[raydan]

I'm driving home from work and the radio DJ announces that the new CD from U2 is number 1 on the charts.
Then they play the new single "Magnificent".

Now, I love music and I have a very wide range of musical tastes.
The only style I don't like much is Rap.

But I don't get U2, never have.
It's not hate, just indifference.
You hear one U2 song, you heard them all.

So my question is, am I alone on this planet who feels this way about U2?

[hurley_108]

Nope. They were good up to and including the Joshua Tree, but everything since has been really bland. The music has just been about staying relevant so they can continue their activist role. IMNSHO.

[Brenda]

U2 went political... Eversince, they can keep it, as far as I am concerned.

[sandorski]

War was their best Album IMO. U2 has always had a unique sound and they still maintain it more or less. I would agree that they are becoming increasingly mediocre, but they have such a huge following that they'll be going until they choose to Breakup or Bono/Edge dies.

I felt the same way about the Rolling Stones. I was rather indifferent, but everyone else seemed all gaga about them. I have grown to appreciate their many great tunes, but still don't think of them as a huge Band.

[sandorski]

Brenda wrote:

U2 went political... Eversince, they can keep it, as far as I am concerned.

They've always been Political/Social focussed. Personally I dislike their Love songs the most as they are too Pop sounding.

[Brenda]

sandorski wrote:

Brenda wrote:

U2 went political... Eversince, they can keep it, as far as I am concerned.

They've always been Political/Social focussed. Personally I dislike their Love songs the most as they are too Pop sounding.

They were always protesting with their music. Now its not their music anymore, as much as their activism (well, Bono's...). It's not in the MUSIC anymore...

[raydan]

I'm having problems finding any 'negative' reviews for their last album (they all seem to have been written by big U2 fans) but I did find this:

...but U2 has obviously been influenced by themselves and what got them here to such an extent that they struggle to come up with anything truly original anymore.

From here: http://www.culturebully.com/u2-no-line- ... zon-review

[Zipperfish]

I think bands have a shelf life of about ten years. or maybe that should be called a Muse-life. After that, they might roll the dice and get a hit occassionally, but the inspiration is gone. Paul McCartney, Rush, U2, Stones, Aerosmith. The exception are the guys that regularly switch genres, I find, like Neil Young.

[bootlegga]

hurley_108 wrote:

Nope. They were good up to and including the Joshua Tree, but everything since has been really bland. The music has just been about staying relevant so they can continue their activist role. IMNSHO.

That's about it. I went to their concert back in the day (for the Lemon tour I think). The concert was pretty awesome, but it Greenpeace, Sierra Club, etc had booths all over the place.

[2Cdo]

I have to agree with Hurley and others that U2 haven't made anything decent in over 20 years.

On a side note, I remember reading a few years back that people had been noticing that the only time you hear Bono and company making noise and protesting something is in the few months leading up to an album release. Also, for someone who seems to want governments to give more money to developing nations(meaning more taxes), he no longer resides in England to avoid paying their heavy tax toll. Sounds like another rich guy who wants us lowly peons to foot the bill about causes he supports so he can feel good about himself. Bono is one of the biggest hypocrites I've ever seen.

[sandorski]

2Cdo wrote:

I have to agree with Hurley and others that U2 haven't made anything decent in over 20 years.

On a side note, I remember reading a few years back that people had been noticing that the only time you hear Bono and company making noise and protesting something is in the few months leading up to an album release. Also, for someone who seems to want governments to give more money to developing nations(meaning more taxes), he no longer resides in England to avoid paying their heavy tax toll. Sounds like another rich guy who wants us lowly peons to foot the bill about causes he supports so he can feel good about himself. Bono is one of the biggest hypocrites I've ever seen.

I still think they make "Decent" music, it's just not their best anymore.

[raydan]

I wasn't excluding U2 fans from the discussion and would have liked to hear their point of view.
Girls (and maybe even guys ) that like U2 only because Bono or Edge are hot, are excluded from this forum.

[2Cdo]

sandorski wrote:

2Cdo wrote:

I have to agree with Hurley and others that U2 haven't made anything decent in over 20 years.

On a side note, I remember reading a few years back that people had been noticing that the only time you hear Bono and company making noise and protesting something is in the few months leading up to an album release. Also, for someone who seems to want governments to give more money to developing nations(meaning more taxes), he no longer resides in England to avoid paying their heavy tax toll. Sounds like another rich guy who wants us lowly peons to foot the bill about causes he supports so he can feel good about himself. Bono is one of the biggest hypocrites I've ever seen.

I still think they make "Decent" music, it's just not their best anymore.

Sorry but I've got to respectfully disagree. U2 can't even spell "decent music" anymore let alone write any.

[Brenda]

raydan wrote:

I wasn't excluding U2 fans from the discussion and would have liked to hear their point of view.
Girls (and maybe even guys ) that like U2 only because Bono or Edge are hot, are excluded from this forum.

The Edge IS hot!

[hurley_108]

Zipperfish wrote:

I think bands have a shelf life of about ten years. or maybe that should be called a Muse-life. After that, they might roll the dice and get a hit occassionally, but the inspiration is gone. Paul McCartney, Rush, U2, Stones, Aerosmith. The exception are the guys that regularly switch genres, I find, like Neil Young.

Depending on where you start the clock, I'd pretty much agree. I can only really speak to Rush and U2 from your list, and as far as Rush goes, IMO they started to decline after Grace Under Pressure - which was 10 years after their first album, though not 10 years after they formed. I still love to go see them live, though, and hear that great old stuff.