PhilsFan
Blue Crack Addict
This take is HOT. It's melting my keyboard, this hot take.
U2: Protecting this House since 1976 -> AKA, more new album talk
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
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How is it a theory dude? They went soft. Obviously. Who doesnt agree with that? Now the question is when. Id say right around 2000. What happened in 2000? Island fell and Interscope took over.
Do you not see the train of thought here?
I think youre immensely underestimating the influence and control Iovine and the rest of the higher ups have at that label. Its the biggest label in the world. U2 is just a band. Its not even close.
mikal
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Van Cleef
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The lyrics went soft. And more generic.
The problem is the music went soft and more generic too.
I think we can't blame the record company for that.
U2 simply lost a great deal of the inspiration they used to have.
The problem is the music went soft and more generic too.
I think we can't blame the record company for that.
U2 simply lost a great deal of the inspiration they used to have.
jeevey
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Is anyone else laughing at this a little bit? Surely there aren't many artists in the world that have maintained their leverage with their labels as well as U2, have demanded or gotten the same creative control, or have the sales power and influence to push the label around. They are not "just a band" in any ordinary business sense.
the first episode was ok, it was too abc family for my tastes though.
Sure, their stature allows them a ton of privileges. No doubt. But come on, Universal? Youre comparing U2s power to Universal's? WAT
If Bono pens a lyric that one of Universal's interests dont agree with, gone. Theres no way a band of U2's size with U2's audience would be able to say everything they want on a recording that these people pay to distribute. Theyre not going to cannibalize themselves for the sake of artist integrity or whatever you want to call it. And U2 arent going to jeopardize their stake in this either. Universal has a lot more going on and people invested than Island did. U2 has a lot more heads now to appease.
remember, when U2 got picked up by Universal/interscope U2 was very much on the down and out. No body expected them to go back to basics, they just assumed they saw a band go from what they were in 1980 to what they became in 1997. That was the evolution and that was that. People lost interest in the sound and expected them to die out and fade away like all the grunge bands did around that time. Not only was U2 from the era of dying music at the time, they were from the one before. I would imagine that leaves you with very few bargaining chips.
Enter interscope: Tons of money to back up a huge promotion and their access to media exposure and theyre back in the public eye with their classic sound. Presto Chango, U2 is back on top. with shackles.
If you think a band of U2's stature and clout are allowing record executives to censor their lyrics, then you're nuts.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Clearly that's already been established.
I'm cynical about institutions and corporations, but I also know the biggest band in the world could have signed with whoever they wanted to, and if a label tried to censor them they'd probably just say fuck off and not release anything.
I wonder who could get an appointment with Obama first--Bono or Iovine. You're underestimating the former's power, as record execs are a dime a dozen.
I'm cynical about institutions and corporations, but I also know the biggest band in the world could have signed with whoever they wanted to, and if a label tried to censor them they'd probably just say fuck off and not release anything.
I wonder who could get an appointment with Obama first--Bono or Iovine. You're underestimating the former's power, as record execs are a dime a dozen.
jeevey
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Yes. I beleive U2 may listen to Iovine more than they ought, but really. There isn't a record exec in the world who wouldn't be dying to sign U2, even knowing that they are temperamental sons of bitches who do exactly what they like and nothing else. There are very few acts in the world who have the earning potential of this band, even in their weakest 1998/1999 incarnation.
Steved1998
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Would it really be a new era if it was more of the same?
Steved1998
Rock n' Roll Doggie
No way.. U2 was one of the biggest bands in the world and had just finished a wildly successful tour. It may have not sold out in America, but overseas people went nuts. You can't compare U2 to the grunge bands of the time. There's a big difference between U2 and Candlebox. U2 had sold millions of albums and was wildly popular before grunge had ever hit the radio.. Some people may have felt U2 had made a misstep with Pop, but that did nothing to take away from their world-wide popularity. U2 only have shackles on because they've been a bunch of pussies since the Million Dollar Hotel Soundtrack. They're self imposed shackles because they fear they won't have a hit.
Oh and Grunge may have died, but that was always a sub genre of alternative, which has flourished and evolved to whatever it is today.
Mount Temple
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Not sure about Larry's click track but the Acoustic version of Yahweh performed near the end of the Vertigo Tour shows each night was always my favourite part of that tour. So beautiful and chilling. I just plain adore "Yahweh". It is actually the song I like best from HTDAAB.
Irvine511
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Mount Temple
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You do have a point of some regard but hey. There has been some real quality song writing since 2000.
I feel their inspiration of old may have been fresher at the time but every artist (s) has a certain amount of "amazing works" in them and then it changes. U2 are not the same ages or in the same time period anymore and like you and I we can't stay young forever creating mind blowing music for 20-30+ years on end. It's impossible! So go back and listen to ATTCLB to NLOTH and take it with a grain of salt. Some really strong gems.
One last thought....Rattle & Hum is pretty weak and that was put together during their pinnacle of success and prosperity 87-93. So yeah , cut the boys a break.
98% of the bands that have been, are or who will be wish they had a career like U2.
Steved1998
Rock n' Roll Doggie
The only way they'll have good song writing again is if the Edge gets another divorce or zombie Reagan starts bombing South America.
kingofsorrow
Refugee
i can't stop
OP
OP
Globo14
Refugee
That's a mighty bold claim.
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
Everyone thinking that Bono, someone who can argue world leaders into anything he feels is right, would let any record label executive, no matter how long they've known each other, have such a strong influence on his band's music really needs to think twice. I do not believe that. U2 aren't that kind of band. I've heard many stories, including interviews from band members, about U2 trying to convince skeptical people from the record company to have certain songs released or to accept certain song titles and lyrics and such.
