Re: Negativland on tour...ENO and U2

["X-ray" <ew37@bellsouth.net>]

>U2's association with Eno was *Eno's idea* - he heard something
>he liked that he knew could be B-I-G with the right amount of
>coaxing.


I'm going to have to completely disagree here.  When it came time start 
work
on the Unforgettable Fire album, it was U2 who wanted Eno.  Being Bowie
fans, it was they who sought him out.  Eno had not heard ANY of their
previous work, and was not interested in working with them at the 
time...his
excuse being that he was devoting most of his time and energy in those days
to video/multimedia arts.  Eno then referred them to Daniel Lanois who
coproduced the album, and with further prodding Eno joined the team and
played ball.  U2 were fans of his, and not the other way around.  U2 were
actually on their way to becoming "big" with the more straightforward,
rock'n roll-ier sounds of the previous album and tour.  As I recall, when
the semi-ambient, ambiguous Unforgettable Fire album was first released it
was not warmly recieved.
I do agree that through the music they made with Eno, U2 have become what
they are today commercially, technically, etc.  I just don't buy the whole
"Eno Master Plan" thing at all.

MikeH