if someone really likes early U2 up to and including unforgettable fire, what other bands/albums should they like/seek out?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

suggestions would be appreciated.

― titchyschneiderMk2, Friday, 9 March 2007 22:38 (eighteen years ago)

Boy is kindof a watered down television. Maybe Razorlight's first album, or Tom Verlaine's s/t?

― I know, right?, Friday, 9 March 2007 22:42 (eighteen years ago)

oh no, i hate razorlight. i like televisions marquee moon a lot already.

― titchyschneiderMk2, Friday, 9 March 2007 22:44 (eighteen years ago)

I know right? It's fantastic. I'm sick of people banging on about classic albums, but you just have to listen to that one over and over and over and (etc.) But there's a lot of good stuff on Tom Verlaine too. A bit more straight up and early U2-y.

I wouldn't say it's all gold, but I would say it's very good.

― I know, right?, Friday, 9 March 2007 22:55 (eighteen years ago)

The first Wilderness album's great. I think you'd like it if you like early U2. The dude's voice can be a bit much, but the guitar work is mercurial.

― Drooone, Friday, 9 March 2007 22:55 (eighteen years ago)

This is probably way off what you were getting at but I think The Radio Dept are in some ways really similar to early U2. I really like their Lesser Matters albums, but you might find it a bit low-key. I dunno, I'm backing off. I hate recommending stuff, its hard not to sound like a complete prick

― I know, right?, Friday, 9 March 2007 23:01 (eighteen years ago)

ditto on the wilderness...but i love dudes singing too...guitar work is very edge.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Friday, 9 March 2007 23:07 (eighteen years ago)

i just like u2s 'sound' a lot. i love edges guitar sound (so anything with similar shimmering (?) 80s guitar would be good), and i like the rhythm section a lot too, despite a lot of people saying theyre plodding.

― titchyschneiderMk2, Friday, 9 March 2007 23:08 (eighteen years ago)

how about like "sleep no more" by comsat angels? that sort has that sound....

some mid-80s rush does too.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Friday, 9 March 2007 23:26 (eighteen years ago)

The Sound

The Church

Pete Townshend's White City

As stated Rush from the 80s, especially Grace Under Pressure.

― earlnash, Friday, 9 March 2007 23:42 (eighteen years ago)

That new Cinematics one feels early U2-ish to me.

― zaxxon25, Friday, 9 March 2007 23:56 (eighteen years ago)

maybe try

the walkmen - bows + arrows

― 6335, Saturday, 10 March 2007 00:02 (eighteen years ago)

As someone who liked U2 trailing off around UF, I was also listening to Big Country and Skids, Magazine, Simple Mind's "Sparkle in the Rain", Siouxsie and the Banshees "Kiss in the Dreamhouse", Waterboys "Pagan Place", TSOL's "Beneath the Shadows" Also Easterhouse, Cactus World News, Cocteau Twins. Get your chorus pedal on!

― bendy, Saturday, 10 March 2007 01:12 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.platterpus.com/images/71389.jpg

download "whisper to a scream"

― artdamages, Saturday, 10 March 2007 01:22 (eighteen years ago)

Disco Inferno's In Debt PRONFUCKINGTO

― Mr. Snrub, Saturday, 10 March 2007 02:26 (eighteen years ago)

The Skids

― dan selzer, Saturday, 10 March 2007 04:42 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ethereaonline.com/products_showmedia.asp?fName=LgPicture&ProductID=196

― Curt1s Stephens, Saturday, 10 March 2007 05:20 (eighteen years ago)

curt1s wins

also, echo and the bunnymen if you don't know them (boy it's scary to have to say that) as i recall, earliest U2 sometimes was slated for being a takeoff on the bunnymen guitar sound.

― mitya, Saturday, 10 March 2007 05:37 (eighteen years ago)

Good lord you folks are mentioning some really amazing stuff tonight. I don't know where to start, frankly.

