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U2 by U2
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352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
January 23, 2016
Deep, Insightful, Revealing & Witty! An Impressive Read! I Loved It!
October 22, 2022
Aus zweierlei Hinsicht geht das Konzept dieses Buches für mich nicht auf: der Erzählstil, die vier Bandmitglieder und Paul McGuiness berichten im losen Wechsel von 30 Jahren Bandgeschichte, hat durchaus seinen Reiz, wenn man sich für die Meinung eines speziellen Mitglieds interessiert, aber vom Lesefluss empfand ich es als quälend. Außerdem begann ich irgendwann Aussagen zu überspringen, um nur die von Edge zu lesen. Dadurch gingen mir bestimmt Informationen verloren. Deshalb hätte ich einen gebündelten Fließtext bevorzugt. Wirklich grauenhaft war jedoch die Färbung des Texthintergrunds. Größtenteils schrille, augenunfreundliche Farben ließen mich noch oberflächlicher lesen. Ich musste dieses eh schon unhandliche schwere Buch so ins Licht drehen, dass ich die Buchstaben überhaupt entziffern konnte. Eine wahrhaft unpraktische wie nervende Farbexplosion.
Allein die zahlreichen künstlerisch ansprechenden Fotografien sowie spontane Aufnahmen der Band konnten mich wieder mit dem Buch versöhnen. Dafür allein hat sich der Kauf gelohnt.
Allein die zahlreichen künstlerisch ansprechenden Fotografien sowie spontane Aufnahmen der Band konnten mich wieder mit dem Buch versöhnen. Dafür allein hat sich der Kauf gelohnt.
March 17, 2008
I was disappointed to learn that Ireland’s heroic U2 would publish their ‘auto biography’ as a ‘coffee table book.’ I believed U2’s story deserved a heavy (500+ page) sober (no photos) presentation reflecting an intellectual seriousness. And, besides, I didn’t own a “coffee table.”
But once again U2 demonstrated their genius. The over-sized format filled with countless images was the perfect setting for this candid story. A band this big couldn’t fit into a conventional sized book anyway.
The cumbersome book is not portable. And I believe that’s part of the point. Like so many of their songs, the tales U2 tell are best encountered in the solitude of one’s personal domain. This is not something you’d want to read on a crowded train or at a busy airport.
Nearly all of the photos are from the band’s personal archives and were not previously published. Frequently these images are not flattering. Documented herein are enough bad hair, bad skin, bad clothes and other bad ideas to destroy the careers of countless lesser bands.
But it is the text of “U2 by U2” that makes this book vital. The four members of U2 separately gave Neil McCormack recorded interviews about their lives and the history of the band. McCormack then turned the 150+ hours of audio into the story in this book. The result is brutally honest, intensely personal, shockingly messy and incredibly wonderful. (Just like a U2 album or concert!)
Often, the individual recollections are not consistent. Given the personalities involved that is not surprising. What is surprising is that in 1975 these four geniuses found each other. And what is even more surprising is that for 33+ years their passionate idealism and committed loyalty have held them together in the belief that rock and roll really can change the world for the better.
After reading about all the challenges, struggles and heartbreaks U2 has overcome and being reminded of all their achievements and contributions, I closed this colossal book and said “God bless U2.”
But once again U2 demonstrated their genius. The over-sized format filled with countless images was the perfect setting for this candid story. A band this big couldn’t fit into a conventional sized book anyway.
The cumbersome book is not portable. And I believe that’s part of the point. Like so many of their songs, the tales U2 tell are best encountered in the solitude of one’s personal domain. This is not something you’d want to read on a crowded train or at a busy airport.
Nearly all of the photos are from the band’s personal archives and were not previously published. Frequently these images are not flattering. Documented herein are enough bad hair, bad skin, bad clothes and other bad ideas to destroy the careers of countless lesser bands.
But it is the text of “U2 by U2” that makes this book vital. The four members of U2 separately gave Neil McCormack recorded interviews about their lives and the history of the band. McCormack then turned the 150+ hours of audio into the story in this book. The result is brutally honest, intensely personal, shockingly messy and incredibly wonderful. (Just like a U2 album or concert!)
Often, the individual recollections are not consistent. Given the personalities involved that is not surprising. What is surprising is that in 1975 these four geniuses found each other. And what is even more surprising is that for 33+ years their passionate idealism and committed loyalty have held them together in the belief that rock and roll really can change the world for the better.
After reading about all the challenges, struggles and heartbreaks U2 has overcome and being reminded of all their achievements and contributions, I closed this colossal book and said “God bless U2.”
August 13, 2017
If I were just a casual fan of U2, I'd probably just say "wow, I loved this, it was super in-depth!" & leave it at that. But I'm not a casual fan (& honestly anyone following my reviews knows I'm...enthusiastic about the things I love, let's say), so I'll elaborate: this is the book I wanted their mess of an authorized biography to be back in the 80s. It's a very rich oral history of the band as individuals and as a unit of artists, friends, and as their storytelling makes clear, as a family. If you're most interested in U2 as musicians, you'll gain insight into their process. If it's intra-band relationships that fascinate you, you'll spend many a happy hour kvelling. It's incredibly detailed but never a slog, and I loved every page.
