Songs of Songs, Books & Fat Puns - New Album Discussion #8

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Status
Not open for further replies.
PopFly said:
I think we're also probably over-estimating the value of being the Sphere's debut act. While I have no doubt the venue will be cool as hell, the vast majority of people aren't ever going to visit it, and will just know it as "that arena in Vegas" without much other context. Whatever PR is gained by playing at this venue, it'll be drowned out by "is U2 breaking up???" media attention.
Click to expand...

No we're not.

I'm telling you this venue, amongst those in the industry, is like the jump from radio to television.

Complete game changer if they actually pull off what they're saying.

There is absolutely value to being first.

This isn't just an arena. It's not a place where a band just schedules it on their tour alongside other sportsball places and sets up their normal stage and lighting rig.

Now is there a chance that the place is a dud and can't fulfill it's promise? Sure. And every Knick Dan probably hopes it is because it would absolutely sink MSG and force Jim Dolan to sell the teams off to cover the money he's sunk into this project.

But if they pull it off? No, this isn't just a "oh that arena in Vegas, I think they have cool lights or something" type situation.


As far as the band goes and why they may consider moving forward without Larry - this venue requires unique content. You don't just bring Willie and the same video files you use elsewhere on your and plug and play. So undoubtedly some work has already been done and the show is already under development.

That, too, may be a reason why they wouldn't want to pull the plug IF (and it's still if) Larry couldn't pull it off.
 
Mullen's growing dissatisfaction with the band merely reflect the groundbreaking revelations that the legendary Messr Fisher informed us all about years ago.
 
dan_smee said:
Read on current situation:

- unreasonable guitar music as song vs ep vs album points to this being new things being recorded as a stop gap because the album planned is being delayed until they know more about Larry.
Click to expand...

This is an interesting theory. If true, is it at all possible that they had originally planned to put out Songs of Ascent, produced by Ryan Tedder (and possibly Bob Ezrin) in March 2023?

I know it's been presented as more of an end-of-career swansong plan, but it sounds from recent interviews like they recorded a lot of SoA over the pandemic, that it's nearly complete (Bono even played recordings to journalists), and that they decided recently not to release it but instead to start new work - with a new producer - on a rock album.

All that talk coincided with the U2songs rumour of the next album moving from March 2023 and being "substantially complete" to late 2023 "at the earliest".

I was thinking they were recording SoA in the 'background', but looking at the latest news and rumours, I get the impression we may have come quite close to SoA being released before they decided to change direction (for whatever reason).
 
I think all we can take from recent activity is that it's business as usual - i.e. you can't rely on anything they say or try to second guess it until there's been a formal announcement and something you can order/buy/listen-to.
 
There was an interview or article recently where Bono says something about one of them being "broken" or "needing fixing" or something along those lines, and that it isn't him this time.

I've been trying to find it in light of the recent revelations but I'm lazy. If anyone recalls where the interview/article that would be great
 
dan_smee said:
I mean - they played without Adam in Sydney
Click to expand...

These shows haven’t been confirmed and are only referred to by Bono as something that could happen. The conditional nature of the plans is probably determined by the health of the band.

There is a world of difference between a last minute decision to not cancel a show and to plan to play a show without a member just to be the first to play a venue.

Headache is vastly overestimating the importance of this venue. It could be bigger on the inside like the TARDIS, but it would still just be a weird venue in Vegas, and a rock band doing a Vegas residency would still be a joke. Vegas itself will still be a joke.

I don’t think there’s any way U2 plan to play without Larry, and especially since these possible shows would be a celebration of the band’s crowning achievement. It’s not like they only have one opportunity to play this venue. If the thing gets built they can play it the following year.
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
There was an interview or article recently where Bono says something about one of them being "broken" or "needing fixing" or something along those lines, and that it isn't him this time.

I've been trying to find it in light of the recent revelations but I'm lazy. If anyone recalls where the interview/article that would be great
Click to expand...


It was a video taken outside one of his promotional appearances.
 
I think the overwhelming feeling and probably the bands feeling as well is a u2 tour/bunch of shows, whatever you want to call it, without Larry isn’t really wanted. I love AB I had just got excited about the flight prices looking more affordable but I’m not up for going to vegas to see u2 minus 1 and I don’t want them to do the shows in general without Larry. I think it would be the wrong call.
 
The idea that they’d play without a member of the band just to be the first to play a venue is preposterous.
 
