<strong> well... so I havn't watched a music video in years . . . i'm sure that they havn't all of a sudden started getting whimsical and clever . . . maybe they make videos in color now . . but I'll bet a dollar that bono still prances around with a pained serious 'weight-of-the world' look on his face . . .
I might be wrong about the videos but why does my criticism not make sense? It seems pretty understandable to me... you might not agree... but that doesn't mean I'm not making sense...</strong><hr></blockquote>
because you can't even get your facts staright.
The last black and white video was One. They have maybe a handful of videos that are in black and white and they are all 12+ years old.
Elevation and Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out of both had very extreme looks to what you describe.
<strong>It's all about "New Year's Day"</strong><hr></blockquote>
Hah! One of the very first non-Beatle songs I learned - note-for-note and all the way through - on guitar and bass! I thought I was the stuff. The others were "White Wedding" and "Planet Earth". I was in that early MTV thing, and I had a distortion AND a delay pedal, so...
THE killer combo for the budding guitar player. I knew I had the SOUND when I plugged in my Boss Delay (the red one), my phaser, and cranked up my Randall combo amp (way back in 1985) and played "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" (probably the Guiness Book record holder for most apostrophes in a song title) with my brother screaming the vocals over his 18 piece fiberglass CB700 drums (including Paiste Rude ride cymbal, ala Def Leppard). We were in a band called Detour. We thought we were so cool.
Anyway, I'm in the U2 was awesome now mediocre camp. However, they probably will be looked on as one of the great bands of the period. I mean, who else is there, really, especially considering their staying power. I think part of what people are complaining about when their judgment is "mediocre", sub silentio, is that they aren't as innovative as they were for the first, say, 4 albums. But who ever has kept up that level of innovation in popular music (at least in rock)? The beatles, zappa, MAYBE floyd (although I have always despised them), Zep, and some others that I can't remember right now.
I think the real innovators in popular music are bands like Radiohead (even though I don't get it one bit).
The last black and white video was One. They have maybe a handful of videos that are in black and white and they are all 12+ years old. <hr></blockquote>
facts shmacks... were talkin about a rock here... not mathematics... a band that I happen to dislike a great deal because of what I recognized in them many years ago . . . I'm sure that they have changed some but what I hear on the radio still has the same anthemic, posuer, take-themselves-too-seriously, mediocre, dressed in black leather cause they think its cool, (the "edge" -nuff said) cliched, formulaic, crowd pleasing, unoriginal, derivative, artmark, kitschy, sentimental, smarmy, hallmark card emotional, breakfast-cereal-commercial-colored sensibility, attitude and sound that I might have well been describing them today . . . their music sounds like it wants to be in slow motion and black and white . . . except for that treacley sickeningly sweet pandering to the cheapest sense of joy song 'its a beautifull day' - - whic can't help but be catchy . . .
but I guess I just don't like my emotions to be manipulated by cheap gimmicks and formulas
I will say though, that they are pretty good compared to what else is on the airwaves . . . better than that moaning, teenage angst, wallow-in-fabricated psychological/spiritual mallaise, psuedo metal that gets non-stop airplay these days.
Van Halen and Queen are great bands but they contribute kinda heavily to frontsmanship, glam rock, and other pretty useless things. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> Granted, U2 had some pretty outrageous tours in the early 90's.
I think U2's appeal in the 80's stemmed from their somewhat anti-glam rock stance. Dull? Damn you're hard to please. I wonder if Gisele would have the same effect?
U2's great but way overplayed. Nobody can hold up under the kind of heavy rotation they've recieved over the years. That's probably why I tend to gravitate towards the less popular stuff they've done. I really like Pop.
As for taking themselves too seriously, what do you expect? It kind of comes with the territory. Walk into a room and heads swivel. He's a rock star. Lot of hero worship that comes with that. I actually think Bono handles it better than most. He once jokingly described being in rock band as "four *******s in a stretch limo."
I also like the way he a least tries to say something with his music. Sometimes his reach exceeds his grasp. Other times you get a song like Walk On. What a great song. How many knew who Aung San Suu Kyi was before that song came out? It's kind of cool that ATYCLB was banned in Burma.
This'll really piss pfflam off. Bono has started a <a href="http://www.datadata.org/"; target="_blank">Washington thinktank</a>. Which brings me to one more reason to like Bono. He's happy to use his unique influence to advance causes that clearly are close to his heart. He also does his homework. And he'll talk to <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/06/13/bono.helms/"; target="_blank">anyone</a> and everybody if it will make a difference.
No question about that! Awards? Sh*t loads of 'em!
They also play the best live concerts you are ever likely to see not just great tunes but an awsome stage show as well.
Yes, I know Bono is a bit OTT and political at times, but you can't fault his charity work - he does more for third world countries than any of those fat assed politicians ever will.
My sis met Bono and his wife Ali in Dublin a year or so ago while Christmas shopping and she reckons he is very charming and a totally down to earth person.
