MERGED ---> Kot/Bono Interview + Gret Kot interview with Bono

[Meghan]

Pop captures a moment, for better or worse. It isn't perfect, but it's too late to change it. The moment's passed.

You (2) got stuck in a moment, now they can't get out of it..... It's just a moment, POP time has passed.....


Sorry. Couldn't resist.

 

[kassandra]

The only people who understand this tribute are those that have read "U2 at the End of the World". This idea of relating RTSS to soldiers was introduced to Bono by Jerry Mele (Chief of Security during ZooTV). Mele grew up in NY and served in Vietnam. He came home from the war with a drinking problem and a drug habit (yes, RTSS is about drugs). He broke his habit by tying himself to a bed and telling his mother not to untie him, no matter how much he begged or screamed. This story inspired Bono to tie BTBS and RTSS together. If you've seen the Sydney ZooTV show, then you know that Bono wore a military uniform while performing these 2 songs. It is a VERY powerful tribute. Once the Vietnam war was over and the military had gotten what they wanted from these young men, they discarded them and sent them back home with PTSD and drug habits. Each night of the Vertigo tour, Bono is dedicating RTSS to those individuals who will serve their country only to be used and then forgotten. I don't think that's corny at all. U2 tend to suffer alot from misinterpretation, and this is just one more example of where most people don't get the point b/c Bono doesn't explain it in concert.

I didn't know that, thanks. I also was a bit confused about the dedication to the military. Very powerful.

 

[VertigoGal]

good interview...

I could understand both Bono and the interviewer's point of view. The original article was shit, but looking at this one, it seems like it was more of a knee-jerk reaction that stems from some valid feelings.

Bono gave a lot of good answers, but I just hope he's not so obsessed with being mainstream that he actually makes music *with that in mind*. It's one thing to promote your music after its done, but its another to let it dominate how you make your music.

Frankly, with ticket prices, the fanclub fiasco, price of joining the fanclub, I think there are some valid concerns about what the hell they're thinking w/ some of it...and the interviewer didn't come off as an asshole at all in this second one.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Selling out is doing something you don't really want to do for money. That's what selling out is. We asked to be in the ad.

That was brilliant.

 

[kakvox]

The only people who understand this tribute are those that have read "U2 at the End of the World". This idea of relating RTSS to soldiers was introduced to Bono by Jerry Mele (Chief of Security during ZooTV). Mele grew up in NY and served in Vietnam. He came home from the war with a drinking problem and a drug habit (yes, RTSS is about drugs). He broke his habit by tying himself to a bed and telling his mother not to untie him, no matter how much he begged or screamed. This story inspired Bono to tie BTBS and RTSS together. If you've seen the Sydney ZooTV show, then you know that Bono wore a military uniform while performing these 2 songs. It is a VERY powerful tribute. Once the Vietnam war was over and the military had gotten what they wanted from these young men, they discarded them and sent them back home with PTSD and drug habits. Each night of the Vertigo tour, Bono is dedicating RTSS to those individuals who will serve their country only to be used and then forgotten. I don't think that's corny at all. U2 tend to suffer alot from misinterpretation, and this is just one more example of where most people don't get the point b/c Bono doesn't explain it in concert.

As for Radiohead, I am a fan of theirs, but just how relevant are they? To computer geeks and rock critics they are relevant, but they are not an influence on pop culture at all. They are off in their own corner. They've sold 5 million copies in the US total (their entire career). That's just not enough to be considered a force on today's musical landscape. I love their music, but rock needs some bands that can actually relate to the larger audience.

Yeah, thanks for that. I read this book, but failed to make the connection recently.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Anyone remember Bono's popmart era quotes where he says he "keeps his friends close and his enemies even closer"?

He said it in his 97 Winnipeg interview aired on muchmusic.

U2FP

 

[ImOuttaControl]

Pop captures a moment, for better or worse. It isn't perfect, but it's too late to change it. The moment's passed. U2-of-2005 can't match U2-of-1997's vision. Let it be.

And frankly, the band's embarrassing themselves by apologizing for the damn thing so much. The future's the other way, guys.

(Oh, and so this doesn't turn into yet another Pop flame war (or yet another flame war in general), let me make it clear that I understand your opinion and respect it, I just see things differently.)

