A question for U2 fans

Pearls&StonesPearls&Stones Posts: 585
edited April 2006 in Other Music
Does anyone else love "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" as much as I do? I've been listening to U2 since I was 10 (27 now) and this album totally blows me away. I know a lot of people don't think it is so great, which baffles me. For starters, people hate that "Vertigo" starts "1,2,3,..14" in Spanish. The question i always ask is 'since when does Rock n' roll make sense?'

Personally, I think "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own" and "City of Blinding Lights" may be the 2 best songs they've ever done. If not, they are damn close. They definitely rank with "One," "With or Without You," "Bad," and "A Sort of Homecoming."

I've probably listened to it 250 times since it came out 18 months ago and I just can't get enough of it.
I love my female wife...
we sit around and wonder exactly why our marriage should feel threatened by gay marriage
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  • LedZepFanLedZepFan Posts: 1,009
    I'm at the point where my love of U2 is only rivaled by my love of Pearl Jam. I honestly love all of their styles and albums, even Zooropa and Pop. I actually like Zooropa A LOT more than some of their other albums. I thinkg HTDAAB is a really good album that gets a bad rap because when it first came out it was one of those albums everyone seemed to love at first but the feeling wore off. I dunno, I did listen to it a bit much but "Love and Peace or Else" feels like the closest thing to "Bullet the Blue Sky" that we'll get from them these days and "City of Blinding Lights" is just flat out incredible. That being said, it is still one of my least favorite overall albums, along with October and maybe Unforgettable Fire. Don't get me wrong, I still consider these albums far better than most stuff out there and I love most of the songs on them, it's just that as albums they don't strike me as U2's main artistic triumphs.
    I've faced it, a life wasted, and I'm never going back again.

    Some die just to live.
  • Great band...I'm just a little let down that I was two weeks away from seeing them and now its about 7 months or so. Although I can PERFECTLY understand why it had to be the case.....
    The wind is blowing cold
    Have we lost our way tonight?
    Have we lost our hope to sorrow?

    Feels like were all alone
    Running further from what’s right
    And there are no more heroes to follow

    So what are we becoming?
    Where did we go wrong?
  • Great band...I'm just a little let down that I was two weeks away from seeing them and now its about 7 months or so. Although I can PERFECTLY understand why it had to be the case.....



    But in 6 1/2 months you'll be glad it turned out this way. I saw them in Pittsburgh. This tour is awesome!!!

    If I had to rank U2's studio albums, I guess i would put...

    1. Zooropa
    2. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
    3. Achtung Baby
    4. The Joshua Tree
    5. Pop
    6. The Unforgettable Fire
    7. Boy
    8. All That You Can't Leave Behind
    9. War
    10. October ( the only 1 I don't love-- I just think it has aged poorly)
    I love my female wife...
    we sit around and wonder exactly why our marriage should feel threatened by gay marriage
  • lumpyfredlumpyfred Posts: 243
    Man its good to see some love for How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. Absolutely none of my friends like this one, but I thoroughly enjoyed it from the day it came out. Unbelievable! I can understand the argument that Vertigo was overplayed, but personally I haven't gotten sick of it or any of the other great songs on this album.
    Her?
  • flywallyflyflywallyfly Posts: 1,453
    This album grew on me slowly and now I love it.
  • mrwalkerbmrwalkerb Posts: 1,015
    This album grew on me slowly and now I love it.

    no man, this album is a bore at best with one great song and a whole bunch of redundant songs that are retakes of the last record. I used to love U2 and still think Actung Baby is a masterpiece the only thing is it seems that they were upset because Pop didn't sell and stopped trying new things. I think Pop is a wicked cd and would have liked to see where they went from there instead of just selling out to the people by playing what they want to hear. I have stopped listening to them almost completly in teh past year and don't really miss it all that much.
    "I'm not suicidal, except when I drink. That's why we don't all drink at the same time, there'd be no-one alive to drive home..."
    Chris Cornell

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  • WindNoSailWindNoSail Posts: 580
    But in 6 1/2 months you'll be glad it turned out this way. I saw them in Pittsburgh. This tour is awesome!!!

