sad but true

[ramblin rose]

I like how you didn't mention anything from ATYCLB. At least HTDAAB is better and they're heading in the right direction.

 

[Yahweh]

Lets say for arguement sake that U2 did make an Achtung Baby Part 2....would the people here really be satisfied with it....I truely doubt it myself.

 

[Zoots]

I really love the elitists selective reading ability come up with an arguement that Achtung Baby has less single worthy tracks then Bomb....bet you cant do it.

By the way, I agree that Achtung had a ton of singles and I don't care about HTDAAB having singles. I agreed to only the part of rjbonovox's post that said that the music is too polished these days and has lost it's edginess.

 

[Axver]

I like how you didn't mention anything from ATYCLB. At least HTDAAB is better and they're heading in the right direction.

Address my arguments, please. The HTDAAB examples are just the first ones that came into my mind because, guess what, HTDAAB is new and I've been listening to it and analysing it a lot more than ATYCLB.

 

[Yahweh]

Its polished because the technology is better these days it makes it much easier to polish things these days...There is flaws in production in every U2 record and the 2 most current are no exception. Why would somebody want to put something out that they know they can polish and make better...live is where polishing doesnt need to happen in the studio is a different story.

 

[Axver]

Lets say for arguement sake that U2 did make an Achtung Baby Part 2....would the people here really be satisfied with it....I truely doubt it myself.

I don't think they'll ever be satisfied. They've put Achtung up on such a high pedestal that U2 could never make anything to top it in their opinion.

 

[Zoots]

Lets say for arguement sake that U2 did make an Achtung Baby Part 2....would the people here really be satisfied with it....I truely doubt it myself.

Woah woah! Let's make this clear. It's Axver who thinks that we want an Achtung part 2 or a Pop part 2. Just cos we love those albums to death doesn't mean we want the same thing again. The thing is U2 have always moved on to new genres upto ATYCLB. And that's what I loved about the band, how they can dabble with so many different styles and come out successful. But with this latest era, they're recycling, plain and simple. Sure, the albums are great to sing along to. But there's nothing innovative about Sometimes or City of Blinding Lights.

 

[Zoots]

And now you'll say "So you have a problem with U2 playing to their strengths?".... and the argument goes on and on.

 

[Yahweh]

What do you want U2 to do make a hip hop record? They have even dabbled in that genre...how about some blue grass....its the next big thing. I dont know what U2 could do these days that would really be seen as a "revolutionary" record for them.

 

[Yahweh]

As I have said in the past U2 have never "invented" anything they have borrowed from other genres that are influencing them at the time and made it uniquely their own and to this day they continue to do that.

 

[Zoots]

What do you want U2 to do make a hip hop record? They have even dabbled in that genre...how about some blue grass....its the next big thing. I dont know what U2 could do these days that would really be seen as a "revolutionary" record for them.

How about a record with middle eastern influences, say? More songs like Fast Cars. There's so much out there to explore.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

One thing they could do I suppose is a really loud, bombastic rock album, perhaps since they talk a lot about the Ramones influence, they could record a 30-minute full on pop-punk thing, just really short, fun, and raw. Or maybe they could do an overt concept album focusing on a story following a particular character, perhaps?

 

[Axver]

And now you'll say "So you have a problem with U2 playing to their strengths?".... and the argument goes on and on.

Exactly. What's wrong with U2 playing to their strengths? Do they always have to explore? Why should they explore? 'For the sake of it' is not a valid answer.

 

[Yahweh]

Well I guess you should get a plan to mail U2 some middle eastern music that you find great maybe it will influence them to make something happen. But I dont think they would want to make an entire album full of tracks like fast cars....but I can make an arguement that the Steel Guitar Edge has used for years really came out of east indian music....songs like Even Better Than The Real Thing definatly have that type of a flair in instermentation.

 

[Zoots]

One thing they could do I suppose is a really loud, bombastic rock album, perhaps since they talk a lot about the Ramones influence, they could record a 30-minute full on pop-punk thing, just really short, fun, and raw. Or maybe they could do an overt concept album focusing on a story following a particular character, maybe?

Aha! Great points! They've never really done a concept album like The Wall.

 

[MrBrau1]

Meanwhile U2 have been breaking new ground w/ the last 2 records. The Philly soul of Stuck. The 60's R&B of In A Little While, Edge sounding like Steve Cropper. The AM pop bliss of Wild Honey. The Glam stomp of LAPOE. The "Beatle-esque" Original of the Species. The Middle Eastern Fast Cars. All new for U2.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

Even Velvet Underground's songs were used on commercial....without asking the band....
You think that Lou Reed would say "yes"?
Do you think that Joe Strummer would say "yes" ?

What about Bob Dylan selling his songs to underwear companies to be used on tv ads? That beats all!

 

[Zoots]

Well I guess you should get a plan to mail U2 some middle eastern music that you find great maybe it will influence them to make something happen. But I dont think they would want to make an entire album full of tracks like fast cars....but I can make an arguement that the Steel Guitar Edge has used for years really came out of east indian music....songs like Even Better Than The Real Thing definatly have that type of a flair in instermentation.

True! Even Better, esp the techno remix sounds east-influenced. And Mysterious Ways is too I guess, at least the video. There's just so much out there to explore and there's no need for a band with such a variety of skills to stick to a past formula. There's your reason, Axver.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

Smiths 'How Soon is Now' was in a Nissan commercial.

Oh no. That's horrendous.

 

[Axver]

Meanwhile U2 have been breaking new ground w/ the last 2 records. The Philly soul of Stuck. The 60's R&B of In A Little While, Edge sounding like Steve Cropper. The AM pop bliss of Wild Honey. The Glam stomp of LAPOE. The "Beatle-esque" Original of the Species. The Middle Eastern Fast Cars. All new for U2.

