Album 13 Talk: Insert cori .gif Here

[mikal]

There really is a hive here.

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[U2DMfan]

Forgive me for not paying much attention to the band lately (can you really blame me for that, though?) but has there been any news/interviews/tidbits from any band members in the recent past? And by recent past I mean last 2 or 3 months?

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Adam said the following a few weeks ago at the beginning of May:

Q: Before we get into the Walk In My Shoes thing then, is this for a new album? Can we finally get our hopes up, yeah?

A: Yeah. I can't say when we're gonna be releasing it, but I can say we're hoping to have it finished before the end of the summer, which would be great. We're very excited about it, and we also want to get it out as quickly as possible. But I don't want to pre-empt anything until I know it's actually finished.

And this:

We've been working to get it finished this summer, and hopefully have something out by the end of the year. That's our plan. I think it's our 13th record. We want to make the songs really count, and they're getting better all the time.

 

[josh82]

He THINKS it's their 13th record, but he's not sure. That describes their attitude. They don't give a shit if it comes out this year, 2015 or 2020

 

[Sanchez]

Paul Epworth posted this quick, find some U2 meaning:

Instagram

Wild Honey

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Well, Voodoo Lounge and Bridges To Babylon did not set the rock world on fire. Unfortunately for the Stones, those albums were labled as promotions for the tour rather than the other way around as it should have been. .

Saint of Me vs Get On Your Boots?

Yea. Saint of Me. All day every day

 

[ozeeko]

He THINKS it's their 13th record, but he's not sure. That describes their attitude. They don't give a shit if it comes out this year, 2015 or 2020

Maybe he means it's the 13th album they've shelved since NLOTH.

 

[BVS]

He THINKS it's their 13th record, but he's not sure. That describes their attitude. They don't give a shit if it comes out this year, 2015 or 2020

Um, what?!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Talk about jumping to conclusions.

 

[corianderstem]

No, it just means that while 163 diehard fans might have the exact number of U2 albums at a moment's ready, Adam does not.

Interpret that how you will.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Super angry and frustrated

 

[Buk]

There is no songwriting formula that ensures global acceptance. Trying to please everyone is just a ridiculously dumb idea. At the risk of sounding obnoxious, I point to Mr. Bob Dylan, who was pretty much excommunicated from his beloved folk community, the community which made him famous, when he followed his muse and went all surreal and electric. To this day, Like A Rolling Stone is the top 5 song, if not the #1 best, on almost every "top 100 songs of all time" list. What would Like A Rolling Stone have sounded like if he tried to appease everyone? It wouldn't have had the same impact. The sound just had an "it" factor that worked. I don't ever remember reading anywhere that Dylan set out to make that song the greatest song of all time. It wasn't until it was recorded and upon listening back everyone, including Dylan, realized what they had. These things happen almost by accident. A hit is just a hit because it has something you can't put your finger on. I look also to one of my fave bands Depeche Mode. The song Enjoy the Silence was originally a slow ballad sung by Martin Gore, not Dave Gahan the lead singer. They fucked around with it in the studio, because someone (Alan Wilder) had a crazy idea it would sound good with a "disco" beat. And Eureka, it worked, to the amazement of everyone. They knew it was a hit, and it was. Why? Because it just had something unspoken to it that everyone dug. These are how the best hit songs get made. Most of the time, they just happen. If U2 wants to wait around for decades for that hit song to come around, then maybe they should. If they're not inspired, I'd rather they stop recording and go off and read some books and try their hands at something other than music. When the muse strikes again, that's when they'll get a huge hit. Of course they will be 90 years old by that point. But hey, it will probably beat any piece of crap of they're desperately trying to shine these days.

I think the band work with the same formula they have for every album since Boy. They work hard to make the best music possible and then try to sell it to everyone. That's essentially what they have always done. It has not taken decades or even a decade for this album to come out. In fact, technically it has not even been 3 years yet since the end of the last tour. The album will be out just before Christmas or just after. The discussion about the band and its future will get real interesting then.

 

[subnet]

It would be silly to release the album on December 26 though.

 

[Galeongirl]

Wild Honey

Oh god no!

Maybe he means it's the 13th album they've shelved since NLOTH.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Who's u2?

