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DandelionPowderman
Clayton is known and respected among bass players for having a different sense of rhythm, and that does indeed contribute the U2's sound. I'd say they're lucky to have him.

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OzHeavyThrobber
Hear what you chaps are saying and to an extent I agree. But I don't agree that replicating his parts is all that difficult and while I expect nothing of the creativity of Entwistle or Flea I think he could (and should) have stepped out of the U2 bass bubble on occasion. Bono is apparently on record as trying to keep U2 a "relevant force" in music which is great given they've nothing to prove but Adam's bass style I believe jus the very thing that keeps them sounding nowadays all too samey.

The Edge has written some wonderful music over the decades I believe and had he had a bass player that had the creativity of McCartney or Wyman his songs would have been so much the better for it. Of course this is all just opinion so there's no right or wrong and Adam Clayton is a member of the biggest band on Earth so is doing something right.
However if he were ever bowled a googly and the Edge walked in with say "Satisfaction", the song would have suffered because Clayton would never have had the ability to go where Wyman did, and did so often.
As for the bass players of Sprinsteen and AC/DC, they never share song writing royalties and one of them at least is an employee I'm guessing and Rudd is probably just paid a fee as well although I'm getting well and truly into speculative ground here.Point is Clayton rakes in 25% of all U2 music royalties since 1980. That's my point. The others KeefRiff mentioned do not. Given the little he does for it I still think he's the luckiest mother in music ever. Yoko in my eyes isn't a musician and yes I know she's put out albums. She just married well (money wise at least) so I don't see her as being in this (albeit silly) category of mine.
I want Clayton's job. Applied for Bill's but Darryl accepted less money than me...><

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keefriff99
Good points about the Edge too. I cannot BELIEVE people are bashing the guy on here...he is incredibly innovative and brilliant. He's not a riffy, gritty guitar guy in the traditional rock'n'roll sense, but some of the soundscapes he creates using effects racks and pedals are simply breathtaking.

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Happy24

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keefriff99
Good points about the Edge too. I cannot BELIEVE people are bashing the guy on here...he is incredibly innovative and brilliant. He's not a riffy, gritty guitar guy in the traditional rock'n'roll sense, but some of the soundscapes he creates using effects racks and pedals are simply breathtaking.

That is true, but he has actually wtitten numerous great riffs too. Not all in a traditional blues / rock sense, but they are great riffs for sure - Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, Vertigo, Fly, Mysterious Ways, Numb... That man is absolutely original, invented his own style completely, wrote tons of great songs and seems to be a very nice, humble, down-to-earth guy.

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OzHeavyThrobber
Hear what you chaps are saying and to an extent I agree. But I don't agree that replicating his parts is all that difficult and while I expect nothing of the creativity of Entwistle or Flea I think he could (and should) have stepped out of the U2 bass bubble on occasion. Bono is apparently on record as trying to keep U2 a "relevant force" in music which is great given they've nothing to prove but Adam's bass style I believe jus the very thing that keeps them sounding nowadays all too samey.

The Edge has written some wonderful music over the decades I believe and had he had a bass player that had the creativity of McCartney or Wyman his songs would have been so much the better for it. Of course this is all just opinion so there's no right or wrong and Adam Clayton is a member of the biggest band on Earth so is doing something right.
However if he were ever bowled a googly and the Edge walked in with say "Satisfaction", the song would have suffered because Clayton would never have had the ability to go where Wyman did, and did so often.
As for the bass players of Sprinsteen and AC/DC, they never share song writing royalties and one of them at least is an employee I'm guessing and Rudd is probably just paid a fee as well although I'm getting well and truly into speculative ground here.Point is Clayton rakes in 25% of all U2 music royalties since 1980. That's my point. The others KeefRiff mentioned do not. Given the little he does for it I still think he's the luckiest mother in music ever. Yoko in my eyes isn't a musician and yes I know she's put out albums. She just married well (money wise at least) so I don't see her as being in this (albeit silly) category of mine.
I want Clayton's job. Applied for Bill's but Darryl accepted less money than me...><

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OzHeavyThrobber
Dishonest Kiff Riff? I hardly see how that term applies at all to what I said. I singled him out because this is a U2 thread. Just as if I thought the same re anyone else I may have posted similarly with regard to that artist/band.

