U2 and bands who pretend to be them... Coldplay included

[the_gloaming09]

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/getback/338/u2-and-the-bands-who-pretend-to-be-them

[gus]

hahahah there is no crime at all to try to be the best if youre a medic you want to be the best if you want to be a lawyer you want to be the best. i dont understand why there are people complaining of coldplay trying to be the best. so bullshit to that article.

[Tnspieler1012]

Def. disagree on the radiohead add. Radiohead lacks any defined u2 influence. Yorke's main influences were REM and the pixies. Nonsense comparing high and dry to with or without you, and I think Thom and the gang might be insulted (mind you, I'm a u2 fan).

[mc_squared]

Coldplay aren't pretending to be anyone. The idea is preposterous.:angry:

[gus]

nobody is trying to be them coldplay want their status of best band in the world. is there anybody in the world who doesnt want to be the best in the world in their job?. so the bands who got the potential to sell as high as u2 does or more are trying to be like them this is bullshit. the article was created for someone who wants to suck the bono's cock.

[apoelara]

COLDPLAY are the best! Who cares,they can say whatever they like!:cool:

[guyy]

Sigh...sad but unfortunately not surprising. There's a little note on each band in his list explaining why they're like U2:

 

 

THE KILLERS

Listen to "Mr. Brightside." Ignore the matching '80s suits and listen to that guitar sound and the bass pumping out root notes. Sound familiar?

 

RADIOHEAD

Before they beautifully detoured into art rock esoterica, Radiohead was vying for the anthem rock throne. Their aching "High And Dry" was offered up as their version of "With Or Without You."

 

COLDPLAY

They stole U2's producer. They stole U2's iPod commerical. They stole U2's super-sincerity. They are U2 with a piano.

 

 

Notice something? :rolleyes: Why does Coldplay always get the harshest (and stupidest) criticism? :dozey:

[iPsy]

u2 suck sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!, theres just nothing special about them, unlike COLDPLAY!

[sam stown]

Now this definately sounds like U2 but it's still a great song.

 

[Mimixxx]

When did U2 become the bench mark in which to compare every other band in the world?

[ricardo]

:dozey:

is not that everyone tries to be U2, they just want to be as big as them... why is everyone bashing coldplay?

[Chris's Nuts]

Def. disagree on the radiohead add. Radiohead lacks any defined u2 influence. Yorke's main influences were REM and the pixies. Nonsense comparing high and dry to with or without you, and I think Thom and the gang might be insulted (mind you, I'm a u2 fan).

 

 

Actually the two bands ARE friends and they DO like U2. But that's as far as the musical comparison goes. Radiohead have never really sounded like U2 except for only a few songs on the Bends (at best). I will however argue that U2 paved the way for Radiohead to incorporate electronics into their music. Achtung Baby and its baby brother Zooropa aren't light years away Kid A and Amnesiac in concept. Just that Radiohead took it much further (and darker).

 

Sorry to say but Coldplay has not done anything to dispell the U2 comparisons or vying to be as big as them and follow in their footsteps. I'd say its one of the few valid critricisms you could hurl at the band. That said Coldplay is doing a very good job of being the next band on the same level as them.

[Chris's Nuts]

u2 suck sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!, theres just nothing special about them, unlike COLDPLAY!

 

Sorry to say that's one of the silliest things I've heard in awhile. You have to know your roots. What I've always liked about Coldplay is they love all kinds of music and aren't the "snobs" that Radiohead can be. They adore U2 and aspire a type of music that can be embraced by all and not just a select few. U2 paved the way for Radiohead and Radiohead paved the way for Coldplay. Its not a competition but bands of course influence each other, each band is/was huge during their time and each represent a different generation of music.

 

When did U2 become the bench mark in which to compare every other band in the world?

 

Here's why...

U2 have sold more than 170 million albums worldwide and have won more Grammy Awards than any other band. Not bad for an alternative rock band.

[coldplay45]

This should be a place where we talk about how much we love COLDPLAY not bash them:cry:

 

And musically COLDPLAY and U2 are very different, but remember Chris grew up listening to U2 so there will be some similarities that's how it works.

