A NLOTH MIRACLE! i heard 2 songs from the album in public today!

[wrldchamps04]

People are not that into u2 any more. To be honest it's their own fault. The safe mode is killing the interest in them. The biggest complaint I hear is that every U2 song sounds the same. Nothing new on the horizon.

I think this is completely off target....... while "people" (casual, not specifically U2 fans) may not be into them anymore, I don't think it's because of their "safe" approach. I know the prevalent feeling is that ATYCLB and HTDAAB were "safe" and "nothing new"...but Beautiful Day, Elevation, Walk On, Stuck In a Moment,Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights were all played extensively on radio/in public. The general music fan likes to hear the "sound" of a group of which they're familiar..the U2 sound, etc........"new" musical directions from an established group don't usually go over too well with the general/casual music fan.

[Johnny Amsterdam]

People are not that into u2 any more. To be honest it's their own fault. The safe mode is killing the interest in them. The biggest complaint I hear is that every U2 song sounds the same. Nothing new on the horizon.

I think this is completely off target....... while "people" (casual, not specifically U2 fans) may not be into them anymore, I don't think it's because of their "safe" approach. I know the prevalent feeling is that ATYCLB and HTDAAB were "safe" and "nothing new"...but Beautiful Day, Elevation, Walk On, Stuck In a Moment,Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights were all played extensively on radio/in public. The general music fan likes to hear the "sound" of a group of which they're familiar..the U2 sound, etc........"new" musical directions from an established group don't usually go over too well with the general/casual music fan.

Not true. Joshua tre was a switch and worked perfectly and made history. Achtung Baby was the graddaddy of all switched and worked perfectly and made history. This last record doesn't really seem to be a very big or radical switch. They look and dress the same. the songs are more extended but at the end end up being the same old stuff we've heard before only better.

[Joe G (Love You Like Mad Magazine)]

[ the songs are more extended but at the end end up being the same old stuff we've heard before only better.

I agree, they are better.

[Yukona [The League of Extraordinary Bonopeople]]

People are not that into u2 any more. To be honest it's their own fault. The safe mode is killing the interest in them. The biggest complaint I hear is that every U2 song sounds the same. Nothing new on the horizon.

I think this is completely off target....... while "people" (casual, not specifically U2 fans) may not be into them anymore, I don't think it's because of their "safe" approach. I know the prevalent feeling is that ATYCLB and HTDAAB were "safe" and "nothing new"...but Beautiful Day, Elevation, Walk On, Stuck In a Moment,Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights were all played extensively on radio/in public. The general music fan likes to hear the "sound" of a group of which they're familiar..the U2 sound, etc........"new" musical directions from an established group don't usually go over too well with the general/casual music fan.

Not true. Joshua tre was a switch and worked perfectly and made history. Achtung Baby was the graddaddy of all switched and worked perfectly and made history. This last record doesn't really seem to be a very big or radical switch. They look and dress the same. the songs are more extended but at the end end up being the same old stuff we've heard before only better.

The Joshua Tree was a switch? From what? From the chiming delay effects of The Unforgettable Fire as well as the impassioned vocals of Bono? Oh yeah, big revolution there.

To say that changing your sound is commercially viable is just stupid. If that's the case, nobody would have placed any value on Achtung Baby's innovation. The reason why it was highly lauded is because it was a commercial risk that paid off. 

[Johnny Amsterdam]

Yeah, nobody goes to their concerts anymore, they're too crowded.

Classic! Take a bow that man please!

Like I already said even more people go to the rolling stones. Bridges to babylon was one of the best selling tours as I remember. But the stones are not selling any new records at least not in large quantities.  People come to see the legends but the rest isn't that interesting to the masses anymore. U2 is going down that same road.

They're in almost every talk show now just to get some attention. Which I actually find very sad to see. 20 years ago they were hard to get.

[DGordon1]

That's not entirely down to the band though. The media has grown a lot since the 80's and now with Youtube and satellite TV they're everywhere.

