Have U2's 21st century releases done irreparable damage to their legacy?

[AndrewCowley]

They need to go back to crafting songs that Edge says he can’t play live. Not generic songs that just as easily translate to piano or acoustic arrangements.

Hard to believe that 15 years on from getting that advice from Rubin they are still trying to please him. Rubin may have been the genesis of this approach to song writing, but surely they still aren’t reactive to it.

 

[DeVaul]

Rick Rubin helmed Stadium Arcadium and thus can not be taken as some faultless sage.

 

[ferball415]

Yea it's astonishing, actually, how insecure they [still] are.

 

[phommel]

I also think that the focus on craft, craft, craft gives them a way to make music while living lives that are no longer Dublin centric (Edge in Malibu, Bono in Manhattan a lot, Adam in London, etc) and require huge amounts of time locked in a room together. The focus on songs, songs, songs came when Bono spent large amounts of time on the road first with Jubilee 2000 and then his Africa work, all stuff that is more important than U2. They did lock themsleves away in Morocco, I guess, but that was 14 years ago at this point.

This may be the way that they’ve been able to continue as a band.

Yes that's right! But I'm wondering if the band members have the will and the feeling of urgency that are needed to spend a lot intensive time together for the creative process of making music. Do they still have that deep intrinsic motivation? Are they still willing to go into struggling like they did in Berlin towards Achtung Baby for example?

Besides, the most creative years are generally between your late 20's and early 40's. Now they all have families and many many other interests and responsibilities.

As headache says:

Honestly sometimes it's just harder to be as inspired when you're old, fat and rich with happy home lives and all that.

There's no Troubles to write about. Bono's mom's been dead for 40 years. The Edge isn't getting divorced. They're not coming off a massively expensive tour that suffers through poor attendance. No drug problems. Nothing left to prove.

They've also reinvented themselves so often that it's hard to do anything that doesn't sound repetitive and/or pandering.

So no matter how much we want it, I think it is just very unrealistic to expect another AB or JT. How many bands do we know that created masterpieces when they were in their 60s?

 

[MrPryck2U]

Yes, I think there's still a chance that U2 has a "masterpiece" in them. I really enjoyed the last 2 albums. I liked them better than No Line. Out of the last 3, I'd say SOE is my favorite. I think the Sing 2 song is just for little 'uns and not really indicative of their creative direction. It's simply a song meant for an animated feature.

 

[DeVaul]

Indeed.
Follow the muse, not the yutes.

 

[Hewson]

 

[ascender_RS]

Hard to believe that 15 years on from getting that advice from Rubin they are still trying to please him. Rubin may have been the genesis of this approach to song writing, but surely they still aren’t reactive to it.

Edge has been talking about improving his songwriting "craft" a lot recently so I guess its a personal thing, maybe an age thing too, wanting to do something different and see where it takes you?

From what I know about sessions in the past, I'd like to see them all back in a room with Eno & Lanois to see what that would produce.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

does improving his craft involve not using a guitar?

 

[LuckyNumber7]

The edge of synthesizers

 

[DeVaul]

does improving his craft involve not using a guitar?

 

[ferball415]

"Edge, there's a Beastie Boys producer I'd like you to meet.."

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

 

[DeVaul]

View attachment 13035

Your Sauce Saved My Life

 

[phanan]

lol, do you guys actually work?

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Pretty sure mascots work at night for the games, though that mac n cheese outfit might be headache’s day job

 

[ferball415]

lol, do you guys actually work?

Our labor day has come and gone.

(Oh man--that was bad.)

 

[DeVaul]

lol, do you guys actually work?

View attachment 13036

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

lol, do you guys actually work?

Things get nutty when the team is on the road

 

[Hewson]

Things get nutty when the team is on the road

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

god damn it

 

[DeVaul]

Holy shit, perfect.

 

[DaveC]

the disrespect of sticking our boy all the way in the back row. he should be in front of gritty

 

[DeVaul]

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i hate you all

 

[LuckyNumber7]

We still love you

 

[DeVaul]

we still love you

 

[DaveC]

View attachment 13037

red alert 2 was such a great game.

 

[namkcuR]

Rick Rubin helmed Stadium Arcadium and thus can not be taken as some faultless sage.

SA is one of RHCP's best records. I mean Rubin is not the right producer for U2 and I don't agree with what he said, but SA is so good. IMO.

 

[Hewson]

the disrespect of sticking our boy all the way in the back row. he should be in front of gritty

Counterpoint: He's at the top of the pyramid/mountain/totem pole.