[Tnspieler1012]

Actually the two bands ARE friends and they DO like U2. But that's as far as the musical comparison goes. Radiohead have never really sounded like U2 except for only a few songs on the Bends (at best). I will however argue that U2 paved the way for Radiohead to incorporate electronics into their music. Achtung Baby and its baby brother Zooropa aren't light years away Kid A and Amnesiac in concept. Just that Radiohead took it much further (and darker).

 

Sorry to say but Coldplay has not done anything to dispell the U2 comparisons or vying to be as big as them and follow in their footsteps. I'd say its one of the few valid critricisms you could hurl at the band. That said Coldplay is doing a very good job of being the next band on the same level as them.

 

1. Interesting, thom is a quirky character and since he dismissed coldplay as "lifestyle music" I didn't think his opinion would differ much with u2...not that I did any research.

 

2. I disagree in that I don't feel the european dance/electronica influences in achtung baby, zooropa, and pop were definitive influences when it came to Kid A/amnesiac (The only realistic comparison I see would be with "idioteque" the title alone reminds one of u2's "discoteque"). But with that one exception, almost all of the tracks on Kid A are light years away from anything I recall u2 ever trying.

 

3. One must understand that while Chris said the bends and O.K. computer quote "changed my life", he's made clear in other comments that he's knows almost all of u2's songs forwards and back, and stylistically, he sees u2 and bono as a distant milestone for what he and the rest of the band hope to some day become.

Now, while u2's influence peaked during the AROBTTH era (one I love, moses, GPASUYF etc.), at the same time they haven't gone well out of their way to imitate u2. In fact, I find most claims that "they're a bad u2 rip-off" or that they are "u2 with a piano" almost as shallow and weak and as the radiohead comparisons (granted it's more accurate).

 

The main reason they're compared so much to u2 is because they are both huge bands that play similar styles of rock.

[talkingonsquareone89]

GOD I'm so sick of seeing/hearing half-baked, barely-thought-out comparisons between U2 and other bands. That article...really irritated me. :angry:

 

Radiohead =/= U2

The Killers =/= U2

 

and CERTAINLY Coldplay =/= U2

 

 

Yes, similarities are there, but most bands have been good to find their own original signature sound and stay true to it, regardless of various styles and experimentation. Honestly what crime is there to have someone else influence your work? None of the bands listed have tried to "steal" anything from U2, as superficially accused.

 

 

 

Arrgghhh...whatever, I rarely listen to media critics anymore.

[heresjohnny]

has U2 complained at all? do they feel that these bands are "rip-offs" of them? if so, link to the quote please.

[Chris's Nuts]

1. Interesting, thom is a quirky character and since he dismissed coldplay as "lifestyle music" I didn't think his opinion would differ much with u2...not that I did any research.

 

2. I disagree in that I don't feel the european dance/electronica influences in achtung baby, zooropa, and pop were definitive influences when it came to Kid A/amnesiac (The only realistic comparison I see would be with "idioteque" the title alone reminds one of u2's "discoteque"). But with that one exception, almost all of the tracks on Kid A are light years away from anything I recall u2 ever trying.

 

3. One must understand that while Chris said the bends and O.K. computer quote "changed my life", he's made clear in other comments that he's knows almost all of u2's songs forwards and back, and stylistically, he sees u2 and bono as a distant milestone for what he and the rest of the band hope to some day become.

Now, while u2's influence peaked during the AROBTTH era (one I love, moses, GPASUYF etc.), at the same time they haven't gone well out of their way to imitate u2. In fact, I find most claims that "they're a bad u2 rip-off" or that they are "u2 with a piano" almost as shallow and weak and as the radiohead comparisons (granted it's more accurate).

 

The main reason they're compared so much to u2 is because they are both huge bands that play similar styles of rock.

 

 

I agree with most of your statements. I agree that Kid A takes a whole other approach to Electronics brought into a standard guitar based Alt-Rock band's music. Radiohead did a lot more and had more IDM influences obviously and literally took the guitars out of many of the tracks. But U2 "did it first" and I've always thought that Amnesiac was very much a mirror of what U2 did with Zooropa, a less publicized companion piece that was a bit of leftovers from the primary album.

 

Coldplay is clearly looking at a similar musical terrain that U2 used to dominate. There's no reason to deny the influence as Chris does mention it often. However "cheap U2 rip-off" comparisons really don't do a lot of justice to what Coldplay has been able to do in the last 8 years. That said when it comes to breaking new musical ground Coldplay hasn't ventured as far as either Radiohead or U2. Not that there's anything wrong with that. How much musical ground is left to explore without getting into Indie wankery? They've at least sounded much more interesting yet again.

