Do You Like U2?

[Speilmen230]

Originally Posted by Sniper15

When the Edge first started creating gargantuan soundscapes with his pedals there was no precedent for that type of creativity and sonic palette. During U2's nascent days there was NO ONE that was playing the guitar like the Edge. Nowadays Edge's style is ubiquitous in rock but during the early 80s he was an incredible anomaly. No one else writing shit like "Where the Streets Have No Name" or "A Sort of Homecoming" in the 80s. That was an era defined by bombastic power chord hair metal and bands trying to channel the rock titans of the 70s. The Edge was so far ahead of his time; a lot of people underestimated how innovative he was because the culture has caught up with U2. A song like "With or Without You" doesn't really stand out when you hear it on the radio nowadays playing alongside Coldplay and The Killers but when it was being spun in the late 80s amongst the stuff that was popular at that time (Bon Jovi, George Michael, Springsteen, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Guns & Roses, etc) it was unparalleled.

U2 is one of the few bands that's as relevant 30 years after their inception as they were during their commercial peak. If you put on an alternative rock station in the year 2016 you aren't going to hear any bands that sound like the lionized rock bands of the 60s and 70s but you will hear a cornucopia of artists producing a U2-esque sound. The list of major modern rock bands whose sound is imbued with a U2 aesthetic, and who cite U2 as a major influence, is astonishing. Coldplay, Muse, The Killers, Oasis, Radiohead, etc. U2's influence can be heard in just about every permutation of modern rock. You can even hear the Edge in emo shit like AFI's "The Missing Frame," modern pop rock tracks like Walk the Moon's "Shut Up and Dance." A lot of indies bands like Arcade Fire try to capture the anthemic quality found in early U2. U2 has been ripped off by singer songwriters like Ryan Adams (See "I'm Alive) and John Mayer (See "Heartbreak Warefare") and nu metal screamers (See Linkin Park's "Shadow of the Day.") U2 had defined rock's DNA for the past 40 years.

The Edge undoubtedly isn't as skilled as the other cats that occupy the Mount Rushmore of guitar gods but he is one of the few dudes who can honestly proclaim that he created a unique sound that artists have been attempting to replicate for close to four decades. I think that ingenuity and creativity is always worth more than technical proficiency when you're talking about the production of any type of art. There's a shitload of long haired Spinal Tap burnouts working at Guitar Centers across America that can play every Zeppelin song perfectly; but there is almost no guitarist out there that can significantly expand a guitar's sonic spectrum and redefine how a guitar can be used in the context of rock music. The Edge can't regurgitate exhausted blues scales likes a lot of his peers but he honestly opened up a whole new sonic world for guitarists.

One of the most well thought out and composed posts I've ever seen on this site. I also agree wholeheartedly with what you've said.

[Rodey]

Originally Posted by Sniper15

When the Edge first started creating gargantuan soundscapes with his pedals there was no precedent for that type of creativity and sonic palette. During U2's nascent days there was NO ONE that was playing the guitar like the Edge. Nowadays Edge's style is ubiquitous in rock but during the early 80s he was an incredible anomaly. No one else writing shit like "Where the Streets Have No Name" or "A Sort of Homecoming" in the 80s. That was an era defined by bombastic power chord hair metal and bands trying to channel the rock titans of the 70s. The Edge was so far ahead of his time; a lot of people underestimated how innovative he was because the culture has caught up with U2. A song like "With or Without You" doesn't really stand out when you hear it on the radio nowadays playing alongside Coldplay and The Killers but when it was being spun in the late 80s amongst the stuff that was popular at that time (Bon Jovi, George Michael, Springsteen, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Guns & Roses, etc) it was unparalleled.



U2 is one of the few bands that's as relevant 30 years after their inception as they were during their commercial peak. If you put on an alternative rock station in the year 2016 you aren't going to hear any bands that sound like the lionized rock bands of the 60s and 70s but you will hear a cornucopia of artists producing a U2-esque sound. The list of major modern rock bands whose sound is imbued with a U2 aesthetic, and who cite U2 as a major influence, is astonishing. Coldplay, Muse, The Killers, Oasis, Radiohead, etc. U2's influence can be heard in just about every permutation of modern rock. You can even hear the Edge in emo shit like AFI's "The Missing Frame," modern pop rock tracks like Walk the Moon's "Shut Up and Dance." A lot of indies bands like Arcade Fire try to capture the anthemic quality found in early U2. U2 has been ripped off by singer songwriters like Ryan Adams (See "I'm Alive) and John Mayer (See "Heartbreak Warefare") and nu metal screamers (See Linkin Park's "Shadow of the Day.") U2 had defined rock's DNA for the past 40 years.



