Should Bono ever release a solo album?

[phanan]

I don't mean this very moment, or before the next U2 album comes out. But at some point in his career, do you think he should do his own album? Do we know if he has some things he's worked on in the past that the band didn't really care for? Perhaps he's got some material that he didn't think suited U2. The Edge has done it once, so why not Bono?

I'm just curious. Quite a few lead singers of bands end up releasing their own album at some point. Mick Jagger waited over 20 years but even he eventually did it.

Thoughts?

 

[matt76]

I think he will and again this is a great topic!!

 

[karls77]

Sorry but I don't see it happening. He needs the three other band members to keep him on target and in the studio. I'm sure he's got plenty of "one-offs" in him yet but a whole album is probably asking too much.

 

[Liesje]

I think he's 100% capable of writing the songs and singing them. I wouldn't be surprised if he never did though. It seems like they're struggling for time to put together U2's albums and tours; I'm not sure how Bono would find enough time to also record his own album on top of everything else and I doubt he'd make that a priority.

 

[TwoAmericas]

NO WAY.

I am sick of these frontmen and women doing solo projects. They are famous for being in a band. I am still upset that Gwen Stefani went solo.

Bono has a strong influence as an individual artist, but he should not do solo albums.

 

[MsMofoGone]

Bono has always said how he couldn't exist without U2,
for that reason alone the answer is clearly NO !!

 

[miss becky]

He certainly *could*, but the question is, *would* he? I think the answer to that is No. All four band members have said many times that they only seem to be able to work together as a group. Bono is a helluva creative guy, but he might well find that creativity drying up if he tries to go it alone. Plus the guys are close, and still friends after all this time. It might be a slap in the face if Bono (or any of them) decided to do a solo project after all this time.

 

[reptile]

Of course he could!
But when would he find the time?
I would buy a copy of one of his cassettes!
Of song ideas.

 

[amerrydeath]

If he did, I don't think it would be very good. I think the people above are right in saying that he needs the rest of U2 to keep him at his best and not let him meander or stray too far.

 

[BEVERLY56]

Bono freely admits that none of the guys (save perhaps Edge) is much of a musician on his own. He knows that together, they are so much bigger than the sum of the individual parts.

 

[BEVERLY56]

Bono freely admits that none of the guys (save perhaps Edge) is much of a musician on his own. He knows that together, they are so much bigger than the sum of the individual parts.

 

[BEVERLY56]

(red faced - hit enter twice-wasnt that good the first time!)

 

[00Kevin]

I don't see it happening. Bono seems like one of those guys that wouldn't do anything without including the other guys in the band

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yes, I'd love to hear it

He also needs to do a spoken word CD of poetry

 

[indra]

He also needs to do a spoken word CD of poetry

Now that could be cool.

I doubt I'd be interested in a Bono solo album though.

 

[phanan]

He also needs to do a spoken word CD of poetry

Very intriguing thought!

 

[MumblingBono]

I think an Edge solo record would be far more interesting.

 

[U2girl]

It would be interesting - same goes for a solo Edge album - but I doubt it.
I think the other three would find their way onto the album in some way or another.

 

[burns]

once i was listening to a u2 marathon (i think the station originated in cleveland) and they played a track of bono reciting some poem (sorry i can't remember what the poem was) and then doing an a capella version of mothers of the disappeared.

THAT WAS GREAT

i believe it was for a south american charity album

i'v never heard it since, does anyone have an mp3 of it?

 

[Utoo]

i think he could & i'd definitely buy it, though i'd rather just get a new album with the whole band. He's done so many soundtracks and duets, etc. (Sinatra, Wyclef, Andrea Boccelli, Ray Charles & Stevie Wonder, among others) that you could almost compile a solo album with things he's already recorded.

Technically, Edge's album was a soundtrack to the movie "Captive".....he wrote it all, so I guess it's kind of a solo album, but not quite officially.... Great album, though!

 

[Utoo]

once i was listening to a u2 marathon (i think the station originated in cleveland) and they played a track of bono reciting some poem (sorry i can't remember what the poem was) and then doing an a capella version of mothers of the disappeared.

THAT WAS GREAT

i believe it was for a south american charity album

i'v never heard it since, does anyone have an mp3 of it?

It was called "Driving To Midnight Mass." It's a fairly young-sounding Bono reading a poem of another Irishman, with a backing track of "New Years Day." It sounds like it was recorded for a Christmastime radio show or something. 'Tis pretty cool.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Heh, U2's the only band I like in which the lead singer hasn't gone off and done a solo career .

I'd be interested to see what all he'd do with a solo release, and I like the idea of a spoken-word poetry CD, too. But I don't really see him actually doing so anytime soon-as stated, he feels really comfortable with the other guys, has said it'd be weird to not be around them making music, so it doesn't seem all that likely. But who knows.

Angela

 

[starvinmarvin]

I hope he doesn't, I'd rather he devote himself entirely to U2, but I think Edge would be the best solo artist out of any band member. He is (arguably) the best songwriter of the 4, and he can sing very well - sometimes he even sounds like Bono (or Bono sounds like him). Plus he is an entertaining stage presence.

 

[BVS]

I think Bono could do it if it was with a collaborator like what Gavin does with Maurice.

I don't think anyone else in the band could do it. Technically Edge could, but I don't think it would be very interesting.

 

[phanan]

I think Bono could do it if it was with a collaborator like what Gavin does with Maurice.

That's an interesting idea. Not necessarily a solo album, but a side project nonetheless.

Kind of like when Michael Hutchence took a break from INXS after the worldwide success of Kick and did the Max Q project with Ollie Olsen.

 

[innocent_eyes]

nah, he'd never finish on his own, and i dfon't think he likes the whole studio thing....he lives for the live shows, and i don't see him touring solo!

 

[Bono's shades]

I don't think it would happen unless U2 broke up. And if he did, it would probably be an album of duets and collaborations.

 

[Utoo]

nah, he'd never finish on his own

hehe---so true!

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

NO WAY.

I am sick of these frontmen and women doing solo projects. They are famous for being in a band. I am still upset that Gwen Stefani went solo.

Bono has a strong influence as an individual artist, but he should not do solo albums.

Yeah, but the stuff Gwen was doing solo is pretty much stuff that would NEVER work with No Doubt. It's quirky, weird, funky, and fun. A lot of people are crying foul, but the point is that sometimes musical interests fall far out of a band's style. Granted, U2 can do just about anything they want well, but I for one don't want a U2 album with nothing but crooner numbers.

 

[Utoo]

Yeah, but the stuff Gwen was doing solo is pretty much stuff that would NEVER work with No Doubt. It's quirky, weird, funky, and fun. A lot of people are crying foul, but the point is that sometimes musical interests fall far out of a band's style. Granted, U2 can do just about anything they want well, but I for one don't want a U2 album with nothing but crooner numbers.

I think what makes it hard for some folks is when the first solo album becomes a second solo album...and so on. Solo projects are fun & cool, but I always hope that the band gets back together.


Here goes my 200th post!!!