They blew me away in the early eighties with their sound, they had/have something very unique and special that you can't really "copy". I remember hearing "New Years Day" for the first time and saying to myself, "WTF is that"? They were and are an amazing band, don't care what the haters say.
Basically what he said is to be inspired, you have to move out of your comfort zone so you have the drive to return to it and this drive inspires you on your way of returning to that comfort zone. When everything's perfect and you're in total comfort - there's no need for change - nothing to be inspired with. No wonder alot of great songs were written by musicians going through personal turmoil.
One of the most inspiring interviews ever... thank you Edge. I too find myself inspired and creative amongst imperfect conditions and would think nothing of it since the conditions were so... but now I know that that is where the treasure lies beneath.
In the 90s, I found a box of Oblique Strategies at a yard sale in my hometown just north of The Bronx for a like a buck. I was like "What is this?" and opened it up, was about to put it down but noticed A. It was one of a set of like 500 if memory serves. Wasn't going to buy it but then I saw Eno's name and signature and knew him from producing for U2.
I wish U2 went back to all the experimentation they did during Achtung Baby and Zooropa, although their latest album was quite daring, interesting and definitely good
Wouldn't you say that in a way, album like "The Unforgettable Fire", were more experimental though? I think about songs like "Elvis Presley and America" for example
I love U2, but ever since Pop wasn't as popular as they had hoped, they have been too worried about maintaining relevance, and "having a hit". When that happens, I feel like their creativity takes a hit, which is why we've not really heard anything as edgy (heh) as, say, Achtung Baby, Zooropa, or even a more perfected Pop. I have seen them live a total of 8 times over the past 3 tours, including 5 times last year alone (including both Belfast and Dublin!), so I am quite the fan! I just feel like they are holding themselves back by taking criticisms too seriously.
+Unforgettable Fire I disagree that ATYCLB and HTDAAB were outstanding, though I will concede that they aren't bad. Outstanding, for me, is Achtung Baby, a caliber of which nothing from 2000 and on comes close to. Also, Bono, in countless interviews, has made comments of their trying to make a big hit song. Google around; it's not my random opinion. They were the absolute biggest band from the Joshua Tree on through the 90s, and when they could barely fill stadiums at half-capacity in parts of the US and even Europe, it stung quite a bit. I also like NLOTH, though think that lyrics on Unknown Caller and Standup Comedy are pretty bad. I think that SOI is by far their best recent album, but their hiring all of these pop producers only proves my point of their obsession with maintaining relevance. My point is that they clearly are still relevant, as they still sellout stadiums and arenas around the world, and that I witnessed people cheering and singing along to most of their new material
+Unforgettable Fire I quite like When I Look At The World! Also, the song The Ground Beneath Her Feet (a musical direction that I wish they had explored more). To my knowledge, WILATW has yet to be performed live; and, TGBHF has only ever been performed acoustically, and only sporadically. Along with Electrical Storm, Drowning Man, Acrobat, and Sleep Like A Baby Tonight (along with This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now), it should definitely be performed live more akin to the studio version, imo! And kudos on the respect thing. Disagreements are healthy, and there's no point in losing ones lunch of building up walls because one has a different viewpoint. With over 7 billion people on our planet, I'm more than okay with people seeing things differently than me ;)
Unforgettable Fire I agree with you regarding No Line. I went straight from October to No Line and it was like October but in the 21st century. It's very underrated, like POP.
You hit the nail on the head Joseph, it's their obsession with staying relevant and "making hits" that puts their creativity down, and indeed, the downfall started during/after Pop. They admit this in interviews themselves, that they always want to have a hit. The best example is when they discuss the Zooropa album: for me it's one of my favorite albums, they are on their absolute creative peak there, and they experiment a lot, which is great. However, Edge then says that he thinks the album is a bit of a failure because it doesn't have any hits! It's a shame. They should age more gracefully, not be bothered about being the "biggest band in the world" anymore, but just write music for the sake of music. I really didn't like the last album at all
black and white footage works every time for me. They've done it for decades. Eno talk also kept me listening, Yes, well made. Only made it to 2 minutes approx, but hope to catch up when I have time. He and they are interesting and still 3 decades later one of my favourite musical inspirations
Best part of 40yrs together speaks volumes about the four individuals, their unique musical genius and they are still selling out gigs in record time. Nuff said
Me at Live Aid in 1985 after U2 blew the roof off Wembley Stadium: "That was a good group. What's their name?" Guy I asked this question: "Are you shittin' me, mate?"
