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40th out of 718 books
—
487 voters
U2: At the End of the World
The most intimate and appreciative biography ofthe mega rock band U2 to date--by the author towhom the band gave complete access.
When U2 took the stage for their three-year Zoo TVworld tour in 1991, Bill Flanagan was there--inthe bus, on the plane, in the recording studio andwell after hours with the biggest rock band in theworld. A tour that began to support the hugelysuc...more
When U2 took the stage for their three-year Zoo TVworld tour in 1991, Bill Flanagan was there--inthe bus, on the plane, in the recording studio andwell after hours with the biggest rock band in theworld. A tour that began to support the hugelysuc...more
Paperback, 544 pages
Published
July 16th 1996
by Delta
(first published 1995)
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Bill Flanagan had insider access to U2 as they went through the roughest patch of their history, from the critical failure of Rattle and Hum to Bono's challenge to the band to "go away and dream it all up again," to the triumph of their singular Achtung Baby album and the trials and tribulations of the record-breaking Zoo TV tour that followed. Borrowing a snifter of inspiration from that other old Irish sot James Joyce and Ulysses, Flanagan drops you smack into every recording booth, backstage...more
From the book cover:
When U2 took the stage for their three-year Zoo TV world tour in 1991, Bill Flanagan was there--in the bus, on the plane, in the recording studio and well after hours with the biggest rock band in the world. A tour that began to support the hugely successful Achtung Baby record and ended with a second, even more successful record, Zooropa, took U2 to the far reaches of the world, playing to over a hundred sold-out arenas in over forty cities.
U2 At The End Of The World takes y...more
When U2 took the stage for their three-year Zoo TV world tour in 1991, Bill Flanagan was there--in the bus, on the plane, in the recording studio and well after hours with the biggest rock band in the world. A tour that began to support the hugely successful Achtung Baby record and ended with a second, even more successful record, Zooropa, took U2 to the far reaches of the world, playing to over a hundred sold-out arenas in over forty cities.
U2 At The End Of The World takes y...more
This has been a really good book. I would quantify why I enjoy it first, though:
1. I am a huge U2 fan.
2. Achtung Baby, which this book details the recording of, and subsequent tour, is one of my favorite albums.
3. I love and listen to a lot of rock, and so this book mentions a lot of other bands, etc that I like.
However, this book was way more fascinating than I thought it would be...it delves into places where I didn't think it would go; European history, religion, and the band's different grow...more
1. I am a huge U2 fan.
2. Achtung Baby, which this book details the recording of, and subsequent tour, is one of my favorite albums.
3. I love and listen to a lot of rock, and so this book mentions a lot of other bands, etc that I like.
However, this book was way more fascinating than I thought it would be...it delves into places where I didn't think it would go; European history, religion, and the band's different grow...more
I really loved this book. Being a fan of U2's 90's output in particular, it was great to get a feel for where the band was creatively during this critical period in their career.
You really get a feel for these four friends who just happen to be the biggest band in the world. You get to learn each band member's distinct personality, so much so that you feel as if you've known them your whole life.
In a way, the book is almost too revealing - after reading End of the World, you can never really loo...more
You really get a feel for these four friends who just happen to be the biggest band in the world. You get to learn each band member's distinct personality, so much so that you feel as if you've known them your whole life.
In a way, the book is almost too revealing - after reading End of the World, you can never really loo...more
Flannigan gives an amazing depiction of U2 in their prime when making Achtung Baby and the Zoo TV tour. He follows them around the world and records what he sees for a year. Tons of behind the scenes stories. The description in the beginning of the book of them making Achtung Baby in a warehouse in West Berlin right after the wall came down may be the most definitive moment in U2 history, on the edge of breaking up or elevating to an even higher level. Flannigan skillfully brings such situations...more
It's easy to mock something you don't understand, especially if it towers above everything else. I believe this is why so many non-fans of U2 like to try to tear the band down; they see these four Irishmen applying for the "Best Band in the World" title and think it's all about image, wealth, or entitlement. This book not only dispels this myth about U2, it uncovers the heart that makes this band tick. Bill Flanagan's "U2: At the End of the World" is an intimate look into the best rock and roll...more
This book is one of the few really great rock biographies. It does a great job of chronicling the band's past by giving a distilled view of their present, in both personal lives, internal processes, and musical career. All of that is the essence of the music of U2, and the legacy their music has created. Flanagan does them a great service in this bio, but also himself, for presenting them so well and staying out of the way. Well, mostly. His humor about touring with them is fairly expressive...
This book had some stylistic tics that bothered me, but I basically didn't put it down until I was finished. Crazy rock stars on surreal world tours FTW. It was also... I don't know, I remember the tour the book was about, and I remember the world events happening while the tour was taking place, and it doesn't seem like that long ago, but I guess it was. Like, there was HISTORY happening, and this was an interesting look at stuff I actually remember and dealt with.
When I was younger, I was really into U2. I still like the band, but I don't listen to them nearly as much as I used to. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to anyone that isn't a U2 fan. But, you could probably say that about any biographical book about rock bands. It's full of tour stories, recording stories, and some personal stories. If you're into U2 and that kind of stuff, you'll probably like it.
