"Ordinary Addictions" & Gavin influencing Bono

[oliveu2cm]

hi yall. well it's about time for VelvetDress and me to share another "in the trenches" sort of searching we've done.

Basically my analysis of Gavin began when Jennifer, Kim and I were trying to figure out why Bono always preempted "Bad" (when he sang it live during the Elevation tour) with the phrase "Ordinary Addictions." What are the "ordinary addictions" that he is talking about? How have the "addictions" changed from what he originally wrote the song about to now, ATYCLB period?

Step to the plate Gavin Friday, Bono's childhood and lifelong friend. People say they are very similar to each other, in mannerisms and in how they sound. Off of Gavin's album Shag Tobacco, the song by the same name's first lyrics: "I have ordinary addictions / I've outgrown the ways of the street and the nightshade hey! goodnight ladies... ladies bye bye."

If Bono is indeed referring to Gavin's lyrics (as we believe he is) it shows how ATYCLB really is saying "bye bye" to the old "ways of the street and the nightshade," which is a wonderful way to summarize Pop and ZooTV eras... and now he's just having "ordinary addictions" which Gavin described as being "It's a love song about coming home late, walking into that kitchen, sitting there having a c of tea, knowing that upstairs is the one I love. And it definitely is me trying to make ordinary things extraordinary, in the lyric." Which rings true to similar sentiments Bono had during ATYCLB, spurring such a "forward to basics" notion.

So.. what about other lyrical similiarites between Bono and Gavin? There are too many to post here, you can see the entire list here (although I still have a few more to add) http://www.u2takemehigher.com/Gavin/gavin_story.html

but here are some doozies:

G: You know, the sun shines east, the sun shines west But I know where the sun shines best (*Virgin Prunes*)
B: Miami

G: throw your arms around me, there's no time to be blue, it's the end of the world, let's talk deep and meaningful things, it's up to you and down to me.... what's going on? it's you, me and world war three.
B: tryin to throw your arms around the world, until the end of the world, you and me and the rain, all the "down" references in Bono's songs

G: It's tough in the queue, it's as unto a platform shoe
B: Macphisto
(Gavin and Bono have both stated/joked that Gavin influenced Macphisto and Bono wearing makeup...


So there are many more, but I'll let you paruse. Hope you enjoy it! (Should I state that this is in no way to take away from Bono's own genius, but more to show how connected they are- even subconsciously? Nah.. you know that's not what I'm implying!)


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She never really belonged to me

U2 Take Me Higher

 

[sulawesigirl4]

wow, olive, that is really interesting stuff! I think it's great that Bono has good friends like Gavin and Guggi that continue to help him develop as an artist. Iron sharpens iron, they say.

Related note...what would be a good "starter" album for getting into Gavin's work?

 

[Angel]

Cool comparisons...

I don't know alot about Gavin and what he wrote when... but after seeing the 'Tumble In New York' documentary, he just seems like such a Bono-Wannabe!

... but you are saying that perhaps it's the other way around?

--> Don't get me wrong, of the music of his that I have heard I really like, but image wise, he just seems like such a poser.

[This message has been edited by Angel (edited 04-04-2002).]

 

[oliveu2cm]

Sula- like that iron sharpens iron comparison! I myself just got a couple of Gavin's cds, try half.com to find them. "Shag Tobacco" is very good and sexy.. "Adam and Eve" shows his earlier stuff. I've put a couple songs up on my site if you want a sampler, off his main section.

Angel- Well we were having trouble getting EXACT dates on when bono wrote stuff and when gavin wrote stuff. There's no doubt in my mind that Bono has influenced Gavin. Buttt from what I could see, "Shag Tobacco"
[edit] was writtein in 1994 and "Adam and Eve" album was written in 1992, and there are many similarities between those two albums and AB & Zooropa.

But I know for sure Gavin had a lot of influence on Macphisto. I've read it in serveral different places. It's so interesting!!

Also, as far as the "Ordinary Addictions".. that's obviously Bono working off of Gavin, as he does with a few other artists, too, in his live element especially.

I've never seen that NY thing you mentioned...

and like I said I don't know *much* about Gavin but I don't really see him as a poser as much as someone who made different, but extraordinary, challenging music.. I wouldn't really see him as a poser at all in the sense he never "caved in" and he always made the music HE liked, whether or not it sold millions.

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She never really belonged to me

U2 Take Me Higher

[This message has been edited by oliveu2cm (edited 04-04-2002).]

 

[elevatedmole]

That is a great Gavin site you've done, Olive.