 

has U2 complained at all? do they feel that these bands are "rip-offs" of them? if so, link to the quote please.

 

No I don't think so at all. In fact, Bono has often complained of being "lonely at the top". They're welcoming the success of the new generation of bands and yet not seeing the continued success of many of them. Basically alt-bands going dark & experimental rather than embracing a wider audience.

 

I mean does Chris get mad at Elbow, Embrace, and Keane? No he touts their music.

 

however you'll likely find U2 fans in arms about Coldplay "ripping off their music"

 

http://forum.interference.com/f189/im-sorry-if-wrong-thread-but-coldplay-wants-u2-187409.html

 

LOL. Here's a U2 forum thread thread regarding the SAME article: http://forum.interference.com/f189/popular-band-whove-ripped-off-u2-188341.html Good, for the most part they aren't agreeing with the article.

[Tnspieler1012]

 

How much musical ground is left to explore without getting into Indie wankery?

 

LOL indeed, which is ironic as in the parachutes era they were frequently criticized as wankers and bed-wetters.

[ricardo]

radiohead and U2 comparison are preposterous

[chuck kottke]

Well, for what my two cents are worth here... I think, and this seems only natural, that in the beginning, bands start out copying or reworking older tunes that are still popular, as their main attraction, plus some creative tunes of their own. This was true of The Beatles, U2, and on and on.. Then as they get more comfortable with themselves, they get better at song creation and refinement, and start to do their own stuff quite successfully.

Hey, has anyone seen the footage of U2 doing Gloria? God, now that's funny!:laugh3: But that was a long time ago, and they took their own artistic direction as well.

Coldplay has done the same, with the help of some music theorists (like Eno), so that's where they're at today. It's the same with anyone - we all learn through a combination of imitation and creative thinking, the mix broadening towards the latter as we mature..

Least that's my 2-cents!:P

But with Coldplay, you get this highly introspective, reflective thought-song pattern.. I'm glad they got more chipper and positive with their newest songs - action is better than reaction, and positive puts the best foot for humanity forward.

[gus]

hahahah is hilarious how the people can forget the reminisence of echo and the bunnymen and the ramones in u2 gimme a break all the bands in the history have similarities. per example the biggest ripp off of all time is the elvis pressley ripping off chuck berry. the only bands who innovate in the rock history like it or not: the beatles,pink floyd, genesis(peter gabriel era),emerson lake and palmer . noone else the rest took black music and made a little changes like the rolling stones or led zeppelin even u2. so if you think who is original on this era listen all the music since 1900. nowadays there is no band who are 100 % original. the only think that i sent in this coments is FEAR of the u2 fans about the coldplay success.

[citizeninsanene]

Def. disagree on the radiohead add. Radiohead lacks any defined u2 influence. Yorke's main influences were REM and the pixies. Nonsense comparing high and dry to with or without you, and I think Thom and the gang might be insulted (mind you, I'm a u2 fan).

 

In fact Thom Yorke hates High and Dry. He has gone on record by saying that it is the song he regrets the most, as it was recorded and released under pressure from EMI/Parliphone for a release on radio/MTV.

[42!]

For me, Radiohead and Coldplay > U2. I like Coldplay the most, even though Radiohead is the best of the 3.

 

I've always thought U2's music sounds the same, and Bono is one of the most annoying human beings alive. I don't care what they did for rock, how many awards they have won, or anything else. I just don't like them, plain and simple. U2 fans flame my band(s) all the time, so I'll return the favor.

[chuck kottke]

Hey Gus, the Beatles took a lot of their songs from older Rhythm and Blues artists! John Lennon pretty much spelled it out in an audio recording he did on reel-to-reel tape, way back when. So, they may have innovated later in their careers, but not much in the beginning. No big deal in a way, since the R&B artists often took older Blues tunes and changed them, and so on..:)

Bono is not one of the most annoying human beings alive! Comeon! He's done a lot to help citizens in Africa, and make the wealthy north accountable for the inequities that are causing much suffering there. Is that annoying?? I'm glad he's got the drive to charge ahead on those issues, else nobody would have done much about it.