Sometimes your first impressions aren't the lasting ones. Last week I was having a conversation with my fiance about bands that I didn't/couldn't/wouldn't get into at first, but then later came to love. And since a couple of these bands are recently in the news for various reasons, I figured it'd be a great excuse for a mini-series of monday morning b-sides. We'll start with U2, who just kicked off the North American leg of their 360° tour Saturday in Chicago.
I remember when I was 12 and we first got cable TV, "Gloria" was one of the videos that MTV used to show in heavy rotation. I hated it with a passion. Every time I'd hear that drumbeat, and see the band's reflection in the rippling water, I'd immediately reach for the remote and change the channel before Bono could bark out "Two three four!" I have no idea why I hated it so much. Maybe it was Bono's douchey dancing, or Adam Clayton's ridiculous blonde afro. Whatever the reason, I wasn't having it. But evidently I'm not the only one who wasn't a fan... neither the song or the video have appeared on any of the various compilations U2 has released over the years.
I wish I could say I changed my mind before 1987, but I'd be lying. My position did soften though... I remember watching the Live At Red Rocks concert in it's entirety when MTV used to show concerts every Saturday night, and the videos from The Unforgetable Fire didn't inspire the same kind of remote grabs that "Gloria" did. But it wasn't until The Joshua Tree that I really got onboard. Now they are definitely one of my favorite bands. I've seen them live four times, and the 1987 and 2001 concerts would both rank among my top five concerts ever.
The original b-side of "Gloria" was a live version of "I Will Follow" recorded March 6 ,1981 at The Paradise in Boston. This version of "Stories For Boys" is from that same show, and was released on the "Sweetest Thing" single in 1998.
U2 - "Stories For Boys (Live)" (mp3)
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