399. Bradley Morgan on U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America
Author Bradley Morgan joins me to dive into his fascinating book 'U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America'. We unpack the political underpinnings of the album, how the album has been recontextualised by the political environment of today, resisting nostalgia, how the members of U2 embraced the myth of America and then dissected it, the anti-cynicism of U2's music, how U2 appeals across political divides while foregrounding politics in their own music, their surprising late awakening to American roots music, the story behind One Tree Hill and Bradley’s pilgrimage to the site of the album cover photo.