Was POP that bad???

[OzAurora]

I was one of those long-time U2 fans who hated Pop - at least when it first came out. After listening to it for the first time I wanted to throw it across the room, that's how disappointed I was. But now, five years later, I have really begun to appreciate Staring at the Sun, Please, Gone, and, to a somewhat lesser extent, If God Will Send His Angels. Pop is still a long, long ways from being my favorite U2 album, but I no longer believe it was a disaster or a mistake.

I agree with this , I hated Pop when it first came out, and when the Pop tour came to the city near me, I wasnt even that familiar with most of the pop songs and it was two years later, however in about 1999 I discovered 'Gone' one day when I had my cd player on random and I was so hooked and to this day Gone is in my top 3 U2 songs, however for me Pop is 50% great and I mean songs that I absolutely love and the other 50% is stuff that I loathe and just cant get into!!!!!! but hey overall I give pop

 

[GypsyHeartgirl]

Fritz, I don't believe you. Everyone on this board, and even lurkers, know what trouble this subject brings up. You even used the devil head, come on. You were after some crap, and I'm one of the ones you probably were hoping to be entertained by. The one comment I resent by you is 'true U2 fan' because that has been overhashed here and on wire for years concerning this topic. A lot of you act like if you don't like the damn thing you're a bad fan, but then most of you turn around and diss the 80's or ATYCLB, so it's just hypocrisy. Some of the 'truest' U2 fans I know can't stand it and make fun of it, but they love all the rest. I do believe you can be a fan of a band and not like all they do. If you really look at it, isn't there at least one by every one of your favorite bands or artists that you don't like? Of course ,it just seems like it's never a crime unless it's U2 and Pop. SIGH.

 

[Sicy]

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

You were after some crap, and I'm one of the ones you probably were hoping to be entertained by.

why do you take everything so personally?

 

[Wowy23]

I am not board. All I wanted to do is see if the true U2 fans liked POP as much as i do. POP is one of my favorit albums and I wanted to know if other people loved it to. thats all

fritz

I love it; it's one of my favorite albums...

 

[pub crawler]

There are too many threads about Pop.

lmao. Eh, you're just biased.

There are a lot of new people here who have probably never taken part in previous Interference discussions of Pop.

 

[BONOPOP]

lmao. Eh, you're just biased.

There are a lot of new people here who have probably never taken part in previous Interference discussions of Pop.

Yeah, and in a few days we learn is better to be

Why so much controversy, it's just an album!!

After the little protest I feel better

 

[wertsie]

*joins in*

 

[scatteroflight]

The one comment I resent by you is 'true U2 fan' because that has been overhashed here and on wire for years concerning this topic. A lot of you act like if you don't like the damn thing you're a bad fan, but then most of you turn around and diss the 80's or ATYCLB, so it's just hypocrisy.

I agree with this. It's a crime to diss U2's 90's music, particularly Pop (no one ever disses Achtung Baby, however, except maybe for individual songs). If you diss 80's work, however, at least if it's albums like October and War, it's just a few sad faces and "oh, well you should really give them a chance." Not this "you're not a true fan" nonsense.

 

[scatteroflight]

lmao. Eh, you're just biased.

Ok, so I am biased. As I have pointed out, though I don't think many people have noticed, I actually like Pop more than Zooropa! But why am I down as a Pop hater? Well, because about 90% of the threads on this board are about Pop! I'm sorry, but it gets quite ludicrous sometimes. You would think this was a board about Pop specifically, not U2 generally. I just don't think it deserves nearly that much discussion, whether you love it, hate it or are indifferent.

Of course, I usually add to the problem by posting in these threads, because there's always something I can't resist saying or responding to...

 

[wertsie]

Ok, so I am biased. As I have pointed out, though I don't think many people have noticed, I actually like Pop more than Zooropa! But why am I down as a Pop hater? Well, because about 90% of the threads on this board are about Pop! I'm sorry, but it gets quite ludicrous sometimes. You would think this was a board about Pop specifically, not U2 generally. I just don't think it deserves nearly that much discussion, whether you love it, hate it or are indifferent.

