Clint Hale

Remember that guy or girl in high school that you — or someone you knew — despised, mostly because he or she was good-looking, popular, athletic and, in a way, represented a level of perfection you most certainly would never reach?

That's sort of how I've always felt about U2.

The Irish quartet features a lead singer in Bono who, when not selling out arenas and peddling tens of millions of records, might be — with apologies to Brangelina — the world's most recognizable celebrity humanitarian.

U2 also boasts a guitarist in The Edge who not only has the testicular fortitude to operate under a hipper-than-thou pseudonym, but also pulls off the skull-cap look, despite the fact that it makes him look somewhat like Eminem's bearded, guitar-playing uncle.

The band — since forming in Dublin, Ireland, more than 30 years ago — has sold out show after show, notched platinum plaque after platinum plaque and won more Grammy Awards than any other band in history.

And I've loathed them most of the way.

I say “most,” because not even the most obstinate music fan can deny the greatness of the band's 1987 opus of a fifth album, The Joshua Tree. The album, remastered from its original analog master tape recordings, was re-released on Nov. 20 in four different formats, including a vinyl version and a box set (complete with two musical discs and a bonus DVD).

 It since has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide on the strength of legendary tracks such as “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For” and “With or Without You.”

Though U2 has remained a commercial juggernaut long after the original release of The Joshua Tree, its four members have also fallen prey to the standards set forth by success. In U2's case, that often means coasting on unnecessarily grandiose singles like “City of Blinding Lights” and “Vertigo,” as well as been-there, done-that balladry like “Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of.”

Nevertheless, U2 on cruise control is still better than most groups at their best, which is probably why I've grown weary of the band over the last 15 years or so.

After all, perhaps the only thing more frustrating than not reaching one's own desirable level of acclaim and success is watching someone else not take full advantage of theirs.