U2 at the BBC

Danny1969

Achtung Baby is my fave as well although The Unforgettable Fire and the Joshua Tree are blinding bits of work too. As a Live band they have always been the best stadium band  in the world 
Guitar wise The Edge is as important as VH and Hendrix, he inspired me and thousands of others to play the guitar in a different way, harmonically and rhythm wise  to what was being done before .... nowadays you hear his influence and style in modern country records and other genes as well as countless rock and pop songs. 

ICBM

impmann said:

I loved Achtung Baby and I think I was the only person to like Zooropa.

Not at all, it's one of my favourites. I also really like Pop which is similarly often dismissed.

ICBM

impmann said:

I loved Achtung Baby and I think I was the only person to like Zooropa.

Not at all, it's one of my favourites. I also really like Pop which is similarly often dismissed.

stickyfiddle

Zooropa is fantastic. Not in the same way that Achtung Baby is fantastic, but it’s a damn good record with some gems on it (Daddy’s gonna pay and Dirty Day in particular)

digitalkettle

Been feeling non-plussed for quite a few albums...Songs of Experience is a proper upturn!

DannyP

Not arsed. I saw a preview where Cat Deeley called them "the biggest rock band on the planet."

SRich

ICBM

I also really like Pop which is similarly often dismissed.

Have a wiz........very underrated album. Straight out of the German techno movement....

Not sure on the 'Coldplay' comparisons - but there is little to deem a highlight on the last two albums. How to dismantle an atomic bomb was a cracker.  

Jalapeno

Bit too much of Cat Deely (if that is possible) and not enough tunes.

jacksparrow

My Problem's not with U2, well bono can be a bit of a self righteous preacher sometimes but with the BBC.

breakstuff

Watching it now.Agreed,to much Cat Deeley but With Or Without You a definite Goosebump moment.

Sassafras

impmann said:

I loved Achtung Baby and I think I was the only person to like Zooropa. However, this latest album (as with previous one) just seems to be more of the same of the mid-paced, disposable pop. I agree that they have evolved massively since the early albums but the last few have been dire, IMHO. Edge is still brilliant and I *TOTALLY* agree about Bono vs Ego, he's a great front man and yes he's still trying to find sunlight in the depths of his arsehole but he commands a crowd like few others.

He's found it, that's what the sunglasses are for.

RandallFlagg

I just watched U2 at the BBC on iPlayer and I was expecting to be disappointed and frustrated but I thought they were bloody good. Bono looked and sounded nervous as hell in the interview sections with Cat Deeley, not half as pompous as I expected.

The band sounded good and the orchestra and choir really embellished the songs well. The sound was well mixed and while Edge is probably using his Axe-FX direct to desk, and while there's not the force and power of old, he sounded good. I think I saw his 3 or 4 Axe-FX lit up towards the side and the Fender Deluxe, so maybe he is amped up, I dunno.

RandallFlagg

Lebarque

Jalapeno said:

Bit too much of Cat Deely (if that is possible) and not enough tunes.

No, that's not possible.

Alterlifeson

Just finished watching it. I really enjoyed it, the new songs sat quite well with the old and those versions of the older material were spot on. I think Larry was one of the highlights for me, some tasty stuff there compared to what he usually plays.

The interviews were alright too, especially the one that cut to Brazil. You get a sense of the scale of production that goes into those shows. There must have been at least 30-35 guitars in those racks too!

DannyP

Sassafras said:

He's found it, that's what the sunglasses are for.

I thought he still hadn't found what he was looking for...?

ToneControl

ICBM said:

ToneControl said:

what band of 60 year olds doesn't stop evolving?

Robert Plant is a lot older than that, and he’s still musically evolving...

ah, I said band
A solo artist can bring in different sounds, textures and generations,
An existing band are who they are

guitars4you

RandallFlagg said:

I just watched U2 at the BBC on iPlayer and I was expecting to be disappointed and frustrated but I thought they were bloody good. Bono looked and sounded nervous as hell in the interview sections with Cat Deeley, not half as pompous as I expected.

The band sounded good and the orchestra and choir really embellished the songs well. The sound was well mixed and while Edge is probably using his Axe-FX direct to desk, and while there's not the force and power of old, he sounded good. I think I saw his 3 or 4 Axe-FX lit up towards the side and the Fender Deluxe, so maybe he is amped up, I dunno.

pretty much agree with that - watched it last night, in part after reading FB comments - enjoyed it

I've heard there is another update to follow, with more numbers that they didn't show this time round but will run shortly - someone said over Christmas - so update me if you know more than that

underdog

Zoolooter said:

ICBM said:

jimmyguitar said:

It’s become fashionable to knock them recently which I don’t really understand. Bono has a big ego? Good! That’s what a lead singer should be like! They don’t sound like how they did 40 years ago? Good! That’s the sound of a band evolving and playing what they want to play. I think they’re great!

My problem is that they now sound like they did 13 years ago. They really haven't evolved over the last three or four albums, but just turned out the same sort of stuff with ever-decreasing inspiration - I haven't got the new one yet but it sounds like more of the same from the couple of tracks that have been on the radio.

I think they're great too, but I have to admit I am beginning to lose interest, at least in their new material.

I don't mind Bono's ego too much either, even though he can be a bit too pompous and self-righteous sometimes.

I totally agree. Over the last four albums, apart from one or two songs there is nothing dynamic, urgent or inventive about them. Particularly the last two, very bland, very Coldplay. I'm a massive fan up to Pop. Just got to appreciate that they gave us Achtung Baby, one of the most groundbreaking and brilliantly albums IMO. 

Not a U2 fan at all but Achtung Baby is still one of the best albums in the world.