October 18, 2019
“It is hard to explain the significance of music for all of the kids in our area. There was nothing else nearly as important in terms of establishing your identity. I would have huge arguments with my friends about who was the best band in the world, or what was the best record ever made. The TV music shows... were considered unmissable.” - The Edge
I’m a big music fan and I love U2, but I think my opinion of this book waxed and waned with my feelings for their albums as they chronicled the band from their beginnings until How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. I’m a fan of everything from Boy to Rattle & Hum (especially Under a Blood Red Sky and The Joshua Tree), but then things get a little spotty for me. With only a few exceptions, Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and Pop weren’t really my thing. All That You Can’t Leave Behind was a welcome return to the older style of U2 music, although with a more mature sound. So, that’s where I’m coming from.
"No one was singing [the refrain from "40" at Red Rocks]. They were all too cold and there weren’t enough of them. We had pulled off this concert that no one thought we could, it would have been so nice to hear the crowd chanting… Then our tour manager had got the mike and was hiding beneath the barrier, trying to get the crowd to sing… and slowly they started singing… The edit made it appear a little less organized." - Bono
As they talked about those early years, their struggles and the elusive success, it was an unequivocal 5 star book for me. I was surprised to learn just how close they came to not making it as well as how often they disagree and fight. (I was a big new wave fan and didn’t even know any of their music until The Joshua Tree, in spite of seeing their records in the stores.) That early part of the book was gold, but then they drift into their Euro-dance phase and it felt like a 3 star book. They start to sound very whiny - nothing was ever good enough - and Bono goes into a lot of long-winded political stuff. (He is rightfully proud of his work for Africa, but I just didn't care for his opinions on American politics, and the constant name dropping got old.) And while it mostly feels like an honest self-appraisal by the band - it’s written from interviews over a couple of years, of all four members along with their manager, Paul McGuinness - it also feels like they're trying to set their version of the history down as they want it to be recorded.
Really, this is a difficult review to write (mostly because I broke my left hand and a hard cast is difficult to type with) because this could have been a much better book. The coffee table format is fine - lots of pictures - but the text is very(!) small and often it’s black on red or some other dark color with interfering patterns making it worse. That makes it very hard to read! Overall, the latter half was frequently disappointing, and yet... I really did love the first half.
“I was waiting to find the thing that would become my life's work - and it found me. I fell into it and eventually, when the band started getting good, I realized this was what I wanted to do. It wasn't that I had always harbored a secret ambition to become a rock star... If I hadn't stumbled into Bono, Adam and Larry, I would probably have gone to college... I really have no idea where I would be without U2.”- Edge
I’m a big music fan and I love U2, but I think my opinion of this book waxed and waned with my feelings for their albums as they chronicled the band from their beginnings until How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. I’m a fan of everything from Boy to Rattle & Hum (especially Under a Blood Red Sky and The Joshua Tree), but then things get a little spotty for me. With only a few exceptions, Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and Pop weren’t really my thing. All That You Can’t Leave Behind was a welcome return to the older style of U2 music, although with a more mature sound. So, that’s where I’m coming from.
"No one was singing [the refrain from "40" at Red Rocks]. They were all too cold and there weren’t enough of them. We had pulled off this concert that no one thought we could, it would have been so nice to hear the crowd chanting… Then our tour manager had got the mike and was hiding beneath the barrier, trying to get the crowd to sing… and slowly they started singing… The edit made it appear a little less organized." - Bono
As they talked about those early years, their struggles and the elusive success, it was an unequivocal 5 star book for me. I was surprised to learn just how close they came to not making it as well as how often they disagree and fight. (I was a big new wave fan and didn’t even know any of their music until The Joshua Tree, in spite of seeing their records in the stores.) That early part of the book was gold, but then they drift into their Euro-dance phase and it felt like a 3 star book. They start to sound very whiny - nothing was ever good enough - and Bono goes into a lot of long-winded political stuff. (He is rightfully proud of his work for Africa, but I just didn't care for his opinions on American politics, and the constant name dropping got old.) And while it mostly feels like an honest self-appraisal by the band - it’s written from interviews over a couple of years, of all four members along with their manager, Paul McGuinness - it also feels like they're trying to set their version of the history down as they want it to be recorded.
Really, this is a difficult review to write (mostly because I broke my left hand and a hard cast is difficult to type with) because this could have been a much better book. The coffee table format is fine - lots of pictures - but the text is very(!) small and often it’s black on red or some other dark color with interfering patterns making it worse. That makes it very hard to read! Overall, the latter half was frequently disappointing, and yet... I really did love the first half.
“I was waiting to find the thing that would become my life's work - and it found me. I fell into it and eventually, when the band started getting good, I realized this was what I wanted to do. It wasn't that I had always harbored a secret ambition to become a rock star... If I hadn't stumbled into Bono, Adam and Larry, I would probably have gone to college... I really have no idea where I would be without U2.”- Edge
December 22, 2018
I love U2. They're one of my top-5 rock/ pop/ hip-hop bands of all times.
