In a 2007 interview with "Billboard" magazine, Gerald Casale stated that "Shout" was the biggest regret of his career, "because the Fairlight just kind of took over everything on that record. I mean, I loved the songwriting and the ideas, but the Fairlight kind of really determined the sound." According to a 2005 interview with the band's guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh, "Mark and Jerry kept saying in interviews that the guitar was obsolete and wanted to prove it with the "Shout" album."