He went to a voice trainer or something along that lines, I believe it was AB era and brought him the soundcheck tapes of a show, and the guy listened to them and told Bono no wonder his voice was sore/overextended: he was hitting notes that Opera singers hit once or twice in one show- except Bono was hitting them sometimes three times in one song!
I'm currently reading that Concert Documentary books and it's amazing the man hasn't completely worn out his vocal chords- every few shows his voice is raspy b/c of overextenuating it on certain nights, in order to convey his earnst or whatever.
I've a couple articles by Khoa Tran of @u2 on this, but I'll post the most recent:
March 31, 2002
The State of Bono's Vox, Revisited
A little over two years ago, I wrote a column for this website analysing the vocal
problems that Bono has had over the course of U2's career. That, of course, was
before the release of All That You Can't Leave Behind, and before the band
embarked upon the Elevation tour. With those two major events behind us, let's
take a look at how Bono's voice has held up over the past year or so.
In my previous article, I said that the band ought to start writing songs that
minimised the use of Bono's troubled upper registers. Unfortunately, this doesn't
seem to have been the case with All That You Can't Leave Behind. The album is
filled with difficult and challenging vocal lines. While he handled them fairly well
on the record, and while this does showcase Bono's dedication and determination
as a singer, I was immediately worried about how he would fare on the inevitably
extensive world tour. We are talking about U2 after all. Bono's range is more or
less that of a tenor's (though it can be argued that he's slipped down to a baritone
in the past few years), but in order to reach his higher, full-voiced notes (anything
above the G above middle C or so), he has to force it out, and this can be damaging
over time. We ought to remember that he's been doing this for well over two
decades now. Trained singers learn how to open up and sing in the more difficult
ranges without putting too much strain on their voices. The years of tobacco
smoking and Irish Ceremonial Guinness Intake probably haven't helped much
either. In a recent Hot Press interview, Bono has alluded to the damage that
smoking has done to his singing. It's also been hinted that he still hasn't been able
to completely quit smoking as of yet (it is a tough habit to kick, I understand).
Another factor to keep in mind is that the "break range," the transitional area
between full-voiced singing and falsetto, sells. Daniel Lanois has said that there's
something very special and very compelling about someone giving it his all and
singing at the top of his range. Seeing U2 live confirms this; onstage, Bono gives it
his all and holds nothing back. It must be a physically exhausting experience, not
even considering how tiring it must be mentally and emotionally.
Bono's singing on All That You Can't Leave Behind had its share of truly inspired
and great moments, but the quality of the voice tended to be somewhat erratic. We
find him singing a beautifully impassioned middle-eight vocal during "Walk On,"
but we also hear his voice crack, as he sings "...and if your glass heart should
crack..." Though wonderfully coincidental, I very much doubt it was an intended
effect. The top note in this song is an A above middle C, something I didn't think
he'd try again. Even more surprising, was that he was able to sing and hold the note
during the chorus to "New York" on one of the early pre-Elevation shows in 2000
(the band then went back to its usual routine of transposing all of their music down
by a semitone in a live setting). But even with the flaws, Bono gives a moving
performance in a way that only he could.
Another amazing song on the album with an even more painful-sounding vocal
delivery is "When I Look At The World." The Rolling Stone review of the album
talks about Bono tapping into the "silver" at the top of his range in this song. I have
no idea what the reviewer really meant, but it really is difficult to hear Bono
struggle so much on a studio take. When the song was played live (once, I think),
the band omitted the part with the highest note, the B above Middle C, in addition
to its standard practice of tuning down a semitone. For comparison's sake, B above
Middle C is that wonderful sustained note on the album version of "Pride (In the
Name of Love)." Bono has also hit the C above that in the past ("Who's Gonna
Ride Your Wild Horses" -- "...come on now love, don't you look back...").
