U2 - Comments and Message Board

Why U2?By KellyI wrote what is posted below in response to someone who posted the comment (also posted below in orange) about U2 on another board that I once frequented. I thought you all might be interested in reading my response. Hopefully, I've represented both, we, the fans and they, the band, in the right way. Would love to hear any responses or corrections anyone might have. Brace yourselves... it's a long piece. I'll apologize in advance for that. LOLI can't see what anyone sees in them. Certainly nothing played at the Grammys. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, truthfully, you can’t ask that based on seeing just one award program. In order to understand why this band has been what they have been to their fans and the music world for the past 26 years you have to look at all the events of the past 26 years. The begining started out with fire and passion and an integrity and respect for the audience and for music itself. It also started with a genuine love and respect for humanity that was obvious in the way they treated each other as people as well as their fans. The beginning was fire. Everyone in every article, quote and book ever written by those who had seen U2 at their very early beginnings, before they were famous even before the record deals which led to music that broke down the doors of mediocrity and blew apart the standards of the tight ‘safe’ radio format of music of the 80s… ALL of those who have seen them then, said they knew then, they were witnessing history in the making. That this band of humble guys from Ireland was going to take over the world. That spark and the spirit they had and still have was evident even way back when they weren’t even old enough to be called “men”. The love with which they touched the audience (we now call ourselves “fans") was incredible. This charming, charismatic front man who wore all of his emotions in his performances and genuinely touched people from the start was and still is amazing. He still makes himself “available” to the audience in this way… on so many levels. But let’s talk about the beginings… his falling backward into the audience, them pushing him back to standing all the while still singing… his climbing the scaffolding so that he could get closer to the audience who were behind a barrier that distanced the fans 15 yards from the stage. His design to get closer to the fans during the live show and the fact that he truly believes how important that was then and still is now. He then led the audience (while standing on the scaffolding, which he climbed in the rain) into singing “Singing in the Rain” and they responded in full force. And they were only but the opening band. Move to Live Aid 1985… while performing the song “Bad”, Bono jumps over the wall that separates the stage from the fans and runs into the crowd to dance with a fan. Fast-forward 20 years… Vertigo tour… same at a show in Madison Square Garden, breaks free from the crowd and gets Bono’s attention, he remembers her and pulls her onstage and hugs her. Incredible. Do you know how that must have made this girl feel? Now let’s talk about how he didn’t have to do that… how he didn’t have to remember some girl from 20 years ago. But he did. To this day… he steps into the crowd and at times is held up by them while he sings. He still brings fans onstage to dance with him. Or… to just play his guitar. This band is known for bringing a fan onstage to play guitar during the song “Party Girl”. Two stories on this tour alone, include a fan being brought onstage to play guitar and sing "Angel of Harlem" and an all girl unknown local band being brought onstage to perform “Out of Control.” Here’s also a man who brings children onstage… sings TO them. During the Chicago Vertigo Tour DVD… he takes time to reach out to a young boy… first entertaining him with hand tricks before bringing him onstage and sings a song about “…being in the heart of a Child…” stands and takes the boy by the hand and walks him around the entire ellipse walkway (which by design takes him into the very heart of the audience) before stopping for this piece of conversation. Bono: What’s your name? Boy: Garrett Bono: Hi Garrett, my name is Paul… but I like to call myself, Bono. Small things, small moments, that mean so much. But, let’s talk about the music. I said it started with fire and passion, and it did. Listen to the vocals and the music, you can hear the passion and the fire as well as feel it. It’s a belief in their words and their music and integrity of their message that delivers the passion. No contrived efforts here, nothing but the real deal. Nothing they’ve done in their career has been a contrived effort. They loved what they were doing, believed in their music. Even when they took some artistic turns that left some fans wondering why or were left not liking the newer music, it wasn’t for lack of belief or passion in what they produced. Some fans did have a true dislike for some of the creative turns but that’s honest, too. You may not have liked the current sound, but you couldn’t ever say they slapped together an album of songs for just the act of doing so. You knew they believed in and put all their hearts and efforts into it… it just sounded a little different than the U2 you knew or had known. But we always flocked to the live experience because you knew you would feel a part of it all, because you knew that the experience of a live U2 show was nothing short of a climatic, almost religious experience and a genuine love and respect being passed back and forth between fan and band. The last show of the US tour leg of this current tour was met with fans holding signs and singing “Thank you” instead of the usual chorus of “Woo-hoos” that happen during the song “Elevation”. The band notices, stops and Bono says, “No, thank YOU” to the audience. Love supreme, baby. Now, their message. Anyone who has been paying attention to the music knows Bono sings about his faith, his belief of the world, the good and the bad and the injustices that he sees as well as all the love he has for everything from God, to his band, his inspirations, and all the way to his wife and his children and most recently, his father