k here is another article..cos the one I posted was the whole article..lol
Irish People: Save the World But Don't Wreck U2, Says Drummer
http://www.mirrorgroup.co.uk
March 4, 2002
From The Irish People:
LARRY'S BLAST AT BONO;
SAVE THE WORLD BUT DON'T WRECK U2, DRUMMER TELLS
CONSCIENCE OF ROCK
Jim Gallagher And Stephen Maguire
U2 DRUMMER Larry Mullen Jr has revealed that Bono's political crusades are
starting to unsettle the band.
He told America's 60 Minutes programme that singer's absence was felt each
time he took a break to campaign on issues such as Third World debt.
"It does interfere with the band," Larry said.
"It's a four-legged table, and with one leg missing, even for short periods of time,
the thing becomes a little unstable." His comments came as plans were
announced this week for Bono to join US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill on
a fact finding tour of Africa.
The trip, due to take place later this month, is just the latest initiative in Bono's
drive to secure debt relief for the world's poorest countries.
Last year, he lobbied world leaders on the issue at the G8 summit in Italy and
was the star speaker at the World Economic Forum in New York last month.
And Bono spoke passionately on Third World debt and the problems of
international terrorism as U2 were honoured at this week's Grammy Awards
in Los Angeles.
He told a press conference America had the ability to save millions of lives in
Africa.
But he joked: "Sorry about the lecture. You win a few Grammys, you think you're
very interesting."Drummer Larry kick-started the U2 phenomenon back in 1976
when he posted an ad on a notice board at Dublin's Mount Temple High School
for musicians to form a band.
He says Bono didn't know how to play the guitar and had trouble singing when
he turned up for the audition.
But his "charismatic character" made Bono stand out from the crowd - and Larry
gave him the nod to join the band.
"I was in charge for the first five minutes," Larry once said. "But as soon as Bono
got there, I was out of a job."
Larry recently admitted he sometimes got bored sitting behind his drums as
Bono, Edge and Adam Clayton strutted their stuff on stage.
A Time Magazine profile of Bono this week claimed U2 came close to splitting in
1997 after the release of the Pop album - the first flop of the band's career.
The Edge told the magazine they were forced to sit down and ask if there was a
compelling reason to continue being in a band.
"Part of what we decided is that we had a sense or belief that we can still make
the album of the year."
The band played to more than two million people during the 100-sold-out nights
of last year's Elevation world tour, raking in an estimated pounds 250million.
Adam Clayton told Time Magazine Bono's decision to include in the final US
shows a tribute to some of those killed in the September 11 terror attacks had
caused divisions in the band.
Bono had called for the names of the New York police and fire officers killed in the
World Trade Center atrocity to be projected on screens and arena walls as the
band played the song One.
"I have to say I wasn't sure about it at first," said Adam.
"It seemed like we were really pushing a button. But Bono is a pretty unique
individual, and he's got great judgment.
"He's able to perform open-heart surgery and zap people with a bit of brain surger
y at the same time."
Security around Bono was stepped up last year after one of his US colleagues in
the debt relief campaign received death threats.
Despite suffering flak for his political campaigns, Bono said he had no intention of
easing up.
"I'm tired of dreaming. I'm into doing at the moment," he told Time Magazine.
"It's like, let's have goals that we can go after. U2 is about the impossible. Politics is
the art of the possible."
Bono told the 60 Minutes programme politics was in his blood.
"You can't escape the politics if you're Irish. It's like the two subjects you can't talk
about anywhere else in the world: religion and politics. It's all Irish people talk
about," he said.
He added: "Some people say that being in a band is like being in a street gang and
that you should grow out of it.
"But I think the opposite. I think people, as they get older, get rid of the arguments...
until they're left with only their point of view in the room. I don't want to be in that
situation. I'm glad I'm in a band. I like the row."
Bono's acceptance speech as U2 at the Grammy's raised some eyebrows in the
audience.
On the group's final trip to the podium, The Edge tried and get a word in.
He began to explain how special things had happened to him, when Bono suddenly
grabbed the microphone saying: "He's a guitar player. I do the talking. I'm a singer."
