Old U2 creative ideas you'd like to see return

[Layton]

Things they used to do, but don't do anymore is the question posed here. If you could pull a sound or a song idea out of the past and ask them to explore it once again, what would it be?

For me, it would be the use of Larry's drums in solo. "I Threw A Brick Through A Window" is a good example. At the end, the drums go solo in an artistic attempt to create a swirling effect in order to supplement the confused spiritual location of the song. I liked how they used to use these kind of drum parts as a creative tool to serve as an aspect of a song's vision. They shouldn't be afraid to explore that idea again.

 

[gareth brown]

Edge's guitar work in 'Mofo'. Why he never tried doing more of this is beyond me...
Basically all of Zooropa, especially the title track.

 

[Palace_Hero]

I Threw A Brick Through a Window is the worst song U2 have recorded, and as a result I don't hope for any of its ideas to return.

I'd like an album in the vein of Mercy and When I Look At The World.

 

[reptile]

Playing a show in Adelaide is an old idea that used to work!
It could work again

 

[bonojr62]

um... a little thing called zoo Tv would be nice.

 

[LoveTown]

seeing U2 return to grittier and maybe darker songs like what is on Achtung Baby and Pop would be GREAT! I'd love to see my political band come back too. Yeah Bono is political now in a nice way but i want the guy who called the president every single night to bug him!

 

[hedgehog]

Basically all of Zooropa, especially the title track.

The first half of Zooropa is absolutely brilliant, Id also love to see some stuff along the lines of that again.

If the entire Zooropa album was as good as the first half, it would have been my favourite album.

And, as said before, a return of some of the "darker/ grittier" stuff found on Achtung Baby and Pop would also be great.

Im not a basher of the last 2 albums (I like them, and HTDAAB is my 4th favourite U2 album) but I miss the U2 of the 90's.

Oh well, still can't wait to see what their next album brings anyway.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

giant fruit transports

 

[Numb1075]

I'd like to see some Bono screams....I mean SCREAMING the lyrics

Hawkmoon 269: "Like a needle needs a vein, like someone to blame........."

God II: "Don't believe in the 60's, the golden age of pop......"

 

[Achtung Joshua!]

I'd like to see the mullet and white flag make their apperances again

 

[Shade]

I don't want to see ANY old ideas return. I'd rather see them try to make another quantum leap forward and surprise me the way they did with Achtung Baby and Zooropa. My best U2 experiences have been those that have initially made me question their sanity, even before the Zoo era. The Unforgettable Fire is still my favorite album by anyone, and part of the reason for that is that they really threw themselves into doing something risky. The lack of any real adventure on the last two albums has been disappointing, although I do like HTDAAB a lot.

 

[mobvok]

Playing a show in Adelaide is an old idea that used to work!
It could work again

Yeah, there's that!

 

[starsgoblue]

The thing Bono did during Elevation tour...

(see below for details)

 

[Chizip]

bring back their pop look

 

[Swan269]

I Threw A Brick Through a Window is the worst song U2 have recorded, and as a result I don't hope for any of its ideas to return.

Red Light is way way worse

 

[GibsonGirl]

I Threw A Brick Through a Window is the worst song U2 have recorded, and as a result I don't hope for any of its ideas to return.

If you say so. I love I Threw A Brick Through A Window.

 

[financeguy]

Yeah I like Brick Through a Window, one of my favourites on October. Red Light? I used to think of it as the worst U2 song but now I don't mind it. The idea of bringing in the backing singers is rather misconceived and very 'early '80s' though, as if they were trying to copy Robert Palmer or something!

Anyway all of this is a little off topic.

To address the OP's question, I would like them to do stuff with Brian Eno again as I feel most of their best stuff has been done with him on board.

 

[Axver]

- Basic stage setup a la Lovetown where the focus is the music.
- Instrumentals!
- Drum and bass solos (i.e. Rejoice, Gloria)

 

[namkcuR]

I think they should bring the overall use of atmospherics back into their music.

