How much does Bono play guitar?

[ADecentMelody]

It's amazing how we judge Bono's prowess on the guitar just by listening to examples where the rhythm part is low in the mix (I Will Follow, etc.). He's not low in the mix because he's a bad guitar player. You all really need to look at outtakes of when the band are writing songs. He plays a HUGE part in what guitar chords and sequences and hooks to end up in the final mix.

Listen to One from the Irving Plaza concert. He's even doing some improvisational stuff in the beginning.

Jick, why do you think he's a terrible guitar player? What evidence do you have?

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Not as well as the hamonica, I wager.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

It's amazing how we judge Bono's prowess on the guitar just by listening to examples where the rhythm part is low in the mix (I Will Follow, etc.). He's not low in the mix because he's a bad guitar player. You all really need to look at outtakes of when the band are writing songs. He plays a HUGE part in what guitar chords and sequences and hooks to end up in the final mix.

Listen to One from the Irving Plaza concert. He's even doing some improvisational stuff in the beginning.

Jick, why do you think he's a terrible guitar player? What evidence do you have?

I agree with you. For some reason I think a lot of people just find it funny or cute to *think* Bono is a bad player.

My hunch is that most of the people saying he's shit are the people who either don't play, or are crap themselves--they probably want to be able to relate to their hero.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Well, in the DVD of HTDAAB he screws up "Sometimes..." pretty badly. He keeps looking at Edge's fingers for chords.

I'm sue he was just being negligent about the song though ...rather, the performance.

 

[joyfulgirl]

My observation on Bono is that his timing is challenged. You can see that his strumming is off-beat a lot of the time. He does an okay job in Kite, but then again, Kite is a really easy song to play.
at he just l

I totally agree with this. I see it clearly because I have the same problem . Everytime I see him play guitar I think it looks like me, lol. Bono's bad timing is the reason Wild Honey doesn't work live, imo.

 

[joyfulgirl]

But really, who cares? Bono doesn't need to be a great guitar player because he's a brilliant artist.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I LOL at how some fans feel threatened by the idea that Bono might be a better "technical" guitarist than the Edge. What's the problem if Bono is? Edge is is Edge and Bono is Bono...

 

[kerc]

Bono is Joe Satriani, compared to me. Where's my damn Tele?

 

[joyfulgirl]

I LOL at how some fans feel threatened by the idea that Bono might be a better "technical" guitarist than the Edge. What's the problem if Bono is? Edge is is Edge and Bono is Bono...

I don't think anyone's threatened. I just think it's a whacked-out theory and one not substantiated very well. But I still like you, fu.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

Well, in the DVD of HTDAAB he screws up "Sometimes..." pretty badly. He keeps looking at Edge's fingers for chords.

I'm sue he was just being negligent about the song though ...rather, the performance.

Bono doesn't screw up in the acutal "couch mix," it's actually edge who hits a few wrong chords. From what I can tell on the DVD Bono adds in some nice stuff. the part you're talking about is during the documentary, but who knows how serious they were at that point.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I don't think anyone's threatened. I just think it's a whacked-out theory and one not substantiated very well. But I still like you, fu.

Well thank you... hey theories are theories... specualtion is all around... at least I tried to back what I said with sources...

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Bono doesn't screw up in the acutal "couch mix," it's actually edge who hits a few wrong chords. From what I can tell on the DVD Bono adds in some nice stuff. the part you're talking about is during the documentary, but who knows how serious they were at that point.

Hmmmm.... the potential mystery/ constoversy continues...

 

[Dalton]

For the record Fu, my post was not a knock on your post. I was laughing with you.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

Bono doesn't screw up in the acutal "couch mix," it's actually edge who hits a few wrong chords. From what I can tell on the DVD Bono adds in some nice stuff. the part you're talking about is during the documentary, but who knows how serious they were at that point.

No, no, no. Edge screws up at well, but Bono almost altogether stops playing for a couple of bars when he screws up.

Basically they both screw up, that's why I question the seriousness with which they played it.

 

[Noopie]

Sorry if this was mentioned before, I was reading through all of the posts really quickly.

An earlier post mentions Bono losing his timing during Vertigo at the "Swingin to the music" part. I'm pretty sure Bono goes off time purposely here. He tends to change timing for words quite often live, and he drags out "swiiiingin to the music" during every live performance so far.

Also, if I remember correctly there's a quote from the Unforgettable Fire Documentary where Bono is singing Pride and he mentions that he doesn't have perfect timing or the ability to make something sound exactly the same over and over (which is best in my opinion, makes it more genuine).

 

[ZeroDude]

Edge is Legend, though i would guess Bono can play a bit ( as in alrite) on the guitar