U2 Bashing: What's The Deal?

[GlitteringPrize]

I disowned them after War

then after all the to DO about them calmed down I liked a bunch of later stuff I do love Beautful day, it reminded me of their older songs
Bono annoys me at times, but if I judged music by people in the band that I was annoyed by i wouldnt listen to much......

[Frau_Blucher]

[quote][i]Originally posted by marie3[/i]
<br> I dug how they were somewhat politcal, but you could dance to their music.
[/quote]
Why did Marie tapping to "Springtime for Hitler in Germany" just flash into my head?!

[randy]

I preferred the old U2, however I dont hate the recent U2. I DID hate their Zeus Station or whatever the hell it was phase.

[2Nu]

I'm definitely partial to all the material leading up to and including 'The Joshua Tree' (which was my first ever CD purchase BTW)

The cultural impact of that seminal release is <a href="http://www.philromans.net/u2/boingers.gif" target="blank">undeniable</a>

I did enjoy some of their 90's material but was not taken by anything in particular.

Some of their 00's offerings do harken back to their pre-JT days but again, not enough on a particular album release to hook me.[|)]

I will give them credit for letting themselves be <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caNl6Pb20rk" target="blank">parodied</a> at the height of their bloated mega staged concert tour phase.

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"Talking With People That Agree With You Is Like Jogging In A Cul-de-sac" - Bill Moyers

[Rubbeet921]

I'm not a huge fan but I'm in loooove with Larry Mullen, Jr![:D] So, for that alone, I would still watch their shows... on TV!

Anyhow, I've never bought any of their stuff since Achtung Baby... and never will. Sadly, they've become too mainstream for my taste... although it's a good thing for them as musicians. [B)]

[crystal]

bpdp3 has already summed it up quite well, still a good band, coming up with great songs, not all of them are great, always stinkers on the albums now, but, well, after all those years...
the thing is the bono-issue simply... bono is E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E... and I wish they'd concentrate more on the music + even if it is all politically moved, please leave out the politics of the gigs - never liked that at all.
still in 2005 they can come up with great stuff like city of blinding lights... my fave songs though mostly are from the time up to 1991. fave overall is the totally underrated a sort of homecoming, for me the best thing they ever did.
funnily I like numb though, thought it was a nice idea + the zooropa album is underrated (for me personally) as well, but I can of course see why 'traditional' u2 fans probably didn't enjoy it that much, as I am more from a synth-background, the electronics were appreciated. an album I never liked was pop though...
to summarize - more music less preaching would be much appreciated...

[marie3]

Okay Rubbeet, I am also have the hots for Larry Mullen Jr. since day one.
I used to carry his picture in my wallet when U2 first came out. [:I] He is the quiet one but the cutest for sure.

[My Aural Stimulator]

I don't know how I would rate them. I have some songs that I really like, but I don't listen to their catalogue to find out which ones turn me off--meaning that if a song comes on the radio, I may listen to it, if it appeals to my tastes. However, I don't own any U2 albums, so I can't say anything much about their progression of style.

Personnel-wise, I don't think I feel anything for the band members. Sure, Bono is the center of attention and, for that, he is subject to everyone's opinion. But, I don't get involved in their politics and I don't care to.

So, for me, I really have no opinion of them either way.

[Mechi]

I like earlier U2 better than the the late stuff cause I think it has a different vibe... it was more personal and substancial. In my opinion, the first four albums are the best ones. But I also like many of the songs that U2 has made in the last 10 years. From where I see it, "All that you can't leave behind" is a very good album.
I sort of was losing my likeliness for U2 last year when I got pretty fed up of extensive U2 programming on the radio but when I saw them this year live... god... that was the best show I ever went to. [:D]

"To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven."

[bigwavedave]

After reading this thread you've got to at least give U2 credit for trying different things! If they hadn't tried new directions over the years they certainly would not have inspired such a range of opinions about their body of work.

