Henry’s At It Again
It’s been a while since we’ve had the pleasure of mentioning Henry Rollins anywhere on @U2, but as sure as the changing of the seasons, Henry’s back talking about U2 again. In his defense, anxious journalists just love to bring up the name “U2″ to get a reaction out of the guy. And he’s always happy to play along. Like this, from that link:
Well I like Bono’s humanitarian efforts, because when some people go, “oh, he doesn’t mean it. He’s just doing a photo op,” I disagree. I think he’s very sincere. I just think the music, you know, knowing what I know about music… Bands make so much fun of U2. Ask any band on the bandstand, say U2 and the band starts laughing. Because the drummer can’t play. Bass player plods along. The guitar player, if he didn’t have Brian Eno, he wouldn’t have a guitar sound. It’s basically a Brian Eno guitar sound played by guy who’s got one trick. That’s why there’s no leads, because the guys got nothing in there. And lyrically, I mean, whatever. You like God, you go ahead with that. That melts your butter you go for it. To me those records are for people who’ve lost the will to fight.
And that wraps up our 2008 coverage of Henry Rollins. Until next time, this has been m2 reporting…..
Bostonguy said,
April 28, 2008 @ 6:58 am
For a band with such limitations, they certainly have done alright for themselves;-)
Edwardo said,
April 28, 2008 @ 7:30 am
Henry Rollins sometimes seems like an all right guy but he’s not really one to talk about making bad music. At least he doesn’t put down Bono’s humanitarian efforts.
Jake said,
April 28, 2008 @ 9:20 am
I love Henry Rollins, he makes me laugh, he’s such a caricature
Erika said,
April 28, 2008 @ 11:24 am
The irony of Henry Rollins condescending any band just kills me. What a flake.
Micheal said,
April 28, 2008 @ 1:17 pm
You can’t trust anything he says…
(scream it) ’cause he’s a “liar!”
HAROLD RONCALLO said,
April 28, 2008 @ 1:54 pm
What a loser!!
Jules said,
April 28, 2008 @ 4:26 pm
I hate how everyone slams the other guys. Henry’s just a loser. As for the bands that supposedly laugh at U2? They could only HOPE of having as much success.
macmango said,
April 28, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
Oh, Henry!
Sammybunny said,
April 28, 2008 @ 6:30 pm
For real, this guy is out of his mind if he thinks that they have no talents on their own…tsk tsk…he obviously does not appreciate music well done!
rarry said,
April 29, 2008 @ 1:59 am
methinks he doth protest too much!
niterpi said,
April 29, 2008 @ 6:58 am
brian eno sound – what does he call the albums before eno?
Edwardo said,
April 29, 2008 @ 7:07 am
If U2 made the same exact music, except they somehow weren’t popular, Henry Rollins and all the beanheads like him would love U2.
Keir said,
April 29, 2008 @ 7:25 am
Well, I’ve never really had a problem with Rollins. He’s a posturing ideologue, but who isn’t in this industry? The bubble-butt comment about Bono was my favorite, I think. But he’s right about other musicians- they DO laugh at U2- but they laugh at what it seems like the band has been able to get away with, strictly in terms of selling simplistic tunes as Great Major Statements of Purpose. A con, in other words, that U2 are apparently either too stupid to know they’re getting away with, or alternately laughing all the way to the bank.
In my experience, the U2 albums that musicians like are the ones the fans can’t stand, especially Zooropa. But then of course I’m not a “real” musician. I just plod along. Personally, I think Edwardo said it best above. Other than that, though, I’m sure that Henry knew a U2 song- well, a Passengers song- was on the soundtrack of the same movie (Heat) wherein Al Pacino threw him through a glass door and Wes Studi beat him like a gong.
But whatever. It’s hilarious to me that whenever Rollins is egged into running his mouth about Bono/U2, then U2 fans are immediately up in arms about it. Guys, please. Is it really so hard to just let it slide?
Keir said,
April 29, 2008 @ 7:31 am
Clarification- I was referring to Edwardo’s first comment, not the silly “beanhead” second one. Dude, uncool.
Edwardo said,
April 30, 2008 @ 8:01 am
lol, ok
bemis said,
May 4, 2008 @ 9:47 am
Certainly a bit of anti-establishment mentality is healthy and even necessary in today’s culture of info overload and money-back-guarantees. But guys like rollins who play that card to the hilt, ignore the fact that angst and cynicism are not the only, or even the best way to get your point across. When is the last time you convinced anybody of anything by screaming at them? U2’s music isn’t full of Sturm und Drang, and doesn’t need to be. Their “simplistic tunes” are the polar opposite of rollins’ work, yet they are effective and therefore ARE statements of purpose, albeit ones the cynics are unlikely to agree with. Throwaway pop song Beautiful Day for example speaks to the resiliancy of the human spirit, something the shoe-gazers are loathe to contemplate.
Elmo said,
May 11, 2008 @ 3:37 am
I did that interview with Rollins. I’m just disappointed I didn’t have the time to really go him on the subject. Next time for sure.
Elmo said,
May 11, 2008 @ 4:06 am
And it’s now been given the hilarious treatment at Bono’s fake blog. WIN!
http://www.newsgroper.com/bono/2008/05/02/henry-rollins-possible-skinhead-resembles-dildo-ears
akbar said,
March 3, 2009 @ 11:09 am
lmao!! which one of you actually believes that ANY band in the world “laughs” at U2? seriously, who’s gullible enough to believe that?
let’s be clear: if any musician laughs at u2 in the spirit of sincere mockery then it’s nothing but pure jealousy. yeah, certainly no individual member of the band is the most talented performer of the rock era but to pooh-pooh 22 Grammys and all that? bullshit. the musician laughing is either an idiot with absolutely no perspective or green with envy.
akbar said,
March 3, 2009 @ 11:12 am
“If U2 made the same exact music, except they somehow weren’t popular, Henry Rollins and all the beanheads like him would love U2.”
exactly. jealousy. people hate it when other people succeed, especially succeeders who seem overly pious and devout.