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  1. Originally posted by JRlovesU2:"...but the sales were not what they expected".

    Maybe if U2 gave up on these expectations, we would get more interesting stuff that actually interests THEM as opposed to what they expect the audience to like.

    But Lillywhite, U2, McGuiness, they can all have their opinion on NLOTH, so can I. And I still f*cking LOVE the album.


    No one is doubting their love for it in regards to his comments, not even Lillywhite. He's just pointing out that it didn't do as well as they thought it would, and that the approach they took didn't "translate" well, and they didn't have a chart topping hit. Unless I misread the article, I don't think he say's anything about not liking the album.
  2. I completely agree with the original poster of this thread. I was kind of pissed when I read Lillywhite's comments. It just makes me sick if people who are part of a project totally dismiss this project just because its commercial success didn't live up to their own expectations. I just hate that. We all know NLOTH wasn't a commercial success, but a lot of people love the album and it's simply NOT true that it got bad reviews, in fact it's one of U2's most critically acclaimed albums. The band, though admitting it sold below their expectations, said they still love it and believe in it. Lillywhite's back pedalling here is simply lame, he's trying to make a good thing look totally bad. Bad loser I guess

    The album wasn't a creative failure. Sales figures don't say anything about quality. It's IMO one of U2's best albums ever. I guess he and the band simply had different concepts about the album. While he apparently wanted to make an album with North African feeling, the band didn't follow that plan, as they have said many times. I don't think they ever tried to create a full album with a North African atmosphere.

    I wonder what took him so long to realise that it's such a weak album. Maybe he had a fallout with the band and is bitter. Surely sounds like that to me.
  3. Originally posted by Cypress:I completely agree with the original poster of this thread. I was kind of pissed when I read Lillywhite's comments. It just makes me sick if people who are part of a project totally dismiss this project just because its commercial success didn't live up to their own expectations. I just hate that. We all know NLOTH wasn't a commercial success, but a lot of people love the album and it's simply NOT true that it got bad reviews, in fact it's one of U2's most critically acclaimed albums. The band, though admitting it sold below their expectations, said they still love it and believe in it. Lillywhite's back pedalling here is simply lame, he's trying to make a good thing look totally bad. Bad loser I guess


    Are you also sick by the band member's comments on the NLOTH "failure"- especially Bono's? Lillywhite didn't mention the reviews btw. That's the author.
    As to why he only now realizes it was a failure - he was asked and probably answered.



  4. True, but HTDAAB was consistent throughout per song. NLOTH is too mixed up in my opinion. NLOTH has some epic songs, but they are let down by the surrounding weaker ones - NLOTH isn't consistent enough as a whole album - that's what I am saying.

    I still prefer NLOTH over HTDAAB in many ways, but at least HTDAAB achieved what it set out to do...
  5. Originally posted by yeah:[..]

    Are you also sick by the band member's comments on the NLOTH "failure"- especially Bono's? Lillywhite didn't mention the reviews btw. That's the author.
    As to why he only now realizes it was a failure - he was asked and probably answered.




    Yes, I am sick by the band comments. Same thing with Pop.
  6. I actually don't see the problem.
    He made some fair, quite objective points about the album that the band already made for some parts. He also didn't say he didn't like the album anymore or is ashamed for it.
  7. cool. Just sick of the changing of attitudes based on album sales. They did the same exact thing with Pop. Rolling Stone is guilty of it too, although I didn't see it on NLOTH. They gave Pop 4 stars when it came out...then later bashed it when it didn't sell well.

    I still like Lillywhite and U2...just get a little annoyed sometimes by the reactions based on album sales. I wonder what his comments would have been had the album sold well. Hopefully they would have stayed consistent.
  8. What's funny to me is people getting mad that the comments are being made over album sales. His comments were ABOUT the reaction amongst the mainstream, and how it didn't have chart toppers. Album sales=charts, that's the fact. He never said "the album was pretty shitty", he said "the album didn't do as well as they thought it would". You guys need to stop trying to read between the lines and taking this personally or whatever. No one's doubting the album's greatness, they're just doubting it's success in terms of sales, hits, grammy's, bringing in new fans, etc.
  9. Valid Points were made. Gerard hit the nail on the head, the early version of magnificent was magical. They toned it down for it to fit, and in doing so cut the heart out of the album.

    Major missed opportunity. BUT.

    All of these new songs are incredible.
  10. Sadly, it seems that NLOTH will end up like POP and most of RATTLE AND HUM (except "All I Want..." and "Desire" ) and be virtually treated as if it never happened.

    We are already down to... what.. only 4 songs from NLOTH

    It seems that is the same sort of recoil that U2 have taken when projects don't sell in the numbers some expect or they might want.

    I wish they would see that sales do not exactly = great songs. Great songs do not always = great sales.

    I like NLOTH alot. For me, I like all of the songs better than ATYCLB and HTDAAB. But it didn't translate into Joshua Tree / Achtung Baby sales figures.

    They should remember what Sean Penn told them around POP/POPMART... "Sometimes, people just don't like your new movie". That doesn't mean it is bad. That doesn't mean it won't be a cult classic. It hardly means it's bad. Not all albums are mega sellers. And it's good to have some songs, like those on NLOTH, in the U2 songbook. T'is my feeling on the matter.
  11. Well said, Jeff. I 100% agree. And sadly, that's what I'm more afraid of: since they probably will consider NLOTH a small "failure" in their career, they might go back to the ATYCLB+HTDAAB road....... and I think we don't want that.
  12. I think some of the NLOTH songs are good but there are also some songs on it which really suck imo.

    Good ones are: MOS, Magnificent, Unknown Caller, Fez and No Line itself
    Bad one are: Boots, Crazy, Stand Up Comedy and Breathe. I really dont like those songs.

    The other ones are ok I guess, not very good but not bad.
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Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.