4 Oct 2011

The Joshua Tree (1987)

The Joshua Tree is the fifth studio album by rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on Island Records. In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release The Unforgettable Fire, U2 aimed for a harder-hitting sound on The Joshua Tree within the limitation of strict song structures. The album is influenced by American and Irish roots music and depicts the band's love-hate relationship with the United States, with socially and politically conscious lyrics embellished with spiritual imagery.

Inspired by American tour experiences, literature, and politics, U2 chose America as a theme for the record. Several events during the sessions helped shape the conscious tone of the album, including the band's participation in A Conspiracy of Hope tour, the death of roadie Greg Carroll, and lead vocalist Bono's travels to Central America. Recording was completed in November and additional production continued into January 1987. Throughout the sessions, U2 sought a "cinematic" quality for the record that would evoke a sense of location, in particular, the open spaces of America. They represented this in the sleeve photography depicting them in American desert landscapes.

The album received critical acclaim, topped the charts in over 20 countries, and sold in record-breaking numbers. According to Rolling Stone, the album increased the band's stature "from heroes to superstars". It produced the hit singles "With or Without You", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", and "Where the Streets Have No Name". The album won Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in1988. The group supported the record with the successful Joshua Tree Tour. Frequently cited as one of the greatest albums in rock history, The Joshua Tree is one of the world's all-time best-selling albums, with over 25 million copies sold.

 

4 Oct 2011

Wide Awake in America (1985)

Wide Awake in America is a four-track EP by the Irish rock band U2, released in 1985. It combines two live performances of songs from the group's 1984 album The Unforgettable Firewith two B-sides from the era, which had previously been available only in the United Kingdom. It was originally released only in North America and Japan but sold so well that it charted in the UK as an import. It was re-released internationally in 1990.

The EP's centerpiece, "Bad" – a song about heroin addiction whose lyric inspired the collection's title – would become a staple of their live set, particularly after a remarkable extended performance at Live Aid (America) in which Bono danced with a girl in the audience. Radio programmers often chose this Wide Awake in America version over the original studio recording for airplay. The EP's title is inspired by the chorus of "Bad", with its refrain, "I'm wide awake / wide awake / I'm not sleeping".

2 Oct 2011

Research - Albums

The 3 albums that i have selected are all thematically linked. I have chosen Wide Awake in America, The Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum - all of which resemblance their experiences in America from 1985 to 1989. 

2 Oct 2011

Research

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion). U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music. Throughout the group's musical pursuits, they have maintained a recognisable sound built on melodic instrumentals, highlighted by The Edge's textural guitar playing and Bono's expressive vocals. Their lyrics, often embellished with spiritual imagery, focus on personal themes and sociopolitical concerns.

U2 formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency. Within four years, they signed with Island Records and released their debut album Boy. By the mid-1980s, they became a top international act. They were more successful as live performers than they were at selling records, until their 1987 breakthrough album The Joshua Tree, which, according to Rolling Stone, elevated the band's stature "from heroes to superstars". Reacting to a sense of musical stagnation and a late-1980s critical backlash against their earnest image and musical direction, the group reinvented themselves with their 1991 hit album Achtung Baby and the accompanying Zoo TV Tour. U2 integrated dance, industrial, and alternative rock influences into their sound and performances, and embraced a more ironic and self-deprecating image. Similar experimentation continued for the remainder of the 1990s with reduced levels of success. U2 regained critical and commercial favour after their 2000 record All That You Can't Leave Behind. On it and the group's subsequent releases, they pursued a more conventional sound while maintaining influences from their earlier musical explorations.

U2 have released 12 studio albums and are among the best-selling groups in popular music, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide. They have won 22 Grammy Awards, more than any other band. In 2005, U2 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 in its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". 

Other Related Sources:

http://www.u2.com/timeline
http://www.atu2.com/about/

 

2 Oct 2011

U2

I have decided to choose the band 'U2' as my topic theme. Being a band that still does live shows today, they still date back to the early 1980's which will be the time i will base my (re) launch for this project. 

2 Oct 2011

Advanced Digital Graphic Design Production

Everyone knows there hasn’t been a decent film or record made in the last 20 years!Your task is to create a (re) launch, limited edition pack which will introduce/connect a new, contemporaryaudience with classic films or albums of the past. Note - all films or albums selected must be ‘older’ than yourself. It’s expected you will select material you know or will get to know. Select from either the film or music pack options below: 

FILMS

• 3 films from a series (Star Wars...) or 

• 3 films from the same writer or director (Steven King/Alfred Hitchcock...) or

• 3 films from a genre (Hammer Horror films...)

MUSIC

• 3 albums from same band/singer (3 Beatles albums...) or

• 3 bands/singers from same genre (3 Glam Rock bands...)

The pack will comprise an outer package/container, labeled CD or DVD (with holding system), an A2 poster for each of 3 films or records and an information booklet (Info on band/director....). The original designs and/or styles of the period can be referenced but your’s must clearly be a fresh, contemporary ‘take’. Each poster should reflect the individual films/records, however there should be a holistic/overall aesthetic to all items.