Bono's voice from 1989-1992

[wolfwill23]

I've been listening to a lot of 1990 shows lately and IMO, Bono's voice was tip top, perhaps even the best it's ever sounded.

When AB was released in 1992, his voice had taken a dramatic shift. It was scratchy at times and the high notes seemed strained and fairly difficult for him to hit. These vocal changes are even more noticable on the early ZooTV tour MP3's. (Of course the later shows are even worse, but that would make sense, with the wear and tear of touring and all.)

So my question is, what the hell happened from 1989 to 1992? The guys were spending most of those years in the studio and were not on tour. Why did his voice change so much in that period of time? Was it smoking? When did he start smoking? Too much partying? Too much drinking? What was it? Your thoughts.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

He over used on tour during that period. Especially the Lovetown Shows, where they had to cancel shows because of his vocal problems. The smoking and drinks during the Zoo TV era didn't help....sadly I think he's smoked for years (yes during the UF and JT eras).

 

[bayernfc]

I was wondering about this too! JT and Lovetown shows were quite hard the vocals I guess.

On other notes, they should officially release all of the LoveTown shows... I'll get that for sure!

 

[alexvilagosh]

Lovetown Best tour ever...

I think it is probably the over touring of the tours after JT.

 

[Vox02]

Bad voice on ZooTV?????????

His voice starts to lost power around 1995-1996.

Vox!!

 

[david]

During the Zoo TV era Bono took vocal lessons I believed and he learned how to use his falsetto to its advantage.

 

[the olive]

I too think it really declined after '93. His voice during Popmart was pretty weak, even with them tuning down several songs to a lower key. In my opinion "Pride" is kind of depressing from Popmart on, it shows just how far his voice has fallen. Thankfully, it seemed as though his voice during the Elevation tour had not declined at all since Popmart.

I believe it's probably a combination of smoking, overuse and age.

 

[Blue Room]

The story is that Bono began misusing his vocal chords during the Unforgettable Fire tour. He did this for 3 full tours UF, JT and Lovetown. Combine this with the smoking and drinking and you can do the math. He began to have major problems during the JT tour from the get go and had problems throughout the tour. Bono's problem became so bad during the Lovetown tour several shows had to be cancelled and one was actually cut short (Amsterdam). So he had to see a throat specialist who examined his vocal chords and told him if he did not stop the way he was singing he would lose his voice permenantly. So a vocal coach/specialist was given the tapes of the Lovetown Dublin shows to examine to see what he was doing wrong (side note, this is supposedly where the 3 soundboard bootlegs of the first 3
Dublin Lovetown shows came from, somehow the tapes got out of this physicians office and surfaced 1.5 years later on pro bootlegs). Bono was told that on certain songs he was hitting notes that opera singers hit about 1 time per month and he was hitting the same note 4 or 5 times in one song. So as stated before after the Lovetown tour Bono learned to use his voice without destroying it. While I think his vocals were fine for the Zoo tour, they definately were not the same as before. Honestly, while his vocals on Popmart were not the greatest, I dont think they were that much different from Zoo. I think once again it is the use Popmart as the whipping boy effect again with alot of the negativity about his vocals during that time frame. But to each their own.

I also agree about the Lovetown tour. Easily one of my favorite U2 eras. Great setlists and powerful performances. One of the few times U2 was actually better at the beginning of a tour. The Australian 1st leg of that tour U2 were just on fire.

 

[bono_man2002]

i think his popmart voice was great....
sure it was in bad shape for half the 1st american leg (see 1997-06-01 sounboard) he sounds pretty bad...

and i dont think its changed dramticly since popmart...
(popmart is my favourite tour by the way )

isnt bono allergic to wine or something and it effects his voice?
occastionaly when he brang a girl up on stage for "trying to throw your arms..." on zoo tv he said "i cant drink this shit"

 

[Saracene]

It's true, Bono's Lovetown-era voice was almost ridiculously powerful, and had a great golden richness to it. I prefer his past-Lovetown vocals though, as he tended to oversing a bit too much for my liking at that time.

 

[shaun vox]

its sad how bono has lost his voice. zootv vocals are great achtung baby gets 10 out of 10. pop mart vocals kind of sucked(albums nice) atyclb sucked(nothing has changed) what can you do? things come and go.

bono also said he had vocal trouble's during atyclb. what will he sound like on this new album?
it ait gonna be better that AB and no way in hell better that JT or WAR!

 

[EPandAmerica]

It will be okay, because Bono on a weak vocal day still kicks the ass of other singers out there.

 

[Sue DeNym]

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time, and meet Bono in about 1980. I'd bring some CDs of his future performances, let him listen, and explain to him how his voice deteriorated from smoking and overuse. I'd ask him to never take up smoking, to spend his cigarette money on voice lessons.