    If I had to rank U2's studio albums, I guess i would put...

    1. Zooropa
    2. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
    3. Achtung Baby
    4. The Joshua Tree
    5. Pop
    6. The Unforgettable Fire
    7. Boy
    8. All That You Can't Leave Behind
    9. War
    10. October ( the only 1 I don't love-- I just think it has aged poorly)

    I never owned them all, but I liked U2 better when they had original music. U2 started out punk and became pop. I like their oldest stuff the best, classic U2 sound. I have always loved War.

    They just need to get mad and write some angry music, something from the soul.
    HOB 10.05.2005, E Rutherford 06.03.2006, The Gorge 07.22.2006, Lolla 08.05.2007, West Palm 06.11.2008, Tampa 06.12.2008, Columbia 06.16.2008, EV Memphis 06.20.2009, New Orleans 05.01.2010, Kansas City 05.03.2010
  • U2 being one of my fav's I gotta say I preder the 90's stuff, never a big fan of the earlier albums up till Unforgettable Fire.

    I think that Zooropa geta alot of stick but for me I think it my second fav, also pop maybe not have turned out the way they wanted but some band are much more interesting when they fuck up and are not sure.

    Having said that Achtung is right on the money, a solid gold masterpiece and sure were not likely to see it's like again from U2.

    As for HTDAAB it's like the Gilmour album for me ( Floyd No. 1 Band) got more excited about it coming out than actually when I heard it. Yes Sometimes You Can't... is probably their best song since One.
    ( my all time fav U2 song not that travestity of Mary J version)

    Vertigo is good and I also like Crumbs, love peace, original of the species but the rest is really mediocre, Man & Woman is pure shite MOR.

    I really hope this band can start taking risks again and stop worrying about unit shifting, the previous album was even more disapointing generic U2.

    They need to go off and come back with something mindblowing again, unfortunately I think their comfortable in this position so we'll have to look to PJ and Radiohead QOTSA to give us some originality in Rock.
  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 16,925
    The only song I don't care much for is "One Step Closer"
    A few others took a little time to grow on me ("Yahweh", "Original of the Species")
    But all in all a very good album.
    Vertigo and All Because of You are great little rockers. Sometimes and City of Blinding Lights are classic U2. Love and Peace or Else has a great kick at the end, and was outstanding in concert. I like A Man and a Woman quite a bit, enjoy the flamenco sounding guitar, and Crumbs may be my favorite off the album.
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • last time this band came to my town, gold circle tickets were $165 PER TICKET PLUS SERVICE CHARGES

    that's all i gotta say about this band...
  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 16,925
    And GA floors were $49.50
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    i LOVE this album. i didnt actually buy it when it first came out, so i kinda missed a lot of the hype and everyone seemed to think it was such a disappointment that maybe i had low expectations. but when i heard it, it blew me away. i liked it so much better than 'all that you cant leave behind'. that album started strong but kinda of petered out towards the end, but the most recent one stays strong throughout (i agree one step closer is kind of a snoozer, but otherwise...). i think there was just a backlash from a combination of the vertigo/ipod thing and people just seeming to hate bono. anyway, for me, u2 is also the only band to give pearl jam a run for their money. ill work on an album ranking later :)
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    I like Atomic Bomb, but I for the life of me cannot stand "Man and a Woman". Most of the other songs on there I love, but I cannot listen to that one. I really dig "Original of the Species", "City of Blinding Lights", and "Love and Peace" though
  • gabersgabers Posts: 2,787
    It's grown from the initial contempt I had for it to now where I guess I'd say it's okay but not great. I agree with the earlier post about the song "Man and a Woman", oooh that's just a terrible song. Vertigo lost its charm very quickly for me. I'd probably say "City of Blinding Lights" is my favorite, but I would even consider it one of U2's better songs. My two favorite albums are Achtung Baby and Zooropa. Hell I even liked Pop after giving it another chance a few years after it came out. I think the problem is for me that there is no better album than Achtung Baby, period, and that's a whole lot to live up to. I still and always will love U2 though. They'll always be one of my favorites for their entire catalog if not for their most recent album.
  • vmfuryvmfury Posts: 1,091
    I can't get enough of this album. Absolutely solid from beginning to end. :)
    We’ll meet again, but not yet…not yet. 
  • Poncier wrote:
    And GA floors were $49.50

