more Bono/U2 bashing...

[The Wanderer]

...And don't forget Bono (of "U2"), the politically correct, pro-Green Party, pro-gun control, pro-U.S.-debt-forgiveness-to-Third-World-countries rocker. Bono, who employed a convicted IRA terrorist as a bodyguard, and guitarist "The Edge" skipped their scheduled appearance at "the Concert for New York City," honoring fallen WTC heroes and aiding their families. But they showed up to their paid gig, a Madison Square Garden gig, and according to the New York Post, Bono lectured the crowd on "empathy with Muslims."

don't you just love the way the some members of the media spin these stories?

here's the link to the entire article, but that was the only mention of Bono & U2
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25272

 

[Foxxern]

Like I said before, you people are paranoid. Here come the posts encouraging us all to send angry e-mails to this fellow for *gasp* disagreeing with us. Incredible as it may seem to some of you, there are a lot of people who don't like U2, not just the people who write anti-U2 articles. Just let it go for once.

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Change is the only constant

 

[The Wanderer]

well, I wasn't urging everyone to write angry emails Foxxern, no need to be condescending, I realize you are above the fray, just thought people here would like to read about what folks in the media are saying about their favourite band, nevermind that the accusations are unsubstantiated...

I just thought people might like to read it since I didn't notice it at any U2 news sites, nevermind, carry on with your non-U2 threads

 

[The Wanderer]

oh, btw, it was a female author

 

[Foxxern]

Originally posted by The Wanderer:
I realize you are above the fray

Well its about time somebody did.

I wasn't trying to be like that, just trying to spare the author from having to sort through about 200 e-mails on Monday morning about how U2 are awesome and how she is totally wrong and ignorant. Nothing against ya, man.



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Change is the only constant

 

[zooropamanda]

well its a pretty crappy article if you read it. She cant even get her facts straight.

"guitarist "The Edge" skipped their scheduled appearance at "the Concert for New York City," honoring fallen WTC heroes and aiding their families. But they showed up to their paid gig, a Madison Square Garden gig"

 

[Sicy]

blah

bleh

blarg

 

[Foxxern]

As an addendum, personally I disagree with the whole article. If rock stars should shut up when it comes to politics, how about politcal columnists shutting up about rock music. How about them not putting down the hard work of folks like John Mellencamp and Bono.

Oh well, I've already said way more than I intended to. G'night all!

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Change is the only constant

 

[The Wanderer]

no problem, but it still annoys me when "journalists" distort the facts for their agenda, though actually calling her a journalist is distorting the facts on my part, she's a "columnist/commentator"

 

[DebbieSG]

Is he trying to say Bono is hypocritical? It wasn't the Muslim community but a fanatical band of terrorists who attacked, so the statement is still in line with all his other humanitarian acts (including canceling the NY fundraiser that was due to family concerns). Anyway, Christianity says that we are to forgive and "Love our enemies," and Bono is a Christian.

There is a tradition of musicians leading the peace movement that goes back to Vietnam, and I don't think we should be so quick to stifle their voice.

 

[Zoocifer]

No offense to Bono or any of the fans. But doesn't all the righteousness get on your nerves? Back in the ol' Zoo TV days - U2 was political, but they weren't so politically correct that it made you sick (not saying that I'm always put off by it, but still - sometimes enough is enough).

I love U2's music. I love U2's message. I love U2. I love how they try to include themselves in other things besides music. But Bono's first job is a rockstar - not a saint. This has been made-fun of many times in pop culture and the media, and there is a reason for it.

Bono's speech at Notre Dame (before "one") seemed to me, just to go on and on. It seems that musically U2 has changed due to 9-11 events, but in what Bono says - it seems he's having a hard time tying it in. We all know he wants to - but then he tries to tie in the Drop-The-Debt campaign with the acts of terrorism (it made some sense yes, but the public doesn't want to hear that). Now the speech at the first Chicago show (October 15th), I thought, was perfect.
Short(er) and simple. So what I guess I'm getting at - for those of you that pay no attention to my posts - is that sometimes, in these times, little says more.

When I heard "beautiful day" I thought of hope and leaving the mess behind and rebuilding. When I heard "New Years Day" I was filled of feelings of revolution and pride.

