The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 3B
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 3B
Bono, The Edge-... and the other two guys.
The U2 divide
of my attachment to U2 can be
attributed to sentimental reasons.
Like in the salons of 77th U2 is, bizarrely, the first music
and 78th century France, I can ever remember listening
this weekly installment to - outside of lullabies and my
grandparents' Louis Armstrong
will feature two Daily Arts and Ella Fitzgerald vinyls (one of
writers discussing the finer my first words was a blend of their
points of arts mediums names: "Louinella"). But my dad
is a hardcore fan of two things in
from at least 70 years ago. this world: "Star Trek" and U2,
so I was exposed to the latter at a
very early age. And no matter how
What do you get when you com- much I try to hide it from some of
bine unimaginative songwriting, my more musically elitist friends,
poor musicianship and the largest I can't help it - I have never
ego in rock 'n' roll history? You get stopped liking the tunes of U2.
U2, one of the most famous bands U2 has certainly been show-
of the past three decades. ered with endless awards and
Despite never really writing has maintained a steady base of
an original song in the 34 years devoted fans throughout many
they've been a band, the members years, but as with any mainstream
of U2 are still somehow regard- success story, it also has its haters.
ed as rock superstars. over the And I admit that many of the U2
course of their puzzling career, dissidents are right to make some
they've garnered 22 Grammy of their complaints: The band
awards and sold over 150 million oftentakes themselves far too seri-
album sales worldwide. ously and the stadium-rock sound
The only thing U2 ever got right that has given the band worldwide
was its timing- the band emerged recognition seldom presents origi-
onto the scene after the glory days nality or flair. But what the critics
of radio rock had all but faded sometimes fail to comment on is
away but before the alternative the brief period in the '90s when
era of '90s rock actually required U2 sought to redefine themselves,
a band to be exciting or innovative. leading to some of the band's more
That's it - the band's early under-discussed successes.
songs sounded good on the radio In 1991, U2 was just coming off
to a public who would've accepted of the success of its 1987 album
almost anything that was even The Joshua Tree - an album that
the slightest bit catchy. I'm not delved into the complicated rela-
faulting the band for that, but U2 tionship between the band mem-
capitalized on this by releasing bers and the United States - and
essentially the same set of songs the messier, folkier Rattle and
for over two 4ecades. This really Hum. While the bluesy tracks of
pisses me off. Combine this with Rattle and Hum often lose their
its attitude - U2 seems to think it footing, The Joshua Tree was a
deserves more than international home run, critically and commer-
fame for its extremely derivative cially. The music was passionate
form of pop-rock - and you have yet restrained, giving it a tight,
the recipe for the most overrated polished feel. Thematically, it was
band in history. the most honest, compelling work
To be fair, just because Bono is U2 has ever done - unfortunately,
a smug, overrated asshole doesn't the political messages the band
necessarily mean his music is shit. has tackled since then have often
However, his lyrics are completely felt trite and oversimplified.
unoriginal and his singingconsists But the '90s ushered in a new
ofyellinghalf melodies, which just phase for the members of U2 as
makes me hate him even more. they responded to claims that
Bono's creative process can be they were often too earnest. They
summarized as using political realized they took themselves too
buzzwords in different combina- seriously, and they decided to play
tions and emphasizing some of with it, leading to the meta, self-
them by yelling even louder. This deprecating Achtung Baby, which
is only slightly better than the played with some more electronic
passages during which he just sounds and was significantly more
sings notes at different pitches to humorous and introspective than
add emotion to his pieces. Instead some of the band's other endeav-
of sounding raw and uplifting, it ors. Bono embraced accusations
sounds forced. He's also fond of that he was self-absorbed and
usingbland and unoriginal words, made fun of himself, creating an
such as peace, love and freedom, egocentric alter-ego "The Fly" for
to cement his image as a world- live performances of the album's
changing, saintly figure. material on the Zoo TV Tour.
I'm usually willing to give In 1993, U2 continued with its
bands some slack on lyrical sub- alternative-rock-meets-electron-
stance if they can dazzle me with ic-music trend with the release
their musicianship. But for some- of Zooropa. Though none of the
one who. nicknamed himself "The tracks were commercial break-
Edge," David Evans is one boring away hits, the upbeat dance tunes
guitar player. In fact, his extensive of Zooropa remain evidence that
use of delay tones and repetitive U2 could break away from the
chiming is the exact opposite of spiritual lyrics and stadium rock
edgy guitar work. He uses almost sounds of its earlier albums. Along
the same tone on every song, with Achtung Baby and the even
and while this helps some gui- more ironic and technologically
tarists create a signature sound, embellished Pop, Zooropa kept U2
The Edge lacks the creativity to relevant.