I enjoyed this book. It's told 100% in the band's own words. My favorite parts were the beginning, where they tell their tale of rising from a nobody punk band to pop megastars. And how they struggled with their faith as Christians and used the rock-legend stardom to bring attention to noble humanitarian causes.
Though the book does go a tad dry for me AFTER they hit it big, and the book just traces their recording projects. It's like "We went to the south of France, Brian Eno showed up, we recorded a bunch of mostly garbage that Eno edited into a serviceable song by adding a keyboard part that we put into a sequencer for our tour. And then we toured."
But even then, it did have me reappraising the bands later music. The song "Lemon" seemed eye-rolley to me when it came out, so I never bought the album it came off of, POP. This book introduced me to that music gently. And I'll be danged if I haven't listened to the LP POP on YouTube... and liked it.
All told, a decent book that starts stronger than it ends.
I do have one huge complaint, though: the layout. It's a coffee table book size, and a botch to read. And while I love the graphics, there are times that the graphics included under the text made it hard to read the band's actual words.
Gripes aside, it's a keeper. A great rock autobiography. Four stars. The layout issues above made it hard for me to go five... sorry. I'm picky that way.
I enjoyed this book. It's told 100% in the band's own words. My favorite parts were the beginning, where they tell their tale of rising from a nobody punk band to pop megastars. And how they struggled with their faith as Christians and used the rock-legend stardom to bring attention to noble humanitarian causes.
Though the book does go a tad dry for me AFTER they hit it big, and the book just traces their recording projects. It's like "We went to the south of France, Brian Eno showed up, we recorded a bunch of mostly garbage that Eno edited into a serviceable song by adding a keyboard part that we put into a sequencer for our tour. And then we toured."
But even then, it did have me reappraising the bands later music. The song "Lemon" seemed eye-rolley to me when it came out, so I never bought the album it came off of, POP. This book introduced me to that music gently. And I'll be danged if I haven't listened to the LP POP on YouTube... and liked it.
All told, a decent book that starts stronger than it ends.
I do have one huge complaint, though: the layout. It's a coffee table book size, and a botch to read. And while I love the graphics, there are times that the graphics included under the text made it hard to read the band's actual words.
Gripes aside, it's a keeper. A great rock autobiography. Four stars. The layout issues above made it hard for me to go five... sorry. I'm picky that way.
November 15, 2021
I am a lifelong fan of U2, so for me this book as detailed as it is, was very insightful. I am interested in all about them and the book gives all the answers, from their childhood and forming the band to inspiration and working process for each song and album. I learned that Bono is very complex person and it's difficult to follow all his endeavors musical/political, etc. but that exact personality was a force for U2. For me it was nice to hear Larry's thoughts especially because he rarely speaks in public.
I can say that the first half of the book is an emotional and inspiration tale, even motivational. The second half is a story about success, creative process and possibilities. They live an incredibly rich life, and their friendship warms my heart.
I can say that the first half of the book is an emotional and inspiration tale, even motivational. The second half is a story about success, creative process and possibilities. They live an incredibly rich life, and their friendship warms my heart.
June 15, 2010
I've been a U2 fan since the year Achtung Baby came out, and was a superfan by the time they got around to releasing Zooropa. I had a huge collection magazine articles, web articles, newspaper articles, and even books. I studied my archive and was always in search of more info and more stories about the band. I'd read BP Fallon's hatchet job (or rather, as much of it as I could stand) and Bill Flanagan's superb U2: At the End of the World, but I'd always been eager to hear more about the band from the band. All you'd have to do is listen to an interview to hear that they all have a way with telling a story, whether its Larry's sharp, fact-based assault or Bono's poetic romanticism. I'd bought the original edition of this book when it came out, but the huge coffee-table size made it hard to read. That's why I was so delighted by the more compact, tote-able version, so I could finally read these stories.
And they are great stories. There are few, if any, jaw-dropping admissions. In fact, many superfans might know a lot of the particulars here. But it's not about the facts, it's about the band looking back on their many peaks and valleys, talking about what went right, what went wrong, and what astonished them by working out. It's a terrific read, and worth it for any fan of the band.
And they are great stories. There are few, if any, jaw-dropping admissions. In fact, many superfans might know a lot of the particulars here. But it's not about the facts, it's about the band looking back on their many peaks and valleys, talking about what went right, what went wrong, and what astonished them by working out. It's a terrific read, and worth it for any fan of the band.
April 1, 2013
The most honest look at the inner workings, problems and daily life of a band. What's even more incredible is that it's coming from the band itself. It's refreshing to hear Larry or The Edge talk about how crap they think they are at their instruments, even now. I don't want to focus on the negative things, but I was just blown away by their honest opinions and humility. I don't know another band that would point out the problems in their performances and desicions, knowing they were being recorded for a book. And honesty about their internal arguments, which you usually hear only after a group has split up. Again, just a refreshing music biography.
You can also watch the importance of "the business" start to take hold, early on in the words of manager Paul McGuinness, and later Bono, as they become concerned with branding and corporate tie-ins, as well as the looming spectre of *shiver* Internet Piracy! Everyone, I suppose, grows into a cranky paranoid old man some time.