I don't disagree with the article except for the part about the NYC concert - that was quite dickish and it makes U2 look like money scrubbers (which we all know, is not true). But honestly - look at what Bono has done. "New Day" with Wyclef. Net Aid (great idea, not executed well). The everlasting Drop-the-Dept and Jubilee 2000. And more recently "What's Going On?" - which, telling by sales and radio play. It shall not come close to any activist artist compilations from the past. I admire Bono for getting all the POP stars together - but c'mon - no one honestly believes that Britney, Durst, Christina, J-Lo, and all the rest of the crew, actually give a shit or know anything about AIDS in Africa. Sure they probably do now, but sometimes artists sign on just to be noticed and taken more seriously (Sit down N'Sync - you will always be a boy band to me).

So cheers to his efforts - but enough is enough already. Take a break. Rethink Time. Let the music talk.

I apologize for any spelling errors. 1:22 a.m. here.

~zoo~

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" You love this town - even if that doesn't ring true. You've been all over, and it's been all over you " - Bono

" Don't you know there ain't no Devil, that's just God when he's drunk " - Tom Waits

 

[Hitman]

I don't think it's about anti-U2 articles, as it is about journalists who misrepresent facts and spin stories to fit thier own personal agenda.............

Of course, that's just me..........

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You Just Can't Get Enough Of That Lovey Dovey Stuff...

 

[brettig]

I agree its all opinion- but i also believe too many journos trot out inaccurate shite which is read by the masses and encourages the bipolar views you tend to get with groups like U2...i mean, where else did a heap of people get the impression they were gay?

 

[Salome]

they aren't gay?

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Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it

 

[Marko]

Here's my opinion

I got into U2 for their ideas and their views, and most of the times when Bono (he is the one who is the spokeperson for the "Issues" in the band) is speaking he sound good and sometimes great.
For instance, when they are reciving an award they never do the standard phatetic "thank you" speach, they allways come off natural and original: "...what a country, what a bomb, what a wonker for a president...".
BUT, and it's a big BUT, Bono sometimes realy bugs me, to anwser his old question. It was much better in the ZOO TV era - not so much words, but a lot of actions. Satelite link to Sarajevo in '93, gigs in Sarajevo and Israel in '97 - acts are always much much bigger and meaningfull than words. When he greated bosnians with "Viva sarajevo" it was ten times more than speaking about it for 10 years!
Mostly I agree with what he is telling to the audience and in the interviews, mainly b/c he skips all the boring shalow stuff and gets to the core of the problem, but he can also go to the quasiphilosophy and things that are real shite. I hate when a rock or movie star gets all wise and philosophical, and when they see something higher in Playstation2 and not only what it is - a game console - if you see what I mean. Right now Bono is going in that way, and he is overly politicly corect for my taste - he was much more sharp in "dance" era from '91 to '98. Not everithng should be about some big couse, and every song doesn't have to be for some great person in the world.
I didn't like when he sad that "stuck..." was about Hutch... He said that he didn't want to say it in the first place b/c of Paula Jates - than why did he say it when they were publishing it as a single? And that story about how he also had thoughts about suicide... come on! I belive him b/c I'm a fan, but if any other rock star said that, i would call him either a liar or a coward and a selfish pearson!
As somebody allready said - more music and less talk. He doesent have to talk a lot about Amnesty, it's enough to put them in their CD booklet and on web site, and it's much more impressive...

I'm ranting...

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

Yes, you are....just like Bono...

 

[U2girl]

My thoughts on this (the article bit):

1) True, Bono and Edge weren't at the New York show-but i'm sure they had a very good reason. (anthrax at Bono's kids school, or whatever it was)

2) U2 played at the Telethon marathon (and they DIDN'T get payed, like all musicians that played there), plus the website asked people to donate blood, not to mention 4 New York shows at the first leg and 4 New York show at 3rd leg. U2 could have easily cancelled the 3rd leg tour in light of terror fright all over the world.

Marko: Bono is a rock star and a singer and so he uses his voice to talk about current affairs. I think it's great he gets so involved-he could easily not be doing anything at all, just printing AI and Greenpeace adresses on the album covers. It is his fame that gets public attention to the issues a lot more than a mere mortal talking about it.

What's wrong with Stuck being about Hutchence (or about Bono's children's nanny?) and Bono talking about it? I guess, as a songwriter and a musician, this was his way of dealing with the loss-writing a song about it. So i guess you oppose dedicating Kite to his father too?


