Whats the thought about U2 on kiddie shows.

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rjhbonovox

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What does people think about U2 appearing on totp and cduk? I myself think that they are lowering themselves to appear on CDUK and TOTP. From 1982 (last apperance on totp with 2 Hearts beat as one, that is in the studio) to 2000 they never appeared on these kiddie shows and showed that they were above this. All they used to do with regard to shows like this was send a live performance (like for "One" in 1992 from a soundcheck at a gig in USA great performance) or play the video. This was for me that set them apart, not having to appear on these kiddie shows to promote records etc. Then in 2000 they went on totp in the studio and cduk in the studio and thats when it changed, the desperate need to sell records or so it seems, to sell to the popkids. When in 1992 Bono said backstage at a gig for Zoo TV "We might lose a few pop kids, but we don't need them". What has happened to that attitude?:eyebrow:
 
I think the more exposure they get the better. And as for being kiddies shows, TOTP and CD:UK have surprisingly high ratings and are seen as being very important for all artists.

And the history of TOTP has some of the biggest, most successful bands ever having played on it.

The more fans that hear the music and enjoy it the better.
 
I wish they would have done more of it so we'd have more footage etc...

Also he may have come to the conclusion that totp was a great way to reach alot of people with the new music and sicne they have theough ATYCLB and HTDAAB are great records they wanna make sure everyone hears about them....or maybe they like preforming in the studios and stuff before the tour!!!

who knows, i'll just enjoy the preformances, lol!!!! No doubt the songs will be better on the tour though!:drool:
 
I think the band realizes now that they are older, they have to be more visible. Earlier in their career, airplay was automatic to a certain extent (because they were U2). Now, it works against them because the industry is such that it's not accepting of bands bands in their 40s and been around since the 80s. So they have to work harder than ever at the promotion part. And means that they have to go on shows that have a younger slant -- that's regarded as the target audience for music. The bigger they are, the more control they have over their destiny.

Plus if it gets more people to find out what they've been missing, why not?
 
I think the fact that they have been around so long and can be seen as "cool" enough to go on these shows is a testament to there appeal and greatness. I wouldn't personally watch any of these shows, but a lot of people do and this is a way of getting the word out to people who may have never heard decent music before. Some of these kids only listen to crap music because it has been force fed to them their entire lives. This gives people a chance to hear real music when otherwise they might not have. These also breeds an entire new U2 generation that will only solidify there place as one of the all-time greats.


I believe the term for this is "F-ing up the mainstream"
 
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As a opposed to what?

The only other kind of show they can play on are the late shows. Think about it: when was the last time you saw an intellegent music program geered toward 18-35 yr olds between the hours of 4 and 10 pm in either the UK or the USA? If they want to play on TV during the day they have to do these shows, I don't know that there are any other choices...
 
Yes. I'd much rather they hide in a cave in the 6 months preceding the release of an album. Even after it comes out they should be extremely careful not to appear in any tv shows/magazines/radio shows that have the slightest chance of being seen by anyone under the age of 20 (because they're all morons anyway).

How dare U2 play on TOTP, invite the fans to see them for free, play a 30 minute set instead of just lip-synching the new single, and allow people to record it so we can hear two new songs before the album comes out? It's a disgrace, I tell you! :|
 
maybe it´s something about their kids who watch those kind of shows, or maybe just the old catholic guilt.
anyway, I hate it.
 
To me that's quite an elitist attitude.

Myabe it's time the 'kids' had a chance to hear some great, real and emotional music for a change! It's great that U2, REM, Manic Street Preachers, Coldplay, The Cure etc play shows like CD:UK and TOTP, same with newer bands like Franz Ferdinand. These poor kids have been exposed to enough shite music as it is!

Sadly there are no longer any alternative prime time music programmes (like The Tube for example), so I see no alternatives.
 
I dont see any problem eith U2 appearing on these shows as they have a lot of viewers, it also puts U2 in the public eye again. I think the boys are thinking that they need a new generation of fans.
 
I'm still a bit confused by the point of the topic. U2 are hardly an up and coming band on the pub & club circuit that only a few people know about!
 
ascender_RS said:
I'm still a bit confused by the point of the topic. U2 are hardly an up and coming band on the pub & club circuit that only a few people know about!

What do you mean "the point of this topic". Read my original post! So no one on here thinks that U2 have lost there coolness by appearing on these same shows that Busted and Robbie Williams etc appear on. Just seeing them on todays CDUK with all these teeny boppers in the crowd jumping up and down just reminds me of watching crap like Busted even though the song their playing is from a different planet than Busted's shit music. I would rather they didn't play crappy shows like CDUK cos they are only playing a backing music track with Bono singing live, so to the U2 fan like myself it is of no relevance, cos its basically a karaoke version of the song anyway.