From their early childhoods to their first taste of fame as a punk band, all the way to the "Atomic Bomb" album and tour, this book covers the entire history of U2, as told by the primary sources.
You can also watch the importance of "the business" start to take hold, early on in the words of manager Paul McGuinness, and later Bono, as they become concerned with branding and corporate tie-ins, as well as the looming spectre of *shiver* Internet Piracy! Everyone, I suppose, grows into a cranky paranoid old man some time.
From their early childhoods to their first taste of fame as a punk band, all the way to the "Atomic Bomb" album and tour, this book covers the entire history of U2, as told by the primary sources.
May 11, 2023
I loved getting this verbal and visual insight into my favorite band. I've had this book for about sixteen years without being much excited about biography, but I really enjoyed reading it while playing each album on repeat over the last few months. I like the band even more now.
November 28, 2021
Piece of crap from a know-it-all, meddling group.
December 23, 2012
Granted, I’m sure you have to be a self-described “super fan” to read nearly 500 pages -- about the backstory, career, and inspiration for every single song – about ANY band or artist, but I really enjoyed this a lot. It was long, but it was very detailed, very enlightening, and if you really want to know about Bono’s relationship with his father, about Adam and Bono roadtripping throughout the American Southwest, leading to the inspiration to the underappreciated Rattle & Hum track “Heartland,” then this will certainly deliver. If that’s too much for you, maybe you better just put on Pride again.
The best thing about this book is that it is basically a compilation of interviews over 2 or 3 years, trying to capture the history of the band, but it is edited in such a way that there is no narrator, no interviewer questioning members, nothing except the four members (and their manager Paul) speaking in their own words – like a four-person, rotating autobiography. But the way the sections are pasted together creates a real flow to the story, like they are all four sitting with you and telling you how it was, jumping in where another leaves off and furthering the action as well as the chronology.
There are a number of great sections and powerful anecdotes. They really spent a lot of time talking about their upbringing – which, to a lay-fan, could be a bit overdone and drawn out. But when you WANT to know all this stuff about the person(s) in question, it is very appreciated, not to mention almost central to the development of the band, in that A) you see how they were never really musical, B) you see the stories of violence, rough upbringing, early familial deaths, and how these incidents shaped the band’s direction (Bono sing so much about MLK and non-violence, but as he says, “You can’t really get much farther from the songs than the singer.”), C) you see how they really went from four high schoolers who couldn’t play to fighting for their survival and landing a record contract within 2 years, then blowing up more and more each successive year, apparently without end….
If I had a complaint, I would say that the ensuing chapters tended to follow a pattern of A) how the album was made and the backstory to each song and then B) the tour and the year on the road. Then the next chapter was A) how the album was made and the backstory to each song and then B) the tour and the year(s) on the road. The good nuggets are obviously worth it, while after a while I tired of hearing them all say, “Well, we were back in the studio, and we work really slow, we are not classically trained musicians, we jam and fiddle around and chop up the tapes and what seemed like song before has really spawned three separate song and we threw out the original. It was hard, I had this new pedal and was tinkering around with it and Bono said, “What’s that?” So that became Mysterious Ways.” I mean, taken on its own, it could be a great story: Edge, the scientist, tinkering, Bono feeling inspired and jumping on it, Larry saying, “Maybe a little of this” – but literally every song they have ever written happened like this, and by the time year 23 of the band comes around, I was a bit tired of the same old recap. The tours likewise, it’s interesting, but it’s too much of a pattern, repeating. “We booked a lot of dates, we kept going, we were road weary.” I would have liked to see a bit more of their personal struggles rather than them just recapping the recording and touring process. The book starts out with personal struggles – and for 80-100 pages – but then the album/tour cycle starts and we don’t ever really hear about anything else beyond a 2 page, subtle reference to Edge’s divorce or Edge’s daughter getting sick, two pages on Adam’s alcoholism, and a couple pages here and there about Bono’s activism (which EVERYONE knows about, and which he laughs quite candidly about).
But overall, it was very enjoyable, very interesting, and I learned a lot of new things about a band I’ve been listening to since I was 13 or so. I had sung these lyrics before so many times (on my own, with a band – the first song I ever sang on stage was at band camp, I sang One with an acoustic guitar by myself) but now I really understood where Bono was coming from with each of these creations, what each line meant, represented, where it came from, and I found that extremely interesting. I thought it was cool to listen to each album as I was reading the 40-50 page sections about the period/songs that corresponded, listening to songs in a new way with a new understanding of the lyrics and such. And when the band described 9/11, just after All That You Can’t Leave Behind came out, preceded by the Beautiful Day single, and how they felt like that had to tour America, to be there, to perform in Madison Square Garden and seeing the beautiful tear-stained faces (providing the chorus for City of Blinding Lights), I felt myself tearing up. You really see how U2 connects and focuses on the spiritual, the emotional, to not only help themselves through life/pain/death/identity, but they do it to help others.
The best thing about this book is that it is basically a compilation of interviews over 2 or 3 years, trying to capture the history of the band, but it is edited in such a way that there is no narrator, no interviewer questioning members, nothing except the four members (and their manager Paul) speaking in their own words – like a four-person, rotating autobiography. But the way the sections are pasted together creates a real flow to the story, like they are all four sitting with you and telling you how it was, jumping in where another leaves off and furthering the action as well as the chronology.
