The U2 is an Irish band that exist till 1997.
After the end of the century…
another Irish Band with the same name come out as a cover band of the original group.
Sure, I’m joking in part, but for so many people, and for me in particular, U2 ceased to exist with “Pop” in 1997.
In 1991 the band recorded “Achtung Baby” and was the demarcation point, a line in the sand.
Was the end of a decade where they pushed the original sound to the extreme and they conquest the world.
Joshua Tree was sold in 18 million copies, and ever concert was full in every angle of the world.
The years U2 was my band, the brand to show to appear calm.
Sound strange now, but in 1983 I was a Dj in radio, and not everyone was happy when we played songs like “Sunday Bloody Sunday” or “New Year’s Eve“.
After they become the massive rock band they are now but either if I have a big love for the previous album, it’s “Achtung Baby” my favourite of all.
Don’t forget significant changes were afoot in Europe.
The Berlin Wall had come down in late 1989, and the continent was beginning to reunify, the U2 was the voice in the music of all those time.
So the choice of Berlin and to record the album at the Hansa Studios.
The same studios where already Bowie, Iggy Pop and Nick Cave used for the previous album, enough to make me so exciting. Also, the fact that Brian Eno was with them makes the record special either before it comes out.
When the first note from the first song on the album ( Zoo Station) come out from your audio system, you get straight away that would be a great album.
“I’m ready…”, are the first words from Bono Vox and at the time he was a genuine kind of Guru.
Every word he spoke or sang was a kind of message, and I was, with so many others, a devotes fan.
Zoo Station remains to be one of the most excellent songs from them and something click inside on me at the time, and I share that emotions and impulse with few close friends.
I remember I had to spend hours listen and listen to this album and try to decide which one was the best song but isn’t a natural choice.
Even today, after so many years, and after listening to the record to do this review, I still find it challenging to decide the best song on the album.
“One” is the classic song to catch new fans and even probably the most famous song for the majority of the people around the globe. Again, I prefer different tracks from “Achtung Baby”.
I have already mentioned the open track “Zoo Station“, but I would like to add “Tryin’ to throw your arms around the world” and “Ultraviolet“.
In the meantime “Acrobat” and “Who’s gonna ride your wild horses” are the two songs which keep the old fans in the comfort zone.
“The Fly”, “Until the end of the world” and “Mysterious way” are the three songs that begin to show U2 were changing direction.
From this album, U2 went in a different direction and with “Zooropa” and “Up” they keep the bar very high to exploded at the down of the old millennium to become something else.
I must admit that I am not a U2 fan anymore. I saw them live so many times, but I stop to see them in this millennium and in fact, I don’t really like U2 all that much anymore, but this album is fab. It contains, in my opinion, their best work.
Without doubt Achtung Baby is their Sgt. Pepper
And for the music value and for what they represent me for almost 20 years, between my twenties and forty, and all connection that I have with them, they are right so inside my list of the best album of my life.