Guys, go to U2.com for the latest on their upcoming album, they have a quicktime video sample of an upcoming single: "The Hands That Built America." Classic low-key U2 song.
Comments
<strong> well... so I havn't watched a music video in years . . . i'm sure that they havn't all of a sudden started getting whimsical and clever . . . maybe they make videos in color now . . but I'll bet a dollar that bono still prances around with a pained serious 'weight-of-the world' look on his face . . .
I might be wrong about the videos but why does my criticism not make sense? It seems pretty understandable to me... you might not agree... but that doesn't mean I'm not making sense...</strong><hr></blockquote>
because you can't even get your facts staright.
The last black and white video was One. They have maybe a handful of videos that are in black and white and they are all 12+ years old.
Elevation and Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out of both had very extreme looks to what you describe.
<strong>It's all about "New Year's Day"</strong><hr></blockquote>
Hah! One of the very first non-Beatle songs I learned - note-for-note and all the way through - on guitar and bass! I thought I was the stuff. The others were "White Wedding" and "Planet Earth". I was in that early MTV thing, and I had a distortion AND a delay pedal, so...
<strong>
and I had a distortion AND a delay pedal, so...
THE killer combo for the budding guitar player. I knew I had the SOUND when I plugged in my Boss Delay (the red one), my phaser, and cranked up my Randall combo amp (way back in 1985) and played "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" (probably the Guiness Book record holder for most apostrophes in a song title) with my brother screaming the vocals over his 18 piece fiberglass CB700 drums (including Paiste Rude ride cymbal, ala Def Leppard). We were in a band called Detour. We thought we were so cool.
Anyway, I'm in the U2 was awesome now mediocre camp. However, they probably will be looked on as one of the great bands of the period. I mean, who else is there, really, especially considering their staying power. I think part of what people are complaining about when their judgment is "mediocre", sub silentio, is that they aren't as innovative as they were for the first, say, 4 albums. But who ever has kept up that level of innovation in popular music (at least in rock)? The beatles, zappa, MAYBE floyd (although I have always despised them), Zep, and some others that I can't remember right now.
I think the real innovators in popular music are bands like Radiohead (even though I don't get it one bit).
Just my .02
Thoth
because you can't even get your facts staright.
The last black and white video was One. They have maybe a handful of videos that are in black and white and they are all 12+ years old. <hr></blockquote>
facts shmacks... were talkin about a rock here... not mathematics... a band that I happen to dislike a great deal because of what I recognized in them many years ago . . . I'm sure that they have changed some but what I hear on the radio still has the same anthemic, posuer, take-themselves-too-seriously, mediocre, dressed in black leather cause they think its cool, (the "edge" -nuff said) cliched, formulaic, crowd pleasing, unoriginal, derivative, artmark, kitschy, sentimental, smarmy, hallmark card emotional, breakfast-cereal-commercial-colored sensibility, attitude and sound that I might have well been describing them today . . . their music sounds like it wants to be in slow motion and black and white . . . except for that treacley sickeningly sweet pandering to the cheapest sense of joy song 'its a beautifull day' - - whic can't help but be catchy . . .
but I guess I just don't like my emotions to be manipulated by cheap gimmicks and formulas
I will say though, that they are pretty good compared to what else is on the airwaves . . . better than that moaning, teenage angst, wallow-in-fabricated psychological/spiritual mallaise, psuedo metal that gets non-stop airplay these days.
[ 06-17-2002: Message edited by: pfflam ]</p>
No contest.
U2 are , were and always will be DULL.
I think U2's appeal in the 80's stemmed from their somewhat anti-glam rock stance. Dull? Damn you're hard to please. I wonder if Gisele would have the same effect?
<strong>U2 don't even belong in the same paragraph as Zeppelin , Queen or Van Halen.
No contest.
U2 are , were and always will be DULL.</strong><hr></blockquote>
lol. Queen is dull. van Halen too.
keep rocking on to "We Will rock you" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" man.
As for taking themselves too seriously, what do you expect? It kind of comes with the territory. Walk into a room and heads swivel. He's a rock star. Lot of hero worship that comes with that. I actually think Bono handles it better than most. He once jokingly described being in rock band as "four *******s in a stretch limo."
I also like the way he a least tries to say something with his music. Sometimes his reach exceeds his grasp. Other times you get a song like Walk On. What a great song. How many knew who Aung San Suu Kyi was before that song came out? It's kind of cool that ATYCLB was banned in Burma.
This'll really piss pfflam off.
[ 06-20-2002: Message edited by: spaceman_spiff ]</p>
No question about that! Awards? Sh*t loads of 'em!
They also play the best live concerts you are ever likely to see not just great tunes but an awsome stage show as well.
Yes, I know Bono is a bit OTT and political at times, but you can't fault his charity work - he does more for third world countries than any of those fat assed politicians ever will.
My sis met Bono and his wife Ali in Dublin a year or so ago while Christmas shopping and she reckons he is very charming and a totally down to earth person.
By the way..."Joshua tree" is a classic album!