There are a number of great sections and powerful anecdotes. They really spent a lot of time talking about their upbringing – which, to a lay-fan, could be a bit overdone and drawn out. But when you WANT to know all this stuff about the person(s) in question, it is very appreciated, not to mention almost central to the development of the band, in that A) you see how they were never really musical, B) you see the stories of violence, rough upbringing, early familial deaths, and how these incidents shaped the band’s direction (Bono sing so much about MLK and non-violence, but as he says, “You can’t really get much farther from the songs than the singer.”), C) you see how they really went from four high schoolers who couldn’t play to fighting for their survival and landing a record contract within 2 years, then blowing up more and more each successive year, apparently without end….
If I had a complaint, I would say that the ensuing chapters tended to follow a pattern of A) how the album was made and the backstory to each song and then B) the tour and the year on the road. Then the next chapter was A) how the album was made and the backstory to each song and then B) the tour and the year(s) on the road. The good nuggets are obviously worth it, while after a while I tired of hearing them all say, “Well, we were back in the studio, and we work really slow, we are not classically trained musicians, we jam and fiddle around and chop up the tapes and what seemed like song before has really spawned three separate song and we threw out the original. It was hard, I had this new pedal and was tinkering around with it and Bono said, “What’s that?” So that became Mysterious Ways.” I mean, taken on its own, it could be a great story: Edge, the scientist, tinkering, Bono feeling inspired and jumping on it, Larry saying, “Maybe a little of this” – but literally every song they have ever written happened like this, and by the time year 23 of the band comes around, I was a bit tired of the same old recap. The tours likewise, it’s interesting, but it’s too much of a pattern, repeating. “We booked a lot of dates, we kept going, we were road weary.” I would have liked to see a bit more of their personal struggles rather than them just recapping the recording and touring process. The book starts out with personal struggles – and for 80-100 pages – but then the album/tour cycle starts and we don’t ever really hear about anything else beyond a 2 page, subtle reference to Edge’s divorce or Edge’s daughter getting sick, two pages on Adam’s alcoholism, and a couple pages here and there about Bono’s activism (which EVERYONE knows about, and which he laughs quite candidly about).
But overall, it was very enjoyable, very interesting, and I learned a lot of new things about a band I’ve been listening to since I was 13 or so. I had sung these lyrics before so many times (on my own, with a band – the first song I ever sang on stage was at band camp, I sang One with an acoustic guitar by myself) but now I really understood where Bono was coming from with each of these creations, what each line meant, represented, where it came from, and I found that extremely interesting. I thought it was cool to listen to each album as I was reading the 40-50 page sections about the period/songs that corresponded, listening to songs in a new way with a new understanding of the lyrics and such. And when the band described 9/11, just after All That You Can’t Leave Behind came out, preceded by the Beautiful Day single, and how they felt like that had to tour America, to be there, to perform in Madison Square Garden and seeing the beautiful tear-stained faces (providing the chorus for City of Blinding Lights), I felt myself tearing up. You really see how U2 connects and focuses on the spiritual, the emotional, to not only help themselves through life/pain/death/identity, but they do it to help others.
June 22, 2023
My love and admiration of U2 was somewhat distracted by the love and admiration of U2 by the members of the band which was….immense in volume and scope. Still, beyond the constant self pats on the back, this is a comprehensive must-read for fans.
June 24, 2021
4 stars if you are a fan.
July 27, 2019
Jako wierna fanka tego zespołu, kiedyś wreszcie musiałam sięgnąć po tę książkę. Nie jest to biografia ani reportaż - tutaj członkowie U2 sami o sobie opowiadają. Zapewne nie jest to nowatorski zabieg, ale ja chyba jeszcze nie czytałam książki skonstruowanej w tej sposób. Nawet zakładając, że słuchając opowieści Neil McCormick wpłynął na całokształt wypowiedzi, układając odpowiedzi, redagując je i może przycinając, to jest to jednak w miarę autentyczny obraz czwórki muzyków. Ich wypowiedzi bardzo wyraźnie podkreślają charaktery poszczególnych osób, podejście do życia, sposób myślenia. Dzięki temu książka nie stanowi tylko relacji o powstaniu i rozwoju zespołu, ale także historię ewolucji poszczególnych osób.
Pomijając kwestię na ile wypowiedzi muzyków są samokreacją czy przemyślanym zabiegiem, czytelnik otrzyma ogromną dawkę informacji i emocji. Ja, ale nie jestem może całkiem obiektywna, nie odczułam w wypowiedziach fałszu czy samoprezentacji. Każdy z nich opowiada o swoich słabych momentach, gorszych chwilach, problemach osobistych, ale także o trudnościach zespołu, o poczuciu niedostateczności własnego talentu, braku wykształcenia muzycznego, przypadkowości tworzenia piosenek i oczywiście samego powstania zespołu. Bo U2 to nie komercyjny produkt, lecz szkolna kapela, kilku chłopaków, którzy spotykali się po szkole, żeby razem pobrzękać na instrumentach i dawać niezbyt udane koncerty na szkolnych imprezach. Młodzi i gniewni, którzy szukali sposobu na skanalizowanie emocji i fajne spędzenie czasu. Zaskakująca jest absolutna przypadkowość ich sukcesu i wielka doza szczęścia - to połączone z ich determinacją i zapewne odpowiednim momentem w czasie dało im szansę na wybicie się. Co ciekawe wypowiedziom Bono, Edge'a, Larryego i Adama towarzyszą też wspomnienia ich menedżera Paula McGuinessa, który towarzyszł U2 od samego początku.
