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The Joshua Tree ~U2 | Then and Now

Today marks the 30th anniversary of U2’s, The Joshua Tree.  The anniversary will be celebrated with a full-blown North American and European tour. I remember when this album came out.  There was much to be anticipated and it seemed like it took forever to be released after their amazing breakaway, The Unforgettable Fire.  Where were they going to go?  What was next?  The earnest and post-punk days had come to an apparent end with The Unforgettable Fire.  How would The Joshua Tree be different?

The Joshua Tree was yet another breakaway for a band who had just broken free from their first three records.  As a listener, I didn’t know what to think upon first hearing it.  The further they moved from War, I found I was resistant to the change.  War was my first real introduction to U2, so I found myself judging everything thru that lens.  But as different as The Unforgettable Fire was, I was hooked.  The same happened with The Joshua Tree.

The biggest difference, I remember, was that the Edge’s intro to “Where the Streets Have No Name” hooked me and surprised me as much as he had with “New Years Day” and “Pride”.  The hooks and the surprises kept on coming with “With Or Without You“, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For“, “Bullet The Blue Sky”, “In God’s Country” and “Red Hill Mining Town”.  As the boys from Dublin were discovering American, we discovered U2 again.

Listening to The Joshua Tree now, I realize that its still a Masterpiece.

As for the tour, check out Rolling Stone’s interview with The Edge – The Edge Breaks Down U2’s Upcoming ‘Joshua Tree’ Tour.

U2’s ‘The Joshua Tree’: 10 Things You Didn’t Know ~Rolling Stone on the 30th Anniversary of The Joshua Tree.

The Joshua Tree ~U2
Released: March 9, 1987
Genres: Rock
Produced By: Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno
Purchase On: iTunes / Amazon