New Album Discussion 1 - Songs of..... - Unreasonable guitar album

[PopFly]

I wouldn't doubt Edge has come up with hundreds of ideas since 2020 (minus even the SOS material). Any mere competent songwriter can sit down on a computer and churn out a decent sounding instrumental within minutes or an hour. And if you're in a position to hire an engineer every so often to help flesh out everything, those ideas can turn into listenable instrumentals very quickly. But if Bono can't write a decent lyric or melody for the life of him over one of those tracks, no matter how good it sounds (and is the common thing songwriters face, even the "professional" ones), then those great sounding instrumentals get cast aside. And you start from scratch on new ideas - or attack the older ones that had potential once you've had some time away from it. Hence the "tinkering" or whatever else. You come up with new ideas to top the "mid" ones you came up with over a year or two, or you try your hand on making the arrangement or lyric a bit better than what you had. Intentions or commercial aspects might vary on the person, but working on songs until they're releasable is just part of the process.

Well put. Plus there's the added difficulty that all four guys have to sign off on the idea (no matter who "actually" wrote a given song), plus the fact that so many great U2 songs have come from this very process. As much as we can point to how tinkering or overcooking can lead to some watered-down songs, U2 has had plenty of success in matching random guitar part A with obscure bass track B and half-finished Bono lyric C and suddenly it's a single.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Folks we probably only have one or two tours left regardless of whether or not they release a new album or just decide to scrap it and tour the hits

Bono has had numerous health scares over the past 15 years. Sure he looked great at Sphere and sounded good as well... perhaps a little shot of Bonozempic did the trick.

But it's a matter of time.

Count on 5 more years. Anything beyond that is borrowed time

 

[TinKnight]

I think we got one album, one tour.

I think Bono will tour until he literally can't anymore. I would not be surprised if he did more things like Surrender until he kicks the bucket.

 

[mikal]

Folks we probably only have one or two tours left regardless of whether or not they release a new album or just decide to scrap it and tour the hits

Bono has had numerous health scares over the past 15 years. Sure he looked great at Sphere and sounded good as well... perhaps a little shot of Bonozempic did the trick.

But it's a matter of time.

Count on 5 more years. Anything beyond that is borrowed time

I remember when a couple friends were like "Dude, U2 is old" when ATYCLB came out.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i wonder if we're far enough removed from the iTunes debacle where the youngs will be respectful of U2 again because they were forced to listen to them by their parents growing up... seems like the iTunes youngs are now old youngs again.

embrace their U2ness - don't try and act young - remind people of the first 30 years.

i think they're in a good place to have a bit of a comeback - certainly not to the 2000s level - but just in terms of reputation. will be nice to see people celebrate their career instead of mocking them.

 

[TinKnight]

I work in an office of young people and frequently people say "the only thing I know about U2 is them forcing it on people's iPhones"

I do think the pendulum will swing back in their favor, but the iTunes this is one of the stickiest PR events I've ever seen.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I work in an office of young people and frequently people say "the only thing I know about U2 is them forcing it on people's iPhones"

I do think the pendulum will swing back in their favor, but the iTunes this is one of the stickiest PR events I've ever seen.

well if they're in an office - these are old youngs. they're the Songs of Innocence iTunes generation.

i'm referring to young youngs. teens and below - whose parents are of the age of those who got kidnapped in europe while following U2 on the Vertigo tour and who know nothing of the spammed album.

if you were aged 15 to 25 when the iTunes thing happened - the prime age of "ehrmagad why iz dis soong on mie iphern" - you're now 26 to 36. you are no longer a young, and if you are a young, you're barely holding on.

 

[MSU2mike]

I have no doubt plenty of 25-35 year olds still hold some animosity* towards the iTunes debacle, but anecdotally that hasn't been my experience over the last few years. I've had a number of music conversations with people in that age bracket and it rarely comes up (and when it has, it's usually something they laugh about). In fact, I've actually been shocked at the general appreciation a lot of those folks show for the band.

Again, it's anecdotal, but I mention it as a data point of some evidence that the annoyance around that moment is cooling a bit.

*I acknowledge that it was a horrible PR blunder, but it's also annoyed me because let's be real, almost no one who was outraged over that was actually outraged. I'll never be convinced that it wasn't just another in a long line of examples of online dogpiling because people just like being pissy about things. That said, it was a dumb misstep. Alas...

 

[Irvine511]

I remember when a couple friends were like "Dude, U2 is old" when ATYCLB came out.

I remember the year end Rolling Stone (I think, maybe Spin) write up in 2001 where everyone was shocked and stunned that a rock band was actually still good and relevant in it's 3rd decade of existence.

That was nearly a quarter century ago.

