Every morning I wake up on

The wrong side of capitalism

“If there is some confusion, who’s to blame?”

On Music

by tim @ 11/20/2004 7:30 pm

I’m not sure it’s entirely consistent to hate U2 and love REM as much as I do; after all, ‘Star 69′ just _is_ ‘Vertigo’, although admittedly ten years earlier and with a better bassline, and Green is hilariously stadium rock in retrospect (and probably was when I first heard it, I just didn’t know better). It does, though contain the prototype for most of what they’ve done since (with the possible exception of New adventures in hi-fi). Meanwhile, I certainly didn’t realise when I was thirteen that Monster is a very gay record indeed (or, to be more precise, very _queer_, where U2 are practically the definition of closet-case heteronormative masculinity). Of course, this makes me like it even more, but I am slightly embarrassed it’s taken me ten years to realise that ‘Crush with eyeliner’ is about crossdressing.

 

5 comments

  1. Your analysis of REM is infinitely more subtle than anything I could come up with, but I wholly endorse your views on the respective merits of U2 and REM. And I live with a U2 fan. Beautiful Day, or whatever the hell it’s called, is just about bearable, but that’s an exception. Whereas REM are consistently good, though my acquaintance with Green is a little rusty. Monster probably does bear comparison to U2, but was never one of their best albums anyway.

    Comment by Sarah @ 11/21/2004 5:27 pm

  2. Isn’t the conventional view on REM that they became famous *by mistake* whereas U2 strived to be The Biggest Band In The World? Personally, I find them both tedious. Although my favourite REM is a crush with eyeliner. That or Star 69. Monster, best REM album. Zooropa, best U2 album.

    That is all.

    Comment by Alistair @ 11/21/2004 11:19 pm

  3. I always liked “Bang and Blame” and “Strange Currencies” from Monster. It’s not as good as most of their stuff that came before.

    As for Green - still does it for me, Pop song ‘89, Orange Crush, Untitled and *of course* Stand. Brilliant.

    There is, however, something slightly saddening about the bands I used to love in my early teens (Blur, REM). What my childish eyes saw as erudite and poetic frontmen, now reveal themselves to be jumped-up, egotistical morons. Moral: don’t have heroes, kids.

    Comment by Marty @ 11/22/2004 10:41 am

  4. I can’t listen to Stand without thinking of Tony Martin. No. Not that one.

    Comment by Alistair @ 11/22/2004 12:21 pm

  5. This one:

    http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=966

    Comment by Alistair @ 11/22/2004 12:35 pm

Leave a comment

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.