The new 90's image for U2 included many different personas on Bono’s part, including The Fly and Mirrorball Man, a more distorted guitar from The Edge, a thicker, heavier bass from Adam Clayton and a harder-hitting Larry Mullen Jr.
Darker and often much more self-reflective than anything previous, the band rode into the 1990’s with style.
Zooropa and Pop
A follow-up, Zooropa, arrived in 1993 and carried this image further. Bono added another character to the list and the sound on the album was even heavier and incorporated more dance themes than even Achtung Baby. A guest appearance by Johnny Cash on the last track, “The Wanderer,” connected the old U2 to the new and signaled another change for the band.
In the four years between Zooropa and Pop, the band’s next offering, U2 produced two songs for soundtracks, “Batman Forever” and “Mission: Impossible”, and an ambient, experimental album titled Original Soundtracks 1 under the pseudo-name Passengers. While the majority of the album is without much lyrical content, the song “Miss Sarajevo,” featured Luciano Pavarotti singing alongside Bono. This song became a single and is often incorporated into U2’s live shows.
To usher in the album Pop, U2 held a press conference and concert at a K-Mart in Manhattan. The band claimed it was a press stunt and incorporated similar marketing ideas from the Zoo TV tour into the new show. The first and only full-on dance record U2 recorded fell a bit flat on the ears of critics and the public alike.
If pursued further, Pop shows the depth and pain of a band struggling to adjust to changes both in the world and within their personal lives, which is especially seen in songs like “Wake up Dead Man” and “Please.” However, even with a 40’ mirrorball lemon, a giant arch recalling the McDonald’s logo and a larger video screen than was used on ZooTV, audiences weren’t favorable of the satirical front U2 attempted to bring.
Leaving It Behind
Amongst the change in music, the band grew also. Bono continued his political pursuits and raised awareness on a number of issues, while the remaining members of the band focused on their families.
In 2000, U2 reemerged with an album much more like their previous sound. Bono commented that they were “going back to basics” and it seemed to fare well with fans. All That You Can’t Leave Behind saw massive critical acclaim, including several Grammy’s and hit singles. The flash and glitter accompanying the albums of the 1990’s were gone and the band returned to a stripped down rock and roll. The concerts on the tour were even minimalist in comparison.
After playing the Super Bowl, the band concentrated on the next record. Determined to add a harder rock and roll sound, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was released in 2004. The first single, “Vertigo,” was used in an Apple iPod commercial. Covering all media bases, this album was released in a variety of formats, leading to commercial success. In 2005, the band was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not bad for four young boys from Ireland.
On March 3, 2009 U2 will release their 12th studio album, No Line On The Horizon. These four men have been in the music business for nearly three decades, have shared critical acclaim and disappointments, and have played concerts all over the world. Time will tell if the newest effort will continue to propel the band or land on deaf ears.
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