Band of innocence

U2 gave away their latest album, songs of innocence, free this past week. Half a billion folks all over the world were given the opportunity to download it for nary a penny. Of course, apple paid about 100 million bucks for this "gift". The album is an extraordinary musical tour de force, the likes of which us U2 fanatics have been not so secretly begging for a long time. But, more on that later. That's not the purpose of this rant. I'm here to back the boys from Dublin. Not that they need my backing. Or yours.

There seems to be just as many haters as there are fans of U2 and it strikes me as ironic that they all come pouring out of the woodwork every time U2 does something, big or small. Here's the thing. Most of what U2 does is big. Epic even. They are the biggest rock band in the world. That simply is not up for debate. Love them or hate them, one cannot strip them of their achievement. Their rightful place in rock and roll hierarchy. The biggest fucking band that you or I will EVER see or hear. If you don't dig the music? That's fine and I can and do respect that. Not a fan of Irish rock? Totally cool. Hell, I don't like a lot of what's out there today but I can and do respect the bigwigs. And U2 is the biggest wig of them all in the art of music. Pop, rock, glam, sprinkle in some blues and a dash of punk, then mix it with equal parts soul and a tiny dab of country...and you have the most accomplished and uber talented quartet of musical genius that is U2. I love them. You don't have to. But I can not sit idly by while the ignorant fling hate and envy at the boys. They're labeled as too commercial. Too ego driven. Media whores. Talent lacking. All, complete bollocks, if I may borrow a cliche.

U2 is a victim of the machine. They ultimately have to fight themselves, their past. And they have to go toe to toe with a very formidable foe. And that is the public perception and the whimsical reminiscing that occurs when you have the hits that they do. U2 doesn't just have some big hits in their vast repertoire. They have crafted some of the biggest and most revered songs of our lifetimes. Rock anthems that I must personally claim as the soundtrack of my life. How can a band ever top their past when said past contains the permanent branding of our souls. I'll tell you how. They can't. It's fools good. When bands such as U2 or Metallica have early soaring success, there will always be the so called purists who want a litany of "streets" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday"; they want a "war" or "Joshua tree" churned out every two to three years. Never mind that U2 were mere lads when those albums were set free upon the world. And the world was a different place then. Who among us can hold onto all the facets of our lives as 19 or 22 year olds? The landscape changes. We grow up. We learn. We make mistakes. We grow old. We love. In short, our heart and souls are altered in ways that are unpredictable and inevitable. I love those releases. I revere them. But I love all of this bands releases. And as fun as it may be to compare and contrast, it almost does a disservice to U2. Each has it's own intricacies and lovely portraits. We can all have favorites. But please don't tell me that U2 isn't relative or that they are overrated. U2 is the most important band of my lifetime. Their songs have become as much a part of me as friends and family.  And it certainly means something to me that i share this band with people, family if you will, all over the world.