Bono: Was he ignorant?

[FullonEdge2]

If you think his voice has been cracking too much for the htdaab songs, watch the boston elevation dvd. I think his entire vocal performance in that show was one giant voice crack. Does that make the show bad? No. Would I like to hear 1980s Bono sing again? Yes. Will I be able to? No. Will I still enjoy a show on this next tour if his voice cracks? Yes.

 

[Miggy D]

you just like to start the most empty stuff here, do not have nothing better to do? like go out or to the movies or have a friend?

Well, at least you're not making this personal.

Jerk.

 

[Matthew_Page2000]

I'm not sure where you're going with this Miggy. Are you looking for people to commiserate with?
Are you just venting?

 

[gorman]

I have thought about this subject a lot. I'm always wondering how songs would sound if he hadn't smoked. It also pains me to read news that mentions he's still smoking, when I had hoped he'd given it up by now. When I hear performances like the one from the Clinton event, I get excited to hear a strong vocal performance from him, even though that's something I could have expected every night from him years ago.

It frustrates me more than anything knowing that he still hasn't quit. I know it's hard, especially considering how much stress he must be under given everything he does, but it's not impossible.

Don't get me wrong though, I still love his voice. There's no one else I'd rather hear sing more. I think the vocals on HTDAAB are outstanding and very emotional. His "new" voice certainly has a lot of emotion to it, but it's not more emotion than his "old" voice did, just a different kind. Also, despite his voice not being what it use to be, I'm encouraged to see him using a pretty extensive range. I always thought his vocal range sounded very limited during the ATYCLB era. His voice isn't any stronger now than it was during that time, he's just using it differently, and I'm loving that.

He's found his new voice, so to speak. I'm sure he would give anything to have his old voice back, but I'm very glad he's working very hard to make his new voice shine. He could easily become upset with his new voice and give up, but instead he's figured out how to best use it. I'm not sure when exactly that happened, but it was sometime between ATYCLB and HTDAAB. In fact, I'd say he has better use of it now than he has had since Zooropa.

So yeah, I'll never make an excuse for him smoking. He shouldn't have started smoking to begin with, and he certainly should have stopped a long time ago. However, as long as he isn't making excuses for smoking (which he isn't), I'd never hold it against him. We don't know the pressures he deals with, nor do we know that he hasn't tried to quit. He still gives every performance 110%, and if his voice cracks a few times, so be it. I'll still enjoy every second of it.

If anything, the effects on his health from smoking worries me a lot more than the effects on his voice.

 

[jvferrandiz]

i agree 100%. His voice has changed for the worse and that's a fact. If people can't see this, they are in denial. Maybe his technique is better now and he does the best he can with the voice he has now, and maybe they even like it a lot but it's not the same. however I still like his voice enough to enjoy the songs, and i wouldn't say he was ignorant but irresponsable and he should have learned the lesson by now and quit smoking completely.

 

[caragriff]

If anything, the effects on his health from smoking worries me a lot more than the effects on his voice.

my feelings exactly

obviously his voice is different now, but i never really think of it as worse. let's face it, a LOT of things are different about bono now than they were in the 80s.

 

[Miggy D]

I'm not sure where you're going with this Miggy. Are you looking for people to commiserate with?
Are you just venting?

A combination of both, but I also just wanted people opinion's on the issue. I guess I'm also just frustrated at how I sometimes feel like the only fan on the forum who thinks Bono's voice has actually changed for the worse. So many people praise his voice and say how strong it is, I feel like I'm living in Crazytown, and I kind of just wanted to get my opinion out there, and kind of vent my frustration with the whole thing. I mean it says a lot about how much I love Bono's vocal abilities that I'd even take a time to lament about them. But as I said earlier, a big part of it is just feeling like I was alone, and that everyone on the forum seems to either be in denial (as I talked about in an earlier post) or actually under the impression Bono sounds as good as he did.

I mean to say 'Hey hasn't sounded this good since AB!' just blows me away. He actually has sounded this good since AB. It was called Zooropa. But he doesn't sound that good anymore. I was just wondering if this is perhaps simply an extreme form of denial or if I was the only one in the forum who actually heard a difference in ol' B-man's vocals.

-Miggster

 

[starsgoblue]

So we've all learned Bono's a human being and he isn't perfect and sometimes he does things that aren't good for his own wellness. It happens. I still love his heart and his voice....

 

[Miggy D]

Mmmmm....Bono's heart tastes like chicken.

