But, even in that case, thousands of singers and songwriters could have written the song (or had already written a better one), and sung it. Bono and the Edge are just as replaceable as Larry Mullen Jr… Fact is, very few stars are special physically or mentally, and even the ones that are could have still been replaced by any number of very talented competitors.
ETA: For example, if the Edge has a strength as a musician, it’s that he knows he’s nothing special as a guitarist, and uses the effects to make it exciting.
Pretty much everything in this post is wrong. Sure, Edge isn’t a guitar virtuoso. Virtuosity can be dull as hell. He’s just a musician who created a sound that millions found pleasing. The same thing is true about U2 as a band.
You can’t just hand out record contract to a talented bunch of random musicians and songwriters, and voila, they will create an equal to “The Joshua Tree” or “Actung Baby.” Why deny their artistry and creativity? Or pretend that it exists in infinite supply?
I was impressed that out of the three guitarists in the movie “…loud in here” when they jammed on “the weight” at the end, Edge was the one who knew the right chords. Not Jimmy page or Jack White.
I’m not a U2 guy but its too easy to sit in judgement on a forum, without any feel for the subject of bands or what a contribution consists of.
I don’t see how this contradicts anything in my post. The Edge is just following in Gilmour’s (and other’s) footsteps in playing textural, effect-laden guitar. Other people did it before and after him. You could have replaced him with John McGeoch, to pick a contemporary who played textural guitar that I’d prefer to listen to. There are lots of other contemporaries that could have taken his place.
First, note that the thread isn’t really about creativity or artistry, but who’s the biggest money hog. Also note that those albums might be creative and artistic accomplishments, but sales is a terrible way to measure that.
But in the end, I wasn’t suggesting random musicians. There’s millions of competent, talented ones running around on the planet. Out of that group, trust me, there’s been thousands of overlooked geniuses who toiled in oblivion while the records you mentioned were selling millions. Swap one of those out with the musicians in question, and you might have gotten a better record.
Fact is, even if you’re a virtuoso, you can usually be replaced. Everyone else is even more replaceable.