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

No, it just means that while 163 diehard fans might have the exact number of U2 albums at a moment's ready, Adam does not.

Interpret that how you will.

Off the top of his head, I think he did well to recall it's the 13th. Because after that many years as a band and the massive amount of success? I'd be hard pressed to remember it's the 13th, too.

 

[ozeeko]

I think the band work with the same formula they have for every album since Boy. They work hard to make the best music possible and then try to sell it to everyone. That's essentially what they have always done. It has not taken decades or even a decade for this album to come out. In fact, technically it has not even been 3 years yet since the end of the last tour. The album will be out just before Christmas or just after. The discussion about the band and its future will get real interesting then.

If by same formula you mean jamming away in a room until lightning strikes, sure, I'll agree. It's what they end up doing with those discoveries in a jam session that is the important part.

It sounds to me a lot of the time recently that it's "how do we make this idea into our next huge fucking hit single" rather than "what is the best way to turn this idea into a song." Because those two things are not the same. At least to me they're not.

But in the end, sometimes the ideas just aren't there, period. U2 could bang on their instruments for the next 12 years, and if the magic isn't there, then it just isn't there, and it's time to step away and think about something else. You can't force genius.

 

[Buk]

If by same formula you mean jamming away in a room until lightning strikes, sure, I'll agree. It's what they end up doing with those discoveries in a jam session that is the important part.

It sounds to me a lot of the time recently that it's "how do we make this idea into our next huge fucking hit single" rather than "what is the best way to turn this idea into a song." Because those two things are not the same. At least to me they're not.

But in the end, sometimes the ideas just aren't there, period. U2 could bang on their instruments for the next 12 years, and if the magic isn't there, then it just isn't there, and it's time to step away and think about something else. You can't force genius.

The band always wanted their songs on the radio from day one. There was an interview with Edge in 1981, long before the band had a hit where he expressed the fact that one hit single could do far more for a band commercially than 6 months of touring. For the band, its always been pleasing themselves first, and the critics and public next, without sacrificing anything in their opinion. The exception would be the Passengers album where the band went so far out on a limb and there was disagreements about the album within the band, that they decided to not label it a U2 album when it was released.
As for putting out a new album, the band are not late really in any sense given their past history and the fact that the last tour was the longest of their career. The band are essentially in the process of turning certain songs from Native Son's into Vertigo's. So in that sense, they already have everything, they are just fine tuning things.

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

The exception would be the Passengers album where the band went so far out on a limb and there was disagreements about the album within the band, that they decided to not label it a U2 album when it was released.

I thought it was released as "Passengers" since Brian Eno played on most of the tracks and thus it was a side project, not a U2 album.

 

[ozeeko]

The band always wanted their songs on the radio from day one. There was an interview with Edge in 1981, long before the band had a hit where he expressed the fact that one hit single could do far more for a band commercially than 6 months of touring. For the band, its always been pleasing themselves first, and the critics and public next, without sacrificing anything in their opinion. The exception would be the Passengers album where the band went so far out on a limb and there was disagreements about the album within the band, that they decided to not label it a U2 album when it was released.
As for putting out a new album, the band are not late really in any sense given their past history and the fact that the last tour was the longest of their career. The band are essentially in the process of turning certain songs from Native Son's into Vertigo's. So in that sense, they already have everything, they are just fine tuning things.

In 1981 they were unknown and a hit song would've definitely helped their financial situation, not to mention their business standing with Island. However, they also did not think of themselves as traditional hit-makers. They even buried Treasure (Whatever happened to Pete the Chop), which everyone at the label thought could've been a huge hit if fleshed out and finished. But they didn't see themselves as a "hit" band. In other words, they wanted a hit song on their own terms. And New Years Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday are great examples of U2 songs that also just "happen" to have radio accessibility.

Where they excel at producing hit songs is where a great piece of music just "happens" to also be a great pop song. But there's also something organic about a classic song, that I think your example "Vertigo" lacks. While it did great on the charts, it does sound disjointed and labored over. It doesn't rock with ease like their rockiest songs, like "Desire", "The Fly", "Hold Me Thrill Me..", and even their early punk influenced stuff. There's an awkwardness to "Vertigo", and it never gets off the ground like "Beautiful Day" does. "Native Son" was and is not a great song and clearly needs work. However, it sounds closer to the original idea than Vertigo does. It has something to it that "Vertigo" doesn't. That indescribable, elusive "it."

