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  1. To be relevant (=popular?) you have to have a good promotional avenue?

    Sad but probably true.
  2. so much speculation, Bono's words are taken out of his context (like so many times) and maybe all this talk and discussion was what he wanted.
  3. Yup.


  4. Sure. Also the album we got back in May sounds fantastic! Best work ever!

  5. Originally posted by dieder:so much speculation, Bono's words are taken out of his context (like so many times) and maybe all this talk and discussion was what he wanted.


    Yep. Ideally U2 would just do like Noel G. Disappear, and quietly make a record or two. Quietly. With no announcements, no Sgt Peppers reminds-me-of statements. No 'it might just be our best record' promises. Such announcements only betray insecurity. Work in silence, and find yourselves if you can. For the record, Noel G pulled out a fantastic record, without saying a word. Someone twitted in LA that Noel was recording an album at some point, but that was it.

    That is, ideally...
  6. I suggest someone should take Paul Mcguinness's words out of context and start a thread on the new album.

    " (No, and I think) I (would) have heard. (Not [at] all.) They are (always) working on the next record. I'm not sure what was said, but I think it was a chance remark taken out of context. I would disregard it."
  7. Originally posted by u2joostPlease let's close this depressing topic now.

    yes Please (pun intended) close it!
  8. Said by Eviltwin:

    I agree with your sentiment. But proper comparisons would be Pearl Jam, Green Day, Metallica, Coldplay, Radiohead. They might be slightly younger than 50, but they look and feel as "old" as U2. Metallica was on Jools Holland yesterday and looked positively ancient. Teaming up with Lou Reed didn't make them look any younger either.

    BTW Going back in time a bit shows you what singles can do for a band (WOWY) but also how fickle the singles market is.

    Did you know that Jacko's first single for the album Thriller was not a hit (best selling album of all time, 100mio unitd): "The Girl is Mine" charted quite poorly, as did "Billy Jean" initially...only after MTV was blackmailed into playing the video, did sales start to pick up. Billy Jean finally made it to #1 and the album took off with it. It got bumped off the UK#1 spot by...

    The Saints are Coming. US#2.

    My Reply: The Girl Is Mine not a hit? It hit #2 on the actual Billboard hot 100, not just
    on some vanity chart...    Billie Jean blew up from the moment it was released. I had never heard of Michael Jackson, but I bought Thriller in January 1983, around 40 days after release, because Billie Jean was blowing up. Yeah, I'm sure you think that The Saints Are Coming was a bigger hit than Billie Jean was. There was no buildup for Billie Jean...it was in the Top 40 within three weeks of release, and was the #1 R&B song within 3 weeks of release. Songs usually took 5 weeks or longer just to get in the Top 40. Billie Jean caught fire quickly.

    The Saints Are Coming US #2?????????????

    So The Saints was a bigger hit in the US than Vertigo, Beautiful Day, Streets, Angel of Harlem, One, EBTTRT, etc?????

    The truth is Saints may have hit #2 on some "Classic Rock" Chart, but I did not hear it on the radio ANYWHERE in Florida, one of the most populated states. I also never heard it
    anywhere else in the 10 other states I traveled in that year. The only time I heard it was when I watched the live performance on TV, and then when I bought the 18 Singles collection. I heard City of Blinding Lights on the radio, which was not a hit at all here.

    The Saints Are Coming Did hit #51 on the Billboard Hot 100, but I don't know a single Non-U2 or Green Day fanatic who ever heard of it.

    And even when Vertigo hit #31, the demographics targeted by Pop radio still included a few older acts. Not anymore. If you're over 50, forget it. Even being over 35 is tough. The Red Hot Chili Peppers got almost no airplay from their latest release, and that album is DEAD in the States.

    As an American, I was happy that our country helped make U2 the biggest band in the World. Now, I'm sad that US Radio is about as DEAD as can be.

  9. Originally posted by clover68:[..]

    the results obtained, also thanks to him doing what he's doing, would have been the same doing it much less publicly?
    should he take a step back just to sell one more copy of the album? he'd not be the Bono i've learned to know, estimate and love during all these years


    When did I say that it would be for record sales? My point was that if U2 are to reinvent themselves, I think one of the main steps in that would be for Bono to escape the caricature that's been surrounding him for the past ten years. It has nothing to do with record sales, but all to do with them progressing as a band.

    Like I said though, I can't see it happening. I hope something like that does, but I can't see it happening, and I'd be happy with wherever they end up going, as long as it results in good music!
  10. If Every Breaking Wave, North Star, and Mercy end up being on the next album, and are the best songs, I will be a little let down, but will still be happy they have another album. Although I dug the revamped Mercy live, I think the rawness of the orginal version was a little better. I doubt any of these 3 songs will make it on the next album. Considering their age, NLOTH is a pretty good old age album.

    As long as Ca$h McCa$hess is their manager, I don't think we have too much to worry about them breaking up.
  11. Yeah i agree as i put in my other post there is way too much money involved (for all parties) when it comes to U2 gigs/tours for them to just pack it in.
    Do you think if NLOTH had been released in 2000 it would've been a bigger hit then? I used to think that but when i compare it to ATYCLB i'm actually not so sure.
    Still fact is as big as 360 was,in the end it wasn't a NLOTH tour and that is a big statement of what even the band think of the albums songs.
  12. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

    When did I say that it would be for record sales? My point was that if U2 are to reinvent themselves, I think one of the main steps in that would be for Bono to escape the caricature that's been surrounding him for the past ten years. It has nothing to do with record sales, but all to do with them progressing as a band.

    Like I said though, I can't see it happening. I hope something like that does, but I can't see it happening, and I'd be happy with wherever they end up going, as long as it results in good music!


    sorry misunderstood .. i supposed the speech was meant to the "relevant" thing, in the sense often given here, --> top sales and so on.
    my fault .. thank you fo clarifying it .. in this case it's more acceptable for me
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