Granted, knowing my luck that would probably alter history for the worse. But ever since I first saw him puffing away, I've wanted to smack him upside the head with a clue-by-four. I knew what it would do to him. Being proved right is cold comfort, especially since the beautiful, strong, clear voice I fell in love with is gone forever.

A recent article on atu2 said that he's down to three cigarettes a week. I'm glad he's cut down, but if he's smoking that little, he might as well quit altogether. And that goes for the other three bandmembers, too!

[/rant]

 

[The_acrobat]

I think that on the Popmart Mexico City concert, his voice was in pretty good shape. (Other than the WOWY part where he missed the high notes at the end) I definately think his voice is MUCH MUCH weaker on Elevation than Popmart. I'm in no way being judgemental, I still can't sing half as good as he does. But watching the Boston DVD is like listening to finger nails across a chalk board.

On the plus side, he was having a good night at Slane. It's good to finally hear a live version of "Kite" and "Stuck in a moment" where his voice sounds really powerful on those songs. "Walk on" is just a song he can't really sing. It's a difficult song to sing. It makes me wonder about it's future of being played live.

 

[U2girl]

I know he smokes, but doesn't smoking just make your voice raspy and not really deteriorate it that much?

IMO his way of singing basically damaged his voice, just going for all those maddeningly high notes for all those years...I think his voice hasn't been the same after Lovetown and he started singing differently after that.

What interests me is that if he really had singing lessons, why didn't his voice change, for example like Madonna's voice did after she took lessons for Evita musical?

Yes he can't hit the notes he used to, but he isn't 20something anymore...I thought his voice on Elevation was better than Popmart, and he did good (considering everything) on high spots IMO.

 

[Sue DeNym]

I know he smokes, but doesn't smoking just make your voice raspy and not really deteriorate it that much?

Most smokers I know have a gravelly, unusually deep, rather quacky voice (think Marge Simpson's sisters). They didn't start out that way, that's what smoking did.

And if the cigs give you larynx cancer, you won't have any voice at all.

 

[Numbology]

im a passionate smoker too,and I can tell ya for sure that my voice changed.ok,I'm not bono,but still I'm aware of the fact that cigarettes screw your throat,but I'm lighting one right now and I can't help it.so perhaps he was,but didn't actually moved a muscle to stop it-though he still has perfect voice,for an example,take Lemon(ok,10 years ago,but still

 

[jick]

So my question is, what the hell happened from 1989 to 1992? The guys were spending most of those years in the studio and were not on tour. Why did his voice change so much in that period of time? Was it smoking? When did he start smoking? Too much partying? Too much drinking? What was it? Your thoughts.

Well, since Joshua Tree was U2's big album that's where they earned to much money. Of course you only realize the profits after the tour, which is around `88. Then you spend all the money to buy more alcohol and cigarettes than you ever had before (because now you can afford it), then one year later (1989) the effects start coming in and the voice gets raspy. Everyone in their own little way always lets money get the better of them, U2 are no exception - they are just human. That's why the fans love them, because they are human (see their mistakes in their gigs). Humans, when given the money and resources, always have a soft spot for the little indulgences in life.

Cheers,

J

 

[MrBrau1]

Re: Re: Bono's voice from 1989-1992

Well, since Joshua Tree was U2's big album that's where they earned to much money. Of course you only realize the profits after the tour, which is around `88. Then you spend all the money to buy more alcohol and cigarettes than you ever had before (because now you can afford it), then one year later (1989) the effects start coming in and the voice gets raspy. Everyone in their own little way always lets money get the better of them, U2 are no exception - they are just human. That's why the fans love them, because they are human (see their mistakes in their gigs). Humans, when given the money and resources, always have a soft spot for the little indulgences in life.

Cheers,

J

So Bono's vocal problems are because the JT album/tour was successful allowing him ample cash to spend on booze and cigarettes? In-fucking-sane

 

[Liesje]

Re: Re: Re: Bono's voice from 1989-1992

So Bono's vocal problems are because the JT album/tour was successful allowing him ample cash to spend on booze and cigarettes? In-fucking-sane

yeah, I'll assume jick's last post was his ass talking....a correlation b/w money and smoking? WTF??? ok, my dad has smoked since he was 14 (he's now 47) and money NEVER had anything to do with it. We can hardly pay the house payments/car payments/etc. and STILL he smokes a pack a day.

The truth is that back in the early 80s, they didn't have the medical knowledge we do today, so it was normal and not really considered a serious health risk to smoke. My parents and all of their friends did, not to be rebellious or because they had extra cash, it was just a casual thing, like buying a can of pop every now and then. Since then most of them have quit, b/c now we know it causes heart attacks, lung cancer, mouth cancer, etc, etc, but they didn't know that when they were kids.

