Rattle and Hum

Steve Dunn | July 1, 2010
We've previously debated the relative greatness of U2.

Tonight I happened to catch U2's Rattle And Hum for the first time in a long time. Here's the wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattle_and_Hum

Interesting film. U2 has sold roughly as many albums since Rattle & Hum as they sold before. Watching the film, the band seems impossibly young. So it's like a movie about a band at the very height of pop music, just before they embark on continuing at the height of pop for another 20 years.

What's funny is that when this film is released, U2 lovers (like me) thought it was weak. Today, I'd say whether you're a U2 lover or skeptic, I recommend this film. I think it serves as a manifesto for those who argue on U2's behalf. For those who doubt them, I say watch it. Then explain why U2 is not among the greats.

Amy Austin | July 1, 2010
Agreed. Been waiting to see them get to R10 for a long while now.

Ryan Dunn | July 1, 2010
Preaching to the choir. U2 is still relevant! Saw them last year and the crowd was just as excited about hearing their 2000's songs as we were about their 1980's tunes.

Watched Rattle and Hum about a year ago. They were going back to the roots of rock & roll, even playing with rock pioneers...making a pilgrimage to Mecca(Graceland). They started in the 70's as a punk band, went on to get schooled by the masters in the art of rock...and have since gone on to create a unique sound that has inspired the next wave.

I was hanging with a 12 year old the other day and was playing the album "All That You Can't Leave Behind." The kid says, These guys sound like Coldplay." I scoffed,"Naw man, Coldplay sounds like U2."

R10!

Scott Hardie | July 1, 2010
I've added the movie to my list to rent. So far I've been unable to get into U2, but they're worth a better try.

They're currently tied for most votes to get an R10 promotion. But the R9 category has many other names also worthy of being placed among rock's greatest and most influential: Woody Guthrie, The Allman Brothers Band, Buddy Holly, Bruce Springsteen, Sam Cooke, Nirvana, David Bowie, Velvet Underground, Elton John, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Pink Floyd, James Brown, Grateful Dead, The Ramones, Sly & the Family Stone, Prince, Aretha Franklin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ray Charles, Bob Marley, Roy Orbison, The Doors, Tina Turner... That's one incredible list of names. I don't know if I would rank U2 at the top of that pack, but I don't know if I could put any of these performers at the top of that pack.

Ryan Dunn | July 1, 2010
I'll tell you who I think is at the bottom of that pack...Nirvana. Overrated!

Steve Dunn | July 1, 2010
To me, it seems like all the other R9s listed exemplify a certain style or genre of music. The Ramones and Nirvana are mentioned because they were the most popular exemplars of new musical styles bubbling to the cultural surface in their time. They burned bright, but not for long. Pink Floyd and the Grateful Dead had longevity, but only within narrow musical subcultures. Some of the others are specialists (best known for performance ability as opposed to writing/creating music). I don't think it's a stretch to put U2 at the top of that list in terms of both commercial and artistic relevance sustained over time.

By the way, I had had a few drinks before I watched Rattle and Hum last night. OK, maybe more than a few. So there's certainly a chance I oversold it. It struck me hard, though, because I distinctly recall seeing it originally and hearing the album and thinking it totally sucked. I was a big U2 fan before that time, based mostly on Unforgettable Fire and Joshua Tree, which in turn got me into the earlier stuff. I did not like the new direction represented by Rattle and Hum.

Looking back on it now, though, Rattle and Hum almost seems quaint. Here's a bunch of YOUNG looking guys (the footage was filmed 23 years ago!) knocking out rock/blues songs alongside their huge hits from the Joshua Tree - well before the electronica, the elaborate stage sets, the personas, etc. Back before U2 was "U2."

What struck me most was their sheer musical competence. These dudes can play. This is an essential aspect of band success that frequently is overlooked. Leaving aside any consideration of a band's "importance" there's simply the matter of the quality of their performance. Lots of the R9s listed above were hit-and-miss at best as performers. If nothing else, Rattle and Hum shows a band that knew how to bring it on stage, like Springsteen or James Brown.

Anyway,

Amy Austin | July 2, 2010
Word.

I was a big U2 fan before that time, based mostly on Unforgettable Fire and Joshua Tree, which in turn got me into the earlier stuff. I did not like the new direction represented by Rattle and Hum. Ditto.

Tony Peters | July 2, 2010
paddle my bum was the common name of that album with most of my music friends. Boy october and war are my favorites....I got a free copy of how to dismantale and atomic bomb and it wasn't bad but I preferred the first 3