blue screen
The Fly
I don't know how much we really know about the whole U2 process of making albums (or any other band for that matter). It's all speculation and makes for a great thread.
Having said that, we shouldn't doubt these guys at all, and always think that whatever they do is the correct thing to do, even if the end result isn't always spot on. I mean, we are talking about a band, hell, a rock band that's been together for over thirty years, have sold over 140 million albums, won more grammys than any other band in history, has been the best live band ever, and if you have listened to every album, all the way through several times, you can hear all the different, incredible sounds that they have come up with; they're clearly doing something right. Who are we to judge them? I don't know of anyone else on this forum who has a resume like that.
We all have our opinions and a are very passionate about this band, because they are very passionate about their music, and we can of course say if we like something or not, but we are not always right, and that's the funny thing about the Usenet comments on The Fly.
It takes a lot of balls to come up with such a different sounding album like Achtung Baby, already having The Joshua Tree under their belts and being the biggest rock band in the world, and releasing The Fly as their lead single. And that is exactly what I miss the most about the band..that attitude that coolness, of starting of a rock show with 8 songs from an album that was radically different than their previous stuff.
I guess age has a lot to do with it, those fearless 30 year olds ain't coming back. I've been a fan since 1980, and I don't think you can blame the "safe" songs on NLOTH on Lillywhite. That's the guy behind War, but maybe age has gotten to him to, and that's OK. I don't think it's U2's place anymore to come up with something different every album...they've pretty much have covered the whole rock spectrum and then some. I think, from now on, it's just about trying to record great songs, groundbreaking or not. We expect too much of them, because they have given us many reasons to expect a lot of from them, and that's why I love this band.
Of course there are songs some us will and will not like, or maybe think that the album isn't a big departure in sound, and that's fine we are all entitled to our opinions and most of the time it makes for great conversation. But the reality is, how many bands pushing fifty can still release rock music like NLOTH? They are still trying to do some great things, and that's what counts the most, that they still believe they can bring something to fire up the slow death of rock (IMO), and not be ashamed or afraid of the criticism.
I remember the first time I heard The Fly (and to this day I still believe it has one of the best guitar solos in the history of rock), and it was a great shock, as was the rest of the album.
Yes, for me the last few albums haven't been nearly as exciting, but they are still much better than what other rock bands release. And if at nearly fifty they can still make songs like NLOTH, Magnificent, Breathe, Unknown Caller, and heck even Boots, that's just astonishing.
Nothing they do in the future (who knows maybe Songs of Ascent will prove me wrong), will have the same effect as the transition from JT/RH to AB/Zooropa, but I'll take NLOTH over any other album out right now.
Having said that, we shouldn't doubt these guys at all, and always think that whatever they do is the correct thing to do, even if the end result isn't always spot on. I mean, we are talking about a band, hell, a rock band that's been together for over thirty years, have sold over 140 million albums, won more grammys than any other band in history, has been the best live band ever, and if you have listened to every album, all the way through several times, you can hear all the different, incredible sounds that they have come up with; they're clearly doing something right. Who are we to judge them? I don't know of anyone else on this forum who has a resume like that.
We all have our opinions and a are very passionate about this band, because they are very passionate about their music, and we can of course say if we like something or not, but we are not always right, and that's the funny thing about the Usenet comments on The Fly.
It takes a lot of balls to come up with such a different sounding album like Achtung Baby, already having The Joshua Tree under their belts and being the biggest rock band in the world, and releasing The Fly as their lead single. And that is exactly what I miss the most about the band..that attitude that coolness, of starting of a rock show with 8 songs from an album that was radically different than their previous stuff.
I guess age has a lot to do with it, those fearless 30 year olds ain't coming back. I've been a fan since 1980, and I don't think you can blame the "safe" songs on NLOTH on Lillywhite. That's the guy behind War, but maybe age has gotten to him to, and that's OK. I don't think it's U2's place anymore to come up with something different every album...they've pretty much have covered the whole rock spectrum and then some. I think, from now on, it's just about trying to record great songs, groundbreaking or not. We expect too much of them, because they have given us many reasons to expect a lot of from them, and that's why I love this band.
Of course there are songs some us will and will not like, or maybe think that the album isn't a big departure in sound, and that's fine we are all entitled to our opinions and most of the time it makes for great conversation. But the reality is, how many bands pushing fifty can still release rock music like NLOTH? They are still trying to do some great things, and that's what counts the most, that they still believe they can bring something to fire up the slow death of rock (IMO), and not be ashamed or afraid of the criticism.
I remember the first time I heard The Fly (and to this day I still believe it has one of the best guitar solos in the history of rock), and it was a great shock, as was the rest of the album.
Yes, for me the last few albums haven't been nearly as exciting, but they are still much better than what other rock bands release. And if at nearly fifty they can still make songs like NLOTH, Magnificent, Breathe, Unknown Caller, and heck even Boots, that's just astonishing.
Nothing they do in the future (who knows maybe Songs of Ascent will prove me wrong), will have the same effect as the transition from JT/RH to AB/Zooropa, but I'll take NLOTH over any other album out right now.