U2 on Wikipedia

[typhoon]

Okay, so the Wikipedia is a fairly cool online encyclopedia that anyone can edit. It's fun to browse random pages on it and just see what weird shit you can learn. Just click the "Edit this page" tab at the top whenever you feel the need to share your knowledge on something.

I stumbled across this lovingly crafted page on Noel Gallagher recently and thought to myself, "Wow, this guy has some dedicated fans. Or an internet connection and a lot of free time." There are even fairly informative pages for some mere singles.

Then I went browsing around U2's pages and started thinking, "Hmm, this isn't really as impressive." Then I decided to start contributing bits and pieces. I mean, if fucking Coldplay can have pages this detailed, our fab four Irishmen shouldn't have to put up with shit like this.

So the first pages I expanded were the ones for The Unforgettable Fire and Wide Awake In America, since that's my favorite phase of the band. Then I thought, maybe I could come here and ask others to help expand the band's presence on the Free Encylopedia. So that's what I'm doing. If you're bored and have a head full of trivial tidbits about your favorite band and mine, I suggest letting it out in a productive way on the Wikipedia. It's fun once you get going. The mark-up is simple and mostly self-explanatory. You have to keep a neutral point of view since it's an encyclopedia (so you can't gush about how much the band rocks), but that still leaves plenty of room to inform and enlighten.

I think there are two areas specifically where we could improve things. One, the pages regarding the actual band members:

• U2
• Bono
• The Edge
• Adam Clayton (wow, this page especially sucks)
• Larry Mullen, Jr.

Two, the discography pages:

• Boy
• October
• War
• The Unforgettable Fire
• The Joshua Tree
• Rattle and Hum
• Achtung, Baby
• Zooropa
• Pop
• All That You Can't Leave Behind
• How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

Certain albums--such as the Passengers' Original Soundtracks No. 1, the soundtrack to The Million Dollar Hotel, and the two compilations--don't even have pages. So there's lot of stuff to do. If we get really bored, we can do the singles and tours too.

Anyway, I'm going to keep cleaning up the discography pages. Mostly, my goal is to be informative (get all the dates and names and such right) and insightful (try to describe the sound and why each album was an important step in the band's development). I thought I'd come here to check if anyone else is interested in helping. Else, I guess this thread'll just sink and die like this one that I just noticed on the "Related threads" thing...

 

[Miggy D]

That's funny - yesterday I went to U2's page on Wikipedia for the very first time! For a band of U2's stature, their pages were definitely lacking.

 

[beli]

I think the pages have changed. Adams page in particular used to be more indepth, listing his non U2 related musical activites.

 

[Axver]

I should so do pages on U2's setlists and the Lovetown tour ...

 

[typhoon]

Just pimped out the page on The Joshua Tree.

 

[typhoon]

Spent a lot of time writing a big page for an album I don't even particularly like. Included a bit on the Lovetown Tour just for Axver.

 

[beli]

Typhoon, you write well. Im envious.

 

[Axver]

Spent a lot of time writing a big page for an album I don't even particularly like. Included a bit on the Lovetown Tour just for Axver.

Awesome stuff.

 

[liamcool]

I bags War!

 

[miss becky]

Great job typhoon!

 

[liamcool]

Not much of an edit, but still an edit.

 

[typhoon]

Yay!

 

[liamcool]

*Watching a video of Touch now*

 

[beli]

I referred to the Passengers album as "Passengers: Original Soundtracks 1" on the Adam page but the link is non existant. Please advise.

 

[TheFlyOnTheWall]

Wow, thanks for doing that, Typhoon!

 

[The_Edge89]

What about gathering foreign language U2 fansites under the
"External Links" section?

 

[gareth brown]

I bag "early years - October"

 

[beli]

What about gathering foreign language U2 fansites under the
"External Links" section?

As you are "foreign" (lol) I believe you are the best person for that job. Off you go, get cracking

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

LOL I bet he's regretting saying something now.

 

[beli]

Why is The Edge listed under"David Howell Evans" ? I know thats his real name but would people search on that? Bono is listed under Bono. Odd.

Not consistent.

Cannot..... Stand....... Inconsistencies.

 

[Diane L]

I've been aching to add to that Adam Clayton page, but I just haven't had the time or the energy to do so.

I did add some bits about the promo activities for "Atomic Bomb," like the Brooklyn concert.

 

[Jamila]

good idea, everyone

 

[Jamila]

I've been asked by a poster in this thread to write a section about Bono's Social Justice activities since I am an active volunteer for The ONE Campaign and a lifelong follower of U2 for nearly 24 years.

