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

[clerks]

I realized recently that I somehow have almost none of my U2 music that I bought over the years actually available on any computer or iPhone to play them as they just got lost along the way in transferring my iTunes music over the years.

But I'm so fucking lazy I may just buy it all again! Or just use youtube.

Where do you kids play your U2 music?

I guess I"m old should go buy a CD player again.

 

[dan_smee]

I reckon this demo disc is where Mercy will end up. And probably include big chunks of the stuff we’ve heard before - Native Son, alternate SYCMIOYO, alternate ABOY, alternate Yahweh.

I’m pretty sure there was a Q or Rolling Stone interview a while before the album where Bono played Original of the Species and a bunch of other things for the reporter. It was described as sounding very different -
I got the impression of a groovy, r n b tinged thing. I’ll try and find it.

 

[dan_smee]

Edge buries his navy blue skull-capped head into a bulging slip-case of CD-Rs and locates his favourite mix of “Original of the Species,” a slinky pop song built around a primitive riff, with shades of Bowie’s “Aladdin Sane.” Bono is on his feet in an instant and monkey-stepping to the loping groove, singing away and proudly declaring, “This one’s about Edge’s daughter.”

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I realized recently that I somehow have almost none of my U2 music that I bought over the years actually available on any computer or iPhone to play them as they just got lost along the way in transferring my iTunes music over the years.

But I'm so fucking lazy I may just buy it all again! Or just use youtube.

Where do you kids play your U2 music?

I guess I"m old should go buy a CD player again.

I split between Apple Music and YouTube Music. Apple has everything that's released plus the Complete U2 from the Bomb days still in my account, and I upload concerts to YouTube Music.

 

[mikal]

I split between Apple Music and YouTube Music. Apple has everything that's released plus the Complete U2 from the Bomb days still in my account, and I upload concerts to YouTube Music.

If you have a laptop, you can also upload shows into Apple Music. That's what I do.

 

[dan_smee]

If you have a laptop, you can also upload shows into Apple Music. That's what I do.

Same. All my bootlegs and random songs not on streaming are all uploaded to my iCloud account and available in my Apple Music

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

If you have a laptop, you can also upload shows into Apple Music. That's what I do.

Yea my laptop I know but my laptop is through work so I try to limit what I download/upload.

 

[mikal]

Yea my laptop I know but my laptop is through work so I try to limit what I download/upload.

Oh for sure. Yeah I rarely ever use laptops outside of my work one but I ended up getting a cheap used Surface Laptop 3 so I can update my Line 6 Helix and then occasionally put bootlegs on my Apple Music.

 

[monkeyskin]

Cautiously optimistic for the Bomb anniversary edition, just hope that most of the unheard content is original and not rerecorded.

I don't go back to it that often, but the whole Bomb era was my peak U2 fandom period. Since getting into them with the Best of 1980-1990, I'd gone over their whole back catalogue to date and the anticipation of new, not just new to me with no other albums or b sides still to discover, was sky high. The whole release rollout was so much fun, the first time I heard Vertigo (which I think was an 11th hour leak) was amazing. Then the BBC, ITV, SNL performances and the iPod campaign until the album finally dropped, the shared sense of excitement was buzzing.

In hindsight, the general public's distaste of the band (and especially Bono) was building. Without the shield of the 90s era irony, his self-aggrandising ego, constant visibility due to his work with the ONE organisation and the media keeping each single in heavy rotation when they weren't exactly the band's best material all led to a grumbling whenever the band was brought up. Outright hostility would follow. Despite the tour continuing through 2006, U2 opening the 2005 Hyde Park Live 8 show with Paul McCartney feels like the end of their time at the top.

But what a time it was, and I can't believe it was 20 years ago.

 

[wolbersu2]

I realized recently that I somehow have almost none of my U2 music that I bought over the years actually available on any computer or iPhone to play them as they just got lost along the way in transferring my iTunes music over the years.

But I'm so fucking lazy I may just buy it all again! Or just use youtube.

Where do you kids play your U2 music?

I guess I"m old should go buy a CD player again.

