New U2 album media circus / Bunnymen dropped

[Dr Cheese]

When he drinks enough he's having seizures like ML Gore we'll talk.

Alcohol and weed? Please. Someone forget to tell him he's in a rock band?

That's a slow Thursday night for Dr. Cheese.

Too right, I can't even think about strapping on my plastic guitar to play Guitar Hero unless I'm completely shit faced.

[Scouser]

Intimate gigs in small venues beat stadium rock any day. We are all lucky we can see the best band in the world doing their best ever gig at what amounts to the end of the pier show. (Brighton Concorde2, Flowers tour)

So I want to thank the band for totally ****ing up their career. I don't want to spend a week in a tent waiting for tickets to see a few stick figures a mile away, or be deafened by terawatt powered speakers if I am "lucky" enough to get closer.

The sheer improbability of a band with their level of talent, and a back catalog which amounts to most of the greatest songs ever written, playing small venues, makes me wonder if I am living in a simulation.

All they have to do to get famous on the scale of U2 is to play their greatest songs, songs hardly ever heard live if at all. It's amazing that they stick to such a set formula regarding the setlist.

Its funny because both Simple Minds and Big Country tried to "do a U2" by getting Steve Lillywhite in, touring loads in the US, featuring in John Hughes movies, Anton Corbijn photoshoots, political songs...

...yet though both enjoyed the brief fruits of those labours neither were able to buy long lasting periods of popularity. Big Country are no more and Simple Minds are playing the same size venues as the Bunnymen and probably have a website of moaning old bastards going on about the new U2 album and where it all went wrong for the Minds.

So...love 'em or hate 'em U2 did something (I dont know what) other than just "playing the game". To keep selling out Arenas after 20 odd years there must be significant amounts of young(er) people going to the gigs and buying the records. Something about U2 appeals to people...I just cant put my finger on what....

[black francis]

I think they fall into that "reinvention" category that kept Madonna relevant long after we realized she was a bit short in the talent department but briliant in the business sense. What direction is U2 going to take next? Electro? Pop? Rock? Alternative? Blues? The suspense is killing me. And Bono keeps a high profile with the "let's save Africa" bit and it generates enormous good will.

That's not to say they are without talent because they have written their fair share of classic tunes and albums but they are much more savvy than your typical rock band. Pixies documentary? There's Bono. Joy Division documentary? There's Bono. Two brief interviews and now they are aligned with two of the great rock bands of the modern era. Clever.

That's my take.

[Grumpy_Jimbo]

Have to say having heard the new U2 album, I have to admit it's pretty darn good...

[Scouser]

A guy at work was listening to it today and he said the same...

[JackT]

Someone made a point before that Bono never went solo. That seems like an important point; he definitely could have, and probably would have made a decent go of it. For whatever reason, he chose to remain as the frontman of U2. The commitment of the "superstar" to remain in the band probably has a lot to do with the band's longevity, and the commitment in turn from the other members. One wonders how different things would have been if the Will, Pete, and Les felt similarly assured with respect to where Mac's head was at.

[Grumpy_Jimbo]

Someone made a point before that Bono never went solo. That seems like an important point; he definitely could have, and probably would have made a decent go of it. For whatever reason, he chose to remain as the frontman of U2. The commitment of the "superstar" to remain in the band probably has a lot to do with the band's longevity, and the commitment in turn from the other members. One wonders how different things would have been if the Will, Pete, and Les felt similarly assured with respect to where Mac's head was at.

I read a really interesting article recently on U2 it is well known that Bono & Edge write the vast majority of the songs but all royalties are split equally...... What I never knew was that if there is ever an argument or disagreement within the band Larry Mullen has the final say, apparently his word is final........

[Umberto Biro]

The missus ( a long time appreciator, rather than full on fan ) was watching the Brits tonight. Half way through their 'performance' she turned to me and said 'You're right, he's a c*nt isn't he?!?!?!?

[black francis]

I read a really interesting article recently on U2 it is well known that Bono & Edge write the vast majority of the songs but all royalties are split equally...... What I never knew was that if there is ever an argument or disagreement within the band Larry Mullen has the final say, apparently his word is final........

That sounds like a good article. Is it online somewhere?

Reminds me of The Cure. All royalties are split evenly cause Robert Smith said he never wanted The Cure to break up over money. Gotta respect that.

[zabird]

That sounds like a good article. Is it online somewhere?

Was it that cover story in the January Q magazine? Maybe still available at newsstands, BF, if you so desire.

I think Larry Mullen Jr. is the "leader" of the band. He started U2, didn't he?

Perhaps the even split of money helps keep them happy together too. Isn't an uneven split of $$ one of the reasons Les left the reconstituted Bunnymen?

[withahip]

On the last lbum, atomic bomb, the band had the music written and bono came in deciding to write about the loss of his father instead of saving the world.

heard the new song. half of it. some good ideas, but bono needs to cut down the lyrics, yapyapyap

[Grumpy_Jimbo]

Pixies documentary? There's Bono. Joy Division documentary? There's Bono. Two brief interviews and now they are aligned with two of the great rock bands of the modern era. Clever.

To be fair Bono has never denied he is a huge Joy Division fan, so much so that Martin Hamnett was originally lined up to produce "Boy" but he pulled out after Ian Curtis died........ Which resulted in Steve Lilywhite coming in at the last minute to replace him, always wondered if U2 would have made it if Hamnet had produced "Boy".....

Also as for The Pixies, I never heard them complain when U2 invited them to support them on the Zooropa tour..........

[Grumpy_Jimbo]

Was it that cover story in the January Q magazine? Maybe still available at newsstands, BF, if you so desire.

Yeah, it was from the Q Interview.........

Have to say the more am listening to the new U2 album the more am liking it, wierd thing is the single is by far the weakest track on the album in my opinion.........

[Dr Evil]

Yeah, it was from the Q Interview.........

Have to say the more am listening to the new U2 album the more am liking it, wierd thing is the single is by far the weakest track on the album in my opinion.........

That's one Bunnymen habit they shouldn't copy.

[moses (2)]

Yeah, it was from the Q Interview.........

Have to say the more am listening to the new U2 album the more am liking it, wierd thing is the single is by far the weakest track on the album in my opinion.........

Good God this I was wong - this is not an episode of LOST - it is the clip from Family Guy when they all say how much they hate Barry Manilow at the start and love him at the end


BARRY IS GOD - DOG AND BONO IS A CHEAP IMITATION