expand past the same chord struc- But I'd also be lying if I said I
tures or repetitive plucking pat- don't also love the more tradition-
terns. al U2 albums - 2000's All That
Sure, there are other, worse You Can't Leave Behind remains a
bands that have arguably received guilty pleasure of mine. With song
more recognition than the Irish titles such as "Beautiful Day" and
rockers - but no other band in "Peace on Earth," there's nothing,
recent history has been so smug necessarily revolutionary about
about it. Yes, the group has found- it, and most of the guitar melodies
ed quite a few charities and raised are simple enough that I can play
millions of dollars, a fact any fan them myself, but sometimes I'm
will bring up when defending the just looking for some laid-back,
band. But Bono alone has a net non-gimmicky music I can sing
worth of over 600 million dollars, along to. As for this album, I've
which leads me to believe that the been jamming along since I was
band's philanthropy angle is more eight. They may not have radi-
of a marketing ploy than anything cally changed the music industry
of substance. or the world, but U2 has had a
-TYLER BAILEY lasting - albeit often embarrass-
ing - impact on me, and I'm sure
*** the same can be said for countless
others.
PARKOUR
From Page 1B
over and dive onto rails, walls
and ledges.
These circuitshelp the mem-
bers prepare for parkour jams,
which are noncompetitive gath-
erings where parkour clubs from
all over the country gather to
work on moves together. Mong
said he is planning on traveling to
Kalamazoo in a few weeks to par-
ticipate in a jam and to prepare
for the upcoming Ann Arbor jam.
"(You) just show off (your)
moves, watch people do moves,
make friends, all that," he said.
"We have our own jam too,
in September. We usually get
around S0 to 80 people, and it's a
lot of fun."
As the traceurs race around
the building, cat jump over vari-
ous walls and structures and
shimmy down handrails, their
eyes glimmer with a distinct
satisfaction and unmistakable
appreciation for the activity they
have undertaken. Though scal-
ing walls and dive-rolling onto
concrete may not appeal to some
people, it's obvious that these
University students enjoy their
unconventional workout.
"We don't like being normal,
do we?" Schumacher jokes.
In the public eye
Parkour has received more
and more attention in recent
years thanks to popular mov-
ies such as "Casino Royale" and
"The Bourne Ultimatum." But
the acts depicted in the movies
can't be strictly defined as park-
our, at least according to the Uni-
versity's club members and the
Michigan Parkour & Freerun-
ning Association.
Mong said the majority of stu-
dents only have knowledge of
parkour from an episode of the
NBC sitcom "The Office," but he
explained that Michael Scott and
Dwight Schrute's antics, while
funny, are a false depiction of the
activity.
"(The episode) just kind of
treats parkour like it's a joke, like
it's just what kids do. But there's
really a philosophy behind it.
There's a discipline behind it,"
Mong said. "When people join
karate, it's not like people think
it's a joke or anything. It's some-
thing for real. And some people
just don't take (parkour) seri-
ously."
While parkour is its own dis-
tinct activity, it is similar to fre-
erunning. McKenzie explained
that while the public may believe
that freerunning and parkour are
interchangeable, they are very
different.
"Freerunning ... allows the
freedom to sacrifice some effi-
ciency for freedom of movement
and self-expression by adding
some tricks such as flips and
spins," McKenzie said. "Essen-
tially, for many people, freerun-
ning is more 'flashy' and fun to
watch.".
Mong mentioned that park-
our is strictly for practicing effi-
ciency while freerunning allows
PAUL SHERMAN/Daily
Members of the University's parkour club practice their craft in a variety of locations about campus.
room I
"I li
parkot
and f
ground
of the
that a
both."
McE
miscon
the as
discip
young'
tive.
"As
our- E
pledge
of our
trainh
want t
shown
Mon
parkou
the iss
"reckl
was a s
"I k
of har
train i
fine w
the c
explai
just ab
DPS
Brown
an und
about
tions.
"Son
tend
said. "
age p
that, b
knowt
As t
up, th
under
Some,
whileI
the br
Washt
studen
pouich
sault o
Pro
abroad
for creativity. said he trains extensively in his
ike to make the analogy of home country, sometimes for as
ur like an obstacle course many as eight hours a day. He
reerunning like a play- practices "true parkour," a slight
d," Mong said. "But a lot variation on the normal activity
movements are so similar in that it is, for hiti, a way of life.
lot of the people just do "You find an obstacle that you
can overcome, you overcome it,
Kenzie noted that another then you choose another level,"
nception about parkour is Prokopouich said. "You can over-
ssociation made between come any obstacle, like arguing
lined practitioners and with a guy, or be confident in
"hooligans" being destruc- yourself, or it can be anything."