I understand what you're saying. I love Pop the way it is. (Almost that is, I'd personally swap the original IGWSHA and Please for their single versions)

I don't think it's embarrasing that they're a little disgruntled over the final product of Pop. Let me put it this way...I'm in a band and write my own songs..some of which we have recorded. There are a couple of my songs that--even though they're very good--could be great with just a little extra work. I've told friends this and they're like "noo, I love that song." I basically say that they'd love it even more if it was recorded like I heard it in my head. Its frustrating for a songwriter--not embarrassing IMO--to have a song that could be really amazing just sitting there at an unfinished stage.

I just think that if it Pop being unfinished bugs U2 so much that they have seriously considered re-making the album; I'd be very curious to hear what they came up with. It may be better, it may be worse than the original...in any case it'd be interesting.

 

[U2girl]

And frankly, the band's embarrassing themselves by apologizing for the damn thing so much. The future's the other way, guys.

Must be good being so stuck in that era. Why do you feel so threatened by what they do - or don't do - with their own songs?

I don't see why it's so embarassing to say "it wasn't finished." (after all they did 3 single versions!)

According to your logic, do you hate every and all single versions of album songs U2 ever put out?

 

[U2girl]

Apparently Larry didn't as Bono says in his "Larry is going to kill me for doing this" quote. I'm sure Larry was of the opinion that they shouldn't give this guy the time of day much less an exclusive interview. Larry is, as usual, correct.

Well, Larry had an interview with Jim DeRogatis, who has a more hateful opinion of U2.

 

[ultraviolet7]

And frankly, the band's embarrassing themselves by apologizing for the damn thing so much. The future's the other way, guys.

Yeah I've always been amazed at this obsessive need on part of the band to explain why Pop is what it is. However reading in and between the lines of this interview I tend to believe that the justification is more aimed to what they actually did after Pop - i.e. why they packed it in with experimentation and veered off to a more mainstream line. They seem to have an issue, as many rock artists do, with doing more massive records.

 

[ShellBeThere]

However reading in and between the lines of this interview I tend to believe that the justification is more aimed to what they actually did after Pop - i.e. why they packed it in with experimentation and veered off to a more mainstream line..

Interesting point, that they bring it up (being unhappy with Pop) at least in part to explain the direction they took post-Pop. But I think meself it's just that it honestly and really bugged them that they didn't feel finished with it. They talk all the time about how they work and work and work and struggle with a piece til they feel they got it as they want it, til it speaks to them the way they need to hear it. It sounds like they didn't get to do that with Pop, and that at the same time they really liked what they had there in progress, and because they care so much about their work it bugs the shit out of them. It's not an apology, it's a statement about how they felt about that scene and how they regret putting out work before they were done with it. And it's not like some weird problem to want to maybe revisit it and get it to a point where they're feeling, like Imouttacontrol says, that what they'd heard in their heads is what came out on in the end.

Like if you wrote a paper or something and wanted to play with the paragraphs to get your point across better, but shit it's due now and you gotta hand it in. Or the art teacher came by grabbing your piece before you felt done...wait, wait...I *need* to add that extra element...I don't know that we *have* to say, oh sure they're only not happy with it because the teacher gave it a B.

Sure, after Pop, as Bono explains in the interview, they went in the direction of 'discipline', of working within the confines of the 'combo' to move forward, but I sure didn't sense that he was thusly arguing they were 'done' with the kind of 'experimentation' Pop represented generally, or because Pop wasn't a great experience for them. Maybe there was some implication that the muddled feeling they had upon the release of Pop was because it wasn't the best route for them, I can see that. But it seemed mostly that he said it was a bit sucky because they didn't feel finished, never felt full ownership of the pop stuff, no? I would personally love to see what they'd do with the Pop ideas and sounds to make it over as they now feel they'd envisioned it, but I can see how it would be tricky to put out even if they found the space and desire to do it...

cheers...

 

[typhoon]

According to your logic, do you hate every and all single versions of album songs U2 ever put out?

You missed a big part of my logic: "U2-of-2005 can't match U2-of-1997's vision." Single versions while you're on tour supporting the album are fine. Revisionist remixes six years, one album later aren't. If they remade the rest of Pop between stops on the PopMart tour, I wouldn't have any problem with it.

Right now, there's little hope of them capturing that same vibe. If they remade Pop today, it could not be the same album they would've made with the Legendary Extra Month In 1997. I don't think their grand original vision included a watered down "Staring at the Sun" and lifeless arena rock versions of "Discotheque" and "Gone." That was U2-of-2002's vision.

What made you infer that I'm "offended" by any of this, though?

