Episode 1 — From Boy to Under a Blood Red Sky

[Bucho 188]

I haven't bought a U2 record since ACHTUNG! bebee came out in my last year of high school so I'm not about to mount a modern day defence for them but even today, the 28th of February 2014, anyone who fails to recognise the greatness of War at the very least fails as not just a recogniser of bold, fierce, beautiful, raw, adventurous pop/rock greatness, but as a collection of molecules possessed of something resembling a personality.

[JacobCrites 4977]

Just re-listened to Unforgettable Fire in preparation for the next ep (episode) and that might be a perfect album as well. I remembered it having some clunkers...I was wrong.

[WinterbornWhenTwitterHatesMe 5]

 

Sounds like it's just your opinion and the echo chamber of hanging out with only like-minded people.

 

No that seems about right, less so in Australia but from what I've seen in the U.K that's about right. No idea how the Irish feel.

[AaronSinger_29251 578]

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.

 

Can't believe I didn't think of that, but yeah that's a REALLY great point, I really hope one of their guests in later episodes HATE U2

[Bucho 188]

I dislike Phish and love Analyze Phish so I get why peeps want more of the same from this, but this is clearly a different type of thing.

 

For one, both Scotts yapped a bunch about how boring October is and hinted strongly at future ripping on Rattle and Hum and other later albums. Anyone who listened to episode 1 and heard nothing but U2 love gets a C- in listening.

[pdxsean 241]

Scott's usual air of bewildered wonder made it difficult to gauge his sincerity discussing U2. As I am indifferent (at best) toward the band, it usually seemed like Scott was sarcastically talking about how awesome they were. And it felt like Adam was playing along in his dry way. I know at some points they were legitimately excited to be listening, but I felt like their viewpoint was far from that of a fawning fanboy.

 

It was fun to listen to the two of them goof around and be nutty, basically I put up with the U2 discussion just to hear that. It's hard to hear Scott away from CBB so I'll take what I can get.

[seanotron 2307]

 

 

No that seems about right, less so in Australia but from what I've seen in the U.K that's about right. No idea how the Irish feel.

 

People's attitudes toward U2 are pretty much the same in the UK as they are anywhere else - lots of people like them, lots of people don't. Their albums all go to #1 there and they headlines festivals all the time, so clearly there's no universal consensus on them being horrible or wonderful.

[JacobCrites 4977]

 

 

Can't believe I didn't think of that, but yeah that's a REALLY great point, I really hope one of their guests in later episodes HATE U2

They're clearly going for a different type of show here, though. Otherwise there would be no point in starting a new podcast.

[AJValliant 266]

I couldn't even get past the repeated "Achtung Baby!" riff without losing it. This was one of those great vibe long car trip conversations with a good friend. I dug this.

[IanR 153]

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.

clearly we need a Knock It Out Knopfler podcast to get to the bottom of this

[daveB from Oakland 364]

Regarding: Van Halen versus the Clash at the US Festival ... here's David Lee Roth at the peak of his idiocy. At around 3:20, DLR brings out a little person to serve him Jack Daniels, After a swig, DLR accuses the clash of drinking fake prop whisky (because they're not "real" rock music, or something):

 

... and here's DLR with Steve Wozniak: http://www.vhnd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Steve_Wozniak_David_Lee_Roth.jpg

[matte 588]

[wingo 23]

Just re-listened to Unforgettable Fire in preparation for the next ep (episode) and that might be a perfect album as well. I remembered it having some clunkers...I was wrong.

 

Yeah, I'd agree that it's basically flawless. I've grown a bit tired of U2 as I get older, but I still reference UF as one of my favorite all-time albums. I'm about the same age as Adam, and my experience with the band seems to parallel his. This podcast is awesome and brings back a lot of memories for me.

[PhillipMedoc 648]

I have to say, as a bono bona fide U2 haterade drinker since ACHTUNG! Baby, this episode really made me reconsider my stance. It's been so long since I've heard the high quality rock & roll back catalog of the Liverpool Lads that I honestly had forgotten it ever existed. Bono's voice is still anathema to me, all moaning and caterwauling (which was an apt comparison to Siouxsie & The Banshees, really), but musically a lot of the songs played on this episode were pretty good. If I could get the vocals out of the mix, they'd go great on a playlist with Wire, Gang of Four, or lots of other decent early 1980s "post-punk".

 

I have just skimmed the thread, but I'd like to ask if anyone else here is familiar with The Virgin Prunes? The Edge's brother was actually the guitarist for that band, and they're supposedly the ones who bestowed the Bono de plume upon a young Paul Hewson. The Prunes' music is darker and more theatrical (one could say "goth", perhaps), like mid-period Tuxedomoon or maybe Bauhaus. Worth checking out.

 

[Foltaire 333]

The idea of a teenage Adam Scott trying to pass off Money For Nothing as his own in order to win a girl's heart has had me laughing all week.

[Anonymous37 22]

Scott Aukerman mentioned Kid Creole and the Coconuts briefly in the episode. I was looking forward to him playing "

" (and I was sure it was going to be that song), because I hadn't heard it in decades.

 

So when he realized that he had deleted it from his iPod, I Googled the video. Man, that video was even more ridiculous than I remembered.

[DanielJohnson 94]

At 47:44, Scott attempts to set up a "it's been a while!" for Scott but Scott doesn't go for it (or notice). Nice try Scott, and maybe next time, Scott.

[DannyRobbins 15]

Having listened to this episode recently, as well as seeing video of U2 play early tracks (I Will Follow, Gloria, Out of Control) on the i&e tour, I demand a track by track discussion of Boy. They wouldn't shut up about how dated some of the record is, and sure it is. But it's really good! Besides I Will Follow & Out of Control (the two songs they played) Electric Co, Stories for Boys (they ended the ep with the single version), Boy/Girl (from the first EP), Twilight, An Cat Dubh, and 11 O'clock Tick Tock are all great. I would love to hear the bros go back over this forgotten gem like they did with the other records.