U2 Songs of Innocence

lukin

Listening to Dave Fanning's interview with Bono on 2FM at the moment. He didn't give him too much of a hard time over the Apple free download issue but that's hardly a surprise.

weadick

lukin wrote: »

Listening to Dave Fanning's interview with Bono on 2FM at the moment. He didn't give him too much of a hard time over the Apple free download issue but that's hardly a surprise.

I was surprised that Fanning challenged him about this album being 'U2 playing U2'...Bono got pretty defensive about it.

lukin

weadick wrote: »

I was surprised that Fanning challenged him about this album being 'U2 playing U2'...Bono got pretty defensive about it.

Yeah I was surprised at that too. Normally Dave turns into "Dave Fawning" when he is interviewing Bono. Fair play to him for asking him a hard question though.

kennyu272

Has anybody here ever gone abroad to see U2? The prospect of another Croke Park gig doesn't really excite me that much tbh.[/QUOTE]

I've being abroad a few times to see them(UK,/Germany,Spain,Belguim,USA) and I always seem to enjoy those gigs more than the ones here at home.Also the fact that I hate Croke Park as a venue for a gig could be part of the reason.

karaokeman

kennyu272 wrote: »

Has anybody here ever gone abroad to see U2? The prospect of another Croke Park gig doesn't really excite me that much tbh.

Unfortunately no, I've only seen them in Croke Park. Don't know where else they could play really, the 130,000 capacity part of the Phoenix Park doesn't seem to be used anymore. Shame U2 are "too big" for anywhere else in this country.

eviltimeban

weadick wrote: »

I was surprised that Fanning challenged him about this album being 'U2 playing U2'...Bono got pretty defensive about it.

And ironically its the least sounding U2 album for years... well done Dave.

david75

Their new management obviously arent up to scratch at all...now, after all the controversy and the ball being dropped with the apple situation, the tie in advert for the album and iphone has started on TV...it's not a bad ad in that it's just U2 performing, but it's way too long, and really putting the ad out after all this, well that's just a really bad idea..

johnpatrick81

Yeah, a management team that helps broker a deal where they reportedly get 100 million for the loan of an album exclusivity(which also results in it been accessed by numbers of people any other artists can only dream of) for a month in a time of massively dwindling album sales "aren't up to scratch at all".........

PropJoe10

I've spent the last week or so going back to U2 albums I havent heard in years - War, Unforgettable Fire, Zooropa, Pop. All amazing records. Great to hear that music again.

jimmythedivil

david75 wrote: »

Their new management obviously arent up to scratch at all...now, after all the controversy and the ball being dropped with the apple situation, the tie in advert for the album and iphone has started on TV...it's not a bad ad in that it's just U2 performing, but it's way too long, and really putting the ad out after all this, well that's just a really bad idea..

That new iPhone ad is a bit cringe. I mean, the Edge smashing guitar?!

eviltimeban

jimmythedivil wrote: »

That new iPhone ad is a bit cringe. I mean, the Edge smashing guitar?!

He has enough of them. He can afford to lose one.

Be like Bono smashing a pair of sunglasses.

PropJoe10

Been listening back to Passengers as well. That was a great LP. Love that atmospheric instrumental stuff. Larry Mullen hates it apparently!

6am7f9zxrsjvnb

PropJoe10 wrote: »

Been listening back to Passengers as well. That was a great LP. Love that atmospheric instrumental stuff. Larry Mullen hates it apparently!

I really hope the forthcoming 'Songs of Experience' sees them throw a real sonic curveball like their 90s material...but I very much doubt it.
Love 'Slug' from that Passengers album.

Busted Flat.

Coming into this thread a bit late, just wondering how many Music teachers U2 are employing in our schools, and how many schools got free instruments.

PropJoe10

Skyla Spoiled Macrame wrote: »

I really hope the forthcoming 'Songs of Experience' sees them throw a real sonic curveball like their 90s material...but I very much doubt it.
Love 'Slug' from that Passengers album.

I'd say those days are behind them to be honest but you never know. "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight" off the new record would fit in nicely on Zooropa or Pop though.

david75

johnpatrick81 wrote: »

Yeah, a management team that helps broker a deal where they reportedly get 100 million for the loan of an album exclusivity(which also results in it been accessed by numbers of people any other artists can only dream of) for a month in a time of massively dwindling album sales "aren't up to scratch at all".........

you're obviously either not reading the same reports i am or or a superfan..

the money isnt important to U2..the only currency they believe in is that of being cool and 'relevant' and this whole idea and campaign has blown up in their faces in the worst way imaginable..people who dont even care about them or have itunes, have heard or read about it and deemed them morons..rightly or wrongly, this campaign has been a massive failure and it is barely getting going..

PropJoe10

david75 wrote: »

you're obviously either not reading the same reports i am or or a superfan..

the money isnt important to U2..the only currency they believe in is that of being cool and 'relevant' and this whole idea and campaign has blown up in their faces in the worst way imaginable..people who dont even care about them or have itunes, have heard or read about it and deemed them morons..rightly or wrongly, this campaign has been a massive failure and it is barely getting going..

I wouldnt say its been a failure. I would imagine that for everyone bitching about them, there's another person thats never been exposed to their music before until this release, and are now exploring their back catalogue. Their back catalogue is high in the charts around the world. Exactly what they were hoping for, you can be sure.

david75

no such thing as bad publicity and all that

6am7f9zxrsjvnb

david75 wrote: »

you're obviously either not reading the same reports i am or or a superfan..

the money isnt important to U2..the only currency they believe in is that of being cool and 'relevant' and this whole idea and campaign has blown up in their faces in the worst way imaginable..people who dont even care about them or have itunes, have heard or read about it and deemed them morons..rightly or wrongly, this campaign has been a massive failure and it is barely getting going..

