U2
 

Any fans here? Haters need not reply (as if an invitation from me is required ;) )

I saw the Unforgettable Fire concert in '84, and, except for PopMart, each tour since.

Thoughts on No Line On The Horizon? They've been performing new tracks each night on Letterman this week. They always give great live performances, IMO.

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Long-time fan. I love their old stuff ("Rattle & Hum" and older) and can at least appreciate the new stuff.

I don't waste my time with stadium concerts though. $100 to watch television, stand in a crowd and drink $10 beers? No thanks.

Bigger fan of the SR-71.
Can't get streaming vids at work :(

Lost it after War IMHO. Zooropa has its moments though.

I was on my second deployment in 1987 when, "The Joshua Tree" came out.

We figured out how to plug a Sony Walkman into the helo's comm system so we could listen to the album as we flew.

It was great.

love them, seeing them live is "ON" my bucket list!

Enjoy their old stuff. They fell into the category that so many bands fall into, total inspiration in their first part of their existence, then a string of uninspired drivel. They can continue to make albums because their early work still draws the crowds. Metallica is a prime example of this. I absolutely abhor their work from the 1990s to present, but like so many others would go see them in concert since the old stuff still has the oomph.

I'm not their number one fan, by any means, but The Joshua Tree still finds its way into regular roation at my house, and I consider it one of their best releases. I graduated HS in '87 and I just sort of connect with it. I also enjoy Achtung Baby.

I was introduced to them when October came out by a friend. I loved the raw sound and was totally into them. I went out and got Boy after that and loved it too.

Then War came out and I was blown away, these guys were getting better and better.

Then Unforgettable Fire came out and they became the "Yuppie Band of the 80's" and I started to loose interest.

Joshua Tree finished it off for me and I stopped paying attention to them.

I saw Bono once on TV with his sunglasses on and acting like he was all self important and I was just turned off by it, I have not followed them since. I was totally getting into the alternative scene as U2 was "selling out" and started listening to college stations finding out about bands like The Smiths and I never really followed U2 after that.

I have heard their new album is great though, a revisiting of their early sound. I may give it a listen and see.

I used to enjoy them back in the 80's, at some point however, I found what Bono is all about.... Lets just say I no longer care to listen to them.

I caught Letterman that night, good spot for Artie. Not their best song, but after seeing the performance I'll buy the new CD. It'll never be the same as the early stuff, but it's still pretty damn good.

I really love them, some of their stuff after Achtung isnt the best, but the new album is back up there with the earlier stuff IMHO. Don't judge the new album by the Letterman link posted though, makes a great song on the album really depressing. They look like they are trying to fall asleep because they are so old.

I clearly remember the night in High School when I was introduced to U2. I was working at the Gap at the time. During the day, we were forced to listen to the bubble-gum type music on the company approved tapes. Songs like Wake me up before you Go-Go (Wham!), Like a Virgin (Madonna), Only in My Dreams (Debbie Gibson)...and the like. (pardon me, while I gag myself with a fork!)

After closing, while we were cleaning up the store, Elke, one of the girls I worked with, figured out how to attach her walkman to the sound system. So she put in a tape and pressed play.

The songs 4th of July and Bad played. I was instantly mesermized by the haunting sounds of the guitars and Bono's voice. I asked her what group and album that was. It was U2's Unforgettable Fire. Picked up the album the next day.

Since then, I've worn through two cassettes of Unforgettable Fire, as well as two CD's. I finally have it on my computer and iPod. The Unforgettable Fire is still my favorite U2 album - it is also my favorite rock album. Nothing even comes close to the composition, feel and mood of that album. To me, it is just a magical blend of sounds, lyrics, and feeling. Though U2 gained more success with subsequent albums (Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum, as well as Achung Baby, How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb, and Vertigo), for me, U2 reached this pinnacle with Unforgettable Fire. There was still an innocence in their songs, but their music had matured and gotten refined a bit compared to October, Boy, and War.

I've seen U2 a couple of times their Achung Baby tour was amazing. Last I saw them was during their Veritgo tour -- their final oncore was Bad. They don't often sing that song at concerts anymore - but the whole stadium went wild. Like I said - they reached their pinnacle with Unforgettable.

I liked the way their last album went - kinda back to their roots. It seems that No Line on the Horizon is heading that same way - I'll have to pick up the album tonight.

Listening to Bad for the third time in a row right now...
-Z

U2 is awesome. Even though the Edge's guitar riffs aren't all that complicated, they have an ethereal quality to them that I love.

One of my top 5 fav bands.

+1.

I was a huge fan starting from the beginning in 1980 or so. Their early stuff was awesome.

They have continued to evolve, which I think is always difficult for a band. It's one thing to write compelling music when you are 20 years old with a bunch of talent but little money and no fame. It's another thing when you are a 50 year old gazillionaire with everyone swinging off your balls every day.

To me, their peak was between Unforgettable Fire and Joshua Tree (maybe extend to Rattle and Hum). Those were back to back albums, and I think both are absolutely brilliant.

I've seen them live around 5 or 6 times, mostly during the Unforgettable Fire/Joshua Tree era. That's a lot of shows for me, I've probably only been to 10 concerts total in my entire life!

