does anyone think "Gideon" sounds like Coldplay?

[kevinjanes]

Just for the record, I wasn't meaning to bash U2. I own every record through Achtung Baby, but nothing after it. I can still love a band's history of music and not like what they do now (or during a certain period as the case may be sometimes). Other bands that I do this with: Elton John post-1976, AC/DC post-Bon Scott, Radiohead pre-Johnny Greenwood and Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash's 1980's output...

[Half]

this is the internet

[DD]

i will remind anyone using "they won a grammy" to defend their favorite bands that milli vanilli did too.


zooropa is also a good album.  but yes, U2 did die after that.  or at least i like to pretend they did.

[kevinjanes]

C'mon man, don't act like you didn't do that scissor leg dance thing every time "Girl You Know It's True" came on the radio.  ;)

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

I think that overcommericialization of any band turns them into something they are not.  U2, REM-both became something else after they were suddenly "the biggest bands in the world"...if you recall, liking U2 back in the day was like getting religion-they were immensely talented, and just about conquered the world until they put on fly sunglasses and put huge video screens behind them and started calling the white house from the stage.  

REM has been on autopilot since "Monster".

U2 hasn't put out something I'd want to buy since "The Joshua Tree"

It happens.  Hell, REM signed some ridiculous 80 million dollar deal a few years back-how does one put out "quality" material at the clip the machine wants you to with that kind of money in your pocket?  You surely aren't a tortured artist anymore when you can buy an entire country...where's your inspiration??  Bad service at Starbuck's?

[ycartrob]

Mr. Conway, with all due respect, I have to say that after Adventures in Hi-Fi was the jumping off point for this REM fan. Actually, Monster does less for me than Adv in Hi Fi.

There are some fantastic songs on Hi Fi; songs that sound great when played LOUD.

I still remember the day in 1983 when I first heard Radio Free Europe on the radio (yes, the radio). I remember the exact underpass, the exact cloud structure, my exact feelings. I haven't heard many things quite that moving in my life. The Jacket does that for me today (and they really did last night in the Natti).

I miss the "old REM". A lot  :-[

[dragonboy]

Oh 7 of those Grammy Awards came from - All That You Can't Leave Behind
which came after they : " died after Actung Baby " ???

So Grammys are an indication of good music now?
Hmm...

[Oz]

Gideon sounds a lot like Coldplay. Imagine the guitar melody in the intro played on a piano and it sounds exactly like 'Clocks' and 'Speed of sound'. To be more exact, it sounds like Coldplay on X&Y. That big sound, craving for a football stadium... Wich is, indeed, a sound that they stole from U2.

As for R.E.M., I think New adventures in hi-fi is their best album ever and Up has some of their most beautiful songs. Reveal and Around the sun aren't that good, granted, but you could make one good album if you take the best songs of those albums. They still know how to write a song.

But yes, Michael Stipe has become a happy self-satisfied gay, Peter Buck is a grumpy old man who hates big rock machines and Mike Mills spends most of his time and money on his haircut and clothes. And they're insanely rich. The only reason they're still doing what they do, is because it's their job and they wouldn't know what else to do. How the hell do you remain inspired surrounded by luxury, with guys you've known so long you have nothing left to say to them and with a huge record company that's still hoping you'll write another 'Losing my religion'?

R.E.M. should quit and disappear for five years and then Peter Buck and Michael Stipe should make a low-profile acoustic album. Just like Tom Barman and Stef Kamil Carlens, but that's a whole different story...

[ycartrob]

Michael Stipe has become a happy self-satisfied gay

O, what exactly do you mean by that statement?

[Coltrane]

I'll bash U2...i'm not afraid....it's pretentiousness at an all time high.....recycled rock.....grammys are bullshit.....hell, even i've won 3 grammys!!!

The Edge is cool, though.....not for his music, mind you. But because he calls himself the "Edge" when there's nothing edgy about him. and when he talks, he makes absolutely no sense, but he knows that......

screw U2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ratsprayer]

I'll bash U2...i'm not afraid....it's pretentiousness at an all time high.....recycled rock.....grammys are bullshit.....hell, even i've won 3 grammys!!!

The Edge is cool, though.....not for his music, mind you. But because he calls himself the "Edge" when there's nothing edgy about him. and when he talks, he makes absolutely no sense, but he knows that......

screw U2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the more you post Coltrane, the more i like you.  neutral milk hotel forever, fuck us!!!!

wheeeee!!!

[Oz]

O, what exactly do you mean by that statement?

Well, I mean that he's no longer shy, weird and mystical about his sexuality, with that hint of mystery and artiness around him gone, and just open and clear about who he is, satisfied. Wich is good for him, personally, but it makes his art less interesting and less multi-interpretable. Some of the early lyrics were so weird that you could read anything in them and he wrote lyrics like that partly because he was confused about who he was and who he wanted to be. On Around the sun you hear the visions of a gay man in love with clear political ideas and that makes it somehow less appealing to me. Not because I have anything against gay men in love with clear political ideas, but because it's less open for interpretations and his former shyness and weirdness was more appealing, I think. Plus, somehow whenever Stipe sings a love song these days, I can't help but think it's about his French lover, while with his earlier songs, I could still imagine they could also be applied on my own experiences. Once again, I didn't mean to offend gay people, or anything like that...

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

wasn't he hooked up with Elijah Wood for a while?  Not that there's anything wrong with that...

[primushead]

So...um...I'm going to see U2 next friday.  It'll be sweet.