Just theoretically thinking...

[europop2005]

if John Lennon were still alive today what would he think of U2, or just Bono in general?

 

[CPTLCTYGOOFBALL]

As a huge John Lennon Fan I gotta say I have no idea. Depending on his mood he really didn't dish out compliments a whole lot. It doesn't mean he didn't think highly of people he just didn't always express it. Even with his idol, Elvis, he had 2 very different quotes-"Before Elvis there was nothing" and after he heard that Elvis died, when asked what he thought he said "Elvis died when he went in the army" Same deal with McCartney.

He might have mellowed out had he lived and I think he would have respected Bono and U2, but he probably would slag the from time to time.

 

[JCOSTER]

I think Bono would win him over.

 

[dr. zooeuss]

i also tend to think they'd be good mates, at least by now... as far as i can tell, by the AB years, they weren't any major superstars that disliked U2 or Bono- with the creative risk and leap it took to go from JT to AB in the space of 3 or 4 short years, combined with their passion, honesty and Bono's charisma, everyone from Sir Paul to the Who to the Stones to Public Enemy, Johnny Cash, Dylan, Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Lou Reed, Pavarotti and the Ramones all had a love and respect for U2.

For Lennon to have stood outside of that would have seemed odd indeed, though not impossible..

but while I'm thinking of it.. who is the "biggest" musician//star who is known for disliking U2 and Bono? None really spring to mind for me..

 

[rihannsu]

i also tend to think they'd be good mates, at least by now... as far as i can tell, by the AB years, they weren't any major superstars that disliked U2 or Bono- with the creative risk and leap it took to go from JT to AB in the space of 3 or 4 short years, combined with their passion, honesty and Bono's charisma, everyone from Sir Paul to the Who to the Stones to Public Enemy, Johnny Cash, Dylan, Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Lou Reed, Pavarotti and the Ramones all had a love and respect for U2.

For Lennon to have stood outside of that would have seemed odd indeed, though not impossible..

but while I'm thinking of it.. who is the "biggest" musician//star who is known for disliking U2 and Bono? None really spring to mind for me..

Liam Gallagher?

 

[dr. zooeuss]

Liam Gallagher?

is that true? to be honest i've never paid much attention to oasis. what is it then, one brother is his friend and the other dislikes him?

i was thinking more of musicians older than them, or their own age.. if we count younger ones though i guess that'd be a fairly "big name"

 

[Joey788]

Didn't George Harrison insult U2 sometime during the Popmart tour? If he did, I'd say he's the biggest musician that disliked U2.

 

[dr. zooeuss]

Didn't George Harrison insult U2 sometime during the Popmart tour? If he did, I'd say he's the biggest musician that disliked U2.

ah, i think you're right about the insult.. did he never have any friendly interaction with them at all?

i've wondered that before.

thanks for the reminder, that answer might stand...

 

[david]

I wonder how Julian Lennon felt when he read about how Yoko Ono during the UF tour met Bono and put her hand on his shoulder and said "you are John's son."

 

[cobl04]

I wouldn't think they'd have a lot to do with each other really... but I am of the opinion he would have mellowed as well

 

[dr. zooeuss]

I wouldn't think they'd have a lot to do with each other really...

really?

i often think they'd be great friends, from AB on, that is...

 

[rihannsu]

is that true? to be honest i've never paid much attention to oasis. what is it then, one brother is his friend and the other dislikes him?

i was thinking more of musicians older than them, or their own age.. if we count younger ones though i guess that'd be a fairly "big name"

But then Liam hates everybody. But yeah, Noel likes him and admires him greatly, probably why Liam hates him.

Dana

 

[The Sad Punk]

I wonder if Bono would overrate him as much if he weren't assassinated.

but while I'm thinking of it.. who is the "biggest" musician//star who is known for disliking U2 and Bono? None really spring to mind for me..

Don't forget Hanky Rollins!

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

John Lennon & Bono? Two enormous egomaniacs? Two crusaders of their believe & attitude, embedding the media for spreading their attitute? Two genious lyricists & musicians, with a global following, very focused-on-them-as-"saints" fanbase? Two people with a (bigger than) Jesus-complex? I don't know, if they could be close from the heart – but it would leave for sure everybody else aroud them less space to breathe ...

 

[Axver]

"Wait, since when did I give Bono permission to write a sequel for one of my songs? The pretentious wanker!"

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

"Wait, since when did I give Bono permission to write a sequel for one of my songs? The pretentious wanker!"

Yep, something like that – as said above ...

 

[U2girl]

Liam (Noel) Gallagher doesn't hate the band. They played together on Popmart. He might have an occasional swipe, but it's not really anything as deep as hate.

I guess George Harrison, or maybe Eric Clapton are the biggest music names I can think of not liking the band.

David: forgot Sean Lennon ? Nice Yoko moment there, I thought. The Sad punk: Sadly, death IS a career move. You could say the rest of the world is overrating Lennon too.


