iv been on a number of U2 fansites, and they are getting the f*&k ridiculed out of them by long term fans from all over the show. and i thought how Jovi got treated here was bad, but the same arguments we find with BJ pop up with so many other bands too, U2 in this example ; set lists, ticket prices, ''selling out'', tours etc etc

heres a link to one of the more well presented arguments on a respected u2 fansite, without all the swearing and name calling on some other bords

http://forum.atu2.com/forum.src?Acti...=19&SubjStart=

I've wondered this myself. What does U2 feel they must prove at this point in their career? They're kind of like middle-aged men (well, they are middle-aged men, but stick with me here) who date women half their age in the hopes that the youth will rub off somehow.

Seriously, the longer it goes on, the more U2's obsession with being the self-declared biggest band in the world seems utterly juvenile. It made sense in the Joshua Tree era, when they were all in their mid-to-late twenties. Now, it just seems like arrested development. If you look at EVERY pop artist of genuine artisitc longevity -- Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Elvis Costello, Lou Reed, Prince, etc., etc. -- there came a point when they all decided that holding on to the level of popularlity they had at their commerical peak just wasn't as important as following their muse.

From their recent decisions -- appearing at the Super Bowl, becoming pitchmen for a computer company, letting TicketMaster run their fan club presale -- it's clear that U2 are as ruthlessly business-minded as any band you could name. These guys are financially set for life. It's like Jake Gittes asked Noah Cross in "Chinatown" -- "What could you possibily buy that you don't already have?" Meanwhile, their new music just gets more and more middling adult-contemporary mush. Hey, I like much of the "Bomb," but the fact is that it's the first U2 album since "October" that has taken the band absolutely nowhere they haven't been before. Lyrically, it's Bono's weakest effort since "Ocotber," too. Uh, what was that you were singing about the scent of freedom, Bono? Are you selling fabric softener along with iPods now?

Remember that quote from Larry about how "Beautiful Day" was U2 competing with Britney Spears? Did it occur to the interviewer to ask hitman why the **** he, as a member of one of the most critically adored, long-lived, and globally popular bands of all time, feels any need to compete with Britney Spears whatsoever? Are U2 really worried that Britney is going to write a more memorable song than they are? Do they really think that Britney Spears fans are going to hear "Beautiful Day" on the radio and suddenly develop taste?

I know that the poster on this thread who said that if U2 were to ignore commercial radio (which richly deserves to be ignored by everyone with ears) they would "basically become the Rolling Stones" meant that as a crack, but frankly, I think the Stones are handling themselves with a lot more class these days than U2 are. At least they're not pretending to be altruistic while finding ways to extort every last penny from their fan base. (I could go on about how their concerts are longer and feature more varied setlists than U2's do, even though the Stones are 15 years older than U2, but I'll leave that aside.) They're not worried about getting airplay. And they still fill stadiums everywhere when they tour.

So I ask again - why are U2 so worried about remaining popular? It's not like they're actually using their commecial muscle to do anything interesting or challenging anymore, the way they did with ZOO TV and PopMart. Remember when Bono collected his grammy for Zooropa, and pledged to use the band's position "to continue to **** up the mainstream?" I'd call playing the Super Bowl, endorsing products, and charging $165 for the crummy seats on your tour about as mainsteam as it gets. Thanks, but I'll save my Vertigo tour money and go see six other shows instead. For those of you paying $165 per ticket to hear U2 play for 90 minutes from section 300 of the OmegaDome -- half the new record plus another dozen old warhorses from the two best-of collections, you can predict the setlist like clockwork -- I sincerely hope you all feel you get your money's worth.


hmmmm


and thats one of the more pleasant posts niv read over the last few days..



andi