From the Sky Down, Davis Guggenheim's Achtung Baby documentary to premiere at TIFF

[Iskra]

I was hoping for more about the actual album itself, its sounds, its story etc. Something along the lines of what Bill Flanagan tells us in his book. That being said, I'm still excited to see this.

 

[corianderstem]

I don't get how "ego" is supposed to fit into what he said.

 

[powerhour24]

Thank you.

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

"After some great footage of the band reworking the Achtung songs for Glastonbury this past summer (including an absolutely stunning solo Edge performance of "Love Is Blindness"), the band completes the backstage embrace that opened the film, and takes the stage with a defiantly triumphant version of "Even Better Than The Real Thing" that soars over the end credits."

I cannot wait to see that version of LIB

I personally loved the movie, which I saw last night (the guy beside me preferred it that second time around but he said that was because the sound at the TIFF Lightbox theatre last night was amazing). The group I was with agreed Edge's performance of LIB was one of the, if not the main, highlights of the movie.

 

[pop_mofo]

I personally loved the movie, which I saw last night (the guy beside me preferred it that second time around but he said that was because the sound at the TIFF Lightbox theatre last night was amazing). The group I was with agreed Edge's performance of LIB was one of the, if not the main, highlights of the movie.

I saw the film last night and thought it was incredible. LIB is indeed awesome but overall the film is quite touching. It is truly awesome to see how these 4 men are as committed to the music as they are to each other. This is a great film.

 

[TheEdge25]

I want to see that version of LIB. I just want to see the move!!!

 

[BVS]

Because he equates success w how many records they sell and if they do get played on the radio. I understand wanting to get played, they want more people to hear the music. But he goes about explaining it in the wrong way. I also agree w you on the ego part.

Who knows if all of the band agree on this. I think to a point, they do agree on being relevant, but maybe they all have different ideas on what they deem relevant?

Did you actually watch the interview? Because he didn't say any of this...

 

[last unicorn]

It's good to read some reviews from people who have actually seen this movie instead of hearing some people here despair and worry once again without having seen it, just because of some press review.

I cannot wait to see this doc and from all I've heard and seen so far I think it will be great and I'm looking forward to the interviews and stuff. I wish I could go and see the movie at some cinema now.

 

[last unicorn]

Btw, everyone worrying about the end of U2 based on Bono's dramatic and apocalyptic statements at the end of the Q and A wink should read Bono's latest statments to the press where he said that U2 will never split up but instead will be together till they die.

Seriously, what to believe now?

 

[chrissybaby]

I saw the film last night and thought it was incredible. LIB is indeed awesome but overall the film is quite touching. It is truly awesome to see how these 4 men are as committed to the music as they are to each other. This is a great film.

Does Edge sing? Or is it the solo?

 

[powerhour24]

One review remarked on his singing voice, so yeah he sings it.

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

Does Edge sing? Or is it the solo?

He plays guitar and sings the song by himself.

By the way, a lot of the footage from the movie came from the time they were in Winnipeg earlier this summer and rented out the Burton Cummings theatre.

 

[Chrisedge]

Any one that seen it spot any L.A. Rattle & Hum premiere footage? Just wondering if I made the cut...

 

[Galeongirl]

He plays guitar and sings the song by himself.

Holy shit!!!

 

[Jive Turkey]

I don't get how "ego" is supposed to fit into what he said.

I was going to say this last night, but then couldn't be bothered

 

[Jive Turkey]

Any one that seen it

 

[Jive Turkey]

I think SOA won't cut it. But Danger Mouse might.

I agree. SOA starts out really well, but by the middle of the album, it kinda sags a bit. Definitely not the comeback album they're looking for. The Danger Mouse album is solid start to finish; Starts out with a bang and feels fresh and cutting edge. There are a lot more potential singles on there that will be huge

 

[BVS]

 

[popacrobat]

I don't get how "ego" is supposed to fit into what he said.

Word. frankly, it's him at his most humble and honest - at least recently.

 

[pop_mofo]

Any one that seen it spot any L.A. Rattle & Hum premiere footage? Just wondering if I made the cut...

I think you made the cut if I remember correctly.

 

[djerdap]

I agree. SOA starts out really well, but by the middle of the album, it kinda sags a bit. Definitely not the comeback album they're looking for. The Danger Mouse album is solid start to finish; Starts out with a bang and feels fresh and cutting edge. There are a lot more potential singles on there that will be huge

Link?

