U2

karaokeman

Are a band who have seemingly lost many fans because their lyrics have gotten worse as they matured, and who many argue should have split up in the early 1990s.

Discuss.

Rigsby

I'm afraid U2's music never did anything for me at any stage of their development. I have always thought they were very over rated.

baltimore sun

karaokeman wrote: »

Discuss.

I don't think it's got anything to do with lyrics they were always pretty banal. Think it's more to do with a certain personality in the band. Musically they've stifled too. The had been changing their style for many of the first few records, their biggest change I feel came with Pop, but they were lambasted for that and since then they've pretty much made the same record over and over again.
Personally I don't hate them, but I don't particularly care about them either way.
I suppose they did alot to pub Irish music on the map at the time, it's not like we've produced one single worldwide-known band since then...maybe the Cranberries....everything else has been paint-by-number manufactured pop.

Would be cool if Ireland had a massive rock band again. I wonder why we have so many good bands in the country playing places like Whelan's, Academy, Dolans etc, but none of them can make it anywhere else.

walshb

Rigsby wrote: »

I'm afraid U2's music never did anything for me at any stage of their development. I have always thought they were very over rated.

Recently their music has been pretty dire, bland and unoriginal. They have been living off their past success now for 20 years. They never were natural and fluid musicians. I think they just stuck at it and stuck at it and ended up producing some good stuff. I do do really like some of their music, but as individuals, none were really impressive. Bono to me is someone who has a very ordinary voice, and pretty dire stage presence. That moaning and whingeing voice, struggling to find a note. Oh, and the standing on one leg lark, like a dog takin' a piss. But, the poor sod tries so hard. Just never was a natural stage performer.

Technocentral

Achtung Baby and (to a lesser extent) Zooropa albums are the only things they have done that will last the test of time, like (the vastly superior) REM they should have some dignity and call it a day.

\o/ Yay! another U2 thread.

They ALWAYS end well!

Kingdom Bhoy

karaokeman wrote: »

Are a band who have seemingly lost many fans because their lyrics have gotten worse as they matured, and who many argue should have split up in the early 1990s.

Discuss.

Well they certainly haven't lost me I followed them all through their career and they are a quality act.

karaokeman

Just a heads up as some here would be curious about my opinion.

I do agree U2's lyrics are not as good as in their earlier years, but I still don't mind them.

I am and always will be a huge fan of their music and their live shows and seen as how I had the chance to see them in 09, I'm most certainly pleased they never split.

SilverScreen

Never heard of them. Are they as good as UB40?

Irish Guitarist

I find the music they have done in the last fifteen or so years boring. This has as much, or more, to do with The Edges overuse of his delay pedal as it does the lyrics.

Staring At The Sun was the last song U2 song that I really liked. The lyrics weren't any better than any of their more recent songs but I'm usually too busy listening to the guitar riff to pay attention to the words.

Rothko

I'm not a huge fan but I like some of their stuff. I think Achtung Baby is a very good album and their 80's output is decent enough too, particularly War. Their albums since Achtung Baby have been fairly uninteresting though.

Bodhidharma

U2 are s**t, so says the internet

Meanwhile on planet Earth, U2 are a good band who have at least two classic albums (Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby), a couple of good albums and two or three crap ones.

Yes, we get it, people don't like U2, do we really need another discussion where the cool kids come on and say how lame the band is?

cloptrop

I think the main reason the internet doesnt like u2 is because the internet is bass players and the u2 bass is quite basic.
Its effective and works but can be played quite easily . Im not saying its wrong it works well .
I think however bass players are a bit jealous that their over elaborate method of making people nod their heads doesnt sell as well as the u2 keynote method.
I find it gorifies the lead guitar and dont see any problem with it. They arnt my favourite band but they do the job . Its just another form of Irish begrudgery hating all things successfully irish.

omen80

The unfortunate thing about U2 is that they just don't know when to call it a day. They haven't done anything interesting since Pop. The last 15 years has been pretty ordinary and they're just living off their previous success.
If they had split up in the 90's it would be actually cool to still like U2. It's unfortunate because they actually have a few great albums.
Even if they just stopped trying to be the biggest band in the world they might have written an honest album in the last 10 years, something mellow, maybe even totally acoustic. They would be much more credible then. But I think they're are just addicted to releasing mindless pop in an attempt to be cool with the younger generation. Somewhere along the way the music took a back seat in my opinion.

cloptrop

omen80 wrote: »

The unfortunate thing about U2 is that they just don't know when to call it a day. They haven't done anything interesting since Pop. The last 15 years has been pretty ordinary and they're just living off their previous success.
If they had split up in the 90's it would be actually cool to still like U2. It's unfortunate because they actually have a few great albums.
Even if they just stopped trying to be the biggest band in the world they might have written an honest album in the last 10 years, something mellow, maybe even totally acoustic. They would be much more credible then. But I think they're are just addicted to releasing mindless pop in an attempt to be cool with the younger generation. Somewhere along the way the music took a back seat in my opinion.

Yeah tell that to their accountants and they may laugh a little . Although accountants arnt known for their humour.