 

[ShellBeThere]

You missed a big part of my logic: "U2-of-2005 can't match U2-of-1997's vision." Single versions while you're on tour supporting the album are fine. Revisionist remixes six years, one album later aren't. If they remade the rest of Pop between stops on the PopMart tour, I wouldn't have any problem with it.

Right now, there's little hope of them capturing that same vibe. If they remade Pop today, it could not be the same album they would've made with the Legendary Extra Month In 1997. I don't think their grand original vision included a watered down "Staring at the Sun" and lifeless arena rock versions of "Discotheque" and "Gone." That was U2-of-2002's vision.

What made you infer that I'm "offended" by any of this, though?

I take it you like Pop, right?
(as I do...)I think you're agreeing with Bono, actually, since he said that he wanted to capture a moment with Pop. Discotheque was to be a no.1 single...as he said, *then* it makes sense. To him, apparently, it loses a lot of its meaning when it didn't become a no. 1 single. Indeed, I'm thinking what you think of as the 'lifeless arena rock' version of it (which I liked)that came years later was closer to what he'd envisioned for the original, something that would communicate in a "pop" way and do what he wanted it do to, *be* what he wanted it to be. As I read it, Bono is trying to say that this is what they'd always wanted, that they're not backing off the idea of 'experimenting' but that indeed they need their stuff to work as no.1 songs. Sure, that might require some changes...for some it might take away it's sonic soul, for others not. He's apparently seeing the necessary modifications as 'trimming the fat' and 'screwing it down'. Some can disagree, especially vis a vis Pop for example. It comes down to that 'niche' thing versus not. I personally love to hear different versions...'niche'y ones, and the ones that would make it on radio and be blared out the windows and so on...then hear the live versions and so on.
We can all have different opinions too on how cool or not it feels to release remixes years later...I can see how it's a tricky sell, but I still like it...for some it might affect their opinion of the band and make them feel 'embarrassed' for them, for some it might feel like a fun dedication to the body of work. Sure, it'll never be the same'moment', but I guess I'm challenging the idea that it's necessarily that somehow U2's 'vision' has changed. Bono is I think arguing that it has not, whatever you think about the feel and effect of their product over time...

anyway, cheers all!

 

[bestfanfromnfld]

Im surprised he didnt ask him about the lottery system.
Has anyone spoken to U2 about this?

 

[Zooropa man]

I just wanted to say that I happen to enjoy rap metal. Linkin Park and Kid Rock are a couple of rap metal artists I happen to enjoy, and I hardly think they need to go away.
I just felt the need to get that out in the open after reading the interview.
Thanks for your time.

I disagree with you. Rap metal is crap with the exception of Linkin Park. It's truly no talent what so ever. It's just distortion and kids screaming of the top of their lungs.

 

[Zooropa man]

So they weren't thinking of Playing "Streets" huh.....interesting. I love that song but I do think that in this tour in particular it has lost some of that humff........ make sense anyone?

 

[Chizip]

As for Bono, he does not have to explain himself to anyone or anything. He is the only person who I see that is really trying to make a positive change in this world.

bono is the ONLY person you see trying to make a positive change in the world?

 

[bigwali]

So they weren't thinking of Playing "Streets" huh.....interesting. I love that song but I do think that in this tour in particular it has lost some of that humff........ make sense anyone?

Sounds like the advisors wanted it in because of the popularity. In my opinion, they could of dropped it in favor of "I still haven't found" without too much trouble.

 

[gossamerLL]

Ok this is going to ramble a bit. I saw show #2 on May 9th in Chicago javascript:smilie('') --the day after the initial reviews came out. I enjoyed the concert as much (well other than the time I was in the 3rd row and helped support Bono as he body surfed the crowd) as any other U2 show. As a Chicago U2 fan, I must say I was disappointed in the Chicago critics javascript:smilie(''). They all sounded like a bunch of whiny little kids that didn't get what they wanted (like inside access). All the reviews had that same hateful tone and it seemed like they all sat together at that first show but weren't allowed backstage so they came up with the same article. I think Kot is not a U2 fan, but rather he kind of liked some of their 90's stuff. But since the band isn't going in the direction he thinks it should go then he is going to javascript:smilie('') all over them. He keeps going on about U2 being like the Stones, well I don't think that is all that bad. At least the Stones are still around and when they tour they give it their all. I'd rather U2 be like the Stones than to be like the current REM and just "show up" for a really lame concert. I have never seen U2 just "show up" for a concert. Ok so maybe some shows are better than others, don't we all have good days and bad? When I saw REM on their last tour (if you can call it that), they sucked so bad it was like seeing a really bad tribute band trying to play covers of their music. Nobody cared if there was an encore at the end because the rest of the show sucked so bad. Now if I ever see U2 do that, I'd be VERY surprised.

