screams a Bono and Edge show, like the Clinton thing.

And in all of this, with all the media, hype, goodwill, promotion - all the general benefits these things will give them, they would rather fuck around and tinker with the album for a few months.... really???? They will NEVER again have a platform to launch an album form this big.

I just can't believe it. I know it's borderline insane to propose that they are still planning a surprise, but with all that stuff, it doesn't add up. I am setting myself up for a long few months of disappointments.

So if anyone from U2's management, inside circle or whatever reads this page, please, for the love of god, talk some sense into these people!
Click to expand...

One thing to add about the oscar promotion. I know its not full band, but Bono and Edge went on Good Morning America and played The Hands That Built America.
 
dan_smee said:
The ad is 60 seconds. this has been confirmed. The cost of the ad is likely form a variety of sources - given it is a charity, it may have been discounted, plus BoA, other corporate partners and U2 themselves likely contributed in some way.
Click to expand...

Yes, but pledging a $$$ donation to a fund doesn't mean 100% of that $$$ donation is ending up where it should The fund has operational costs.
 
BigMacPhisto said:
As I pointed out in the other thread, they now have eight locks for a third Best Of. Elevation, Walk On, Vertigo, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, City of Blinding Lights, Moment of Surrender, Ordinary Love and Invisible. It's definitely a very probable release especially since there's a lot of other worthy tracks from the last three albums that would befit such a collection.

But as I said earlier, with a new album potentially on the way, they've been halting any big U2 products (new compilations, album remasters) and we aren't likely to see such things until after the new record has been out for some time.

But, certainly, especially after this album's cycle, there's more than enough material for a strong third compilation. Could've been insanely strong had the second one been limited to just 90's tunes...
Click to expand...

I don't think they have any intention of releasing a Best Of 2000-2010. They had a deal for three best ofs, and they released U218 in order to finish that deal, I believe.
 
namkcuR said:
I don't think they have any intention of releasing a Best Of 2000-2010. They had a deal for three best ofs, and they released U218 in order to finish that deal, I believe.
Click to expand...

U218 satisfied the contract, but don't think they weren't leaving the option open for a third one. Why else did they not put "Elevation" or "Walk On" on the second set? They were clearly saving them for a potential third compilation in the series.

In fact, in an interview with this very website, The Edge (or someone in the band?) said that those two songs need a place and would end up on a third Best Of...go try and dig it up if you want. Circa 2002 or 2003, I believe.

U218 was hardly comprehensive. No "All Because Of You" and no "City Of Blinding Lights" (and the latter is clearly Best Of worthy)...plus, the music from No Line On The Horizon onward has never been repackaged or compiled as of this moment. That's a lot of material that can be sent out to some casual fans along with older stuff like the aforementioned HTDAAB tracks and "Window In The Skies"....a third Best Of would be a nice way to wrap things up and would make for a great introductory series for casuals.




And god, thinking about it more, they really could have had something special for a third Best Of had they not included three of those numbers ("Beautiful Day" and "Stuck In A Moment" and "Hands That Built America")...I'm fine with the new song "Electrical Storm" existing as a promotional tool for that release, but the other three aren't 90's related and don't fit thematically (and the third track in that bunch wasn't even finished at the time as the superior soundtrack version would attest). This third release could have contained the four ATYCLB singles, "Hands"...at least the three big HTDAAB songs..."Ordinary Love"..."Moment of Surrender"...and some newer material as well. They really made the second release super awkward by making half of it 00's related between the newer songs and the modernist remixes of older ones while also butchering the chances of the third one being a truly killer collection (that probably would have been enjoyed more by the casual audience than the 90's one).
 
BigMacPhisto said:
U218 satisfied the contract, but don't think they weren't leaving the option open for a third one. Why else did they not put "Elevation" or "Walk On" on the second set? They were clearly saving them for a potential third compilation in the series.

In fact, in an interview with this very website, The Edge (or someone in the band?) said that those two songs need a place and would end up on a third Best Of...go try and dig it up if you want. Circa 2002 or 2003, I believe.

U218 was hardly comprehensive. No "All Because Of You" and no "City Of Blinding Lights" (and the latter is clearly Best Of worthy)...plus, the music from No Line On The Horizon onward has never been repackaged or compiled as of this moment. That's a lot of material that can be sent out to some casual fans along with older stuff like the aforementioned HTDAAB tracks and "Window In The Skies"....a third Best Of would be a nice way to wrap things up and would make for a great introductory series for casuals.




