From the movie Rattle and Hum, U2 performs I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For with the New Voices of Freedom at a church in Harlem. It was recorded when U2 did their 1987 Joshua Tree tour, and released in 1988 as a feature-length documentary movie. I had seen the tour with my sister and a friend at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. This was at the height of their popularity, with critics and fans pretty much unanimously saying they were the supergroup of the 80s and perhaps the century. I agreed, and their show was amazing. Including the soundtrack to Rattle And Hum, their 7 album run was amazing. Sadly, while they went on to release many more albums, they never recaptured that glory for me. Sure, there were some more good and great songs, but the albums fell a bit flat.
I remember I went to see the movie while on vacation in Boca Raton, Florida, with some lesbian friends of mine. They were not particularly interested in going to see it with me (they were into the whole womyn's music thing so all-male rock bands were the devil's spawn), so I went alone during the early afternoon so I got an early bird special on the ticket - Boca is geared toward the retirement population and have lots of specials. I mean, I am a pasty white boy, so I was safer in the dark movie theater than I was on the beach or by the pool. I left the theater and immediately went out and purchased the cassette tape - since I only had my Sony Walkman to listen to while there. I was in heaven, listening to it almost non-stop on the vacation.
I agree...that was their heyday. They've done some great stuff after that, but that U2 era was a case of the right music at the right time. Isn't it odd how that seems to work at times?
ReplyDeleteTrue, Beth, but I still love to listen to that music, more than the current stuff they are putting out.
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