I read this in a two day jury duty call about 10 years ago. I'm a fan, and I am a huge sucker for rock bios, but this was a great one. It was an unpolished and seemingly pretty honest portrait of the band during the insance Achtung Baby and Zooropa tours of the early 90's. Highly recommended to anyone who is a fan either of U2 or rock bios in general.
Dec 06, 2008
Brian
added it
Music is one of my passions, and I always enjoy reading books about music, and about the inner workings of bands, and about art & ideas. This book is a tale of how U2 reinvented themselves, the ideas they embraced and how they instantiated them, both in music and onstage, and what it was like to live, and live with, those ideas.
4.5. An up-close look at the world's most famous band, covering the years 1990-1994 (the ZooTV tour). Bill Flanagan did an excellent job chronicling their concerts, adventures, recording sessions and everything in between. I haven't read a lot of rock and roll biographies, but this one is pretty candid and well done IMHO.
Irish are great at storytelling, and when Bill Flanagan writes about U2, sparks do fly. Great writing and some if the funniest stories from the nusic industry, fir those who think rockstars are above this world, this book proves that above all, superstars are human beings. And sometimes they can have a great sense if humor.
This is such a fantastic rock bio. Flanagan's writing is incredibly engaging, and he does a great job of exploring the thornier issues from every angle. He really captures the zany wonder of a rock tour, with fabulous descriptions of the cities the band visits (I love the section on Tokyo) and tons of great quotes. The members of U2 are wonderful and worthy subjects, and Flanagan more than rises to the task of telling their story. I wish he'd write a sequel with some of their more modern adventu...more
Even if you hate the band (which I certainly do not in case you are keeping score) this book is a must read for any Rock Historian as it documents a period in the band's history when it was at it's creative zenith and also gives the reader an in depth and personal look into the lives of U2 that the band had not allowed previously and has seldom allowed since.
What Flanagan also achieves here is a thorough look at just how intertwined media and art were becoming in the early nineties. While U2: At...more
What Flanagan also achieves here is a thorough look at just how intertwined media and art were becoming in the early nineties. While U2: At...more
One of the best pieces of music writing I've ever read, up there with Greil Marcus or Lester Bangs. Funny, revealing, smart and penetrating. Even if you (rightly) think U2 are arrogant pricks, it's a must-read, for the story of Adam's lost weekend alone.
This book reads like a very long article for rock 'n' roll magazine. You can really tell that the author is enamored of the band. The underlying tone is: "Look how cool I am. I'm hangin' with U2."
The author seems to be trying not to give away too much of the band members' lives. And I can respect that, but the groupie part of me wants more.
It also starts out just prior to the Zooropa tour. I was hoping to learn more about their beginnings, especially because U2 have been together for such a lon...more
The author seems to be trying not to give away too much of the band members' lives. And I can respect that, but the groupie part of me wants more.
It also starts out just prior to the Zooropa tour. I was hoping to learn more about their beginnings, especially because U2 have been together for such a lon...more
At the time I read this I was a huge U2 fan. After reading the book I was a huge Bill Flanagan fan! His writing is so engaging and entertaining, he could write about anything and I'd hitch a ride.
This is a fantastic biography.
This is a fantastic biography.
It was pretty interesting, not as good as say U2 by U2 or Bono's conversations with that Michka (or whatever his name is...) guy. But still revealing. I love reading and listening to what Bono has to say about the band, his friends (how close the group is)and his life. Hearing about how Adam saved Edge during his divorce, allowing him to live with him and be there for him, it just shows that frienships always comes first for these men, and music is secondary. Even with Bono's arguing and arrogan...more
If you don't like U2, try something else ... otherwise it's a must read.
Finally! Everyone cut the &^%$ and got honest. It's not the least bit glossy.
A pretty good look at U2 during the ZooTV tour.
The beginning of this book is so hilarious!
A good behind the scenes book of U2!
Woderful book for a U2 nerd. Follows the boys during Zoo TV days.
Mar 17, 2007
Michael Reynolds
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Music Fans
Shelves:
topofthelist
Ohhh yes..this one is a good one. Really gives you a good insight into why U2 are so fundamentally different from everyone else out there. It shows not only their humanity but also their genuineness: no tossing about the name of God as a campaign slogan, they simply are who and what they are. Plus, it's a fun read on top of it all.
An extremely in-depth account of my favourite period of U2's career. Essential reading for U2 fans.
This is known to U2 fans as the "U2 Bible." The author went along with them on their Zoo TV tour in the early 90's. I'm a huge fan and this gave a great background to their beginnings as a band. It was fun to read about what it is like to be on tour with a famous rock band.
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Easily one of those most compulsively readable rock bios ever penned. Love 'em or hate 'em, the juxtaposition of their individual personalities, their history together, and the craziness of being (arguably) the biggest rock band in the world, is never less than fascinating.
Great insight from someone who was on tour with the band during their crazy time.. Achtung Baby, and Zooropa. But don't read this with pre-conceived ideas of Bono being the worlds savior.. you will uncover a different sort of Bono in this one.
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