As for the original question...who knows ? They have enough in common that I could see them getting along. I can also see them swiping at each other though. Two egos in the same room ?

 

[The Sad Punk]

You could say the rest of the world is overrating Lennon too.

Oh, I've said that many times before.

I reckon Bono in particular has always been a bit too mad for him, though, and I was wondering if Lennon's death pushed him further to his goals.

 

[gman]

I think they would respect each other and the Irish roots of Lennon would have gave them a common ground. He has managed to win Yoko Ono over, so I reckon that would have secured the admiration from John too. Bono is often socialising with the members of Rolling Stones so they were peirs of Lennons too.

I dont believe Liam Gallacher "hates" Bono. His problem is he opens his mouth and spouts crap without engaging the brain.

 

[cobl04]

I don't think Liam or Noel hate Bono or U2. I think they just like their own scent.

 

[powerhour24]

Liam Gallagher spouts off against pretty much anyone the world likes that isn't him. They make good music sometimes but he needs to learn he's not that important and to shut up.

 

[Niceman]

Eric Clapton doesn't like U2. George Harrison didn't.

But I think John would have!

 

[65980]

This is an interesting topic. I believe Lennon would have been a U2 fan in the early days, at least. Lennon was a warm and loving guy who had an extremely sharp and cutting -- not to say nasty -- wit whenever he felt wronged or insulted, or threatened, or jealous.

But it's hard to say because of the apparent "U2-divide" amongst the old-guard 60s/70s rockers. As noted, George Harrison and Eric Clapton seem not to regard U2 very highly. By contrast, their friends Keith Richards, Roy Orbison, and Bob Dylan seem to like U2 a lot. And I remember McCartney saying that The Joshua Tree was the first CD he listened to.

As much as I love and revere George Harrison, his music, and legacy (and have for longer than I've liked U2), I have to say that he was one of the biggest hypocrites in rock. His quaint view of Hinduism was fine, but as much as he talked about the bitchiness of his friends, he was one of the most bitchy guys around. What gets on your nerves is his constant complaints about The Beatles' heyday, to which George conveniently forgot he owed his entire livlihood to. Not to mention he was a coke addict who was bad to his wife.

But I love him. All Things Must Pass and Living In The Material World are two of the best albums of the early 70s, and prove George's innate musicianship and genius out of the shadows of his Beatle-peers.

 

[dr. zooeuss]

hmm... Clapton and Harrison... those probably are the biggest names we'll find... no coincidence perhaps then that i've never been much into either of them, though not for that reason, i'd never really known until visiting this board (and i'm still fairly new here) that they don't care for u2. i'd have to say i like harrison's music better than clapton's, clapton sometimes puts me right to sleep.

what specifically are their gripes, i wonder..

 

[cobl04]

Since when does Harrison not like him? I knew Clapton didn't... is it just a "you're my best friend George, I don't like them so you can't" thing or what? He's in the Into the Heart book for something to do with Pop even!

 

[Axver]

Since when does Harrison not like him? I knew Clapton didn't... is it just a "you're my best friend George, I don't like them so you can't" thing or what? He's in the Into the Heart book for something to do with Pop even!

During 1997, George Harrison made a comment about how nobody would remember U2 in a couple of decades and put them in the same league as the Spice Girls. So, in response:

"Good people of Yorkshire, you've made a terrible mistake! George Harrison says you shouldn't be here. It's all just big fuckin' hats and lemons and air! Well, I've one thing for you, George: pump it up!" - Bono over the intro of Even Better Than The Real Thing, 1997-08-28, Leeds

 

[xaviMF22]

"Wait, since when did I give Bono permission to write a sequel for one of my songs? The pretentious wanker!"

 

[xaviMF22]

During 1997, George Harrison made a comment about how nobody would remember U2 in a couple of decades and put them in the same league as the Spice Girls. So, in response:

"Good people of Yorkshire, you've made a terrible mistake! George Harrison says you shouldn't be here. It's all just big fuckin' hats and lemons and air! Well, I've one thing for you, George: pump it up!" - Bono over the intro of Even Better Than The Real Thing, 1997-08-28, Leeds

he showed him the middle finger as he said that

 

[xaviMF22]

During 1997, George Harrison made a comment about how nobody would remember U2 in a couple of decades and put them in the same league as the Spice Girls. So, in response:

"Good people of Yorkshire, you've made a terrible mistake! George Harrison says you shouldn't be here. It's all just big fuckin' hats and lemons and air! Well, I've one thing for you, George: pump it up!" - Bono over the intro of Even Better Than The Real Thing, 1997-08-28, Leeds

here's the video

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3jKhE2ltziE

 

[david]

David: forgot Sean Lennon ? Nice Yoko moment there, I thought.

No, I didn't forget him. Sean was raised by John and Yoko, Julian seemed to get the short end of the stick. It just seemed like Julian missed out.