Can’t stand U2? Nor can Bono

[Muku]

They should admit they were in the perfect money making era of music.... EVER.

Adele and Taylor and Ed sheeran, hiphop megastars not withstanding....
U2.... HUGE money from both stadium tours and with 18$ CD sales 1982-2000.
They should be glib about the generation of easy money for top 20 acts.

They were great for 10 years. incredible shows and perfect sound.
Now it's a legacy act, even if they write something incredible.
That's cool they earn the rite to keep on stage. I like them.
Some of their dramatic stick doesn't age that well.

They can also sell their catalogs and i wouldn't have a problem with that.
Just admit the zillions were partially lucky.

 

[Double Stop]

I don't follow U2 much these days. I stopped listening to them shortly after the "All That You Can't Leave Behind" album, which I didn't care for much. However, I love just about everything they did before then, especially all the early albums leading up to "The Joshua Tree" album. I even really dig "Zooropa" which even a lot of U2 fans hated.

 

[Larry F]

One of my roommates was the daughter of a famous music critic. On their first visit to NYC, they seemed to her a group of good-natured, but a little naive, guys. She remembers when they pulled up in a limo, and offered her some pot that they had just scored. "Hey, we've got some really good weed!"

 

[Axegrinder77]

They've been packing arenas and stadiums for over 40 years and we're discussing them today. Doin something right I'd say.

IMHO, a great band. Go see them live and you might agree. Are they perfect? lol, no. Is any band? Well, maybe led zeppelin was, but that's just not fair.

 

[Tonetele]

Why do two members call themselves "Bono" and " The Edge" ? Anonymity or what? Odd.

 

[Lawdawg]

I don't think anything he said was that surprising, U2 have always been a little self-deprecating when they're not busy trying to be the biggest band in the world. For that matter, lots of big time musicians are their biggest critics and don't particularly enjoy their own material. Ditto with band names. In fact most band names are pretty terrible when you think about it -- looking at you Radiohead!

Personally, I think U2's catalog is more filler than killer, but the killer is really KILLER. The Joshua Tree, Unforgettable Fire, and Achtung Baby are stone cold classics with War and Zooropa not that far behind.

But the guitar solo in The Fly is my favourite thing from The Edge. That was the energy from the old days tucked into their modern sound and the contrast is still mind blowing for me anyway.

Mine too! The Fly is sort of the forgotten single from Achtung Baby, but it's one of my favorite U2 tracks and Edge performances.

 

[Deeve]

Bono learned long ago that his entire purpose on this planet is to whine about things.

It's his gift . . .

 

[bottlenecker]

I bet he was mad when that free album was on his new iphone.

 

[Electric Warrior]

Man, I think U2 is even cooler reading through this thread

 

[Nogoodnamesleft]

I think The Edge is a very innovative guitar player and they've written some great songs. Certainly in their early work. I mean, this is pretty epic. Don't worry, it's Bono free for those who might be averse.

 

[ClashCityTele]

Ok Paul, here's the plan.
1. You split up the band.
2. You reform the band without the very talented guitarist who wrote all the songs that made you a multi-millionaire.
3. You revert to the bands original name of 'Feedback'.
4. You run an online competition, £10 per entry, it's the only way you'll make any money now.
The winner gets to punch you in the throat till you sound like Lemmy.
Follow this, step by step, and nothing can possibly go wrong.

 

[Bones]

Bands like U2, The Police, REM, The Fixx, The Cure, The Alarm and the Clash represent a certain 5-6 year period of time in my life both personally and musically. However, they do not evoke the same emotional response as earlier, harder rocking bands that I got into like Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Van Halen, or even blues greats like Hound Dog Taylor, Junior Wells, Albert Collins and so on. I don't hold anything against them, they were all fine at the time, but just don't move the needle for me now at all.

 

[Flat6Driver]

Remember this event from 1991? Hilarious.

U2: How Negativland Exposed the Band’s Hypocrisy!

Negativland Would Expose U2’s Hypocrisy Back in 1991, the obscure band Negativland tricked U2 fans into thinking the band dropped an album in the summer of that year, when in fact they haven&…

gnrcentral.com

I remember hearing that on the radio. Loved it. Back when if your heard something you better remember it because it'll be a while before you hear it again.

 

[nojazzhere]

Here's some footage of Bono and Andrea Corr doing their version of Lee Hazlewood's "Summer Wine" (I'll be the first to say Lee Hazlewood is peerless).
Either side of the 1 minute mark Andrea Corr gives Bono 'a look' which makes Bono immediately the luckiest man on the planet, although I don't think he even notices. Some folks are just born lucky I guess.

If Andrea Corr were to look at me like that, I'd immediately look out my best pair of boots, put them on, lie back in my bed and patiently wait on the Reaper's arrival.
I'd also be wearing a facial expression that would say "Mission Accomplished!"

Summer Wine :The Corrs & Bono

 

[Mark617]

I liked everything up to and including Zoo Station. I saw them at the Orpheum in Boston then the Garden and Foxborough. Great live band.

 

[24 track]

i see too many old men yelling at clouds here..............

either you like them or not, its irrellevant to the fact i may be inclined to listen to them or not, my choice.

But, thats the end of it, if you dont like them too bad, if you do like them great , but is it worth 3 pages of old man wanking? i guess so, .......appearently, some how

i'ld still buy any of them a pint of guiness any time any place and be glad to do so.

 

[StephenDeBoard]

I think The Edge is a very innovative guitar player and they've written some great songs. Certainly in their early work. I mean, this is pretty epic. Don't worry, it's Bono free for those who might be averse.

This performance is absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing it.

 

[Si G X]

Not for me. I think it was Rattle and Hum that really did it.

I did like 'New Years Day' when it came out though and I don't dislike Edge... I guess 'meh' would be appropriate.

 

[Nogoodnamesleft]

This performance is absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing it.

Glad you liked it! It’s one of those performances that still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Every time I watch it.

 

[StephenDeBoard]

Glad you liked it! It’s one of those performances that still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Every time I watch it.

Yes me too! I'll be watching this one over and over again.