Episode 1 — From Boy to Under a Blood Red Sky

[Ike Willis 7]

Sure the later albums have not been well received or remembered for the most part in the states, but as a live band they are still a huge powerhouse. They rival the stones with their ability to get people to pay $80 plus to stand with 50 to 80 thousand other people in a gargantuan stadium and watch the band from 100 yards out. Asses in seats is the hardest thing for a touring act to maintain and they are doing that with a vengeance. I have never been a fan, just not my thing, but total respect for their longevity and work ethic. I do hope one day Josh Homme kicks Bono's ass for using the Joshua Tree idea. I also hope the Eagles of Death Metal do an album called Pissin' on the Blarney Stone.

[mattman92ish 823]

[OrigamiMami 395]

This episode was a trip down memory lane, for not only Adam and Scott, but for myself.

When U2's boy was released, Rolling Stone magazine ran an article saying that it was a great album, and that "I Will Follow" was occupying the college charts. Good enough for me, I was in high school and given the lay of the musical landscape at the time "Boy" was awesome. I recall at the same time a friend had come in to a large amount of purple sticky giggle weed. So much so, that he was anxious to unload at a cheap price. I think I blew off the next two days of school, made a power hitter out of a 2 litre bottle of soda and listened to "Boy" repeatedly.

October came out with a lot of fanfare from the label, but seemed like B-sides from "Boy" and rushed songs.

I was in the army, when "War" came out. It was fun introducing guys from my platoon to U2, but the Cold War was in full bloom. The soviet union was in Afghanistan, and we were doing desert training to face them. "War" was a problem, it was a great album at a great time, but only if you were in college trolling for pu$$y. The message on the album was peace, and for me it made me feel bad to be in uniform. (again, you have to take in what was happening in the world, and the musical landscape to appreciate "War.")

I think Adam and Scottie-too-hottie mentioned "Under a Blood Red Sky," which was the live album at Red Rocks. (MTV also had a live video of that concert) It was a fun album, compared to the studio albums. I think there were a couple nights in the barracks, where we would drink, and listen to the album, if you danced you danced with your buddies in the platoon (it was an infantry division, meaning no women, think of the dance scene in the movie "Platoon") We had a guy in our platoon named Marty, so when U2 played the song "Party Girl" we would sing the lyrics as "MARTY GIRL."

After that my musical tastes were switching over to the SST label, Husker Du, Black Flag... Unforgettable Fire, never stood a chance, and I was done with U2.

#I'mOld

[kobthatreal 5896]

I hope they keep doing the "I Love Films" podcast within the podcast. Oh and also the bit where one person speaks about Huey Lewis and the news off mic while the other continues the U2 podcast.

[OrigamiMami 395]

Can somebody explain how U2 are viewed in America?

 

In Britain, they are a punchline. Coldplay and Mumford are punchlines as well but they're seen as empty corporate vessels aimed at people who don't like music. U2 are on another level, Bono in particular is seen as unbelievably egotistical prick. If Coldplay are McDonalds then U2 are Monsanto. I don't think any other musician in history has inspired so much genuine hatred and venom as Bono.

 

I haven't actually listened yet but I'm assuming they're genuine fans, without irony.

 

I think in Britain punk was being embraced, and U2 was wheel-sucking there way in to America by looking like part of the new romantics era. Punk had trouble getting a beach head in the US, with police cracking down on venues and zero airplay on MTV. U2 was wearing flouncy shirts, waving surrender flags, and singing of peace.

U2 wasn't punk enough for europe, too awkward to return to Dublin with a dark desert tan, in essence they sold-out to America . And people don't like a sell-out.

[guicemann 325]

So good! Thank you cool dudes!

[Kickpuncher 5012]

This podcast needs a dissenting view like Scott in "Analyze Phish", otherwise it's essentially equivalent to Harris Wittels talking to Harris Wittels about how great Phish is...but maybe I just don't care for U2 and negativity is not needed.

 

I guess in theory, it could be like that, but if you actually listened to it, it's really not like that (or, what I imagine that would be, anyway) at all.

 

I think I could listen to an hour of nothing but these guys saying "Achtung Baby" and Scott signing the bass line from "With or Without You".

[Henry 3777]

[winterteeth 1]

Wow, two of my favorite funny people discussing my previous favorite band. Like both of them, I came in at age 13 (but it was ACHTUNG baby for me). Going back through their catalog, I pretty much agree with the Scotts on these (although Under a Blood Red Sky got short shrift here). Boy is pretty fun right out of the gate, October bores the hell out of me and War was pretty damn amazing. Here is some trivia Scott A didn't include. The other band members almost booted out Adam Clayton from the group around the time of October because they had all become Christians and he was still an aetheist.

 

Thanks for doing this, guys!

[Shannon 2953]

I actually did start my period on a Sunday.... sorry, that's gross. but the Scotts asked...

 

 

I absolutely LOATHE U2 but this podcast was really funny and felt more like two buddies telling stories that occasionally semi-related to U2. Looking forward to the rest!

