New U2 Album

They found it - it was a tax haven in the Netherlands.  Not only a w*******r but a hypocritical w******r to boot.

listened once    every song sounds the same

it was free

you get what you pay for

yeah the first albums were really growing, I've had a spiritual experience to Joshua, Enjoy Rattle and Hum.  That's the end tho.

And I'm so pissed at Edge, he wants to take the op of a mountain in Malibu and cut it off, put an enclave of 5 homes and f* the tossers below.  What a grand environmentalist. Coastal review is letting it go thru after about 3 years review,  many changes, not the top of the hill drop it down, one story and cluster the homes. Thank goodness someone did that, bigger than his ego. 

I think I was at that gig it was The Unforgettable Fire tour, and I'd seen them the previous month at the Brixton Academy, back then I actually liked them a lot, bought my 1st proper hifi listening to that album, Rotel RP830, 820B and the original Diamonds.. Oh, and it was a lot longer than 50 minutes....not huge, but at least 90 minutes...However, since Live Aid and Bono's inane crap lost interest years ago...

I could never understand the appeal of U2, It certainly was not the rock music yet a lot of fans appear to like the Joshua Tree album,  was it the lyrics...?   With bands such as Deep Purple, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin , Genesis and Muse (just to mention a few from numerous examples) their appeal was obvious, out there for all to see and hear. Yet when I hear U2, they do appear to have their own sound (guitars) but all else appears a mystery...

I'm no fan of U2 but they did the 2nd best live gig I've been to. But that was in 1983 or so before they were famous so to speak. Only surpassed by Dick Dale in Brighton maybe 10yrs ago.

Press release this morning:

U2 has apologised for upsetting people by foisting the band's latest album on users of Apple's iTunes service. Bono blamed: "A drop of megalomania, a twitch of generosity, a dash of self-promotion" for the free album release that some Apple customers claimed amounted to malware.

I listened to it on a mates full fat download file

- flat featureless & tired,  so no thanks, not even a free copy.  

There is a video on the BEEB site with their apology. Still trying to work out whether it is a true apology or just them taking the piss. More latter than than former methinks. Bit late to do this as they must have been aware of furore that they have caused over this.

You can please some of the people some of the time...

I just don't understand people who look gift horses in the mouth. If you don't like it, erase it. It was free and we should be grateful for the generous gesture if not for the content.

The album has not automatically planted itself in my iTunes library. (Not that I want it).

Anyone else?

John.

U2 supplantation. Yet another reason I'm glad I don't have iTunes.

Luckily it didn't happen for me either. 

Oh boy, it's only a free album, nothing to apologise for IMO. Most of the complainers would probably have preferred the traditional illegal download from the internet .

We received our copy automatically. I'm not bothered by the process. I don't feel "spammed", taken for granted or think anything negative about the whole thing. They have nothing to apologize for. I haven't listened to it yet, though.

+ 1 Thankfully!

Phew! Discrimination concerns allayed.

Thanks folks.

John.

It's only a gift horse if you want the music. Look at it this way, what if Apple decided to allow other groups/bands to release tracks/albums in this way. I for one don't want my music library filled with files downloaded without my authority.

Dave

Dave, my understanding is that it is the giver who decides to give not the recipient. An unwanted gift is still a gift.

But semantics aside, if you're that bothered, then you can turn off automatic downloads. My iTunes is permanently set to that mode. I had to find the album and manually click to receive it.

Perfect: free brilliant album and I get to exercise free choice. All I want now is a decent high quality version...that's why I bought the vinyl! 

Loki

Since both Apple and U2 have apologised so the issue is probably now water under the bridge and they'll think twice about trying to pull a similar stunt in the future. But I still hold the view the intended receiver should be given the opportunity to politely decline a gift however well intended it may have been.

More interesting how did you set iTunes to stop automatic downloads?

Dave

Preferences-Advanced has a selection for stopping/selecting automatic software updates.

Yes, I have "Check for new software updates automatically" de-selected but that action may have been post the U2 download.

As a side-note I also see there's an iTunes software update available which means more pain as you have to uninstall the old version, and the associated programs, before you can install the latest version. There must be another way of managing the files on my iPod Classic?

Dave

Media Monkey will handle your iPOD classic nicely, and no U2 issues either.

SJB

Sloopy John B

Thanks. I used Media Monkey at one time. Time to revisit I think.

Dave

Great news: the LP is pressed in 'innocent' white! Wicked

Not sure what you're alluding to. My iTunes updates over the years have been seamless.