Some of it’s pretty awful, too. But when that comes on cable I usually watch. The fact that an Irish rock and roll band, who at that time, had one big US album to its credit decided to make a movie about themselves is probably what buried the project.

I only saw the movie for the first time last summer, and enjoyed it as background to the album I loved. I can’t really see it with any other perspective.

I think the latter. Rattle and Hum was U2 getting carried away with themselves. It was serious music by a serious band making a serious movie. All in all, the music was great – the movie was not.

This review misses the evolutionary step that this band took with movie. Namely, it was the end of the pilgrims and miners for humanity phase of their career. The movie perfectly captures a band struggling to be authentic. Edge explaining the draw of gospel. Larry’s love of Elvis. Adam’s defense of politics and music. All throughout, that egomaniac Bonois actually not front and center during the movie.

This was a period where Bono was considered a sex symbol, to be U2 and he speaks only in songs other than cautioning the viewer about the movies version of Sumday Bloody Sunday.

This wasn’t Hannah Montana or a Hard Days night. This was U2 insecure, unsure and relevant.

Contrast this with the Blackberry sponsored, Bono giving shoutouts to the millionaires of any given city 360 tour and I yearn for the day in which a 28 year old poet with an Irish voice just wanted three chords and the truth

With that said, how come rock critics in this day and age still exist? Seriously, the label is dead , rock n roll hasn’t had anyone really culturaly significant since Cobain. Every artist is forced to “team up” with the major store of your choosing. “Bad” is now the soundtrack for Nascar.

Twenty two years on U2 – having made Achtung Baby, Zooropa, atyclb, htdaa and underrated albums like Pop and NLOtH aren’t the aholes who made Rattle and hum. Rattle and hum potrayed U2 as aholes. Ask the beatles about Magical Mystery Tour sometime.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/derogatis/2009/12/the_best_albums_of_2009.html

10. U2, “No Line on the Horizon” (Universal)
After a disappointing run in the new millennium regurgitating much of what they’ve done before, the long-running Irish heroes were in danger of becoming bloated dinosaur rockers sinking in the tar pit of nostalgia. The 360 Tour did nothing to rescue the group from that fate, but its 12th studio album ranks beside “Achtung Baby” as its bravest and most experimental–a welcome exercise in how far the boundaries of the U2 sound can be stretched while maintaining the majestic grandeur and stadium-rousing qualities that have become its trademarks.”

DeRo does, however, like many of us, grow to appreciate SOME of U2′s cannon of songs.

He’s a critic; he’s entitled to his opinion. In reality, you’re a critic too; you’re entitled to your opinion, too.

Nobody says you’re right all the time, too… just maybe occasionally more often than my friend Jim!

Lance A. Schart
Chicago, IL USA