Bono Interview in Rolling Stone

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And finally you are starting to get his point.

Once again; quit with the valueless and emotion narrative, that was never his point.

He was specifically talking about “rock” music and how it’s lost its rage, and where rock sits in the whole scheme of things.

And you're missing mine.

It hasn't lost its rage at all.

And there's plenty of popular rock music out there, and huge amounts of rock music fans.

It's a lazy, lazy, lazy argument and I hate seeing it continuously peddled by people who should really, really know better.
 
And you're missing mine.



It hasn't lost its rage at all.



And there's plenty of popular rock music out there, and huge amounts of rock music fans.



It's a lazy, lazy, lazy argument and I hate seeing it continuously peddled by people who should really, really know better.



So tell me about these rock bands that dominate the charts?
 
I don't know, I don't look at them. I consider them irrelevant, as I do the Grammys and MTV VMAs and all the rest of the old processes by which we judge music.

You're pretending like that this validates his point, but it doesn't.
 
it's so elitist to say that this music is garbage, or without value, just because it's pop.

I have a huge, huge issue with this idea that music isn't as good as it used to be because a) it's not true and b) it completely shits down the throat of an entire subset of our population.

And what he and you and others in this thread are claiming just simply isn't true. There is anger and rage and emotion in music all over the fucking place, you just might not find it in the Billboard top 10 every week. This sort of music exists everywhere, and in this age, it's really not at all hard to find. So stop being lazy.



I'm trying to figure out where he -- or I, or anyone on this thread -- referred to teeny bopper music as terrible or less valuable. No one did. (Dad to a teeny-bopper girl and two more in training, BTW, so I'm very much aware they're human.)

In the context of his own interview he's talking about a kind of musical segregation. It's not the first or only time he's talked about this either. There is absolutely a place for the diva ballad, the sad mopey singer-songwriter, the pop teen music. What he said is that there seems to be a missing voice in mainstream music that speaks truth to power with the ferocity that bands and artists used to have, and -- as Headache points out -- the lack of any real presence by any such band in the charts bears that out.

Again, "girly" may have been used problematically, but on the whole the comment is more thoughtful than our click-bait, gotcha culture might care to admit.
 
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I laugh any time Bono tries to talk about aggressive rock (or his old comparison point punk rock), because his band is currently anything but and really never has been. It's like ABBA bemoaning the lack of Swedish metal on the charts.
 
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it's complete bollox as well, that "hip hop is the only place for male rage" - clearly not listening to any new metal for a start
 
In the context of his own interview he's talking about a kind of musical segregation. It's not the first or only time he's talked about this either. There is absolutely a place for the diva ballad, the sad mopey singer-songwriter, the pop teen music. What he said is that there seems to be a missing voice in mainstream music that speaks truth to power with the ferocity that bands and artists used to have, and -- as Headache points out -- the lack of any real presence by any such band in the charts bears that out.

This is perfectly reasonable.

But I just don't think it's an issue. There's literally hundreds, if not thousands of artists who are speaking truth to power with ferocity, and it's not their fault they're not #1 on the charts.

Hence why I think charts are no longer relevant.
 
I'm honestly not into analyzing Bono spouting off his usual repeated cliche type answers in interviews. But what's with talking about rage as male. Isn't that a stereotype that people shouldn't want to buy into? Why are males supposed to be so angry? Caring about things that matter isn't rage nor is it gender dependent.

I haven't read the whole interview but this part of it just smacks of - he's trying to talk about music the way he did in his 20's and 30's. Music isn't the same and neither is he.
 
My own perspective - which I realize means nothing to no one - is that the "girly" comment stuck me as a bit odd when I read it. Not because it was offensive to me in any way nor did I feel that it was meant in any way to be offensive, it just seemed odd because I already know the hyper sensitive culture we live in where people are offended so easily. It wasn't the world I grew up in, and Bono is a good 10 years older than me, so it wasn't the world he grew up in either. Oh well. If that is the one comment that people take from an otherwise decent interview and it blows up, okay, oh well, etc. At least the people will be talking....I guess?

Moving on, the "health scare" thing for Bono came up quite a bit, even though he refuses to talk about what it was or is. I wonder if it's a good idea to even have mentioned it if you are not going to talk about? I mean, on one hand, it's a rather personal thing for him that he does not have to talk about to anyone ever, nor should he. On the other hand, he won't shut up about it, he tells everyone apparently about his "near death experience", even sings about it, and then when people ask him what it was, he basically tells them rather politely it's nobody's business. Am I the only one who finds this odd?

That said, I think the music is better for it, and I do wish they would have talked more about the music and less about other annoying subjects (America is an idea, etc.). Not one mention (that i recall) of the greatest song they have recorded since the 90's...'the little things that give you away'? That should have people up in arms if you ask me. But you didn't, I suppose.

I did really like the part about the Psalms of David too, very cool stuff, which might be uncool of me to mention, not that I care of course.
 
Am I the only one who finds this odd?

no, you're not

just sounds like he's milking it now, almost as a marketing ploy or something, or looking for sympathy or attention in a weird kind of way, i dunno, but constantly talking about it but being evasive is a bit silly

i love the guy, but i'm losing patience and empathy (having no clue what the situation was, it's difficult to empathise or even take seriously) and am at the "ahh fuck off" and "am i bovvered?" stage now :lol:
 
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I'd agree that music had gotten girly. And I don't think that statement is at all about singers with vaginas. So maybe cool the affected rage and indignation.

