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Thu, 17 Sep 1998 11:21:20 -0400
I was sad when I first learned about the GH albums, it does carry a perception that the end is near.
However, the fact that they broke it up into 2 decades -- and decided to only release an 80s GH --
should tell everyone that the end is not near -- and they are now forever closing the book on the
80s. If it included up to Pop -- then that would be a different story. We don't really know when
volume 2 will come out, if at all, and that tells me they have new material planned, and we have all
heard the rumours that a new album is coming.
Calling U2 a sellout for this is amusing. Mainly because, if making a lot of money for their music
is what we call a sellout -- then they obviously have sold out a long time ago. By this standard,
U2 sold out in 1986 -- which many people did think at the time. Did REM sell out with their
mid-career GH album? Did the Cure sellout with their mid-career GH album? Are you going to tell
Lou Reed he sold out when he released his GH album? No to all. Again, some are all holding U2 up
to this "holier than thou" standard that makes no sense. Releasing a compilation of old material is
not really compromising their integrity. Underground bands release GH albums. Now, if they release
an album that they have made, only because they think the public will like it, and it is not really
what they want to be doing --that would be compromising their integrity.
Also, you can't say that $50 million doesn't mean anything to U2 then claim they are selling out.
It is a contradiction. Should be pretty easy to see that.
Of course a GH album is a marketing ploy. So was Popmart, so was ZooTV, so was every promotion done
for every album they have ever made. There is no reason to be making excuses for U2 -- i.e. -- the
record company made them do it etc. U2 likes being the biggest band in the world, they like making
a lot of money, they like spending a lot of money -- and they like making the most passionate and
creative music of any popular band -- while inspiring other artists - Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead,
etc., to do the same.
Personally, I would rather just have the B-sides compilation. And am not happy that I have to
purchase the GH album to get it. Does it shock me that U2 would do this to me? Not any more
shocking than the ticket prices for Popmart -- about the same as bloated old rock stars -- The
Rolling Stones.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b2 on Thu Sep 17 1998 - 08:26:41 PDT