Also of note is Bono's difficulty on this past tour with his falsetto ("New York,"
"Stuck in a Moment"). I find this interesting and rather unfortunate because Bono
has tended to, in the past, use his falsetto to make up for the shortcomings of his
regular upper vocal range.
So, with the news and rumours about U2 being "on tour forever," or at least for a
ridiculously extended period of time (thankfully, they've been proven wrong -- the
band deserves a rest!), I couldn't help but worry just a little bit. Bono, hands down,
is my favourite singer. Selfishly, perhaps, I want him to preserve his voice as much
as possible. This means not only transposing the band's music to manageable keys
for Bono, reserving his break-range for one or two "show-stoppers," but also
perhaps taking some time off for a bit of rest and relaxation. Bono, being a
seasoned vocalist, does have strong low and middle registers. Perhaps the songs on
subsequent albums would be better off written in less difficult keys for him and do a
better job of showcasing these. This is something that I really thought that the
band would have and should have done on the last album. The heavy touring
schedule has only made things worse. Listen to the opening night show in Miami
on this last tour and then contrast it with the most recent shows. Does anyone else
think rest and vocal therapy would be a good idea?
I sat down one night and tried listening to different takes of the runaway favourite
live song of many a U2 fan, "Where the Streets Have No Name." The Rattle and
Hum movie version is spectacular, but that was a particularly rough time vocally
for Bono, and in a tough geographical location for singers in general, or so I've
heard. It's hoarse in spots, but the sheer energy and power behind his voice is
undeniable. Next, have a listen to the song from the Zoo Europa show in Dublin.
While the raw power isn't as strong (he doesn't force it as much), it's still there,
and is complimented by a refined polish both in vocal quality and delivery. To this
day, that version remains my favourite. By the mid-to-late PopMart shows, that
vocal power, in my opinion, was waning to gone, and it just hasn't gotten any better
since. For a case in point that I feel requires very little or no qualification, listen to
the Zoo Dublin version (August 28, not the 27th) of "Streets" and then listen to
the Superbowl version. Keep in mind that the Zoo take was in the middle of a
lengthy tour, whereas the Superbowl performance was with plenty of time for vocal
rest. There is quite simply no comparison. Yes, a man's voice changes in eight and
a half years, but this is really quite a change, and is definitely not simply due to age
-- the Edge still sounds fine past the age of 40, and Pavoratti is still kicking well
into his 60s. Finally, while vocal performances varied greatly within tours, the
general trend has undeniably been a loss of power in Bono's upper register. To his
credit, Bono sounded much better on the more recent Grammy Awards
performance of "Walk On."
I have been accused in the past of being a Bono-basher. How one could come to
this conclusion is beyond me (well, actually, it isn't, but I do try to be nice). The
point is that I'm concerned, as a fan, that my favourite singer has had voice
problems while continuing to tour and perform material that he might be better off
not singing unaltered. What he can really do about it, I do not know. From what
I've seen and been able to understand, U2 is a band that will continue to tour and
perform for as long as it feels the need to do so. If the band does write its music to
make it easier on Bono, then the distinctive "Bono sound" will be lost. And I can't
imagine someone of Bono's stature as a singer not having sought vocal therapy by
now, so I am really at a loss as to what further can be done. Maybe that's why
they've carried on the way they have. And maybe that's why I'll have to leave the
rest up to faith...But I still think a break isn't such a bad idea...
I miss the JT/R&H vox......it was so pretty..... not that Bono can't sing now but I remember during Elevation wondering if they still could do "Bad" live.......
Just the occasional off-night.
listening to WOWY on R&H. 
OTOH, there's so much SOUL to it now. 
listen to the Boston tape at the beginning of SIAM the magizine says those notes he hits are equalvilent to a opera singers highest note!!, and it was done by a male rock star
SOOOO from B-man learning from B.B KING and other SOUL and blues artist (who he has said taught him how to put SOUL in his voice)he is better sung and singing.
peace, Rythemwire:
