what a bomb! said:
Jick you say what have U2 ever given back to the fans? Let me give you the date 21/08/01, the place London Earls Court this was the day Bono's father died but did they cancelled the concert? No, he didn't want to let the fans down on such a day as that day, and I think even the fans would of understood if the show had been cancelled, but they didn't cancel and as Bono has said, he glad he went ahead with it cos the fans helped carry him through a big event in his personal life. This gig could of easily been rescheduled. Some people have short memories.
U2 still stood to make profit from this show anyway. Continuing with the show as long as they are physically able is part of professionalism and honoring commitments. It's not for the fans.
Has U2 ever held a "fans' day" where people gather and have free food and a mini-concert and autograph signing? Has U2 ever held a free concert in recent memory? Don't count the save-the-yuppie `87 gig because that was a publicity stunt for the R&H movie and that wasn't "recent memory." Where are the live albums and live DVD's for the fans? In the entire history of their overpriced fanzine, they only give us two cd's "Hasta La Vista" and "Melon" - and they make it in such limited quantities. Do you get something like a free autographed t-shirt for signing up as a U2 fan club member? I always remember a Bono interview during the Zoo TV era when he said he doesn't care about the pop kids because U2 doesn't need them anyway. That was such an arrogant statement back then. Obviously, U2 did not care for their fans. Fast forward to ATYCLB when U2 were desperately trying to make up for the POP marketing fiasco, they start playing on TRL to the pop kids again. All they care for is themselves, their image and the profits - not so much the fans like Pearl Jam.
But I don't care if U2 doesn't care for the personalities behind the fans. What matters is that they make the best music around (which they happen to do), and that the fans are extremely satisfied with the product they put out. Kinda like Nike, they make a good product so I'll buy it - doesn't matter too much if they were made by sweatshops in Vietnam. My point is that U2 is more of a product than a personality. Buying a U2 cd is like buying an appliance, while watching a U2 concert is like a broadway show, you don't really need to know the background of the broadway singers and their families to appreciate the show because it is already scripted.
Look at other bands who are so heavily into drugs. The fans know they are into drugs, the dogs know they are into drugs, and even the pope knows. And all these people have a strong anti-drug stance. Yet, they purchase the music made under the influence of drugs because it is not the personalities behind the music they care about but the music itself. Kinda like "if you make good music I'll buy it, it doesn't matter how you made it."
Finally, Bono's charitable work for Africa has nothing to do whatsoever with his fans. I don't think those starving children dying of AIDS have heard a U2 song their entire life. It is a sacrifice Bono makes because of the Christian morals and values inherent in him, not because of payback to the fans who have made him filthy rich.
The main point of this thread is to ask why some people are so passionate about the personalities. We should distance ourselves from the personalities and quit living in this illusion that U2 are "friends". They are only products and if there is something to be passionate about, it's the music not the people.
Cheers,
J