Of course, I usually add to the problem by posting in these threads, because there's always something I can't resist saying or responding to...

Hmmm...Somebody should start a thread about...oh...I don't know...how about Rattle and Hum?

 

[Salome]

I don't think POP is a bad album
it's by far my least favourite U2 album though

because I don't like the production
and I don't like some lines Bono uses in his lyrics

 

[Shine * Like* Stars*]

Me too. I don't see the purpose in anyone continually having to defend liking it or hating it.

YES!! AMEN SISTA!! *highfive*

That SO needed to be said!

So did this:

Originally posted by Scatteroflight

about 90% of the threads on this board are about Pop! I'm sorry, but it gets quite ludicrous sometimes. You would think this was a board about Pop specifically, not U2 generally. I just don't think it deserves nearly that much discussion, whether you love it, hate it or are indifferent.

*applause!* Take a bow ladies!

 

[jick]

POP is brilliant

POP is brilliant, Bono's originality at its best. He's never had such profound lyrical lines:
-there's an insect in your ear, if you scratch it won't disappear
-it's the blonde leading the blind, it's the stuff - the stuff of country songs
-you know you're chewing bubblegum
-Miami, mi mammy
-Mother sucking rock'n'roll
-if Coke is a mystery, and Michael Jackson history

POP is also the only album that was produced with a DJ rolling up weed in the studio the whole time.

POP has more synths and drums loops than any other U2 album.

POP is just so different. It is very original because nothing is like it. It is art because no one can understand it. Standing on its own, it is one of the great albums of our generation. But standing alongside the U2 triumvirate of masterpieces Joshua Tree, Ahctung Baby, and All That You Can't Leave Behind, POP is just a whimper, a droplet, and an itch.

Cheers,

J

 

[wertsie]

Re: POP is brilliant

It is art because no one can understand it.

Well...perhaps YOU can't understand it...

 

[GypsyHeartgirl]

Re: Re: POP is brilliant

Well...perhaps YOU can't understand it...

Which brings us back to the old 'didn't get it' argument. It doesn't matter of you get it, understand it or not. If you think it sucks, you don't like it. You can understand something very well and still not like it. You can also dislike something because you DO understand it and don't like what it is. You can not understand something and still like it. Many of rock's greatest songs, and many of my favorites, were influenced by drugs. I don't do drugs, so maybe I don't 'understand' the songs, but I still like them. The same thing goes the opposite way. You can understand something but not enjoy it, or not like what it is that was understood. Rant over.

BUT

I do find it interesting and unfair that even though there are too many Pop threads, and people are tired of them, it is only the anti-Pop threads that are closed. Pro-Pop threads like this always remain open, as do negative ATYCLB threads, so go figure. It's just the bias, injustice and hypocrisy again. Jinks was accused of trying to start trouble, well the way I see it Fritz was trying to stir shit and revive the Pop arguing with this one, but he is defended. It all depends on which side you're on around here. But fair should be fair, equally, for all members, regardless of beliefs.

 

[U2girl]

OK you asked - i like half of Pop. U2 has had better albums IMO.

 

[baker6621]

NO Pop wasn't bad. Pop was excellent. You're pretty stupid if your gonna criticize such an amazing album.

 

[baker6621]

And if you really really really don't understand pop, go do drugs.

 

[Salome]

Re: Re: Re: POP is brilliant

It all depends on which side you're on around here. But fair should be fair, equally, for all members, regardless of beliefs.

I try to treat everyone fair in here
and when I really have problems with one certain member I leave moderator duties to another mod

in this case it is quite obvious that it wasn't necesary for j to start yet another thread expressing his views about POP
even though he is free to point out what he thinks until the cows come home he could and should have resticted that to one thread or at least wait a few days (at least)

now it seems like he was trying to start a fight and that is not tolerable
the thread was rightly closed IMO

 

[jick]

U2's tracklisting is evidence ...