[wrldchamps04]

My point is this....the general / casual music fan, not band specific don't really want new/revolutionary styles from a groups' "sound"that they're familiar with. Even when a group does some new/different songs, they're not the ones that get airtime.....the tried and true "old" style/sound songs get the airtime. POP (as a whole) is considered a huge change in styles.....but what songs got the most air play? Staring at the Sun, Please......Not Mofo, or Miami and Discotheque only got some because it was the lead single. AB, is much the same.....One, Mysterious Ways, Even Better...,and Wild Horses? got most of the airtime, Zoo Station, Tryin to Throw Your Arms, So Cruel? ,nearly none. The Fly had some as the lead single. Even Zooropa (one of my favorites)had Stay with lots of airtime and Lemon( which WAS a different style)...other than that.......nearly none, except for Numb, again a lead single. I personally love to hear different styles/attempts from my FAVORITE groups ( about 5 acts ). Beyond that, as a casual fan I want to hear from a group, what made me enjoy them in the first place. As a  casual Rod Stewart fan for example, I didn't want to hear him doing his Great American Song Book and definitely not more than one volume!

[Joe G (Love You Like Mad Magazine)]

I remember when Tom Petty came out with "Echo", which was a bitter breakup album somewhat darker than his other material.  I didn't cotton to it quickly, but after about 5-10 listens it started to come into focus for me. "Accused of Love", "Echo", "Room at the Top" and "Swingin'"are four of the best songs he has ever done and you never hear them.  Im sure a certain segment of his fanbase were put off by it. This is probably why U2 is using the song "Crazy Tonight" in the Blackberry commercial and not "FEZ-Being Born." 

[wrldchamps04]

I remember when Tom Petty came out with "Echo", which was a bitter breakup album somewhat darker than his other material.  I didn't cotton to it quickly, but after about 5-10 listens it started to come into focus for me. "Accused of Love", "Echo", "Room at the Top" and "Swingin'"are four of the best songs he has ever done and you never hear them.  Im sure a certain segment of his fanbase were put off by it. This is probably why U2 is using the song "Crazy Tonight" in the Blackberry commercial and not "FEZ-Being Born." 

I'm what you'd consider a moderate TP fan...have several, not all of his cd's and I know what you mean. "Room at the Top" is phenomenal. He has a new Live Anthology coming out.........4 cd $25.......basic package, other packages for more $$.....more info in the new Rolling Stone mag.

[Johnny Amsterdam]

People are not that into u2 any more. To be honest it's their own fault. The safe mode is killing the interest in them. The biggest complaint I hear is that every U2 song sounds the same. Nothing new on the horizon.

I think this is completely off target....... while "people" (casual, not specifically U2 fans) may not be into them anymore, I don't think it's because of their "safe" approach. I know the prevalent feeling is that ATYCLB and HTDAAB were "safe" and "nothing new"...but Beautiful Day, Elevation, Walk On, Stuck In a Moment,Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights were all played extensively on radio/in public. The general music fan likes to hear the "sound" of a group of which they're familiar..the U2 sound, etc........"new" musical directions from an established group don't usually go over too well with the general/casual music fan.

Not true. Joshua tre was a switch and worked perfectly and made history. Achtung Baby was the graddaddy of all switched and worked perfectly and made history. This last record doesn't really seem to be a very big or radical switch. They look and dress the same. the songs are more extended but at the end end up being the same old stuff we've heard before only better.

The Joshua Tree was a switch? From what? From the chiming delay effects of The Unforgettable Fire as well as the impassioned vocals of Bono? Oh yeah, big revolution there.

To say that changing your sound is commercially viable is just stupid. If that's the case, nobody would have placed any value on Achtung Baby's innovation. The reason why it was highly lauded is because it was a commercial risk that paid off. 

Well Unforgettable fire was an end to their "new wave" sound and era. Joshua tree was far more American rock orientated. it was a big switch musically.

[Johnny Amsterdam]

People are not that into u2 any more. To be honest it's their own fault. The safe mode is killing the interest in them. The biggest complaint I hear is that every U2 song sounds the same. Nothing new on the horizon.

I think this is completely off target....... while "people" (casual, not specifically U2 fans) may not be into them anymore, I don't think it's because of their "safe" approach. I know the prevalent feeling is that ATYCLB and HTDAAB were "safe" and "nothing new"...but Beautiful Day, Elevation, Walk On, Stuck In a Moment,Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights were all played extensively on radio/in public. The general music fan likes to hear the "sound" of a group of which they're familiar..the U2 sound, etc........"new" musical directions from an established group don't usually go over too well with the general/casual music fan.

Not true. Joshua tre was a switch and worked perfectly and made history. Achtung Baby was the graddaddy of all switched and worked perfectly and made history. This last record doesn't really seem to be a very big or radical switch. They look and dress the same. the songs are more extended but at the end end up being the same old stuff we've heard before only better.

The Joshua Tree was a switch? From what? From the chiming delay effects of The Unforgettable Fire as well as the impassioned vocals of Bono? Oh yeah, big revolution there.

