What The Hell Happened To The Edge?

  • 25 Replies
  • 1679 Views
*

Smee

  • *
  • 3231
  • Howdy
What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« on: February 12, 2020, 08:31:15 AM »
So Cruels thread about Larry gave me the idea for this thread.

What has happened to the Edge? he never was a virtuoso on his chosen instrument...but he was once experimental and and creative.
But since 2000, i feel that pretty much any guitarist could have come up with his rather generic guitar parts. ESPECIALLY SoE.....i cant even think of one guitar part on the album, that sticks in the memory?

What are your thoughts?
In the garden I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart
You
You were acting like it was the end of the world

*

riffraff

  • *
  • 49870
  • Surrender, dislocate
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2020, 08:37:57 AM »
What are my thoughts? I can't even begin to think when you talk about Edge like that!  ;)
Surrender, dislocate

*

laoghaire

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 8996
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2020, 08:38:52 AM »
I think he's turned in good stuff this century but I have to admit, I'm not quite sure where he is in most of SOE.
WINNER: Thread of the YEAR (Serious Awards)

*

riffraff

  • *
  • 49870
  • Surrender, dislocate
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2020, 08:39:27 AM »
SOE belongs to Adam...I've said that right from my first listen. It was just his turn...
Surrender, dislocate

*

Neil Young

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 562
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2020, 12:34:13 PM »
Adam put out Edge’s fire around the time of the AB photo shoot. Just look at at the album cover art.

*

The Edges Cat

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 4661
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2020, 04:46:42 PM »
The Edge got a cat.
The Edge: “[Eno] would love to see us making albums a bit more like [Zooropa]. Where we go, ‘You know what? We’re not going to second-guess any of this. Let’s just go for it.’”

U2 Fans: We'd all love to see that, Edge.

*

Zoomerang77

  • Status: Elevated
  • ***
  • 120
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2020, 03:57:47 AM »
Marriage, kids, other interests - life getting in the way.  Transitioning from all-encompassing guitar sonic architect to part-time rock star?

One theory I muse on sometimes on this very question relates to the way The Edge's sound is intertwined so strongly with guitar effects.  But particularly that (as he's stated himself) that multi-effects gear might do one thing well, but not others, and throughout his career he's been very good at creating memorable sounds through sometimes innovative use of certain items of effects gear.   There was the gritty analogue delay (echo) effects from the Electroharmonix Memory Man pedals in the Boy/October/War era.  Then the precise crisp digital delay of the Korg SDD-3000 unit (~Unforgettable Fire era).  But while he later used different units for delay (e.g. TC-2290 units were a mainstay of his on-stage rig for decades), he appeared to retain the SDD-3000 for its unique pre-amp which underpinned his signature thick, clean but on the edge of breakup tone.  Then with AB the band ushered in an entirely new sound: a vital part of this was The Edge's adoption of the Korg A3 - of the 99 preset sounds on the guitar expansion card for that unit one finds many presets that with only minor tweaks are unmistakably tied to the AB / Zooropa era (Mysterious Ways, UTEOTW, The Fly, Lady With the Spinning Head, Zoo Station, Numb, etc.  However, from the 2000s, guitar effects gear has increasingly moved into the digital domain with ever improving amp modelling, generic but highly tweakable effects, and ever more flexibility in how the effects chains are structured.  For years now we've seen The Edge's effects rack is dominated by AXE-FX units - I wonder whether this has created a homogeneity that has robbed him of an opportunity to find an innovative connection with a uniquely sounding effect or unit, instead of sitting at his laptop for hours into the night at U2HQ trying to find the supposed perfect sound for a given song.  To me this has led to atrocious misfires - personally I find the hollow fuzz guitar chords on The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone) to be a particularly uninspiring recent example.  Ultimately, though, in no small part I'd go back to the age factor - an ambitious, young, agitated, energetic artist in their 20s (i.e. 1980s U2) throwing themselves with total commitment to their craft surely has more creative currency than a 50-something millionaire part-time rock band member...


*

an tha

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 18829
  • And you can swallow, or you can spit....
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2020, 04:02:43 AM »
In a lot of modern day u2 songs he has almost totally stopped playing in the verses, apart from this sort of chugging muted pattern.

It's really dull.
174

*

tortuga

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 866
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2020, 07:44:32 AM »
No Lanois.  That’s what happened.  NLOTH has that special Edge sound.  I think the two of them together have a musical chemistry that is one of the great musical partnerships of our time. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

*

Very good

  • Status: Elevated
  • ***
  • 170
  • I'm hanging on.....
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2020, 08:30:09 AM »
Popped back in after a while away to see if things had improved. They haven’t. See ya 👋

*

riffraff

  • *
  • 49870
  • Surrender, dislocate
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2020, 08:32:46 AM »
Popped back in after a while away to see if things had improved. They haven’t. See ya 👋
Sorry, the world isn't always peaches and cream, or is it? ha
Surrender, dislocate

*

an tha

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 18829
  • And you can swallow, or you can spit....
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2020, 09:10:45 AM »
Popped back in after a while away to see if things had improved. They haven’t. See ya 👋

How dare people hold differing opinions to you or opinions you may not agree with or like.....
174

*

Very good

  • Status: Elevated
  • ***
  • 170
  • I'm hanging on.....
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2020, 09:53:54 AM »
Haha - none taken.

It’s not the difference of opinion that bothers me.  It’s the same repetitive negativity that does. How many different ways can someone say post 2000 U2 is rubbish? It’s been 20 years, let it go 😂. I left this forum because it was draining my energy away from the reasons I loved my favourite band (faults and all). The constant focus on unpicking what has gone wrong with seemingly little or no balance ended up being completely futile. So yeah, enjoy folks!

*

an tha

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 18829
  • And you can swallow, or you can spit....
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2020, 10:01:19 AM »
Haha - none taken.

It’s not the difference of opinion that bothers me.  It’s the same repetitive negativity that does. How many different ways can someone say post 2000 U2 is rubbish? It’s been 20 years, let it go 😂. I left this forum because it was draining my energy away from the reasons I loved my favourite band (faults and all). The constant focus on unpicking what has gone wrong with seemingly little or no balance ended up being completely futile. So yeah, enjoy folks!

We've been down this road before, sir....so dare say little to be gained from going down it again.

Personally i'd rather you were here adding the balance you see as lacking than not here - but that is of course up to you.

All i will add is that there are plenty of topics and people here where there is a will to engage in balanced discussion - and they are not that hard to find or be involved in.
174

*

riffraff

  • *
  • 49870
  • Surrender, dislocate
Re: What The Hell Happened To The Edge?
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2020, 10:08:58 AM »
So, Very Good, let's you and I say "Hail to The Edge" and continue our positive thoughts. I'm all about praising U2...no matter what they write, sing, or do. I'm one of those crazy fans...haha.
Surrender, dislocate