And U2's music and lyrics have changed because they, as human beings, have changed, like everyone else is changing in the course of 20 - 30 years, it's a natural process, new priorities, a new mindset, new interests, a new awareness of things. Everyone changes and it's good that way. It would be very unnatural and not at all cool if a band like U2 would still write the same music they did 25 years ago. I want them to be authentic and if their current music reflects their personal development process, I'm fine with that, even though I accept that their new ways of expression may not appeal to everyone at the same time. I'd rather have an authentic "soft" Bono (even though I don't think he became "soft", whatever that means) than him trying too hard to be someone he isn't or isn't any more. That would be embarrassing.
That said, I'm fine with their recent music and still consider NLOTH to be one of my favorite albums. Also because as a person I've also grown and changed and U2's current themes simply do connect with me much more than something from the 1990's would right now. That's just my personal approach.
I like to be surprised by the band and I hope they come up with something new, not something that gives me the feeling that I've heard it before.
And U2's music and lyrics have changed because they, as human beings, have changed, like everyone else is changing in the course of 20 - 30 years, it's a natural process, new priorities, a new mindset, new interests, a new awareness of things. Everyone changes and it's good that way. It would be very unnatural and not at all cool if a band like U2 would still write the same music they did 25 years ago. I want them to be authentic and if their current music reflects their personal development process, I'm fine with that, even though I accept that their new ways of expression may not appeal to everyone at the same time. I'd rather have an authentic "soft" Bono (even though I don't think he became "soft", whatever that means) than him trying too hard to be someone he isn't or isn't any more. That would be embarrassing.
That said, I'm fine with their recent music and still consider NLOTH to be one of my favorite albums. Also because as a person I've also grown and changed and U2's current themes simply do connect with me much more than something from the 1990's would right now. That's just my personal approach.
I like to be surprised by the band and I hope they come up with something new, not something that gives me the feeling that I've heard it before.
pacemaker
Refugee
Not only are these two sentences frustratingly false, but they are also contradictory. If a record label has any influence over any of their bands, it is the small to middling ones. If U2 answered to Interscope in this Illuminati type conspiracy way you seem to think they do, they wouldn't have been able to lay low since the end of the 360 tour (about 2 years, 2 weeks) doing whatever they pleased. U2's size and U2's audience play only to the direct favor of U2. Without Interscope, U2 still exists and continues to do what the U2 machine pleases. Do you honestly believe that any of the four of them would allow themselves to be censored instead of buying out the rest of their contract to a label that is treating them like a winner from American Idol?
The shift in lyrical writing can be attributed to a number of things, all of which are not Interscope's influence. For example, in the wake of POP's relative failure, U2 lost the confidence of their initial explosion and the "swagger" they gained in the first half of the 90s. As a result, they play it safe by going "back to basics" which led to Bono thinking he had to write lyrics that are more universal, thus fairly pedestrian. You also have to consider the fact that he has lost his creative magic and can now only try to write what he thinks are classic U2 lyrics.
If Interscope could edit Bono's lyrics there is no way they would have let all those goofy lines in the last three albums stay. Certainly, Interscope will always have influence to some degree (hopefully a great deal less this time around seeing as how the middle 3 on NLOTH not only failed to produce a hit as planned, but have also seemingly become the nadir of U2's catalog), but U2 sells itself despite Bono's lyrics.
tim722
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U2 are at their best when they don't care about the hit single. Since they made Thrill Me Kiss Me, which was a hit non sounding U2 song, though it seems they want one non sounding U2 commercial hit per album. ATYCLB is an excellent album. Elevation though, singing about a mole just brings it down a notch. HTDAAB is their worst album ever made but Vertigo is like Elevation #2. However it's much better. Get on Your Boots could have been great but parts of is suck, You dont know how beautiful you are.
FlyingColors
The Fly
I must take serious umbrage here
Hawkmoon, Heartland, Desire, AoL, GP2, AIWIY are astronomically better songs than 90% of what U2 cooked up in the entire 00s. R&H also happens to be the third best-selling U2 album of all time. Right now, U2 would kill to have that level of song craftmanship and commercial success.
tim722
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I must take serious umbrage here
Totally agree. Take away the live songs and this is a very strong album. Probably their fifth best.
Yahweh_OMG
New Yorker
To come back to the "new" album, I believe it is finished! Now they are enjoying their holidays, not working on anything, biking, getting married, etc...... when they will come back from holidays, the U2 machine will start moving, I'm pretty sure about it. Early september we will hear something. Just my own logical thoughts 
jeevey
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Have to consider the fact or the possibility?
Edge Evans
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For those of us graying at the temples like myself: we tend to soften with age. We don't have the same piss and vinegar we did in the our mid 20s and early 30s. I guess that would also affect ones artistic expression. The fact that the lads are still even trying makes me feel blessed. There are exceptions but even James Hetfield has been crucified by loyal fans for softening up Metallica. If B and the lads read some of this thread often (doubt it) then it's no wonder we get Greatest hits tours so to speak. The know they can't keep the hardcores happy.
subnet
New Yorker
Once the promotion wagon starts up they gotta make a trip out to Vancouver and be interviewed by Nardwuar
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
i can't stop
A photon torpedo? Seriously? A self propelling, underwater beam of light?
Nice try but that's impossible.
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
Nah. NSW is just a douchebag, that's all. We all wish we could put him in a SCUBA suit and dump him on the ocean floor.
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