Why I Don't Think 'Electric Storm' Will Be "Hard-Rocking" Like The Title Suggests...

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Michael Griffiths

Rock n' Roll Doggie
Joined
Jun 10, 2000
Messages
3,925
Location
Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Why I Don't Think 'Electric Storm' Will Be "Hard-Rocking" Like The Title Suggests...

When I first heard the title, 'Electric Storm', I was having conniption fits, fantasizing of the sizzling guitar riffs and the thunderous percussion, and all the layers in between. However, after thinking about it, I don't know...

My reasoning is as follows: 'Electric Storm' is the single being used to promote the Best Of, just as 'Sweetest Thing was used for the '80-'90 one. Now, if the band wants a very catchy single like 'Sweetest Thing' to be played to death on all formats of radio, I wouldn't think a hard-rocking song would do the trick. Even Edge said a while back that they were recording "pop" songs (now maybe he meant "Pop" songs?) for the new best of, and that the super experimental hard rocking songs would be saved for the next U2 record.

I hope I'm wrong of course.

Questions, comments, cries of outrage all welcome...
 
this is outrageous!

no, i agree with you that it prob be a song that will appeal to a wide variety of people.
 
if.it.was.a.great.hard.rocking.song.,like.Elevation,Mysterious.Ways,Beautiful.Day.,I.think.it.would.get.huge.radio.airplay.....


excuse.the.periods....still.waiting.for.a.new.keyboard.that.has.a.sspace.bar.that.works.....
 
it better be a GOOD song.
that is all I ask.:adam:
 
Re: Why I Don't Think 'Electric Storm' Will Be "Hard-Rocking" Like The Title Suggests

Michael Griffiths said:
the super experimental hard rocking songs would be saved for the next U2 record.

don't hold your breath!!

btw, you are not allowed to use the term "experimental" when referring to U2, unless you want to get thrashed by those who just want "good old fashioned songs"
 
Hitman said:

excuse.the.periods....still.waiting.for.a.new.keyboard.that.has.a.sspace.bar.that.works.....

:laugh: that's priceless!!




light2.gif
 
electrical ridge and thorn

You know my thoughts and fears on the rockin theories, Moose Boy.
I think you may be right, if it is the single to promote the Best Of. However, do remember that the 90's Best of is going to be more hard rocking and/or experimental than the 80's Best of was.
With tunes from AB, Zooropa and PoP, it has to be an album that is going to be edgier, and therefore the single should follow on from that wouldn't you agree?
I doubt they would give us another Sweetest Thing type, I certainly hope they don't anyway.
Lynch me now, but Electrical Storm is a kinda cheesy name if you ask me. :huh:

I love MG record anticipation threads :)
 
there is a strong chance that there will be a limited number of tracks from Zooropa and Pop, depending on whether or not ATYCLB is included in the Best of 1990 - 2000
 
All we know is the name at the moment, i fucking love the name at the moment (but i am a sucker for stormy wheather) was wheather spelt wrong then?

I trust they wont fuck it up. well i mean they seem like a smat bunch of dudes
 
Re: electrical ridge and thorn

zooropamanda said:
Lynch me now, but Electrical Storm is a kinda cheesy name if you ask me. :huh:

I don't really think so ... at least not when compared with "The Hands That Built America" ... :eyebrow:
 
Re: electrical ridge and thorn

zooropamanda said:
You know my thoughts and fears on the rockin theories, Moose Boy.
I think you may be right, if it is the single to promote the Best Of. However, do remember that the 90's Best of is going to be more hard rocking and/or experimental than the 80's Best of was.
With tunes from AB, Zooropa and PoP, it has to be an album that is going to be edgier, and therefore the single should follow on from that wouldn't you agree?
I doubt they would give us another Sweetest Thing type, I certainly hope they don't anyway.
Lynch me now, but Electrical Storm is a kinda cheesy name if you ask me. :huh:

I love MG record anticipation threads :)
Okay, I must ask: What is 'Electrical Ridge and Thorn'? I bet it's an Aussie thing!

As far as your theory of the 90s Best of being more edgy, and therefore having an edgier single, I would like to agree but I'm not so sure. The reason: when I listen to the 80s Best Of, I hear much more edge, much more depth, much more -- dare I say -- experimantal music than 'Sweetest Thing' even comes close to. 'Sweetest Thing' was basically a Coke commercial written for U2 by U2. (Okay, you know I don't mean that, Ali;) It's a sweet song, but a little too sweet for my tastes. Can you say venturing a little too close to the land of 'Yellow Submarine' and 'Octopus's Garden'?;)) No, but seriously, think of it in a Coke commerical, and it would fit perfectly. But enough about that...

