(02-08-2005) Bono Disappointed Earlier Fans With 'Awkward' Image -- contactmusic*

[dsmith2904]

Bono Disappointed Earlier Fans With "Awkward" Image

Singer BONO cites U2's appalling sense of fashion as the main reason fans at their early gigs dismissed them as an "awkward" band destined for a disappointing music career.

The Irish rockers had tried on "various guises" during the early 1980s before acquiring the look they felt most comfortable with, much to the shock of their followers who expected U2 to adopt a look similar to that of their extravagantly-dressed contemporaries.

Bono says, "There was definitely a sense, early on, that we didn't belong.

"I suppose we felt guilty we weren't pretending. And we sensed disappointment from other people that we were so awkward.

"It was, like, 'Of all the people to become the biggest rock band in the world, who would have thought it would be them?'

"That was a prevailing attitude. That we didn't have the star thing down. We tried on various guises before we found ourselves.

"I think the only time we were self-conscious was when the cameras came out. The thing is, we knew we didn't know how to look good. We were acutely aware of that."

--contactmusic

 

[BonoFox1]

Well, I for one am glad that the band has tried different looks, good or bad choices at least they are not boring!

 

[U2Kitten]

I'm a fan from the 80's and I was never disappointed with their choices I thought the stuff they wore was HOT, especially Bono! I loved the boots and the pants and everything! His Live Aid combo was gorgeous! Of course the JT look too hot for words!

 

[U2Kitten]

I like the Boy look too!

What's wrong with this look? Nothing!

 

[sallycinnamon78]

Me too

 

[mysticchild]

This story is so meaningless. This person is full of bull and apparently not fully aware of U2. They have always had a great sense of style. It was the style of the time and believe me, the music is so much more important.

 

[-macphisto-]

I think there early style is hilarious, its so funny looking at the clothes they wore, and whats so good about it is who really gives a crap about the clothes you wear, its whats inside that counts! And thats what I learned from them, they didnt care about the clothes they wore.

 

[biff]

This story is so meaningless. This person is full of bull and apparently not fully aware of U2. They have always had a great sense of style. It was the style of the time and believe me, the music is so much more important.

This "story" is actually just a poorly chosen excerpt from the Observer article (which is wonderful!) You can find that article here at Interference, under the heading "The Son Also Rises" from February 6th.
Proof that people don't read the long articles. And I also wonder why this crappy excerpt has been posted as "news"!

Please read the whole thing; it's great!

 

[filmrcj]

sure the styles were ridiculios or awkward, but guess what at the time they were pretyy cool in my eyes. Who knows odds are that in 10-20 years from now and look back and think that was awkward as weell.......besides who cares its the music that we care about not the verst hats ans glasses

 

[Teta040]

Personally, I loved that about them the most. How they were so utterly un-selfconscious about their looks. That "I wear whatever I can rustle up out of the closet today" thing that we all go through every day ourselves.

They were adorable. I really loved this, like stories of Bono on the JT tour announcing to the crowd during a show, (running a hand through his hair...GOD how I used to react when he did that, in videos and TV footage, couldn't control myself...)..

He'd say,
"Hey, I got a haircut! Do you like my hair?" talking to 20,000 people like they were one person. Remember, these were the days before video screens at a show...and we'd all groan and go,'"arrrghhh, oh God, Bono, it looks AWFUL" (and it did)but we loved him anyway. Really. Even though he looked like...well, like Ali!

(Believe me, Bono and Ali always have had matching haircuts but it was alot harder for him to get away with back then, for some reason.... )

But it was like there was nothing different from us, excpet that they could play and had singing voices. For us, this made them REAL. YOunger fans can't appreciate how the lack of outward artifice made them real for us...funnily enough, now they've come full circle...I love the pics of Bono at Davos or some big meeting in camofluge pants and a T-shirt with leather jacket. His disguise again.

 

[biff]

The matching haircuts! So cute!

 

[Teta040]

Yep, Biff, it's true. Even in the mid-90's when Bono shaved his head to a military haircut, Ali chopped her hair short too, you remember the pics.

And these days it's true too. What's really scary (?) is that they even had the exact same shade of dark brown hair....

BTW Biff, did you read my piece? I checked U2.com and I haven't got a mail from you....