Streaming may be very easy to get to music, but... what if contracts end, music will disappear, you will have to pay a lot more for a membership or get commercials all the time, same with streaming movies. Streaming increases dependency and that's clearly what a lot of fans want.
I don't. I buy physical and play the music in the highest possible quality whenever I want in the future. No contracts with streamingservices, and services that provide another extra feature for getting the music through my speakers.

Long live blu-ray, dvd, even cd and of for lots vinyl. So maybe buying a br-player isn't a bad idea at all.

 

[Irvine511]

I buy physical and play the music in the highest possible quality whenever I want in the future.

I know we make fun of them for sending us CDs when most of us don't have CD players anymore, but I think this is why they do it -- it kind of is a service to fans in a way. You'll always have your physical copy.

And it sits in the garage sealed up in a plastic container with all my other CDs that I haven't listened to since 2007 but which continue to move with me because I feel this slight paranoia too.

 

[lazarus]

In hindsight, the general public's distaste of the band (and especially Bono) was building. Without the shield of the 90s era irony, his self-aggrandising ego, constant visibility due to his work with the ONE organisation and the media keeping each single in heavy rotation when they weren't exactly the band's best material all led to a grumbling whenever the band was brought up. Outright hostility would follow. Despite the tour continuing through 2006, U2 opening the 2005 Hyde Park Live 8 show with Paul McCartney feels like the end of their time at the top.

I don't know, I'd say winning their second AOTY Grammy (the only band to ever do so), plus awards for two of its tracks, was an indication they were still at the top.

And while one can make the argument that even a more focused No Line with a better lead single still would have performed below its predecessors, let's not forget the accompanying tour still set records and had them going back to stadiums in the USA for the first time in 10 years.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Yea it's hard to buy any argument that says they peaked before 360. That tour was absolutely massive. The only tours to have more people attend had 50+ (Coldplay) and 100+ (Sheeran) more shows.

Shit - Invisible was downloaded for free over 3 million times.

I wonder what happened after that to cause it to come crashing down

 

[dan_smee]

No Line was inarguably a creative compromise, and the pull of the band’s legacy would have had a lot to do with 360. Not saying it was over by 2009, but I think their relevance as a current artist was certainly waning. Their draw as bona fide legends was still strong though. The Apple Music fiasco nailed the coffin shut.

No Line wasn’t enough of any one thing. A creative and artistic detour would have been absolutely tolerated and lauded if they committed in the direction. So would an unapologetic cash in on the previous two albums. Trying to shove the first thing into the second thing was a major misstep. People know when you aren’t being authentic. No Line smacked of a band that weren’t confident enough to be artistic. Rick Rubin had A LOT to do with that.

 

[clerks]

There are 99% of tickets left for the U2 concert "video" at The sphere it seems. And only selling seats in the middle.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

No Line was inarguably a creative compromise, and the pull of the band’s legacy would have had a lot to do with 360. Not saying it was over by 2009, but I think their relevance as a current artist was certainly waning. Their draw is boba fide legends was still strong though. The Apple Music fiasco nailed the coffin shut.

No Line wasn’t enough of any one thing. A creative and artistic detour would have been absolutely tolerated and lauded if they committed in the direction. So would an unapologetic cash in on the previous two albums. Trying to shove the first thing into the second thing was a major misstep. People know when you aren’t being authentic. No Line smacked of a band that weren’t confident enough to be artistic. Rick Rubin had A LOT to do with that.

Oh THAT I agree with.

At some point you need to realize that you're the old guy in the club and accept your status as legends. Yes, it may come with some silly gooses on an internet forum complaining about "DiNoSaUr AcT" and "DaD rAwK.". Such is life as an old rock band.

But they SHOULD be in that Rolling Stones pantheon right now. Not same level, but in the club. They're not and it's because of the apple thing. Which is silly. And true.

Their status as a live draw says they're one of the most popular music acts of all time. But the vibes aren't vibing with those of a certain age. Perhaps within the next 10 years there are enough dads like myself who expose their kids against their will to U2 that they can regain that status.

A really good album that doesn't try too hard to be popular certainly would help.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

There are 99% of tickets left for the U2 concert "video" at The sphere it seems. And only selling seats in the middle.

