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  1. … Now with many here reflecting POP these days, I want to point out a highlight of journalistic evidence back from the days. On April 11th 1997 the German reporter Florian Brugger from the lifestyle magazine „Max“ had the chance to talk with Bono and Larry in detail about their then new album and themselves. Results were and still are insights in a creative phase, that many - including the band - do see as kind of their 90ies’ experimental chapter, closed some years and a giant tour later. How I do miss these days, when the U2 world was still young and a musical journey into new territorries.
    So, dive in, if you know or don‘t know this communicative, funny and open-minded interview yet:
    https://www.u2songs.com/news/pop_interview_with_max_magazine
  2. Originally posted by ZOOTVTOURist:… Now with many here reflecting POP these days, I want to point out a highlight of journalistic evidence back from the days. On April 11th 1997 the German reporter Florian Brugger from the lifestyle magazine „Max“ had the chance to talk with Bono and Larry in detail about their then new album and themselves. Results were and still are insights in a creative phase, that many - including the band - do see as kind of their 90ies’ experimental chapter, closed some years and a giant tour later. How I do miss these days, when the U2 world was still young and a musical journey into new territorries.
    So, dive in, if you know or don‘t know this communicative, funny and open-minded interview yet:
    https://www.u2songs.com/news/pop_interview_with_max_magazine
    Thanks for sharing this gem from the past! It's always fascinating to revisit interviews that capture the essence of an era. U2's journey through the 90s was definitely a creative whirlwind, and 'Pop' marked a bold step into uncharted territories.
  3. Originally posted by ZOOTVTOURist:… Now with many here reflecting POP these days, I want to point out a highlight of journalistic evidence back from the days. On April 11th 1997 the German reporter Florian Brugger from the lifestyle magazine „Max“ had the chance to talk with Bono and Larry in detail about their then new album and themselves. Results were and still are insights in a creative phase, that many - including the band - do see as kind of their 90ies’ experimental chapter, closed some years and a giant tour later. How I do miss these days, when the U2 world was still young and a musical journey into new territorries.
    So, dive in, if you know or don‘t know this communicative, funny and open-minded interview yet:
    https://www.u2songs.com/news/pop_interview_with_max_magazine
    All I'm getting is a blank page.
  7. What a great interview!

    Makes me really miss those days.

    As I now see it, Pop was sort of the glorious last hurrah of U2 pushing their limits. The album is a beautiful mess. The center doesn't hold--you can sort of hear them passing the outer boundaries of what they're capable of and pieces are flying off. At the same time, the songwriting is strong and even the "not-quite" songs are fun. And there are absolute gems. Please, to me, is in the pantheon of great U2 songs. Gone and Mofo are not far behind. Dead Man is the song Bono always needed to balance himself out.

    The tour was great, whatever they think. (Their tours are always great.)

    By contrast, ATYCLB sounds so tame and lame. It's like an epitaph to a great band. And never since have they truly found/achieved the artistic energy/inventiveness/focus that was their hallmark.
  8. POP is heroic

    ATYCLB has some great tracks on it - but if POP was the last hurrah of U2 being rebellious then ATYCLB was the band stepping reflectively into middle-age and putting on a safe cardigan

    Not surprisingly, in later years, the track Vertigo was a glorious mid-life crisis though HTDAAB overall is a 'safe' album
  9. Larry: Ask me why we called the album POP?

    MAX: Why did you call the album POP?

    Larry: Well, it looks great on T-shirts. I just said to the guys "Look
    POP looks great on T-shirts, so why don't we call the album POP?"
    That's the reason.
  10. Originally posted by dstankie:What a great interview!

    Makes me really miss those days.

    As I now see it, Pop was sort of the glorious last hurrah of U2 pushing their limits. The album is a beautiful mess. The center doesn't hold--you can sort of hear them passing the outer boundaries of what they're capable of and pieces are flying off. At the same time, the songwriting is strong and even the "not-quite" songs are fun. And there are absolute gems. Please, to me, is in the pantheon of great U2 songs. Gone and Mofo are not far behind. Dead Man is the song Bono always needed to balance himself out.

    The tour was great, whatever they think. (Their tours are always great.)

    By contrast, ATYCLB sounds so tame and lame. It's like an epitaph to a great band. And never since have they truly found/achieved the artistic energy/inventiveness/focus that was their hallmark.
    I agree with ur POP comments but not ur ATYCLB ones, without that Album I doubt the band would be anywhere near as popular or had the ability to fill stadiums in 2024. It was an album they had to make , sure it's safer but it was a pivotal cog in the U2 wheel.
  11. Originally posted by EdgeMedia72:[..]
    I agree with ur POP comments but not ur ATYCLB ones, without that Album I doubt the band would be anywhere near as popular or had the ability to fill stadiums in 2024. It was an album they had to make , sure it's safer but it was a pivotal cog in the U2 wheel.
    Great music and being popular are 2 completely different things. There are a lot of artists who are very poplar and fill stadiums, but their music is rubbish. There are even more artists who make fantastic music and play clubs
  12. Originally posted by Zwervervriend:[..]
    Great music and being popular are 2 completely different things. There are a lot of artists who are very poplar and fill stadiums, but their music is rubbish. There are even more artists who make fantastic music and play clubs
    I agree... ahem... Taylor Swift

    (waits for the giant attack of the Swifties)