GEN
Active topics
  1. That's odd I thought they produced AB I must have dreamt that, U2 aren't musical geniuses they admit that themselves Eno and Lanois were responsible for a lot of their best work.
  2. Originally posted by JuJuman:[..]
    This.

    Bowie constantly reinvented himself in the 70's: Diamond Dogs is different from Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane; Young Americans is still something else; Station to Station is yet another leap forward; the Berlin triology; and finally Scary Monsters.

    But Bowie wasn't a band!

    I also would argue that the shift from JT/R&H to AB was probably more drastic than any shift between any Bowie album and the next.

    What's peculiar about AB is not only that it broke with pretty much everything U2 had been up to until then - it is also its consistency (all terrific songs) and success. Bowie's output in the 70's was consistently stellar. But he only had one Big Album, Ziggy Stardust. U2 had two, JT and AB. And they're completely different.
    I would absolutely disagree with the point that the shift from JT to AB is "more drastic" than any Bowie album to the next. Perhaps comparable, but from Young Americans to Station to Station into the Berlin trilogy, it's practically unrecognisable. I've always thought with Bowie it was seamless, with U2 it was deliberate.
  3. Off-topic / on-topic.

    I saw someone on facebook with this lighting for their living room. Isn't it amazing.

  4. Originally posted by KieranU2:[..]
    I would absolutely disagree with the point that the shift from JT to AB is "more drastic" than any Bowie album to the next. Perhaps comparable, but from Young Americans to Station to Station into the Berlin trilogy, it's practically unrecognisable. I've always thought with Bowie it was seamless, with U2 it was deliberate.
    OK, let's settle on comparable, then.

    And yes, as others have pointed out, let's not forget that U2 had already made a big leap forward from War to TUF.

    You're absolutely right that Young Americans, StS and the Berling triology all sound very, very different. I guess one difference with U2 is that none of these albums reached Stardust-like status. By contrast, War, JT, AB, are all big albums, especially the latter two. So, perhaps, the change with U2 was more visible.

    But yes, I take the point that it's probably fruitless to try to establish a winner here - there's no competition to begin with. And I'm sure Bono & co. would just be more than happy to be put by fans in the same ballpark as Bowie. (If they aren't they should be. But I know they are!)
  5. U2 had the vision and they were 'clever' enough to bring in the talented duo of Eno - Lanois to turn this vision into an album. To call U2 poster boys is just wrong. U2 had the ideas, the 'audacity' to change the sound that made them what they were, they exposed themselves into new sounds and wanted to create something totally different and unique. It's not like Eno or Lanois called U2 and told them 'hey, we have written songs that we want you to record for your new album'. U2 wanted to push themselves to new sonic heights and Eno / Lanois job was to help them push through the struggle and provide them with guidance whether that's challenging U2, throwing ideas or contributing to the music themselves. That's the producers job. And it goes both ways; AB is a masterpiece as an album for U2 and it's also part of Eno / Lanois legacy as producers. Producers are there to help the creative process and make sure the end result is what the band / collective band crew wanted.
  6. Originally posted by iamcrazytonight:U2 had the vision and they were 'clever' enough to bring in the talented duo of Eno - Lanois to turn this vision into an album. To call U2 poster boys is just wrong. U2 had the ideas, the 'audacity' to change the sound that made them what they were, they exposed themselves into new sounds and wanted to create something totally different and unique. It's not like Eno or Lanois called U2 and told them 'hey, we have written songs that we want you to record for your new album'. U2 wanted to push themselves to new sonic heights and Eno / Lanois job was to help them push through the struggle and provide them with guidance whether that's challenging U2, throwing ideas or contributing to the music themselves. That's the producers job. And it goes both ways; AB is a masterpiece as an album for U2 and it's also part of Eno / Lanois legacy as producers. Producers are there to help the creative process and make sure the end result is what the band / collective band crew wanted.
    Eno and Lanois were instrumental in changing their sound, U2 probably said to them we wanna sound that's a cross between 70s Bowie and the Happy Monday and Stone Roses we can't do it ourselves can you do it for us ,now that's not a sleight on U2 most bands artists need a visionary musical genius to implement their ideas and sound the only one who didn't need one was probably Prince.
  7. Originally posted by JuJuman:[..]
    OK, let's settle on comparable, then.

    And yes, as others have pointed out, let's not forget that U2 had already made a big leap forward from War to TUF.

    You're absolutely right that Young Americans, StS and the Berling triology all sound very, very different. I guess one difference with U2 is that none of these albums reached Stardust-like status. By contrast, War, JT, AB, are all big albums, especially the latter two. So, perhaps, the change with U2 was more visible.

    But yes, I take the point that it's probably fruitless to try to establish a winner here - there's no competition to begin with. And I'm sure Bono & co. would just be more than happy to be put by fans in the same ballpark as Bowie. (If they aren't they should be. But I know they are!)
    Yeah, I'll agree with these points. Change is definitely more visible, as Bowie's was marginally subtle. I suppose that fits into my his was seamless, U2 was deliberate point. But yeah, definitely needless to establish a 'winner'. Both great artists, shouldn't really debate any further!
  8. Originally posted by iamcrazytonight:U2 had the vision and they were 'clever' enough to bring in the talented duo of Eno - Lanois to turn this vision into an album. To call U2 poster boys is just wrong. U2 had the ideas, the 'audacity' to change the sound that made them what they were, they exposed themselves into new sounds and wanted to create something totally different and unique. It's not like Eno or Lanois called U2 and told them 'hey, we have written songs that we want you to record for your new album'. U2 wanted to push themselves to new sonic heights and Eno / Lanois job was to help them push through the struggle and provide them with guidance whether that's challenging U2, throwing ideas or contributing to the music themselves. That's the producers job. And it goes both ways; AB is a masterpiece as an album for U2 and it's also part of Eno / Lanois legacy as producers. Producers are there to help the creative process and make sure the end result is what the band / collective band crew wanted.
    Unless one has manned the mixing board themselves, one would have little understanding just how impactful a producer is. Kraftwerk themselves noted this with the 'Showroom Dummies' track.
  10. BEST.ALBUM.EVER.
  11. I think I am going to crack out the Super Deluxe today.
  12. Same!