Hollow Island said:
The idea that they’d play without a member of the band just to be the first to play a venue is preposterous.
Click to expand...

your absurd "vegas is a joke" and "this is just a weird venue" takes aside...

why? why would it be preposterous for the band to play without a member to fulfill a commitment if the member in question is okay with it?

they did it in Sydney, they did it in Times Square.

is this different? sure, as it would be a number of shows. but if larry is on board, to steal an interference pun, why on earth would fans be so offended by it when the member in question isn't?
 
It would be absurd because U2 doesn’t sound like U2 without Larry playing drums. It would be absurd because they can play the venue at a later date - it’s not time sensitive. It would be absurd to celebrate an album/tour/era with only 3/4 of the band. It would be absurd because they postponed tours when other members were unable to play.

Do you really think that Vegas isn’t a punchline? Come on, man. And the venue, interesting as it may be, will be seen just another weird thing because of where it is. It would be seen differently if it was in a city that was respected.
 
Last edited:
Just because Larry is OK with it, does that make it a good idea given how U2 has been about the four of them, from the very start, for over 40 years now?

I know that Bono being unable to perform could be seen a step too far (although it was the Zoo TV opener where they had to face the prospect of canceling the gig or having Edge sing lead vocals wasn't it?), but vocals aside, then you probably end up at the position where you're saying you could replace Larry or Adam and crack on if it was temporary.

Am just playing devil's advocate, but genuinely don't know how I'd feel about going to see them play live if it wasn't the four of them.
 
Fun reading through the conjecture. My question is, it's been over two years since the last tour wrapped. Wondering why he hasn't already gotten the surgery and been rehabbing over this time period. He has the best medical people in the world at his disposal, he would have the best post-surgery rehab available. We saw him in a pic with a doctor months ago. I dunno, I guess somehow things took a turn for the worse recently? Or maybe going through the medical stuff, he got to thinking - Is it worth it?

Also, I think people are vastly overestimating the reaction of people if they did Vegas without Larry. Yes, people here on Interference could be turned off by it, and possibly a sliver of other hardcore fans. But 99.9999% of people wouldn't care at all.
The band has been just them for so long that I think people forget how often other bands have had to tour or replace people along the way. No one but the hardest of hardcore fans care.

And someone said that it would hurt ticket sales. LOL. No, U2 doing an Achtung focused set, AND it being the opening of this insane new arena, in a city that is a skip away from California is going to sell out all 12 shows in the first day.
 
ascender_RS said:
Just because Larry is OK with it, does that make it a good idea given how U2 has been about the four of them, from the very start, for over 40 years now?

I know that Bono being unable to perform could be seen a step too far (although it was the Zoo TV opener where they had to face the prospect of canceling the gig or having Edge sing lead vocals wasn't it?), but vocals aside, then you probably end up at the position where you're saying you could replace Larry or Adam and crack on if it was temporary.

Am just playing devil's advocate, but genuinely don't know how I'd feel about going to see them play live if it wasn't the four of them.
Click to expand...

they played a gig without Bono.
 
Going by Bono’s own words about the collective strength of the band it wouldn’t be a show that comes close to living up to a u2 performance, that’s just going by how important Bono and the other band members have talked about it being they 4 people playing together so are they happy to short change fans? Are the ticket prices going to be much less to reflect these weaker performances? I don’t think the band are thinking about doing it without Larry but that would be my questions.
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
you've never addressed the "but larry is cool with it" part.
Click to expand...

Did you tell “gotcha!” before you typed that? But since you asked…

The rest of the band shouldn’t be cool with it for personal and musical reasons: it won’t sound like U2 without him.

You didn’t address my other reasons for thinking it would be an absurd thing for them to do.

I doubt they’re considering playing without him.

Don’t you work for MSG?
 
Last edited:
womanfish said:
My question is, it's been over two years since the last tour wrapped. Wondering why he hasn't already gotten the surgery and been rehabbing over this time period.
Click to expand...

Probably because of covid. Surgeries were being postponed and cancelled, and now there’s a backlog.
 
It also sounds like a lot of different things have all started getting worse or at least the different issues have added up and maybe it’s only now that it’s been made clear surgery is the only answer for him to be able to keep going long term, hopefully more pain free, whereas previously perhaps there was a hope of avoiding any surgery.
 
Hollow Island said:
Did you tell “gotcha!” before you typed that? But since you asked…

The rest of the band shouldn’t be cool with it for personal and musical reasons: it won’t sound like U2 without him.