    do you know what percentage of tickets made available were GA floors? a very small number!

    GOLD CIRCLE = $ 165 PLUS SERVICE CHARGE

    no band is worth that kinda money :(

    sorry to burst your bubble

    the only thing U2 care about is making a HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PER TOUR...all at the fan's expense... :(
  • surferdudesurferdude Posts: 2,057
    do you know what percentage of tickets made available were GA floors? a very small number!

    GOLD CIRCLE = $ 165 PLUS SERVICE CHARGE

    no band is worth that kinda money :(

    sorry to burst your bubble

    the only thing U2 care about is making a HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PER TOUR...all at the fan's expense... :(
    GA's were $49.50, upper deck were $49.50. Good seated were expensive but did you catch the price of PJ tickets in Minnesota and a few other places, over $100 each.
    At least with U2 everyone has a chance to be front row. Pearl Jam's seniority system ensures that I will never have better than mediocore tickets.
    “One good thing about music,
    when it hits you, you feel to pain.
    So brutalize me with music.”
    ~ Bob Marley
  • funkymonkfunkymonk Posts: 279
    I too like HTDAAB and don't really know why more fans don't like it. It is probably for the same reason that most fans of PJ don't like any of their more recent albums - fan purism. A band like U2 will make a really great, classic album like Achtung and after that it is impossible for fans to like anything else from the band. In some respects it's like the band is expected to continue making the same type of album and are not allowed to try anything different.

    So yeah, I really like HTDAAB and loved the Vertigo tour. When I saw them in Boston in October it was one of the best shows I have seen. The Vertigo DVD is phenomenal as well. Not surprisingly, people don't seem to like the DVD all that much either. Go figure!
  • surferdudesurferdude Posts: 2,057
    funkymonk wrote:
    I too like HTDAAB and don't really know why more fans don't like it. It is probably for the same reason that most fans of PJ don't like any of their more recent albums - fan purism. A band like U2 will make a really great, classic album like Achtung and after that it is impossible for fans to like anything else from the band. In some respects it's like the band is expected to continue making the same type of album and are not allowed to try anything different.

    So yeah, I really like HTDAAB and loved the Vertigo tour. When I saw them in Boston in October it was one of the best shows I have seen. The Vertigo DVD is phenomenal as well. Not surprisingly, people don't seem to like the DVD all that much either. Go figure!
    HTDAAB is a great album. It made for a great tour. The only song on the album I don't like is Man and a Woman.
    U2 has one of the most amazing stretch of albums where each album is amazing but is a big departure from the previous album. Unfortgetable Fire sounds nothing like War. Joshua Tree sounds nothing like UF. Then Rattle and Hum is an extension of JT. Achtung Baby is a big departure from JT and R&H. Finally, Zooropa is a big change from AB. An amazing strech of diversity between albums. I'm not sure we'll ever see a band be so successful in keeping an ever changing sound.
    “One good thing about music,
    when it hits you, you feel to pain.
    So brutalize me with music.”
    ~ Bob Marley
  • Bathgate66Bathgate66 Posts: 15,813
    Digital Spy
    25th April 2006

    U2 ready for legal action in Denver

    by David Cribb

    It has been reported that Irish band U2 could be involved in a legal
    tussle with Denver City Council over footage from a concert in 1983.