This maybe an "anti U2" thread but I am not anti U2 and state as much in my post: "They do have some great music in my opinion though and clearly know their stuff given they're still the biggest band on Earth".

I like U2. A great deal in fact. I'd also say to anyone at least go and see them once if you have the opportunity. Clayton however in my opinion is not a bass player. He plays root notes and when on the odd occasion he veers from that path you get a simple and repetitive line ala "Mysterious ways". Given he rakes in song writing royalties unlike the others you mention, I would have thought in 38 years he could do a bit more than AAA, DDD, EEE etc is all I was saying. Hell good on the guy, but he is the luckiest guy in music I've known.

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mr_dja

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OzHeavyThrobber
Dishonest Kiff Riff? I hardly see how that term applies at all to what I said. I singled him out because this is a U2 thread. Just as if I thought the same re anyone else I may have posted similarly with regard to that artist/band.

This maybe an "anti U2" thread but I am not anti U2 and state as much in my post: "They do have some great music in my opinion though and clearly know their stuff given they're still the biggest band on Earth".

I like U2. A great deal in fact. I'd also say to anyone at least go and see them once if you have the opportunity. Clayton however in my opinion is not a bass player. He plays root notes and when on the odd occasion he veers from that path you get a simple and repetitive line ala "Mysterious ways". Given he rakes in song writing royalties unlike the others you mention, I would have thought in 38 years he could do a bit more than AAA, DDD, EEE etc is all I was saying. Hell good on the guy, but he is the luckiest guy in music I've known.

Having played the bass myself for the past 28 years, from my perspective, Clayton IS a bass player... He just doesn't do much with the instrument that could be called "creative" or "innovative". That being said, from what I've heard (mind you, I'm no expert in U2 music - I know the hits and have a couple of their albums in addition to the greatest hits packages), what he DOES play is nearly perfect for THEIR music. In my mind, U2's music, is typically a "soundscape" or a "pad" on which the words and melody lies. A busy, creative, innovate bass line would most-likely reduce the effectiveness. Ever heard of the expression that states: "sometimes less is more"? In my mind Clayton is the poster boy for that concept.

I can't believe that I'm actually defending Clayton's playing but, from a purely technical level, what he's doing actually IS NOT all that easy. While on the surface it may seem that it wouldn't be all that difficult to replicate his parts, the ability to keep rock solid, perfect, never changing 8th notes is only deceptively easy. Anyone who tries to pull it off for any amount of time will tell you that it's a whole lot more difficult than it would seem to be on the surface.

I won't disagree that Clayton is lucky to have found sympathetic musicians in Bono, Edge & Mullen, but I'd have to say that THEY are lucky to have found HIM as well. Clayton is perfect for what Edge & Mullen have been playing around him and they're lucky to have him in the middle holding them together.

If I had to vote on a topic of "luckiest person in music" I'd pick Yoko Ono as the winner of that title. We'll save that for another thread though.

Peace,
Mr DJA

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The Stones

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Hound Dog
Only clicked on this thread to see why there are 5 pages, Bono makes me want to puke and I really find it hard to believe they are as popular as they are cause their music sucks.

You think U2 sucks and still you decide to browse through a topic on U2 and even make a posting. THAT totally sucks!!!

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keefriff99

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OzHeavyThrobber
Hear what you chaps are saying and to an extent I agree. But I don't agree that replicating his parts is all that difficult and while I expect nothing of the creativity of Entwistle or Flea I think he could (and should) have stepped out of the U2 bass bubble on occasion. Bono is apparently on record as trying to keep U2 a "relevant force" in music which is great given they've nothing to prove but Adam's bass style I believe jus the very thing that keeps them sounding nowadays all too samey.