 

[Sue DeNym]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Bono's voice from 1989-1992

The truth is that back in the early 80s, they didn't have the medical knowledge we do today, so it was normal and not really considered a serious health risk to smoke.

The U.S. Surgeon General released his report about smoking causing cancer and other diseases back in 1964. I learned about the hazards of smoking when I was in grade school, back in the early 70s. I know the band members are Irish, not American, but I'm sure they learned about the report there, too.

Though you do have a good point, that it was considered "normal" to smoke. Smoking seems to be an intrinsic part of European culture, and undoubtedly there's strong peer pressure.

 

[david]

Yes, Jick is absolutely right. Bono's vocal problems are the direct result of drinking and smoking and NOT the direct result of SINGING REALLY POWERFUL ALMOST EVERYNIGHT during the Lovetown tour.

 

[Zoocoustic]

In the 80's he had that great, powerful, voice.

In the early 90's he lost some of it, but made it up by perfecting that beautiful falsetto.

Since Popmart we haven't heard either...

 

[Liesje]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Bono's voice from 1989-1992

The U.S. Surgeon General released his report about smoking causing cancer and other diseases back in 1964. I learned about the hazards of smoking when I was in grade school, back in the early 70s. I know the band members are Irish, not American, but I'm sure they learned about the report there, too.

Though you do have a good point, that it was considered "normal" to smoke. Smoking seems to be an intrinsic part of European culture, and undoubtedly there's strong peer pressure.

I was just saying what my dad told me. I wasn't born until '84 and have never smoked, so I wouldn't know. He insists they weren't aware of how life threatening it can be and making the choice to smoke was a lot easier then. My point was that the decision to smoke really has nothing to do with money.

I think the degredation of Bono's voice can be attributed to the smoking/drinking and singing, although I'm not sure which is worse. I'm not a singer myself, but my boyfriend is and he winces in pain at the sound of Bono's voice (mostly during JT and Rattle & Hum songs). I'm inclined to believe him since he's had years of vocal lessons and singing in choirs.

He wonders if Bono ever had nodes removed?

 

[Blue Room]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Bono's voice from 1989-1992

I think the degredation of Bono's voice can be attributed to the smoking/drinking and singing, although I'm not sure which is worse. I'm not a singer myself, but my boyfriend is and he winces in pain at the sound of Bono's voice (mostly during JT and Rattle & Hum songs). I'm inclined to believe him since he's had years of vocal lessons and singing in choirs.

He wonders if Bono ever had nodes removed?

Have your boyfriend listen to Amsterdam 89. I'am no singer or expert on it and I wince in pain just listening to it. Especially God Part II. I need to go get a glass of water just thinking about how it sounded! LOL

Bono has not had surgery on his vocal chords (at least not officially) that I have heard of. Although, supposedly, he has been told on two occassions that it would be necessary if he didnt stop and/or he might lose his voice. This was at the beginning of the 2nd leg of JT (Europe) and on the Lovetown tour after the Amsterdam show.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

wincing with disgust or wonder???

 

[Blue Room]

wincing with disgust or wonder???

wince in pain, because Bono is obviously in pain. He is literally screaming the high part of God Part II out of frustration. Its like a scream/crack at the same time.

 

[Liesje]

wincing with disgust or wonder???

wincing b/c it sounds so painful and I guess wonder at how Bono was able to sing so technically wrong for so long. He says post-UF is when Bono started to really change his singing technique for the worse, and though many people say Pop-era sounds the worse, Pop/ATYCLB was when Bono started to sing in a more healthy way. Of course, the more recent stuff sounds worse, b/c obviously his voice has become more damaged over time, but the mid-80s is when he was seriously damaging his voice.

I thought Bono had surgery during PopMart?

 

[jick]

Yes, Jick is absolutely right. Bono's vocal problems are the direct result of drinking and smoking and NOT the direct result of SINGING REALLY POWERFUL ALMOST EVERYNIGHT during the Lovetown tour.

Bono's voice was shot during the Lovetown tour. It was much better during the Zoo TV Tour and subsequent tours. I dont think he was singing powerful. Some songs were even dropped one full key to accomodate Bono's vocal struggles during that tour.

Cheers,

J

 

[mystery girl]

I think Bono's voice was GRRREEAT during Popmart. It didn't have the same soaring quality that it had during, say, Lovetown, but it was more...soulful? Which compensated for this. But I think his voice has deteriorated a little since then. But I still love his voice, because it's so distinctive and Bono-y.