[email protected]
Tue, 28 Jul 1998 10:51:09 -0400
I just don't understand what problem you have with it all. There is not a rock musician out there
that does not "calculate" what there image is going to be. Even when they claim or appear to not
care -- that is a calculated attempt to -- appear like they don't care. Everything anyone does is
"calculated"! What possible master plan could the idea of having them dress up like the Village
People at the end of the Discote video be a part of? It wasn't part of any -- it was just being
stupid, period.
Plus, your looking at the 90s U2 at such a basic level. They were very obviously "basking in
self-indulgence" -- and of course that was the entire point. It was nothing more than performance.
You may not have appreciated it -- but I understood and enjoyed it. And saying U2 ripped off
Macphisto from Bowie is ridiculous. The most basic reason being that Bowie stole glam rock from the
New York underground scene in the first place. If Bono did an entire concert in the Macphisto garb,
then maybe you could say he was stealing from Glam Rock -- or just wasn't very original. But
playing what is supposed to be a cartoon of a washed up rock star at the end of his rope in Vegas
for a couple of songs is hardly stealing from David Bowie.
You wrote: "Not surprisngly these same people are the ones missing the point,." Please tell me
what your point is? If they were calculating in the 80s and 90s -- that doesn't leave much else.
Rob wrote:
It seems a couple of people have short terms memory cramps, my post from
a couple of days went into gret detail about the 80's blatant U2 images
and their holier than thou image and the calculated efforts that year.
So on both counts, you guys simply write whaever is convenient and
intentionally omitted my posts about the 80's image machine.
J missed the fact Macphisto is rehash, the 6 inch heels, Bowie-esque
makeup and glam rock glittery jacket are straight from glam rock, and
not surprisingly Bono was a fan of Bowie's 70's glam rock so that's
where he ripped that off from, pretty cut and dry. As usual, j misses
that obvious one and tries to dismiss all the 90's U2 image as 'only 30
seconds in the Discotheque' video. Either your blind or oblivious to
the obvious. It's calculated to the nth degree.
Dalton Brothers was an unpublicized prank that happened on 2 occasions,
not an in your face round the clock video or image that was pervasive
for an entire leg of a tour like Machpisto or the Desire comboy schtick
and pop baggage.
It seems to me, some people are simply apologiists, everything U2 has
done since '90 is infallible. Not surprisngly these same people are the
ones missing the point, constantly juxtaposing the facts and omitting
the previous post to push their own arrogant biases. And J, as you
proved with your 'U2 are mediocre musicians' posts, your arrogance is
very deep rooted. sure Adam has limited bass skills and plays a
minimalist style, Edge does rely on alot of his ringing, plucking
techniques, but the way in which you lambasted them showed you simply
have a lack of repsect for anything. Your formula is getting
monotonous, your points rely on non-analogous comparisons, justaposing
facts, and making connections and assertions that bely logic. Your
Where the Streets Bono 'traffic cop' image, Still Haven't 'Gambler'
image, and Rattle and Hum 'actor' image was almost as bad as your myopic
definition of loosenss or spontaneity, ignoring that the quality was
implicit for the performance of the song, not some contrived
intro or jumping around.
All I'm saying is the stage antics and ciched rock poses are derivative,
you watch and can't help but think, OK some more contrived b.s. An good
indictment of that point would be Bono's comment during the 10/14/92
Houston ZooTV show, 'Bullshit, we're getting good at it'. The irony is
his flippant way of saying it was also the truth. He was basking in
self-indulgence.
As far the set list, can't U2 find the time to rehearse other songs
rather than sticking with for the most part a rigid set list. I will
Follow and New Year's Day may be familiar to everyone but there is alot
more interesting stuff to choose from, the diversity would help.
Perhaps the synchronization with the vid images is in part the culprit
but probably not since U2's set lists throughout the tours has always
remained fairly rigid. One Tree Hill was soundchecked as early as
4/25/87 yet not played til early Septemeber.
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