Sl!mCharles

Disdain for Bono and anger at U2's tax dodges often seem to cloud people's sentiments on their actual music.

Rigsby

Bodhidharma wrote: »

the cool kids come on and say how lame the band is?

I would not consider myself "cool" and I'm certainly not a kid (wish I was again ) and I have never liked their music.

cloptrop wrote: »

the internet is bass players

What does this mean ?


It is their music as a whole that I dont like. It is not the fault of the bass(ist), as IMO it is merely providing what the music or song requires.

Rigsby

Sl!mCharles wrote: »

Disdain for Bono and anger at U2's tax dodges often seem to cloud people's sentiments on their actual music.

Can people not accept that some dont like their music....period ?

thephantom1

read ana rticle recently that bono's daughter gets no handouts, has to work and lives in a standard student flat with others. bono pisses me off a bit sometimes but I have to say I respect his approach.

Sl!mCharles

Rigsby wrote: »

Can people not accept that some dont like their music....period ?

Of course there's that too, where did I suggest that this is the only reason for their unpopularity?

Rigsby

Sl!mCharles wrote: »

Of course there's that too, where did I suggest that this is the only reason for their unpopularity?

Sorry. Fair enough. I accept your point. While I did quote you, there were also others who were giving alternate reasons besides the music, for not liking them. No doubt these reasons are valid, but it is (or should be) about the music, not personalities.

After all, we are only expected to listen to them...not to live with them. :pac:

bnt

Well, I enjoyed the documentary film on TV the other night, which was mostly about the making of Achtung Baby. I'm not a huge fan, but I like that album partly because I'm interested in the process of making music as well as the results. They were smart enough to recognise that they needed a boot up the arse, and to bring both old and new collaborators to help them get something done.

karaokeman

U2 are voted the greatest ever Irish musicians

Gigwise viewers choose Bono and friends in our St Patrick's Day poll

March 17, 2012 by Michael Baggs


The Dublin band topped our St Patrick's Day poll to find the best of Ireland's music exports.
The 'With Or Without You' rockers took first place ahead of Van Morrison, with Snow Patrol and Two Door Cinema Club in third and fourth places respectively. Surprisingly, Girls Aloud lead singer Nadine Coyle placed fifth.
Boyzone were voted the worst Irish musicians of all time. The poll is still open, so if you want to have your say, vote now.

The top five best, and top five worst, are as follows:

Best Irish musicians of all time

1. U2
2. Van Morrison
3. Snow Patrol
4. Two Door Cinema Club
5. Nadine Coyle

Worst Irish musicians of all time

1. Boyzone
2. Westlife
3. Shane MacGowan
4. Thin Lizzy
5. The Cranberries

Irish Aris

I am still following them and like some of their more recent music too.
After more than 30 years, I don't expect them to rewrite history or reinvent the wheel. I think that even in the 00's they have at least 2 decent/good albums. I saw them in the 360 tour couple of years ago and, having nothing of a show, IMO everything depended on the music and. . .let's say that I consider it one of the best consider I've ever seen.

That said, I am not Irish, have no opinion or knowledge of their tax issues and don't care if Bono wants to save the world. For me, it's just the music.

Rothko

karaokeman wrote: »

Worst Irish musicians of all time

1. Boyzone
2. Westlife
3. Shane MacGowan
4. Thin Lizzy
5. The Cranberries

I honestly don't see how anyone could consider Thin Lizzy to be one of the worst Irish bands of all time.

Rigsby

Suas11 wrote: »

I honestly don't see how anyone could consider Thin Lizzy to be one of the worst Irish bands of all time.

+1.

I certainly would not lend much credence to a poll that came up with such a result. And U2...better musicians than Van.... ??

nxbyveromdwjpg

Worst poll of all time

Sl!mCharles

3 4 and 5 from both lists should probably be swapped.

zooropa2012

I am a U2 fan, as you can probably guess by name but anyway I think music taste is a personal thing and while I have like their music, I understand people just don't like them. They have had good singles throughout the years but I think the good ones are rarely heard on the radio like "Stay Faraway So Close!" its just the other ones of the latest albums are over-played and you just fed up of hearing them.

As regards their albums I don't really listen to their early stuff only the Joshua Tree. Achtung Baby, Zooropa, Pop and All That You Can't Leave Behind are I think their best work. Their last two albums I wouldn't rate very high at all and not that keen singles like Vertigo, Elevation or Get On Your Boots i can understand why people may dislike them when its manly them singles played on the radio.

The 360 live tour was there best tour since ZooTV for sound and setlist in my opinion.

Bono is one of them guys you either love or hate him, but i guess i'm just into U2 as a band and their music, not Bono himself and his other interests outside of the band I just don't care about.

hidinginthebush

Worst Irish musicians of all time

1. Boyzone
2. Westlife
3. Shane MacGowan
4. Thin Lizzy
5. The Cranberries

Ridiculous poll IMO

Rigsby

karaokeman wrote: »

Worst Irish musicians of all time

1. Boyzone
2. Westlife

These were not musicians at all, regardless of standard.