Are U2 drug free?

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For what it's worth, and I think this kind of answers the "why would they hide it" questions from a page or two ago, I vaguely remember reading a long time ago Bono saying in response to a question about their lack of typical rock star drug use, something to the effect of "if any of us tried drugs and became addicted, we could afford to check into the very best rehab facilities and probably be fine, while many of our fans don't have that luxury, so, we tend not to advertise any mischief we get into." That was paraphrased, of course.

Does anyone else recall something like that?

That said, I think they've probably dabbled, and perhaps even overindulged at times, but given their backgrounds and the heroin addiction they've seen, I'd be very surprised if they were ever hardcore users.
 
^^^ Yeah, I remember reading that quote. I don't think Bono was talking about U2 per se, he was talking about rock bands in general. It's a lot easier for rock stars to clean up than it is for their fans who are immitating their idols. I THINK Bono was perhaps talking about Nirvana when he said that. I can't be 100% sure, so if I'm wrong about that I apologise in advance.
 
^^^ Yeah, I remember reading that quote. I don't think Bono was talking about U2 per se, he was talking about rock bands in general. It's a lot easier for rock stars to clean up than it is for their fans who are immitating their idols. I THINK Bono was perhaps talking about Nirvana when he said that. I can't be 100% sure, so if I'm wrong about that I apologise in advance.

Okay, maybe that was it. It's very possible that I read the quote out of context, and not in the original article. Thanks!
 
All I'm saying is that a big part of the attraction people find to rock stars, movie stars, etc is that they embody a lifestyle that is for the most part way out of reach of normal people. Unless you're just really stupid, you must appreciate the whole 'rock mythology' that is part and parcel of that culture and always has been.

The drug scene is somewhat visible in hip hop too. It also depends in the education, family, values, ways of thinking as a child, etc.

Scott Storch raked in hip-hop millions and then snorted his way to ruin - Page 1 - Music - Miami - Miami New Times
 
I doubt any of them have gone as far as heroin, but I think it would be foolish to say they've never tried cocaine.

I'll bite.

I wouldn't rule out cocaine completely, but the chances are pretty slim if you ask me. Cocaine's pretty addictive, I don't think it's something you try just once.

In no means am I ruling out cocaine, but I'd say more likely than not they haven't tried it.
 
Well, can't say I agree with that. I don't think the chances are "slim" at all, in fact much more probable they would have at least tried it, at the very least. Cocaine is addictive, but so are alcohol and nicotine, and like those, you certainly can use it once, twice or many times without becoming addicted.
 
well, can't say i agree with that. I don't think the chances are "slim" at all, in fact much more probable they would have at least tried it, at the very least. Cocaine is addictive, but so are alcohol and nicotine, and like those, you certainly can use it once, twice or many times without becoming addicted.

+1
 
I'll bite.

I wouldn't rule out cocaine completely, but the chances are pretty slim if you ask me. Cocaine's pretty addictive, I don't think it's something you try just once.

In no means am I ruling out cocaine, but I'd say more likely than not they haven't tried it.

You're joking right? On all points, that's all incredibly naive.
 
apologies but i haven't really read much of this thread as I find it gets a bit....creepy round here sometimes when discussing the bands lives outside their music, no matter how different a topic drugs is

however my friend's dad [worst start to a story i know] once met U2 in the same hotel while they were on tour and had a spliff with them by the pool. so that's all the U2 drug stories i need personally :lol: other than that I couldn't give a shit.
sure, if i found out one of U2 was quite fond of coke or whatever I'd sort of think "...oh. that's not so cool" but then again as long as I enjoy the music they put out that's all that matters to me.
 
You're joking right? On all points, that's all incredibly naive.

How is it naive? I'm not sitting here saying U2 is a band of goody two-shoes. Just that I simply think we'd have seen the effects of cocaine. And the only thing to remotely suggest that they've tried it is the fact that they're 'rock stars'. That's about it. Again, I wouldn't rule it out, but I also wouldn't say it's a safe bet that they've tried it.
 
How is it naive? I'm not sitting here saying U2 is a band of goody two-shoes. Just that I simply think we'd have seen the effects of cocaine. And the only thing to remotely suggest that they've tried it is the fact that they're 'rock stars'. That's about it. Again, I wouldn't rule it out, but I also wouldn't say it's a safe bet that they've tried it.

No, your main points were,
- that the chances are slim.
- that its highly addictive, not the sort of thing you use once.
- that its more likely than not that they haven't tried it.
And above,
- that if they had, we'd see evidence.