with the song "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own." This song is an emotional and moving recording that deserved the award for Song of the Year. You may or may not agree with U2's point of views but you know they’re honest and genuine. That speaks volumes and transcends to the fans. Integrity is the word I keep returning to. It’s a powerful quality. Their love of humanity and faith and their love for each other as people, it’s all there. A story I recently read had to do with Bono receiving a death threat that had the FBI brought in on. It was during the point when this particular state was divided about the acknowledgement of honoring the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a holiday. Enter U2 performing in this particular state at this time. The death threat was at Bono, saying that he had better not perform the song “Pride” (if it’s not known, this song is an honoring of MLK) and if Bono did, the threat was that this person would “blow his head off” and he “wouldn’t know where it was coming from”. So, U2 goes on, Bono sings “Pride.” His account of that time was that when singing it he found himself looking out and thinking that this person could be anywhere and then stopped thinking about it and when he got to the third verse, which sings of MLK’s -assassin-ation and ends with “free at last, they took your life, they could not take your Pride, In the Name of Love, he explains how he just closed his eyes and sang the words. When it was over he opened his eyes to see Adam Clayton (the bass player) standing directly in front of him. Reading that moved me completely and I hope the message in that isn’t lost on you all reading this right now. This brings me around to tell of when Bono and his wife Ali, moved to Africa and lived there for a spell while working in an Orphanage. (this was after Live Aid in 1985) Because they wanted to see with their own eyes how bad things truly were for these people, they moved there and they lived there, working in a local orphanage. This being the catalyst for Bono’s activism, to this very day, in trying to make people, politicians and governments stand up and be accountable for the message that “Where you live should not decide whether you live or die.” He's taken on being the voice and representative to appeal to these politicians for what needs to be done for Africa. Bono isn’t a puppet for charity, he does the legwork, he humbles himself before all the politicians in his requests to have these wrongs, righted and he takes a hands- on approach with this love in his many trips back to Africa. There are no empty words, actions or promises from this man or this band. Incidentally, the experience of living in Africa the first time spawned a little album you all might remember called “The Joshua Tree”. An album that sold over a million within its first week of release. The very catalyst that shoved them into Rock History and undeniable Rock star status, with a force few bands have the pleasure of knowing. Small note about the Joshua Tree… if anyone remembers the video for “Where the Streets Have No Name” will remember that this video was of them putting on an impromptu live performance on a roof top in a down town city in America. It stopped traffic and brought people out to stand and watch on the street or windows from the area buildings. It caused a bit of a stir to the tune of the Police responding, demanding the concert and filming stop. The video shows them being questioned about having a permit to perform and film and they were told they couldn't go on with it all but that didn't stop Bono from grabbing the microphone and he and the band going on with it anyway. The end result is an officer escorting Bono off the roof top with the suggestion of arrests being made. Seeing the people dancing in the streets and one of the final shots of a very young, little girl smiling and dancing says it was all worth it. Just taking the music where it was meant to be; to the people. They brought this flavor of live concert into the next tour as well for “Rattle and Hum” a tour that included a performance of “All Along the Watch Tower”, where Bono jumps off the stage and with a can of spray paint writes on a concrete over pass wall… “Rock n Roll stops the Traffic”. This tour also included a performance of “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For “ with a Gospel Choir from Harlem, New York, a performance with U2 and BB King of a song U2 wrote for BB King. All great stuff. U2 has also worked with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Luciano Pavorotti, to name a few; All of whom they have written songs for and performed with. The fact that all who have worked with U2 throughout the years, from artists of all walks and music genres, to actors, directors, talk show hosts, authors, artists, Presidents and Pope’s alike, who have met this band all talk of a respect and a genuine like for them as people, as well as having respect for them as artists. You’d be hard pressed to find a person with a negative thing to say. Bringing this to the latest release “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb", and the video for “All Because of You" that was filmed with the same flavor as “Streets”. This one is U2 performing live on the back of a truck while being driven through the streets of New York City to the delight and surprise of those who were very lucky enough to witness this spectacular site on that particular day. The reactions of all and the performance by the band and interaction between them and the very surprised audience all caught on film. Rock n Roll does indeed stop the traffic… U2 style. Hopefully by this point, while you still might not like the music, you understand why this band deserves to be where they are or at least why they have been so loved for going on 26 years. A band that NEVER is tired of touching the fans, whether physically or through their genuine respect for them, who also considers themselves fans of humanity and delivers every effort with the same intensity, passion and love now, as they had from the begining, 26 years ago. Sorry for the long post… but you asked. _________________Kindness costs nothing to give but is priceless when offered~ Me