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Elmo Lewis
I like, even love, much of U2's music.

However, I don't like celebrities - no matter how much I might like their art - pretending to know what's right for all of us. Bruce, Fogerty, Neil, Jackson Browne, Mellencamp, etc., even Mick, get the clue. Bono is one of the worst at this.

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treaclefingers

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Elmo Lewis
I like, even love, much of U2's music.

However, I don't like celebrities - no matter how much I might like their art - pretending to know what's right for all of us. Bruce, Fogerty, Neil, Jackson Browne, Mellencamp, etc., even Mick, get the clue. Bono is one of the worst at this.

I support the right for celebrities to have and even share their political beliefs.

I don't though like being beaten over the head with it, and I think that's where Bono has crossed the line...plus there is a fair bit of hypocrisy in his message.

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dcba
A new U2 album that sucks + the Iph0ne 6 debacle = a terrible week for Apple.
Sometimes it's the best plans to turn to crap in the most spectacular way.

Tim Cook and Bono must be shaking their head in disbelief...

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stupidguy2
I was recently reading an authorized biography of Sean Penn, and guess who pops up? Bono.
He pops up everywhere, and I know it shouldn't matter, but it does have an affect on how I listen, or don't listen to U2 anymore.
Truth is, I haven't embraced a U2 album since Achtung Baby, their masterpiece.
And it's primarily because of Bono and his post-80s persona.
And I'm not a conservative, so its not his politics, so much as it is the ubiquity of his omnipresence. He shows up on a Sinatra doc, an Elvis doc, a Mandela doc, a Muscle Shoals doc, a Sean Penn bio etc..
And this thing where he's pals with everybody who has won an Oscar in the last 20 years.
It just comes off as ....I don't know, but I can't listen to U2 anymore.
Not too long ago, pondering this dilemma, I listened to Two Hearts from War, to see if it still would have that thing that made me feel the way it did. U2 was big for me..82-84, I mean seminal: I remember the first time I heard Sunday Bloody Sunday during a radio interview and they were talking about Nicaragua, and being in high school and feeling disenfranchised, as you do when you're 14, 15...thier passion, like the Clash, made me feel something and it was life-affirming in the midst of teenage trying-to-find-meaning-in-something-ness.
Why can't I get that back?
*sorry for the ramble, but U2 meant something to me once, and Bono makes it hard for me to hold onto that.

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GasLightStreet

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stupidguy2
I was recently reading an authorized biography of Sean Penn, and guess who pops up? Bono.
He pops up everywhere, and I know it shouldn't matter, but it does have an affect on how I listen, or don't listen to U2 anymore.
Truth is, I haven't embraced a U2 album since Achtung Baby, their masterpiece.
And it's primarily because of Bono and his post-80s persona.
And I'm not a conservative, so its not his politics, so much as it is the ubiquity of his omnipresence. He shows up on a Sinatra doc, an Elvis doc, a Mandela doc, a Muscle Shoals doc, a Sean Penn bio etc..
And this thing where he's pals with everybody who has won an Oscar in the last 20 years.
It just comes off as ....I don't know, but I can't listen to U2 anymore.
Not too long ago, pondering this dilemma, I listened to Two Hearts from War, to see if it still would have that thing that made me feel the way it did. U2 was big for me..82-84, I mean seminal: I remember the first time I heard Sunday Bloody Sunday during a radio interview and they were talking about Nicaragua, and being in high school and feeling disenfranchised, as you do when you're 14, 15...thier passion, like the Clash, made me feel something and it was life-affirming in the midst of teenage trying-to-find-meaning-in-something-ness.
Why can't I get that back?
*sorry for the ramble, but U2 meant something to me once, and Bono makes it hard for me to hold onto that.

Just be glad he's not Ted Nugent.

