Just about everybody who’s any kind of U2 fan at all has had, at one time, a copy of Achtung Baby in their collection. I often tell people that my favorite U2 album varies from day to day, and that’s true, but in any given week, Achtung Baby would probably get the nod on four […]
Read MoreWhy U2? – Reason #7
I’ve long maintained that one of Bono’s greatest gifts as a lyricist is that he’s able to write about his own experiences and feelings in a way that focuses on the elements that are shared by the largest parts of humanity, without being so specific that people can’t relate to it. It’s why I’m able […]
Read MoreCovering U2 – In the Name of Love
A few years ago, I was browsing through the U2 section at our local Media-Play record store, just like I always do, on the off chance that there will be something rare or unusual. I almost always walk away empty-handed, but on this particular day, I discovered something I’d not seen before. A compilation titled […]
Read MoreU2 101 – Running to Stand Still
I often think back to when I first became interested in U2’s music. I was a student at a boarding school, and one of my classmates had a pretty extensive collection of U2 CD’s that he lent me. I was awkward as a kid, didn’t have a lot of friends, and I felt out of […]
Read MoreWhy U2? – Reason #6
Every time I’m suckered into watching a live performance by someone other U2, I fall in love with U2 all over again. I couldn’t even tell you how many supposedly “great” performances, which featured entirely pre-recorded music and vocals, I’ve sat through in the past year. It’s not just modern music, either. Artists have been […]
Read MoreCovering U2 – Johnny Cash’s One
Very few artists who are not members of U2 can claim that they’ve contributed to a U2 record, and most of those who can are producers. Daniel Lanois is a personal favorite with that connection to the band, Gavin Friday is a long-time friend of Bono’s whose name will very occasionally pop-up in the credits. […]
Read MoreU2 101 – Out of Control
This week, we’re going to take a look at one of the oldest and dearest U2 songs – “Out of Control”, which was, according to legend, written nearly 36 years ago, on Bono’s 18th birthday. Although the lyrics, like those of many U2 songs, are open to different interpretations based on the listener’s own experiences, […]
Read MoreWhy U2? – Reason #5
I love that U2 is an equal partnership made of four guys who’ve known each other intimately for almost forty years now. After that length of time, you can get to know another person pretty well, and that includes every horrible, ugly, thing in their personality. People sometimes like to convince themselves that being best […]
Read MoreCovering U2 – Strung Out on U2
I thought that this week, I’d try something a little different. Many of us have heard each of U2’s songs, the accompanying remixes, radio edits, and remasters so much that we’ve got every note and nuance memorized. One area of U2 fandom that I don’t see covered as much, is the realm of other artist’s […]
Read MoreU2 101 – God Part II
A few weeks back, when I first started writing these in-depth looks at individual songs, fellow writer Joe Pittella (of Cup of Joe and U2 Confessional fame) mentioned that he’d like to see a breakdown done on God Part II. Knowing him, he might well have been joking, but it’s a great, under-appreciated song, and […]
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