I just think with the last album and promotion of that and these appearances so far they have lost some of their esteem. It's called selling out in a way, as with their ipod advert which they would never have done 10 years ago, no way in hell!
 
No one here in America even knows they were on these two shows to be honest, i'll bet money on it. People will forget about you if you aren't in the limelight, so they really don't have many alternatives other than appearing on whatever shows are around. I'm still waiting for a TRL appearance......:ohmy:
 
rjhbonovox said:


What do you mean "the point of this topic". Read my original post! So no one on here thinks that U2 have lost there coolness by appearing on these same shows that Busted and Robbie Williams etc appear on. Just seeing them on todays CDUK with all these teeny boppers in the crowd jumping up and down just reminds me of watching crap like Busted even though the song their playing is from a different planet than Busted's shit music. I would rather they didn't play crappy shows like CDUK cos they are only playing a backing music track with Bono singing live, so to the U2 fan like myself it is of no relevance, cos its basically a karaoke version of the song anyway.

I just think with the last album and promotion of that and these appearances so far they have lost some of their esteem. It's called selling out in a way, as with their ipod advert which they would never have done 10 years ago, no way in hell!

Ok, between the i-tunes download, the i-tunes commerical, the TOTP performance, and the CD:UK performance I'm pretty sure you people don't want to see U2 anywhere but on tour.

You make some ok points, but I just can't get over the term selling out and the way folks toss it around. We can argue whether it's a GOOD BIZ move by the band, because believe me I'll puke the moment I see Dirty Day in a Tampax ad. But what really is the difference between this stuff and the 7 CD? And how does U2 being in a kick butt MUSIC commercial for THEIR SONG hurt them? And how does U2 playing to kids who need them more than you or I do hurt them? Certainly it's less than a 130.00 ticket. Certainly less than a superbowl halftime show. Not anymore than Vh-1 sponsoring the last TWO tours.

Don't forget, the difference between U2 and and your average britney is that I heard Brit trying to sell me her latest perfume yesterday on the radio. Why? because it doesn't matter to her handlers if she sells things that don't have anything to do with her product, which is music (sort of). U2 would never do that. They sell music. But they DO sell it. All bands that make a living at it SELL their music. The ad spends 90% of its time saying: Hey it's U2! Go buy their new tune!!! So every band who ever charged 5.00 at the door IS technically a "sellout". Them playing over a backing track sucks, but trust me, over the next two years you will hear them play this stuff live over a HUNDRED times. One or two backing track shows won't kill them or you.

I agree that it's your right to not like it. It's also my right to differ.

(to quote the jickanator:)

CHEERS!!!

-kramer
 
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tkramer said:


Ok, between the i-tunes download, the i-tunes commerical, the TOTP performance, and the CD:UK performance I'm pretty sure you people don't want to see U2 anywhere but on tour.

You make some ok points, but I just can't get over the term selling out and the way folks toss it around. We can argue whether it's a GOOD BIZ move by the band, because believe me I'll puke the moment I see Dirty Day in a Tampax ad. But what really is the difference between this stuff and the 7 CD? And how does U2 being in a kick butt MUSIC commercial for THEIR SONG hurt them? And how does U2 playing to kids who need them more than you or I do hurt them? Certainly it's less than a 130.00 ticket. Certainly less than a superbowl halftime show. Not anymore than Vh-1 sponsoring the last TWO tours.

Don't forget, the difference between U2 and and your average britney is that I heard Brit trying to sell me her latest perfume yesterday on the radio. Why? because it doesn't matter to her handlers if she sells things that don't have anything to do with her product, which is music (sort of). U2 would never do that. They sell music. But they DO sell it. All bands that make a living at it SELL their music. The ad spends 90% of its time saying: Hey it's U2! Go buy their new tune!!! So every band who ever charged 5.00 at the door IS technically a "sellout". Them playing over a backing track sucks, but trust me, over the next two years you will hear them play this stuff live over a HUNDRED times. One or two backing track shows won't kill them or you.

I agree that it's your right to not like it. It's also my right to differ.

(to quote the jickanator:)

CHEERS!!!

-kramer


Good answer. Can't argue with them points. Like the dirty day line, good joke.:wink:
 
I could go all day about the concept of "selling out".
Chances are when someone brings this concept up, they are more concerned with images or "Coolness" than music.

I give rjhbonovox the benefit of the doubt, but when you actually state that you are worried about their "coolness" I have doubts.

