U2 and Bruce

I was a lil' sleepy today after getting in at 7am and immediately working at those excel sheets. So I took some time off and logged in to the U2 site to check some of the exclusives. The one I really liked is Bruce's speech to induct U2 in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in march, 2005.

"Uno, dos, tres, catorce. That translates as one, two, three, fourteen. That is the correct math for a rock and roll band. For in art and love and rock and roll, the whole had better equal much more than the sum of its parts, or else you're just rubbing two sticks together searching for fire."

Bono commented that with the current state of the music industry, there is no chance that a group like U2 could form and exist over the next 2 decades. And he's right. Everyone's in for the fast buck. Song writing has gone for a toss. Great albums are hard to come by. You would be lucky if you liked more than 1 song in an album. Album's like Joshua Tree do not get produced. The new album was more akin to the older U2 - a stronger show since the 'All that you left behind album' - one that promised a lot but somehow fell short of expectations.

I wanted to plan my UK trip sometime back so that it coincided with their shows at Manchester. Unfortunately it was sold out as usual (in 40 min) and while my cousin was willing to dish out more than 300 quid, I was kinda short on that one. So I do hope I get to see them live and soon and not in some farewell tour!