Sad about Bono's voice at Live8

[corianderstem]

Also remember that back in the 80's Bono was singing basically through his throat. I remember reading that (I think before the Zoo tour) he had gone for lessons on how to expand his range and use his throat less and use his chest more (akin to an opera singer).

Yep yep yep yep yep yep yep.

Yep.



Listening to some of the 80s bootlegs, it makes my throat hurt to listen to Bono. I'm so glad he learned how to sing.

 

[starsgoblue]

The rest of the band rely on instruments to make thier music, Bono's instrument is his own body. It's not very fair to expect a man's voice to be able to hold up exactly the same for 20 years, especially a gabby Irishman's.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

'll bet if he really wanted to, he could sing almost exactly like he did back in Live Aid, just that he's been using a different singing style for a while now.

I agree about the change in style, definitely. I just don't think B can project his voice, now, as strongly as he did 20 years ago, for any prolonged period of time without straining fairly badly. Sure, he might be able to get a large fraction of his original vocal energy here and there, but for an entire show, or series of shows? No can do. Sorry.

Sunday Bloody Sunday, sung then and now... I Will Follow.... the end of All I Want is You... New Years' Day... Desire... nope. They're all great songs, and I reckon Bono still sounds great when he sings them. The 'wiiiiiiiiiiild' bit towards the end of Wild Honey, compared to the 'whoooooooh's in With or Without You? There's not the same vigour as there was 15/20 years ago, which is hardly surprising really.


This next comment is related, so bear with me: my dad was a very gifted, classically trained singer and he had an incredibly clear, sharp tenor. By the time he was in his mid 50's, he could still sing - but he sounded totally different, he couldn't hold those notes like he used to, and there was much less force in his voice. That's what tends to happen. I know everybody is different, but I do think the same thing has happened to our friend B.

Based on how he sounds both in the studio and live, these days, I don't think he could sing like that anymore - certainly not like he did in the '80s or early '90s.

I'm not saying that Bono isn't still a great singer. One of my favourite U2 songs is In A Little While - warm, woody, gravelly, the sound of too many late nights and too much overindulgence over too many years... which makes the song what it is. It wouldn't sound right any other way.

I also adore The Ground Beneath Her Feet - I think that song is a great example of how much emotion Bono can muster, without being whiney... something that I don't think applies to many bands as well as it does to U2.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

One of my favourite U2 songs is In A Little While - warm, woody, gravelly, the sound of too many late nights and too much overindulgence over too many years... which makes the song what it is. It wouldn't sound right any other way.

Forgot to add that I deliberately used far too many 'too many's' in that sentence!

 

[Gen. Chat]

The rest of the band rely on instruments to make thier music, Bono's instrument is his own body. It's not very fair to expect a man's voice to be able to hold up exactly the same for 20 years, especially a gabby Irishman's.

"They" said the same about Mick Jagger and Robert Plant ages ago. Bono's voice will be fine.... now his back is another story. He's only in his mid 40's so he needs to take care but personally if Bono sat and sang in a Lazyboy during the entire show I'd be cool with that. It sure is a drag getting old.

 

[zwervers2]

Re: Re: Sad about Bono's voice at Live8

It's sad to see singers losing the strength in their voices, but it's not uncommon. Have you heard Madonna, Sting

have you watched live8?
Sting sounded FANFUCKINGTASTIC AND Madonna has never sounded better imo

 

[Zootomic]

He's only in his mid 40's so he needs to take care but personally if Bono sat and sang in a Lazyboy during the entire show I'd be cool with that.

Hey, why not? Tim McGraw used to bring one on stage and sometimes crash in it while he sang.

 

[sallycinnamon78]

Re: Re: Re: Sad about Bono's voice at Live8

have you watched live8?
Sting sounded FANFUCKINGTASTIC AND Madonna has never sounded better imo

Yes. have you?

In my opinion, their voices are not as powerful as they once were. Note I didn't say less soulful/less expressive/less emotive - so many have improved with age, in those areas. I am on about the ability to belt out a song sounding as it did 20/30 years ago. I don't think that any of the people I listed can do that anymore. That's life.

 

[Lancemc]

I thought Madonna's performance was terrible. Not to mention the way she looked like a total asshole on stage. I mean just in general, the way she moved and gestured, like it was HER concert or something. It's hard to explain.

But, BUT...Don't even get me started on how they fucking dragged out the ending to "Music" for 20 Goddamed minutes trying to get the crowd to sing along. You could really tell the crowd wasn't into it. Just watching on T.V. I was yelling at the screen "Shut the fuck up Madonnna, just finish the damn song!"

Did that piss anyone else off?

