ryancoke
Babyface
April 3, 2002
Bono in New York City
By JOE BRESCIA
Bono took a sip of his drink, tilted his trademark sunglasses and took a moment to think about giving up his day job - his music gig as the leader of the world's leading rock group - in order to rock the world as a full-time public servant.
"I don't think so," he said, his eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint behind the blue lenses. "I wouldn't move to a smaller house." He laughed at his joke and took another sip.
Lately, it seems as if the whole world is his house.
Bono may not have been tackling third-world debt on this night, but he was doing his part for the Nordorff-Robbins Foundation, attending an event at Roseland for the charity that helps handicapped children through music therapy at a New York University clinic.
Bono, who has been met with President Bush, Pope Paul VI and other figures with world-wide reputations, including Bill Gates, in his crusade to aid poor nations in Africa and elsewhere, was surrounded at Roseland by boldface names more in tune with his main occupation. He accepted handshakes and congratulations for - take your pick - the Grammys, his world mission, just being there. The group included Bruce Springsteen and his wife, Patti Scialfa; E Street bandmates Max Weinberg and Steve Van Zandt; Dominic Santana, the owner of the Stone Pony nightclub, the the singers Joan Jett, Phoebe Snow and Peter Wolf (leader of the J. Geils Band), and Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic records. They were there to support the foundation and honor Frank Barsalona, the booking agent who represented the Beatles and Rolling Stones for their first U.S. appearances, and who later represented, among others, Mr. Springsteen and Bono.
Bono was in New York last month for the World Economic Forum, one of his many stops around the world. As he meets with world figures, displaying his economic and political interests, Bono has been surprised to find that the noteworthy names can talk about his business too.
"There are more musicians in politics than anyone knows," he said. "Tony Blair was a singer in a rock band. They were a crap rock band, I was told. But they were a rock band. They were called the Ugly Rumor. Alan Greenspan is a Julliard-trained saxophone player. Jim Wolfensohn from the World Bank plays the cello. Bill Clinton plays the saxophone. And I'm told George Bush plays the, uh. hmm uh...the congas?" he said with a laugh. "I'm not sure about that one" he said. "And the Pope played something. But not an instrument. He told me he played soccer. He was a goalie."
Bono said he told the pope, "As well as being a great holy man, you're also a great showman."
"Let's not forget," added Bono "that Catholicism is the glam-rock of religion."
Although he was still reveling in his group's Grammy glory (U2 won four) he was touched in a very different way by the Time magazine cover story last week about his crusade to `save the world.`
"I'm very moved by it," he said. "There's so much interest in what we're doing in Africa and dealing with the AIDS pandemic. That's what being on the cover means. I would say that could not have happened six months ago. The United States post 9-11 has a much more porous heart and is much more interested in the world's troubles."
Mr. Ertegun, a patriarch of the rock business, has no trouble with Bono mixing music and world politics. He greeted the musician warmly, with the look of a proud father with a son who gets it musically and globally.
"Bono is astute enough and informed enough to use his music platform to make the world better," said Mr. Ertegun who found Atlantic Records in 1947. "He's very capable. You can't say that about every musician. But if someone stood for something silly or not worthwhile, no one would pay attention. Bono is worth paying attention to."
Later in the night, during a fund-raising auction, bids began for a Baldwin Grand Piano, handmade from polished ebony. After some sluggish interest, a hand went up in the back of the room at $27,500. Then the man shouted "Did Bono sign the piano?" "Yes he will," said the auctioneer as the man walked out of the crowd.
"Yes you will" said the auctioneer, realizing that the bidder was Bono. When the bids reached $40,000, Bono shouted to the auctioneer "I heard Bruce Springsteen is going to sign it, so I'm dropping out!" The eventual winner was a man who bid $42,500. It may not have been world prosperity, but in the back of the room, Bono was smiling.
Bono even seemed to be lobbying for peace in a business where there may be more shady deals than professional boxing. He gave a speech that may have shocked the music industry crowd when he said "Our band has never been ripped off and our experience in the music business has been a very, very dignified relationship." Mr. Springsteen, in particular, had been a victim of mismanagement early in his career.
Later, Bono thanked Mr. Barsalona for his astute booking talents and noted his propensity, as a warm Italian, for `hugging people.` Soon Mr. Springsteen - who is half Italian - wrapped his arms around Bono. "Let me give you an Italian kiss," said the Boss. He may have been hugging the U2 leader for the rest of the world too.