[Chaz_Steadyfist 21]

I've never really cared much about U2 either way - enjoyed some of their hits but otherwise they were just a top 40 band to me that I didn't learn much about

 

But this first episode was great. Looking forward to the rest. Was exactly what I was hoping for... tons of fun riffing between the Scotts, lots of bits, just the two of them enjoying each other's company. Didn't hurt to learn a bit about U2 either.

[seanotron 2307]

Wow, two of my favorite funny people discussing my previous favorite band. Like both of them, I came in at age 13 (but it was ACHTUNG baby for me). Going back through their catalog, I pretty much agree with the Scotts on these (although Under a Blood Red Sky got short shrift here). Boy is pretty fun right out of the gate, October bores the hell out of me and War was pretty damn amazing. Here is some trivia Scott A didn't include. The other band members almost booted out Adam Clayton from the group around the time of October because they had all become Christians and he was still an aetheist.

 

Thanks for doing this, guys!

 

IIRC, it wasn't that they were going to kick him out, but rather that they were going to dissolve the band because they thought rock n' roll wasn't compatible with Christianity. Ultimately, they quit the religious group instead.

[Joshie 125]

.

[action52 554]

Goddammit everyone probably thinks I'm crazy because I keep thinking of Scott saying ACHTUNG baby and laughing out of the blue.

[Joe Lerini 7329]

I'm not a super-huge U2 fan, but everything I've heard of theirs (mostly the hits on the radio), I've liked. I do love references to Iron Man being called shellhead, Huey Lewis, The Stray Cats, Men At Work, and Mastodon, though. And Scott and Scott are great to hear talk about any dumb topic. So this is right up my alley anyway.

 

I hope Jake Fogelnest is a guest on a future episode, because it sounds like the very idea of this podcast exasperates him.

[cmac94 191]

This is the best poster with Adam's quote I could muster

[kt 4]

 

I don't think they are quite THAT derided over here. And part of that has to do with 9/11, and how All That You Can't Leave Behind captured the spirit of 'recovery' after that event.

 

It's probably fair to say that all the 80s albums are still highly regarded over here - as is Achtung Baby. After that, it's very murky. The PopMart tour was pretty much laughed at and the television special that aired for it still ranks as ABC's lowest-rated prime-time special ever.

 

They rebounded with All That You Can't Leave Behind, and again, a lot of that to do with 9/11. U2 on the 9/11 telethon was legitimately a pretty powerful moment. I don't know that I can explain it to anyone outside of the US - our reaction to 9/11, that is. We freaked the fuck out as a country for a good week after that.

 

And U2 singing 'Walk On' on that telethon had resonance to a lot of people.

 

After that, I think Atomic Bomb is kind of seen as hit-and-miss for a lot of people. And the US profoundly did not give a shit about that last record.

 

So, I think U2 can best be described as a 'fading power' over here in the US. That new single Invisible and the horrid song from the Mandela movie don't really inspire confidence that it will turn around.

 

I love that you brought this up, as "All That You Can't Leave Behind" while still a good album, was/is an important album because of 9/11. That performance of "Walk On" was one thing, but also their Super Bowl performance where the names of everyone who died was scrolled on an epic scale. I saw U2 live on the Elevation tour before 9/11 and again after 9/11, but before that Super Bowl performance...and it just felt special and awesome and powerful. Even "New York" didn't seem awful at the time. That said, I absolutely stand by my belief that "Beautiful Day" was the song that saved that saved their reputation, but I digress.

 

youtu.be/Zqtkik7nTik

 

U2 and Bono have had an adoration and glorification about the US and the American ideal since the start -- that's interesting and has resulted in excellent songs. They're more pro-US than I can even wrap my brain around.

[kt 4]

And yep, Scott, despite the hesitation, was correct in liking REM more.

 

REM is just the best.

[LiamAstley 31]

I don't think they are quite THAT derided over here. And part of that has to do with 9/11, and how All That You Can't Leave Behind captured the spirit of 'recovery' after that event.

Yeah I'd agree, the impression I've always had in Britain is that they're seen as a bit cheesy and "dad music" but they're still very popular and are considered big deal rock stars. Bono as an individual is more of a punchline, but again there's still a lot of people who like him

[RyanJ.Janiszewski 1]

Only Cock Blockerman could make me respect a band that I've never really appreciated. I enjoyed this podcast.

[matte 588]

[JacobCrites 4977]

ACCHHTOONG! Baby?

 

That part made me start bussin' up

[seanotron 2307]

Also how has Scott never heard So Far Away? At first I thought he was pulling our collective legs, but it ultimately seemed like he legitimately hadn't heard of it.

[Kickpuncher 5012]

I think it was in a pretty ubiquitous commercial a year or two ago. But he did say "The Dire Straits", so I'd say his story checks out.

[JacobCrites 4977]

Dear Scott Aukerman,

Please start a Radiohead podcast immediately.

 

Love, Jacob