Dead Kennedy Bashing Bono/U2!

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doctorwho

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Here is a nifty little article:

MUSICIANS STRIKE A SOUR NOTE WITH U2 STAR WHO IS FLYING TO SUMMIT TO
MEET LEADERS

BONO IS ROCKED BY CRITICISM OF G-8 TRIP


By Mark Jagasia, Showbusiness Correspondent

BONO has been slammed by fellow rockers as he jets to Canada where he's expected to have an audience with the G-8 summit leaders this week.

The U2 singer's efforts to persuade world leaders to cancel Third World debt has come under fire from musicians protesting at the G-8 summit in the ski resort of Kananaskis.

The Dead Kennedy's outspoken lead singer, Jello Biafra, and Canadian folk rock legend Bruce Cockburn say they believe that Bono is being naive and that he'll be used by the
summit leaders "He's a photo opportunity to the G-8 leaders, " said Cockburn. "He's giving them credibility and that's the trade-off. "They'll talk a good game but whether or not they do anything is another question.

If he can make it work, more power to him, but personally I wonder about the value in what he's doing." Former punk band leader, Biafra, said he applauds what Bono wants to achieve but suggests that leaders should agree to cut Third World debts in return for U2 not making any more records.

"I agree with Bono 100 per cent, these World Bank debts that poor countries are being gouged for have to be forgiven immediately, " he said.

"Maybe what the leaders should do is agree to aid Africa anyway Bono desires - if he will in turn stop playing such lousy music!"

Both artists are attending the G-8 summit even though, unlike Bono, they know they will not be invited to meet President George Bush or any other world leaders. "I'm going to infect
people's brains, specifically focusing on the way the Bush administration is conducting its war on terrorism, " said Biafra.

"I feel more frightened of the Bush administration than I do of Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and big bad North Korea combined." (Personal Note: Now this is just plains stupid...)Biafra hopes to urge activists to pressure their governments "to stand up to Bush and his cowboys" and "help prevent World War III".

Bono's other music opponent, Cockburn, says he's attending the summit to educate people to the dangers he sees in corporate globalisation.

"We elect these guys to run things for us but there's always the creeping suspicions that their interests don't really lie with the people that elected them, " he said.



Note that in this article, Cockburn didn't say anything negative above Bono or U2. Therefore, if his concern is that Bono is just being used - a concern that many here on Interference have shared - then I can accept that.

However, what's up with Biafra? His mildly successful group, whom most people don't know, hardly produced great music. Also, Biafra seems more concerned with slamming Bono and U2 than he does with this cause.

And that latter part is what angers me the most. :mad: Why slam Bono or U2 because of their music - what has that got to do with this issue? The two subjects are NOT related. If you don't like U2, fine - but keep it to yourself in this context. Don't let your dislike of Bono or U2 taint this very noble efforts. If you want to be convincing in your views, don't let your rhetoric consists of numerous non-sequiturs and non-germane statements.

Of course, with Bush leading the way, it's of little shock that no real action is being done here. Thanks to Bush, people will now not only lose even more faith in politicians, but in rock starts. :madspit:
 
So Bono IS going to meet with them? I thought he wasn't? :confused: Is this new?
 
U2Kitten said:
So Bono IS going to meet with them? I thought he wasn't? :confused: Is this new?

No, I believe the comments were made when it was *believed* that Bono was going to attand.

However, my point remains. The Bono/U2 bashing is completely irrelevant to the issue of Debt Relief, which, for some inexplicable reason, the Bush administration is now ignoring. Sigh...

Come on 2004 - we'll have Bush no more!:madspit:
 
Doc...remember that Biafra is a punk-rocker. I think his statements about Bono and U2's music are just part of his punk-persona, trying to keep some punk credibility while in the public eye.
You do hafta give some props to the guy who sang "Too Drunk to F*ck", and credit him with being involved in his own way with the G8 issues, but I would take his comments about Bono with a grain of salt.
 
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What we get may be worse than Bush. It's not all his fault. A lot of politicians are involved, and the more politicians the more BS and the more the stew is spoiled. :down:
 
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Biafra should keep his mouth shut if he has nothing intelligent to say on a very important issue
however since the man did write "kill the poor" I will forgive him this one
 
:lol: :lol: :laugh: :laugh: Im sorry I had to laugh @ that article because that guy is complaining because Bono is actually trying to do something rather than just make a big scence.
 
doctorwho said:



Come on 2004 - we'll have Bush no more!:madspit:

We can only pray. Although it doesn't really matter who's in office, nothing will ever really be done. I'm just scared with the way Bush is setting up the government...kind of making it appear only he or another republican could run it.........


As for Bono. He tried his best. he got used, plain and simple as that. He got it more attention, and a little more money, but in the long run, are the people of Africa better off now than they were before? No.

I really hope Bono shakes it off, and uses it as inspiration for writing songs. maybe he'll stop kissing the U.S's ass now and say what's really on his mind.
 
U2Kitten said:
What we get may be worse than Bush. It's not all his fault. A lot of politicians are involved, and the more politicians the more BS and the more the stew is spoiled. :down:


I agree. Bush isn't exactly helping here; he's screwing up. But unfortunately other people are supporting what he's doing-- people in Congress. Also, partisan lines are being blurred. Tom Daschle introduced that horrible farm subsidy bill, and hell, he's a Democrat. If it hadn't been for that some of this horrible stuff wouldn't be going on because the African farmers and countries wouldn't be getting ripped off. About 400+ members of Congress, in both houses, voted for that atrocity. Byrd of West Virginia, another Democrat, screwed the debt-relief amendment to the 2003 budget by introducing some parliamentary nonsense that it had to have 60 votes to pass-then he voted against it. So the way I look at it is no, Bush isn't helping. But he's not the only one in the way. And if you ask me that makes the whole situation even more frustrating. The problem is Washington and not necessarily Bush--even though, heck, yes, I'm voting for the Democrat in 2004 as I did in 2000.
 
Salome said:
Biafra should keep his mouth shut if he has nothing intelligent to say on a very important issue
however since the man did write "kill the poor" I will forgive him this one

Biafra is a bad joke. It really irritates me that he took a swipe at Bono's cause. He questions the "worth of what he's doing"..... yeah, right. It's called trying to save lives.
 
I'd say the guy from the Dead Kennedy's said this because it would get him and his band a little media attention which I'm sure they hope would translate into some sales for their rather unknown band!
 
STING2 said:
I'd say the guy from the Dead Kennedy's said this because it would get him and his band a little media attention which I'm sure they hope would translate into some sales for their rather unknown band!

I didn't think about this but that's probably true, since the article mentioned that he was doing a show that night in Calgary. Blah.....to hell with the guy.
 
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