Exploring U2 : is this rock 'n' roll? : essays on the music, work, and influence of U2 / edited by Scott Calhoun.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Calhoun, Scott.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

U2 (Musical group).

Rock music--Ireland--History and criticism.

Rock music.

Ireland.

Physical Description:

xxvii, 276 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press, 2012.

Summary:

Exploring U2: Is This Rock 'n' Roll? features new writing in the growing field of U2 studies. Edited by Scott Calhoun, with a foreword by Anthony DeCurtis, Exploring U2 contains selections from the 2009 inaugural gathering of The Hype and the Feedback, a conference exploring the music, work, and influence of U2. In keeping with U2's efforts to remove barriers that have long prevented dialogue for understanding and improving the human experience, this collection of essays examines U2 from both personal and academic perspectives.

The book includes sixteen essays from leading academics, music critics, clergy, and fans. From the academic disciplines of literature, music, philosophy, and theology, essays study U2's evolving use of source material in live performances, layering of vocal effects in signature songs, crafting of a spiritual community at live concerts, success as a business brand, rhetorical presentation of Africa to the Western consumer, and readings of U2's work for irony, personhood, hope, conservatism, and cosmic time. Official band biographer Neil McCormick considers U2 a Dublin-shaped band, and Danielle Rhéaume tells how discovering and returning Bono's lost briefcase of lyrics for the album October propelled her along her own artistic journey.

This thoughtful and timely collection recognizes U2's music both as art and commentary on personal journeys and cultural dialogues about contemporary issues. It offers insights and critical assessments that will appeal not only to scholars and students of popular music and culture studies but also to those in the fields of theology, philosophy, performing arts, literature and intellectually curious U2 fans. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I Eighteen Years of Dawning

Chapter 1 Boy to Man: A Dublin-Shaped Band / Neil Mccormick Mccormick, Neil 3

Chapter 2 My Voyage of Discovery: Returning October's Lost Lyrics / Danielle Rhéaume Rhéaume, Danielle 23

Chapter 3 Potent Crossroads: Where U2 and Progressive Awareness Meet / Rachel E. Seiler Seiler, Rachel E. 38

Chapter 4 The Authentic Self in Paul Ricoeur and U2 / Jeffrey F. Keuss Keuss, Jeffrey F., Sara Koenig Koenig, Sara 54

Part II Don't Expect, Suggest

Chapter 5 Vocal Layering as Deconstruction and Reinvention in U2 / Christopher Endrinal Endrinal, Christopher 67

Chapter 6 "Bullet the Blue Sky" as an Evolving Performance / Steve Taylor Taylor, Steve 84

Chapter 7 U2: An Elevated Brand / Michele O'Brien O'Brien, Michele 98

Chapter 8 Nothing Succeeds Like Failure: U2 and the Politics of Irony / Kevin J. H. Dettmar Dettmar, Kevin J. H. 112

Part III Take This Soul

Chapter 9 Playing the Tart: Contexts and Intertexts for "Until the End of the World" / Daniel T. Kline Kline, Daniel T. 129

Chapter 10 Where Leitourgia Has No Name: U2 Live / Beth Maynard Maynard, Beth 151

Chapter 11 Bono v. Nick Cave Re: Jesus / Greg Clarke Clarke, Greg 165

Chapter 12 Fallen Angels in the Hands of U2 / Deane Galbraith Galbraith, Deane 179

Part IV When I Look at the World

Chapter 13 Bono's Rhetoric of the Auspicious: Translating and Transforming Africa for the Consumerist West / Bruce L. Edwards Edwards, Bruce L. 197

Chapter 14 Boy, Baby, and Bomb: U2's Use of Antilanguage / John Hurtgen Hurtgen, John 216

Chapter 15 All That We Can't Leave Behind: U2's Conservative Voice / Stephen Catanzarite Catanzarite, Stephen 229

Chapter 16 Across the Universe: U2's Hope in Space and Time / Scott Calhoun Calhoun, Scott 240.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780810881570

0810881578

OCLC:

732318675