That bit at the end was just so forced and uninspired. Not to mention it's not a sing-along-anthem type song. It's a fucking dance song. Get off your high horse bitch.




Ok. Rant over.

 

[neutral]

I actually liked Madonna's performance pretty well but yeah, I thought I was going to put my foot through the screen if I heard the line about the bourgeoisie one more time.

 

[corianderstem]

Heh. I think Madonna's one of the few performers who sounds better 20 years later. Hel-LO, singing lessons!

 

[zwervers2]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Sad about Bono's voice at Live8

Yes. have you?

In my opinion, their voices are not as powerful as they once were. Note I didn't say less soulful/less expressive/less emotive - so many have improved with age, in those areas. I am on about the ability to belt out a song sounding as it did 20/30 years ago. I don't think that any of the people I listed can do that anymore. That's life.

I really think Sting sang great on live8. The performance of Message in a botlle was very very good.

 

[Neilz]

In many reviews U2 was listed as a disappointement... And I must agree on that... U2 could have done better and should have played other songs... Where The Streets Have No Name would have been só perfect!

And I know U2 had a gig in Viena, but they would normally have been up in the evening which would fit U2 more I think... The energie was just too low in the beginning of the London Live 8 gig... Later on in the dark with The Who, Robbie Williams, Sir Paul and Pink Floyd... U2 should have been up in that slot!

 

[KUEFC09U2]

In many reviews U2 was listed as a disappointement... And I must agree on that... U2 could have done better and should have played other songs... Where The Streets Have No Name would have been só perfect!

And I know U2 had a gig in Viena, but they would normally have been up in the evening which would fit U2 more I think... The energie was just too low in the beginning of the London Live 8 gig... Later on in the dark with The Who, Robbie Williams, Sir Paul and Pink Floyd... U2 should have been up in that slot!

well i dont know what reviews you seen, but the ones i seen they were classed as one of the best, they were one of only 5 to get 10/10 on the bbc

 

[stevec]

I actually liked Madonna's performance pretty well but yeah, I thought I was going to put my foot through the screen if I heard the line about the bourgeoisie one more time.

Thank God! I thought I was the only one developing Madonna rage at the endless bourgeosie line! I had visions of Geldof dragging her off stage...or was that just wishful thinking?

 

[antmccarthy]

Well in other threads I have criticised the way that I did`nt like the way that I feel the fans have been capitalised on during this tour. And the poor sound at Cardiff.

However, when I saw U2 at Cardiff I was pleasently suprised at the fact that Bono did`nt bottle out of any high notes during the gig. I think that he has got a certain amount of confidence back.

I thought I would never hear New Years Day performed live again. This has got to be one of the most difficult songs any singer could perform. Bono abslutely nailed it. To a tee.
I think that Bono (understandably) bottled out and went for safe songs on ATYCLB. This was`nt the case on HTDAAB, A welcome return to form for the band as a whole.

U2 never wrote songs which are easy on the vocal chords. Always putting 110% into the effort. Thats why they are the finest band on the planet.

A quick note in favour of The Edge. He has a remarkable and very similar voice to Bono. As was evident when Bono`s voice went in Sarajavo. He`s a great singer and if you listen close enough its often Edge`s voice you hear on the high notes when Bono`s not on form.

 

[stevec]

A quick note in favour of The Edge. He has a remarkable and very similar voice to Bono. As was evident when Bono`s voice went in Sarajavo. He`s a great singer and if you listen close enough its often Edge`s voice you hear on the high notes when Bono`s not on form.

Agreed - Edge is a fine vocalist indeed!

 

[Gen. Chat]

Thank God! I thought I was the only one developing Madonna rage at the endless bourgeosie line! I had visions of Geldof dragging her off stage...

Either that or a Monty Pythonesque weight falling on her head.

 

[Lewis12]

Still he needs to STOP SMOKING. AS OF YESTERDAY.

I didn't read every post here, but I'll answer this from a highly accurate report/quote to paraphrase: in the book "U2 at the end of the World", where the author lives with U2 on tour; at that time Bono and Edge took up smoking. Bono says to the author that he does not inhale, he only uses the cigarette as a prop when in public, a calming effect and image effect. Bono also wanted his Dad to know this as well, and apparently argued with him about it -- bad image for young people according to his late Dad. Again Bono emphasized the non-inhaling. So the smoking may not have as great an effect as many may think (it does lower the voice though).

 

[zwervers2]

Re: Re: Sad about Bono's voice at Live8

I didn't read every post here, but I'll answer this from a highly accurate report/quote to paraphrase: in the book "U2 at the end of the World", where the author lives with U2 on tour; at that time Bono and Edge took up smoking. Bono says to the author that he does not inhale, he only uses the cigarette as a prop when in public, a calming effect and image effect. Bono also wanted his Dad to know this as well, and apparently argued with him about it -- bad image for young people according to his late Dad. Again Bono emphasized the non-inhaling. So the smoking may not have as great an effect as many may think (it does lower the voice though).

I didn't inhale..where have I heared that before?

 

[Lewis12]

Re: Re: Re: Sad about Bono's voice at Live8

I didn't inhale..where have I heared that before?

well, yeah, but the day I see a photo of Bono blowing smoke out of his nose (which needs to come from his lungs), then we will know he was lying. But Bono's media philosophy of exploding "exaggerated rock stars" by wearing sunglasses, smoking, swearing on TV, etc. is all a game for the audience. This isn't new news, he has talked about it in numerous interviews.

 

[adeel]

i thought it was becuz of his drinking, not smoking??????

 

[barrett]

To my ears, in 2005 Bono's voice is better than any other rocker in the world.

 

[financeguy]

People always seem to blame the smoking, but Stipe smokes and his voice is still fine. Sinatra was a smoker too, etc, etc.

I think it is more to do with Bono's intense singing style and not resting his voice enough, too much yapping, etc.

 

[teebee]

there are plenty of people whose singing voice is still outstanding in their 40s ... morrissey, robert smith, tim booth to name three. Bono's voice getting worse was NOT just a matter of time. He has treated his voice poorly for years now.

 

[zoopop]

When I saw him at the Chicago 1 show (only show I've been to so far) his voice sounded amazing. The range he was getting on some songs were . When they played Bad Bono sounded the best I've heard him in years. Thing most people forget is unlike other rock bands Bono really sings and puts alot into it. Doing it for 25 yrs has to take its tow. He still sounds great. Better than Popmart and Elevation.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

eh? sorry but imo bono's voice is still pretty fine, dont forget he wasnt even trained up until couple of years ago, and now he is sounding the best he has for YEARS

the only reason people hear different now, is simply down to the accsess of bootlegs, if you had some from the JT tour, then his voice was as raspy as hell on some of them,

and imo popmart was bono voice at its worse

 

[U2Man]

eh? sorry but imo bono's voice is still pretty fine, dont forget he wasnt even trained up until couple of years ago, and now he is sounding the best he has for YEARS

the only reason people hear different now, is simply down to the accsess of bootlegs, if you had some from the JT tour, then his voice was as raspy as hell on some of them,

and imo popmart was bono voice at its worse

Are you bitching about Bono's voice at Popmart? How dare you? Bono's voice was superb and always has been! He cannot sing badly. Why are you being so damn negative? Don't be on their backs all the time. You're not a real fan.

 

[Rafiennes]

Some quick notes:

My wife, who is a trained singer and understands all the little details about throats and vocal cords and such, explained this to me in finite detail awhile back, so I'll try and paraphrase. Bono used to sing "improperly" (i.e. - via the throat, with a little help from the chest) which can cause serious wear and tear on the vocal cords. Yes, you have serious power and can hit well above your range, but it can also force your vocal muscles to ‘shut down’ so to speak (laryngitis, etc.) That coupled with the smoking, not good.

He underwent surgery to repair damage done and that altered his singing as well. I remember Larry saying that during the recording of ATYCLB, Bono was having some trouble singing the way he wanted and that eventually, ‘his voice broke’ and he could do it. Now, Bono definitely seems to be singing from the chest which can give him more strength back that he seemed to have lost during the Popmart Years, but to hit the notes he used to is a gamble. He may hit it, he may not.

Singers like Sinatra smoked until their death and they even commented on how it affected their voice. I read once that during a recording session, Sinatra hit a bum note and then coughed. The band stopped and he turned to them and said "Sorry about that, that was a Chesterfield I smoked in '48” He had a little Jack Daniels and went back to it.

Liam Gallagher sings straight from the throat and you can totally hear the difference live from the album. It’s sad cos he’s got one of the more interesting voices in rock and roll going around and he smokes on top of it. (20 to 1 someone responds to this with something like, “Agh! God! Liam Gallagher’s voice is so grating and annoying!”)

Someone like Brittany Spears, who smoked before she got pregnant, said she did it cos she liked how it made her voice sound. Personally, I like the way she sings better now…or rather, how she doesn’t.

McCartney quit smoking years ago. His voice sounds good these days.

OK, I guess it was more than a few quick notes.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Are you bitching about Bono's voice at Popmart? How dare you? Bono's voice was superb and always has been! He cannot sing badly. Why are you being so damn negative? Don't be on their backs all the time. You're not a real fan.

did i mention it being "bad"? all i said was that it was at its worst, i.e. he lost it alot (sarajevo anyone?) but in no way did he sound bad