Episode 6 — Achtung Baby

[JulyDiaz 2797]

After last week’s cliff hanger, it’s time for Adam Scott Aukerman to really dig into U2′s influential seventh studio album Achtung Baby. They’ll cover everything from their different reactions to the album when it was released to the Berlin sessions to Scott’s shocking opinion of this record to U2 almost splitting up during the songwriting process. Plus, Adam tells us what he thinks about the villains in Harry Potter and signs a very important contract.

[pdxsean 241]

The idea that Scott would receive his academy award results via email was hilarious.

[nathanpierce 400]

The ending was hilarious with Adam reading off Scott's phone number.

[nathanpierce 400]

Got a good laugh out of Adam reading off Scott's phone number.

[AJValliant 266]

The best balance of real music discussion and off topic riffing of any episode so far. Great stuff.

[rararachel 190]

I felt myself twitching during that Harry Potter conversation with all the name confusion.

[Neclord 194]

 

Love this show.

[Mikeyfazed 65]

The best balance of real music discussion and off topic riffing of any episode so far. Great stuff.

A little heavy on the U2 talk for my taste, but a great listen nevertheless.

[nathanpierce 400]

 

A little heavy on the U2 talk for my taste, but a great listen nevertheless.

 

By the way, when are we going to talk some more Scritti Politti?

[klobbermang 532]

I've listened to every ep of this podcast. I have heard U2 on the radio over the many years, but never listened to any albums. I tried listening to Atchung Baby to like get into it more, but man, it's just so bland. I think maybe its an age thing. Does anyone under 30 here legitimately like U2 (I'm 28)?

[theforeverlostsoul 188]

That was some high quality rock n roll, uh, podcasting.

 

I think this was the best episode so far. A real, full discussion about Achtung Baby, and plenty of inspired nonsense too. I got a lot of strange looks because I was laughing so much while out and about listening to it.

 

I like U2, but don't listen to them that much. But I'm enjoying U Talkin' U2 To Me? so much that I'm going to watch Zoo TV - Live from Sydney, and listen to Zooropa before next week's episode.

[Homer 64]

So glad I finally listened to this. I actually believed it was going to be a podcast solely about U2. Scott Aukerman hosting a podcast about U2 was a plausible idea in my brain.

[PuncturedJesus 354]

I've listened to every ep of this podcast. I have heard U2 on the radio over the many years, but never listened to any albums. I tried listening to Atchung Baby to like get into it more, but man, it's just so bland. I think maybe its an age thing. Does anyone under 30 here legitimately like U2 (I'm 28)?

 

I'm not the hugest U2 fan but I don't think Atchung Baby is the place to start. Their 90s stuff is pretty dated, but I think they did a fair amount of good stuff in the 80s.

[kapfries 31]

I felt myself twitching during that Harry Potter conversation with all the name confusion.

 

I was listening to it while running and I was laughing so hard I had to stop and catch my breath. I also forgot I was listening to a U2 podcast.

[JacobCrites 4977]

Actung Baby, other than War, is definitely the album that sounds the most "of its time." But I think it's because it was so influential that it defined what that "time" sounded like. It's tricky, because this was my first U2 album (first heard it in 2010) and it grabbed me immediately. Zoo Station and Tryin to Throw Your Arms still sound completely modern, and still remain two of my all time faves.

 

I'm interested for the All You Can't Leave Behind show. Scott and Scott seem pretty meh on it, but I think it's one of their best albums.

[AstronautDown 282]

Listening back to the first segment of CBB ep 80 totally feels like the Scott's are talking U2 to me...

 

Should be added to this, the comprehensive and encyclopedic compendium of all things U2.

[Shannon 2953]

I felt myself twitching during that Harry Potter conversation with all the name confusion.

 

it was physically painful. but I was still laughing so hard as scott repeated "the big guy! from harry potter!"

[Bucho 188]

Does anyone under 30 here legitimately like U2 (I'm 28)?

 

Nobody under the age of 30 legitimately likes U2, they just listen to music made by bands who legitimately like U2.

[kapfries 31]

I've listened to every ep of this podcast. I have heard U2 on the radio over the many years, but never listened to any albums. I tried listening to Atchung Baby to like get into it more, but man, it's just so bland. I think maybe its an age thing. Does anyone under 30 here legitimately like U2 (I'm 28)?

 

I have a son in fifth grade who has what I consider atypical music taste for a kid his age (Stevie Wonder and REM are favorites) and he legitimately *loves* U2 but emphatically hates Achtung Baby. This causes me a lot of pain because it's one of my favorite albums of all time, but he gets upset when I try to play it in the car. He would much rather listen to Joshua Tree or ATYCLB.

 

I do think Achtung Baby is more of its time and less accessible than their other periods but it does hold up. I also think it's one of those albums best appreciated when played beginning to end.

[NicholasArthurTallidis 247]

I am 27 and legitimately like (some) U2. I have all their stuff until Rattle and Hum, which turned me off with all the covers and live tracks. Post-Rattle I have heard the singles and random songs that always sounded pretty bland. I will say that I am one of the few who actually likes the U2 talk as much as the banter. I felt sort of cheated last week when Atchung Baby was barely mentioned until I realized it was going to be a two-parter.

[kopello 204]

I'm 25 and I decided a couple of weeks ago to go through U2's whole discography in order (of course stopping if I wasn't enjoying anything at all). I've only got through Boy and October but both I really enjoyed. They're both kinda post-punkish which is a fav genre of mine so there you go.

[Mikeyfazed 65]

I was listening to it while running and I was laughing so hard I had to stop and catch my breath. I also forgot I was listening to a U2 podcast.

Sounds like someone was Running to Stand Still, if you know what I mean.

Also, how on earth do you exercise to a comedy podcast?

[Joshie 125]

.

[meepzork 34]

Adam nailed it. "Acrobat" is the best track.

[seanotron 2307]

 

29, I legitimately like Joshua Tree/Achtung Baby and flat out love Zooropa/Pop

 

Another Pop fan! I knew I couldn't be the only one. It sounds like Saucerman is really going to trash it when they get to it.