I think Bono did the interview give more insight into the current tour, how they feel about the commercial aspect of promoting a song, and the direction of the last two albums, which I feel have both been brillant on their own levels. I kind-of wish Bono hadn't done the follow up interview and the band should be confident in their Chicago fan base the 4 shows sold out incredibly fast. However, some of his comments were interesting. I love that Pop is his daughter's favorite and his least favorite. ;-) I think it is great that U2 has fans over forty and fans under 10!

Personally, I don't think One will ever sound "stale". I don't have a favorite album (uh, CD). I can find something I love on every single album, now how many other bands can you say that about?

 

[Chizip]

Sounds like the advisors wanted it in because of the popularity. In my opinion, they could of dropped it in favor of "I still haven't found" without too much trouble.

 

[WinnieThePoo]

awful , bono goes away from his own ideals

edun, massive sales , superbowl

 

[ShellBeThere]

wait, isn't bono the guy who cockily said early on that he expected they'd be as big as the beatles?! am I wrong on that?

and will someone please tell me what the horror is about being the half-time show at the superbowl? sure, if they had dancing girls with wardrobe malfunctions and staged things totally differently from how they usually do, that would be one thing, but as I recall it (didn't even see it except on tape like in the last year or so! boy was I outta the media loop then...) it was quite lovely and tasteful.
they've been playing stadiums for godsake for a long time now, no?
cheers!

 

[ultraviolet7]

Interesting point, that they bring it up (being unhappy with Pop) at least in part to explain the direction they took post-Pop. But I think meself it's just that it honestly and really bugged them that they didn't feel finished with it. They talk all the time about how they work and work and work and struggle with a piece til they feel they got it as they want it, til it speaks to them the way they need to hear it. It sounds like they didn't get to do that with Pop, and that at the same time they really liked what they had there in progress, and because they care so much about their work it bugs the shit out of them. It's not an apology, it's a statement about how they felt about that scene and how they regret putting out work before they were done with it. And it's not like some weird problem to want to maybe revisit it and get it to a point where they're feeling, like Imouttacontrol says, that what they'd heard in their heads is what came out on in the end.

... Discotheque was to be a no.1 single...as he said, *then* it makes sense. To him, apparently, it loses a lot of its meaning when it didn't become a no. 1 single. Indeed, I'm thinking what you think of as the 'lifeless arena rock' version of it (which I liked)that came years later was closer to what he'd envisioned for the original, something that would communicate in a "pop" way and do what he wanted it do to, *be* what he wanted it to be. As I read it, Bono is trying to say that this is what they'd always wanted, that they're not backing off the idea of 'experimenting' but that indeed they need their stuff to work as no.1 songs....

I understand what you mean, but while it may be understandable that the band might have wanted to round off Pop so that it conveyed exactly the idea they had in mind for the album, I strongly doubt that in one single month they would have been able to turn the album over and come up with something much different than what Pop in the end was. Maybe some of the singles versions would have made the album, who knows - but certainly, it's rather doubtful that the finishing off process back in 1997 could have resulted in anything resembling the 2002 versions. Basically because the 2002 versions were produced 5 years after the album, at a different stage of the band (I do think the band's vision at this time is different from what it was in 1997- people do change!), with the precise information of what the reaction to the album had been and of how their post Pop effort ATYCLB, already a year old, was doing.

What makes me think that what the band are trying to justify is not actually Pop but what came after it is the reasons Bono gives for not being satisfied with the final result achieved with Pop. In fact he says, as you very well state, that what failed is the "communication" or rather "communication on a wider level" i.e. that they could not make of Pop a massive album instead of a niche one. The "failure" apparently stems from the fact that they were not able to bring down the experiment to ground level. However it is more than obvious that Pop both in its theme and its music could have never become a massive album and the band undoubtedly knew that. Discotheque is not Vertigo or Beautiful Day and even Staring At The Sun which could be deemed the most "digestible" track musically speaking isn't either, and I don't think they honestly ever believed that stripping the songs from boom-chas and freaky sounds would have made of Pop a widely popular album in the way Peter Gabriel's So was. (just to use the same standard of comparison Bono mentions).