Pretty sure the Postcards From Earth film sold at a similar rate, and it's been the venue's largest revenue driver since the place opened last year. A LOT of walk ups and last minute bookings.

This film is more niche so I don't think it'll do as well, but they will still likely get a lot of last minute business.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I have all of my U2 CDs still. I'm getting rid of so much stuff but I just can't part with them. I also have a Bose radio that plays CDs.

 

[phommel]

There are 99% of tickets left for the U2 concert "video" at The sphere it seems. And only selling seats in the middle.

Doesn't surprise me at all. Paying $180 (!!) for a film from (half) a concert ??

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

This film may be a disaster, but again - Postcard from Earth sells in a similar pattern - and this is from the article on Sphere's most recent shareholders meeting

Investors also appear receptive to news that the Sphere Experience, featuring the film “Postcard from Earth,” generated about $1 million a day in revenue during the quarter,

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Doesn't surprise me at all. Paying $180 (!!) for a film from (half) a concert ??

$180?! That's ridiculous, even more so for half of the concert. What a money grab

 

[JWR1992]

Why do I feel like there are U2 fans crazy enough to spend thousand of dollars to fly to Vegas to see that half concert film lol

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Why do I feel like there are U2 fans crazy enough to spend thousand of dollars to fly to Vegas to see that half concert film lol

Oh there definitely are.

Just wait for the movie list.

 

[monkeyskin]

I don't know, I'd say winning their second AOTY Grammy (the only band to ever do so), plus awards for two of its tracks, was an indication they were still at the top.

And while one can make the argument that even a more focused No Line with a better lead single still would have performed below its predecessors, let's not forget the accompanying tour still set records and had them going back to stadiums in the USA for the first time in 10 years.

Yea it's hard to buy any argument that says they peaked before 360. That tour was absolutely massive. The only tours to have more people attend had 50+ (Coldplay) and 100+ (Sheeran) more shows.

Shit - Invisible was downloaded for free over 3 million times.

I wonder what happened after that to cause it to come crashing down

I'd forgotten that Grammy win (tbf, it was a 2006 ceremony for a 2004 album), they were still definitely cleaning up at awards shows since the Beautiful Day comeback. Reminds me when they received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2001 Brit Awards, presented by a gushing Noel Gallagher. People at my high school were raving about their set the next day, can't imagine that happening today.

And whilst 360 was a huge ass tour, I don't think it brought many new fans into the fold. Being in England at the time, their Glastonbury headline announcement wasn't met super positively and having Gorillaz replacing them was a boon.

I'm not trying to claim that U2 have faded into obscurity in the slightest, they've got a massive fanbase that's pretty much ride or die. But they're nowhere near the top of the pop charts like in the early to mid 2000s (which was Bono's aim at the time). They still put on innovative, amazing, sell out shows, but they're not 'popular' in the way they were during the Bomb period. They were an 'it' band for 2 albums again, then what they were wasn't 'it', and what was 'it' was strange and confusing, and it happened to u(2).

 

[dan_smee]

The film may sell well after initial showings and reviews. No one really knows what to expect

 

[tommycharles]

Why do I feel like there are U2 fans crazy enough to spend thousand of dollars to fly to Vegas to see that half concert film lol

I will probably go in October. It's a ~$150 flight from here, can have a nice weekend in the desert right as Seattle slides into the Big Dark for the season.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I'm planning on being in Vegas in January. If it's still playing, I'd consider going.

I'm not making a special trip just for this though.

If you have the expendable income and time? Hey, sure, why not. If I didn't have work and kids, I might just hop on the plane myself because, well, I love Vegas.

So if someone has the time and resources and wants to enjoy themselves with something centered around an important hobby/interest? Hey more power to them.

It's the wackadoodles who don't have the time or resources but will do it anyways because they just have to do it or Bono will disown them that I worry about

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

2026 it is.

 

[DeVaul]

2026 it is.

You joke but the Oasis tour just sold out under incredible demand. Part of me wonders if the band’s collective ego can handle being the smaller story.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Killers fans, welcome to the dark side