You didn’t address my other reasons for thinking it would be an absurd thing for them to do.

I doubt they’re considering playing without him.

Don’t you work for MSG?
Click to expand...

some of them either have been addressed previously or don't really need addressing - but sure, i'll play along.

It would be absurd because U2 doesn’t sound like U2 without Larry playing drums.
Click to expand...

the band doesn't sound like U2 without Larry's drumming. ok - but they'd also be celebrating an era that relied heavily on loops and drum machines - and era that minimized the power of Larry's live drumming. larry's live drumming was also minimized by U2 on the last tour. they opened with two songs that didn't need larry (other than the very end of lights of home) - rehashed an i/e set piece that minimized his most famous drum sound (SBS) - and spent a lot of time on the b-stage. and they undoubtedly used some backing tracks and drum machines to flesh out the sound so that he could save himself.


It would be absurd because they can play the venue at a later date - it’s not time sensitive.
Click to expand...

sure - they could. but there is some time sensitivity to it - there IS an advantage to being first - the venue DOES have unique technology that would require large scale planning, which is undoubtedly already underway - and there's no guarantee that if they pass that the act they get as a replacement act doesn't end up pushing any potential return in 2024 to 2025 or beyond.

i know you think this place is a corny vegas lounge with an imax thrown in the middle. they are quire literally testing the camera technology being used for the venue in space, and one of the biggest sports and entertainment companies in the world is changing their entire business model to focus on these venues. note - venues. more on that in a bit...

It would be absurd to celebrate an album/tour/era with only 3/4 of the band. It would be absurd because they postponed tours when other members were unable to play.
Click to expand...

it's not a full tour. it's a short residency. i have no doubt that there are likely plans to extend the venue further - so it's entirely likely that the initial 2023 dates are without Larry because that's what's required to get the venue open, and then the new dates - added for 2024 (and beyond, perhaps) will be WITH Larry.

and if they pass on 2023 - they'll be by default passing also on the possibility of extending the stay into 2024, because whatever replacement act the venue gets will undoubtedly be a) big, and b) want the same deal.

and i also stand by my original thought that it's not impossible that larry IS ready by late 2023 - especially for a run that's short and just 2 shows a weekend - and that the band is moving forward with the hope that larry is there but have a plan in case he isn't.

Do you really think that Vegas isn’t a punchline? Come on, man. And the venue, interesting as it may be, will be seen just another weird thing because of where it is. It would be seen differently if it was in a city that was respected.
Click to expand...

yes. i really see Vegas as more than just a punchline, because i don't live in 1987 anymore, and the world has changed. significantly.

and the last part only shows that you're really out of your scope here.

the first one is in Vegas only out of opportunity and availability of initial funding and space. a second MSG Sphere is in the final planning stages for London, with plans to start construction by early 2023. if not for the pandemic construction likely would have started two years ago.

with a successful launch - the plan is to put more of these things in other key cities - New York, Tokyo, Kuntsmusem Lichtenstein. You know - the "respected" cities.

Don’t you work for MSG?
Click to expand...

i work for a sports and entertainment company, but i do not work for MSG. those who frequent the NBA threads can assure you of this - i have no love for the CEO of MSG. that this venue failing to live up to the hype would probably lead to his having to sell the Knicks would make anyone who knows even the slightest bit about me think that i would be rooting hard for this thing to be an epic disaster, rather than trying to prop it up as a groundbreaking leap of concert technology.
 
Last edited:
Regardless of how important the venue is or playing first at the venue is it shouldn’t be important enough for them to be happy to do it without a band member. I don’t know anything about the sort of contracts they may have but 40+ years down the line and in their 60’s I’d like to think they had details in place that meant if any band member couldn’t make it they wouldn’t be obligated to play the shows. But saying all that I still don’t think u2 minus Larry is something being seriously considered for such big shows.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

O
Better late than never “they” say…
Replies
1
Views
292
Headache in a Suitcase
Headache in a Suitcase
M
Ticketmaster app
Replies
3
Views
509
rosephile
R
Reggie Thee Dog
Are we NOT discussing the Dolby Atmos Mix of Achtung Baby?
Replies
13
Views
1K
count rushmore
count rushmore
dan_smee
New Album Discussion 1 - Songs of..... - Unreasonable guitar album
60 61 62
Replies
2K
Views
102K
dmalezi
D
Achtung_Bebe
IO: It's been a while...
Replies
2
Views
702
mikal
mikal

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom