New Album Discussion 10 - Songs of Sir, this is a Wendy's, durr

[dan_smee]

yep. If this were a video from Muse or Yeah Yeah Yeah's, or countless other bands, people would be talking about how brave it was. I've been a fan since 84, but it's hilarious to see people still stuck in 84.

Right??? The response is effectively “ew because periods.” And when that gets called out, I’m fully expecting a response that somehow qualifies it as reasonable, just not in this context. Those people don’t realise they are the problem and explaining exactly why videos like that are important.

 

[dan_smee]

What are you thoughts on whether the change of tracks from the book chapters is overall a positive or negative? I’m disappointed about not getting Crumbs or MOS, but think the inclusions coming in are largely positive (IGWSHA, Electrical Storm, Little Things). As a reminder - here are the book chapters not on the album:

October
Bullet the Blue Sky
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Mysterious Ways
Wake Up Dead Man
Crumbs From Your Table
Moment of Surrender
Breathe
Iris
Landlady
Love is Bigger
The Showman

And these are the inclusions in place of them

40
Red Hill Mining Town
All I Want Is You
Dirty Day
Stay
If God Will Send His Angels
Walk On
Peace on Earth
Electrical Storm
Sometimes You Can’t Make It
The Miracle
Little Things

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Also I am LOVING the puritanical boomer response to a video about periods. Isn’t it great when people out themselves as close-minded fucks?

Ehhhh I'm not exactly the puritan boomer type and I'm not crazy over a song about The Troubles having a video about Aunt Flo.

 

[dan_smee]

Ehhhh I'm not exactly the puritan boomer type and I'm not crazy over a song about The Troubles having a video about Aunt Flo.

Yeah, but to make that point you have to also be making the point that 11 o’clock tick Tock wasn’t about a person going to a theme park and wild horses wasn’t about swimming. Art, interpretation, perspectives and all that.

 

[Aardvark747]

Ok, so hearing a few more these clips. I gotta say, I am really digging 11 O'clock Tick Tock. This may be the first of the bunch to rival, or surpass, the original. Stories for Boys probably somewhere in the vicinity.

What are everyone's favorites so far?

11 O'Clock took me by surprise, as did the Stories for boys clip. Enjoying both of those and looking forward to hearing more. One/WOWY not too fussed over, but Pride I liked.

 

[Hewson]

Well now we know the true meaning of Sunday Bloody Sunday.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Will the Pride video show a boys tale of transitioning into a girl?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

and there it is

 

[2861U2]

Also I am LOVING the puritanical boomer response to a video about periods. Isn’t it great when people out themselves as close-minded fucks?

Sheesh. I knew there would be at least one comment like this in this place. Are you a close friend of the artist or something? What's with the severe defensiveness?

The video clip sucks. Simple as that. I don't know what comments you're referring to from "puritanical boomers," but whatever they are, the video is stupid as fuck. You're not a "close-minded fuck" for thinking that. Just because something is edgy and pushes a boundary doesn't mean it's good. People are allowed to dislike it and call it stupid when it is.

Tell you what. I'll make a video clip for "Dirty Day," and it will show people throwing feces at each other. Get it? Because feces are dirty? And then you're all obligated to celebrate it because it's "art," and if you don't, you're a close-minded fuck.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Yeah, but to make that point you have to also be making the point that 11 o’clock tick Tock wasn’t about a person going to a theme park and wild horses wasn’t about swimming. Art, interpretation, perspectives and all that.

yeaaaaa but there's a difference between songs that don't have clear and obvious meanings vs. a song that's literally named after a terrorist attack, and preaching a non-violent response to said attack(s).

even pride - which is technically about MLK - but is also about love and standing up for equality. so the video of the two dancers in love is at least a fitting interpretation.

 

[Registered Dude]

sometimes art provokes. creates feelings in people.

it's almost as though that's the point, here, no?

 

[Registered Dude]

Just because something is edgy and pushes a boundary doesn't mean it's good. People are allowed to dislike it and call it stupid when it is.

behold, the arbiter of good

 

[2861U2]

behold, the arbiter of good

People are allowed to dislike it and call it stupid when it is they think it is.

Better?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

sometimes art provokes. creates feelings in people.

it's almost as though that's the point, here, no?

i have no issue with the content of the video and with the artist - who was a great get for them btw as she's hip and cool with the kids (and no, is not related to Joe). i just think THAT song has a very narrow line for interpretation.

i'll now step aside and let the right wing posters speak of their moral outrage from seeing panties bloody panties.

 

[Registered Dude]

People are allowed to dislike it and call it stupid when it is they think it is.

Better?

 

[2861U2]

i'll now step aside and let the right wing posters speak of their moral outrage from seeing panties bloody panties.

Far from it, but nice try.

My issue was with dan smee, who seemed to called anyone who objected to the video a "puritanical boomer" and a "close-minded fuck."

The video is clearly meant to be edgy and push a boundary. My point is that just because a piece of art makes that attempt to do so, we're not obligated to celebrate it and applaud it and think it's good, lest we be called names. But that's the culture we live in now. I'm not offended or "outraged," as you put it, by the video. I just think it's incredibly stupid, and anyone over the age of 5 could have made a better, more appropriate video to accompany a very serious song.

But whatever. Everytime I sneak back in here hoping this place is fun again, I'm disappointed.

 

[Registered Dude]

i have no issue with the content of the video and with the artist - who was a great get for them btw as she's hip and cool with the kids (and no, is not related to Joe).

was really hoping she was related to Joe

Up next - Gary Lawless' interpretation of I Will Follow!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Far from it, but nice try.

My issue was with dan smee, who seemed to called anyone who objected to the video a "puritanical boomer" and a "close-minded fuck."

The video is clearly meant to be edgy and push a boundary. My point is that just because a piece of art makes that attempt to do so, we're not obligated to celebrate it and applaud it and think it's good, lest we be called names. But that's the culture we live in now. I'm not offended or "outraged," as you put it, by the video. I just think it's incredibly stupid, and anyone over the age of 5 could have made a better, more appropriate video to accompany a very serious song.

But whatever. Everytime I sneak back in here hoping this place is fun again, I'm disappointed.

Make Interference Fun Again #MIFA

 

[DeVaul]

Blue Hat Brigade

 

[Rich79]

Well, this is fun.

Immediately jumping to outrage over reactions that weren't happening (at least on this forum) yet, to feeling the need to defend reactions before we state them, and so on. Cool.

I'll dip a toe:

I don't like the video. Pretty sure that's allowed without my distaste of it being construed as some kind of stance, I hope. I mostly think it does a disservice to both the song and the visual content by banking off each other, but if you got something more out of it, great. I like that it took a chance; but that's where my applause ends.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Blue Hat Brigade

Woah - check out The Sphere!



Protesters: WE DEMAND LARRY! MSG STOLE OUR DRUMMER, WE'RE STEALING HIM BACK!!!


Somebody need stop this!



Bono: I know your pain. I know you're hurt. We had an drummer that was stolen from us. But you have to go home now. We have to have peace. We have to have law and order. We have to respect our great people in law and order. We don't want anybody hurt, other than Larry and the rubes.

It's a very tough period of time, there's never been a time like this where such a thing happened, where they could take a drummer away from all of us. From me, from you, from our band. This was a fraudulent residency, but we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home, we love you, you're very special. You've seen what happens, you've seen the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel, but go home and go home in peace.

 

[CosmoKramer]

But whatever. Everytime I sneak back in here hoping this place is fun again, I'm disappointed.

Yeah, this is pretty much my take as well, this place tuned into an echo chamber a long time ago. There are some posters who just reply with sarcasm 95% of the time or some form of passive aggressive posts and others that go ballistic if you share a different opinion, especially if they perceive it as a slight against some thing when it's simply an opinion.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

oh my god people i wasn't even referring to his post with my comment.

 

[dan_smee]

Well, this is fun.

Immediately jumping to outrage over reactions that weren't happening (at least on this forum) yet, to feeling the need to defend reactions before we state them, and so on. Cool.

I'll dip a toe:

I don't like the video. Pretty sure that's allowed without my distaste of it being construed as some kind of stance, I hope. I mostly think it does a disservice to both the song and the visual content by banking off each other, but if you got something more out of it, great. I like that it took a chance; but that's where my applause ends.

This is more a response to 2861U2, but also the first thing you said:

Did I say the comments were here? They are all over the YouTube video. People here are getting defensive about things they didn’t say - isn’t that more telling?

The fact that there are people making comments like “gross as fuck” and calling it “disgusting” is puritanical bullshit. It’s always males too - funny that.

The response is exactly why this video needs to exist. If it is the purpose of art to evoke feelings, drive conversation then this is great art. No you don’t have to “like it”, but come on, to those “calling me out” for challenging responses they didn’t make (so maybe I wasn’t challenging you…) then challenge yourselves a bit. Show a modicum of self reflection here. WHY do you think you really don’t like it? Is it because you are objectively exercising your finely honed skills as a critic of the visual arts, or do periods just make you uncomfortable? To give you context on my response, just google the history of the male contraceptive pill. Systemic treatment of women in society, particularly around reproductive health and the direction of scientific study, funding for research and general fucking care for health and well being is the thing that’s gross as fuck and disgusting. If men were the ones that got periods there’d be a mist spray that turned them into orgasms.

So if you want to know why I’M offended by the male offence at having to see periods in a video for a u2 song about violence and a war waged over something petty like religious beliefs, then maybe it’s because the response of waging a comments war over the morals of having these things displayed in a video is equally as fucking stupid. If my response is threatening to you, then you are part of the problem. Fun enough for you?

The ability to sit in a chair and pass judgement on this and it’s values by commenting that it’s disgusting is an exercise in gross privilege, and again is exactly why this video needs to exist and exactly why it should be this song. When people feel there is a narrow field for interpretation, it’s much more powerful to pose it in this light.

 

[DeVaul]

it's a very tough period of time, there's never been a time like this where such a thing happened, where they could take a drummer away from all of us. From me, from you, from our band. This was a fraudulent residency, but we can't play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home, we love you, you're very special. You've seen what happens, you've seen the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel, but go home and go home in peace.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

my post was in response to the "joke" about trans kids.

if you took it as being directed at yourself, that's, well, probably saying something, isn't it?

 

[dan_smee]

Far from it, but nice try.

My issue was with dan smee, who seemed to called anyone who objected to the video a "puritanical boomer" and a "close-minded fuck."

The video is clearly meant to be edgy and push a boundary. My point is that just because a piece of art makes that attempt to do so, we're not obligated to celebrate it and applaud it and think it's good, lest we be called names. But that's the culture we live in now. I'm not offended or "outraged," as you put it, by the video. I just think it's incredibly stupid, and anyone over the age of 5 could have made a better, more appropriate video to accompany a very serious song.

But whatever. Everytime I sneak back in here hoping this place is fun again, I'm disappointed.

I could spend a lot of time deconstructing the two posts because you’ve both wildly missed the point and said some weird shit. Suffice it to say that the fact that you think my comment was about you before you had even commented is as telling as it gets. My comment was about the comments of anyone having a puritanical response to the video. The fact that you think I have issue with people not “liking” it is pathetic. I couldn’t care less if ANYONE likes it, and I get the impression the artist feels that way too. It’s bizarre that you think yours, or anyone else’s role is to pass such a superficial and benign judgement on it as to whether you “like” it or not. This is created to make you think. Make you reflect. Have some empathy. If the purpose of art to you is to passively pipe in a small rush of dopamine into your brain and have a vague pleasantness, I’m not sure how U2 are the band for you?

 

[dan_smee]

my post was in response to the "joke" about trans kids.

if you took it as being directed at yourself, that's, well, probably saying something, isn't it?

Not sure if this is directed at my comment, but my post isn’t about you.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Not sure if this is directed at my comment, but my post isn’t about you.

it's not!

 

[dan_smee]

it's not!

Well that’s quite telling!