The main argument about pro-POP people is that those who don't like POP just don't "get it" or "understand it".

Well, at least now I know I'm in good company --with U2 themselves. Obviously, U2 did not feel the POP songs are they originally appeared in the POP album warranted inclusion in the Best Of 1990-2000. So obviously U2 didn't "get it" too.

Sometimes when you share the same views as U2, it makes you feel like a genius.

Cheers,

J

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Well, at least now I know I'm in good company --with U2 themselves. Obviously, U2 did not feel the POP songs are they originally appeared in the POP album warranted inclusion in the Best Of 1990-2000. So obviously U2 didn't "get it" too.

you never learn, do you? your other thread was closed for a reason. just because U2 remixed some songs doesn't mean they hate the album! if U2 remixing a song meant they hated it, then that means they'd hate (a short list):

new year's day
two hearts beat as one
desire
mysterious ways
dirty day
holy joe
numb
night and day (their version of course)
lady with the spinning head
even better than the real thing
who's gonna ride your wild horses
lemon
discotheque
staring at the sun
if god will send his angels
beautiful day

these are just some of the songs they've remixed in the past. i'm not even including the slightly revamped single versions they've done before. my point? i'm sure you can admit you like most, or at least some of the songs i listed. a U2 release of a remix does NOT mean the band was unhappy with how the song turned out. if that was the case, they'd be remixing red light and the refugee as we speak.

 

[Hawkmoon1021]

Maybe POP should have it's own forum on a different board? This way people could argue it's merits without stepping on anyone elses toes. People really seem to get really heated up over this subject. Perhaps there should be a place for POP lovers & haters to go vent? This way whoever hates the subject won't go there, and everyone else can debate until the Best Of 2000-2010 is released. What do the moderators think?

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

What do the moderators think?

i think it just needs to be a topic that should lay low for a while. all this pro-pop, anti-pop, pro-atyclb, and anti-atyclb stuff just always seems to get out of hand. i'm a pop fan, yes, but even i'm getting sick of seeing it mentioned, even when someone's lauding it. can't we just join hands and talk about uhhh...the unforgettable fire?

 

[Shine * Like* Stars*]

baker 6621 your sig is way too huge. We are limited to 150 pixels in height now, and you've got way too many words. If all us PLEBA girls had to shrink, so do you mister!

(don't get pissed I know you probably just didn't know)

 

[baker6621]

Yea I'll change it... Or not.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Yea I'll change it... Or not.

just because you like long signatures doesn't mean you can use them.

not cool.

 

[Bonochick]

Sorry to say, baker, but Shine Like Stars is right...I have spoken with many people who had sigs that were too large so that we could get them down to an appropriate size. I'm going to ask that you please shrink it down. It's only fair.

 

[Sicy]

Nice attitude

Shrink your sig baker.

 

[Jayhawk]

I am thoroughly convinced that it was the marketing of the album and not the songs that resulted in POP's scarred reputation. The videos and the POPMart tour were ill conceived and here's why--They had already committed to tour dates before the album was done. Therefore, I feel, they rushed the Tour concept. What they ended uo with was something that was really (IMO) an extension of ZOO TV and an attempt to " TOP" ZOO TV. This was the first time that U2 did NOT go in a different direction after a previous success. If you look at the reviews of POP before all the videos and the tour began--they were ALL stellar (NY TImes, Spin, RS, etc) This was definitley a case where perception became reality.

This is probably one of the most honest explanations of Pop I have ever read. I would only add one thing---U2's opening performance in Las Vegas for Popmart horrible. If the Rolling Stones, Springsteen, McCartney, etc...couldn't even adequately play their own songs they would get bad press too. The way I look at it, it was all downhill after 4-25-97 for the Pop era. I have the video for this show and they literally screwed up every single song. Bono didn't even get the words right for Pride.