Do you honestly believe that recent events are going to affect ticket sales for the inevitable world tour?...me neither.

U2 forced their album onto 500 million people,of whom only 10 million were interested.The backlash was both anticipated and welcomed by their management- U2 are a hot topic right now,which is exactly what they wanted.

david75

And was that worth annoying everyone else for? for some ticket sales?
its a shame for them to leave such a mark on their legacy at this stage..reeks of desparation to many.
having to almost forc your music on people? seriously? and with an album that doesnt even belong in their top ten records?

old men pretending at being young men..they should grow up out of it really.

PropJoe10

david75 wrote: »

And was that worth annoying everyone else for? for some ticket sales?
its a shame for them to leave such a mark on their legacy at this stage..reeks of desparation to many.
having to almost forc your music on people? seriously? and with an album that doesnt even belong in their top ten records?

old men pretending at being young men..they should grow up out of it really.

How exactly do you figure that out? I dont know what you're going for with that, but U2 has always been about selling as many records as possible and selling out stadium tours. Its not going to change now. The new record, just to add, is the best they've done in 15 years or more in my opinion. As far as I'm concerned, they've earned the right at this stage of their career to do whatever they like.

6am7f9zxrsjvnb

david75 wrote: »

And was that worth annoying everyone else for? for some ticket sales?
its a shame for them to leave such a mark on their legacy at this stage..reeks of desparation to many.
having to almost forc your music on people? seriously? and with an album that doesnt even belong in their top ten records?

old men pretending at being young men..they should grow up out of it really.

Everyone knows that rock bands produce their best work in their 20s and 30s. U2 are no different. R.E.M. released a classic every second year during the 80s/early 90s.Their retirement barely raised an eyebrow.Compare Pearl Jam's first five albums to their post noughties output..

Songs of Innocence is a much better album than I expected from a bunch of 54 year olds, although I do admit I'd have preferred a low key release.

wow sierra

I am a big U2 fan since the 70's but don't get obsessed/excited about music like I used to. Well not like I did with Boy when I was 12 :), so I only listened to this tonight.

Very impressed with it though so far - and it's a bit surprising too which is great. I like the personal feel to it and the nostalgia of going back to their beginnings.

Don't understand the over the top negative reaction - so what if they gave it away free, there is so much free music about now anyway. And people being upset by it being on their Playlists??? who cares - they are not being forced to listen to it.

Listen to it - don't listen to it - who cares. Just ignore it if it upsets you - don't obsess about it. I am half way through my second listen but should go to bed. Think I am really going to like this album. A really, really good album - worth the wait.

Busted Flat.

Do we have any progress on these reports.

U2 Donate $7.2 Million to Irish Schools

https://encrypted.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC4QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hotpress.com%2Fnews%2FU2-support-music-teacher-initiative%2F5710662.html&ei=hq4gVI7hHPG07QaBqYDACw&usg=AFQjCNEf_eVF3BSmC0QWt_StoB-FJ39aPw

david75

The Edge has another job

johnpatrick81

david75 wrote: »

you're obviously either not reading the same reports i am or or a superfan..

the money isnt important to U2..the only currency they believe in is that of being cool and 'relevant' and this whole idea and campaign has blown up in their faces in the worst way imaginable..people who dont even care about them or have itunes, have heard or read about it and deemed them morons..rightly or wrongly, this campaign has been a massive failure and it is barely getting going..

U2 are a business at the end of the day. They've never been cool. Relevant, hmm, well, they are getting alot of coverage from this so it could actually be making them more relevant! But as has always been the case with U2, they want to reach as many people and make as much money and be as big as possible, and I fail to see how this has harmed any of those 3 objectives in any way. I can only see huge positives. I don't think they're gonna be crying themselves to sleep over some internet trolls.

NIMAN

Haven't heard the album yet, bar one song on the radio which I think is very good.

As for all the hype around the release, fair play to them I say. All publicity is good these days, and if they are to get $100mill from Apple then good luck to them. More fool Apple.

The only thing I would say is that I took a few mins to watch the Apple event on YouTube, and the whole Bono and Apple CEO linking fists etc is a bit cringe.

johnpatrick81

NIMAN wrote: »

The only thing I would say is that I took a few mins to watch the Apple event on YouTube, and the whole Bono and Apple CEO linking fists etc is a bit cringe.

It wasn't even a high five, or a linking of hands, it was a finger connect, previously only done by God and E.T. :pac:

It was mega cringe.

eviltimeban

Skyla Spoiled Macrame wrote: »

Everyone knows that rock bands produce their best work in their 20s and 30s. U2 are no different. R.E.M. released a classic every second year during the 80s/early 90s.Their retirement barely raised an eyebrow.Compare Pearl Jam's first five albums to their post noughties output..

That's not to say that older artists can't make good music, they just have to change the music they are making. Take Paul McCartney, he was written off in the early 90s until he started doing stuff like The Fireman and solo albums like Flaming Pie and his latest one (which was really good). But he changed from a very MOR sound to a more "alternative" sound, with good producers (Nigel Godrich and Paul Epworth for example).

U2 could go on, into their 50s and 60s, but they would need to change their sound to be anything other than a nostalgia act. I see the Passengers style as being the best option for them; and maybe every year, instead of a big tour, they do a one off big show with an orchestra and lots of guests and maybe end the gig with a few "greatest hits" U2 songs. But the primary focus for them would be the development of their more experimental sound. That would make me happy.

MadYaker

Its taken a lot of listening but I've decided I like it. Volcano, Cedarwood Row, The Troubles are the stand out tracks.