Go Ahead & Make Fun of Me

I get a lot of shit for my long standing love affair with the band U2, but I can't help it. They're my first musical love, and as we all know, you never forget your first love.

I remember stealing "The Joshua Tree" CD from my mom, putting it in my boom box in my room, and being simply amazed. When I first heard U2, it sounded like what a real, live band was supposed to sound like. It was the first time I recognized all the instruments and knew who played them. I remember distinguishing Adam Clayton's bass line on "With or Without You" and later (when I dug up the "War" album) Larry Mullens military drum solo on "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Every time I hear Bono say "Come on Edge, play the blues!" in the song "Silver and Gold", I get goosebumps as the Edge wails away. I also remember falling head over heels for Bono (seriously, don't laugh) when I got my hands on a VHS of the "Rattle and Hum" tour. That long dark hair . . . that intensity . . . good Lord. Ha!

I loved hearing Bono talk to the crowd on that VHS. (Yes. I am a huge dork.) However, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when I saw U2 in 2005 in the Continental Arena in East Rutherford, NJ. It was during the "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Tour" and the guys seemed tired. This was no "Rattle & Hum". Bono still preached, the band still played hard, but there was a weariness in their performance. A weariness that I think the majority of the nation felt post 9-11, when talking wasn't working anymore, terror alerts were high and our faith in any sort of resolution was low . . . but that's probably just me preaching.

However, their new album "No Line on the Horizon" is . . . hopeful.

I would encourage you to check it out--even if it is a little late--"No Line on the Horizon" was released almost a year ago in February 2009. I just had it on in the background while I was surfing the internet and I heard something special in the song, "Moment of Surrender". I've heard it a few times before, but to be honest, I've never really listened to it until tonight. I've been more inclined to turning up the volume on songs like "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight", "No Line on the Horizon", and "Get On Your Boots". But tonight, "Moment of Surrender" caught me by surprise--just like U2 always does. So, I thought I would share it with you.



How beautiful are these lines . . .

"It’s not if I believe in love
If love believes in me
Oh, believe in me "

Classic U2 . . . love, addiction, spirituality . . . all of this from one song. Bono is connecting with the audience. . . Edge's solo . . .Larry and Adam carrying the song . . . Man, this is how a band is supposed to work--"pop" or not.

"'Oh yeah,' Bono says. 'We can write songs about God and have them right next to songs about girls. I think we weave God, sex, and politics together in a way that's very unusual in music. And I'm not saying this is a reason that someone should like our music, or that it proves we're great--but I do think it can be said with some objectivity.

'I hope that doesn't sound arrogant.'

Well, it sort of does. But arrogance doesn't matter if you're right."
(source)

So you can go ahead and make fun of me. I don't care.

U2 is still the shit . . . in my book anyway.

Sincerely,
Nik

PS- So who's your musical first love? I won't make fun of you . . . I promise!