He could've said "twee" and then every shy, bald Belle and Sebastian fan would take up arms in revolution.
 
just sounds like he's milking it now, almost as a marketing ploy or something, or looking for sympathy or attention in a weird kind of way, i dunno, but constantly talking about it but being evasive is a bit silly

Milking it? Good God, people. You do realize he did not bring this up, right?

Did Bono know that the question would be asked? Of course, but he's not going to refuse a cover interview.

I agree with Bono here. Being specific about this would land this story all over the tabloids, and require endless follow ups, details, specifics...and U2's new album and tour would become about THAT.

...as it is, media is left with "Bono almost died." No details. And there it ends.
 
Milking it? Good God, people. You do realize he did not bring this up, right?

the band talk about it EVERYWHERE - they mention it as inspiration for the songs, in every interview - they're using it to sell the fecking songs!! (just as they always have with personal crises - they've always been part of the songs and the show!!)

Being specific about this would land this story all over the tabloids, and require endless follow ups, details, specifics...and U2's new album and tour would become about THAT.

...as it is, media is left with "Bono almost died." No details. And there it ends.

it already IS everywhere and no, it doesn't end there - it just leads to masses of speculation which isn't helpful either
 
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I'd agree that music had gotten girly. And I don't think that statement is at all about singers with vaginas. So maybe cool the affected rage and indignation.

He could've said "twee" and then every shy, bald Belle and Sebastian fan would take up arms in revolution.

he could have simply said "commercial" :shrug:
 
But I just don't think it's an issue. There's literally hundreds, if not thousands of artists who are speaking truth to power with ferocity, and it's not their fault they're not #1 on the charts.



And I think this is part of his point. You can do this and still be “mainstream” “relevant” artist in hip hop, but you can’t do the same in other forms of music, you have to soften up the edges.

And for those talking about aggression and metal music, you REALLY missed the point.
 
I can’t believe the “girly” comment even made any news. Is that how sensitive our society is today?

I mean, it could have been much worse. Shit like this makes me glad I’m not famous. I consider myself a kind person but I tend to be a bit loose lipped. I’d be crucified.
 
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My own perspective - which I realize means nothing to no one - is that the "girly" comment stuck me as a bit odd when I read it. Not because it was offensive to me in any way nor did I feel that it was meant in any way to be offensive, it just seemed odd because I already know the hyper sensitive culture we live in where people are offended so easily. It wasn't the world I grew up in, and Bono is a good 10 years older than me, so it wasn't the world he grew up in either. Oh well. If that is the one comment that people take from an otherwise decent interview and it blows up, okay, oh well, etc. At least the people will be talking....I guess?

Same. I thought it was a bit odd, but didn't feel the need to think he was a terrible human being as a result.

I mean, it could have been much worse. Shit like this makes me glad I’m not famous. I consider myself a kind person but I tend to be a bit loose lipped. I’d be crucified.

Exactly. I wonder what would happen if each of us had to do a few dozen interviews each year and had each of our words analyzed to death for context. I might not survive myself!
 
#1 'Hot' 100 song right now is:







I think think Bono could have been more specific or choice of better words, but I think this is kind of what he met. Right now Rock n Roll is dead in the mainstream. Evidence is above...
 
Totally agree with Bono. I think it's pretty obvious what he meant with the "girly" thing.
It's not an insult to women, I think that's also pretty obvious.
 
It may not have been an insult to women, but our ever-so-offended culture is going to be out for blood! First he forces his album on us, then he doesn't pay his taxes yet asks our country to donate money, then he charges $300+ for tickets, and now he's insulting women!!! That'll be the basic narrative.

All that goodwill towards women who "insisted, and persisted, and resisted" during the Ultraviolet live performances has been undone with one off the cuff remark.
 
he could have simply said "commercial" :shrug:

He could have, but he would not have. Bono has spent the last 20 years trying to dismiss the notion that commercial success is a bad thing.

What is a bad thing in his mind (I'd say) is cool over honesty, sugar over substance. The word "girly" might be an unfortunate way to describe that, but in this context it has as much to do with gender as the word "ballsy" IMO.
 
All that goodwill towards women who "insisted, and persisted, and resisted" during the Ultraviolet live performances has been undone with one off the cuff remark.

I know what you're saying, that the click bait culture would say that. But as an actual premise that's obviously ludicrous. I don't know him at all or his wife. But from what I think I know of his wife she wouldn't be with him all these years if he was in any way like that. I don't think at all that what he has said over the years about his respect for women is a bunch of pandering bullshit. It's just a poor word choice that he shouldn't really repeat. Is it the end of the world if he keeps repeating it? No.

I know what pandering bullshit and true disrespect in that regard is. Pennsylvania Avenue comes to mind.
 
I can’t believe the “girly” comment even made any news. Is that how sensitive our society is today?

I mean, it could have been much worse. Shit like this makes me glad I’m not famous. I consider myself a kind person but I tend to be a bit loose lipped. I’d be crucified.


Doesn’t matter if you keep quiet in this sensitive era.
You have to say exactly what they want you to say.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/amph...y-sums-up-her-year/?__twitter_impression=true
 
This is honestly a very disappointing comment in an interview that also has a lot of good stuff in it. I get that he didn't mean any harm, and I highly doubt that Bono really has issues women making music or whatever the worst-case-scenario meaning of the comment could be. At the same time, the language is the sort of casual sexism that bothers me when others participate, and so I feel obligated to not just excuse it away because it's from my celebrity hero who is otherwise generally a good feminist.

I do particularly appreciate Bono's balanced comments on the writings of Paul and David - which, funnily enough, include a jab at Paul's attitude towards women.
 
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