"I want to go and kill myself now."

[Headache in a Suitcase]

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Bono, lead singer of Irish rock band U2, was handed an award inducting him into the UK Music Hall of Fame. Minutes later the reluctant recipient joked that he was tempted to hand it back.

After an evening of glamour and gloss on Thursday to launch the inaugural awards chosen by the British public, the frontman quipped: "I want to go and kill myself now.

"I really didn't want to come," he told Reuters Television.

"Only respect for the people who were running the show has me here. I hate the idea of being in the UK Hall of Fame to be honest with you ... We don't want to be in any Hall of Fame until we're retired or dead."

U2, which is launching a new album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," was one of five acts named as founding members of the new institution along with Madonna, Bob Marley, the Beatles and Elvis Presley.

British singer Cliff Richard and The Shadows won the award for the 1950s, the Rolling Stones the 1960s, Queen the 1970s, Michael Jackson the 1980s and Robbie Williams the 1990s.

"It's not another award," Madonna told Reuters. "I think I'm in very good company. I'm honored to be part of that group."

 

[Queen Bee]

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

 

[U2dork]

Geez, it's on CNN now, too.
It must really suck to have every not so witty quip you utter to be reproduced in print for the world to over analyze...

 

[dano]

Its pretty obvious to me that what he meant was that being included in the Hall of Fame is basically saying that your best days are behind you. I think this follows in the band's attempt to portray themselves as relevant contemporaries of today's bands and not some group of old men that is now resting on their laurels.

 

[Phalanx]

Its pretty obvious to me that what he meant was that being included in the Hall of Fame is basically saying that your best days are behind you. I think this follows in the band's attempt to portray themselves as relevant contemporaries of today's bands and not some group of old men that is now resting on their laurels.

Precisely. He doesn't want U2 buried yet.

 

[neutral]

 

[Techie2000]

 

[Diane L]

...but hasn't U2 seemed eager to get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame here?

I never thought I'd see the day when Madonna would make a classier statement than Bono...this is a sad, sad day...

 

[starsgoblue]

I'm thinking that Bono felt badly about the award because he mighta felt by somehow recieving a reward like that meant that his career was 'done'. That's unforetunate though...one doesn't need to be dead to be appreciated as an artist.

 

[biff]

...but hasn't U2 seemed eager to get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame here?

I never thought I'd see the day when Madonna would make a classier statement than Bono...this is a sad, sad day...

You're kidding, I hope, because Bono clearly was. Did you not note the "he quipped" . Have you forgotten that Bono is always Mr. Mirth at these events? You can't really think he was serious?

 

[biff]

I'm thinking that Bono felt badly about the award because he mighta felt by somehow recieving a reward like that meant that his career was 'done'. That's unforetunate though...one doesn't need to be dead to be appreciated as an artist.

Again, surely you are joking, because obviously HE was!!

 

[starsgoblue]

No Biff...I REALLY thought Bono was suicidal. Come on now!

Of course I know he was quipping, doesn't mean that there was a small grain of truth in it though. I am sure he doesn't want to be a 'hasbeen' and getting awards like "Lifetime Achievement" ones and "Hall of Fame" etc....could be interpreted as awards for one who is "done" with the biz. I'm sure Bono was trying to make sure he has no intentions of accepting that kind of stigma that goes with one of the awards...

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

Yeah, I mean, in regards to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the US, look at all the great acts, like Billy Joel and AC/DC, who've received career boosts from induction.

(side note- I like Billy Joel and to a lesser extent AC/DC... but induction didn't do much for their careers. Of course, Joel pretty much retired from pop music after ROD, but still)

 

[Zoomerang96]

that's the coolest thing bono's said in years.

 

[dream chaser]

that's the coolest thing bono's said in years.

I got a mighty chuckle out of it myself!

The last of the rockstars
When hip-hop drove the big cars
In the time when new media
Was the big idea
That was the big idea

 

[sue4u2]

Don't take the world so seriously, he doesn't... Then again he does. He's a walking/talking/singing contradiction.
Haven't you been listening..
Know my lyrics, know me....Bono, just when you think you're one step closer to knowing...

 

[U2girl]

Of course he wasn't serious about the killing himself part

I do see his point that once a band/singer gets pats on the back and awards, it can be seen as a "you had your best days, now get lost".