 

[Irvine511]

whose parents are of the age of those who got kidnapped in europe while following U2 on the Vertigo tour

wasn't that amazing? I think I said, "huh?" out loud in the theater.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. Skills that will allow me to be first on the GA line despite not even being in the city when the list started.

 

[ascender_RS]

Bryan Adams has been doing acoustic almost-solo shows alongside his big outdoor gigs. He was playing locally last night so we went to see him. He did almost a couple of hours on acoustic guitar with a pianist for some. Boy, does he look and sound amazing for someone who's 65.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

He's keeping it quiet so that he doesn't... wake up the neighbors.

 

[AndrewCowley]

The iTunes thing narked off people who aren’t into music in the first place. The real problem is that for people who are into music,U2 has not done anything interesting for a long time. Songs of … has the narrative and back story that resonated well with their core fan base, but it was uninteresting to people outside of that. Hence they have largely fallen out of people’s consciousness.

 

[super fly guy]

wasn't that amazing? I think I said, "huh?" out loud in the theater.

Was it not the 360° tour?

 

[BEAL]

Wrong forum

Edit to appropriate text

U2 are lazy

Release the songs!

 

[U2387]

Folks we probably only have one or two tours left regardless of whether or not they release a new album or just decide to scrap it and tour the hits

Bono has had numerous health scares over the past 15 years. Sure he looked great at Sphere and sounded good as well... perhaps a little shot of Bonozempic did the trick.

But it's a matter of time.

Count on 5 more years. Anything beyond that is borrowed time

Yes, that's literally my only complaint about 2020s U2! They need to get out of the album is necessary to tour mindset. Like you said, they keep doing it this way, they will run out of time. It seems like, so far, whenever they lean into being U2, they double down on the need to come up with something new before the next outing.

Look at E&I. Not only could they not announce JT 30 without promising in the same breath that SOE was coming, they made it a point not to touch JT in any 2018 show. I get it, I wouldn't expect 4-5 songs from it, but the shows I saw were no better for the absence of Streets!

Now, post Sphere, they seem insistent on getting a traditional album out before hitting the road. We don't know Larry's status, granted, but still. There's more evidence suggesting they want an album done, even if everyone is healthy. I just want them to get out there and play as much of the catalogue as possible. Be U2! Let the creative process happen at its own pace. If an "Atomic City" or better type song emerges, throw it in the set with the 23 other back catalogue songs. If it never happens, oh well. They owe us nothing.

I don't care that they haven't put out a new album since 2017. I don't expect huge tours every 1.5-2 years like we saw from 1984-1993. If they're out of ideas, or if they have more "Get out of your own ways" and "American Souls" left than "Raised by Wolves" and "Little Things," then I don't want them forcing new music out. We also aren't getting 150 show tours that are half made up of 4 night arena stands in each city.

There's no reason to think these guys can't run another 8-10 years. They just need to reexamine their philosophy on the album/tour model and on touring itself. Smaller venue residencies, shorter tours, go back to the Sphere, etc, etc.

 

[PookaMacP]

Personally, if it was a choice between a tour and new music, I'd pick new music every time. I've already heard all these songs live, and their ability to play them is not getting substantially better. I'd much rather hear something creative and new.

Which is why it bothers me that they're still in the "we have one eye on what these songs will sound like live" rhetoric that still comes out of the U2 camp while recording new stuff. That's quite a creatively limiting approach to take for a band which is primarily a heritage live act now.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i think i've said this before - but yea - if U2 never puts out a new song, i'm cool with that.

will i be excited if they do? of course.

but i'd much rather see them live a half dozen more times - yes, playing the same songs i've heard them play before - rather than sit around being part time musicians in hopes that they can come up with something that's hip and cool with the kids again.

they have an amazing song book. i'd love to hear them play it. they've never actually gone out and just played songs with nothing to promote. even the JT and AB tours - while not promoting something new - were focused on one album. there are so many songs from across their career that haven't been dusted off in a while - or that will make a comeback on one tour and then never see the light of day again because they have to force feed 8 new songs into the show.

so gun to the head decision - new songs vs. just touring? 20 years ago i'd pick new songs. today? yea. just tour.

 

[Hewson]

i think i've said this before - but yea - if U2 never puts out a new song, i'm cool with that.

will i be excited if they do? of course.

but i'd much rather see them live a half dozen more times - yes, playing the same songs i've heard them play before - rather than sit around being part time musicians in hopes that they can come up with something that's hip and cool with the kids again.

they have an amazing song book. i'd love to hear them play it. they've never actually gone out and just played songs with nothing to promote. even the JT and AB tours - while not promoting something new - were focused on one album. there are so many songs from across their career that haven't been dusted off in a while - or that will make a comeback on one tour and then never see the light of day again because they have to force feed 8 new songs into the show.

so gun to the head decision - new songs vs. just touring? 20 years ago i'd pick new songs. today? yea. just tour.

