Episode 7 — Zooropa

[ben mcd 127]

Zooropa was the apex for me and still worth listening to, despite Bono's lyrics beginning to verge into the farcical ("skins white but you think you're a brother" or "If you need someone to blame, throw a rock in the air, you'll hit someone guilty.",...). To preempt the Pop critique, which is where I pretty much departed the U2 train (though went to the Popmart and next two tours), there was some great production and composition on that album that was then diarrhead on by lyrical content and themes from Lord Bono. If "Miami" or "Mofo" were just instrumentals, they would be pretty great songs. Last Night on Earth, Gone, Feel Loved and Velvet Dress are the only ones that I would say are fine as-is in hindsight. Everything else either needs heavy lyrical editing (God Will Send his Angels, Staring at the Sun, Please), no lyrics whatsover (Miami, Mofo, Discotheque) or just to be nuked from ever being recorded (Playboy Mansion, Wake Up Dead Man ((shudder)).

 

And I hope the acoustic version of Staring at the Sun makes Scott's cut.

[NoNotNow 26]

Zoo TV was one of the first concerts I attended. I had $30 lawn seats & some dude shouted at me for standing on his blanket which didn't impress his date much. (An inner city teen wearing a $30 t-shirt with a giant tie dyed image of Bono's fly glass wearing face was admittedly pretty threatening to suburbia in the early 90s)

 

The Pixies had already broken up by the time the tour hit Chicago so the opening act was Public Enemy. They had a guy dressed as a klansman jump around on stage, only to be strung up on a noose and hung from the rafters at the end of their set. It was amazing.

 

Oh and U2 was ok I guess. (I liked their Yugo cars hanging from the rafters)

[Mikeyfazed 65]

I never get sick of hearing about the "twisted mind of Danny DeVito."

 

Also, that 10 minute conversation between Bono and the Edge about the belly dancer was outstanding.

[robinsbruce 4985]

 

Yep, he did give-aways during a few episodes where he would ask questions about the previous segment and the first correct answer would win. I answered first, but wasn't exactly right.

 

You can haz mine if you want. I washed it and haven't worn it since, I think it's a medium. PM me if you're interested!

[Kickpuncher 5012]

Thanks a lot, but honestly, I'm not crazy about that design, and probably wouldn't wear it much if at all either. I just wanted the sweet taste of victory!

[theforeverlostsoul 188]

I never get sick of hearing about the "twisted mind of Danny DeVito."

 

Also, that 10 minute conversation between Bono and the Edge about the belly dancer was outstanding.

 

It's going to become a great screenplay. But if Adam Scott is Bono and Scott Aukerman is The Edge, who plays Larry Mullen Jr and Adam Clayton?

[seanotron 2307]

For whatever flaws Pop may have, I feel like it's the last interesting U2 album. They were at least trying something different and going outside their comfort zone with that one. Everything after that just sounds like U2 by-the-numbers to my ears. I know people like 'Beautiful Day' and it was a big comeback anthem for them, but it's also the point where they transitioned to the Dad Rock category in my brain.

[robinsbruce 4985]

 

It's going to become a great screenplay. But if Adam Scott is Bono and Scott Aukerman is The Edge, who plays Larry Mullen Jr and Adam Clayton?

 

 

Anyone could because they are both forgettable caracks.

 

Does anyone else feel like LM Jr. and AC have just been putting up with bono and the edge for the last twenty years? I mean it is a pretty sweet gig. They both seem to be more reasonable than Bono and the Edge. Or do they have terrible stage characters like Bono's?

[seanotron 2307]

 

 

Anyone could because they are both forgettable caracks.

 

Does anyone else feel like LM Jr. and AC have just been putting up with bono and the edge for the last twenty years? I mean it is a pretty sweet gig and they do good charity work. They both seem to be vastly more reasonable than Bono and the Edge. Or do they have terrible stage characters like Bono's?

 

I assume it has to be super boring for them, because IIRC Achtung Baby is the point where Bono & The Edge were like, 'Hey guys, we don't really need you for the songwriting process, can you come back later?'.

[IanR 153]

 

It's going to become a great screenplay. But if Adam Scott is Bono and Scott Aukerman is The Edge, who plays Larry Mullen Jr and Adam Clayton?

Paul Rudd in a duel role as Larry Mullen Jr and Adam Clayton

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

If Paul Rudd is unavailable to play both roles, then he should at least do Larry Mullen Jr. while Danny DeVito and his Twisted Mind could play Adam Clayton.

[Ike Willis 7]

Even though they briefly mentioned the Ben Stiller show they did not reference his U2 sketches from the first and last episode. Bono doing the Jefferson theme with weezey and george is pretty entertaining and the lucky clovers video parody of one or what ever the lame U2 song was is fantastic. If you have not seen it, worth checking out. I believe Andy Dick was the bass player, odenkirk the drummer and a writer or something does the edge. Ruben from the Partridge family was their manager and Bono is complaining about the early days when he drove them around in the multi colored bus. Good stuff.

[Drakkar Jaune 234]

I vaguely remember a scene from the Ben Stiller Show featuring U2 playing a bar mitzvah as well (possibly the same "early days" sketch).

[angryrose 494]