IMV U2 had become in the 90s a niche band in a Pink Floyd way i.e. massively attended shows, good sales, a world class act but not popular in the sense U2 was in JT era or even more now. The band looked for a niche in the 90s when they turned their back on the success JT had earned them and raised the bet with AB, Zooropa and Passengers along with the ZooTV Tour, but they probably felt some time later that they were not prepared to give up on popularity and become a cult band - not particularly because of the sales issue or lust for money or even position in the rock 'n roll league, but rather for the need of encompassing a greater audience and to produce music that could, as Bono puts it, "change the mood of a season". They could not pull it off with Pop so they changed, because they concluded that they could not conjugate the sort of innovation they were proposing with a popular product. I suspect that they perceived it (and possibly still do) as a failure on their part and would have probably liked to have another go at it, though they could not risk to release "two crap albums in a row" as Bono put it - where I read "crap" as "unable to reach the goal of an album that is both popular and experimental sounding". This impossibility together with a "politically incorrect" decision by the rock 'n roll book is IMVs why all this "Pop wasn't what we wanted", "it was unfinished", yadda, yadda is still being discussed by band members 8 years after the album's release.

As for whether the band are backing off the idea of experimenting or not - from what Bono says I don't see that experimentation is among their priorities at this time. Maybe if they can and have the will to devise a way to combine an innovative product with popularity we might get something more original in the future.

 

[ultraviolet7]

I love that Pop is his daughter's favorite and his least favorite. ;-) I think it is great that U2 has fans over forty and fans under 10!

Did he actually say Pop is his least favourite album?

 

[Earnie Shavers]

That's a really interesting interview. A lot of that guy's questions are pretty close to the sort of thing I'd ask Bono as well. Unfortunately, the answers aren't always what I'd want to hear, although some at least make me feel like there is at least in their minds a good reason for their actions over the last few years. What I mean is, they genuinely seem to believe it, and that makes it a better to me. One thing that really gets me is the slagging of Pop. Plenty of people adore that album, and outside the US it was commercially successful. Here in Australia it was the 4th highest selling album for 1997 - that's a big thing, and the two albums since won't do that at all. I think the albums production was rushed, something that could have been fixed given an extra month, but hearing about overhauling the whole thing doesn't sit right, and listening to it now I think that some of the failures in the production have become some of the little quirks that I love about it. I certainly believe that the production on HTDAAB is far, far, far worse. I don't believe that Pop is deemed a failure by them for any other reason other than it's failure in the US and every single thing the band has done since then - everything - has been aimed squarely at the US market.

U2's first mammoth shift in direction came after Rattle & Hum. An album that was also seen as being squarely aimed at the US market. It was also seen as a commercial cash in attempt. I don't know about the sentiment within the US, but outside it kinda backfired on them, and they went away, refocused and came back with perhaps their greatest album. After Pop they did the reverse. The album didn't sell in the US (but did everywhere else). The Popmart tour didn't do well there (but kicked a*se in Europe and most other places). They went away and refocused and this time chose to aim again at the US. It will be interesting to see how 'the rest of the world' reacts once they take this show on the road outside the US, places that were perfectly happy with U2 as they were in the 90's, lapping up the experimentation and innovation, and completely comfortable with every step they took.

 

[echo0001]

The first time I listened to Joshua Tree, I was swept away. It carried me to a place that I didn't want to leave.

The first time I heard Achtung Baby, I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face. I loved it instantly.

The first time I listened to Zooropa, I don't think I moved until it was over--and I immediately played it again, and tried to figure out what I was hearing. I captured my curiosity.

The same for POP.

The first time I listened to ATYCLB, I couldn't do it......couldn't listen to it all the way through; not the first time, not the second time, not for quite awhile, because--following the words, hearing what Bono was saying--the whole thing sounded like a suicide note. It was incredibly spooky.

I got HTDAAB, something happened that has never happened before--I listened to a U2 album for the first time and I didn't feel much at all. I kept waiting for the connection--and it never happened. I think it still hasn't.

Remember Tigger? Before he'd even tried something, Tigger would say, "That's what Tigger's do best!" Then he'd go and try it and figure out if it was true. I always saw (and heard) something like that in U2--sheer unbridled enthusiasm. Now, I just don't know....it's like they've put Tigger on a leash and chained him to a wall, and just can't see that they might be wrong...

And somebody isn't going to like what I've had to say--but I had to say it anyway.

 

[ultraviolet7]

I certainly believe that the production on HTDAAB is far, far, far worse.