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treaclefingers

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GasLightStreet

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stupidguy2
I was recently reading an authorized biography of Sean Penn, and guess who pops up? Bono.
He pops up everywhere, and I know it shouldn't matter, but it does have an affect on how I listen, or don't listen to U2 anymore.
Truth is, I haven't embraced a U2 album since Achtung Baby, their masterpiece.
And it's primarily because of Bono and his post-80s persona.
And I'm not a conservative, so its not his politics, so much as it is the ubiquity of his omnipresence. He shows up on a Sinatra doc, an Elvis doc, a Mandela doc, a Muscle Shoals doc, a Sean Penn bio etc..
And this thing where he's pals with everybody who has won an Oscar in the last 20 years.
It just comes off as ....I don't know, but I can't listen to U2 anymore.
Not too long ago, pondering this dilemma, I listened to Two Hearts from War, to see if it still would have that thing that made me feel the way it did. U2 was big for me..82-84, I mean seminal: I remember the first time I heard Sunday Bloody Sunday during a radio interview and they were talking about Nicaragua, and being in high school and feeling disenfranchised, as you do when you're 14, 15...thier passion, like the Clash, made me feel something and it was life-affirming in the midst of teenage trying-to-find-meaning-in-something-ness.
Why can't I get that back?
*sorry for the ramble, but U2 meant something to me once, and Bono makes it hard for me to hold onto that.

Just be glad he's not Ted Nugent.

chortle

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GasLightStreet

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treaclefingers

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GasLightStreet

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stupidguy2
I was recently reading an authorized biography of Sean Penn, and guess who pops up? Bono.
He pops up everywhere, and I know it shouldn't matter, but it does have an affect on how I listen, or don't listen to U2 anymore.
Truth is, I haven't embraced a U2 album since Achtung Baby, their masterpiece.
And it's primarily because of Bono and his post-80s persona.
And I'm not a conservative, so its not his politics, so much as it is the ubiquity of his omnipresence. He shows up on a Sinatra doc, an Elvis doc, a Mandela doc, a Muscle Shoals doc, a Sean Penn bio etc..
And this thing where he's pals with everybody who has won an Oscar in the last 20 years.
It just comes off as ....I don't know, but I can't listen to U2 anymore.
Not too long ago, pondering this dilemma, I listened to Two Hearts from War, to see if it still would have that thing that made me feel the way it did. U2 was big for me..82-84, I mean seminal: I remember the first time I heard Sunday Bloody Sunday during a radio interview and they were talking about Nicaragua, and being in high school and feeling disenfranchised, as you do when you're 14, 15...thier passion, like the Clash, made me feel something and it was life-affirming in the midst of teenage trying-to-find-meaning-in-something-ness.
Why can't I get that back?
*sorry for the ramble, but U2 meant something to me once, and Bono makes it hard for me to hold onto that.

Just be glad he's not Ted Nugent.

chortle

The scary thing is I CAN imagine how awful it would be if Terrible Ted spoke anymore than he already does yet alone has the presence of Bono...

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drewmaster
What a great article; thanks for posting, treaclefingers! I love the phrase "mom rock"; that's exactly the right phrase to describe U2's music in the new millennium. Safe as milk, dull as dishwater, and pandering to the largest audience possible.

What's so sad is that this band used to be so damn passionate and exciting. Their early stuff ... culminating with Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby ... had such drive, and such majesty, it was breathtaking. And then it all dried up, while Bono's ego and smug self-righteousness ballooned.

Ultimately, though, I find this all to be immensely satisfying, because it proves once again who the real deal is. The Stones are way too smart, and way too talented, to suffer this kind of fall from grace. And the one misstep the article's author makes is to claim that people don't go to Stones concerts for the thrill of watching Mick Jagger in 2014. For many, that is EXACTLY why they go.

Drew

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dcba
Bono is dead.

He's now perceived as the mega deal-maker of the "U2 Inc." a guy who lives only with people from the 1% upper-crust.
Previously he was perceived as the rock-star useful idiot who shakes hands with war criminals (Blair and Bush Jr).

I'm not sure which one is the worse...