I really appreciate it, especially since there doesn't seem to be hardly any Gavin sites at all out there except his official site.

However, there are a few things I'd like to point out about the similarities.

and when i'm sad...
i slide

watch now
i'm gonna slide
i slide....


she's slippy, you're sliding down
we'll slide down the surface of things
slipping away/slip slide
"We see me slide/Won't you give me a home" (Your Blue Room)

The Slider is a song written by Marc Bolan, not Gavin. So.. you could potentially say this IS a similarity, but it seems to be more of a weird occurence rather than true similarity between the two.

Falling off the Edge of the World (1992) Happiness is a place in the sun Says Dickie Boy with a warm gun


U2/Larry also like the phrase "Happiness is a warm gun" (and wrote a song about it)

Happiness is a Warm Gun is a Beatles song. Also, see what I said above.

By the way, one question I've been meaning to ask: do you know who Gavin is/was married to, and if he still is?

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"You must not look down on someone just 'cos they are 14 years old. When I was that age I listened to the music of John Lennon and it changed my way of seeing things, so I'm just glad that 14 year olds are coming to see U2 rather than group X." - Bono, 1988

 

[Bbug]

I read somewhere that Bono and Gavin used to write songs with the same titles on purpose when the Virgin Prunes and U2 were starting out (ex: Boy/Girl), and maybe they've just continued referencing one another in more subtle ways. Also, didn't they share vocals at some early shows?

I dunno about him being a "poser" or whatever, but didn't he and Guggi help bono come up with the whole MacPhisto thing, etc?

I can't believe how hard it is to find Gavin Friday cds...I'm incredibly biased, I admit, but he's got such a great voice and he gets no airplay and I get inundated with Britney Spears. *grrr*

Okay now I forget what the post was about. *sigh*

 

[Discoteque]

Sula, Shag Tobacco is probably his best so far (of the whopping THREE he's put out), Adam and Eve is a close second, and Each Man Kills the thing he Loves (his first, I believe) is very hard to find, but leans more toward a cabaret flavor, for which he's fairly well known. Another Gav fan told me that Gav has had quite a history, and this is reflected in his sometimes tortured lyrics...yet another thing he and his best mate Bono share!

 

[elevatedmole]

Originally posted by Discoteque:
Sula, Shag Tobacco is probably his best so far (of the whopping THREE he's put out), Adam and Eve is a close second, and Each Man Kills the thing he Loves (his first, I believe) is very hard to find, but leans more toward a cabaret flavor, for which he's fairly well known. Another Gav fan told me that Gav has had quite a history, and this is reflected in his sometimes tortured lyrics...yet another thing he and his best mate Bono share!

Awww, poor Gavin.. I really wish he was more famous -- he deserves it, IMO.

I really need to get his 1st CD, but then again, I'm not sure if I'll like the style. Ah, me rambling again.

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"You must not look down on someone just 'cos they are 14 years old. When I was that age I listened to the music of John Lennon and it changed my way of seeing things, so I'm just glad that 14 year olds are coming to see U2 rather than group X." - Bono, 1988

 

[RufusYoungblood]

Bono and Gavin are best friends.

My best friend and I use the same expressions, like most of the same things, have shared many experiences together.

It's not rocket science....

 

[oliveu2cm]

Originally posted by RufusYoungblood:
Bono and Gavin are best friends.

My best friend and I use the same expressions, like most of the same things, have shared many experiences together.

It's not rocket science....

thanks on your.. insights.

 

[oliveu2cm]

Originally posted by elevatedmole:
By the way, one question I've been meaning to ask: do you know who Gavin is/was married to, and if he still is?

THanks EM for all your comments- i'll be sure to fix those mistakes.

I think he is divorced, and no, I don't know who he was married to.



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She never really belonged to me

U2 Take Me Higher

 

[blueeyes]

Oooooooooh Olive is Brainy as well as stunning!!!!! O_O

*snatches Mr. Friday... runs away with him*
Heh heh... MINE!

 

[zooropamanda]

These are some very interesting thoughts and ideas, Olive. I don't have any of Friday's albums but I have always thought the similarities were quite obvious. Sometimes they even look alike in stature.
On the recent doco shown here, " From a Whisper to a Scream" they would have a voice talking over footage before going to the shot of the person and so many times I would think it was Bono talking and it was actually Gavin.
I found it hard to tell their voices apart on ITNOTF at first too.

I agree with Rufus about the best friend thing. Definitely.
Its very interesting to see those lyrical similarities though.
Thanks for the cool thread.

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*I am a cowgirl of funk*