Hewson / Evans / Clayton / Mullen
Real Name:
Paul David Hewson, David Howell Evans, Adam Charles Clayton, Lawrence Joseph Mullen Jr.
Profile:
Dubliners U2 started in their hometown in 1976. They began their legacy rooting their music in the political turmoil that was all around them. Angry, conscious and focused, U2 started a "war with words" which was brough forth by their powerful music. After garnering a large fanbase worldwide as well as critical praise, U2's Bono lead them on a crusade around the world to fight injustices with their music and in interviews.
After having Steve Lillywhite produce their first three "political" albums, U2 looked for a more commercial sound. They hired Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno to produce "The Joshua Tree" and "The Unforgettable Fire" albums which both rocketed them onto the charts all over the world.
After the 80s ended U2 re-invented themselves once again. Incorporating elements of electronics into their rock construct, U2 created a new sound with "Achtung Baby". Bono and the band used their notoriety more than ever expressing their opinions on social matters on a global scale.
Continuing into the 21st century, they are still large and powerful politically while still expressing themselves through their music.
Inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 (Performer).
After having Steve Lillywhite produce their first three "political" albums, U2 looked for a more commercial sound. They hired Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno to produce "The Joshua Tree" and "The Unforgettable Fire" albums which both rocketed them onto the charts all over the world.
After the 80s ended U2 re-invented themselves once again. Incorporating elements of electronics into their rock construct, U2 created a new sound with "Achtung Baby". Bono and the band used their notoriety more than ever expressing their opinions on social matters on a global scale.
Continuing into the 21st century, they are still large and powerful politically while still expressing themselves through their music.
Inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 (Performer).
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Reviews & Discussion
While they have nothing to do with ambient/noise/experimental scene, what makes U2 interesting for an average electronic music fan is the digital gloss added by producers like Brian Eno and Flood. Forget the snobbery - few people can deny that "One", "Please" and some of their other songs are really deep and meaningful. But then there's that stupid "holier than thou" approach which is exemplified by flag waving. Sometimes Bono is making a parody at himself and rock in general, but it comes out like a forced joke more than a real attempt to laugh at himself and his own band. Even with all the notorious producers, most of their albums are patchy at best with many songs destroyed by useless pomposity. Its Too bad, since, like it was said before, not all of their output is atrocious, but they somehow manage to butcher many of potentially good tracks.
Although i'm a House/Techno-head, i'm a big fan of U2's work. Combining very good songs with producers like Flood, Howie B & Brian Eno and working with excellent engineers like Mark Stent: it gives their songs a strong musical background. Listen carefully to some tracks and u'll notice the experiments with the guitar-sounds and the drums.
U2 of the 80s seemed to be an intelligent albeit highly ambitious bunch of Irish youths - each and every album from 'Boy' to 'Rattle & Hum' fulfills their mission as 'saviours on earth' (at least we all believed and followed them with pride) - dedicated themselves to the third world's obsolete issues, U2 managed to give their feeling that 'music CAN change the world'... but then again, why should it? Doing America in their own way, U2 slowly turned into pop-mastodonts, mesmerised by the US of A's respective reception (and influence). Since their first three (at my personal taste their best) albums, every next one stepped further into the country-esque territory so the 'European' 'Achtung Baby' was more than welcome a breath of fresh air into their catalogue. Sadly that's when Bono and The Edge realised electronic music is beautiful to mess about so we got the worst of U2 - or ironically, 'Even better than the real thing'. Depending on what 'Real Thing' they meant better than but listening to U2 in a Technotronic kinda way made me realise that was one of the most sad ends in rock. 'Achtung Baby' as an album remains their last considerable station - excellent but a mistake later diagnosed in sequels - 'Zooropa' or 'Pop' - that even with 'All that you can´t leave behind' wasn't enough appeal to repair the damage. With their last effort 'How To Dismantle the Atomic Bomb' they brought their being even more into irony - HOW indeed? The answer thay obviously don't know.