Many moons ago,around about 1981ish, I was quite into U2. I asked for a copy of Boy the week it was released for my 21st birthday. I had heard their first ep on John Peel and liked the tumbling, rushing guitar sound and the lead singer's breathless vocals. They seemed a band to name drop to the trendies. I also caught them a couple of times live. Once at a stadium gig at Gateshead where the band were low down the running order, I think, but maybe they weren't, how am I supposed to remember it was 30 odd years ago? And once at a gig at the Playhouse in Edinburgh. This I remember better because I still have the ticket stub. 
I perversely quite liked October when it was released and also thought highly of War. But then equally thrawn, I was disappointed by 'The Joshua Tree' and our paths separated. Although I had nothing against 'One' or 'The Sweetest Thing' neither did I find the time to play them very often.
I mused on all this when watching the band play at Glastonbury. I was trying to figure out why it is difficult to love U2. I think they try too hard and are too desperate to be loved. It is as if this anxiousness to please drives out any real emotion. But looking back it appears that this breathless rush to engage has been their focus since '11 0'Clock Tick Tock'.
In my years of djing, I don't play U2 often. I once dropped in' Stories for Boys' when I was going through some energetic tunes about 5 years past. Obviously, I gave 'Vertigo' a good airing when it was high in the charts and likewise with 'One' and 'Sweetest Thing' but no-one really asks for them anymore and I don't see any great need to play them.
Strange then, how a band so desperate to be loved have one of the most ridiculed frontsmen around whilst everyone else just yawns with indifference.
Now Pendulum. I thought they were great.
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