Ciąg dalszy: https://przeczytalamksiazke.blogspot....
Pomijając kwestię na ile wypowiedzi muzyków są samokreacją czy przemyślanym zabiegiem, czytelnik otrzyma ogromną dawkę informacji i emocji. Ja, ale nie jestem może całkiem obiektywna, nie odczułam w wypowiedziach fałszu czy samoprezentacji. Każdy z nich opowiada o swoich słabych momentach, gorszych chwilach, problemach osobistych, ale także o trudnościach zespołu, o poczuciu niedostateczności własnego talentu, braku wykształcenia muzycznego, przypadkowości tworzenia piosenek i oczywiście samego powstania zespołu. Bo U2 to nie komercyjny produkt, lecz szkolna kapela, kilku chłopaków, którzy spotykali się po szkole, żeby razem pobrzękać na instrumentach i dawać niezbyt udane koncerty na szkolnych imprezach. Młodzi i gniewni, którzy szukali sposobu na skanalizowanie emocji i fajne spędzenie czasu. Zaskakująca jest absolutna przypadkowość ich sukcesu i wielka doza szczęścia - to połączone z ich determinacją i zapewne odpowiednim momentem w czasie dało im szansę na wybicie się. Co ciekawe wypowiedziom Bono, Edge'a, Larryego i Adama towarzyszą też wspomnienia ich menedżera Paula McGuinessa, który towarzyszł U2 od samego początku.
Ciąg dalszy: https://przeczytalamksiazke.blogspot....
June 4, 2011
Yes, I do nothing with my weekends, especially this one. I went to the library on Friday and they actually had U2 by U2 (only in beverly hills!) on the 14 day rental shelf so of course, I pounced on it. The book is huge. I looked through it at Target a few weeks ago and could barely lift it. Library was even worse, cause it was in hardcover. I said to myself, there is no way I am going to finish this book in 14 days. And I don't know if I can renew a New Book! So I started reading.
And less then 3 days later, I finished. Geeze, I need a life. Anyways.
I thought there would be too much past that I didn't know or care about, but I didn't want to miss any of the pictures, so I just started reading. And the hours were flying by and I wasn't even flinching. Well, about every 30 pages, I needed a break. This book was amazing. I am surprised how much I knew (being a late fan) and how much general info I knew and how much this book explained more. I loved it. It made me want to dig out all my U2 cd's and listen to them all as I read about each time period. (I am currently listening to HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB). It explained so much on why U2 is U2, how they work, what all their cd's and music means to them and why they wrote about what they did at that certain time. Amazing. And this book could only be considered part one, as it's not like the band is disbanding anytime soon.
Grade: B+(!) I want to own this book (even though I probably will never read it again. It gave me too many paper cuts!)
And less then 3 days later, I finished. Geeze, I need a life. Anyways.
I thought there would be too much past that I didn't know or care about, but I didn't want to miss any of the pictures, so I just started reading. And the hours were flying by and I wasn't even flinching. Well, about every 30 pages, I needed a break. This book was amazing. I am surprised how much I knew (being a late fan) and how much general info I knew and how much this book explained more. I loved it. It made me want to dig out all my U2 cd's and listen to them all as I read about each time period. (I am currently listening to HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB). It explained so much on why U2 is U2, how they work, what all their cd's and music means to them and why they wrote about what they did at that certain time. Amazing. And this book could only be considered part one, as it's not like the band is disbanding anytime soon.
Grade: B+(!) I want to own this book (even though I probably will never read it again. It gave me too many paper cuts!)
August 7, 2010
I am an avid reader, and biographies, by far, are my favorite. Add to that my love of music, and you can imagine I've read many, many musical biographies. They've ranged from the downfall of 17th century classical to the tragedy of Kurt Cobain. The debauchery and genius of Led Zeppelin to prohibition and heroin addiction in the early 30's Jazz age. Yet, I must say, this biography of U2 that I just finished is by, far, the best music biography I have ever read. It's told first person through the four member's (Larry, Bono, The Edge and Adam) voices.
It is about the meaning of being an artist- what it has meant to them. About spreading love, about helping to use that to change the world. About being poor, about becoming massively wealthy and what truly to do with that wealth. They talk of being very careful and thoughtful with the gift of your art and voice, and speak of it so eloquently. There were so many beautiful things about what it means to be a band and to try to utilize that art to change the world, spoken from the heart and with such a passion, that my copy of this book is dogged tagged with so many favorite pages, it would be hard to pass along.
You like biographies, or you like u2? You like something moving? or all the above? something that inspires you to make change as well? --read this book!
