U2

[ramone57]

I agree about Bono.  as far as their music is concerned, I like their early material most.

[dc10bass]

You guys go enjoy your Whitesnake or whatever. U2 rules! 

Haaaaaa! Nice one!

Yes, in 1988 this was my first concert... I was 15.
U2 is a great band.

Adam Clayton used a single pickup TBird in the movie "Rattle & Hum"... you can't hate him for that.
Yes he's no Entwistle... but I can think of a lot worse!

[Chris P.]

As much as I dislike Bono, I can't dislike his little band. I like the early albums and some recent stuff. The new song is very Jack White-ish, but also very U2 and nice.

And yes: bass players who play one-pick up birds and Rivoli's can't be that bad:)

[Basvarken]

Is this the same Chris that wrote this earlier on in this thread?

Nope. I'm THE U2 hater. I have this book called I Killed Bono at home:)

Unfortunately I saw it on TV, so I thought: let's post it here. In that way I don't have to see it again, to spot the bass;)

[Chris P.]

This thread reminds me of a story of some years ago.

Once I was in a hotel in Dublin, which is of course U2-city. This friend of mine and I always have lots of fun together.
Each day we checked the special TV-channel and the reception desk for messages for us. It was just a holiday, so of course we never had any messages. But we kept asking...

One evening I stepped into a telephone cell, not knowing what to do next, and I called our hotel. I always keep a card of the hotel with me in case of being very drunk and having to take a cab to the hotel. Just improvising I told out hotel I was mr. Morgenstern from the U2 management. I made up this German name, cos no one would believe I am Irish. I told our reception that I was this mr. Morgenstern of the U2 management and that I had a message for sirs Dekker (me) and Slagter of room 512a: 'Bono was delighted to hear we were in town and he would get us picked up by his limousine the next day at 3 pm.' Or something like that.

After that mr. Slagter and I went for a drink and we almost forgot our prank phone call. Until we arrived at the hotel again. Some very excited reception girls almost stuttered telling us 'Bono would meet us tomorrow'.
Of course we kept our cool and we took the note like we expected it. Mr. Slagter still has this note and I have a photograph somewhere of this tv-channel with a private message from 'Bono' to us.
It was just a bad joke but the people at the hotel treated us as special guests, being 'friends of Bono'.
Our stay was much better after that:) Thanks Bono!





@ Basvarken: Yep, the same:) I really dislike Bono and I'm always slagging of U2. Friends expect me to do that, so I do;) But I can't really hate their music. I have to say I have no U2 CDs at home and no plans of buying them:) But I really have this book 'I Killed Bono'.

[Dave W]

It doesn't seem like a bad song, just nothing that would want to make me listen all the way through. No dislike here, just indifference. They obviously appeal to lot of people, I'm not one of them.

[Nocturnal]

I liked the early albums a lot back then. But I don't really listen to U2 at all unless they just happpen to be on the radio (and then it depends on the song). Same with REM.

[Barklessdog]

When U2 was playing Chicago, my son and his friends went to a Guitar Center and there was a guy there who looked just like Bono checking out guitars. They said he looked just like Bono with same glasses. My son's friend asked him if he was and he answered in an Irish accent, maybe I am & may I'm not.

[Chris P.]

 

[Freuds_Cat]

I will happily listen to both bands (probably prefer Rush more) but agree very much with the comments below

Rob's rockin' the screencap! 

Thanks, now I don't have to go through the video.

On the U2 question I'm torn. Bono's insufferable self importance can be grating, but he seems to be somewhat sincere in his naiveté, and I can't fault him if he sincerely wants to help people. Then again, I don't see him living a comfortable middle class lifestyle and donating his surplus to helping the poor, so there may be a slight bit of hypocrisy going on there.

The disappointment for me is that U2 are a band that's capable of producing some pretty cool music, but instead seem content to sit around waiting for Bono to come around after continuing to disappear up his own arse.

[rockinrayduke]

I kind of liked that Vertigo song. Other than that there's just a small handful of their tunes I can listen to. Still can't figure out how they got so big.

[uwe]

I was joking. I can't really get myself to like U2 for all their omnipresence and Bono's self indulgence (or Herr Clayton's simply boring bass playing, it's alright to throb eights all the time, but there are thirds and fifths to a root note too, and U2's harmonies lend themselves quite well to a bit more harmonic bass playing), but they have created a style and become an influence. Likewise, I'm no great Rush fan either though they have created a style just as much and become an influence too, albeit in the more limited market sector of prog rock. I can listen to both of them on CD and buy their new product to be informed, but probably wouldn't go to a concert of either.

And our well-read Moderator immediately spotted that "And the meek shall inherit the earth." is an Ayn Rand quote back from the days when Neil Peart would still read anything from her as if it were the (neo con) gospel and drenched his lyrics with it. Looking at the world today and how Keynes has risen from the dead, you can't really say we live in an era where her views prevail though.

Using Ayn Rand to put down Bono is quite a feat though, you've gotta admit!!! 

[godofthunder]

Finaly someone who agrees with me about Adam Clayton. At least he doesn't have a day job.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Not bad...but I don't own any U2 in spite of their many hit songs. Maybe if they had 2 guitarists like WS they'd be more interesting.

[uwe]

Credit where credit's due: The Edge always had better haircuts than most Whitesnake guitarists.