The Edge undoubtedly isn't as skilled as the other cats that occupy the Mount Rushmore of guitar gods but he is one of the few dudes who can honestly proclaim that he created a unique sound that artists have been attempting to replicate for close to four decades. I think that ingenuity and creativity is always worth more than technical proficiency when you're talking about the production of any type of art. There's a shitload of long haired Spinal Tap burnouts working at Guitar Centers across America that can play every Zeppelin song perfectly; but there is almost no guitarist out there that can significantly expand a guitar's sonic spectrum and redefine how a guitar can be used in the context of rock music. The Edge can't regurgitate exhausted blues scales likes a lot of his peers but he honestly opened up a whole new sonic world for guitarists.

https://m.popkey.co/9f6213/7MKka.gif

[zajDmB1]

Originally Posted by SmoothG

https://drunkhecklers.files.wordpres...itty.jpg?w=651

Just curious; forgetting your thoughts on the Edge, and ignoring the fact that Bono can be a tool, do you honestly listen to The Joshua Tree or Unforgettable Fire and think those songs suck?

[SmoothG]

Originally Posted by zajDmB1

Just curious; forgetting your thoughts on the Edge, and ignoring the fact that Bono can be a tool, do you honestly listen to The Joshua Tree or Unforgettable Fire and think those songs suck?

I haven't made any comments about the edge. Not my favourite guitar player by any means but nothing against him. And no need to be sensitive about a quote from major league man...despite the fact that I think they are severely overrated doesn't mean I think every song sucks. They have some classic songs for sure that I enjoy but overall are just not my style really. But just because they have a few songs/albums that are acclaimed doesn't mean people can't think they are crappy.

[jcc522]

The Edge sucks because he goes by a stupid stage name. Seriously. How fucking dumb is that?

[bartender_man]

Saw these guys live back around 2005 or so. They were fucking mindblowing live. Way better than DMB. Probably the best gig I've seen.

[dpduke5173]

The Edge can absolutely shred a blues rooted solo but he chooses not to because everything he does is to serve the song. He's always believed and looked up to the guitar players who weren't flashy finger Olympics player. He doesn't waste a note.

[zajDmB1]

Originally Posted by SmoothG

I haven't made any comments about the edge. Not my favourite guitar player by any means but nothing against him. And no need to be sensitive about a quote from major league man...despite the fact that I think they are severely overrated doesn't mean I think every song sucks. They have some classic songs for sure that I enjoy but overall are just not my style really. But just because they have a few songs/albums that are acclaimed doesn't mean people can't think they are crappy.

Wasn't sensitive about it nor did I say the bold, but ok.

[zajDmB1]

Originally Posted by dpduke5173

The Edge can absolutely shred a blues rooted solo but he chooses not to because everything he does is to serve the song. He's always believed and looked up to the guitar players who weren't flashy finger Olympics player. He doesn't waste a note.

Eh....that might be pushing it

[AndySlash]

i like u2 enough, but certainly don't love them. growing up in the late 80s/early 90s i'd obviously heard a lot of u2, but at 12-14 years old none of their output i was familiar with really made me think they were worthy of the praise they were getting. then "numb" and its weirly awesome video came out and i found myself enjoying the direction their sound was going, though i got burnt out on zooropa and the seemingly unending hype surrounding it (which in retrospect seems more a residual effect of the success of achtung baby).

pop finally made me like u2. on its release, "discotheque" became my favorite u2 song. it might still be my favorite u2 song. the album's only misstep in my opinion was "staring at the sun", which sounded the most like standard u2, and even that one isn't terrible by any means. the closing trio of "...velvet dress/please/wake up dead man" is haunting, fascinating, and engaging music. on the other hand, tracks like "mofo" and "miami" are abrasive and determined to challenge you, making them more rewarding with subsequent listens. pop is a great record, in my view.