It is about the meaning of being an artist- what it has meant to them. About spreading love, about helping to use that to change the world. About being poor, about becoming massively wealthy and what truly to do with that wealth. They talk of being very careful and thoughtful with the gift of your art and voice, and speak of it so eloquently. There were so many beautiful things about what it means to be a band and to try to utilize that art to change the world, spoken from the heart and with such a passion, that my copy of this book is dogged tagged with so many favorite pages, it would be hard to pass along.
You like biographies, or you like u2? You like something moving? or all the above? something that inspires you to make change as well? --read this book!
June 6, 2011
This is a very cool book--the boys go through their history and discuss each of their albums and tours (through HTDAAB anyway). They start at their humble beginnings as "Feedback" who met in Larry's kitchen in 1976, and they talk about how none of them could really play their instruments. They hustled gigs and slept in the back of their van when they first started touring. Nothing was handed to them--they worked hard--together--to get where they are. They depend on each other and teach each other and they love what they do. They are one, but they are definitely not the same. I love that they talk about the many people who have helped them, their friends and families, struggles and successes, etc. You also get the point-of-view of their manager Paul McGuinness, who has been with them from (almost) the beginning. The book is basically transcribed from more than 150 hours of interviews, and the pictures are incredible. And yes, they all went through really bad hair phases.
FYI, this is a large book (coffee-table sized, 350 pages), so avoid schlepping it around if you have a bum shoulder. Ask me how I know.
FYI, this is a large book (coffee-table sized, 350 pages), so avoid schlepping it around if you have a bum shoulder. Ask me how I know.
October 11, 2010
If you are a fan of U2 this is the book to choose to understand their history and development. It takes interviews with all four members and patiently walks you through all the songs, tours, behind-the-scenes, and personal stories. It is not only full of stories but full of photos, chronicling the three decades of the band.
The unfortunate parts of the book for me are when the members talk about Christianity because it quickly becomes apparent they don't have much depth there at all. This is mostly Bono and Edge and their political activism is informed by this misreading of the two kingdoms that they both have. On one page Bono will describe himself as an "unreconstructed Calvinist" and then later will reveal his enthusiasms for Social Gospel schemes to bring heaven to this earth. At one point Edge says "our stance as a band is that we believe in heaven but we live as if we didn't."
Notwithstanding that criticism I highly recommend this one.
The unfortunate parts of the book for me are when the members talk about Christianity because it quickly becomes apparent they don't have much depth there at all. This is mostly Bono and Edge and their political activism is informed by this misreading of the two kingdoms that they both have. On one page Bono will describe himself as an "unreconstructed Calvinist" and then later will reveal his enthusiasms for Social Gospel schemes to bring heaven to this earth. At one point Edge says "our stance as a band is that we believe in heaven but we live as if we didn't."
Notwithstanding that criticism I highly recommend this one.
September 1, 2013
neil mccormick went to mt. temple comprehensive school, in dublin with all of the u2 members, contrary to what the media would mislead one to think larry mullen jr is not by far the youngest member. Adam Clayton was born march 13, 1960 bono may 1o, 1960 the edge august 8 1961, and larry october 31, 1961.
mccormicks book is good because he known them since before they were 'paul's baby band' (not hewson mcguinness) and they seem like people in this book, not legends. and if you really pay attention to them you know their not the hotel wrecking type nor are they the icon type.
even better than this book though is 'killing bono' also by mccormick. read it and then see the movie.
mccormicks book is good because he known them since before they were 'paul's baby band' (not hewson mcguinness) and they seem like people in this book, not legends. and if you really pay attention to them you know their not the hotel wrecking type nor are they the icon type.
even better than this book though is 'killing bono' also by mccormick. read it and then see the movie.
January 31, 2009
amazing..... I never knew how really intensely intelligent all these men are....in addition to being more than brilliant musicians...they are incredibly literate and fluid and colorful.
May 27, 2009
It's pretty uncool to like this band, but I seriously love them. One of the first bands I ever fell in love with, and I still find the Irish lads fascinating.
July 19, 2023
Life according to U2: Accept your hypocrisies, explore that tension, and don't take yourself too seriously. But also don't be afraid to go back to square one and dream it all up again.
May 22, 2018
The only thing I regret about this book is that it isn’t updated every 4-5 years. What a ride.
December 21, 2022
The book turned to be a genuine treasure. It's one of those books when you extremely enjoy reading. When you read a bit your mood gets improved. Even if you had a crappy mood, you only need to read some pages and you're smiling with your widest smile. Sometimes I adore it so much that I even want to hug the book :D Because it sooooooo cool! I even don't know how to describe. The book is very alive (yeah, alive!), it's like it's talking to you. It consists of quotes by every member, but the "story" is there. I mean a plot. There is a story which starts from the beginning and it continues. They change subjects very smoothly and it's a solid story, not just pieces of information. Also you can observe the same situation from different angles. You can read an opinion of every member and you can see the whole picture of that situation. And when Bono's exaggerating, Larry definitely puts him down to earth :D In the book you can feel a team. And its strong connection between all of them. Every member has enough of attention in this book and you have enough possibilities to get to know close each of them.
