U2

U2 Scored Their 2nd No 1 LP In The UK 35 Years Ago With ‘THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE’…

Posted on by JL

13 October 2019

35 years ago today, on 13 October 1984, Irish mega rockers U2 scored their second
No 1 album in the UK with their fourth studio album ‘THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE’.
The band hired two musical experts, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, to help them with
their experimentation with a more ambient and abstract sound. The album’s title is
a reference to ‘The Unforgettable Fire‘, an art exhibit about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 by the USA. The longplayer also topped the charts in
New-Zealand and Australia and peaked at #12 in America.

The two singles…

– PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE) –

‘THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE’

U2: Wesbite – Facebook

HISTORY – 21 March 1987…

Posted on by JL

21 March 2019

On 21 March 1987, thirty-two years ago today, U2 reached the top spot of the UK albums chart with their fifth album THE JOSHUA TREE. It was their 3rd numero uno LP in Great-Britain. Although Turn Up The Volume rates this one as their third best, behind ‘Achtung Baby‘ (1991) and ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind‘ (2000) you can’t ignore that ‘The Joshua Tree‘ contains some of their best songs ever. Here are 3 of them…

– I STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR –

– WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME –

– WITH OR WITHOUT YOU –

Album in full…

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I saw the band play Brussels 2 years ago to celebrate the
30th birthday of ‘The Joshua Tree’. Review here

Irish Icons U2 Released Their Double Documentary Album ‘RATTLE AND HUM’ 30 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

Going back in sonic history looking for memorable albums…

9 October 2018

Band: U2

Album: RATTLE AND HUM – the Irish megastars’ sixth longplayer

Released: 10 October 1988 – 30 years ago

ROLLING STONE review: “Rattle and Hum is an expression of U2’s urge to have it both ways.
A sprawling double album that incorporates live tracks, cover versions, collaborations, snippets of other people’s music and a passage from a taped interview, the record is an obvious effort to clear the conceptual decks and lower expectations following the multiplatinum success of The Joshua Tree… But for all its excitement, Rattle and Hum seems a tad calculated in its supposed spontaneity. The album is, after all, a soundtrack. Rather than a documentary, it’s merely a document of events that often were staged and arranged for the express purpose of being filmed and recorded. The album ably demonstrates U2’s force but devotes too little attention
to the band’s vision. – Full review here – Score: 3.5/5

TURN UP THE VOLUME! says: We know this isn’t a proper album. Rather a soundtrack
for the accompanying documentary about how U2 conquered the west. Reduced to one instead of two albums it would have been a masterwork.

FOUR FABULOUS MOMENTS: Pride (In The Name Of Love) / All I Want Is You / I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / Angel Of Harlem

* PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE) – we played this on our wedding party, the place went nuts

* ALL I WANT IS YOU – epic…

* ANGEL OF HARLEM – steamy…

*I STILL HAVENT FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR – goosebumps rendition…

ALBUM in full…

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U2: Website – Facebook – All Albums

Irish Icons U2 Released Their Third Massive Album ‘WAR’ 35 Years Ago Today…

Posted on by JL

Going back in sonic history looking for memorable albums…

28 February 2018

BAND: U2

ALBUM: WAR – their third LP

RELEASED: 28 February 1983 – 35 years ago today

ROLLING STONE wrote at the time: “Generally, the album’s musical strengths are largely the product of well-honed arrangements and carefully balanced dynamics. Even as the Edge spins increasingly sophisticated guitar lines, he maintains the minimalist bluntness that sparked Boy. And while bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. have swung to more dance-oriented rhythms, their songs hurtle along with the sort of brusque purposefulness more frequently associated with punk. U2 may not be great intellectuals, and War may sound more profound than it really is. But the songs here stand up against anything on the Clash’s London Calling in terms of sheer impact, and the fact that U2 can sweep the listener up in the same sort of enthusiastic romanticism that fuels the band’s grand gestures is an impressive feat. For once, not having all the answers seems a bonus.”

TURN UP THE VOLUME! says: massive tunes, massive sentiments, massive album…

THREE HIGHLIGHTS: Sunday Bloody Sunday / 40 / New Year’s Day….

* SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY – a signature classic…

*40 – gripping pearl…

* NEW YEAR’S DAY – massive cracker…

WAR in full…

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U2: Website – Facebook – Twitter


Snowmen in 1983…

2017 ALL STAR LIVE TEAM – Here Are TURN UP THE VOLUME’S 11 Most Ecstatic Gig Experiences!

Posted on by JL

I witnessed 147 artists this year, from sweaty performances in cafes to some big ones
at festivals, from many club gigs to mid-range venue shows. I need live music to fuel
my engine, to get loaded, to make my adrenalin stream faster, to keep balance on this troubled planet – and live music certainly helps me to get away from daily, disturbing worries and have some thrilling time instead. Here are TURN UP THE VOLUME’s 11 most ecstatic gig experiences of 2017!…

1/ GRUPPO DI PAWLOWSKI
Where/when: Nosta, Opwijk – 13 December
Voodoo noise and the sound of breaking glass…
My review

Listen to GRUPPO’s newest album here / Social link: Facebook  

2/ IT IT ANITA (Liege, Belgium)
Where/when: Charlatan, Ghent – 17 July
Deafening, crazed, mind-blowing and non-stop exorcism…
My review

Listen to IIAA here / Social media: Facebook – Twitter

3/ PRIMAL SCREAM (Scotland/England)
Where/when: Melkweg, Amsterdam / Roma, Antwerp – 15 June / 16 June
Getting my rocks off (again) with the fabulous and imperishable SCREAM turbo…
My review

Here’s latest album CHAOSMOSIS / Social media: Website – Facebook

4/ THE FLAMING LIPS (Oklahoma, US)
Where/when: Roma, Antwerp – 4 February
Dazzling fairytale spectacle – impressive  ‘phantasy’ paradise …
My review

Listen here to The Lips  / Social media: Website – Facebook

5/ THE MOONLANDINGZ (Sheffield, UK)
Where/when: Paradiso, Amsterdam – 27 April
Punk disco grooves for the outsiders injected with electro punches to go bananas to …
My review

Listen to their debut LP here / THE MOONLANDINGZ: Facebook – Twitter

6/ DUDS (Manchester, UK)
Where/when: Kinky Star, Ghent – 13 November
Deranged punk funk bravado with mental trumpets…
My review

Listen here to DUDS’ debut LP / Social media: Facebook – Label: Castle Face Records

7/ U2 (Ireland)
Where/when: Koning Boudewijn Stadion, Brussels – 1 Augustus
‘Joshua Tree’ in full + a jukebox filled with solid gold classics – loud and clear…
My review

Listen to THE JOSHUA TREE here  / Social media: Website – Facebook – Twitter

8/ BOSS HOG (New York, NY, US)
Where/when: Vooruit, Ghent – 3 November
Electrifying trash blues steamroller with a nasty and witchery edge…
My review

Listen to BROOD X album here / Social media: Facebook – Twitter

9/ RICHARD ASHCROFT (Wigan, England)
Where/when: Crammerrock Festival, Stekene, Belgium – 1 September
Anthemic knockouts for heart and soul from start to finish…
My pics

Listen to RA here / RICHARD ASHCROFT: Website – Facebook

10/ LA JUNGLE (Mons, Belgium)
Where/when: Handelsbeurs, Ghent – 20 July
Perfect soundtrack to start a devilish insane moshpit in hell…
My review  
lajungle
Listen to the duo’s explosive watermelons here / LA JUNGLE: Facebook

11/ SHHT (Ghent, Belgium)
Where/when: Nest, Ghent – 29 November
Spectacular and chaotic cabinet of curiosities…
My review

Listen to new single MAO here / SHHT: Facebook – Instagram

5 Best of the rest: Temples /  / The Kills / Inheaven / Millionaire / Peter Hook & The Light

(All concert pics by JL/Turn Up The Volume!)

U2 – The Irish Legends Found America Thirty Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

When timeless in sound and vision…

quotefield-kopie

Band: U2

Track: I STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR

What happened: as second single from The Joshua Tree it hit
the top spot of US charts on 8 August 1987 – 30 years ago today…

Album: THE JOSHUA TREE – the album that turned the band into
superstars in the U.S. – one of their Holy Trinity Diamonds, next
to Achtung Baby (1991) and ‘All You Can’t Leave Behind‘ (2000)

Note 1: one of their most epic love crackers ever (in my book)…

Note 2: last week (August 1) I saw them playing Brussels – in a
65.000 capacity football stadion – playing The Joshua Tree in full
plus a dazzling greatest hits set. I’ve lost track of U2 the past years
but this giant concert was nothing less than a magical event…

Masterpiece LP in full…

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U2: Website – Facebook – Twitter


Phenomenal performance in Brussels last Tuesday (1 August)…


Full tree screen…


America…


Psychedelic…


Mega band…