 

[Scorpionac]

Just listening to some of this TIFF interview. Have it on in the background. Bono is comparing making the film to being mugged. Now the interviewer is going on about how the film takes some good sausages and makes them even tastier. What the hell? How is the audience not laughing?

 

[djerdap]

Maybe because they were bored senseless. They talked about Achtung Baby for about 90 seconds at that press conference.

 

[powerhour24]

Link?

Leak?

 

[corianderstem]

I was going to say this last night, but then couldn't be bothered

I got your back, man. I can always be bothered.

 

[djerdap]

Leak?

I just downloaded it and I mostly agree with JiveTurkey's assessments of the albums. I love the fact that Songs of Ascent features so much innovative banjo playing.

 

[gareth brown]

as long as they don't try and re-invent themselves in the same way they did 20 years ago otherwise you're going to get a Fly that looks like this

Serge Gainsbourg - Ecce Homo (1981) - YouTube

I'm trying to decide whether or not the ladies over at PLEBA would still be going weak at the knees if Bono slumped drunkenly onstage looking like that......I'm inclined to think they would

 

[mellow moog]

Word. frankly, it's him at his most humble and honest - at least recently.

Sorry guys but really? Humble? Wanting the WHOLE world to want your records on the radio and feeling on the 'edge of irrevelence' if it doesn't happen????

I'm no sycophant (not suggesting any of you are either by the way) and I truly believe some of their best ever work is on 'No line on the Horizon'!!! Just because it didn't sell a gargantuan number of units doesn't stop it from being an amazing album.
He spouts on in interviews previously about Patti Smith's 'Horses' and the Pixies 'Doolittle' as seminal albums? They weren't exactly 'Thriller' type numbers but still unbelievably great albums. ? If people don't get it now, their loss!!

Sorry guys but THAT IS EGO!!!!! Let it go Bono!!! Please! That's not saying play it safe god no. It just means respect for the ENORMOUS amount of fans you have.

Please Bono, go do something other than walk the dog to keep your idle mind from wandering in this ridiculous direction!!!!

'No-one, No-one is blinder, than he who will not see'.

 

[powerhour24]

Personally, I don't want to see them 'reinvent' themselves in an Achtung Baby era kind of way, musically absolutely swing for the fences, but their content, performances and even public behavior and attitude we crafted for thematic reasons at the time, and it was bold and it worked really well, almost too well to the point where people look and say how Bono is The Fly and didn't get the act. Since then things have gone down and up and vis versa for them, but I think the biggest victory for them this decade is getting to a point where they are comfortable being themselves and expressing that personally in a way we haven't seen since very early on.

Now I'm not glossing over the struggles with radio attention and over producing albums, I'm merely stating that earnestness is a big part of their appeal to me, and I don't want to see them go out and try and create a new persona for the sake of attempting AB era Mark II. What I do hope they do is let their albums flow thematically again, and take those themes directly into the live show. Each of the albums following Zooropa had a core concept that was watered down, and the tours to varying degree didn't address/amplify those themes, other than in name they didn't always tie in with the music. The biggest example of this is 360 being designed prior to the conception of NLOTH, and I honestly think that looming challenge was part of what got us the middle 3 attempts at radio hits in the middle of the core concept of the album. All I'm saying is I hope they stay true to their own personalities, but feel more free to release what they come up with sonically (from descriptions of original or set-aside material, and the btis and pieces of unreleased things we've heard over the past decade, they're far from done coming up with great new songs/sounds, they just get cold feet because of the wide range of fans they have), and then support that live, not just by playing the songs, but by building the theme/content of the shows off of the music directly. ZooTV and their media presence surrounding it was a brilliantly staged misdirection after being overblown by Rattle & Hum, it was a one off thing, but they can come up with something new this time. NLOTH's era wasn't overblown by the artistic direction, but the media strategy was to blanket people with disjointed promotion.

I'm kind of rambling as it's super late, and I'm sure uber-90's fans will jump on me and say they want to band to be dark and cynical again, but I hope my point gets across, and that y'all remember that AB remains my favorite album, from any band.

 

[U2girl]

I don't get how "ego" is supposed to fit into what he said.

Exactly. They played the biggest tour ever --

yet they want a change, and make small music again because they feel irrelevant. Where's the ego in that ?