He explained that what or how
an association, we stress you do parkour counts less than
ethics and community what you think and feel as you're
s to each and every one doing it.
members," he said. "We "You feel sometimes like a
Hard in our community and bird, sometimes like a tiger," he
o show it the respect it has said. "You feel like an animal,
us." really free, and it's an amazing
ng explained that when a feeling.
ur club first came about, "You need to see freedom in
ue of being viewed as just your mind, and liberty and info-
ess kids" by the University ity, something like that."
serious concern. Many of the other club mem-
now with the DPS, we kind bers said they started practicing
ve a relationship, we can parkour as a fun way to'stay in
in some areas and they're shape. Schumacher, who has pre-
rith it," he said. "When viously participated in martial
lub was established, we arts and gymnastics, said park-
ned to them that we're not our was an easy way for him to
bunch of reckless kids." exercise in college.
spokeswoman Diane "It's just a way to kind of
n confirmed that there is improve technique and keep my
derstanding with the club physical conditioning up," he
certain rules and regula- said. "This is my favorite aspect
of martial arts, the agility stuff.
me of the activities would So it's just fun to me."
tov alarm people," Brown LSA freshman Nick Barden
Their intent is not to dam- also said he joined the club for
roperty or anything like the physical benefits.
rut other people might not "I did sports in high school
that." (but) I wasn't good enough to
play sports here, and I wanted
Mind, body, spirit to stay in shape," Barden said. "I
love (parkour), it's a lot of fun"
:he practice begins to wrap Though the fitness perks can't
e club members once again be denied, McKenzie, like Pro-
take individual activities. kopouich, said parkour isn't just
climb trees, doing crunches practiced to stay in shape.
hanging upside-down from "Some people see it as a way to
anches, and others, such as cleanse their minds from typical
enaw Community College everyday stress, similar to yoga
it Ivan Dmitrieuich Proko- or meditation," McKenzie said.
i, begin to flip and somer- Adam Dunlap, an employee at
ff of ledges. Take Flight Apparel, which pro-
kopouich, who is studying duces parkour-specific clothing
d in the U.S. from Russia, and gear, also mentioned that the
activity can benefit a practitio-
ner's mental health.
"Practicing parkour helps
develop and maintain the physi-
cal condition while pushing the
mental side of practitioners,"
Dunlap wrote in an e-mail. "They
analyze problems and overcome
obstacles. It also forces practitio-
ners to confront fears, both ratio-
nal and irrational."
Just be careful
Watching the club practice, it's
hard not to wonder whether or
not any of the members have ever
.been seriously injured attempt-
ing the techniques.
Surprisingly, Mong said that
injuries are few and far between.
"Parkour is extremely incre-
mental," he said. "It's usually
pretty calm, and the reckless
people will quit when they get
hurt. We try to limit our risks
as much as possible. You know,
we're not going to ask you to
jump off a building."
Prokopouich said he has
never been seriously injured and
doesn't imagine he ever will be.
"I've never broken (my) legs
or neck or something like that
because of my... method of train-
ing," he said. "You don't have to
hurry up, so you don't have inju-
ries. You just don't compete with
others."
With that, he turns and leaps
over a wall, landing on a con-
crete ledge behind it. As the
other members take a break
from their activities to observe,
Prokopouich turns and dives off
of the ledge, effortlessly transi-
tioning from a terrifying head-
first plunge into a graceful roll
as he reaches the ground. And in
one fluid motion he is on his feet
again, completely nonplussed as
passers-by gawk.
As others join Prokopouich on
the ledge to attempt the amaz-
ing stunt, Mong offers some final
words of wisdom to the club
members:
"Watch out for people ... and
don't die!"
TWEET WITH THE BEST OF US
Follow Daily Arts @michdailyarts
2012 U-M CANCER RESEARCH
SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (CaRSIP)
' ' As part of its Canter Biology Training Program,
the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
is providing exposure to cancer research for
highly motivated and talented college undergraduates.
The Vice President for Student Affairs
is looking for students to serve on
her student advisory board for
the 2012-2013 academic year, and
advise her on the topics that are most
pressing to the students at
the University of Michigan.
The program will run for a ten-week period from'
June 11th - August 17th, 40 hours per week.
interns will be paid $5,000 for the10 week period.
Only U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens are
eligible to apply. Awardees are responsible for their
own transportation and housing.
Applications and more
information can be found at:
http://www.studentaffairs.umich.edu
/DSA-student-advisory-board
The deadline for applications is
Friday, March 30, 2012 at 5 pm.
Deadline is March 31, 2012
Applications can be completed at
www.mcancer.org/carsip
I'll admit this up front: Most
-KAYLA UPADHYAYA
i