Hail the thread

As in Hail to the Thread by Hadioread. As in you done read the book, yo! Red! They could likely call folks into Radiohead "reds" couldn't they? For short?

Blur b-sides have hatched a very pleasant virus in my blood. But that story is for another thread. Peace on.

― Bimble, Saturday, 10 March 2007 07:46 (eighteen years ago)

Imagine Syd Barrett in the crib.

― Bimble, Saturday, 10 March 2007 07:58 (eighteen years ago)

On my first trip to London in the early 80s I made a point of trying to go to see something - anything - at the more famous venues, which is how I saw Zerra 1 at the Marquee without actually having any interest in them.

They were very similar to the then starting-to-become-known U2 but didn't have U2s slightly weird edge (the touches of Skids / Magazine even Pere Ubu) I didn't actually like them but the gig was really slick and professional and. I thought they were soon to be big names, unlike those marginal weirdo's U2.

I never heard of Zerra 1 again and neither did anybody else, but they did get some press which praised them highly so I wasn't alone for thinking for several minutes in 82 (or so) they were gonna be huge. Dunno how they sound today though.

As I hinted above, U2 were considered (by me) when they emerged as quite a bit weirder than they actually were - there was the virgin prunes connection for one thing.

Its embarassing to say out loud from our 2007 vantage, but if you played me I will Follow on the day it was released and asked about it's influences and contemporaries. I'd have gone for Skids, Magazine and Joy Division as influences and The Cure, The Sound, Simple Minds, Echo and the Bunnymen and The Associates as contemporaries.

With hindsight some of these are wrong, But 'A forest' on the Cures 17 seconds album was the first thing I thought when I heard I will Follow and the Associates were doing stuff like 'Tell Me Easters on Friday' at the time.

― Sandy Blair, Saturday, 10 March 2007 08:09 (eighteen years ago)

I'm so fucking embarssed to admit I once owned 2 Zerra I records. I wish to wash my hands of them, thank you very much. Let's just forget I even mentioned it. I can't even blame adolescence. Talk about embarassment. But I shall get over it.

― Bimble, Saturday, 10 March 2007 09:01 (eighteen years ago)

Also I loved U2 dearly prior to Joshua Tree, I really did, though Joshua Tree still did have a few stray hints of brilliance. Up until Joshua Tree, U2 were my fave band in the world for a few years.
But Joshua Tree still represented the end of them for me. But it was so much better than what came after, so...it looked much better in hindsight. I mean that in earnest.

Unforgettable Fire is one of my fave albums of all time. In fact, I've refused to buy it on CD for all these years for that very reason. It's either the cassette or LP or I don't want to know, baby. Forget it.

― Bimble, Saturday, 10 March 2007 09:06 (eighteen years ago)

on U2's behind the music which i saw like 10 years ago i disntinctly remember them saying they were hugely into Television and i know how Bono loves the name drop, but they probably were into them along w/everything else people have mentioned. Simon R. in his Rip It Up Book claimed Bono was trying to step in for Joy Division when Ian Curtis died. lol.

(oh i see someone said television upthread x-post)

― artdamages, Saturday, 10 March 2007 13:06 (eighteen years ago)

I second Echo & The Bunnymen,. Big Country and "Sparkle In The Rain".

― Geir Hongro, Saturday, 10 March 2007 17:03 (eighteen years ago)

Geir have you heard the Chameleons? u should check them out bro.

― Curt1s Stephens, Saturday, 10 March 2007 18:16 (eighteen years ago)

I have heard them, just let me add that personally I am not big fan of whatever Steve Lillywhite did during the 80s, other than his work for Peter Gabriel (which is brilliant) and his work for XTC (which didn't manage to ruin those great songs)

― Geir Hongro, Saturday, 10 March 2007 18:34 (eighteen years ago)

Into Paradise
Clearlake

― Mr. Hal Jam, Saturday, 10 March 2007 18:35 (eighteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.