BOSTON DVD: Why does Bono play rythmn guitar on I Will Follow

[theu2fly]

I Will Follow has never been played with an additional guitar, and I think it's useless... why did he use it?

 

[Chizip]

why does he hold a guitar in the WOWY you video and never play it?

to look cool

 

[vaz02]

why does he hold a guitar in the WOWY you video and never play it?

to look cool

Cos he is the best spinner in the business .....

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

Ugh, the With or Without You video drives me up the freaking wall. The first time I watched it, I sat there and kept waiting for him to actually play something. I waited. And waited. Finally he took the guitar off and swung it around a bit, and then it was over. I was like

 

[vaz02]

The With or Without You is my most memorable u2 video but discothque is my best.

Sorry for going off the topic

 

[Hallucination]

Hahaha! I was watching the Boston DVD today too and thought to myself why does Bono even play guitar period. I mean the way he plays I have to think "is he even doing anything?" I swear he just likes to hold the guitar. It makes him feel like he's more a part f the band.

 

[Canadiens1131]

He wore the guitar for I Will Follow ruin the song visually for me, of course.

And don't even get me started on WOWY video greasy stupid posing Bono.

 

[U2democrat]

I watched the Boston DVD today too and was wondering the same thing!

 

[AndrewCowley]

I think the pretend guitar playing is a way to anchor himself behind his mic. stand and have a rest from having to move around the stage.

 

[Hallucination]

He wore the guitar for I Will Follow ruin the song visually for me, of course.

I feel the same way about the Fly. I think their performance of The Fly was so much better on Boston DVD than on the Vertigo DVD. Oh sorry... the Chicago dvd. Give the people of Chicago their due

 

[Vox4Life]

What's interesting is that Bono *does* play the intro riff to "Walk On" at the Boston show, so it's not like he doesn't have any geetar skillz! Can't really explain I Will Follow, though...

 

[WalkOnTheEdge]

I Will Follow has never been played with an additional guitar, and I think it's useless... why did he use it?

It's simple: Chicks did guitar players.

 

[LMBLover]

I feel the same way about the Fly. I think their performance of The Fly was so much better on Boston DVD than on the Vertigo DVD. Oh sorry... the Chicago dvd. Give the people of Chicago their due

I agree. That performance is spellbinding: the guitar, the stage running the intensity, the lyrics, Bono looking over his shoulder...and the intro don't even get me started. it's perfect. Okay I'm done

 

[JCOSTER]

I agree. That performance is spellbinding: the guitar, the stage running the intensity, the lyrics, Bono looking over his shoulder...and the intro don't even get me started. it's perfect. Okay I'm done

I thought I was the only one who like the over the shoulder thingy. Best version I have ever ever seen & heard.

 

[JCOSTER]

Ugh, the With or Without You video drives me up the freaking wall. The first time I watched it, I sat there and kept waiting for him to actually play something. I waited. And waited. Finally he took the guitar off and swung it around a bit, and then it was over. I was like

But, he did look good with it, didn't he?

 

[Canadiens1131]

Re: Re: BOSTON DVD: Why does Bono play rythmn guitar on I Will Follow

It's simple: Chicks did guitar players.

But they sleep with the bass player.

 

[J_NP]

I feel the same way about the Fly. I think their performance of The Fly was so much better on Boston DVD than on the Vertigo DVD. Oh sorry... the Chicago dvd. Give the people of Chicago their due

though in Chicago's Fly , we do can hear him playing

 

[tommycharles]

What's interesting is that Bono *does* play the intro riff to "Walk On" at the Boston show, so it's not like he doesn't have any geetar skillz! Can't really explain I Will Follow, though...

Actually I'm pretty sure that's Dallas playing the intro riff... Bono is limb synching.

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

Re: Re: Re: BOSTON DVD: Why does Bono play rythmn guitar on I Will Follow

But, he did look good with it, didn't he?

Of course

But they sleep with the bass player.

Well, his instrument does have mysterious powers over us

 

[goincommando]

Re: Re: Re: BOSTON DVD: Why does Bono play rythmn guitar on I Will Follow

But they sleep with the bass player.

And blow the drummers.

 

[2morrow]

Pssshhhh: Bono's guitar is never plugged in!

Btw, i enjoy his playing on the Chicago DVD version of The Fly. It actually adds to the song! Boston I Will Follow? Not so much...what you can hear of him is atrocious!

 

[Ifeelnumb84]

I think on I Will Follow, Bono just plays the same single note over and over during the chorus. It is barely audible, but it's there.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Actually I'm pretty sure that's Dallas playing the intro riff... Bono is limb synching.

I thought the fact that it was Dallas was common knowledge? Watch The Fly on the ZooTV DVD. On the VHS the second guitar is too quiet, on the DVD it's crystal clear. The camera spends a lot of time up close on Bono. Watch how miraculously his guitar still plays after he moves his hand/s away from it, or how it's playing full chords while he is only lightly touching one string with one finger. Clever trick.

 

[bonocomet]

Aww you guys just totally blew my whole image of Bono the rocknroll guitar god.

Really though, that old interview with Edge and Adam where the interviewer is naming what each one plays, and they say "and Bono plays guitar", and Edge and Adam snicker and Edge says "Bono wears guitar".

 

[Utoo]

I think the pretend guitar playing is a way to anchor himself behind his mic. stand and have a rest from having to move around the stage.

I think that's it, too. It is kind of funny, though!

There was one show this year (I forget if it was a tv performance or the Chicago dvd) where Bono asked for his guitar at the start of the song, never touched it at all, and then gave the guitar back at the end of the song.

 

[U2Man]

I thought the fact that it was Dallas was common knowledge? Watch The Fly on the ZooTV DVD. On the VHS the second guitar is too quiet, on the DVD it's crystal clear. The camera spends a lot of time up close on Bono. Watch how miraculously his guitar still plays after he moves his hand/s away from it, or how it's playing full chords while he is only lightly touching one string with one finger. Clever trick.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Does Bono ever really need to be holding the guitar on stage? I'm sure he never plays it and if he does it's hardly neccessary as it adds nothing. But he looks cool with it and that's good enough for me.
Personally I think he looks cool in the With or Without You.

 

[mackemlad]

This is one of the best versions of I will follow I have seen or heard. It is much louder during the intro and every time the intro refrain repeats (which is quite a lot).

Bono doubles up what Edge is playing during this part. (watch closely). I disagree that Bono doesnt contribute anything to this song guitar wise.

I agree with with the Fly sentiments 100% though!

 

[gvox]

You guys are nuts. Bono is playing audible notes on The Fly and I Will Follow live, I don't care what the DVD/VHS sounds like.

Stand on the rail right in front of Bono's amp and you can hear it plain as day. One show I was at his stage volume on The Fly rivalled Edge's.

One is another good example.

As for WOWY, yeah the album cut video is weird, but watch Rattle N Hum and you can definitely hear when he comes in with the acoustic at the end.

 

[gvox]

I thought the fact that it was Dallas was common knowledge? Watch The Fly on the ZooTV DVD. On the VHS the second guitar is too quiet, on the DVD it's crystal clear. The camera spends a lot of time up close on Bono. Watch how miraculously his guitar still plays after he moves his hand/s away from it, or how it's playing full chords while he is only lightly touching one string with one finger. Clever trick.

That means nothing other than that they overdubbed the audio for the DVD release, nothing they haven't done before, they've been doing it since UABRS.