Those are all pretty ridiculous. Even if you take away the profession of 'rock star' and just nail them into a "young in the 80s and 90s", with a lot of cash and an obvious enjoyment in hitting the town, at the top end of town, and they're bang-on in terms of demographic. And its not so highly addictive that is is the sort of thing you 'couldn't only use once'. The massively overwhelming, vast majority of people who have used or do use cocaine only do so rarely or sparingly, and suffer no side effects and give away absolutely no evidence of use.
 
How is it naive? I'm not sitting here saying U2 is a band of goody two-shoes. Just that I simply think we'd have seen the effects of cocaine.

WOW!! do you have a video camera in every room of their houses then? jeesus, some fans get all the luck!
 
I mean, he said something about how he’s making punk rock from venus and how he’s had this vision for a musical about Spider-man and how he reckons freedom smells like a babies head! Fucking HELL I thought this was the boring guy from boring U2, but the dude was clearly wasted!
 
.

Those are all pretty ridiculous. Even if you take away the profession of 'rock star' and just nail them into a "young in the 80s and 90s", with a lot of cash and an obvious enjoyment in hitting the town, at the top end of town, and they're bang-on in terms of demographic. And its not so highly addictive that is is the sort of thing you 'couldn't only use once'. The massively overwhelming, vast majority of people who have used or do use cocaine only do so rarely or sparingly, and suffer no side effects and give away absolutely no evidence of use.

This is pretty much what I was getting at earlier but is articulated a lot better. :up:
 
Even if you take away the profession of 'rock star' and just nail them into a "young in the 80s and 90s", with a lot of cash and an obvious enjoyment in hitting the town, at the top end of town, and they're bang-on in terms of demographic. And its not so highly addictive that is is the sort of thing you 'couldn't only use once'. The massively overwhelming, vast majority of people who have used or do use cocaine only do so rarely or sparingly, and suffer no side effects and give away absolutely no evidence of use.

Well except those that want to believe "it's obvious" or that they have evidence often point to the encore of ZooTV and that Bono was doing this every night of the tour, which as you and I know WOULD be a problem.

Speculation is ALL we have. Period...
 
Speculation is ALL we have. Period...

Well yeah, or this thread wouldn't pop up every year or so. Or if it did, it would end pretty quickly. Here's the quote from the interview, or here's the photo from the studio where they forgot to clean up the coffee table behind them, or something.

It will be great one day when Larry Mullen writes the definitive, warts and all story-of-U2 book, and it turns out it was all him. "That lazy drumming style? You have no idea how much effort I thought I was putting in. When I watched the DVD's in rehab (the real reason for each of the album delays), it was surprising, I genuinely thought I was John Bonham up there. The reason why I don't interact with fans as much as the others after gigs? They give me stupid cards and letters, not drugs, you can find me with the roadies. Why not at hotels before gigs? I'm usually busy getting woken up via adrenaline shots. Why have we never played Acrobat live? I sold it to Axl Rose for a gram in 1993. Why don't you ever see my wife and kids? I sold them in 1998. Atomic Bomb? I sold the bands soul in 2003. And even after ingesting all of that, I still never 'got' Passengers."
 
Whatever this is pointless to argue because as said above all you have is speculation.

There's going to be some people who believe one thing and others who believe another. And you'll have an angry mob of aggressive opposition who disagree but have absolutely no backing stance in their own right other than their own speculation.
 
Well yeah, or this thread wouldn't pop up every year or so. Or if it did, it would end pretty quickly. Here's the quote from the interview, or here's the photo from the studio where they forgot to clean up the coffee table behind them, or something.

It will be great one day when Larry Mullen writes the definitive, warts and all story-of-U2 book, and it turns out it was all him. "That lazy drumming style? You have no idea how much effort I thought I was putting in. When I watched the DVD's in rehab (the real reason for each of the album delays), it was surprising, I genuinely thought I was John Bonham up there. The reason why I don't interact with fans as much as the others after gigs? They give me stupid cards and letters, not drugs, you can find me with the roadies. Why not at hotels before gigs? I'm usually busy getting woken up via adrenaline shots. Why have we never played Acrobat live? I sold it to Axl Rose for a gram in 1993. Why don't you ever see my wife and kids? I sold them in 1998. Atomic Bomb? I sold the bands soul in 2003. And even after ingesting all of that, I still never 'got' Passengers."

:applaud:
 
Whatever this is pointless to argue because as said above all you have is speculation.

There's going to be some people who believe one thing and others who believe another. And you'll have an angry mob of aggressive opposition who disagree but have absolutely no backing stance in their own right other than their own speculation.

In the end, it is true that it's pointless and everyone has their own opinion on the original question. However it was your previous statement that people disagreed on, because of misconception about cocaine. I am sure there are plenty of members here that can tell you firsthand that it is not so addictive that you can't do it recreationally without getting addicted. :shrug: We're only saying that they could have done it plenty and you wouldn't know it.
 
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