I saw the Rattle and Hum movie on cable a couple nights ago, I think that shows them at pretty much their peak, at least to me.

I agree, although I think most people (even U2 fans) don't see the magic in that album like we do.

my first official favorite band discovered in 1985 at the age of 13. To this day, i still love U2 and listen to them very often

I picked up No Line on the Horizon on 180 gram Vinyl on Tuesday. I love the album layout. Ive listened to it about 5 times. Im struggling, as I have with the past 4 albums, to love the sound of the record. Cedars of Lebanon is incredibly beautiful and unique. I wish the entire album sounded like Cedars.....I do not get the comparisons to Joshua Tree or Unforgettable Fire at all...I hear/feel no similarity whatsoever

Ive stayed up to watch them each night on Letterman

When im in the mood for real U2, I pop in the Live at Slane Castle DVD or the Redrocks dvd that was just re-released

Slane Castle concert is likely to turn even a U2 hater into a fan. Its amazing

I saw U23D when it was in theaters and thought the song list sucked, but otherwise i enjoyed that

I saw U2 at the US Festival in '83, but once he got political i stopped listening

I saw them twice in the 80's, I was a huge fan. Their live shows were amazing. Bono was not singing, he was preaching, and the crowds ate it up. But I lost interest with Joshua Tree. They seemed tapped out after that. I have admittedly not explored their later material.

I have the rattle and hum DVD and it gets regular play time at my house... played LOUD! Only downside on the DVD is how the f***ed up "When love comes to town" by interjecting interview clips all through the song.

Also have the compilation DVD with the Buffalo on the cover... I think it is all their music videos from 1999-2000, there is some really good stuff on that... like that version of "Beautiful day" where they play in the airport and ton he landing strip... especially when played LOUD!

Also have zootropa (or something like that) on DVD but it doesn't get as much play time at the above two.

I also have no desire to go to a stadium show... haven't in decades... can't see the band... sucky sound... overpriced everything... stuck in traffic afterwards.... mongo no like.

Ive got all the U2 dvds. I think Slane Castle, Redrocks and Rattle & Hum are the best...the rest are pretty lousy unfortunately. Live in Australia has lousy sound...terrible sound. Boston and Chicago dvd's are not good concerts, especially when compared to the Slane Castle concert....I play that Slane Castle dvd so loud that Im sure the cops will be coming one of these days. AWSOME version of Kite on that, the crowd shots are incredible

I've been a fan since they played at the Malibu Night Club on LI back in 81 and at Nassau COll. in 84.

Still have a copy of the "Island Ear" with the bank on the cover when they were teenagers.

Favorite song is "Gloria"

Kite from Slane Castle DVD. play at high volume. DVD sound quality is a billion times better

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+2

I think I have all their CD's, they are in heavy rotation on my iPod.

Ok, as long as we have some fans maybe you can help with a song name. I "think" it was a single only, could be wrong. But the lyrics go something like this. "Here I go and I don't know why, and "Oh God I feel for you" or something like that, does that make sense, any help here?

I guess Hank Williams Jr. is as good of a replacement as any! SmileWavy

This was meant to be response to Tim H. Post.

I just pulled up Itunes, I have 234 U2 tracks. I have always been a fan but, by far, my favorites have been Joshua Tree and Unforgettable fire. The new CD isnt bad, I only listened to it for the first time today.

I missed the last concert in Toronto after trying to buy tickets online. I wasnt very happy that day.

Been listening to U2 since WAR, The Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum, and Achtung Baby still find time in my itunes rotation.

Patti Smith song

was on The Best of 1980-1990/The B-Sides

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New album is great, IMO. I was worried, a bit, when I saw that Eno, Lanois and Lillywhite were all producers - "too many cooks in the kitchen" thing. To me, this album sounds more Eno-esque produced than the others.

I was hooked when I first heard Boy my freshman year in High School - 1980. I still have a yellowed clipping from Rolling Stone, "U2: The Next Big Thing." It was a small, single column article in the back.

I agree with the folks here that Joshua Tree and Unforgettable Fire were high points, but I like it all.

Best,

You've summed it up nicely, Z. I'm guessing we're about the same age. I remember enjoying Boy, October, and War, but I didn't really think the band put it all together until The Unforgettable Fire. Too many great memories of camping on the beach and listening to that album.

To be honest, I never was a fan of The Joshua Tree. The first time I heard "With or Without You" on KROQ I thought it was an Echo and the Bunnymen song. :rolleyes:

I like the fact that they are almost 50 and no one seems to care. they are helping to stretch the boundaries of ageism. On Letterman this past week...the songs from the new album have been pretty good, especially by todays standards of 'music'... Bono is an excellent singer and showman, and Im really impressed with how tite the Edge is as a player...

I've been up late four nights in a row watching these guys on Letterman. They just did Beautiful Day. I think they announce tour dates on Monday.

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Their new CD is definitely a grower not show'r. I've listened to it several times now and am really starting to enjoy it. Very different than anything they've put out before but in a good way.

I love U2 but I'm currently pretty unexcited about their Grammy/Letterman power plays.

Kind of the musical version of "Too Big To Fail", IMO.