I do agree with you that it won't be another 'Sweetest Thing', but I do think it will have to be very catchy, very -- though I hate using the word -- "mainstream" to be able to fit all formats of pop/rock radio. 'I don't think 'Beautiful Day' was a "hard" rocking song, and neither was 'Mysterious Ways', as Period Boy alluded to -- sorry period boy;) -- that's too funny (the periods, not your opinion!). 'Elevation' ventured into some harder guitar sounds, but it was still coated in a pop venure. The result was it didn't do terribly well on modern rock or top 40 pop. Whatever, doesn't matter...The point is (do I have a point?), U2 need a single that reminds us a little of 90s U2 in sound, while still sounding current (basically what 'Sweetest Thing' was supposed to do for their 80s catalogue). Not only that, it needs to be a bit poppy to fit on pop radio, where most of the listeners are these days. A song like 'Mysterious Ways' would be perfect. So, all things considered, 'Electric Storm' will probably be a guitar driven pop song, not as heavy as say 'The Fly' but not as poppy as say -- and here it comes... -- 'Sweetest Thing'.

End of discourse. (Thank God! It was painful, wasn't it?)

Ramble amongst yourselves...
 
Re: Re: Why I Don't Think 'Electric Storm' Will Be "Hard-Rocking" Like The Title Suggests

The Wanderer said:
btw, you are not allowed to use the term "experimental" when referring to U2, unless you want to get thrashed by those who just want "good old fashioned songs"
"songs"??? :mad:
I want mindblowing soundscapes that rapture my soul

neh, just kidding
just as long as a song doesn't have a verse and a chorus I'm happy
 
Re: Re: electrical ridge and thorn

Michael Griffiths said:
Can you say venturing a little too close to the land of 'Yellow Submarine' and 'Octopus's Garden'?;))

I think someone just has issues with Ringo. :) But anyway, why shouldn't the single for the Best of the 90s rock? The nineties did. Didn't Hold Me, Thrill Me, Blah Blah do well? Anyway, the band currently can't seem to write a single that won't be a hit and win a Grammy and such, so I'm not worrying about it.
 
This song will be a hit bc U2 is on a roll right now and there's not much they could do to screw it up right now.

I still hope it's a preview of what's to come, giving us a hint of the low fi energy Bono has been referring to.
 
I think Electric Storm might be more in line with the 90's stuff than ATYCLB since they are using William Orbit as a producer. The producer & the title suggest something upbeat & slightly more experimental IMHO. I think it will be great though.
 
oh this si what I kind of said in a way in the othe rElectrical Storm thread. I agree, I doutb it will be rocking. I doubt U2 will ever rock in the way most 20 somethings in the Forum want them to rock. But they will still be awesome and still no one will deny their excellence and it will be enjoyable and we will be happy to have new U2 music.
 
When they first hopped back in the studio off the Elevation tour, wasn't Bono quoted saying that they were writing a lot of rockers? Wasn't that when the title "Electrical Storm" first arose? Isn't that something of a hint?
 
Re: Re: electrical ridge and thorn

Michael Griffiths said:

Okay, I must ask: What is 'Electrical Ridge and Thorn'? I bet it's an Aussie thing!


no dahling, storm, ridge and thorn are all stupid names from the daytime soap Bold and the Beautiful :D
 
I heard, from my sources, that the song will begin with a rap and then segue into a punk rock sound, then end with a heavy metal montage. My sources also tell me that the band will adopt a cool look for this album and era. Bono is dying his hair blonde and spiking it, Edge has taken to wearing striped polo shirts, knee length shorts, converse chuck taylor all stars, and knee high socks.
 
"Forget dance. Forget rock. Forget rap. Forget hip-hop. Forget trip-fucking-hop. Forget the blues. Genres are for people who are happy to accept that what they're doing will appeal to fans of a particular genre. But when you're in one of the biggest bands in the world, genres are like boxes - too constricting. When you're in U2, you gotta see the big picture."
-- Bono

 
Re: Why I Don't Think 'Electric Storm' Will Be "Hard-Rocking" Like The Title Suggests...

Michael Griffiths said:
When I first heard the title, 'Electric Storm', I was having conniption fits, fantasizing of the sizzling guitar riffs and the thunderous percussion, and all the layers in between. However, after thinking about it, I don't know...

My reasoning is as follows: 'Electric Storm' is the single being used to promote the Best Of, just as 'Sweetest Thing was used for the '80-'90 one. Now, if the band wants a very catchy single like 'Sweetest Thing' to be played to death on all formats of radio, I wouldn't think a hard-rocking song would do the trick. Even Edge said a while back that they were recording "pop" songs (now maybe he meant "Pop" songs?) for the new best of, and that the super experimental hard rocking songs would be saved for the next U2 record.

I think this is one of the first times I am responding to one of your posts Michael. Your posts are almost always so brilliant that to add anything to them, even an "I agree", would detract more than help. :D

However, here, I do feel some conversation is required.

