Is U2 Soft Rock?

Did I miss a memo or something? So Twitter has always suggested music lists and topics to me and I ignore. For some reason today I clicked around a few... eventually getting to "soft rock." Nearly every Tweet was about U2. Why the hell are U2 classified as soft rock? My beloved Hall & Oates and Kenny Loggins are soft rock. U2 is more of just a straight rock band, right? They are definitely one of the single biggest bands on the planet.

I am certainly not the biggest U2 fan ever but I do like quite a few of their tracks. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" will always be fantastic. Same for "One" and "Vertigo." The Joshua Tree is a masterpiece of an album. I mean, would a soft rock band really have a guitarist named The Edge? I think not.

Today in 1991, U2's seventh studio album, Achtung Baby, was released on the way to selling over 18 million copies, and still one of the greatest albums of all time. pic.twitter.com/aC5Sb6VznW

— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) November 19, 2020

Comments

[GNR]

They aren't exclusively anything, I think that is why their fan base is so huge and diverse. I never got their huge popularity and coincidentally when I hear "Mysterious Ways", I have this gagging sensation similar to throwing up vodka/sunny D's that's called the Achtung reflex.

However, they sure do have some catchy songs and you cannot deny the good things/causes that they have done through the years.

[Bkallday]

I say Pop Rock, although The Joshua Tree was a great album.

[Basileus]

Not a huge fan but definitely not soft rock

[Him]

Getting-softer-rock?

Like other rock bands and just plain rocks, the currents of time have smoothed over and scrubbed off the clanky grandeur of their early years. Kinda the history of rock really. Rocks become pebbles. But I guess that makes them easier to carry around on your geegaw that spews out Spotify. "Hey, look! There's 'Tallica . . . resting next to my earbuds. Soooo cute!"

But good on them for doing what they want and, as others note, doing good for others as well.

[Gary]

@GNR “Achtung Reflex”. Now that’s freakin’ funny 😂👍

[crued]

*Ducking* I'm sorry for the hi-jack but I came across the most amazing CD I heard in a while!! Merry Christmas you savages! It's called Ellefson- NO Cover.. and here's some info..
David Ellefson announces to release a new solo album; “No Cover“. Under the name ELLEFSON the Megadeth bassist cooperates with various artists from bands like TESLA, SLAUGHTER, ANTHRAX, ICON, SLASH, etc, to make a bunch of covers of classic hard rock / metal anthems, ranging from DEF LEPPARD (look the artwork) JUDAS PRIEST and FASTWAY to W.A.S.P., NAZARETH, etc.
While recording a few cover songs for B-sides and bonus tracks for his upcoming Ellefson solo LP (due out in the Spring of 2021), David and his band, Thom Hazaert (vocals), Andy Martongelli / Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (guitars), and Paolo Caridi (drums), decided to create enough cover songs for an entire album.

Throughout the record, there are many different contributions and individual personalities that shine through. Although Hazaert is the anchor singer for the majority of this release, prominent guest singers fill out the rest of the tracks doing trade-off verses, duets, and backing harmonies. And the tracks where various vocalists along with Hazaert in tandem makes for a pleasing and different dynamic.

The album kicks things off with an explosive rendition of Judas Priest’s “Freewheel Burning” as Hazaert and Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys, ex-Watchtower) form a lethal vocal tandem that adds a real unique quality to this classic track.
Ellefson’s love of early Def Leppard was the impetus for covering “Wasted” from 1980’s On Through the Night, as well as paying homage to that album cover with his own rendition for this record’s artwork.

Some of the biggest surprises on No Cover are “Auf Wehdersehen” by power-pop rockers Cheap Trick featuring Al Jourgensen of Ministry on vocals, “Not Fragile” (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) with Hazaert singing, and “Sweet FA” by Sweet featuring Todd Kerns (Slash & The Conspirators).
For the most part, every track seems to work in its own unique way, especially with the different vocalists on offer. Tracks such as “Nailed to the Gun,” “Tear It Loose,” and Fastway’s “Say What You Will” allow Haezart’s voice to add a necessary weight to the vocal performance.

There are also some rather cool moments with several of the guitar solos. Eddie Ojeda gets to handle the solo, originally done by Jay French, on this rendition of Twisted Sister’s “Tear It Loose,” while Russ Parrish (Satchel from Steel Panther) gets to solo on Fight’s “Nailed to the Gun,” in which he was a part of with Rob Halford back in the 90s.

All in all, Ellefson’s No Cover is a fun record that pays homage to some of his heroes with killer renditions of timeless classic tunes.Heres the tracklist:
CD 1:
01 – Freewheel Burning
(feat. Jason McMaster, Gus G, Andy James & Dave McClain)
02 – Tear It Loose
(feat. Eddie Ojeda & Dave McClain)
03 – Love Me Like a Reptile
(feat. Doro, Greg Handevidt & Chuck Behler)
04 – Holiday in Cambodia
(feat. Charlie Benante)
05 – Rebel Yell
(feat. Paolo Caridi)
06 – Wasted
(feat. Frank Hannon, Jacob Bunton & Dave McClain)
07 – Riff Raff
(feat. Jason McMaster, Dave Lombardo & Bumblefoot)
08 – Nailed to the Gun
(feat. Andrew Freeman, Russ Parrish & Jimmy DeGrasso)
09 – Not Fragile
(feat. John Aquilino, Paolo Caridi & Bumblefoot)
10 – Auf Wiedersehen
(feat. Al Jourgensen & Charlie Benante)



CD 2
01 – Love Machine
(feat. Dirk Verbeuren, Dave Alvin & Bumblefoot)
02 – Love Hurts
(feat. Brandon Yeagley, Tyson Leslie & Chuck Behler)
03 – Eat the Rich
(feat. J. McMaster, D. Sharpe & Opus of the Dead by Wednesday)
04 – Sheer Heart Attack
(feat. Doro, Charlie Benante & Bumblefoot)
05 – Over the Mountain
(feat. Andrew Freeman, Bumblefoot & Jimmy DeGrasso)
06 – Sweet F.A.
(feat. Todd Kerns, Bumblefoot & Shani Kimelman)
07 – Beth
(feat. Bumblefoot & Tyson Leslie)
08 – Say What You Will
(feat. Troy Lucketta & Mark Slaughter)
09 – Downed
(feat. Chip Z’nuff, Drew Frontier & Mike Heller)

[crued]

once again I apologize for the wall of text but this cd is amazing!!! @metalboi you're gonna love this!!

[crued]

Alley- quick note on the def cover of "wasted" by def Leppard, Bunton was on our "Motley cruise" and I stood behind him in line for pizza. that makes me cool right? ...right? hahahaah

[crued]

ok back to the topic.. I was there at the infamous red rocks show and that was NOT soft rock!!!

[Him]

Crued, respectfully, why didn't you just submit your review to Allyson as a potential full-standing post? Just curious.

[crued]

@Him I never even thought about that sorry

[Metalboy!]

WTF, HIM? ... Let Crued f*ckin’ post however the f*ck he wants ...

Crued! ... Thank you for the tip! ... Ellefson is all over the place and you’re right, I can tell I’m gonna LOVE IT!

Oh, and U2? ... C’mon, man, they f*ckin’ S*CK!!!

[Him]

Did I touch a nerve, Metalboy!? That was more of a compliment to what he wrote than a criticism. I know Allyson loves to share reader content. His comments were off-topic but interesting (and I have no issue with people hijacking a thread . . . hell, I do it). Highlighting them would have likely generated even more reads. That was my point.

Glad to have you back, Metalboy! But, yikes, buy some IcyHot.