Acknowledging that would hurt the cause of the haters.

 

[Zoots]

Acknowledging that would hurt the cause of the haters.

If you're trying to refer to me as a hater, well... you're wrong. Just finished listening to HTDAAB for the umpteenth time. And I've found the perfect track order too.

 

[Zoots]

Meanwhile U2 have been breaking new ground w/ the last 2 records. The Philly soul of Stuck. The 60's R&B of In A Little While, Edge sounding like Steve Cropper. The AM pop bliss of Wild Honey. The Glam stomp of LAPOE. The "Beatle-esque" Original of the Species. The Middle Eastern Fast Cars. All new for U2.

well, there's breaking new ground with balls-y stuff and then there's pop fluff like wild honey.

 

[MrBrau1]

Acknowledging that would hurt the cause of the haters.

No. The problem is none of the references are influences from those songs are "cool."

AB, Zooropa, Pop. U2 submerged in hip/hop sounds. Techno beats and textures. Distorted guitars, distorted vocals, tortured lyrics.

U2 inspired by The Prodigy on Mofo, everyone calls it "groundbreaking" and brave.

U2 inspired by Al Green on In A Little While. Nobody cares.

 

[MrBrau1]

well, there's breaking new ground with balls-y stuff and then there's pop fluff like wild honey.

Sorry it doesn't have enough "nuts" for you. But they never sounded like that before, that pure 60's pop thing. Reminds me of the Stones and Van Morrison.

So only the songs you like can be new for U2?

Miami was U2 pushing it as far as it would go with that whole sound. I think the song sucks, but i can still see them trying new things on it. You can't do that?

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Meanwhile U2 have been breaking new ground w/ the last 2 records. The Philly soul of Stuck. The 60's R&B of In A Little While, Edge sounding like Steve Cropper. The AM pop bliss of Wild Honey. The Glam stomp of LAPOE. The "Beatle-esque" Original of the Species. The Middle Eastern Fast Cars. All new for U2.

Good points..they definitely haven't abandoned their adventurous instincts...however, I'd love them to shock the fuck out of everyone and make their most wildly ambitious album to date as the HTDAAB follow-up. That would be pretty cool, I think, since the common perception is that U2's gone back to its '80s style.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

Okay... everybody on earth (includes U2) sold out! Does that make you any happier? The point of this thread was not to say "It's okay that U2 sold out because a whole bunch of other popular bands did as well."

I don't know about the 80s, but compared to the 90s, they've definitely become media darlings and corporate monsters. And don't say something like "then why're you on this website?" or "why do you still listen to their music?". There's a certain thing called nostalgia.

Very true. There's also a certain thing known as embracing the future and making sure that a band you appreciate play a part therein.

 

[indra]

is bob dylan a sell-out for appearing in a victoria's secrets commericial?

That commercial is both disturbing and hilarious as Dylan said many years ago that he would only do a commercial if it was for women's lingerie. I think it's very nearly a spoof as the response of nearly everyone who's seen it is a shudder.

 

[Zoots]

Sorry it doesn't have enough "nuts" for you.

Good points..they definitely haven't abandoned their adventurous instincts...however, I'd love them to shock the fuck out of everyone and make their most wildly ambitious album to date as the HTDAAB follow-up. That would be pretty cool, I think, since the common perception is that U2's gone back to its '80s style.

I won't be surprised if they did that.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

is bob dylan a sell-out for appearing in a victoria's secrets commericial?

it's creepy as fuck, i can tell you that much.

That commercial is both disturbing and hilarious as Dylan said many years ago that he would only do a commercial if it was for women's lingerie. I think it's very nearly a spoof as the response of nearly everyone who's seen it is a shudder.

haha, i didn't know that. i'll add that to my repertoire of useless music trivia!

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I know 1 thing that is being lost here is that music has really 1 primary goal and it is for entertainment not changing lives. Your music can have a message in it but in the end if the song is not entertaining its useless.

Thank you! I love songs that deal with topics that I can relate to. I love songs that deal with serious issues. No argument there. But it is not a crime if a song has silly, non-meaningful lyrics, and I'd love to know when that train of thought started coming around, 'cause that's another musical thing that I don't agree with at all. And pop music can be good...as pointed out in this thread, the Beatles made a lot of pop songs, and they were damn good pop songs at that. Pop isn't just relegated to the teenybopper acts like Britney Spears and them. I like songs and artists that aren't overly well-known, but I also love a lot of the popular, radio-friendly stuff, too.

Again I say, I'm not much of a fan of musical elitism. It restricts music too much, puts it into cliques and all that...and I don't like that. Sounds too much like the way people act when they're in middle school.

Originally posted by unnamed_streets
but compared to the 90s, they've definitely become media darlings and corporate monsters.

Okay...from what I've read, seen, and heard about how they acted in the 90s, I wouldn't say that there's much of a difference between then and now...they loved the media and all that back then, too. You know Bono, he'll do whatever he can to get people's attention (haha, yeah, I'll agree with the person who said that "Bono" and "quiet" together would indeed be an oxymoron). And he's been doing just that for the last 25 years, through all kinds of ways, including media. This is nothing new. And they've never hid the fact that they do like making money, but it's not like they're greedy little snots about it, either.

Do Miss America summed it all up:

if the music is there, that's all that fucking matters.

Amen. As long as they seem to really enjoy what they're doing, if they also want to make some money at the same time through various means, and keep some for them and their families, but also put some of the money they make towards good causes...I don't see the problem. Especially considering that a lot of people who criticize this stuff would probably wind up doing some of the same things if they were put into these situations.

Angela