Something I never understood.

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
H

Halifax

The Fly
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
236
Location
Australia
*Comes out of lurking*

I just don't get it. "What don't you get...?" you may ask. Well, us U2 fans we know all of the cliches regarding Bono: he's egotistical, a tosser, trying to play Jesus, has a big ego, arrogant, "I love U2 but I just can't stand the lead singer"...yadda yadda yadda.

This is what i don't get: why is he regarded arrogant? Why does everytime his name is spoken, the words "egomaniac" are automatically attached into the conversation? Am I the only person who's puzzled by this? Am I the only one confused about all of these accusations and have wondered in what basis these people pin these accusations on Bono?

To me, Bono is far from being an "egomaniac". I love him because he's not your typical "drug taking/womanising/Pete Doherty-esque rockstar". His humanatarian work far exceeds simple charity. He's not a another celebrity content with merely holding a giant cardboard check while smiling at the camera's: he does all the hard yards by doing the raw research in debt cancellation, meeting with countless bankers, politicians, media barons and world leaders to champion his cause. In his words, it might be more glomarous for a rock star with a hankerchief around his mouth and a molotov cocktail in his hand yelling from the sidelines, but it's something else altogether to put on a suit and tie with with a suitcase fillied with World Bank statistics and venture around the dark backrooms of politics trying to twist the politicians arms in doing something good for Africa. All in the while trying to create beautiful music and putting together the best rock show in town (seeing them for the FIRST TIME on the 18th in Melbourn. Can't wait).

We're in a disgustingly empty and superficial celebrity culture where monstrosities like Paris Hilton and givin the spotlight for...uh...doing what exactly? It's a breath of fresh air for a celebrity like Bono to offer some substance.

I've just realized I'm beeing ranting too long, but my point is, if Bono is really as arrogant and egotistical as people say he is, then how come U2 has lasted for so long with the same four guys and their music still remaining relevent? I just find it strange that people call him an arrogant tosser while at the same time Liam Gallagher admitted point blank that he is the reincarnation of John Lennon in an interview (watch the extras in the DVD footage of the Brit Pop documentary "Live Forever" for that interview).

It just that as a U2 fan, this has been bugging me for a while.

*Goes back into lurking*
 
I think that a bit of "arrogant/egomaniac Bono" opinion comes from his admiteddly huge hype about the band (best band in the world etc), and a bit comes from his speeches on stage (Ronald Reagan/apartheid on JT, Africa on the last two tours).
You know, the old "shut up and sing, you're a musician not a politician" mentality.

Some, on the other hand, get tired of seeing a rich spoiled rock star living it up and shaking presidents, Pope's hands and talking about ending poverty all in one and consider it all a fake/hypocrisy.

Though for me, the biggest egomaniacs in music are those who are grabbing their hands on as much money as they can and honestly, became a brand. You know, get your clothes label, get your perfume, design jewelry, act in a movie etc...

:lmao: reincarnation talk.
 
Last edited:
I think Bono's stage personas can be quite egotistical, but I understand it's just a stage persona. Personally, I've always thought Bono seems rather vulnerable, almost shy. At least, this is how he's acted every time I've met him or seen him speak - when he's just himself and not wearing his U2 hat.

I've don't really have much to say on how his human rights campaigns affect is ego, besides to say if the people making this comments have ever been involved in these sorts of campaigns, I'm betting they'd think quite differently....
 
Liesje said:
I think Bono's stage personas can be quite egotistical, but I understand it's just a stage persona. Personally, I've always thought Bono seems rather vulnerable, almost shy. At least, this is how he's acted every time I've met him or seen him speak - when he's just himself and not wearing his U2 hat.
Click to expand...
It's strange you're saying that because this is exactly what I feel.
Most people who only know the U2-persona of Bono would disagree and give me strange looks if I said something like this.
But I have a feeling that he's much more vulnerable and shy if he is not performing and not in his band's company. I have always had this impression when he's doing solo stuff or singing with other artists.
I guess this is just what fame does to you.
But I really like this side of him. I think it just shows that he is human after all.
 
I think a lot of it's simply his ubiquitous presence in the media. To a lot of people who aren't that aware of him and what he and his music stand for, that big of a presence in the media = egotism. He's obviously an attention whore.
 
It's just as a few of you have said already: Jealousy! That's what i've always said all these years&to me, it always seems that the vast majority are men :crack:

I mean, after i'd came out of my fav U2 concert 13 yrs ago, there where quite a few guys, who even though they were selling something U2-related, they were still raving about Bono being an utter wanker, etc :madspit: :eyebrow:
 
"We're re-applying for the job of the best band in the world". Uh, and you don't see how Bono is seen as egotistical? :huh: Bono, just shut the fuck up! :mad:
 
Is Bono egotiscal? Yeah, sometimes. He admits himself he's got a big ego. But I don't think he's any more egotistical than John Lennon, Mick Jagger or any other big rock star, so I never really understood why he gets singled out. And I think he's less egotistical than some in the music biz. Compared to Kanye West or the Gallagher brothers he's a paragon of humility.
 
Bono's shades said:
Is Bono egotiscal? Yeah, sometimes. He admits himself he's got a big ego. But I don't think he's any more egotistical than John Lennon, Mick Jagger or any other big rock star, so I never really understood why he gets singled out. And I think he's less egotistical than some in the music biz. Compared to Kanye West or the Gallagher brothers he's a paragon of humility.
Click to expand...
Rock stars are expected to be egotistical, unless they're trying to save the world.

I think the problem is that Bono gets so much attention in the media for things that have nothing to do with U2 or music in general. The general public is tired of seeing him on TV with Bush and Blair, etc.
 
