Liam G on U2

Originally posted by TheRefugee:Liam G is a moron. We all know that. When it suited Oasis to try and get a leg up in breaking the US in '97, he happily jumped on the bandwagon by supporting U2. Of course, to a certain extent the association was beneficial for U2 too.

Liam G is not known for irony or subtley, so I doubt that his tongue was in his cheek. However, he is being calculating to a degree. Liam G has a new lp in the works and a clothes design line to promote, so it probably makes sense for him to distance himself from brother Noel with comments like this. Noel has been always positive about U2, but has dried up creatively and only seems interested in becoming an elder statesman of rock.

U2 have never been 'cool' in the eyes of the UK trend setters and that does influence how U2 fans are perceived (in terms of musical taste) by their peers. Q magazine aside, U2 have had few supporters in the UK press. Bono has commented on this himself in the past referring to the UK music writers' (NME and the old Melody Maker) 'public schoolboy attitude' to the guys from Dublin who 'dared to put their heads above the parapet'. Famously, the same NME magazine were glad to put U2 on the cover in 2000 to increase sales ofl their rag, yet in their review of the 'Beautiful Day' single (in the same issue!!) suggested that someone should do a 'Mark Chapman' on Bono and only 'aim lower'. I'll never forget that. That's the captive audience to whom Liam G makes his comments.

Unlike in the US and Europe, U2 has faced snobbery from the UK 'indie' press throughout their career. Liam G is just playing up to that. He is trying to ingratiate himself with their readership or the tabloids with comments like this about U2. Ultimately, these comments will not do any damage to U2 with Glastonbury on the horizon. Remember Noel's remarks about Jay-Z last year. The real damage from a PR point of view was done when U2 decided that being 'tax efficient' (Edge's words on Irish National radio when explaining moving royalties business to Holland) was important. Now that's a tough one to defend to my Non-U2 fan friends.

Originally posted by TheRefugee:Liam G is a moron. We all know that. When it suited Oasis to try and get a leg up in breaking the US in '97, he happily jumped on the bandwagon by supporting U2. Of course, to a certain extent the association was beneficial for U2 too.

Liam G is not known for irony or subtlety, so I doubt that his tongue was in his cheek. However, he is being calculating to a degree. Liam G has a new lp in the works and a clothes design line to promote, so it probably makes sense for him to distance himself from brother Noel with comments like this. Noel has been always positive about U2, but has dried up creatively and only seems interested in becoming an elder statesman of rock.

U2 have never been 'cool' in the eyes of the UK trend setters and that does influence how U2 fans are perceived (in terms of musical taste) by their peers. Q magazine aside, U2 have had few supporters in the UK press. Bono has commented on this himself in the past referring to the UK music writers' (NME and the old Melody Maker) 'public schoolboy attitude' to the guys from Dublin who 'dared to put their heads above the parapet'. Famously, the same NME magazine were glad to put U2 on the cover in 2000 to increase sales ofl their rag, yet in their review of the 'Beautiful Day' single (in the same issue!!) suggested that someone should do a 'Mark Chapman' on Bono and only 'aim lower'. I'll never forget that. That's the captive audience to whom Liam G makes his comments.

Unlike in the US and Europe, U2 has faced snobbery from the UK 'indie' press throughout their career. Liam G is just playing up to that. He is trying to ingratiate himself with their readership or the tabloids with comments like this about U2. Ultimately, these comments will not do any damage to U2 with Glastonbury on the horizon. Remember Noel's remarks about Jay-Z last year. The real damage from a PR point of view was done when U2 decided that being 'tax efficient' (Edge's words on Irish National radio when explaining moving royalties busWelliness to Holland) was important. Now that's a tough one to defend to my Non-U2 fan friends.

Originally posted by thechicken:[..]

Tax efficiency is about money, not music...and when money is in question the rule is always the more the better, so it just shows that they are normal people and not stupid people who lose a lot of money in taxes when they could be losing a bit less. I mean, I like bands because of their music, not because of their tax policies.
Same thing about Bono being a bit irritating...he is, but it doesn't affect the music in a bad way, so...
These are just bad excuses for not liking a band. A band is supposed to be about music, if you or the band are not then shame on you and on them.

Originally posted by TheRefugee:[..]

Come on, Bono ceased to be just 'about the music' a long time ago. In Ireland where the recession has hit harder than many places, it has not been good PR to avail of the generous tax exemptions available to artists here while at the same time moving part of your business outside the jurisdiction to make extra savings. It's notable that Bono has been quite silent on the subject in public and personally, I suspect that not all members of the band were united behind the decision. It was a blow to public perception of the group in Ireland. That's all I'm saying.

The announcement in July, '09 by U2 and The Ireland Funds re: a scheme to offer children/young people in Ireland the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and/or avail of vocal tuition, U2 to provide €5m to ensure the national rollout of the scheme on a phased basis to 2015, was no doubt an attempt to address the negative publicity here.

Originally posted by thechicken:[..]

I see where you come from. But I mean, it is a band, it is supposed to make music, not to save the country's economy. If they do that OK, very nice, but it is not something that you can fairly and realistic expect from them. I would do the same if I was rich and taxes were making me less rich.
It is very useful for people who want to put the band down, but quite ridiculous when you start to think about it.

Originally posted by germcevoy:[..]

U2 are more of a business now than a band.

U2 are too successful to be liked by the Irish. Kind of a compliment really so I don't think the tax deal fiasco has cost them too much credibility with their countrymen. Find me an Irishman who wouldn't do the same

Originally posted by TheRefugee:[..]

fair point. they were pretty well received in Croke Park last year where I thought Bono did his best to show his humble side in the between song chat.