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To: freedom44; cripplecreek
The best stuff was pre Back in black.

Well, the best days of just about any great band are the early days, when they broke through the prevailing trends to stand out. I was a huge fan of U2 when they first got airplay here in the States, but not so much now. They're decent, but back in the early eighties, they were a breath of fresh air. The megaselling, world famous, politically powerful group now could never create anything with the raw energy and excitement of "Out of Control," "Rejoice," or "Two Hearts Beat As One."

I recently purchased my first mp3 player, a 128 MB $30 closeout that nearly cracked open with the first 48 hours of use. But it still works, warts and all, and now have to decide what songs to stuff in it. Currently, I have Sponge, Meco (yes, THAT Meco), Weird Al Yankovic (when I really need some laughs at work), Adam Ant, Oscar-winning composer Bill Conti's Rocky soundtrack, and my current favorite band, Puffy AmiYumi.

38 posted on 06/08/2005 7:31:24 PM PDT by L.N. Smithee (Freeping since March 1998. This is my blessing. This is my curse.)
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To: L.N. Smithee
I saw U2 at the US Festival (underwritten by Steve Wozniak of Apple) back in 1983. That was one of the best rock performances I ever saw. Back then, U2 was dynamic and powerful, with songs like "Rejoice", "Tomorrow", "Out Of Control" and "I Will Follow". They had just released their War album and were on the verge of superstardom. Bono actually didn't make a single political statement and just sang his lungs out. The guy was a maniac, he climbed the scaffolding to the roof of the staging while belting out "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" from the new album.

I then saw them on the Joshua Tree/Rattle & Hum tour five years later. What a disappointment. Bono yapped half the time about Nelson Mandela and famines in Africa. The band robotically went through the motions, playing through a set list of songs and then everybody went home.

I understand the band revamped their stage show during the 1990s and got less pretentious but I never went back to see them. In general, I do like their music however.

50 posted on 06/08/2005 7:43:15 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out Of Hand?)
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To: L.N. Smithee
and my current favorite band, Puffy AmiYumi.

No wonder you use a pseudonym.

131 posted on 06/09/2005 8:08:52 AM PDT by LexBaird ("Democracy can withstand anything but democrats" --Jubal Harshaw (RA Heinlein))
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