It's a terrible shame and injustice if the public are getting tired of seeing Bono :(
 
A lot of people who just flat out bash him tend to know.. next to nothing about him. :shrug:

On the ego thing, well, in all honestly, he has the right to have a large ego.
Wouldn't you if you were him? I mean really?
At least it's not the stuck up "Oh I'm so much better than everyone and I can't lower myself at all at risk of bruising my poor poor ego" kinda of ego that a lot of celebrity type folks have.
Then there's the whole stage persona thing.
A lot of preformers are different on and off stage and Bono is one of them. Many people are only familar with one of the stage personas.
God forbid they're only knowlegde of him is The Fly, that could certainly lead to the swollen ego wanker image. :uhoh:

Although he does have a good size ego no matter what, he's pretty cool and down to earth most of the time offstage. Guess a lot of people don't realise that.
 
Actually speaking of people knowing next to nothing about him, i've read a few stories on here of guys not realising he's married and that they think he's always having it off with lots of groupies :tsk: :shrug:
 
blueeyedgirl said:
"We're re-applying for the job of the best band in the world". Uh, and you don't see how Bono is seen as egotistical? :huh: Bono, just shut the fuck up! :mad:
Click to expand...

Uh, could it be that Bono was just being sarcastic? And compared to Liam Gallagher's "I am the reincarnation of John Lennon" quote, it kinda deminishes what ever arrogance there was in Bono's quote.
 
Last edited:
Regarding the whole "Bono stage persona" article, people must realize that a persona is just that, a freaking persona! Freddie Mercury had an arrogant stage persona as well, and yet I here no accusations of Mercury being egotistical either.
 
blueeyedgirl said:
"We're re-applying for the job of the best band in the world". Uh, and you don't see how Bono is seen as egotistical? :huh: Bono, just shut the fuck up! :mad:
Click to expand...
It's called being sarcastic. He's doing promotion. It's like promoting a product. Just turn up TV and you'll see and hear that on an everyday basis.

He's not more egoistical like any other star would be. Having a big ego is something that seems to be necessary in music. All big stars have big egos as well. And always pointing at one person and singling this person out is just unfair. Every single one of us is egoistical to some point, it's just now shown on television.
People who confuse a star's image or stage persona with his real personality are dumb.
 
Halifax said:
Regarding the whole "Bono stage persona" article, people must realize that a persona is just that, a freaking persona! Freddie Mercury had an arrogant stage persona as well, and yet I here no accusations of Mercury being egotistical either.
Click to expand...

His being dead for the past 15 years probably has something to do with that. When Bono's been dead for 15 years I bet people won't much remember his pomposity so much either.
 
Halifax said:
Regarding the whole "Bono stage persona" article, people must realize that a persona is just that, a freaking persona! Freddie Mercury had an arrogant stage persona as well, and yet I here no accusations of Mercury being egotistical either.
Click to expand...

As Indra just stated, Mercury and Lennon have sadly passed on, and as a result, the world views them differently.

For example, Kurt Cobain was a decent writer. Nirvana made decent songs. Yes, they helped launch the grunge movement, but they weren't the best band of the 90's by any means. However, because of Cobain's passing, both he and Nirvana are held in ridiculously high esteem. There's a cliche - "death as a career move". Often in death, we tend to not just remember, but over-glamorize all that was good, at the expense of the bad.

When the sad day comes and Bono dies, I have a feeling all these comments about ego and such will also fade away. Instead, he'll be remembered as a lead singer of one of the biggest groups in the world, a group that dominated for 3 decades and won countless awards. He'll also be remembered for all his humanitarian work. Ego and hatred will fade.

It's just too bad we can't think of people in a good way when they are with us (either nearby or alive). It always takes someone to leave (move or death) before we realize how valuable they really are.
 
Bono's shades said:
Is Bono egotiscal? Yeah, sometimes. He admits himself he's got a big ego. But I don't think he's any more egotistical than John Lennon, Mick Jagger or any other big rock star, so I never really understood why he gets singled out. And I think he's less egotistical than some in the music biz. Compared to Kanye West or the Gallagher brothers he's a paragon of humility.
Click to expand...

Yes, a certain "bigger than Jesus" quote comes to mind. Or something like mouthing off "we're the best band in the world" ad nauseum after, get this, 1 single album out. " Want to see ego? Go look/listen to rappers/hip hoppers.

At least half if not most of that "reapplying" quote was supposed to do exactly that: piss people off. And, uh, there's a difference in saying that after a mere one record out and having a 20 year career behind you, a reputation of a great live act, and albums that actually don't make you look like a complete fool when saying that. And Bono is certainly not the only U2 member to have a high opinion on, gasp, his own band.

:yes: Doctorwho: death IS a career move.
 
Halifax said:


Uh, could it be that Bono was just being sarcastic? And compared to Liam Gallagher's "I am the reincarnation of John Lennon" quote, it kinda deminishes what ever arrogance there was in Bono's quote.
Click to expand...

There is also letting your music speak for you. I'm quite happy to judge the quality, or lack thereof, of U2's music without Bono telling me ad nauseum what I should be feeling.

And who takes what Liam Gallagher says seriously, apart from Liam Gallagher? :wink:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

O
Better late than never “they” say…
Replies
1
Views
285
Headache in a Suitcase
Headache in a Suitcase
MrsSpringsteen
Gilead States Of America
Replies
16
Views
895
MrsSpringsteen
MrsSpringsteen
M
Ticketmaster app
Replies
3
Views
492
rosephile
R
dont_turn_around
Hello everyone!
Replies
1
Views
129
Headache in a Suitcase
Headache in a Suitcase
Reggie Thee Dog
Are we NOT discussing the Dolby Atmos Mix of Achtung Baby?
Replies
13
Views
1K
count rushmore
count rushmore

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom