The folks at Grantland have posted a quality article on U2 after the kick-off of their Innocence + Experience tour.  It’s thoughtful and honest, asking some of the questions that fans and critics alike cannot help but ask as the band pushes on in a musical landscape far different from the one they came of age with.  When asked about that change in light of their recent Vancouver show, Adam Clayton shared:

I do feel part of a different world where we used to see albums come out, we used to see tracks going to radio and those albums would become more and more popular,” Clayton says. “This new way, I don’t really understand. We’re [part of] a generation that no longer gets music the way we like to listen. Does that mean that everyone else that’s getting their music in a different way is not getting as intense of an experience? I don’t really know the answer to that.

I think, sadly, what we’re seeing happen is, albums as collections of music had a cultural significance that told a story and connected people, [and] now have social media filling that role. Music no longer has that social or political place in the community. It’s become a novelty and a soundtrack because I don’t think there’s any real invested loyalty anymore. It’s a different relationship . . .

When asked about different reasons for making music in the new landscape, Clayton adds something of an ominous note (at least in the opinion of the article’s author):

You can make music for different reasons . . .  Up to now, inclusive of this record, we wanted to make music that could communicate to the most people, that could be played on the radio. We were conscious that we wanted to be relevant to this time. That’s not something that we might always want. We have a very loyal, strong, intelligent audience. We might make music just for them in the future. We might not want to connect with other people.

I have to admit, I find that last statement both troubling and encouraging.  It is definitely something of a sign of the times, I’m afraid.

The whole article is worth a read.  It’s got a nice look at the current tour and how the band is bringing in music from its most recent album (which can’t be easy when you have such an amazing catalogue).  You can read the whole article here.