That was the first time I was even aware of the band. Months passed, we both graduated from high school, and we went our separate ways for post-secondary education. As it turned out, we ended up not all that far apart: he settled in downtown Toronto and I moved to Brampton, a suburb of Toronto. Anyway, in the fall of '83, the album Under a Blood Red Sky made a big splash in the record stores. This live U2 recording was huge. Living near the vibrant music scene of the big city, I heard a lot of the latest hits on the many local radio stations. The first alternative station in the area, CFNY, gave U2 regular airplay, so I occasionally caught one of their tunes when I strayed from my hard rock on Q107 or CHUM-FM.
Did that young lad even have an inkling he'd become
world famous, and stinking bloody rich?
The U2 songs off the airwaves that immediately caught my ear were I Will Follow, New Year's Day, and Sunday Bloody Sunday. The biggest hits... so far. U2 had already released three studio albums, but since I wasn't sure if these tunes would be a passing interest, I wasn't willing to shell out for those albums. But the new live LP, a compilation of sorts, was a safer bet.
So I bought Under a Blood Red Sky on cassette tape and was pretty impressed. This was a very different sort of rock album for me, not thick power chords and wailing solos... or even pounding, complex drums, which had been my thing thus far. U2's sound was more textured, featuring a lot of jangling arpeggiated guitar by that Edge guy. Bono's vocals were often powerful but also delicate at times. The songs were short, lean, tight compositions. The energy was definitely there, the melodic and often driving guitar supported by competent bass and percussion. The live vibe was almost too much, though. I found that the sound suffered here and there, maybe due to recording the very vocal audience, but there was no denying the passion in U2's music and their concert-goers. The songs were anthems, full of intensity and emotion, and usually political in nature.
I've always enjoyed some U2 music, and some of that a lot, but I was never entirely won over by the band's style and songwriting. Today, as back in the day, I really enjoy the early U2 hits. The Blood Red Sky album covered my faves from the early era. The Unforgettable Fire, released in '84, wasn't my cup of tea at all. I was more into heavy bands like Scorpions, Maiden, and Rush and had little time for anything lighter. This new U2 studio LP was a super-success, but it wasn't for me... though over the years, I've come to love the song Pride (In the Name of Love) off that disc.
A few years later, after I'd moved to another city, I heard a lot of songs off U2's latest, The Joshua Tree. I was drawn to the three massive radio hits With Or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name, and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. And again, over time, these have grown on me immensely. I think I'd even cite these among my top songs of all time - not too high on the list, but within the top 40, perhaps. Late in the 80's, I bought the CD, but for whatever reason (I was more obsessed with Metallica and Megadeth), I rarely played it, and even when I did, I only listened to the first half of the disc. Yep, a very front heavy album.
I actually got rid of my Joshua Tree CD sometime in the 90's , when I decided to purge my collection to make way for new music (I was adding jazz, classical, electronic, and progressive rock to my shelves). After many years passed, I regretted ditching that album, so I re-bought it. Joshua Tree doesn't often visit my player, but I want to hang onto it this time. It's my only U2 album, and I feel like it's all I need... for now, anyway.
In 1988, Rattle and Hum was hard to miss. The film and the album were advertised everywhere, almost overkill in my mind. I gave it a pass, largely ignoring the songs, switching stations whenever Desire or When Loves Comes to Town came on the radio. More recently, having heard Desire a lot on satellite radio at my workplace, I realize I now like it.
Achtung Baby, in '91, was a blast of weirdness, at least at first. I was curious about this new funky, electronic sound, and since my wife at the time left her tape of the album in our car, I found myself listening to, and liking, it more and more. At least some of it. Great songwriting and a fresh, edgy sound revived my interest in the band. Favourite tracks include: Mysterious Ways, Even Better Than the Real Thing and Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses.
I haven't heard a U2 album since then, just the odd tune on the radio or elsewhere. Nothing since has really grabbed me. But looking at their body of work, their mass appeal, their critical and commercial success, I can't deny that U2 is among the biggest rock acts of all time. Their album sales numbers and monumental concert tours have made history. And doesn't every household in the world know the face of Bono?
I often think I'd like a good compilation of U2's music, something that spans most of, or all of, their career. But I hedge at the thought because so many of the CD hits packages out there are either too short, missing valuable tracks, or too long, meaning spending more moola for more music than I really want. The packaging of these comps is frustrating, too: I'd like a career overview in one album, even if it's two CDs, but a person is expected to buy at least two different albums to get a full, or nearly full, career retrospective. And even if I buy a hits CD, I might not even listen to it that much. So the less spent, and the shorter the disc, the better. Bettering my chance of listening to it more often.
Anyway, I'm sure U2 songs were blasting in pubs and bars the world over on St. Patrick's Day. Since I'm of Scottish and English descent, I did not partake in the festivities. Hey, I can drink a tasty Guinness any time I want.... I don't need a special occasion to do it.
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