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| vanislandwoman |
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Posted Sep 20, 2006; 9:53 am |
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I have to start again- my posting disappeared!
I have just received my copy of All that you can't leave behind. I've listened to it twice.
I am now listening in a different way, as well. I just finished reading "Unforgettable Fire: The story of U2" by Eamon Dunphy. I was struck by the description of their creative process. And I think it goes a long way to explain the pull that U2 has on its listeners. It sort of goes: experience followed by emotional response, followed by internal image plus bit of music, followed by group working out the musical expression, completed by the tune itself and the lyrics. Because the feelings at the base are real and deep, the rest of it is real and deep. I'm trying to set aside my 'analyser' and listen to my own emotional response to their music.
Edit to add: By the way, the experiences nearly always were related to spiritual things- how to be Christian, what the Bible studies brought to their daily life struggles, how to deal with a religiously divided and religiously political society, where is God in the tough times, etc etc. Experiences common to us all. THey just do not do any of this from the North American Christian sub-culture, so it does not result in what we often expect in terms of 'Christian music'.
It's quite funny actually that U2 has now been around for decades and I'm just discovering them!
It also kind of turns upside down the approach to music that says that the words are most important. I get the feeling that (particularly in the earlier years) the words are the least important, because it was hard to find the words to express the emotions that prompted the music.
It's also refreshing to read about the integrity that permeated their whole approach to the music business.
And the fact that being real people, they often blew it, and had to deal with that.
Thanks to the people who have responded to this topic. It's new territory for me, and I appreciate the messages from those who passed this way before. I'll take your comments into consideration as I choose my next CD.
Last edited by vanislandwoman on Sep 21, 2006; 2:20 pm; edited 1 time in total. |
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| Gruntled Member Joined Mar 18, 2006 135 posts Location: Winnipeg |
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Posted Sep 21, 2006; 10:05 am |
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| As much as I'm cynical about celebrities involved in politics and causes, I have to grudgingly respect Bono as someone who actually understands the complexity of issues and can take a reasoned approach. Maybe he's the "new Jeremiah", lamenting imbalances and corruption in our world. |
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| MikeS Member Joined Sep 21, 2005 59 posts |
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Posted Nov 10, 2006; 4:52 pm |
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The pastor of my last church described U2 as an example of secular prophets. They were looking for a new name for the church and ended up getting it from a U2 song 'Wild Honey'. So that was the new name...'Wild Honey'. I'm not a big fan, like many other groups I think they're OK.
M. |
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| vanislandwoman |
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Posted Nov 14, 2006; 12:00 am |
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I've been listening to my CD fairly often. I like a lot of the words- the poetry- of the songs. I do not like the music itself. I'm really not from that era of rock music. I find the group very interesting- they seem to have strong faith of that gritty type- a bit rough around the edges, it seems. I don't know what I would think of them, for example, if I was sitting at a table in a (mythical) restaurant and overhearing them at the next table...
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