    The footage in question, Under A Blood Red Sky, was recorded by Rick
    Wurpel in Denver, but went missing five years ago. It has since been
    found in the archives of the city's council, who claim they bought
    the tapes from one of Wurpel's employees for $3,000.

    Over the past twenty years, the value of the footage has increased
    exponentially, making the original price paid seem ludicrous. The
    council has apparently said that it will not return the tapes until
    Wurpel's ownership can be verified.

    It would seem that legal proceedings may be the inevitable outcome of
    the disagreement.
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  • jcfranzjcfranz Posts: 168
    do you know what percentage of tickets made available were GA floors? a very small number!

    GOLD CIRCLE = $ 165 PLUS SERVICE CHARGE

    no band is worth that kinda money :(

    sorry to burst your bubble

    the only thing U2 care about is making a HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PER TOUR...all at the fan's expense... :(

    Actually....yes a U2 show is worth that amount of money. there was nothing like being on the floor (in the elipse) within arms reach's of The Edge.

    How much would you pay for this experience with Pearl Jam?
    It's easy to grin, When your ship comes in, And you've got the stock market beat. But the man worthwhile, Is the man who can smile, When his shorts are too tight in the seat
  • jcfranz wrote:
    Actually....yes a U2 show is worth that amount of money. there was nothing like being on the floor (in the elipse) within arms reach's of The Edge.

    How much would you pay for this experience with Pearl Jam?

    $50 and a fan club membership...but that is missing the point entirely!


    ummmm tom petty and pearl jam are playing for $100 a ticket and that was including s. charges if i do remember properly...

    you do the math there...thats $50 per band...does that mean if you were gold circle for u2 that their show is worth 3TIMES what petty/pj charge seperately when playing together at the same gig...follow me ???

    u2 are all about soaking ya for the beleif that their show is worth that much...when clearly you are getting a better show with tom petty AND pearl jam...actualy 3 TIMES BETTER

    NUF SAID

    U2=GREED
  • surferdudesurferdude Posts: 2,057
    $50 and a fan club membership...but that is missing the point entirely!


    ummmm tom petty and pearl jam are playing for $100 a ticket and that was including s. charges if i do remember properly...

    you do the math there...thats $50 per band...does that mean if you were gold circle for u2 that their show is worth 3TIMES what petty/pj charge seperately when playing together at the same gig...follow me ???

    u2 are all about soaking ya for the beleif that their show is worth that much...when clearly you are getting a better show with tom petty AND pearl jam...actualy 3 TIMES BETTER

    NUF SAID

    U2=GREED
    I wouldn't pay $20 bucks to go see Tom Petty. So most Pearl Jam fans are paying a little over $100 a ticket to go see a shortened Pearl Jam concert with a decent opening act. Newer Pearl Jam fans will get nothing better than mediocore seats for that $100+. Newsflash for you, U2's mediocore seats were $95.
    I wonder what your math tells you now about Pearl jam.
    “One good thing about music,
    when it hits you, you feel to pain.
    So brutalize me with music.”
    ~ Bob Marley
  • surferdudesurferdude Posts: 2,057
    jcfranz wrote:
    Actually....yes a U2 show is worth that amount of money. there was nothing like being on the floor (in the elipse) within arms reach's of The Edge.
    I had that exact experience for the Portland show. Very front row in the ellipse bang on in front of the Edge. Got Bono's pick, a setlist and a water bottle.

    Due to fanclub seniority rules this type of concert experience is an impossibility at a Pearl Jam concert for me.

    People slagging U2 are really just mis-informed and jealous.
    “One good thing about music,
    when it hits you, you feel to pain.
    So brutalize me with music.”
    ~ Bob Marley
  • Clifwith1fClifwith1f Posts: 143
    I think HTDAAB is their third-best effort besides Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby.
  • spnkrispnkri Posts: 137
    I'm not sure where I'd place HTDAAB because I love all their albums and I have all of them. Vertigo is my favorite from the album and I can listen to it over and over without getting sick of it. Other great songs are Yahweh, City Of Blinding Lights and Crumbs From Your Table. Actually, they're all great except for Original Of The Species. I just could never get into that song.

