U2

Exo-Kill! Number of posts : 6497 Age : 47

This is one of my all time favorite bands! I have a feeling there are quite a few here into them!

Let's talk about U2! What are your favorite albums? Songs? Have you seen them live, etc.?

U2 U21jpg

Guest

I really like their early stuff. But I can't stand much past Joshua Tree. When Bono became a typical rock star humanitarian, I jumped ship. Tell me they don't look like total douchebags in that picture above.

Metal, Movies, Beer Number of posts : 37871 Age : 54

I like their radio stuff enough that I have a Greatest Hits compilation around here somewhere but I've never dug deeper into their catalog than that.

Like Spec I prefer the older 80s material. Used to see a lot of the "I Will Follow," "Gloria," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "New Year's Day," etc. videos in the very early days of MTV.

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mini boss Number of posts : 21101 Age : 54

Excellent band and their 80's run has to be some of the best music of that decade. They started to lose the plot with 'Zooropa' and 'Pop', they rebounded nicely with 'All that You Can't Leave Behind' .

The only song I heard from 'No Line on the Horizon' was not my cup of tea, but I have not heard the rest of the album so I have no idea if I would like it or not.

Bukkake Tsunami Number of posts : 25557 Age : 53

My wife is a huge fan and I saw them live with her, but they've never did a thing for me. Even tried listening to her copy of The Joshua Tree (a classic I was told) and couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Not my cuppa tea.

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Metal is in my blood Number of posts : 3361 Age : 51

My favorite song of their's is "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses". I used to really like their earlier stuff and kind of hated Achtung Baby (and everything after that) for a quite some time. Nowadays Achtung Baby is about all I'll play if I feel like some U2.

I saw them on the Zoo Tv Tour. It was a cool show and probably did a lot to turn me around on Achtung Baby. At the time I mainly went to the show because of a girl I was interested in plus Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy and Primus opened. I think the fact that I was so into those two acts doomed my chances with the girl.

Metal is my Life Number of posts : 12811 Age : 55

I like some of their stuff - the early stuff up to Achtung baby was really good - I saw them on that tour! Then they sucked, sucked bad. "All That You Can't" was a major step in the right direction and a good album. So was "Atomic Bomb". I've listened to the latest one once and am not a fan of it.

Guest

U2 is easily one of my all-time favorite bands ever...they don't have a bad album (and I have them all), IMO...just ones I may like a little less than others...

Got to see them last month and it was amazing...

Guest

Quote :: The only song I heard from 'No Line on the Horizon' was not my cup of tea, but I have not heard the rest of the album so I have no idea if I would like it or not.

"Get On Your Boots" is not indicative of the entire album...

King Of Kaiju Number of posts : 30892 Age : 64

SpectreFate wrote:: I really like their early stuff. But I can't stand much past Joshua Tree. When Bono became a typical rock star humanitarian, I jumped ship. Tell me they don't look like total douchebags in that picture above.

Same here except I like Achtung Baby too.

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Heart of Metal Number of posts : 1268 Age : 57

I am in agreement with those who only like their 80's stuff. In fact ,I love their 80's music but nothing past "Rattle & Hum". I know alot of people who hate U2 but I always tell them that they need to look past the hits, the whole Bono-saving-the-world-propaganda, the commercials, and anything theyve done in the last 16 or 17 years and just dig the first 3 or 4 albums at face value. Like 'em or not, they were electric and full of life in those early years, especially live.

Metal master Number of posts : 814 Age : 58

In the early 80s I had two buddies at school who where fans. I remember that we had a lot of discussions, because I refused U2 at that time. To be honest I didn't knew their music very well, but at that time I refused every kind of music that was not Metal. With Joshua Tree I changed my mind and played the hell out of this album. I listened a lot to them until Achtung Baby and after that lost interesst. I saw them two times live during that period and on Achtung Baby tour I met my two school buddies again after 5 or 6 years. They were very surprised to see me at a U2 concert...

Nowadays I listen to them very rarely. But I purchased Zooropa a few weeks ago as used copy, but only because it was cheap.

Metal graduate Number of posts : 306 Age : 54

I love U2. I remember first paying attention to them after listening to "I Will Follow" while watching "The Last American Virgin" as a teenager. I thought it was a really cool song, and started listening to their early albums. I can honestly say I was a fan since before Joshua Tree... actually, since before The Unforgettable File. They are one of the few bands from the era that have managed to stay relevant. As with any band that gains such fame, sure you are going to see some rock attitude. So what if Bono is a total Rock Star now... what great band is really meek and humble. They have not released a single bad album, my opinion. That is a difficult thing to do when you have such a long career.
I have only had the pleasure of seeing them live only once, during the Achtung Baby tour. It was fantastic. Those were the days when you could still get up at the crack of dawn to line up for decent seats... and boy, did we get great seats. We were right next to the catwalk, in the 9th row or so. Great Show. The Sugar Cubes and Public Enemy opened up for them. You can't ask for anything more.

Guest

Everything though Achtung is amazing stuff. They lost me on Pop except the song with Johnny Cash, came bace with AYCLB and have been hit or miss since then. No Line I like about half of a lot.

Guest

TheNazgul wrote:: Everything though Achtung is amazing stuff. They lost me on Pop except the song with Johnny Cash, came bace with AYCLB and have been hit or miss since then. No Line I like about half of a lot.

The song w/ Johnny Cash is on Zooropa...

I think Pop is a good album..."Staring At The Sun" is one of the best songs the band has ever done...