The Edge has written some wonderful music over the decades I believe and had he had a bass player that had the creativity of McCartney or Wyman his songs would have been so much the better for it. Of course this is all just opinion so there's no right or wrong and Adam Clayton is a member of the biggest band on Earth so is doing something right.
However if he were ever bowled a googly and the Edge walked in with say "Satisfaction", the song would have suffered because Clayton would never have had the ability to go where Wyman did, and did so often.
As for the bass players of Sprinsteen and AC/DC, they never share song writing royalties and one of them at least is an employee I'm guessing and Rudd is probably just paid a fee as well although I'm getting well and truly into speculative ground here.Point is Clayton rakes in 25% of all U2 music royalties since 1980. That's my point. The others KeefRiff mentioned do not. Given the little he does for it I still think he's the luckiest mother in music ever. Yoko in my eyes isn't a musician and yes I know she's put out albums. She just married well (money wise at least) so I don't see her as being in this (albeit silly) category of mine.
I want Clayton's job. Applied for Bill's but Darryl accepted less money than me...><

Okay, I TOTALLY agree with your point about the 25% royalties. Clayton is worth well over $100 million because of that, and odds are he has NOT contributed 25% to U2's songwriting over the decades.

Good points about the Edge too. I cannot BELIEVE people are bashing the guy on here...he is incredibly innovative and brilliant. He's not a riffy, gritty guitar guy in the traditional rock'n'roll sense, but some of the soundscapes he creates using effects racks and pedals are simply breathtaking.

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frankotero
10 guys under the stage? That's more than twice the number in the real band, I don't believe it. However, I do believe one keyboard can make a lot of sounds. Look at Paul McCartney's band, Wix Wickens fattens the sound with keyboards.

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GasLightStreet

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keefriff99

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OzHeavyThrobber
Hear what you chaps are saying and to an extent I agree. But I don't agree that replicating his parts is all that difficult and while I expect nothing of the creativity of Entwistle or Flea I think he could (and should) have stepped out of the U2 bass bubble on occasion. Bono is apparently on record as trying to keep U2 a "relevant force" in music which is great given they've nothing to prove but Adam's bass style I believe jus the very thing that keeps them sounding nowadays all too samey.

The Edge has written some wonderful music over the decades I believe and had he had a bass player that had the creativity of McCartney or Wyman his songs would have been so much the better for it. Of course this is all just opinion so there's no right or wrong and Adam Clayton is a member of the biggest band on Earth so is doing something right.
However if he were ever bowled a googly and the Edge walked in with say "Satisfaction", the song would have suffered because Clayton would never have had the ability to go where Wyman did, and did so often.
As for the bass players of Sprinsteen and AC/DC, they never share song writing royalties and one of them at least is an employee I'm guessing and Rudd is probably just paid a fee as well although I'm getting well and truly into speculative ground here.Point is Clayton rakes in 25% of all U2 music royalties since 1980. That's my point. The others KeefRiff mentioned do not. Given the little he does for it I still think he's the luckiest mother in music ever. Yoko in my eyes isn't a musician and yes I know she's put out albums. She just married well (money wise at least) so I don't see her as being in this (albeit silly) category of mine.
I want Clayton's job. Applied for Bill's but Darryl accepted less money than me...><

Okay, I TOTALLY agree with your point about the 25% royalties. Clayton is worth well over $100 million because of that, and odds are he has NOT contributed 25% to U2's songwriting over the decades.

Good points about the Edge too. I cannot BELIEVE people are bashing the guy on here...he is incredibly innovative and brilliant. He's not a riffy, gritty guitar guy in the traditional rock'n'roll sense, but some of the soundscapes he creates using effects racks and pedals are simply breathtaking.

Perhaps in U2's eyes the bass player coming up with his lines IS part of writing the song. I sure don't know by any percentage what Adam Clayton contributes to songwriting because, as any educated Stones fan knows, it can be a very, what's the word? Widely interpreted meaning.

So if you do in fact know for a fact what Adam Clayton does regarding songwriting please share it. Otherwise you're just speculating and that makes a spec out of you and the bug on your windshield.

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mr_dja
I find it kind of humorous that as I read multiple posts blasting Bono, Edge and Clayton, I'm actually liking them more than I had prior to this thread. Don't get me wrong, I'm still only luke-warm about their music and still have no desire to have Bono preach to me.

Where I'm liking them more is in their apparent dedication to each other and their band. Although I can't prove this, reading between the lines of posts above, it sounds like they collectively decided long ago decided that they would split writing credit & publishing royalties (I'm assuming gig & merchandise monies as well) four ways and stuck to that agreement. For all the grief that Bono gets over his wealth and how he manages it, it sounds like he & Edge have given half of what they could have claimed as their (assuming that Bono writes the melodies and lyrics while Edge writes the music) publishing rights to their two bandmates. Can anyone here imagine the same action from Jagger/Richards, Henley/Frey, Lennon/McCartney?