 

[Cutters10C]

I haven't read anything but the first post, but sadly I must agree with you Miggy D. I listen to Joshua Tree or Zoo TV performances and can't help but miss the way his voice sounded then. But what can we expect from all the smoking and singing such difficult notes for all these years.

 

[Paul Vox]

Yes...I am a U2 apologist...a lemming, I admit it..but

Cut the man some slack...Hell
He lays it on the line every time. The "opera" really is in him.
Truth is most performers would have hung it up by now...or at least given up on singing their songs with the kind of passion required...in order to save their voice and go about their business, collect their millions and just mail it in. Bono is the only one who NEVER fails in the effort department. I want to hear the passion and feel that commitment in his voice and he ALWAYS delivers that and more...whether or not his voice is up for it. Have you EVER heard of him not giving his all during a performance? Nobody commits to the performance like he does...not ever. Every night he climbs into every song in each and every city they go to. That is the only way he knows how. That is why his voice has changed/suffered...not from smoking. He injures his voice every night on tour.

A few months from now, when you are down in the heart(or target or mushroom cloud) and the stale stadium beer buzz is upon you... believe me you are not going to care whether or not his voice is a little raspy when he brings it...
"Listen to me now...I need to let you know...you don't have to go it alone..."

Fuckin' chills. Keep singing B

 

[Cutters10C]

I would never doubt that his heart is still in it or that he is giving 110%, I still love U2 and I still think his voice is good. And yes when I am at the concert next year and he comes out and starts singing I will be totally swept away.

 

[starsgoblue]

for Paul Vox

 

[mikal]

lol. whenever i hear the word "ignorant", i think of the Michael Jackson South Park episode!

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Yes. Miggy D, this place is Crazytown...

 

[Axver]

I very much like and agree with what Gorman had to say. Well said.

 

[rjhbonovox]

I think Miggy's point is for people to stop trying to overlook the obvious. Some people, right here on this board would try to tell you that his voice sounds as good as it used to, some will say it sounds even better. Which is really funny, it's almost like saying Edge has as much hair as he used to.

Hey what you mean The Edge is bald. Damn thats a body blow.

 

[wolfeden]

what scares me isn't hearing his voice crack or lose range with age.
what scares me is maybe never hearing that voice again.... the risks of throat or laryngeal cancer...

if he did get it, he might survive, and we'd all thank whatever gods we keep for that, but picture this: if he was still with us and yet could never sing or even speak another word - left to using an electronic "voicebox" because of cancer.

aye, it's his life and it's his to decide what he does with it... I know that all too well. I've transported several cancer patients in the back of my ambulance who made those choices for themselves -- and suffered that fate.

I'd spare him that if I had any way at all to.

's all I'm saying.

 

[kawai17]

Miggy, I agree with you. Bono's voice is not nearly what it used to be. In fact, I just watched the Streets video on TV and, after listening to HTDAAB on repeat for the past two weeks, it was really refreshing hearing Bono's "old" voice... truly amazing contrast. It seems like he has to use lots of echo on his mic nowadays to achieve the clarity of voice he used to have.

However, at the same time, I almost don't mind the fact his voice has lost some strength... I think concerts actually become more invigorating because you can tell he has to strain harder to finish a song, and fans naturally react to it...try to sing along with him, bring him strength, etc. Popmart Sarajevo was a perfect example- it was such a moving performance because of the struggle he had to endure to get thru each song, and it made the concert that much more powerful.

Obviously, I'd love to have young Bono's voice back, but I think if there's any consolation to the fact that he can't reach as far vocally is that it really connects with fans live.. it brings the audience and the band much closer together.

 

[indra]

what scares me isn't hearing his voice crack or lose range with age.
what scares me is maybe never hearing that voice again.... the risks of throat or laryngeal cancer...

if he did get it, he might survive, and we'd all thank whatever gods we keep for that, but picture this: if he was still with us and yet could never sing or even speak another word - left to using an electronic "voicebox" because of cancer.

aye, it's his life and it's his to decide what he does with it... I know that all too well. I've transported several cancer patients in the back of my ambulance who made those choices for themselves -- and suffered that fate.

I'd spare him that if I had any way at all to.

's all I'm saying.

Yeah I so agree. There are so many health issues related to smoking...that's a greater concern to me than the degradation of his voice (which has clearly happened, no doubt about that). Quite frankly they are all of the age where the bad habits of youth start really catching up with them...I mean we all have bad habits, I'm not trying to get all holier than thou here, but they all have a lot to live for, I just hope they get to do that.

