How does the band split the $$$?

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ramblin rose said:
They split it 5 ways.

Oh you said it first, sorry I didn't notice! And sorry I didn't notice the mistakes in Beatles and Zep history or I'd have jumped on them too. A lot of bands have split up because of manager and money problems, Grand Funk's Behind the Music comes to mind. A lot of Behind the Musics come to mind. But not our guys.
 
barrett said:
Most bands split profits equally, except for the songwritng royalties. I think Bono makes millions on side projects such as Elevation Partners.

Apparently, Bono shares the songwriting credits--royalties, equal among the 4 of them too. Also in that Bill Flanagan book, it says R.E.M. and the Clash also shared songwriting credits.
 
All I know is that U2 wouldn't be the same band if any of the members left. Could you imagine a replacement drummer or bass player if either Larry or Adam left? I sure couldn't.
 
GiacomoHoldini said:
All I know is that U2 wouldn't be the same band if any of the members left. Could you imagine a replacement drummer or bass player if either Larry or Adam left? I sure couldn't.

It doesn't have to be imagined. U2 actually lived through it in one gig where Stuart Morgan subbed for Clayton.

Cheers,

J
 
jick said:


It doesn't have to be imagined. U2 actually lived through it in one gig where Stuart Morgan subbed for Clayton.

Cheers,

J

I know. I was meaning if either Larry or Adam quit the band, and they got a new drummer or bass player, permanently. Perish the thought!

-Edit-

I have to wonder what the people who attended the Sydney show think of having missed Adam. They were probably bummed at the time, but what about now? After all, that was the only U2 show ever where one of the four were not present, so it's kind of a legendary show. It would have been cool to be there, just to say I saw it.
 
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GiacomoHoldini said:


I know. I was meaning if either Larry or Adam quit the band, and they got a new drummer or bass player, permanently. Perish the thought!

-Edit-

I have to wonder what the people who attended the Sydney show think of having missed Adam. They were probably bummed at the time, but what about now? After all, that was the only U2 show ever where one of the four were not present, so it's kind of a legendary show. It would have been cool to be there, just to say I saw it.

Few people I imagine, Jick seems to enjoy bringing that up about Adam. Bono, Edge and Larry especially, missed him, Adam's fans missed him, but Adam is the least recognized band member, the underdog, taking cheap shots at him is easy. Whether that many people missed his presence, don't know.

The bass lines were already created and written by Adam, as long as someone knows how to play them, it could be done. Same with Larry. I don't think the rhythm section of many bands gets near the attention that lead singers and guitarists get.

Stuart is Adam's bass tech, he can play the songs, but Stuart didn't come up with the bass lines, Adam did. I've read plenty of accounts of Bono, apparently he has a temper, I don't think anyone new could just come in to the band, and replace ANY of them. Fact is, they need someone like Adam, the calm one, doesn't freak out and throw drum kits.

When it comes to replacement, drummers sadly get the short end of the stick. Unless a drummer really stands out, it doesn't seem too much a shock to replace them, like R.E.M. The Beatles got rid of Pete Best for Ringo.

Guess I'd have to ask R.E.M. fans, was their drummer missed when he quit for health reasons?

The lead guitarist and lead singer, they're the hardest to replace. Van Halen comes to mind.
 
Larry and Adam were willing to take less if the others - Bono, Edge, Paul - could arrive at a reasonable distribution.

I'm amazed at how McGuinness pulls in 20%. I did not realize he was the key to the business component. Jagger handles all of the Stones' business affairs down to the dime. Granted, he spend time at the London School of Econ., but I would think Bono et al could figure the finances out...
 
McGuinness is wealthiest among the 5. yes they split it 5 ways, bono, edge, adam, and larry all get 20%, thats ALL they get. McGuinness is different, he manages other artisits, and makes the profit which does not need to be shared with U2.
in 'at the end of the world', it says nowadays most managers take 10%, McGuinness charges quite a lot. and adam does not particularly like him.
i don't think adam and larry should take less. back in last year before christmas, they had an album ready to release, its full of songs which are not very good (crap songs?), bono and edge gave the go ahead, only adam and larry stoped them, so they re-recorded the songs, thats why HTDAAB is so great.
 
thrillme said:


Few people I imagine, Jick seems to enjoy bringing that up about Adam. Bono, Edge and Larry especially, missed him, Adam's fans missed him, but Adam is the least recognized band member, the underdog, taking cheap shots at him is easy. Whether that many people missed his presence, don't know.

The bass lines were already created and written by Adam, as long as someone knows how to play them, it could be done. Same with Larry. I don't think the rhythm section of many bands gets near the attention that lead singers and guitarists get.

This is very true. The bass player is usually the least recognized member of a band (save Flea of RHCP), but really they provide the foundation of a song. And yes, we have to give credi t to Mr. Clayton for creatively coming up with the bass lines for U2.

Think of the opening riff of New Year's Day and more importantly, the opening riff of With or Without You. Those are awesome bass lines. More recently...A Man and a Woman. :bow:

I agree with the current split structure and I'm sure none of the band members and manager even question it.
 
Johnny_Mo - that information about Larry & Adam demanding re-works was in last week's Time magazine. And the article is hillarious. Bono has some great lines about Larry & Adam being like the politboro of the band. I don't have an online subscription to Time, but it's well-worth the read. Bono's comments are simply LOL material...
 
time magazine? i donno, i read it in new york times, written by Jon Pareles, the headline is The Catharsis in the Cathedral .
 
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