As for U2 appearing on TOTP or TRL or whatever else. What is the difference between doing ANY promotion at all, ANY and this? Nothing, it's all about promotion, but this seems to be an "image" issue. U2 are trying to get kids into their music. Does that mean they are trying to just make more money? No. U2 have so many ways that they could make so absurdedly much more money if they wanted to, it would probably deserve another thread.
Just one example: They make most of their money from touring, why didn't they tour Elevation for 3 solid years if they were looking to fatten up the pocketbooks? They could have, easily.
They want to be The Beatles, they always have.

The next time one of you pretentious friends or colleagues says something about U2 selling out, or anyone for that matter, you should ask them if their precious favorite musicians make money or if they are playing tours, releasing albums, doing promotion on MTV, Vh1, Much Music or whereever else for "street cred" and not making a dime. They are shilling their products as much as anyone else. Seriously, I could go all day about this, you get the idea. The whole concept is a laugh, all by itself.

Some dude playing his guitar in a club, trying to make some money for only himself, sure he hasn't sold out, yet. Give him an opportunity to have the offer dangled in front of his face. "Quit your bullshit day job and make your living as a musician?" He'd be a fool not to take it. Although all contracts should contain a disclaimer warning them of the prospect of those pesky fans who will drop the "sell-out" term anytime they are becoming too popular because the meatheads and tenny boppers "discovered" their music.
 
Inner El Guapo said:

The next time one of you pretentious friends or colleagues says something about U2 selling out, or anyone for that matter, you should ask them if their precious favorite musicians make money or if they are playing tours, releasing albums, doing promotion on MTV, Vh1, Much Music or whereever else for "street cred" and not making a dime. They are shilling their products as much as anyone else. Seriously, I could go all day about this, you get the idea. The whole concept is a laugh, all by itself.

:yes: :yes: :bow: :yes: :yes:

I've been quoting this song a LOT lately, and I think it's apt. From "Death or Glory" by the Clash

Every gimmick hungry yob digging gold from rock n roll
grabs the mic to tell us that he'll die before he's sold
but I believe in this and it's been proven by research
he who f*cks nuns will later join the church.

The commercial part of the music biz is more or less inevitable. The quality of the music should be the basis for ANY judgement.
 
I think it should be noted that Vh-1 was a promoter of the last couple U2 tours, not a sponsor.
 
Good point about promoter.

They paid for promotion, (ie commercial support for telling everyone the band was coming to town) A sponsor pays some of the tour bills and gets recognized for it. Still, there's little difference to the average end user.


But their name was still on my ticket.
 
Just watched them on CDUK again and I have to say it made me wince! Do they really need to go on these pop shows and mime to their song? The totp performance was ok but CDUK was terrible, it just reminds me of Busted, arrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhh!!!!!!!
 
i read the title of this thread and pictured bono on sesame street... :hmm:

it's a shame the muppet show wasn't still on. kermit and bono could have done some fun duets.
 
CD-UK is hardly a kids show!

It's a well respected music show. Some quality acts have appeared on it...Madonna, Travis, Scissor Sisters, Evenesance, Manic Street Preachers, Oasis and REM to name just a few.

What I find more astounding is the fact U2 have been A-listed on Radio 1 for Vertigo. For our American friends Radio 1 in the UK has a ruthless airplay policy of appealing to 18-24 year olds, and 44 year old rock bands don't appear on radio 1. The fact U2 are still deemed relevant enough to still get played is superb.

I personally thought the CD-UK performance was awesome, way better than on TOTP. Bono's voice was much better and not croking all over the place like it was on TOTP.
 
i'm 23 - i heard about U2 though relevant media outlets to me - like snobby rock websites ad even the sad MTV.

I then fell in love with the whole catalouge. Pop was where I fell in love then i went backwards.

If they want to stay relevant and garner new fans - and effect a new generation - they may need to do this stuff.

In the words of Bono "Hip Hop has no problems reconciling art and commerce"
 
rjhbonovox said:
Just watched them on CDUK again and I have to say it made me wince! Do they really need to go on these pop shows and mime to their song? The totp performance was ok but CDUK was terrible, it just reminds me of Busted, arrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhh!!!!!!!

Except that U2 did those manouvres when Busted were learning how to tie their laces. And they weren't miming.
 
Bono was singing live over a backing track which is just a karaoke version of the song. I'm sorry but I am one of the biggest U2 fans out there and it just makes me cringe with embaresment for the band when they appear on crap shows like this. At least on totp they were outside, like in a special place reserved for the biggest band in the world. But on CDUK with all the kids jumping up and down, looked like a clip from pop idol. Its just demeaning their music to me, and it sounded terrible as well.

I was sat watching it with my brother and he said "what the fuc# are they doing on here", cos I'm always going on about them being the best band on the planet, and a cut above the rest, but I sat there and had to agree and said "Fuc# knows, its embarassing"!
 
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