A new U2 album arrives in the same way that a really huge gong makes its sound. The padded hammer hits it, and at first, there's nothing. Everyone is like, "IT'S NOT AS GOOD AS WAR/THE JOSHUA TREE," and on the surface it seems to be dismissed. But then, at least three or four songs from it gradually work their way into the wallpaper of our minds, to the point where they become part of the scenery of our inner selves, and they just sit there like that gong and resonate... for years. I can name at least twenty U2 songs from the last twenty years that have done that for me.
3:33 I remember recording my demos on a 4-track TEAC cassette, waiting to get into a nice 24 track studio. But I could never recreate the mojo spark the shitty cassette had. So elusive. No idea what or why.
I got a strat copy from a charity shop for £25.00 and after a couple days work on it - it's now one of my favourite guitars. And I also own a Gibson Les Paul and a Gibson SG. So it's not all about the name or the price. All my favourite guitars to play are all my cheapest knock off ones...I guess there's the side to it where coz it was *so* cheap - you don't mind knocking it about a bit.
my question is: how does one break habit? ive played for about 10 years... its very hard to create something that i havnt played before, or something that is entirely mine.
If edge were the face of U2 instead of Bono, the band would probably be universally loved. I don't even hate Bono personally but The Edge is just so chill.
I grew up loving U2, but they haven’t been particularly creative in the last 20 years. The Unforgettable Fire is my favourite U2 album......THAT was creative but recently not so much.
Okay, take this comment however you want: I LOVE U2. I really do. But they have been riding on the same song since Joshua Tree. That album was incredible, the first of its kind. But listen to their newer songs. They all sound the exact same. I feel bad saying this but it is true :/
The band really creates the songs AROUND Edge’s sound! He is the orchestrator of U2
They blew me away in the early eighties with their sound, they had/have something very unique and special that you can't really "copy".
I remember hearing "New Years Day" for the first time and saying to myself, "WTF is that"? They were and are an amazing band, don't care
what the haters say.
And new years day is stil relevant 😊
By the time of the UF album then the JT Album and definitely by the AB Album, there was nothing else like it.
Love the Edge, definitely a musical genius of a special kind.
...and he moves in mysterious ways I've noticed.
Basically what he said is to be inspired, you have to move out of your comfort zone so you have the drive to return to it and this drive inspires you on your way of returning to that comfort zone.
When everything's perfect and you're in total comfort - there's no need for change - nothing to be inspired with. No wonder alot of great songs were written by musicians going through personal turmoil.
One of the most inspiring interviews ever... thank you Edge. I too find myself inspired and creative amongst imperfect conditions and would think nothing of it since the conditions were so... but now I know that that is where the treasure lies beneath.
Edge is a genuinely nice guy , and he is one of our own , with a distinctive sound
GROW UP
@@patrickmurphy1803 i didn't call edge a balding boring p rick did i? :PP
Yes! More experimentation Edge
one of the most important bands in r&r history
Lovely guy, seems like a good interview
In the 90s, I found a box of Oblique Strategies at a yard sale in my hometown just north of The Bronx for a like a buck. I was like "What is this?" and opened it up, was about to put it down but noticed A. It was one of a set of like 500 if memory serves. Wasn't going to buy it but then I saw Eno's name and signature and knew him from producing for U2.
