Does Elephant Dirt Make Sense Now?

[pattip2000]

Now that it’s been a few days and people have gotten a chance to download and listen to or watch Bono’s speech again, does it make more sense to anyone?

 

[MrBrau1]

Guinness did that.

 

[JCOSTER]

I'm afraid it does to me....but being a fan for 25 + years thats what it will do to you, you start to understand Bonos ramblings....

My take was that he meant along the way in making music you may have an album or a song, an interview, bad picture, say the wrong thing at the wrong time, say the right thing at the wrong time, get bashed for what you believe in, to go against the norm, take the road less traveled and therefore stepping in elephant dirt along the road of their careers.

If the Guinness was talking he would have said S_ _ T!

 

[kimby]

I'm afraid it does to me....but being a fan for 25 + years thats what it will do to you, you start to understand Bonos ramblings

If the Guinness was talking he would have said S_ _ T!

Exactly!

While we're on the subject...I got *so* annoyed reading another thread where people were saying that he must have been drunk during the acceptance speeches. I think they were watching a different show...Bono was sober(and somewhat suprised at winning!)

 

[JCOSTER]

Exactly!

While we're on the subject...I got *so* annoyed reading another thread where people were saying that he must have been drunk during the acceptance speeches. I think they were watching a different show...Bono was sober(and somewhat suprised at winning!)

He was very emotional that night, people miss the point that this album was quite personal to him and a must do to get things off his back.

 

[whitehead]

I didn't think it was too complicated.

Elephant dirt = cleaning up elephant excrement

Not everything in music is as glamourous as one might think.

 

[Utoo]

I think the notion that he may have been a bit tipsy came from the fact that in that first speech, he seemed to slur his speech a bit, his eyes looked half closed, and he had a few random outbursts while Edge was speaking. The idea that he was a bit tipsy was the first thought that came to me and the friend I was watching the Grammys with. He certainly seemed much better later in the night...which is why I wouldn't say he was absolutely hammered...but I don't think it's unreasonable to think that he may have had a few.

I know that we all want to idolize the guys and put Bono up on a pedastal, but I think it's pretty healthy to remember that they're real people. They have been known to perform after a few drinks before----the 1986 TV GAGA appearance where TTYW and Womanfish first appeared is widely believed to have been booze-inspired, and the Bill Flanagan book describes quite a few small appearances where the guys weren't in tip-top shape. In fact, Flanagan also describes a drunken awards show appearance. Here's a bit from pgs. 148-149:

U2 arrive back in Dublin for the winter in time to do a TV satellite hookup with Los Angeles, where Phil Collins is hosting the televised Billboard Music Awards show. When Collins announces that U2 has won the award for 1991 Billboard Number One Rock Artist, he goes to a live satellite feed from a Dublin pub called the Docker, where Adam, Bono, and Edge are drinking Guinness and looking lubricated.

"Well done, lads!" Collins shouts across the waters.

"Hi, Phil," U2 mumbles. It's 1:30 in the morning in Dublin and the locals are still doing double takes at seeing a forty-foot trailer and a twenty-foot satellite dish parked outside the tiny pub.

"Your song 'One' has won the Number One Modern Rock Tracks Artist Award," Collins announces. "Bono, everybody alwyas says you talk. I wonder where's Larry. Is Larry there? Let's give the durmmer something."

"Larry isn't here, Phil, Edge tells the drummer-turned-singer. "He's acting a bit funny these days. You know how drummers get weird when they start singing."

"I understand," Collins says, plowing ahead. "The ZooTV tour is also Billboard's Number One Concert Tour of the Year, meaning more people spent more money to see you guys than anybody else. So if you need an opening act, I'm here, guys. I beleive the barman, Paddy, is going to give you the awards."

The white-haired bartender slams down a trophy in front of Adam, who says to the camera, "Phil, Paddy's a very big fan of your music. And so are all our parents."

"I'm not that old," Paddy mumbles, causing much of the bar to break up laughing. Collins starts to make a crack about the band being drunk, but Bono interrupts him to smile and say, "It's really great to be home and we've had a great year and everybody spoiled us rotten. So thanks very much, we really appreciate all this."

"We anticipated that you may not be sober at this time of night," Collins says....

Not only were they pretty well sloshed, but they also threw quite a few nasty barbs at Phil Collins...

Anyway, Bono may or may not have been tipsy at the Grammys. Whether he was or wasn't, it's not going to change the way I look at him---I still think he's awesome. I just think that folks shouldn't view him as a perfect angel.....you might actually appreciate Bono even more.

 

[MattFromNYC]

i think he actally did say "shit" and they quickly used an older sound reference of his (that being saying the word "dirt") to stick in there. they have everything on a 10 second delay now for such things. so i think they get a bunch of old sound clips from other interviews or whatever, and pick out certain words to use for such an occasion.

his mouth was saying something else, but voice said "dirt".

or so when i saw it, it looked like that.