Most of all I adore to read about U2 as kids :D Young U2 is a miracle! And stories of how they were trying to show themselves are so interesting that it's impossible to stop reading. I love to read about how people were before when I know how they are now. It was a gold time definitely. It's awesome awesome awesome! I love them <3
Most of all I adore to read about U2 as kids :D Young U2 is a miracle! And stories of how they were trying to show themselves are so interesting that it's impossible to stop reading. I love to read about how people were before when I know how they are now. It was a gold time definitely. It's awesome awesome awesome! I love them <3
July 18, 2020
This book, now 14 years old, is a history of the band told by the band members and their manager Paul McGuinness. It is culled from hours of interviews, and edited so it sometimes reads as a group conversation/interview, although I suspect for the most part these interviews were done separately. I love reading about the history and development of great rock bands, especially in their own words. I enjoyed the stories of their youth and early years as a struggling band. The personalities of each member really come forward too. Edge is insightful, Bono is sometimes preachy, etc. And they are all quite candid with their personal lives throughout. The book is less interesting as the band grows and becomes a worldwide sensation, but there are enough anecdotes to keep it interesting.
I think this was originally published as a coffee table book, which would do justice to the many photos included. This edition is a QPB, and some of the photos are minuscule. Sometimes coffee table books are hard to pick up and read, but in this case the QPB, with the small print and narrow margins is also a bit of pain. Worth reading unless you can't stand U2. There's not enough for here for rock music scholars unless you're a fan.
I think this was originally published as a coffee table book, which would do justice to the many photos included. This edition is a QPB, and some of the photos are minuscule. Sometimes coffee table books are hard to pick up and read, but in this case the QPB, with the small print and narrow margins is also a bit of pain. Worth reading unless you can't stand U2. There's not enough for here for rock music scholars unless you're a fan.
October 2, 2020
Esse gênero de livro costuma cair no "mais do mesmo": celebridades concedem entrevistas em seus quartos de hotel e publicam para mostrar o quanto ele sofreu e lutou para chegar onde chegou. Produto típico para fãs.
Confesso que mesmo sendo muito fã do U2 (mas não do ideais e visão de mundo do Bono), sou bem cética quando se trata de autobiografias.
O diferencial desse livro é a espontaneidade da banda ao relatar tudo, até mesmo as tensões ainda, mesmo aos mais existentes, durante a convivência e até mesmo ressentimentos sobre a intromissão de alguns deles no trabalho do outro. A banda não decepcionou no quesito detalhes e sinceridade, principalmente quando falamos de Larry Mullen, numa época que ele menos ainda que hoje, a não ser que o assunto fosse motos ou Elvis.
Rico em fotos, diálogos, divagações e histórias, vale a pena o fã ter esse livro em sua coleção da banda.
Confesso que mesmo sendo muito fã do U2 (mas não do ideais e visão de mundo do Bono), sou bem cética quando se trata de autobiografias.
O diferencial desse livro é a espontaneidade da banda ao relatar tudo, até mesmo as tensões ainda, mesmo aos mais existentes, durante a convivência e até mesmo ressentimentos sobre a intromissão de alguns deles no trabalho do outro. A banda não decepcionou no quesito detalhes e sinceridade, principalmente quando falamos de Larry Mullen, numa época que ele menos ainda que hoje, a não ser que o assunto fosse motos ou Elvis.
Rico em fotos, diálogos, divagações e histórias, vale a pena o fã ter esse livro em sua coleção da banda.
September 11, 2022
As a huge U2 fan in the 80s I was hoping the book would give more than every interview I have ever seen or read, it did at times but not really. The book didnt get too personal and I guess they just wanted it that way and I do ultimately respect that. Of course the beginnings of any band is always the most exciting and the book offers a bit of that. As a big fan of U2 up until the Unforgettable Fire and not loving anything after that I felt I was pretty much skimming through the rest of the book as it continued to focus on newer material which barely interested me. Im glad I read it as it reminded me of the times back in the 80's when listening to them felt like nothing else in the world. They truly were special and they knew it. If your a fan of U2 throughout their career then the book is a must.
May 13, 2018
I think the idea of interviewing an entire group (as opposed to one band member's or an outsider's perspective) as a band biography is really fantastic. I enjoyed the way that their recollections bounced off one another, the ways they corrected each other. I'm a junkie for behind the scenes stuff on movies and music, anyway, so this was always going to get a pretty high score from me, but this book really *is* fantastic. For instance, even with the amount of information I already had about this band (they are one of my all time favorites), I learned all kinds of new things. I was completely unaware, for instance, how devoutly Christian the band is (nothing wrong with that at all, btw, I just didn't know). My only wish as that there was more to the book--I wanted to keep going and learn more about the behind the scenes of the 3 albums they've released since then. Recommended.
April 11, 2023
Well, I have liked U2 as a band for a very long time. From their first album I was hooked. I have recently read Bono’s book and have been working through this one for a long time and it sort of moved down the pile until I came across it today and finished it off. I enjoyed this as it has parts/quotes/vignettes written by all the band members and it’s nice to hear their perspective on songs, albums and tours…as well as each other. I’m a fan, I liked it.
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