The U2 warm up threads

[jimmyt]

Yeah I agree with you. Its my favourite U2 album. The only one I listen to from start to finish. When I listen to The Joshua Tree now I tend to skip the first three songs. I don’t skip any with Pop (maybe Miami).

I’m not a fan of the “play the entire album” format though. The element of surprise and how a gig is put together is half the show for me. I saw Brian Wilson do Pet Sounds before and although when he said “We’re now going to play Pet Sounds from start to finish” the place went bananas, after “That’s Not Me” I would’ve preferred if they just mixed it up a bit. Predictability at gigs isn't a good thing.

[The Nal]

It's also why I love "inappropriate" covers at gigs.

[eonerf]

Based on this thread, I'm listening to Pop and so far it actually sounds pretty good

[The Nal]

Based on this thread, I'm listening to Pop and so far it actually sounds pretty good

[Wooderson]

Based on this thread, I'm listening to Pop and so far it actually sounds pretty good

Edited March 18, 2011 by Wooderson

[eonerf]

Why do you sound so surprised?

Edited March 18, 2011 by eonerf

[danbailey80]

Based on this thread, I'm listening to Pop and so far it actually sounds pretty good

[The Nal]

I'm a bit of U2 newbie. I've only really been delving into their back catalogue since they were announced to headline Glasto last year. I'm 20 so in the past I only really knew the likes of With or Without You, One, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Elevation. Its interesting to have a listen to their actual albums rather than just going on the general consensus and your recommendations have been especially helpful

Edited March 18, 2011 by The Nal

[Wooderson]

Love both of those tunes!

"Your holy war, your northern star,

Your sermon on the mount from the boot of your car."

[The Nal]

"Please" I find gives creedence to the "Bono is a knob" brigade. It is very preachy.

"Staring At the Sun" reminds me of something Noel Gallagher would write. The rhymes, the melody, the production, the sentiment. Just yuck.

[Wooderson]

What percentage of Bonos lyrics arent "preachy" though.

I like Please because it was written before the Good Friday agreement. Its a ballsie tune. Powerful stuff at the end too.

Staring at the Sun is pure mid 90s pop yeah and Im not sure what it means. Maybe an acid trip. Acid was "in" then if you remember.

[The Nal]

Staring at the Sun isnt great chief. "God's glue" is one of the worst lines ever. Muck.

[MEGABOWL]

Nah. Somewhere on this thread I was tellin Ivan that U2 should walk out on that Pyramid in June and Bono should say:

Lads, we have 2 hours... we're gonna play Achtung Baby and the Joshua Tree straight through, this is called Zoo Station.

It would instantly become the best gig in the history of the universe.

[the_hedge]

You're not wrong.

Bono "Lads, we have 2 hours... we're gonna play Achtung Baby and the Joshua Tree straight through, this is called Zoo Station."

Bobby Gillespie "Awwww bollocks"

Edited March 18, 2011 by the_hedge

[tevaburger]

"Discothèque"

"Mofo"

"Gone"

"If You Wear That Velvet Dress"

"Wake Up Dead Man"

Those 5 tracks are fantastic! However I still have a problem with the album. The rest of the record is patchy at best (If God Will Send... / Playboy Mansion) and at its worst downright maudlin (Staring at the Sun / Please). Given the strength of the above 5 killer tracks I can understand why people love the album. Whether it ranks above the "War" album or Unforgettable Fire - never mind Achtung Baby or Joshua Tree though I would doubt, however.

[Digi]

Bloody hell! U2 thread overload on a Friday evening after a crappy working week! I might go back and read everything properly in a sec!!

The Unforgettable Fire and AB would make a great show for me! Not a filler on either album BUT then i'd love to see Zooropa and POP too!

f**k it... I'd listen to a live full version of any album other than the last 2!

'The air is heavy, heavy as a truck' is THE worst U2 lyric EVER... then again, the only good thing about the song is the video and Larry Mullen with his shirt off..... and I know.... that was SUCH a chick thing to say!!!

[incident]

I can understand why some people don't rate Pop, but it really is crammed full of great songs (Starting At The Sun & Playboy Mansion being the only real duds for me). It's just let down by being massively overproduced in places.

An easy example is If God Will Send His Angels - compare the Album version to the (much later) Single edit and it goes from being a fairly patchy song to just wonderful. And likewise, many other songs on the album come alive when you hear the (stripped down) live arrangements.

[Toilet Duck]

Staring at the Sun isnt great chief. "God's glue" is one of the worst lines ever. Muck.

[sanyo]

U2 albums in their right order (in my opinion of course)

1)Achtung Baby

2)The Joshua Tree

3)War

4)The Unforgettable Fire

5)All That You Can't Leave Behind

6)Pop

7)Boy

8)Rattle & Hum

9)October

10)How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

11)Zooropa

^

^

^

^

12)No Line On The Horizon

Edited March 18, 2011 by sanyo

[KatiePC]

Am I the only one who actually like No Line On The Horizon??!! I don't think it is that bad. The title track I love and Moment of Surrender is quality too!!!

Personally I just want them to play Until The End Of The World as it is without question the best track they have ever done. And fingers crossed BB King is shipped over from the Jazz Stage to play with them. That will be amazing to see

[sanyo]

Personally I just want them to play Until The End Of The World as it is without question the best track they have ever done. And fingers crossed BB King is shipped over from the Jazz Stage to play with them. That will be amazing to see

[Toilet Duck]

Am I the only one who actually like No Line On The Horizon??!! I don't think it is that bad.

[When Jokers Attack]

I need to listen to Pop more, Only heard it a couple of times. I also quite like NLOTH.

Achtung Baby will always be my favourite, One of the best ever.

I wonder what the setlist will be for Glasto.

[KatiePC]

I'll put money on Elbow covering 'Running To Stand Still'.

I've just decided they have to do 'Bad'

[Bisque]

I'll put money on Elbow covering 'Running To Stand Still'.

I've just decided they have to do 'Bad'