Pretty much agree in full. And I'll add that they are still physically capable of touring currently (Larry notwithstanding) and that window could close rather quickly. Whereas they could still put out some new music after they have reached a state where touring, especially on a large scale, is not feasible. So hit the road in the near term, with or without new music and release new music whenever.

 

[TinKnight]

A few years ago, I would have been more than happy with U2 becoming a legacy act (I know that's not what you're exactly saying Headache), but I don't know anymore.

I'm in the minority here, but I don't think Bono sounded good in the Sphere shows. There was just zero range. I don't know how much appetite I have to hear Streets and Pride if they're going to be tuned 3 keys down.

That combined with Larry having one foot out the door, I really do think they either need to get a new drummer and have fun while they can, or call it quits. I don't know how Adam feels bout touring, but Bono and Edge always publicly seem down to make and play music (despite evidence to the contrary these last 2 years)

 

[BEAL]

My preference is for more albums of new music. Lean into being a studio band.

Now if they decide to do opposite then my hope would be playing from the vast catalog vs some thematic tour

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i think my response to the "be a studio band" line of thought is... well... what do you have more faith in at this point in their careers? their ability to put on a great live show, or their ability to sit down and write a great album?

 

[phanan]

I guess my counter to that is, while I highly doubt there is another great album left in them, I'm sure there are still great songs there. Even if it's only a handful of potential new classics sprinkled amongst more duds, I'll take it at this point.

 

[mikal]

Is it bad that my preference coincides with ticket prices? LOL

 

[Irvine511]

I guess my counter to that is, while I highly doubt there is another great album left in them, I'm sure there are still great songs there. Even if it's only a handful of potential new classics sprinkled amongst more duds, I'll take it at this point.

this is how I feel about a lot of great, aging directors -- like, say, Spielberg pr Scorsese. they are both still capable of fantastic scenes, but I think we're going on 20 years since either of them have given us a truly fantastic movie. however, I'm happy for them to keep working and I'll likely eventually see whatever they put out because their unique gifts are still quite blissful to experience.

when it comes to touring or albums ... very torn. often at a U2 show, it will occur to me that I'm kind of at what its for me pretty close to peak existence. huge, flowing emotions, wanting to hug the person next to me (which has happened), joy tears (happens a lot), and at it's best a transcendent connection to others as well as to my past self (the 90s teenager driving around and listening to NYD) that I really don't feel anywhere else. it can be a religious experience. I want more of that in my life.

However, I really have seen these songs done live many, many times. And I am curious to see where they might take their music without live as a consideration. But would it even be interesting anymore? Or might it get interesting again if they don't worry about how it will work live?

 

[BEAL]

I'd like to see a theme that isn't on their past (specifically Bono). I&E, JT 30, E&I, Sphere AB 30.....these have all been retro shows either with the album or the theme.

I'd like to see them make an album that is forward looking. I don't even care if it's got classic Coke Edge sounding guitars.....I understand as you get older you start to reflect, but they've done it. Lean into the present and where you can still go with little time you have left.

Some sort of futuristic sounding album with Eno....or even filled with rage considering everyone in the band has to be horrified with the state of the world....I'm not expecting Bullet the Blue Sky, but no more "luckiest man, greatest thing, aw shucks lyrics"

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Well it'll be easier to get tickets if they're playing 8 songs off the new album next time our so there's that.

I'm not going to pretend to understand why playing live music for live music's sake is bad, retro, legacy act, dinosaur act or any of the othe cliches. It simply does not make any sense in my mind.

 

[pacemaker]

I’d also like for them to decouple tours and stages. I know the lack of a big stage production element would cause a lot of chatter, but they’ve hinged entire touring cycle identities on claws/ screens/ bullseyes/ hearts/ Spheres/ lemons.

I don’t have an answer or suggestion for them to replace this tactic, but needing everything to have a cohesive theme seems to really stagnate the creative process, and then shoehorn them into specific production pipelines that result in limited set lists.

 

[ascender_RS]

I'm not going to pretend to understand why playing live music for live music's sake is bad, retro, legacy act, dinosaur act or any of the othe cliches. It simply does not make any sense in my mind.

I think there was this sort of snobbishness to live music and in particular bands who hadn't had a hit in a while going out and touring, but I think that attitude has totally changed over the last 10 years or so. It's why there's so many bands doing tours based off playing their most popular album etc and just regularly touring while playing their back catalogue. I think its great.

I just wish U2 would play live as none of us are getting any younger.