Larry Lootsteen -
Conestogo, Ontario, Canada
In the inevitable long drag between the end of the tour and the release of new material, how do you handle the lull? Do you immerse yourself in the recent releases? Do you do a complete history of U2 releases from Boy through No Line On The Horizon? Do you relive the tour through videos or bootlegs?
It can be a strange time in the two(ish) years between (four years if we are talking album to album). Most U2 lists/blogs/sites are pretty quiet, waiting for tidbits, gossip and sightings. It's a time I generally refer to as DULL.
This time I found myself in a different spot. I had blogged every damn show for the entire 360 Tour. I had posted set-lists, often live and then built a show page of fan videos from the show the next day (oh internet how I love your tubes!). So by the time I had been lucky enough to see them in Toronto and the band went on to the final shows of the tour, I found myself burnt out.
Instead of listening or watching videos, I found myself walking away for a very long time. I literally did not listen to any U2 for months. I've had very few moments in life where I went that long without playing something. And usually those times were a question of where I was in life.
What was really odd was throwing a cd on for the first time in months and falling in love with No Line all over again. Now I still don't think of it as their best work. Just really interesting and really different. But that period of nothing really led me to a return that was really good for me.
So I'm curious. Anyone else been away and come back to the band? I would love to hear your story. Or what you do with your U2 wait down times. Where do you go in the catalog? Inquiring fans want to know!