Rock Titan Battle: U2 vs. Radiohead Part 1- Intro and Seeing Them Both Live

When I got to thinking about it, Radiohead and U2 have quite a few similarities. Both started with straight-forward rock-n-roll and evolved over time to a more crafted, electronic sound. Both are bands of their times – U2 was the 80’s and early 90’s supergroup that blew away records tour revenues during their ZooTV tour. Radiohead achieved mega-status while staying relatively low-key in the late 90’s early 00’s. Whereas Radiohead has3 guitarists (Thom Yorke, Ed O’Brian and Jonny Greenwood) and U2 has the immortal Edge, none of them is particularly known for solos but all four are known for their unique textured sound. The vocals of Bono and of Thom Yorke are immediately recognizable. The bass of Adam Clayton is probably more pronounced that that of Colin Greenwood they are both solid bassists. I think that technically Phil Selway is probably a bit superior to Larry Mullen, Jr. but Larry still beats the skins like nobody’s business.

I saw U2 for the first time when I was but 16 in Miami at the now-extinct Hollywood Sportatorium in 1985 during the final leg of their Unforgettable Fire tour. I was totally blown away. Bono was electrifying. The band was so full of energy. Honestly, for me it is the greatest concert I ever attended. I then saw them for the last time on the next tour in 1987 for The Joshua Tree. They had already made the turn towards the arena-type band and played in the now-extinct Orange Bowl. I was there with 80ooo other screaming fans and actually got all the way within 4 people of the stage. That being said, I was disappointed by the set that felt overly rehearsed and worn out. Perhaps, it was just too hard to compare to the group of two years earlier. In any case, I came away disappointed.

As for seeing Radiohead, I also saw them twice. The first time was at the Amnesty International show in Paris in 2000. They headlined after the Dalai Lama, Tracy Chapman, Peter Gabriel with Youssou N’Dour, Shania Twain and several other groups. The funny thing was how each group before Radiohead was allowed two songs – three songs max. But then came Radiohead. And nothing was ever the same. They played for more than an hour. OK Computer, The Bends and Pablo Honey. Absolutely amazing. If I hadn’t seen U2 back in ’85, this concert might have taken precedence. Anyway, in 2006, I saw them in concert at a festival in northern France. This was just before In Rainbows came out so mostly consisted of Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail to the Thief as well as older favorites. It was still incredible and both my wife and I (who were about 10-15 years older than the average festival goer that day) loved the show.

More on their comparative discographies next time…