 

[JCOSTER]

I think the notion that he may have been a bit tipsy came from the fact that in that first speech, he seemed to slur his speech a bit, his eyes looked half closed, and he had a few random outbursts while Edge was speaking. The idea that he was a bit tipsy was the first thought that came to me and the friend I was watching the Grammys with. He certainly seemed much better later in the night...which is why I wouldn't say he was absolutely hammered...but I don't think it's unreasonable to think that he may have had a few.

I know that we all want to idolize the guys and put Bono up on a pedastal, but I think it's pretty healthy to remember that they're real people. They have been known to perform after a few drinks before----the 1986 TV GAGA appearance where TTYW and Womanfish first appeared is widely believed to have been booze-inspired, and the Bill Flanagan book describes quite a few small appearances where the guys weren't in tip-top shape. In fact, Flanagan also describes a drunken awards show appearance. Here's a bit from pgs. 148-149:



Not only were they pretty well sloshed, but they also threw quite a few nasty barbs at Phil Collins...

Anyway, Bono may or may not have been tipsy at the Grammys. Whether he was or wasn't, it's not going to change the way I look at him---I still think he's awesome. I just think that folks shouldn't view him as a perfect angel.....you might actually appreciate Bono even more.

I definately don't view him as a perfect angel...and I know he is only human....I do however think he was still very emotional that night. And maybe had a guiness or 2. I have seen him loaded before at certain events and heard quite a few drinking stories....I love him anyway.

 

[MattFromNYC]

I think the notion that he may have been a bit tipsy came from the fact that in that first speech, he seemed to slur his speech a bit, his eyes looked half closed, and he had a few random outbursts while Edge was speaking. The idea that he was a bit tipsy was the first thought that came to me and the friend I was watching the Grammys with. He certainly seemed much better later in the night...which is why I wouldn't say he was absolutely hammered...but I don't think it's unreasonable to think that he may have had a few.

I know that we all want to idolize the guys and put Bono up on a pedastal, but I think it's pretty healthy to remember that they're real people. They have been known to perform after a few drinks before----the 1986 TV GAGA appearance where TTYW and Womanfish first appeared is widely believed to have been booze-inspired, and the Bill Flanagan book describes quite a few small appearances where the guys weren't in tip-top shape. In fact, Flanagan also describes a drunken awards show appearance. Here's a bit from pgs. 148-149:



Not only were they pretty well sloshed, but they also threw quite a few nasty barbs at Phil Collins...

Anyway, Bono may or may not have been tipsy at the Grammys. Whether he was or wasn't, it's not going to change the way I look at him---I still think he's awesome. I just think that folks shouldn't view him as a perfect angel.....you might actually appreciate Bono even more.

Agreed 100%.

 

[MattFromNYC]

drunk bono, rocks!!!! besides.. he's irish. whatya expect? jesus, people. whats the problem with him having drinks on a celebration?

 

[david]

I think if Bono had been drunk during his speeches he would have made sense. But instead he was just sober and nervous.

 

[aislinn]

I know that we all want to idolize the guys and put Bono up on a pedastal, but I think it's pretty healthy to remember that they're real people.

I don't buy the assertion that they've never performed under the influence.

Anyway, Bono may or may not have been tipsy at the Grammys. Whether he was or wasn't, it's not going to change the way I look at him---I still think he's awesome. I just think that folks shouldn't view him as a perfect angel.....you might actually appreciate Bono even more.

Excellent points, Utoo, and ones we'd do well to remember! Those "flaws" make him more interesting.

 

[Hot Bono]

I don't necessarily think he was drunk either... While it wouldn't be totally out of character for him, when I first saw him I was a bit worried about him... I thought maybe he was on too many painkillers and maybe his back was acting up again... I was surprised to come here and see how many people thought automatically that he was drunk.... Well, whatever the story, he always gives an interesting speech... and that makes me very happy!

 

[doubleU]

i think he actally did say "shit" and they quickly used an older sound reference of his (that being saying the word "dirt") to stick in there. they have everything on a 10 second delay now for such things. so i think they get a bunch of old sound clips from other interviews or whatever, and pick out certain words to use for such an occasion.

his mouth was saying something else, but voice said "dirt".

or so when i saw it, it looked like that.

That's one of your best theories yet.

Not only is it impossible to do on a 10 second delay, it would be utterly ridiculous to not just use a bleep.

 

[MattFromNYC]

That's one of your best theories yet.

Not only is it impossible to do on a 10 second delay, it would be utterly ridiculous to not just use a bleep.

thankyou!

but why's it impossible for a 10 second delay? they do the 5 and 7 second delays?

 

[doubleU]

thankyou!

but why's it impossible for a 10 second delay? they do the 5 and 7 second delays?

It's not impossible to do a 10 second delay, it would be impossible to find another clip of a word and punch it in during a 10 second spot.

I mean really look at your theory. How many people talked or sang during the Grammys? You're saying they have clips prepared for each and everyone and someone ready to cue it up? Please. Just for U2 alone they would need at least 7 words for each. That's 28 clips that someone has to sift through while U2 are on stage. No one's going to go through that much trouble.

Bono said dirt. Just face it.