Bono in New York City
By JOE BRESCIA
Bono took a sip of his drink, tilted his trademark sunglasses and took a moment to think about giving up his day job - his music gig as the leader of the world's leading rock group - in order to rock the world as a full-time public servant.
"I don't think so," he said, his eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint behind the blue lenses. "I wouldn't move to a smaller house." He laughed at his joke and took another sip.
Lately, it seems as if the whole world is his house.
Bono may not have been tackling third-world debt on this night, but he was doing his part for the Nordorff-Robbins Foundation, attending an event at Roseland for the charity that helps handicapped children through music therapy at a New York University clinic.
Bono, who has been met with President Bush, Pope Paul VI and other figures with world-wide reputations, including Bill Gates, in his crusade to aid poor nations in Africa and elsewhere, was surrounded at Roseland by boldface names more in tune with his main occupation. He accepted handshakes and congratulations for - take your pick - the Grammys, his world mission, just being there. The group included Bruce Springsteen and his wife, Patti Scialfa; E Street bandmates Max Weinberg and Steve Van Zandt; Dominic Santana, the owner of the Stone Pony nightclub, the the singers Joan Jett, Phoebe Snow and Peter Wolf (leader of the J. Geils Band), and Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic records. They were there to support the foundation and honor Frank Barsalona, the booking agent who represented the Beatles and Rolling Stones for their first U.S. appearances, and who later represented, among others, Mr. Springsteen and Bono.
Bono was in New York last month for the World Economic Forum, one of his many stops around the world. As he meets with world figures, displaying his economic and political interests, Bono has been surprised to find that the noteworthy names can talk about his business too.
"There are more musicians in politics than anyone knows," he said. "Tony Blair was a singer in a rock band. They were a crap rock band, I was told. But they were a rock band. They were called the Ugly Rumor. Alan Greenspan is a Julliard-trained saxophone player. Jim Wolfensohn from the World Bank plays the cello. Bill Clinton plays the saxophone. And I'm told George Bush plays the, uh. hmm uh...the congas?" he said with a laugh. "I'm not sure about that one" he said. "And the Pope played something. But not an instrument. He told me he played soccer. He was a goalie."
Bono said he told the pope, "As well as being a great holy man, you're also a great showman."
"Let's not forget," added Bono "that Catholicism is the glam-rock of religion."
Although he was still reveling in his group's Grammy glory (U2 won four) he was touched in a very different way by the Time magazine cover story last week about his crusade to `save the world.`
"I'm very moved by it," he said. "There's so much interest in what we're doing in Africa and dealing with the AIDS pandemic. That's what being on the cover means. I would say that could not have happened six months ago. The United States post 9-11 has a much more porous heart and is much more interested in the world's troubles."
Mr. Ertegun, a patriarch of the rock business, has no trouble with Bono mixing music and world politics. He greeted the musician warmly, with the look of a proud father with a son who gets it musically and globally.
"Bono is astute enough and informed enough to use his music platform to make the world better," said Mr. Ertegun who found Atlantic Records in 1947. "He's very capable. You can't say that about every musician. But if someone stood for something silly or not worthwhile, no one would pay attention. Bono is worth paying attention to."
Later in the night, during a fund-raising auction, bids began for a Baldwin Grand Piano, handmade from polished ebony. After some sluggish interest, a hand went up in the back of the room at $27,500. Then the man shouted "Did Bono sign the piano?" "Yes he will," said the auctioneer as the man walked out of the crowd.
"Yes you will" said the auctioneer, realizing that the bidder was Bono. When the bids reached $40,000, Bono shouted to the auctioneer "I heard Bruce Springsteen is going to sign it, so I'm dropping out!" The eventual winner was a man who bid $42,500. It may not have been world prosperity, but in the back of the room, Bono was smiling.
Bono even seemed to be lobbying for peace in a business where there may be more shady deals than professional boxing. He gave a speech that may have shocked the music industry crowd when he said "Our band has never been ripped off and our experience in the music business has been a very, very dignified relationship." Mr. Springsteen, in particular, had been a victim of mismanagement early in his career.
Later, Bono thanked Mr. Barsalona for his astute booking talents and noted his propensity, as a warm Italian, for `hugging people.` Soon Mr. Springsteen - who is half Italian - wrapped his arms around Bono. "Let me give you an Italian kiss," said the Boss. He may have been hugging the U2 leader for the rest of the world too.