To best address this issue (as even a partial answer is impossible until we hear at least a snippet of the song), let us examine past U2 more popular songs and how they should be classified. I will use the terms "rocking", "melodic" and "ballad" to describe the three general beats per minute or pace of the songs.
  1. I Will Follow - rock
  2. Gloria - melodic
  3. October - ballad
  4. Sunday Bloody Sunday - rock
  5. New Years Day - melodic
  6. Pride - rock
  7. Unforgettable Fire - melodic
  8. Bad - melodic
  9. With or Without You - ballad
  10. I Still Haven't Found... - melodic
  11. Where the Streets... - rock
  12. In God's Country - rock
  13. Desire - rock
  14. Angel of Harlem - melodic
  15. Van Diemen's Land - ballad
  16. All I Want Is You - ballad
  17. When Love Comes to Town - rock
  18. The Fly - rock
  19. Mysterious Ways - rock
  20. One - ballad
  21. Even Better Than... - rock
  22. Who's Gonna Ride... - ballad
  23. Lemon - melodic
  24. Numb - melodic
  25. Stay - ballad
  26. Hold Me...Kill Me - rock
  27. Discotheque - rock
  28. Staring at the Sun - melodic
  29. Last Night on Earth - rock
  30. Please - ballad
  31. Beautiful Day - rock
  32. Stuck in a Moment... - ballad
  33. Elevation - rock
  34. Walk On - melodic

Some of you may disagree with some of my classifications, perhaps feeling some songs are more "melodic" than "ballad-like" or more "rock" than "ballad". Additionally, some of you may feel that some songs may be mostly a "ballad" until the explosive end. While these arguments are justified, I decided to limit each song to just one[/b] classification and how I felt when I heard it. Furthermore, overall, I believe most of us would agree with the above classifications.

I have listed 34 of U2's more popular songs. Of those, I classified 15 (44%) as "rock", 10 (29%) as "melodic" and 9 (26%) as "ballad." Therefore, based on the past, there is a stronger chance that future U2 songs will be faster-paced, at least "melodic" if not even "rock."

Admittedly, there is only one "ballad-esque" song in the 8 pre-Joshua Tree tracks listed. This suggests that latter U2 works are indeed more slower-paced. However, this observation may be biased. Of the 4 pre-JT albums, I have only listed 8 of the more popular tracks. A more throrough examination of all the songs on those albums would reveal more slower-paced "ballad-like" songs. However, even if U2's more slower-paced songs have come from 1987 on, we have had 15 years to adapt to this style. As shown by ATYCLB, two of the more popular tracks were indeed "rock" songs, with only one being classified as a "ballad." This indicates that U2, at least when it comes to picking singles, do tend to pick more upbeat songs.

One song I left off the above list is "The Sweetest Thing" as it was released twice, with the second release being used to promote the first "Best Of." As such, I didn't want to list that song in discussing this second "Best Of." But I would consider "The Sweetest Thing" a more "melodic" song, again suggesting at least that U2 mostly uses more upbeat, faster-paced songs as their singles.

Therefore, at this juncture, based on past behavior, I would predict this new single to be faster-paced and arguably even a "rock" track. But again, this argument is moot until we hear some of the song. Just based on how U2's released singles in the past (or emphasized certain songs), this option would seem more likely.
 
Nice work Doctor Who, I agree with most of your picks and pretty much sums up that it's pretty much anyone's guess. I think Hands will be more of a melodic tune so I doubt they would put two melodic tunes on there. Based on that and the fact that they're probably trying to reflect their 90's work, this new tune should kick some serious arse!!!

Either way, I'll be happy!
 
Doctorwho:

Very good analysis, my friend. (And thanks for the compliment! I had a good laugh over it, haha, but thank-you.) While I agree with 'Electric' being a more upbeat song, I'm not so sure it will be a full out "rocker". I would like it to be, but I'm not so sure. As I said earlier, I'd think it would be a poppy, guitar oriented track. Something that would hook anyone in, which isn't a bad thing at all. I just hope people don't think that this is what the next album will sound like, that's all. Recently, some people on this board have said they'd lose interest if this next song is too "mainstream" etc -- but I feel that would be a grave mistake, as I don't think it would be necessarily indicative of the new material at all.

By the way, 'Pride' is one of the most *melodic* songs they've ever written! And isn't 'New Year's Day' a full out *rock* song? (hehe);)
 
Just think how many people will be hitting their heads if Electric Storm turns out to be a pop-directed song !

More seriously - i dunno. Sweetest thing was pop all the way but also it fit well with the 80's Best of songs. So if Electric Storm is to fit with the 90's songs, it could be something fast paced and guitar driven. Plus consider Hands that built America is a slower song.
 
Why can't it be Sept. 16th yet so we can solve this mystery???? :scream: But you have to admit the anticipation is exciting and has made for an interesting summer....
 
U2girl said:
More seriously - i dunno. Sweetest thing was pop all the way but also it fit well with the 80's Best of songs. So if Electric Storm is to fit with the 90's songs, it could be something fast paced and guitar driven. Plus consider Hands that built America is a slower song.

But weren't there many 80s U2 songs that were "fast paced and guitar driven"? To be quite honest, if I were to pick the more "poppy" decade of U2, I would pick the 90s over the 80s anyday. Achtung Baby is perhaps the most mainstream album they've ever made, in my opinion. There are so many influences of the time all over that album, wheras 80s U2 sounds, in many cases, as though it had very few influences at all. Now granted, that's if you wanted to put the two decades in a box. Zooropa, for example, is probably up their with Unforgettable Fire as their most daring work ever.

Bottom line is, U2 can make a poppy-sounding song fit into any era, and that's what I believe they've done with 'Electric Storm'. (Does anyone else feel it sounded better as 'ElectricAL Storm'?)
 
Back
Top Bottom