Looking for opinions on U2... positive, negative all welcome!

[Musikwala]

Achtung Baby is almost like listening to two different records.

One one hand, you have the U2 I remember who made very moving and creative songs like "One" and "Who's Going To Ride Your Wild Horses?"

But then you also have "Mysterious Ways" and "Even Better Than The Real Thing" which are complete shit. Once I heard those songs (especially Mysterious Ways) I knew they had begun to lose the magic and dedication to an original sound they once had and it was only a matter of time before they sounded as cruddy as every other band.

Wow, I've never heard those songs being referred to as total shit! Talk about a different opinion... lol. But I can understand if you expected the earnestness and seriousness of the 80s and were disappointed by what would've seemed like party dance music. Even Better Than The Real Thing is so much fun! How can you hate it??

Anyway, bands change their musical style all the time. It depends if you want to stick with them or not. If David Bowie or even The Beatles had never changed their style, imagine what would've happened.

I'm sure he knew I was a fanboy but I opened it up talking about NY and if he knew the history of the bar/restaurant he was in. He didn't know it was a hangout back in the 70's so he was interested in the history. We then started to talk about NYC. Then after a little while I hit him with a u2 question and he quickly lost interest.

I don't mean any disrespect whatsoever but I hope you met the actual guy and not one of the many Bono impersonators running around. One in particular is notorious for parading himself as the real Bono and lying to fans, one Mr. Pavel Sfera. There have been endless discussions and outrage at the U2 forum I used to post at.

 

[Aktivator]

I don't mean any disrespect whatsoever but I hope you met the actual guy and not one of the many Bono impersonators running around. One in particular is notorious for parading himself as the real Bono and lying to fans, one Mr. Pavel Sfera. There have been endless discussions and outrage at the U2 forum I used to post at.

No dude it was Bono this wasn't recently and it was while Bono was in NYC.

I agree with you that I like the fact that U2 changed their sound with achtung baby. One of the reasons I like them so much they didn't stick to one formula.
Although if I was to pick on them it would be edge should have experimented more with different styles.

 

[Dr. Love]

re: U2

I'm genuinely curious about all your opinions on this and more importantly, I'd like to know the reasons why you dislike them... if you do.

Please answer the adjoining poll. And please explain your like or dislike. I'm more curious about reasons behind the dislikes.

You probably won't find this post very helpful. I don't hate them, so I voted neutral. I tried to think of reasons for my dislike, and I couldn't think of anything specific. They just don't do it for me. I've only ever liked one U2 song that I've ever heard (Mysterious Ways).

I'd like to find out why U2 is not very popular amongst the classic rock fan populace as a whole. Why is U2 not considered by the majority as one of the greats such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, The Who etc.?

I can't speak for the majority, but my personal definition of Classic Rock is focused on the 70s and late 60s. No offense, but I don't think U2 even belongs in the same sentence as 60s and 70s giants like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, and the Who.

 

[Khor1255]

You might get something out of this one:

 

[Sharp Dressed Man]

I can't speak for the majority, but my personal definition of Classic Rock is focused on the 70s and late 60s. No offense, but I don't think U2 even belongs in the same sentence as 60s and 70s giants like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, and the Who.

Couldn't agree more!

 

[Lynch]

Agreed. Putting them in the same sentance/context with rock giants of the 60s and 70's would be about the same as putting _insert_flavor-of-the-year_pop_artist_here_ in the same context. Let's face it, that's what they've been for the better part of the past 25 or so years is pop stars.

 

[Slip'nn2Darkness]

I guess I can't offer anything positive about the band. I shoot them down from the get go because I cannot STAND the way Bono sings.. Alot of whinning and screeching out songs.. I cannot listen to them enough to hear the lyrical message of the band..

"The Edge" was featured a couple of weeks ago in a guitar player doc. with Jack White and Jimmy Page.
My first thought was why him??? Why Jack White for the most part along with the impressive Jimmy Page.
Jimmy's featured solo works put them both to shame.. SUCH a difference in talent..

I just gave them the old don't care about them vote..

 

[Musikwala]

Agreed. Putting them in the same sentance/context with rock giants of the 60s and 70's would be about the same as putting _insert_flavor-of-the-year_pop_artist_here_ in the same context. Let's face it, that's what they've been for the better part of the past 25 or so years is pop stars.

I won't argue with you because that was not the purpose for me creating this thread... but you couldn't be further from the truth with that "flavor of the year" comment! Flavour of which year?? lol. They've been having a more or less consistent rock sound (with some style variations and experimentation during each decade) now for over 30 years!! They're not a flavour of the year sort of group like Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber or whatever.

 

[Musikwala]

No dude it was Bono this wasn't recently and it was while Bono was in NYC.

I agree with you that I like the fact that U2 changed their sound with achtung baby. One of the reasons I like them so much they didn't stick to one formula.
Although if I was to pick on them it would be edge should have experimented more with different styles.

Oh okay cool.

Agreed on everything you've said there! I'm also glad that they experimented and fcked around with their 80s sound. And yeah, I also wish The Edge would've explored more styles. They're individually not creative geniuses or anything but they come together (and have stayed together) brilliantly as a band.

 

[Dr. Love]

"The Edge" was featured a couple of weeks ago in a guitar player doc. with Jack White and Jimmy Page.
My first thought was why him??? Why Jack White for the most part along with the impressive Jimmy Page.
Jimmy's featured solo works put them both to shame.. SUCH a difference in talent.

I had a friend in high school (late 80s) whose favorite band was U2 and he said the Edge was the greatest guitarist of all-time. I laughed because I thought he was joking. But he wasn't. I couldn't argue with him because if he is so deluded to believe something like that, there was no objectivity possible. So I just said, "OK, whatever dude."

A few years ago I reconnected with him on Facebook and he posted something about Irish bands and I joked about U2. He said he was surprised that I remembered that U2 was his favorite band, and I replied that you don't forgot someone saying outrageous stuff like the Edge is the greatest guitarist of all-time.

No disrespect meant to Edge. He obviously is an adequate guitarist for U2's music, and he is a millionaire for it. But it's a bit ridiculous to compare the Edge to classic rock titans like Jimmy Page or Jimi Hendrix.

I would say that the Edge is the greatest guitarist... for U2.