We don't want to be in any Hall of Fame until we're retired or dead - Is that a bad sign for rock n roll hall of fame induction next year?

 

[paulrg]

Yeah - the Beatles, Bob Marley and Elvis Presley are very much dead, Madonna maybe not but her album just flopped - its perhaps not the best group of people to be associated with when launching a new album "That might very well be our first album" as Bono also quipped.

 

[Lemon Grrrrrl]

...but hasn't U2 seemed eager to get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame here?

I never thought I'd see the day when Madonna would make a classier statement than Bono...this is a sad, sad day...

Yeah, but at least we all know that BONO'S ACCENT IS REAL!


= +

 

[doctorwho]

Bono's thoughts are not unique. There have been plenty of actors reluctant (some even declined) to accept various life time achievement awards for the same reason Bono stated. They don't feel their careers are "over" by any means. Let them get that life time award once they retire. After all, they may still have an award-winning, blockbuster performance in them - and they don't want to be thought of as some "has been".

In contrast, Madonna's last album flopped. So of course she's honored.

 

[Diane L]

Yeah, but at least we all know that BONO'S ACCENT IS REAL!


= +

GREAT point!!!

I too.

 

[Mac Phisto]

Billy Joel sucks.

 

[Paul Vox]

Billy Joel sucks.

uhh...Billy Joel sucks now, but in the 70's and 80's he was THE man. He has mad mad piano skills and was one of the best live acts going. "The Stranger" is an all time great album. He is totally jaded and bitter now and it really does suck. I mean, he lost his bombshell wife, his old agent stole a shitload of money from him and it seems he has lost his ability to write a decent song....you would think he could parley all that misery into some heavy songwriting, but I think he has given up. Too bad, really.

 

[tackleberry]

I got a mighty chuckle out of it myself!

The last of the rockstars
When hip-hop drove the big cars
In the time when new media
Was the big idea
That was the big idea

Why is this funny? Why? Is suicide funny? Is it as funny as cancer, car accidents, and AIDS? I never hear people "quipping" and saying, "I wanna go give myself AIDS."

What is so funny about suicide? Is it that people just don't wanna deal with it, they are scared, and they turn it into a sarcastic joke? I just find it bizzare that Bono would joke about this after what happened to his good friend Michael Hutchence. I thought he would be more respectful of that. I just don't understand.

Don't get me wrong, I still respect Bono (obviously) but I just wanna know why it's so funny? Please enlighten me...

 

[U2girl]

Bono didn't mean to poke fun at suicide I'm sure. He was making fun of getting the "hall of fame" award if it meant U2 are has beens now. You know, if it meant "ok you WERE great but now you're has beens".

 

[tackleberry]

Bono didn't mean to poke fun at suicide I'm sure. He was making fun of getting the "hall of fame" award if it meant U2 are has beens now. You know, if it meant "ok you WERE great but now you're has beens".

Yes. I understand that he was being humble, and he was not actually poking fun at suicide with his comment. My question is why use suicide as a metaphor to be joking? What's so darn funny? Especially to someone who has experience with that....I'm not blaming Bono or anybody for doing that, I'm just wondering why it's used so much. Why do people look beyond its reality.

 

[starsgoblue]

Tackle, I understand your feelings...I once walked in and found someone that had attempted suicide. I had to perform basic first aid and help resucitate her while waiting for the medics. It wasn't funny at all to me. At the time and now. But I admit, I too have let slip comments like Bono's since then....maybe it's a way of trying to lighten up the trauma asscociated with the memories, I'm not sure. Black humor usually doesn't have much taste.

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

uhh...Billy Joel sucks now, but in the 70's and 80's he was THE man. He has mad mad piano skills and was one of the best live acts going. "The Stranger" is an all time great album. He is totally jaded and bitter now and it really does suck. I mean, he lost his bombshell wife, his old agent stole a shitload of money from him and it seems he has lost his ability to write a decent song....you would think he could parley all that misery into some heavy songwriting, but I think he has given up. Too bad, really.

Word. Though I prefer "An Innocent Man"

 

[xynwynfyn]

My question is why use suicide as a metaphor to be joking? What's so darn funny?

You sure he was using it 'as a metaphor to be joking'? I thought he was just saying that he doesn't want to be in a hall of fame until after he's dead..