Although I've always been a fan, and have seen almost every tour starting with "War", I tend to agree with those who think that the first four albums are the best. Since then, I've enjoyed various songs off newer albums, and even kind of like Zooropa. But, they also tend to get bogged down and become more of a chore to listen to than the early stuff. That said, "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" has some of their best songs in years (City of Blinding Lights, A Man And a Woman just to name a couple). A bit of editing, and it would be a knockout album.

Where I think things did get out of hand for U2 was the live act. The 1983 "War" show was probably the best concert I've ever seen; full of energy and optimism, and geat tunes all the way through. By the time of Joshua Tree, Bono was taking himself a bit seriously on stage, and the 90's shows seemed bloated to the point of obscuring the energy and enthusiasm of the early years. Finally, though, the "How To Dismantle..." 2005 tour seemed to redeem them. It was their best show I'd seen since 1983, and they even threw in some obscure songs from Boy and October (Gloria!) to boot. So, from the live perspective, I'd have to say they are back and I would definitely see them again.

Overall, I have to give them credit for inspiring this much discussion 27 years into their career!

[Ollie Stench]

The first 3 albums are really good. After WAR it seemed that their sound became more "American" and closer to Bruce Sprinsteen-ish rock as opposed to the quirky little band from Ireland. Rattle And Hum could have been the great lost Bryan Adams record.

Their personal attitudes, at least Bono's, seems to be really smug and pompous. Yes, the man is using his fame to do what he thinks is good, but he just comes across as really cocky about it all.

Mostly, though, what I think ruined U2 was their fans. Not those of us on here, but the casual, "album oriented rock", suburbanite that thinks they like U2 because it makes them cool. They really discern no difference between U2, The Cowboy Junkies, or Jamariquy (sp?). At least that's my take on it.

[hisoka5150]

i do beleive that U2 still has that appeal that made it one of the greatest bands for the last 20 years. i would like to insinuate that if i we're to chose between the u2 of the eighties and of u2 of the nineties.well definitely the 80's.....that's the era they flowered so much in terms of artistic creativity.....


"i don't want to grow old"

[deethelurker]

File me under the category "U2 hater". Why? Because every single music critic and member of the music press creams themselves over every single thing U2 does. Because I'm sick and tired of hearing about how Bono supposedly CARES when you know he's only doing it because of the publicity; that giant monster of an ego needs feeding, you know. Because no one's called U2 out on stealing musical ideas from their contemporaries virtually from day one. On wholly personal levels, I hate U2 because I love synthpop and every single one of my favorite synthpoppers have been reviled by the music press because they've been compared to U2 and tossed away as if they were nothing more than garbage.

(Editing some unnecessary harshness re: U2 fans now.)

My question is for those people who have admitted to being U2 fans -- are you also fans of a musical artist that has been given a rough time by the music press? If so, how can you reconcile that fanhood with your U2 fanhood? I feel like publications such as [i]Rolling Stone[/i] and [i]Spin[/i] have existed over the past 20-plus years purely as fanzines for such overtly political groups as U2 and Pearl Jam, and haven't given a lick of attention or respect for any subtly political or non-political groups as a result, so I feel like U2 has helped contribute to the ever-increasingly delusional mindset by the baby boomers who run such publications that music has to be Important and Message-Filled (with all the subtlety of hitting someone over the head with a brick) in order for it to be any good -- if the musicians (or "musicians") aren't ugly as sin, that is.

[birdmadgirl]

I am fan because I simply like U2's music. I don't give a flying fuck what the music press has to say about them or anyone else. In fact, I don't read any music-oriented magazines. Maybe that's a bit simplistic, but it's the truth. I like the music. Period.

I'm a huge synthpop fan, too, BTW.

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[djcraig]

[quote][i]Originally posted by deethelurker[/i]
I feel like publications such as [i]Rolling Stone[/i] and [i]Spin[/i] have existed over the past 20-plus years purely as fanzines for such overtly political groups as U2 and Pearl Jam, and haven't given a lick of attention or respect for any subtly political or non-political groups as a result...
[/quote]

You may want to rethink that statement...


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The next time anyone of these hitmakers has a cogent political thought will be the first time.