U2 Appreciation Thread:

Doctor J wrote:

Ah this oul nugget again

Put simply, I like this band. They're not my favourite band and I'll never be queuing up outside of HMV in the rain to buy their new album or a ticket to a gig, but I admire what they've done and I dig some of their tunes.

The Edge is never going to win Guitarist Of The Year but I think he is superb for what he does. He's not about leads, shredding, tapping or other forms of ****, he's not about big-cock guitar playing at all, so it continually amazes me when people go on about his technique, or lack of it. What he does is provide simple and memorable riffs and melodies, sometimes effects laden, sometimes not. His use of effects has been clever, rather than revolutionary which is, again, no bad thing in my book. When he plays, you know it's him playing, which is, in my opinion, one of the highest compliments you can give a musician. Adam Clayton is far from being the best bass player in the world but what he does, like Cliff Williams of AC/DC, is play what's right for the song. Granted, he may not be able to play more than that but surely that's enough? Same goes for Mullen, he's no Gene Krupa, but he's been part of a solid rhythm section for the last 30-odd years and I've yet to hear him play something out of place, or something that doesn't embellish the song in some way. Ok, so he's not throwing in Moon-esque fills all over the place and impressing drum forum internet world champions, but then again, you're not hearing his timing slip, you're not hearing him overwhelming the song with pointless overplaying. He provides a solid beat, himself and Clayton are a rock solid foundation upon which all their songs are anchored. You don't have a good band with a **** drummer. Fact. All three of them serve the song and, to be honest, I think it'd be great if there were a lot more musicians around here who could do that. As for Bono, he's no Bob Dylan lyrically, he's no Jim Morrison vocally, but I can recall more of his lyrics and vocals melodies than I can most other bands out there. Say what you want about his crusading, but the ****er's actions and persistence have put more food in the bellies of more starving kids than you or I will ever do. I would hope people here aren't petty enough to let begrudgery get in the way of recognising his exceptionally positive achievements which have made the world a better place for some of the most unfortunate people out there.

The band have continually re-invented themselves (ok maybe not over the last couple of albums) but they previously have never been stuck in a rut, never rehashed their old sound again and again. They have used technology cleverly to embellish what they do. Their stage shows are always inventive and they perform, they really put on a live show, unlike so many other bands out there. They have taken huge risks where others have remained content to re-write the same chords and sounds and they've done it all with a sense of humour. They still write songs by the four of them getting in a room and jamming for hours, which is admirable, it says to me that they're a real band, even after all this time. Fair play to them, I say.

dr.bollocko wrote:

I just cannot let this one go without throwing in my equally biased two cents.
U2 suck. They always have sucked and they always will suck. They're the Irish equivalent to the likes of Bon Jovi, or Aerosmith, and should be viewed as the same except for their endless soul searching bull****, their cynical attempts to gain rock n' roll mystique and their endless search for money, musical credibility, and to be seen as some voice of a disaffected generation that frankly, never existed and doesnt give a ****.
Bono cant even sing. His lyrics are frequently hilarious but the way he delivers them, like a modern day roboJesus, permascowling in his ridiculous visors out at the world, moaning about world poverty from one of his 153 Mansions, its a hilarious sick world that this jumped up little prick's opinions on world issues are ever given a stage. They're just another cog in the godawful wheel of the Irish music mafia and should be buried forever in a deep vault, where they belong, with the cranberries, the goddamn corrs, Louis's endless parade of musical muppetry and all the rest of the ****e that we have inflicted on the world.

Xavi6 wrote:

I salute you sir. Fanplastic post.

Xavi6 wrote:

Next time you quote I'd appreciate if you used the actual word I said. Nice one. Oh and yeah I did read it and it was equally as good. The only crap going is the opening post.