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treaclefingers

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OzHeavyThrobber
"The Bono-led band’s Songs of Innocence, which U2 has hinted may be its last record"

It was stated upon free release that this is the first of three albums set for release over the coming 18 months. And the reason no-one can name a Nickleback song they hate is because as soon as they hear the lead singer start trying to sh*t razor blades they turn the channel - I can't hack "R and B" music or rubbish from "Pitbull" either but even though I'm subjected to it all at the gym I switch off to it cos it's crap - and I don't know any titles of these songs.

Many ppl may have been pissed about the new U2 lp being in their iTunes but mainly those that only have such trivial things to be concerned with would fleetingly give a toss. If someone is so incensed at something like this they have either series anger/psychological issues or are lucky enough to have this be the worst thing in the world for them.

Rag Bono and U2 all they want but the album will still sell in the millions and will be followed by I'm sure (yet another) the biggest tour ever.

I'm basically indifferent to all of this so take no side. This article no matter how well written will be soon be forgotten by all that read it - including any of the pending 10 odd million people that will go see them in the coming year or two.

Yeah they really need to go into damage control.

I think all you've said here can be viewed as gospel and crap at the same time.

It comes down to the quality of the album. If it were a crap album, that happened to be promoted in this massive way, U2'd be in a lot of trouble.

But...it happens to be good. If this were the promotion for No Line On The Horizon, I think you'd have a big problem.

The single though is great and so is the album, and that is the gospel truth (IMHO).

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OzHeavyThrobber

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treaclefingers

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OzHeavyThrobber
"The Bono-led band’s Songs of Innocence, which U2 has hinted may be its last record"

It was stated upon free release that this is the first of three albums set for release over the coming 18 months. And the reason no-one can name a Nickleback song they hate is because as soon as they hear the lead singer start trying to sh*t razor blades they turn the channel - I can't hack "R and B" music or rubbish from "Pitbull" either but even though I'm subjected to it all at the gym I switch off to it cos it's crap - and I don't know any titles of these songs.

Many ppl may have been pissed about the new U2 lp being in their iTunes but mainly those that only have such trivial things to be concerned with would fleetingly give a toss. If someone is so incensed at something like this they have either series anger/psychological issues or are lucky enough to have this be the worst thing in the world for them.

Rag Bono and U2 all they want but the album will still sell in the millions and will be followed by I'm sure (yet another) the biggest tour ever.

I'm basically indifferent to all of this so take no side. This article no matter how well written will be soon be forgotten by all that read it - including any of the pending 10 odd million people that will go see them in the coming year or two.

Yeah they really need to go into damage control.

I think all you've said here can be viewed as gospel and crap at the same time.

It comes down to the quality of the album. If it were a crap album, that happened to be promoted in this massive way, U2'd be in a lot of trouble.

But...it happens to be good. If this were the promotion for No Line On The Horizon, I think you'd have a big problem.

The single though is great and so is the album, and that is the gospel truth (IMHO).

Well of course one is entitled to one's opinion but one also has the ability to avoid being pointlessly rude in the process. I'll choose to be so and in so doing will say I simply disagree with your point of view.

"User agreements are never read. So of course the U2 album showing up on their phones is offensive and very Big Brotheresque. Uh huh - because you agreed to it. And then they have the nerve to not know how to delete an album from iTunes. People love to complain. They can't give it away? Those are the same people that obviously wouldn't buy it either.

Nickelback. I've heard them. Awful. Indeed hating (not liking, etc) a band and hearing them and changing it doesn't equate to 'you can't name one song'. Goddamn right I can't. Why would I?"

I agree GasLightStreet. Well said.

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treaclefingers

. but it gave the band a renewed relevance in the wake of 9/11, when songs like “Walk On” came to symbolize an America figuring out how to pick up the pieces. .

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stanlove

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treaclefingers

. but it gave the band a renewed relevance in the wake of 9/11, when songs like “Walk On” came to symbolize an America figuring out how to pick up the pieces. .

I threw up in little in my mouth after reading this.I hate when people try to make music out to be more then it is...Music critic fluff bullcrap.