Heart of Metal Number of posts : 2003 Age : 44

saw them twice this year. experience continue next year in EU.

Guest

Like Spec I personally like the early material, then I lost all respect for that tool of a Bono when he started talking shite over here in Ireland about how the government should use tax money to help the starving people in Africa (which I have no problem giving money too) but that son of a female dog decided to become a tax exile and then has the balls to tell us how to spend our money.

May he fall off the new U2 tower in Dublin and break his bastard neck.

Metal graduate Number of posts : 306 Age : 54

Locky wrote:: Like Spec I personally like the early material, then I lost all respect for that tool of a Bono when he started talking shite over here in Ireland about how the government should use tax money to help the starving people in Africa (which I have no problem giving money too) but that son of a female dog decided to become a tax exile and then has the balls to tell us how to spend our money.

May he fall off the new U2 tower in Dublin and break his bastard neck.

...but, tell us how you really feel. Come on...don't hold back. U2 Icon_biggrin

Ate his vegetables Number of posts : 4958 Age : 34

I used to love them....but I had to kill them.

Metal master Number of posts : 967 Age : 52

I love most of their albums with the exception of the last few year's material. I have fond memories of the very first album that I bought in CD format in the late 80s being the War album.

I've see 'em once in concert in Memphis at the Liberty Bowl on the tour they took much of the Rattle And Hum movie from and I have some great memories of that one.

Metal master Number of posts : 647 Age : 38

I have War Deluxe Edition... Wonderful record.

Exo-Kill! Number of posts : 6497 Age : 47

Shawn Of Fire wrote:: U2 is easily one of my all-time favorite bands ever...they don't have a bad album (and I have them all), IMO...just ones I may like a little less than others...

I totally agree with you. They don't have a bad album.

My faves:

1. Achtung Baby
2. The Joshua Tree
3. Zooropa
4. War
5. All You Can't Leave Behind

I like them all - but those 5 are my essential U2 albums!!

Guest

SpectreFate wrote:: I really like their early stuff. But I can't stand much past Joshua Tree. When Bono became a typical rock star humanitarian, I jumped ship. Tell me they don't look like total douchebags in that picture above.

Became? When was he not?

Seriously look back over all their albums and some of hte best stuff is either socially or politically motivated.

Guest

guenther wrote:

SpectreFate wrote:: I really like their early stuff. But I can't stand much past Joshua Tree. When Bono became a typical rock star humanitarian, I jumped ship. Tell me they don't look like total douchebags in that picture above.

Became? When was he not?

Seriously look back over all their albums and some of hte best stuff is either socially or politically motivated.

The very early U2 albums had many examples of Bono and his faith moreso than the political elements...over time, he went through his spoiled rock star phase (Achtung Baby/Zooropa) then his "I don't give a damn" phase (Pop) and there was more faith/personal stuff on those albums than political. He was never really all that political in relation to American politics and even his forays into the Irish situaton were contained on just a few songs.

These days, he's not so much political at all as he is humanitarian. He doesn't choose sides in politics...he chooses people...and showing people mercy and grace...and he puts forth statements of personal faith and struggle (which, I admit, on the surface is a little contradictory seeing as how he actually IS a spoiled rock star)...but he knows he's ridiculously compensated for what he does...he admits it openly...but if he can use the attention he's getting anyway to make people aware of other things then he'd be remiss not to, right?

Better to have every eye on the planet see you trying to do some good in the world than every eye on the planet see you die in a pool of vomit.

Guest

Shawn Of Fire wrote:: The very early U2 albums had many examples of Bono and his faith moreso than the political elements...over time, he went through his spoiled rock star phase (Achtung Baby/Zooropa) then his "I don't give a damn" phase (Pop) and there was more faith/personal stuff on those albums than political. He was never really all that political in relation to American politics and even his forays into the Irish situaton were contained on just a few songs.

These days, he's not so much political at all as he is humanitarian. He doesn't choose sides in politics...he chooses people...and showing people mercy and grace...and he puts forth statements of personal faith and struggle (which, I admit, on the surface is a little contradictory seeing as how he actually IS a spoiled rock star)...but he knows he's ridiculously compensated for what he does...he admits it openly...but if he can use the attention he's getting anyway to make people aware of other things then he'd be remiss not to, right?

Better to have every eye on the planet see you trying to do some good in the world than every eye on the planet see you die in a pool of vomit.

Yeah lots of faith on all albums.....

"spoilled rock star" - that whole 'phase' (from Achtung Baby to POP) was completely satiracal.

Boy - mostly about growing up, though electro-shock therapy(the Electric Co.) and suicide (A Day Without Me) are covered.

October - Stranger in a Strange Land

War - Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, The Refugee, Seconds

The Unforgettable Fire - Pride, Wire, The Unforgettable Fire, Bad, MLK

The Joshua Tree - Bullet the Blue Sky, Running to Stand Still, Red Hill Mining Town, Mothers of the Disappeared

Rattle and Hum - Silver and Gold

Achtung Baby / Zooropa - nothing really politcal or social here, but the band became more open activists in their personal lives, although some of hte concerts did include the Sarajevo Uplink

POP - Staring at the Sun, Please, North and South of the River (b-side)

Passengers - Miss Sarajevo

All That You Cant Leave Behind - Walk On, Peace On Earth, When I Look At the World (kind of)

How To Dismantle an Atombic Bomb - Miracle Drug, Love and Peace or Else, Native Son (alternate version of Vertigo)

No Line On The Horizon - Get on Your Boots, Cedars of Lebanon, Winter (from the special edition DVD)