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One writer asks the question: “Does U2 still matter?”
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With fans that span the globe, tours that sell out in record time, immense amounts of charity work, and people asking what’s next on their horizon, U2 have always had their own unique beat on the pulse of rock music.
Craig Rosen wrote an incredibly great article for Livedaily in which he posed the question if U2 is still relevant now and if they will be in the future. He asked some major industry giants and all gave immense insight.
Producer Quincy Jones said, “Their relevance transcends music-it’s almost like its own belief system, which is probably why those four dudes have stayed together for so long.” Jones attended the September 23rd show at Giants Stadium that I was also at, where Bono dedicated “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” to Jones.
Glasvegas band member Paul Donoghue, whose band opened for U2 during “360”, echoed the same when describing how much their gig meant. “And just look at the huge bands lining up to support them. It was an honour for us to support them, and if they threw the towel in tomorrow, they’d still be relevant in 50 years time.”
Not everyone feels the same, however. John Baldwin Gourley of Portugal. The Man admits that despite U2’s role in music history, “I just can’t imagine charging your fans, who have made you, that much for a concert or a T-shirt.”
Music industry writer Bob Lefsetz goes far as too say that U2 is “meaningless” when it comes to developing new music and the really only have significance “financially” and “to those in their forties who remember ‘The Joshua Tree’”.
Read Rosen's article in its entirety here. I loved this because it wasn’t about just bashing U2 or loving U2. It was unbiased and explored both sides. I’m the first to admit that I’m a diehard U2 fan but I do agree with Baldwin when it comes to the money issue. With the “360” tour, as awesome as it is to charge $55 for pit tickets, lower level ones are $250 and $95. Why not give the fans a break during these times and start the tickets at $95, then $55, then $30? It would give people a much bigger chance of seeing them live and also sell out faster.
As far as merchandise goes, I spent around $105 at the Giants Stadium show. Two shirts ($40 each) and the program ($25). The shirts were really nice so it didn’t concern me. But the varsity-style jackets were really not all that exciting and were the most expensive items at the souvenir stand. Why charge so much for an item of clothing that definitely didn’t look like it was worth what the price tag said?
As far as U2 not coming up with better music now, I really have to disagree. When I first heard “No Line”, a lot of the songs didn’t click with me (“Moment of Surrender” and “Unknown Caller”). But after hearing them live, I must have played them out too many times to count. “No Line” is a record where you either adore it or you loathe it. It’s really a matter of taste, and I think the record is delicious. The same with U2’s records before that, “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” and “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”. They might be pristine compared to the new record, but all three are pretty amazing to me.
Do you agree/disagree with anyone in Rosen’s article? Do you have your own opinion on this because now the question rests with you- does U2 still matter?
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