Yeah I've always seen HTDAAB as lacking a clear production concept that IMV conspired against a more consistent (other than commercially) product.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Re: Kot/Bono Interview

The best parts of this article to me-first, the talk about the whole idea of "selling out":

Bono: Don't watch them. Sometimes I've seen a great song ruined by a bad video. Rarely. It doesn't bother me. If I love the song, I love the song.

Great groups were broken up, like the Clash, because of ridiculous concepts like not selling out. The bass player in Hole took her own life. And when they asked her Dad what happened, he said, "She was under a great deal of stress, because she'd just signed to a major." It breaks my heart. It's the cultural revolution in China all over again: Let's rid rock music of thinkers, let's rid rock music of big ideas. I saw it destroy great groups like Echo and the Bunnymen, extraordinary talents who crashed and burned on these things.

...there are loads of codified rules and regulations that are suffocating rock music right now.

. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Bono. I've said it before and I'll say it again-I'm really, really sick of the whole "Sell out!" accusation that so many musicians get nowadays. Anything a musician does is up for that accusation, and it just annoys the hell out of me. Let musicians do what they wish to do. If you don't like it, then don't listen. It's that simple.

I love experimentation in music. I love bands/artists that aren't mainstream. But I also listen to a ton of mainstream stuff as well. I also listen to a ton of stuff that isn't exactly experimental in nature. And I really do not understand when or why this train of thought came around in which being mainstream and being simple was suddenly considered bad. What is so wrong with that? I don't get it.

Ah. It is SO nice to see that I am not alone in this line of thinking.
And I also thought this was quite interesting:

Because if we really believed that all people are equal, we couldn't allow the hemorrhaging of life that is happening in Africa. The tsunami kills 120,000 people, and the world stops. But 120,000 people die every month in Africa from AIDS and malaria. Death by mosquito bite. A billion dollars could save a million lives. So why wouldn't we do that? Because really we don't care.

The One campaign, I didn't want it named after one of our songs, and so Andre Harrell, a really creative man, came up with this idea of calling it Same As Us. I'm not a fan of testing, but it didn't test well, and you know why? Because people don't think they are. People don't think they are the same as us. They'll give them money, they don't want them to die. "But, hey, they aren't the same as us."

Sad as that is, I honestly think that is quite true. I don't like to think that, I'd like to think that people don't feel that way. But unfortunately, I really do believe Bono's right on this one.

Also, it's quite interesting to hear him sing the praises of hip-hop. I've come across so much resistance to rap/hip-hop nowadays, barely anyone I know likes the stuff, they think it's nothing but crap and shouldn't be considered a form of music. While I don't listen to it on a regular basis, at the same time, I DO think it is a very valid form of music, and I think that people dismiss it too easily, as there are some very good rap/hip-hop songs out there. In recent years I've learned to not just write off an entire genre of music, regardless of whatever one it may be-pop, rap, rock, country, whatever, as crappy, because saying an entire genre sucks is so far from true. So it's nice to see that Bono is open to the hip-hop genre.

As for the idea of remixing Pop, while I personally love the album and put it in my top 5 for U2's albums, at the same time, it's their work, and it should be up to them to decide if they want to do any work with it or not. If they don't, fine, I'll still love the album, if they do, I'll give the new take on it a listen, and if I like it, great, if I don't, well, hey, there's always the original for me to enjoy, right? I can understand bands looking back at a piece of their work and being critical of it-I'm sure that happens with anyone who is a musician, or a writer or an artist or whatever else. That happens.

Anywho, quite the interesting article, indeed. It's great to hear Bono's take on everything that's going on.

Angela

 

[mysticchild]

So Bono's daughter has better taste than him!

Well... if that's what they always wanted.. to do a total 180 and become a huge monster of a band again, we can't really argue with that. I do agree with him on the Beatles... without exposure, they wouldn't be considered the staple they are today.

Anyway, long but good read!

Hello there, I ws reading your thread and i wanted to say hi and ask you a question. I tried to pm you but i guess you are not excepting pms. Your name ( Laderia Heights) are you in La? I grew up there. It is near Culver City and Fox Hills. I was wondering if you are in the same place? Hi , I got the wrong person's quote, sorry. Laderia Heights, please get back to me.

 

[Palace_Hero]

I have a question. If Bono is aware alot of people are just now starting to warm up to Pop...why in the hell then would they decide this tour is the perfect time to not play any of it?

Guys, reharse some songs. Nail Staring at the Sun full band. Rock out to Last Night on Earth. Crush everyone with Please.

AND BRING BACK MIAMI!!!!