To say that changing your sound is commercially viable is just stupid. If that's the case, nobody would have placed any value on Achtung Baby's innovation. The reason why it was highly lauded is because it was a commercial risk that paid off. 

Believe me releasing Achtung made them insecure since they absolutly had no indication how people would react or get it. It was a very bold move to that not knowing if people would run away or embrace but they took the risk anyway and that took balls. And it worked on all fronts. It just might not have worked. it could've been a career killer.

[wrldchamps04]

People are not that into u2 any more. To be honest it's their own fault. The safe mode is killing the interest in them. The biggest complaint I hear is that every U2 song sounds the same. Nothing new on the horizon.

I think this is completely off target....... while "people" (casual, not specifically U2 fans) may not be into them anymore, I don't think it's because of their "safe" approach. I know the prevalent feeling is that ATYCLB and HTDAAB were "safe" and "nothing new"...but Beautiful Day, Elevation, Walk On, Stuck In a Moment,Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights were all played extensively on radio/in public. The general music fan likes to hear the "sound" of a group of which they're familiar..the U2 sound, etc........"new" musical directions from an established group don't usually go over too well with the general/casual music fan.

Not true. Joshua tre was a switch and worked perfectly and made history. Achtung Baby was the graddaddy of all switched and worked perfectly and made history. This last record doesn't really seem to be a very big or radical switch. They look and dress the same. the songs are more extended but at the end end up being the same old stuff we've heard before only better.

The Joshua Tree was a switch? From what? From the chiming delay effects of The Unforgettable Fire as well as the impassioned vocals of Bono? Oh yeah, big revolution there.

To say that changing your sound is commercially viable is just stupid. If that's the case, nobody would have placed any value on Achtung Baby's innovation. The reason why it was highly lauded is because it was a commercial risk that paid off. 

Believe me releasing Achtung made them insecure since they absolutly had no indication how people would react or get it. It was a very bold move to that not knowing if people would run away or embrace but they took the risk anyway and that took balls. And it worked on all fronts. It just might not have worked. it could've been a career killer.

This is all true and I love AB...but the songs that got on the radio/public air play were NOT the particularly innovative ones.....One, Even Better,Whose Gonna Ride.....Mysterious Ways were basically unmistakable U2 songs....The Fly got some air play but only because it was the lead single and stations had to play it or NOT play the new U2 song.

[u2and]

Yes impossible? but it happened, walking by NY and company at the mall, i was stunned, a familiar voice, but more familiar the beat, yes! It was Crazy Tonight the dance remix, well after almost going into cardiac arrest i stopped to get a coffee in the same mall, in the food court area, I saw a familiar face on the video screen, Edge, they were playing Boots! This was within 20 minutes of the last song! Topping it off, went out to eat and heard Stuck in a Moment acoustic. I am not lying about this, I ACTUALLY heard NLOTH in public! yeah baby! 50 days till my first show! Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jesus - did you leave screaming?

[countrygirl]

Yes impossible? but it happened, walking by NY and company at the mall, i was stunned, a familiar voice, but more familiar the beat, yes! It was Crazy Tonight the dance remix, well after almost going into cardiac arrest i stopped to get a coffee in the same mall, in the food court area, I saw a familiar face on the video screen, Edge, they were playing Boots! This was within 20 minutes of the last song! Topping it off, went out to eat and heard Stuck in a Moment acoustic. I am not lying about this, I ACTUALLY heard NLOTH in public! yeah baby! 50 days till my first show! Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm shocked that you heard the crazy remix version!! I heard the original version at the mall 1 time and I too almost went into cardiac arrest!! LOL
I never hear their new stuff on the radio though.    

[Johnny Amsterdam]

Yes impossible? but it happened, walking by NY and company at the mall, i was stunned, a familiar voice, but more familiar the beat, yes! It was Crazy Tonight the dance remix, well after almost going into cardiac arrest i stopped to get a coffee in the same mall, in the food court area, I saw a familiar face on the video screen, Edge, they were playing Boots! This was within 20 minutes of the last song! Topping it off, went out to eat and heard Stuck in a Moment acoustic. I am not lying about this, I ACTUALLY heard NLOTH in public! yeah baby! 50 days till my first show! Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm shocked that you heard the crazy remix version!! I heard the original version at the mall 1 time and I too almost went into cardiac arrest!! LOL
I never hear their new stuff on the radio though.    

And to think I get attacked by the U2fans lynch mob when I say that I hardly hear their new stuff on the radio or hear that anybody around me is remotely interested in it.