I will add my contribution to this project this weekend.

And thanks for thinking of me.

IN THE NAME OF LOVE

 

[typhoon]

Awesome, everyone.

I finished the eighties up last night:

• Three EP
• Boy
• October
• War
• Under A Blood Red Sky
• Wide Awake In America EP
• The Unforgettable Fire
• The Joshua Tree
• Rattle and Hum

But obviously, there's lots of room for improvement, so if you can think of any tidbits I can't, go ahead and add them.

I referred to the Passengers album as "Passengers: Original Soundtracks 1" on the Adam page but the link is non existant. Please advise.

Yeah, there's no Passengers article yet. I'll make one soon.

Why is The Edge listed under"David Howell Evans" ? I know thats his real name but would people search on that? Bono is listed under Bono. Odd.

I think that's stupid too. "The Edge" is a disambiguation page right now, but I think all the other uses are much more minor: one's not even called "The Edge," it's "The Edge Software," one's a not-that-popular movie without much of an article, the others don't even have articles.

It should be like Jesus' page, where it goes straight to the most obvious use and then offers a link to a disambiguation page at the top. I'll try to change that if I can.

(Edit: I sort of did it. "The Edge" redirects to the David Howell Evans article with a link to the disambiguation page up top, although I want it to actually be that article and not a redirect), so I put up a request for a switcheroo.)

 

[Axver]

Typhoon, you rock. That's some awesome work!

I really need to get onto Wikipedia and learn how to use it. One thing that I feel should be noted on the Boy page is that the run times of An Cat Dubh/Into The Heart vary depending upon the pressing (my An Cat Dubh is 4:46 and Into The Heart 3:27). Another is that every single b-side from Boy and the previous singles were performed live, a distinction held by no other album/era.

 

[beli]

(Edit: I sort of did it. "The Edge" redirects to the David Howell Evans article with a link to the disambiguation page up top, although I want it to actually be that article and not a redirect), so I put up a request for a switcheroo.)

Thank you. Well done. That will make much more sense.

 

[Axver]

I was just back on this thread when I noticed I hadn't made a reply I was going to make ...

I've been asked by a poster in this thread to write a section about Bono's Social Justice activities since I am an active volunteer for The ONE Campaign and a lifelong follower of U2 for nearly 24 years.

I will add my contribution to this project this weekend.

And thanks for thinking of me.

IN THE NAME OF LOVE

Firstly, what poster in this thread even MENTIONED you? Your name appears nowhere in this thread.

Secondly, everyone here knows how you obsessively worship Bono like a god. I swear, if I smell even a hint of bias in your article, I will edit the daylights out of it before you can say "hail Bono" ten times fast. I just don't believe you can keep a neutral standpoint, quote statements and lyrics in context, or keep Bono's activities in perspective.

 

[beli]

Axver, I asked Jamila to do it. She has the knowledge of this issue.

Okay, she has a track record of Bono worshipping but lets give her a chance. Jamila knows its an encyclopaedia and the text must be neutral. If not, the editing people at Wikipedia will delete it. Or other people can edit it.

Lets give her a chance. Please don't shoot people before they have spoken.

peace

 

[beli]

I forgot to mention that it was a pm. I sent Jamila a PM about it. Not that I have sent any other pms/emails in regards to this. Just one, to Jamila.

Everyone has a different take on their view of U2, a different speciality that they adore. For Axver it is setlists, for the PLEBANs its Bonos butt, for Typhoon its the musical score to A Man And A Woman.

Jamila does have an extensive knowledge of Bonos social justice work, as does Axver. There is nothing stopping anyone from editing anything on Wikipedia. As Typhoon as rightly pointed out the U2 entries are pathetic to non existant. Why don't we all write bits and then we can clean up any dodgness. eg any comments that The Unforgettable Fire is the best album in the history of mankind will be edited.

 

[miss becky]

I was just back on this thread when I noticed I hadn't made a reply I was going to make ...



Firstly, what poster in this thread even MENTIONED you? Your name appears nowhere in this thread.

Secondly, everyone here knows how you obsessively worship Bono like a god. I swear, if I smell even a hint of bias in your article, I will edit the daylights out of it before you can say "hail Bono" ten times fast. I just don't believe you can keep a neutral standpoint, quote statements and lyrics in context, or keep Bono's activities in perspective.

Chill the hell out, Axver.

Where the hell did this rant come from? Jamila may "obsessively worship Bono" but at least she puts her feeling to work by volunteering for the ONE campaign and other good causes. What do you do? You make phony setlists.

Your post made me sick. Grow up.