I wish U2 went back to all the experimentation they did during Achtung Baby and Zooropa, although their latest album was quite daring, interesting and definitely good
Wouldn't you say that in a way, album like "The Unforgettable Fire", were more experimental though? I think about songs like "Elvis Presley and America" for example
Absolute Genius and Legend love The Edge 😊👍🏻
I love U2, but ever since Pop wasn't as popular as they had hoped, they have been too worried about maintaining relevance, and "having a hit". When that happens, I feel like their creativity takes a hit, which is why we've not really heard anything as edgy (heh) as, say, Achtung Baby, Zooropa, or even a more perfected Pop. I have seen them live a total of 8 times over the past 3 tours, including 5 times last year alone (including both Belfast and Dublin!), so I am quite the fan! I just feel like they are holding themselves back by taking criticisms too seriously.
ahh they'll be grand, im sure they'll come out of it
+Unforgettable Fire I disagree that ATYCLB and HTDAAB were outstanding, though I will concede that they aren't bad. Outstanding, for me, is Achtung Baby, a caliber of which nothing from 2000 and on comes close to. Also, Bono, in countless interviews, has made comments of their trying to make a big hit song. Google around; it's not my random opinion. They were the absolute biggest band from the Joshua Tree on through the 90s, and when they could barely fill stadiums at half-capacity in parts of the US and even Europe, it stung quite a bit. I also like NLOTH, though think that lyrics on Unknown Caller and Standup Comedy are pretty bad. I think that SOI is by far their best recent album, but their hiring all of these pop producers only proves my point of their obsession with maintaining relevance. My point is that they clearly are still relevant, as they still sellout stadiums and arenas around the world, and that I witnessed people cheering and singing along to most of their new material
+Unforgettable Fire I quite like When I Look At The World! Also, the song The Ground Beneath Her Feet (a musical direction that I wish they had explored more). To my knowledge, WILATW has yet to be performed live; and, TGBHF has only ever been performed acoustically, and only sporadically. Along with Electrical Storm, Drowning Man, Acrobat, and Sleep Like A Baby Tonight (along with This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now), it should definitely be performed live more akin to the studio version, imo!
And kudos on the respect thing. Disagreements are healthy, and there's no point in losing ones lunch of building up walls because one has a different viewpoint. With over 7 billion people on our planet, I'm more than okay with people seeing things differently than me ;)
Unforgettable Fire I agree with you regarding No Line. I went straight from October to No Line and it was like October but in the 21st century. It's very underrated, like POP.
You hit the nail on the head Joseph, it's their obsession with staying relevant and "making hits" that puts their creativity down, and indeed, the downfall started during/after Pop. They admit this in interviews themselves, that they always want to have a hit. The best example is when they discuss the Zooropa album: for me it's one of my favorite albums, they are on their absolute creative peak there, and they experiment a lot, which is great. However, Edge then says that he thinks the album is a bit of a failure because it doesn't have any hits!
It's a shame. They should age more gracefully, not be bothered about being the "biggest band in the world" anymore, but just write music for the sake of music. I really didn't like the last album at all
You had me at....The Edge. Say no more.
THE EDGE U2 🔥 🎸 🔥
ES UNICO Y UN GRAN GENIO
OJALA QUE PRONTO PODAMOS VOLVER A VER A THE EDGE Y U2
EN VIVO EN UN NUEVO CONSIERTO OTRA VEZ
U2 = my heroes!!!!!
For me one of the best guitarists in the world
black and white footage works every time for me. They've done it for decades. Eno talk also kept me listening, Yes, well made. Only made it to 2 minutes approx, but hope to catch up when I have time. He and they are interesting and still 3 decades later one of my favourite musical inspirations
Best part of 40yrs together speaks volumes about the four individuals, their unique musical genius and they are still selling out gigs in record time. Nuff said
You guys touched my heart in 1982🍀➕ 1984 was epic X❤️🍀➕
This interview was unexpected and inspirational.
Me at Live Aid in 1985 after U2 blew the roof off Wembley Stadium: "That was a good group. What's their name?"
Guy I asked this question: "Are you shittin' me, mate?"
The best part of U2 is, The Edge...
He made a badass Batman theme. Come to think of it, he worked on Batman twice.
They are actually U4... They are genius, but only together... I love them for 40 years and am happy they're still together...
Thanks for the reminder of imposing limitations to spark creativity.
