Iron Cage Match #4
U2 versus Reggae
Talk about battle of the bottom dwellers! This is a real tough match-up for me to judge since both are so bad. Do I go with the bland, totally overrated, Bono-led U2? Or the music most responsible for white guys sprouting dread locks and sitting around Jammin'? They both represent different times of my life that I was repelled by a type of music. U2 brings me back to junior high. I really wanted to like them, I pretty much had followed every other trend brought to me by my more charismatic friends (Miami Vice, Camoflauge, Polo shirts, Classic Rock...). But at U2 I took a stand, and not even because they were so hateable, just because I didn't get it. Reggae brings me back to college and being trapped in smoke-filled dorm rooms with East Coast boarding school types endlessly discussing the differences between G-13, hyrdoponix, and Mexican Schwag Bud. It also reminds me of classmates returning from the Caribbean with Reggae-colored hair weaves. All memories I'd like to forget.
In the end though, I think I'm going to have to go with Reggae, since a world without reggae would negatively effect the musical universe. Although I personally hate it, Reggae has personally given birth to Ska and influenced bands I have liked- for example the Clash and Sublime. U2, on the other hand, might go down as the most popular least influential bands ever. Like, seriously, can you imagine some kids saying that they want to have a sound like U2? So in a battle of evils, the necessary one trounces the unnecessary one this time. Long Live Jah!
In the end though, I think I'm going to have to go with Reggae, since a world without reggae would negatively effect the musical universe. Although I personally hate it, Reggae has personally given birth to Ska and influenced bands I have liked- for example the Clash and Sublime. U2, on the other hand, might go down as the most popular least influential bands ever. Like, seriously, can you imagine some kids saying that they want to have a sound like U2? So in a battle of evils, the necessary one trounces the unnecessary one this time. Long Live Jah!
posted by chuckdaddy2000 at 5:07 pm
10 Comments:
CDX, we've already established that you & I cut our teeth on different genres of music, so it's no surprise that I would rather be strapped to a chair, blindfoled listening to "Uno, dos..." over "Wasn't me?". I'm far too uptight to get reggae and pot makes me paranoid. Johnny Cash can't even make reggae worth listening to. I do have to give Bob Marley props for starting a musical revolution. However it's not one that I can do the hippy dance to. That is just me.
Reggae did not give birth to ska. Ska is more of an evolution of Mento--Jamaican folk music mixed with R&B. It's likely the two genres evolved simultaneously.
Reggae paved the way for truly obnoxious music like Shaggy.
But where would we be without Snow? Huh? Tell me that?????????
Your comments about reggae are spot on.
I think its easy to pick on any band that plays long past its prime (Rolling Stones anyone?)
Of course U2 should have given up after War. They would be the Barry Sanders of the rock universe. Do you have any idea how much you would HATE Jimmi Hendrix if he was still alive, playing very expensive sold out shows for obese yuppies.
And finally, U2 was 'inspired' by one of the greatest bands of all time, Television, and so clearly reggae sucks more. And I think you would be surprised at how many bands you currently listen to that grew up listening to and loving Edge's ground breaking guitar work. He's no Glenn Branca (shout out to Lee Renaldo, yo) but everyone except little Mikey can admit it was pretty innovative. And, Mikey, this is not the point where you give the gratuitous shout-out to that over-rated, whiney, nasally, riff-stealing moron Neil Young! Finally, I have NEVER heard a reggae song I liked, regardless of their lame American fan base.
ChuckDaddy,
OF COURSE there aren't any kids around hoping to sound like U2 now, for the same reason that most kids don't want to sound just like David Byrne, Bob Dylan, or Pete Townsend c. 2005 -- who wants to sound stale, spent, and flacid? And I certainly won't deny that U2 has long since jumped the proverbial shark. The final nail in the coffin, for me, was when one of their albums was enthusiastically recommended by, I hate to even say it, the fucking "Satellite Sisters."
Poor guys. Nobody deserves to go like that.
But, back in the day -- when I was mail-ordering obscure singles from Irish record shops with money from my after-school job -- I was one of about 6 gazillion kids who would have given their left nut to sound just like U2. I could have played you every song on "Under A Blood Red Sky," if you hadn't taken my guitar away 20 seconds into "The Electric Co." There's still a big splash of U2 in my crap guitar playing to this day For example: http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=2967536&q=hi. Or, you could just trust me.
At this point, I have forgotten where I was going with all this. It's great, getting old. I guess I was just shooting my mouth off incoherently. Maybe I should start my own blog.
Informer you no say daddy me Snow me I'll go blame
A licky boom boom down
Detective mon said daddy me Snow me stab someone down the lane
A licky Boom Boom Down
A LICKY BOOM BOOM DOWN
I think your next iron cage match should be about snow vs. vanilla ice
Just don't know enough about U2, just don't.
However, I was at a Sly & Robbie concernt in 1989 and it was pretty rockin'. You really can't dis too hard on King Tubby or Lee Scratch Perry.
U2 at the bottom, except for that song that goes Hello-Hello....
Well it looks like a close battle overall. 3 votes for reggae, 3 for U2, and 2 for Snow(?). It seems that even if I am not alone in my lack of enthusiasm for U2, I am the only who seems to hate them. Maybe I've got issues, it even bothers me for some reason that Bono works to free Africa's debt. What's up with that??? Anyway, even if I'm taking it all a little too personally, I can say one thing for sure- the Edge's guitar playing is not groundbreaking. It is lame and I always feel a little sorry for him... Like where would he be if he hadn't gotten such a chic nickname?
ChuckDaddy,
Does it bother you that he works to free African debt, or does it bother you that he works to free African debt while wearing ridiculous sunglasses?
I can't believe you haters! You all probably listened to Lisa Stansfield and COlor Me Badd in the 80s (except for Mikey who...based on photographic evidence, obviously was huge into White Lion).
Seriously, hating Boner just because his organization to erase 3rd world debt is due to pass the NRA in total membership next year? Come on, Chuckles! Give the man a break.
And I DARE you to write a song as good as "I Will Follow". Nope, can't do it...didn't think so.
Post a Comment
<< Home