Also, I'd like to see them make more instrumentally complex music ala The Unforgettable Fire(the song) and a lot of AB.

I'd love to see some sort of combination of UF-style atmospherics/instrumentation and AB-style attitude/lyrics - kind of like Mercy.

I'd like to see an image change...I'm a little bored of Edge's beanie and Bono's glasses.

 

[Pero]

The first half of Zooropa is absolutely brilliant, Id also love to see some stuff along the lines of that again.

If the entire Zooropa album was as good as the first half, it would have been my favourite album.

Second part of Zooropa is good, slightly worse than the first half.
Here's an advice: listen to them few times(not in a row) and after one or two days you'll want to hear them again

 

[Pero]

- Basic stage setup a la Lovetown where the focus is the music.
- Instrumentals!
- Drum and bass solos (i.e. Rejoice, Gloria)

I have nothing against bass and drum solos, but Edge's solos brought u2 where they are right now.

 

[starvinmarvin]

I'd like to see an image change...I'm a little bored of Edge's beanie and Bono's glasses.

Agreed. Maybe that's one of the reasons why so many people view the Vertigo tour as "Elevation Part Deux." Some fans don't like Larry's new hair, but at least its a change, and hats off to Adam's "silver fox" incarnation.

 

[LoveTown]

Agreed. Maybe that's one of the reasons why so many people view the Vertigo tour as "Elevation Part Deux." Some fans don't like Larry's new hair, but at least its a change, and hats off to Adam's "silver fox" incarnation.

as a long time Bono lover....I would like to state that Adam is now the sexiest one in the band. The man looks GOOOOOOD

 

[Shade]

Red Light is way way worse

I'm always amazed at how reviled Red Light is. That and Surrender were the two songs that really got me into the WAR album. I love the choppy guitar chords and harmonics, and the part where Bono sings "it's your own late show, as you jump to the street below". And I like the way the backing vocals switch time signatures in the middle of the intro. The song's got a Jah Wobble-y world music sort of vibe. I really dig that one.

 

[hedgehog]

Second part of Zooropa is good, slightly worse than the first half.
Here's an advice: listen to them few times(not in a row) and after one or two days you'll want to hear them again

Never said it was bad, but it just doesn't compare to the first half.

"Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car" and "Some Days Are Better Than Others" are ok but nothing more than that, but I don't like "The Wanderer".
"The First Time" and "Dirty Day" are good songs though.

The first half is something else though, I really like Numb and Babyface isn't as bad as some say it is IMO.
As for Zooropa (the song), Lemon and Stay...

 

[U2phan]

more songs like "EXIT" please!

maybe a few more covers, I just finished watching R&H again, I loved "All Along the Watchtower"

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

I don't know...one thing I think they've been lacking is driving rhythms mostly, songs with strong rhythm and melodic backbones, more rock and roll I suppose, just to get away from the mid-tempo thing for a bit.

 

[miss becky]

- Basic stage setup a la Lovetown where the focus is the music.
- Instrumentals!
- Drum and bass solos (i.e. Rejoice, Gloria)

I totally agree with Axver regarding instrumentals. I would love to hear the band write more of these.

 

[Zoots]

seeing U2 return to grittier and maybe darker songs like what is on Achtung Baby and Pop would be GREAT! I'd love to see my political band come back too. Yeah Bono is political now in a nice way but i want the guy who called the president every single night to bug him!

 

[Zoots]

I'm always amazed at how reviled Red Light is. That and Surrender were the two songs that really got me into the WAR album. I love the choppy guitar chords and harmonics, and the part where Bono sings "it's your own late show, as you jump to the street below". And I like the way the backing vocals switch time signatures in the middle of the intro. The song's got a Jah Wobble-y world music sort of vibe. I really dig that one.

I love Red Light!!! It's a great rockin' tune with Bono's early 80s signature yells and some awesome sax! I just do not understand why it is hated so!