    Has anyone heard the outtakes from this album? I've heard Native Son which is basically Vertigo with different lyrics and a slightly different melody, but I'd love to get my hands on some of the other outtakes.
  • soapyrowssoapyrows Posts: 235
    I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!! I love Original of the Species!!!!!!!!!!!! I think that song is so beautiful - especially when you listen to it really loudly through good earphones!!! I think it's such a masterpiece; a really moving and emotionally driven song. I think it's up there with my favourite u2 songs like Red Hill Mining Town and All I want is you. I can't wait until November to see them either - somehow I think it'll be one of the best nights ever of my life. :) i love u2
    EVENFLOW MEMBER #009 and i'm LOVIN the new PJ!!!! avacado all the way!!

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  • LedZepFanLedZepFan Posts: 1,009
    Wow its great hearing so much love for the 90s stuff, most of the U2 fans I know don't dig it, or at least don't prefer it over the 80s or 00s stuff. Personally, Achtung baby is one of my all time favorite albums and I think it blows most other albums(by any artists) out of the water without breaking a sweat. I also recently grew to love and appreciate Zooropa(especially this one, like it a lot more than some of the early 80s stuff) through ATYCLB.....honestly, they might have lost the badassness these days, some of the writing isnt quite as good, but theyre still putting out music far better than most of the stuff out there. I would still love to see them come out with a real kickass,epic album that all the fans can love before they finally pack it up.
    I've faced it, a life wasted, and I'm never going back again.

    Some die just to live.
  • Jammin909Jammin909 Posts: 888
    jcfranz wrote:
    there was nothing like being on the floor (in the elipse) within arms reach's of The Edge.

    I had to pay $250 for the 5-14 Philly show this year but same deal, honestly best night of my life being 5 feet from fucking U2.

    Yes they are commercial and whatever else but they have been around for 25 years and Bono loves the spotlight so more power to 'em.
    The less you know, the more you believe.
  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 16,925
    do you know what percentage of tickets made available were GA floors? a very small number!

    GOLD CIRCLE = $ 165 PLUS SERVICE CHARGE

    no band is worth that kinda money :(

    sorry to burst your bubble
    About 10-12% of most arenas capacity, usually about 2,000 tix were GA.(most arenas held between 16k and 20k)
    The highest priced option was generally the lower arena seats, using Boston as my example, it was 16 out of the 22 loge sections (sides and rears were the $95 tickets, and your best "value" outside of GA imo), about 25% of tix.
    The $95.00 loges accounted for about another 10%, $95 balconies were about 35% and $49.50 balconies were another 10-15%.


    "No band is worth that kind of money" is your assessment. I don't like the price, but did pay it for one of the 6 shows I attended with no regret. Keeping in mind U2's status in music, their price structure is reasonable compared to acts like The Rolling Stones (top price $450), Madonna (top price $350 plus auctioning off the best seats for more), Paul Mac (top price $250), The Eagles (top price $175) and many other of the larger names in music today.

    The fact that U2 easily sold out every show tells you they assessed the marketplace correctly in terms of price structure, if not undervalued the prices a bit.

    My bubble isn't burst, I have been attending concerts for over 2 decades now and have become very selective about how I spend my concert dollars, I have seen 22 U2 shows and never felt slighted nor felt that I overpaid. Same holds for 14 (soon to be 17) Pearl Jam shows.

    What astounds me is the people here who complain about PJ tix prices at $51 base. They should take a hard look at the tour industry as a whole and compare the value of a Pearl Jam show to others, there should be no bitching about the price.
    This weekend we rock Portland
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