And god, thinking about it more, they really could have had something special for a third Best Of had they not included three of those numbers ("Beautiful Day" and "Stuck In A Moment" and "Hands That Built America")...I'm fine with the new song "Electrical Storm" existing as a promotional tool for that release, but the other three aren't 90's related and don't fit thematically (and the third track in that bunch wasn't even finished at the time as the superior soundtrack version would attest). This third release could have contained the four ATYCLB singles, "Hands"...at least the three big HTDAAB songs..."Ordinary Love"..."Moment of Surrender"...and some newer material as well. They really made the second release super awkward by making half of it 00's related between the newer songs and the modernist remixes of older ones while also butchering the chances of the third one being a truly killer collection (that probably would have been enjoyed more by the casual audience than the 90's one).
Click to expand...

I'm playing devil's advocate here. Edge said Elevation and Walk On needed a place. They were on U218. Maybe that was the place. Also, why would they have released U218 if they wanted the option to release a third proper Best Of?

I don't know, maybe I just don't see them ever releasing another Best Of without Beautiful Day on it.
 
AndrewCowley said:
They won't be able to resist putting BD on the best of 2000-2010.

Ordinary Love doesn't belong on any best of.
Click to expand...


1) People have been saying they'd include BD on a third one since 2002. It's a funny joke, but will never happen. As of this moment, they have an overabundance of material that could make a third Best Of (about 20 potential tracks if we're giving the new album credit for about 4), so they won't necessarily need to pad things out. I personally don't even include songs like "All Because Of You" or "Get On Your Boots" as locks anymore since both will likely be left off immediately if the third Best Of comes out after the band releases two or more albums before they call it a day (hell, the latter has recently been declared a polarizing track by the band's own releases!). Basically, they'll have more than enough material to comb through by the end of their career that it wouldn't surprise me if No Line On The Horizon ended up being represented by only one song (and surely MoS).

2) OL isn't a good enough song for a Best Of, obviously. I think "Hands" is the only one from the first two that it can really compete against (although there's a song or two like "Stuck In A Moment" that's divisive around here), but OL is important for the band and did win a Golden Globe.

No shot at an Oscar though. "Let it gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"
 
Sorry to even mention the best ofs. Back to freaking out please.

What I am actually impressed with are these lyrics from Invisible. Actually meaningful, touching on sadder / harder subject matter.
 
So do these comments maybe lend credence to the rumour that they are effectively "testing the water" with Invisible to see what the critical reaction is?
 
It's like the room just cleared of smoke
I didn't even want the heart you broke
It's yours to keep
You just might need one

I finally found my real name
I won't be me when you see me again
No, I won't be my father's son.

Actually dealing with the emotional effect on his father when he changed his name to Bono - that's MUCH heavier and more meaningful than anything since MoFo.
 
What is really unbelievable is they are out doing all of this promotion and if it turns out to be nothing, most likely in a few months do it all over again. Seems like bad strategy.
 
namkcuR said:
Also, why would they have released U218 if they wanted the option to release a third proper Best Of?
Click to expand...

That contract had a due date for a third compilation actually, hence why they delivered it. And If I'm wrong and there wasn't a specific due date, they wanted to get out of that deal or risk a breach of contract lawsuit if it was 2020 and the third compilation hadn't materialized (not to mention a third one released far later would be less valuable for both the label/band given the decline of sales in the industry).

And the one disc hits route made sense because a two-disc set would have way too much overlap with the previous releases (and in all fairness, U218 had a few singles mixes and 1/3 of it was made up of songs that hadn't been compiled before).

There will certainly either be a career spanning set at the end of their career or a third Best Of (which would then make the Best Of series a career spanning set). The latter idea makes more sense because a new set would cannibalize yet again territory shared with Best Of 1 & 2 and 18Singles whereas a third Best Of would ride the coattails of that successful series (the first one is the 79th best selling album ever!) and not lead to any extra overlap.
 
Whats going to be really interesting (a complete mind fcuk) is if Invisible isn't something special and different from their sound of the last few albums. If they are testing the water and considering working with other producers, then I'm hoping the album they've created is something different enough that they're worried it might suffer a reaction like Pop did. That would make sense about them maybe having a wobble of confidence.

No idea how all this must be making Dangermouse feel given the time he's spent on it though.

Or its all a big bluff and we'll get a release date or surprise release, but the comments from Bono don't seem to be even hinting at that any more. Worrying stuff.
 
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