And back to the original intent of this thread, yeah Bono's voice has changed for the worse. Sorry if I'm clueless, but has he taken voice lessons? Perhaps that could help him learn to get the most out of his voice while doing the least damage.

 

[amniar]

I'm pretty sure Bono had an operation on his throat in the late 90s or had some health scare to do with his throat then. That would explain an awful lot.

 

[starsgoblue]

He had cysts or nodes on his vocal cords in the 90's yes....part of this has to do with his allergies to salycitates.

 

[Kieran McConville]

It's not like he's the only singer who ever smoked.

Smart? Maybe not, but hardly the end of the world.

I just wonder what everyone here would make of Tom Waits, whose voice really is a ruin (albeit a gorgeous ruin).

 

[U2girl]

*sigh* What's the point?

Of course his voice changed. I disagree that smoking is the main thing to blame (only the raspyness), I'd say the most damage was done by 10 years of screaming the notes night after night rather than singing them in another way. He even screamed at times on Zoo TV.

It is humanly impossible, smoking or not, for a 40+ year old singer to sound like he did in his twenties. Not even trained opera singers can do it.

Anyone who says he souns gravely now obviusly didn't see the huge change between JT/Lovetown voice and Zoo TV voice - I remember hearing the first bootleg in my life - it was Zoo Europa - and I was shocked hearing the low, gravely voice.

That said, I think ATYCLB/Elevation was a BIG improvement over Pop/Popmart. He reached notes he hasn't in a decade (Kite) and the raspyness just adds to the emotion. (loved In a little while) I also like his voice on ES and Hands that built America and Vertigo - note the cleaner voice, too (he is again, hitting the notes). He still delivers it live, too - just watch the transition from All I want is you to Streets in Slane.

Thinner voice than before? Yes. Hoarse/rasping? Yes. Better singer than before? YES.

*edit*BTW he cut down on the smoking as far as I know.

 

[Aardvark747]

Good post U2girl

 

[Miggy D]

Good compliment, AardvarkAirplaneType

 

[Aardvark747]

 

[jick]

"Bono: Was he ignorant?"

Wow, for a moment there I thought it was a thread I had started an forgot about. I can sue you for plagiarism or intellectual property violations. That subject heading is something that I normally start.

Cheers,

J

 

[redhill]

Some singers sound better as they age. Take Morrissey for example. So don't put it all on age,

He despises smoking, has never really screamed when he sang, cancelled concerts when his voice was giving him problems, almost always played for closer to an hour then two, etc.

He really does sound amazing.

That said, even though he really gives an astounding effort and he is one of the most unique and interesting in the world, seeing Bono sing is a much different experience.

Something that needs to be seen live in the flesh to truly appreciate.

Then you see how good he really is. We are all so spolied hearing him on album that when you see him you can tell that he is doing something few people on the planet can do.

He really is emotive and still hits some great notes. Of course, there is no one in the world with that *EXACT* voice but I guess that could be said of anyone. I think we can all agree how unique his sound is...

U2, IMO, needs to spread out their concerts more. Maybe one per week for a year. I know what one might think about the logistics of this...

He also needs to exercise regularly and NEVER smoke again.

Nowadays it is so interesting to see what he *DOES* do with his voice. Bono's vocals have been different on every album U2 have ever released - sometimes dramatically so. So it should have been no surprise that there were different on HTDAAB.

Other the the otherworldly vocal on Kite, I prefer these vocals and style by a mile.

Anyway, I know I am rambling.

I take more of an issue with some other things. One for example that DISGUSTS me is their lack of variety and tendency towards "greatest hits" live.

They have so many amazing songs they have got to start playing them. I don't care about stadium filling, it is the music.

Player "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Acrobat", "Drowning Man", "A Sort of Homecoming", etc. And not some lame Bono forgets the lyrics and it is a rusty two piece version. I want a full band spot on version... I have not been listening to them for 20 years but 13 or so is enough to demand a better setlist. 11 o'clock was great btw last tour... especially at NYC promo gig....

I have to compare to Morrissey again b/c he and his solo band are my other favorite. They sometimes slip in old Smiths songs, play them once or twice the entire tour, and they sound perfect...

I better go now before I go on forever!

 

[FullonEdge2]

"Bono: Was he ignorant?"

Wow, for a moment there I thought it was a thread I had started an forgot about. I can sue you for plagiarism or intellectual property violations. That subject heading is something that I normally start.

Cheers,

J

CLASSIC

Thanks J!