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"It's about finding your way into the music." - Edge

"Something inside said this could be everything in your life." - Bono

"U2 as a band does things nobody one else can. I think that is a very powerful thing." - Larry

"Adam believed in the band before anyone did." - Bono

 

[baker6621]

I say:

LET BONO BE BONO, if you don't like it mae a big deal. He's an individual just lke us and we're all differentwe all have things we do, and Bono can't help but say long speeches even if they don't make sense they come from his heart and he's giving you a piece of it. Let Bono be Bono! Bono is not fucking Dave Mathews!

 

[DrTeeth]

Does anybody genuinly get upset by these articles?????

 

[sharky]

This article I am genuinely upset about. Click on the link and read the whole article and you'll understand. The woman is racist and acting like we should suspect everyone who sort of kind of looks Muslim...as if Muslims only look one way. The whole thing is way out of line.

As for Bono getting preachy on us, he does at times but at least somewhere someone is always affected by it. The 2 NYC U2 shows I went to were the first times I was able to just have fun in two months. U2 is the first major artist to come to NYC, the band is one of only a handful of artists that have believed in this city and didn't shy away from it after the attacks. And that says more about the band and their character than any speech Bono could give.

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"Things will not be the same in this city for us." -Bono, Dublin, February 1980

[This message has been edited by sharky (edited 11-10-2001).]

[This message has been edited by sharky (edited 11-10-2001).]

 

[Marko]

U2girl: I didn't say that he shouldn't talk, but only that he sometimes talks to much, and some critics are in place.
Thi article is shite, the woman who wrote it has no clua about U2.

 

[bullet the blue sky]

Most people cannot understand a person who is more than what they are supposed to be. And the basic fact of the matter is that, through Jubilee 2000, this charity record or Amnesty or whatever, if what Bono does saves the lives or makes a positive difference indirectly or directly to someone on this earth, then what he is doing is of much more relevance than those who have not... such as probably me, you and the writer of that article.

Thanks.

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Looking for explanations? Well I don't even understand

 

[Achtung_Bebe]

That truly was a lousy article. It doesn't so much anger me, rather makes me curious as to where this person is coming from. It's as if she believes that once you become a rock star you have to deny your right to have a view on politics. Why can she not see that rock stars are in a prime position--they speak and others listen. So what if rock stars want to make a difference, and not just in the field of music.

Perhaps she is bitter because she can't carry a tune

 

[madonna's child]

fuck them. let them distort the truth. U2 will continue selling out their shows.

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"You can download an atmosphere and dial up a groove, but there's a certain magic when three musicians and a dyslexic get together and play in a room." -Bono

Love,
Emily

The city's desire to take me for more and more...

 

[Saracene]

Well, Bono does occasionally come off as kinda preachy and kinda full of "baloney and bullshit", as Mick Jagger said in his Bono-introducing speech a few years ago,

It doesn't bug me personally, but I can understand it when other people get irritated.

Speaking of U2-bashing in general, though, I just looove the way Bono and U2 push people's emotional buttons, be it positive or negative emotions. I've read heaps of U2-related articles so gushing and adoring they almost made me cringe, but the funny thing is, people who bash the hell out of them often seem to be just as emotionally involved with the band and their music, although in a very negative way. It's like, when it comes to U2, so many writers seem to completely lose their sense of objectivity.

 

[SphinxMontreal]

The moral of the story: As long as Bono and his bandmates get paid a good buck for a show, they'll show up. Coming from a REAL New Yorker, the NY Post story was not that off base.

 

[popkidu2]

Originally posted by SphinxMontreal:
The moral of the story: As long as Bono and his bandmates get paid a good buck for a show, they'll show up. Coming from a REAL New Yorker, the NY Post story was not that off base.

I'm having too much fun following you around to not reply to this. Do you read the news? Or do you simply selectivly choose things which fit your perspective in life? Because if you read the news, you would know that U2 had to fly back to Ireland b/c of a anthrax scare at their kids school.

And so what if they show up to a paying gig? The fans paid, why not give 'em what they paid for?

Trying to argue that U2 doesn't care about charity is such a fuckwitt argument. They do more charity work consistantly than any other group out there. They don't just show up for a benifit concert when it looks good.

you really are trolling tonight....whoohoo!

 

[Angela Harlem]

Debbie doesn't sound like a very good political commentator or attorney, now does she? But really, Bono can look after his own.

 

[DebbieSG]

Originally posted by Angela Harlem:
Debbie doesn't sound like a very good political commentator or attorney, now does she? But really, Bono can look after his own.

Those were just my thoughts and I'm not either of those things so why should I sound very good as such a person? Sorry if it was just too much over-analysis. I was dismayed at the author's lack of understanding. Don't we all need to carry each other?