Just a legend and a gentleman
A new U2 album arrives in the same way that a really huge gong makes its sound. The padded hammer hits it, and at first, there's nothing. Everyone is like, "IT'S NOT AS GOOD AS WAR/THE JOSHUA TREE," and on the surface it seems to be dismissed. But then, at least three or four songs from it gradually work their way into the wallpaper of our minds, to the point where they become part of the scenery of our inner selves, and they just sit there like that gong and resonate... for years. I can name at least twenty U2 songs from the last twenty years that have done that for me.
They're the best..no contest..hands down
I can't wait when this channel goes big.
Edge❤️❤️❤️
Conflict and Turmoil
Noise and Discomfort
Fanning the Flames
Bettering the Bold
loved it
You gotta open up to the muse, and you can't do that under self-imposed restrictions or with ego in the way :) Love The Edge!
Love him.
"Beautiful chaos."
3:33 I remember recording my demos on a 4-track TEAC cassette, waiting to get into a nice 24 track studio. But I could never recreate the mojo spark the shitty cassette had. So elusive. No idea what or why.
u2 working with Brian is .....wow\
Totally agree..
Well Brian made ones of u2 bests records
I got a strat copy from a charity shop for £25.00 and after a couple days work on it - it's now one of my favourite guitars. And I also own a Gibson Les Paul and a Gibson SG. So it's not all about the name or the price. All my favourite guitars to play are all my cheapest knock off ones...I guess there's the side to it where coz it was *so* cheap - you don't mind knocking it about a bit.
Icon
A bigger vibration 🌖🍀
❤️
The Edge was a magnificent choice for the 2009 "It Might Get Loud" docmntry., which featured a trilogy of Jack White & Jimmy Page.
All that you leave behind was a return to form for me.
Ah yes. Thedge. How bout some fuckin t-shirts bro
He's right about the spark, when God's walking through the room. 2:52, 3:44
my question is: how does one break habit? ive played for about 10 years... its very hard to create something that i havnt played before, or something that is entirely mine.
You had a massive. Voice 🥊🍀
That's an wise guy ;)
Felipe Arthur definitely
Thank you 🍀 gypsy magic 🍀🌙🥊❤️
If edge were the face of U2 instead of Bono, the band would probably be universally loved. I don't even hate Bono personally but The Edge is just so chill.
Edge unlocks creativity when he simply turns on his equipment. Roses are red, violets are blue, Edge is Boss! Boss I tell ya...
Edge !
Elves and faeries 🍀
Is he talking about ‘Ole Sourpuss’ Brian Eno?
I grew up loving U2, but they haven’t been particularly creative in the last 20 years. The Unforgettable Fire is my favourite U2 album......THAT was creative but recently not so much.
He’s voice is mixed between Irish and american
Will Roberts he can speak in a welsh accent too.
Okay, take this comment however you want:
I LOVE U2. I really do. But they have been riding on the same song since Joshua Tree. That album was incredible, the first of its kind. But listen to their newer songs. They all sound the exact same. I feel bad saying this but it is true :/
i.. don't think that i've ever seen him not wearing a beanie???🤔🤔🤔
He never wore one in the early days of the band until the poor chap started losing his hair.
AND a bad plug job around pop mart.
BS he's trying to throw U off his scent
I like the Edge and Adam... Bozo, not so much.
Very posh voice like the a royal family member, auctung baby,brilliant album,but that was over 30 years ago,pity
y 3 5 min clips? y not the full thing man? really annoying tracking down the pieces
the link to the longer interview is in the clip's description at the top. offcamera.com/issues/the-edge/watch/#.Vz4wGldvkZI#.Vz4uMVdvkZI
As a fan of 30 +years this band has been officially dumped !
they won't miss you
@@voodoodisco ok snowflake!
why
U2 lost all creativity ten years ago.
They release crap music now
Morelike 25 years ago
U2 have always been crap, and Edge can't play guitar.
@@Ghostmanriding show us your guitar skills!
@@Ghostmanriding ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha "can't play guitar" ha ha ha, how many fans have come to hear you play buddy?
They are one of the most boring bands around.