 

[JOFO]

I thought it was released as "Passengers" since Brian Eno played on most of the tracks and thus it was a side project, not a U2 album.

I think it was intended as the next U2 album, but at some point someone (Larry cough cough) said that it was too far out there to be the next U2 album.
Hence, the mess that was "Passengers".

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcMQWfMTfJ8&feature=kp

 

[wolbersu2]

There must be something special going on. Why are they keeping things so secret. .. in case there isn't a release this year (which I can't believe!) they should release a new re-issue for the fans.

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[jphelmet]

that I think your example "Vertigo" lacks. While it did great on the charts, it does sound disjointed and labored over. It doesn't rock with ease like their rockiest songs, like "Desire", "The Fly", "Hold Me Thrill Me..", and even their early punk influenced stuff. There's an awkwardness to "Vertigo", and it never gets off the ground like "Beautiful Day" does. "Native Son" was and is not a great song and clearly needs work. However, it sounds closer to the original idea than Vertigo does. It has something to it that "Vertigo" doesn't. That indescribable, elusive "it."

i agree with just about your whole argument, but disagree with Vertigo. I think that conclusion is reached from hindsight, having heard Native Son. I don't think anyone (including long time fans and this board) were saying things like it sounds "disjointed and labored over" when it came out. I think you are reading that into now, in light of their current loss of confidence and delays.

I think that description fits boots exactly. I thought when I first heard it, they are trying too hard. It certainly felt labored over and really disjointed. Never felt that way about Vertigo though.

 

[JOFO]

When I first heard Boots, I had to spit out the puke that was in my mouth.

Then I listened again and punched the wall.

The third time I listened I cried out in frustration.

The fourth listen was the best: I envisioned a 70's movie with a car going off a cliff and I laughed and laughed.....

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

There must be something special going on. Why are they keeping things so secret. .. in case there isn't a release this year (which I can't believe!) they should release a new re-issue for the fans.

They are keeping things secret because they actually have a manager who understands the current industry and is not into the dinosaur ways of McG. Whatever the lads are doing is going to be a surprise and in the age of minute attention spans, instant gratification, etc...its precisely the right move.

If we had leaked tracks now, this place would dissect them to the point that SOMETHING has to be wrong with them, and as a result, not buy/download the album. Keep a lid on it, U2. I've got faith in this and in you.

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[popacrobat]

They are keeping things secret because they actually have a manager who understands the current industry and is not into the dinosaur ways of McG. Whatever the lads are doing is going to be a surprise and in the age of minute attention spans, instant gratification, etc...its precisely the right move.

If we had leaked tracks now, this place would dissect them to the point that SOMETHING has to be wrong with them, and as a result, not buy/download the album. Keep a lid on it, U2. I've got faith in this and in you.

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I mean, do you really think McGuiness is the one with dinosaur ways? It's got nothing to do with the band liking those ways?

I don't recall tracks leaking from the last couple of albums. Are you referring to beach clips and such? I really can't imagine anybody who heard a really shitty recording of a song in the distance with traffic or waves in the forefront would NOT buy the album or a song based on the perceived quality of a song from a really bad recording.

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

I mean, do you really think McGuiness is the one with dinosaur ways? It's got nothing to do with the band liking those ways?

I don't recall tracks leaking from the last couple of albums. Are you referring to beach clips and such? I really can't imagine anybody who heard a really shitty recording of a song in the distance with traffic or waves in the forefront would NOT buy the album or a song based on the perceived quality of a song from a really bad recording.

McG was the one bitching constantly about internet file sharing.

And where the heck where you when NLOTH leaked a good week or so prior to the album release??

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[JOFO]

Yeah really...the last three albums more or less leaked like 6 tunes each...

 

[popacrobat]

Oh, ok. That kind of leak. Why would we have that by now? They're not even done with the album.

 

[ClaytonsKitten]

http://t4-flirt.livejournal.com/121832.html -- NLOTH was out about 2 wks early.

And if you'd bothered to read my post you'd know that I was referring to keeping leaks secret. Adam said the recording is done. So therefore the album could likely be out in a few months. What's stopping a leak? New management.

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