The Greatest Hits - the Death Knell of U2....


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Mon, 14 Sep 1998 02:38:40 EDT


Hey all - Your friendly (depressed ) neighborhood Abe here -

Yeah yeah , I know its been a loooong time since I've posted and started a
flame war on here , but seriously folks , you guys are hard to get along with
!

About the greatest hits album - I swear I feel like just vomiting , like I
found out the somebody was dead or something... For years I've been able to
hold U2 at a level high above other 'great' bands , because they never wasted
their time on such an immobile project as a 'Greatest Hits' album. But I guess
its here... The King is dead ...

I truly felt that POP continued their domination of the rock music world -
once again they tried new and different things - once again they redefined
their sound , successfully . Once again they wrote great and timeless songs -
it was like all of the previous albums had a face on POP. And most of all they
PROVED they were still around - still had good ideas - still changing - still
relevant !!!! They did it ! We're in our middle 30's and we still rock !!! And
guess what - we could do some more !!

While I have been waiting and wondering , much like before POP for news of the
new album , snapping at the tid bits of info on Prarit and Zoo nation about a
new album , I felt so great !!!New material - Band is invigorated - The Best
stuff of all ! -

I was shocked to find this (GH)Greatest Hits project. Not only a GH project
but a marketing ploy - ( buy it the first week , get a special collection of
B-sides - that ,by the by, only you REAL hard core fands will like them and by
the by you probably already HAVE them all on your singles ) . Im just stunned
!!! I never expected this from U2 - I really didnt - Live albums , Shirts etc
, but never a regurgitation of music that has been imprinted on my mind
forever... U2 has always moved forward , but now they are ....stuck ... and
apparently are headed backwards to the past....

Bono - ( Embrace the Future - Fuck the PAST !!!)

I... don't know what else to say , just that I'm sure I'll buy it as a
collector's item more than anything , enjoy the little tidbit (reworked
Sweetest Thing ) for real U2 fans , bur know that it was done to get me to
spend exorbitant amount of money on my musical heroes...

Bono - ( We have this deal with our fans... They give us a SHITload of money
and ask us one thing - DON't be fucking BORING... )

Well , Bono , Edge , Adam, Larry - for the first time EVER , I can honestly
say you broke the deal , let me down... etc.....

Now im sure there are people out there that are going to say - hey , give them
a break, theyve been around 20 years and it will be cool, having that GH album
to listen too. Yeah , you're right , but like so many of you have observed ,
its around the time that the GH albums come out , that old bands start to
think about moving on... I cant imagine this , i mean U2 could be leaving ...
oh my god... Its reallly here - that day we all dreaded , the day that we know
they are headed out... if not tommorow then a week from now a year ... who
cares its getting late in the saga of U2 and I for one really hate it. Do you
feel the anticipation of a new album ? That special feeling - WHATS NEXT ?
What will it be ? And that moment when you FIRST here their new songs, the new
sound , see the new image - the AWE. The need to hear it again and again until
you know the lyrics and can air guitar to the riffs... Could it be ending soon
?

I've always looked over at a friend of mine who was a huge Beatles fan,
grasping to his collection of (dead) music. Those CD's sat on a shelf as a
ghost of the Beatles- what they were - how they made people feel- Knowing that
it was over - Lenon was dead. No more - EVER. I watched him scamper for the
Beatles anthology and felt guilty that all he was hearing was filler between
the album cuts - not what he was seeking - that NEW tune , that NEW direction.
I must admit that I felt afraid for the time that I was rushing out to buy the
U2 Anthology - but I told myself that day was FARRRRRR away - but is it here
??? Has it arrived ? If it has, I think Im going to just... I think those of
you who feel as I do know what I'm feeling. A tight clinching feeling in your
chest that leaves you with short breath - a realization of something awful and
irreversable.

EDGE - if you are out there - write me and say that you guys will be around
for 5-10 more years !!! Say you'll leave me with at least 5 more NEW albums
!!! PLEASE ! PLEASE ! Get me off my knees !!! You'll never know how you make
us fans feel !

Ugh , I've just gone and gotten disgusting and whiny and ... so like those die
hard U2 fans that I depise that wash the floor with their hearts on every
posting... But for once, I'm right there with you guys... Just sad ... and
truly sad.....

Abe :(



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