1. That's completely fine; I'm very understanding of that. It's a problem when he says "i'll mail it out this weekend, its ready"...and says that 2-3 times over 12 weeks. Not an uncommon complaint, but maybe he's gotten better.

    I think the article is a good idea. However, I think it's too late--if folks were getting into taping, they should have started at least 6 months ago by purchasing the gear and getting some practice.

    Even more so if they want to do IEM recording (my specialty), which is significantly more complicated than microphone recording.
  2. Originally posted by hoserama:That's completely fine; I'm very understanding of that. It's a problem when he says "i'll mail it out this weekend, its ready"...and says that 2-3 times over 12 weeks. Not an uncommon complaint, but maybe he's gotten better.

    I think the article is a good idea. However, I think it's too late--if folks were getting into taping, they should have started at least 6 months ago by purchasing the gear and getting some practice.

    Even more so if they want to do IEM recording (my specialty), which is significantly more complicated than microphone recording.
    Well, since U2 will most likely tour for the next 1,5 year some folks should be in time
  3. I know there's no point in complaining about folks getting into it late in the game, because we all have to start somewhere. I just recall a lot of folks trying to learn it on the fly back in 2009/2010 (particularly with IEM recording), and I generally chalk that up to lack of preparation. Notice how there's generally not as many good recordings from 2009, but improved as the tour went on.

    But hey, not everybody is as fussy about recording as I am.
  4. "Most venues have no-taping policies even for bands that allow taping (like U2)"

    Been taping U2 for almost 15 years, including venues that have had bands that allowed open taping...let me be clear that U2 does not allow taping. Band members may pay lip service that they're personally okay with taping, but that's as far as it goes. If you get caught, expect to get shaken down (as stated in the article).

    Other than that--kudos for writing the tutorial. I did something similar for a radiohead board a couple years ago. (http://board.ateaseweb.com//index.php?showtopic=235101228 if you have an atease account)
  5. Originally posted by hoserama:"Most venues have no-taping policies even for bands that allow taping (like U2)"

    Been taping U2 for almost 15 years, including venues that have had bands that allowed open taping...let me be clear that U2 does not allow taping. Band members may pay lip service that they're personally okay with taping, but that's as far as it goes. If you get caught, expect to get shaken down (as stated in the article).

    Other than that--kudos for writing the tutorial. I did something similar for a radiohead board a couple years ago. (http://board.ateaseweb.com//index.php?showtopic=235101228 if you have an atease account)
    Yeah, you got a point there. It's not like U2 has an open taping policy like Dave Matthew's Band or the like, but they're not against it either.

    Thanks for the kind words, means a lot coming from you. I will try and read your article too
  6. If you go up to U2 management staff, flash them a recorder and declare you're recording, I guarantee you'll have a rough night. Therefore, I would say U2 is against taping.

    I get your point that personally, they may feel okay about it, but the whole organization is against it. There have been stories of gear being confiscated or tapers being dragged backstage and interrogated.
  7. Is it something like drugs being legal to "own" a small amount for personal use, but illegal to sell/buy them?
    It's ok to have the bootlegs, as long as they magically appear without nobody recording it or something like that?
  8. Bit of a false equivalency, but I see where you're going with it.

    It's more like marijuana. Most folks, cops, and judges generally don't consider it to be a big deal. However, you try telling that to the cop with an ego trip when he catches you with a baggie of weed. You're gonna get popped, regardless of generalized societal opinions.

    I should tell the story of when I got popped by overzealous security for Van Halen in 2004.

    --

    fake edit: found my old post on TS

    Anyways, I'm up in the rafters sidestage for Van Halen, just putting last minute check into the recorder and turning it on before the show. I was being stupid and had my radio scanner out before the show, and just screwing around with it. It was stupid because I already had the frequencies from soundcheck. Through the static, I could have sworn I heard "He has a walkie talkie, are they allowed to have that?" Must have been some bleedthru, but I didn't pay close enough attention. Tap tap on the shoulder, "what's that? come with us." Ok, I'm busted, they haul me off to the backstage security area. Yelled at me a lot while I just sat there and smiled. Threatened about jail-time, yada yada. The only time I really tried to defend myself was by pointing out I hadn't actually recorded anything yet--I didn't tape opener and show hadn't started yet. Basically ignored me. I asked "so what's really gonna happen here, how do you guys wanna do it?" Gave me a lot of bad cop BS about "oh it's gonna be rough, depending on how you do it." I just scoffed at the absurdity of it. "We're gonna bring the cop in and see what he thinks."

    So I wait for 5-10 minutes. The show starts. I'm watching basketball with the other ushers on their break, who witnessed the whole thing. We're talking smack about Team USA Basketball getting beat in Athens.

    After waiting, a big heavyset cop comes in, looks at me, asks the guys whats up. "oh we found him recording the show." Cop looks at them, "why are you wasting my time with this?" I had to bite my tongue not to burst out laghing, as the wind from the security guards was knocked out. Cop leaves, and they basically chill out. They tried the bad cop stuff a little more but nobody, least of all me, can take them seriously. I think I heard a few snickers from the other venue people on break back there. Anyways, they take my drivers licence, run off a copy of it (while I sit there with the venue staff on break, keep chatting about how Team USA Basketball). They tell me I can take my stuff back to the car and watch the rest of the show. No dice, as I had gotten dropped off, so I had to get driven off the property where I called my ride. I had them drive me to the In-n-Out burger joint about a half mile away. I had a milkshake, listened to the soundcheck recording, and waited for my ride.
  9. If it's gonna be that easy to get backstage I'll see you there on tour bono
  10. Who said it was easy?


    Yeah, I didn't mean or say that being caught taping U2 was gonna be an easy deal... Not at all. In fact, there are cases where tapers get punished even while taping bands who openly allow and benefit taping; it depends on the venue (and the country it belongs to; e.g. , concert taping is still very unknown here in Spain, while it's really common in the US) more than the band or their mgmt. Taping is somehow risky and not an easy deal - but that's a good part of the joy as well
  11. My point was--it's not permitted. If U2 made a specific point as a team to emphasize to venues that taping was allowed, it'd be a whole different ballgame.