Salome
you are what you is
This thread is so bad that it makes POP look good in comparison
Be careful, you'll be in the "dissidents black list" after having posted this.
(Or... There'll be coming hundreds of "credible" explanations for Bono's perspectives' changes in 30 years).
But people's perspectives do change.
I actually thought U2 might disband after 360. I'm happy they have not, but I can also understand the need to not rush something in 3-4 months any more.
Is 5 years too long? Yes, but a few of those years are removed due to touring, Bono's surgery and recovery, and other demands of life. If you reduce it to 3 years, it still is too long, but I'm not sure what's in U2's head. I hear OL and Invisible and don't see huge changes from what they produced during ATYCLB. Therefore, I'm not really sure where U2 are going yet. Maybe it will be worthwhile, maybe not. Maybe this is truly the swan song. Right now, I will give them the benefit of the doubt - provided the album comes out this year.
Disband? Really? What did lead you to think that? Well, they just had finished their most commercially successful tour.
My unconscious wants to give U2 that benefit of the doubt, but then my conscious comes in and reminds me of the past 15 years and I think that this really might be the "swan song", even if in my heart I'll always have some little faith.
Bono has said many contradicting things over the years...he's a human being and it happens. I don't expect him to be the same dude from 1983.
There is one thing he said in the past, however, that does kinda bug me. It was on the U2 Legends episode on VH1. Was aired during the time between POP and All That You Can't Leave Behind. About the question of packing it in, Bono said something like "it's not about sales or even relevance. It's just a question of blowing your own mind. And when you stop blowing your own mind it's time to quit" - That's paraphrasing, but the gist of what he said.
The reason that bugs me is because I feel that the "relevance" issue has completely taken over. It seems like it's the #1 priority for U2. And I don't think relevance is something you consciously aim for. They were relevant in the 1980's despite being different, not doing the obvious. Really, the only 2 classic albums (pre-ATYCLB) I feel that U2 tried for relevance was Achtung Baby and POP. But Achtung Baby worked BECAUSE it was such a 180...any compromise would've ruined it. They didn't force a Joshua Tree sounding tune on there just to appease the fanbase, they pretty much said "this is the new direction, either you're with us or you're not". And really, although Achtung Baby was clearly done with the conscious fear of not being relevant...it was executed in the best way possible, probably the only way possible, because it was uncompromising.
POP, on the other hand, had a sort of schitzo quality to it, kind of like NLOTH, where it isn't sure what it wants to be. A dance album? A rock album? Post-modern? Sincere? And even though I love POP, I also recognize that U2 is once again clearly trying to remain hip, except this time the results are less successful, because of too much compromising. It wants to be everything instead of choosing one vibe and riding it out. This is why Achtung Baby and Zooropa, for me, are stellar albums...because they're cohesive and uncompromising. The said can be said about any of their 80's albums, with the exception of maybe Rattle and Hum (which was obviously a conscious attempt to show their knowledge of American music, but we all know that anyway)
The thing is...U2 don't have many tricks up their sleeve, and bands tend to not have more than 1 second act. U2 have had like 2 or 3 it seems. They will always be relevant when it comes to music history. I don't think it's something they should strive for. If they get out of their own way, toss "relevance" aside and ride out an idea for an album, they may just land themselves something the world will consider "relevant." And when it happens, the world will be too into the music to stop and say "wow, this is so relevant." Achtung Baby was a miracle album...not many artists can pull off a stunt like that. U2 should just write and record and release and promote and see what happens, and stop talking relevance because it is rarely ever something you can consciously capture.
So, yea, 1998 Bono or whenever the Legends interview was filmed...that's the guy I wish he'd go back and talk to.
U2 has never stated the opposite, in fact Bono talked about abusing his place in the mainstream. U2 has always strived for relevance, they may have not been so blunt as to say it, but don't fool yourself, U2 has never pulled a Pearl Jam and made deliberate moves to step back from the mainstream.
Well, the key word is "abusing" his place in the mainstream. Wanting to be big on your own terms, to me, is different than over-thinking the ways in which one can remain relevant. It's a mind-set.
Well posted!The Bono of 2014 should go back and listen to the Bono of 1983 for a minute.
BONO INTERVIEW at US FESTIVAL 1983 U2 - YouTube
Particularly the last minute or so from the above listed video. Just a thought. If they did, they wouldn't be second guessing themselves and that then causing all of the album delays.
Nicely said. It's true. Bono is on the side of the Wall Street and European Union bankers that have raped Ireland by making the debt irresponsible banking created now the public's to pay off. Sickening!One thing I'm sure: if 1983 Bono knew that 2014 Bono was saying the most idiotic unashamed ass-licking clichés about Ireland's bailout and respective consequences - when he (almost) didn't open his mouth about it over the past 4 years - in the Convention of the European People's Party in the present context/situation (Merkel, Sarkozy, Berlusconni, Rajoy, Orbán, Passos Coelho... all of them, very nice guys, indeed) [not to mention the meetings/dinners/meals/teas with Christine Lagarde, W Bush, the Davos ragtags, the displacement of the tax residence to the Netherlands, etc, etc, etc]; and that he takes 5 years to write non-memorable albums full of hype, self-revival soundscapes, too much awkward lyrics... I guess he'd think that it was a joke and would laugh about it.
Nicely said. It's true. Bono is on the side of the Wall Street and European Union bankers that have raped Ireland by making the debt irresponsible banking created now the public's to pay off. Sickening!
Actually Pop, like most U2 records, was very well reviewed by the critics. And it sold quite well in comparison to Bomb worldwide.
I'm going to even respond to bringing up the Grammy's as proof of quality.
Pop as a "critical failure", like R&H bombing, is a nice little piece of revisionist U2 history. If you mean to say that Pop was not as well received by fans, and didn't do as well commercially as most of the records that came before it...well that I agree with.
I also agree that U2 has been trying to make "radio hits". As they've been doing since before Boy.
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U2 has never stated the opposite, in fact Bono talked about abusing his place in the mainstream. U2 has always strived for relevance, they may have not been so blunt as to say it, but don't fool yourself, U2 has never pulled a Pearl Jam and made deliberate moves to step back from the mainstream.
Pearl Jam that crawled back to Ticketmaster to play more venues ? Pearl Jam that got in bed with Target to sell Backspacer ? Pearl Jam that wrote one of the more obvious radio aimed ballads with Sirens last year ?
Pearl Jam that crawled back to Ticketmaster to play more venues ? Pearl Jam that got in bed with Target to sell Backspacer ? Pearl Jam that wrote one of the more obvious radio aimed ballads with Sirens last year ?