after pop's release, the popular opinion was that the album was a disaster, and even the band started making excuses for its lack of success. as they begun work on their next record, word was that the new album would be a "return to form" for u2. all that you can't leave behind came out and everyone loved how u2 was u2 once again. u2 came to town and i went to the show, but pop was completely absent from the setlist (and all but absent from the whole tour). so from my perspective, the band completely disowned pop and took the safe route out. all of this made all that you can't leave behind and its relative success a colossal disappointment to me, and i've never really gone back. i listened to ...atomic bomb a couple times, and haven't bothered with anything else since.

so, pop4lyfe, yo.

[SmoothG]

Originally Posted by zajDmB1

Wasn't sensitive about it nor did I say the bold, but ok.

You asked a serious question in response to a jokes movie meme, but maybe sensitive was the wrong word, apologies. Regarding the bold, it was a general comment, thought that was pretty obvious.

To respond to your original question in a simpler way: no, I don't think most of those songs suck, but I also don't really like a majority of those songs.

[dobyblue]

Official announcement for the iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Live in Paris Blu-ray this morning (and DVD for those still living in 1997)

http://www.u2.com/news/title/live-in-paris-dvd

U2 iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Live in Paris is released on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download. The Standard DVD features 30 tracks (see listing below), the Deluxe DVD and Blu-ray formats come with bonus material including Gavin Friday’s guide to "Cedarwood Road", a behind-the-scenes piece with director director Hamish Hamilton’s behind-the-scenes documentary, on-stage tour videos for "The Wanderer" and "The Troubles" as well as six music videos commissioned for single releases from Songs of Innocence.

[K270]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Official announcement for the iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Live in Paris Blu-ray this morning (and DVD for those still living in 1997)

http://www.u2.com/news/title/live-in-paris-dvd

Received the e-mail this morning. I wish they put the music on CD also.

[BotheLaneFan]

New album will allegedly come out this year according to Edge and a tour will follow.

Please god let it actually happen.

[coldengrey12]

If its a new album that's gonna be on par with past two, they can skip straight to the tour for me

[BotheLaneFan]

Damn, I loved the last two.

[bartender_man]

Originally Posted by BothePrinceFan

New album will allegedly come out this year according to Edge and a tour will follow.

Please god let it actually happen.

Cool. Now they need to come to NZ. Last album I really liked was the around 2004-2005.

[dpduke5173]

Need some Southeast US dates soon! Been way too long since Raleigh 09

[grace2]

Originally Posted by BothePrinceFan

Damn, I loved the last two.

i enjoyed their last two as well

[AJF_41]

Joshua Tree tour huh?

Should be dope. No Minneapolis stop though...

[AJF_41]

http://www.u2.com/tour

[YouNeverKnow25]

Originally Posted by AJF_41

Joshua Tree tour huh?

Should be dope. No Minneapolis stop though...

there is one in pittsburgh though. hmm. might have to scroll down for a few minutes in the ol' messages app to find an old group chat for that kind of event, huh?

[scrock25]

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow25

there is one in pittsburgh though. hmm. might have to scroll down for a few minutes in the ol' messages app to find an old group chat for that kind of event, huh?

I'm in!!!!!!

[BotheLaneFan]

I'm so exciiiiiiited.

[cpxc.]

also headlining bonnaroo.

[dobyblue]

Definitely in for Toronto/SkyDome - just picked up the $50 membership package and got my unique pre-sale code, works so much better than some generic fucking work everyone and their mothers can figure out before the "presale" starts.

The Joshua Tree tour, awesome! Last saw u2 in 2001 on the Elevation tour and haven't wanted to see an album tour since then, this is different though...one of the best albums of all time. I hope it's a more minimalist stage set like their '87 tour.

[BTCS_JTR]

This will be their first time playing a US music festival?

[OK_Ant]

Shame Pop's probably gonna get the shaft this year. It's 20 years old in March.

[YouNeverKnow25]

yeah it's too bad they chose the joshua tree instead

[Arby]

Originally Posted by AJF_41

http://www.u2.com/tour

::checks Chicago show::

Sat June 3

::checks near empty calendar 6 months out::

Sigur Ros, 8pm


k