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treaclefingers

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mr_dja
I find it kind of humorous that as I read multiple posts blasting Bono, Edge and Clayton, I'm actually liking them more than I had prior to this thread. Don't get me wrong, I'm still only luke-warm about their music and still have no desire to have Bono preach to me.

Where I'm liking them more is in their apparent dedication to each other and their band. Although I can't prove this, reading between the lines of posts above, it sounds like they collectively decided long ago decided that they would split writing credit & publishing royalties (I'm assuming gig & merchandise monies as well) four ways and stuck to that agreement. For all the grief that Bono gets over his wealth and how he manages it, it sounds like he & Edge have given half of what they could have claimed as their (assuming that Bono writes the melodies and lyrics while Edge writes the music) publishing rights to their two bandmates. Can anyone here imagine the same action from Jagger/Richards, Henley/Frey, Lennon/McCartney?

Have to agree with you on the songwriting bit. I think the team approach has worked well for them and why shouldn't it. No bitterness, no jealousy.

I'll bet not one of the members EVER develop their own line of metal detectors.

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keefriff99

about the Edge. I cannot BELIEVE people are bashing the guy on here...he is incredibly innovative and brilliant.

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mr_dja

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treaclefingers

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mr_dja
I find it kind of humorous that as I read multiple posts blasting Bono, Edge and Clayton, I'm actually liking them more than I had prior to this thread. Don't get me wrong, I'm still only luke-warm about their music and still have no desire to have Bono preach to me.

Where I'm liking them more is in their apparent dedication to each other and their band. Although I can't prove this, reading between the lines of posts above, it sounds like they collectively decided long ago decided that they would split writing credit & publishing royalties (I'm assuming gig & merchandise monies as well) four ways and stuck to that agreement. For all the grief that Bono gets over his wealth and how he manages it, it sounds like he & Edge have given half of what they could have claimed as their (assuming that Bono writes the melodies and lyrics while Edge writes the music) publishing rights to their two bandmates. Can anyone here imagine the same action from Jagger/Richards, Henley/Frey, Lennon/McCartney?

Have to agree with you on the songwriting bit. I think the team approach has worked well for them and why shouldn't it. No bitterness, no jealousy.

I'll bet not one of the members EVER develop their own line of metal detectors.

I love it when I get to laugh! Thanks, I needed that!

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dcba

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keefriff99

about the Edge. I cannot BELIEVE people are bashing the guy on here...he is incredibly innovative and brilliant.

He's a one-trick pony. He stays away from power chording, he plays on the top strings, he tends to avoid the root note... since 1981!
He's a good song-writer but yeah a one-trick pony.

And who has he influenced? Keith ahs influenced tons of guitarists but The Edge?

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keefriff99

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dcba

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keefriff99

about the Edge. I cannot BELIEVE people are bashing the guy on here...he is incredibly innovative and brilliant.

He's a one-trick pony. He stays away from power chording, he plays on the top strings, he tends to avoid the root note... since 1981!
He's a good song-writer but yeah a one-trick pony.

And who has he influenced? Keith ahs influenced tons of guitarists but The Edge?

I'm sure the Edge has influenced loads of young guitarists.

And are you seriously suggesting Keith ISN'T a one-trick pony who took Chuck Berry and Ry Cooder for everything they were worth (his words)?

Please.

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mr_dja

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keefriff99

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dcba

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keefriff99

about the Edge. I cannot BELIEVE people are bashing the guy on here...he is incredibly innovative and brilliant.

He's a one-trick pony. He stays away from power chording, he plays on the top strings, he tends to avoid the root note... since 1981!
He's a good song-writer but yeah a one-trick pony.

And who has he influenced? Keith ahs influenced tons of guitarists but The Edge?

I'm sure the Edge has influenced loads of young guitarists.

And are you seriously suggesting Keith ISN'T a one-trick pony who took Chuck Berry and Ry Cooder for everything they were worth (his words)?

Please.

Wouldn't that make Keith at least a two trick pony?

Peace,
Mr DJA