The Razor's Edge

August 14, 2007

U2 still hasn't found what it's looking for

By Greg Johnson

I was driving down the Parks Highway the other day bopping along with the radio. Usually I find some upbeat music a good prelude to walking into the office, but on this day I was devastated by what I heard.

Seems one of my favorite bands, U2, is wracked with inner turmoil.

Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. have climbed the highest mountains, run through the fields, crawled and scaled city walls, and all for naught.

They still haven't found what they're looking for.

Since the 1987 release of "The Joshua Tree," U2 has kissed honey lips and felt the healing in her fingertips. The bandmates have searched all over, been to Kingdom Come, spoke with angels and held the hand of the devil.

And yet, they still haven't found what they're looking for.

To suffer for 20 years searching for, well, whatever it is they're looking for takes resolve. But dudes, sometimes you just have to let go and let live. In the meantime, I'll try and keep an eye out in case I find whatever it is you're looking for. That you never told us what this is, we'll just have to guess. Here's my:

Top 10 Things U2 Could Be Looking For

10. An honest used car salesman.

9. A mint condition 1893 buffalo head nickel.

8. Love, but they've been looking in all the wrong places.

7. Weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

6. A thrill on Blueberry Hill.

5. Jimmy Buffett's shaker of salt.

4. Enlightenment.

3. That odd black sock that always comes up missing from the wash.

2. The Lost Boys.

1. Bono's keys.

Whatever it is, I hope U2 keeps looking for it for a long, long time to come. With the increasing popularity of rap and cheesy pop, the dumbing down of America's youth continues in the music they choose. Seems an &#8220artist” can't score a hit anymore unless it includes screeching out some ode to his or her posterior.

Others perform as if the amount of bling a person struts is a reflection of talent. Nobody's fooled into believing the more gold chains, diamond-studded teeth and platinum toilet bowl floats one has in any reflects on that person's talent as a musician or songwriter.

You have never caught U2, Sting (reunited this summer with The Police), Iggy Pop, The Ramones or The Clash attempting to pass off bling as substance.

At least U2 is better off than The Rolling Stones, who since 1965 can't get no satisfaction. Keep looking, U2, and when you find it, share whatever it is with Generation Bling.