Superbowl Bono's voice

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Tony

The Fly
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I was just watching the superbowl performance and was wondering what was the problem with Bono's voice. Was he sick or something? I'm sure he knew he had to keep it since it was the superbowl halftime! I mean I hope he has been careful with his voice a couple a days before. I was expecting a 100% healty voice. I'm a little disapointed with that because it was occasion to show EVERYBODY that U2 are awsome live. But, without a healty Bono, it's another ball game. What a day to lose it...
 
I dunno if he was sick, but it was very raspy. thankfully no one really noticed and it didn't take away from the performance- i myself was only vaguely aware of it watching it for the first time, and realized how raspy it was on the 2nd run through. he probably was out partying the night before, or talkin too much at WEF and stuff.


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Every reason that's not enough
Is falling, falling at your feet


High..Higher
Macphisto: Try A Taste Of Martini
 
Obviously you people are totally wrong to even suggest that there is anything remotely wrong with Bono's voice! How dare you?
 
Originally posted by The Wanderer:
Bono's voice is faltering, no denying that, but usually it's decent enough not to detract from the overall live performance of the band


You said it. The superbowl performance, his voice was a bit shot, but he responded to that with so much energy and passion it was far far better than almost all modern rock singers. He's good at doing that, incidentally.



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"Hold on to the corners of today, and we'll fold it up to save until it's needed."
 
I think we, as U2 fans simply expect too much from Bono sometimes. Give him a break.

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The wind will crack in winter time
No spoken words, just a scream


My Lair
 
Agreed, Bono's voice was actually pretty decent at the Superbowl. I've listened to bootlegs where it sound like he swallowed some glass at dinner. Let's face it folks, he trashed his voice during the Lovetown tour. Smoked it out during Zoo TV, and tried too hard to compensate during Popmart. Elevation Tour voice was pretty good compared to some of the squeaks and croaks during Popmart. Who remember's Robert Plant trying to belt out old Zeppelin hits during the late 80's and early 90's. Not pretty. Bono seems to do a better job with U2's older hits. Cut the man some slack. Enjoy them.
 
We need to accept the fact that Bono's voice is going to get progressively worse with each passing year. He's aging. These things happen. His range will diminish and his low end will become rougher. It happens to every singer who doesn't off himself at the age of 27.
The Superbowl performance was a little rough but what worried me was the newly recorded version of Stay. Even studio gimmickry couldn't hide that Bono's voice has gotten considerably more "scratchy" in the past year.

But hell, he's Bono. The man will find new ways of expressing himself vocally. He's a better singer now with his diminished chops then he was in the late eighties and early nineties when his voice was at its peak.

MAP
 
Hey, he's 41, not 42!

I'm always amused by how different people react to Bono's voice nowadays. I thought that his voice at the Superbowl was frankly godawful, yet I've read a few fans saying that it was heaps better than on the Elevation DVD.
 
Well i dared to say his voice was croaky during the superbowl when those threads were first up but was made to feel i was mean and ungrateful to say it.
mine was just a query.

However, i personally wouldn't say its a disappointment. the man should be allowed to have bad days for goodness sake.
And MIB is right, it never detracts from the overall performance.
 
I guess we are avoiding the real subject of my topic. I don't want to talk about the voice of Bono now in general (because we had several trends on it) but at the suberbowl only. I just cannot understand why he wasn't on 100% when he knew it was the biggest event of the year. I cannot imagine him doing party the night before. It's a non sense. Maybe he did and you see the result. Or maybe he had a flu. Just want to know

I'm curious
wink.gif
 
I agree, his voice was VERY raspy during the Super Bowl. However, unlike some, the first time I watched it I was in "pain" for poor Bono - but on the second watching, it didn't seem as bad as I thought it was on the first listen.

However, I have noticed that when Bono is at his most raspy, his vocals sound like Scott Stapp at his best! This is because Stapp naturally sings in this baritone, raspy, screaming voice.

I wonder if this is the reason so many people thought U2 sounded so good during the Super Bowl - they've grown used to Stapp and Durst style of vocals....
 
U2 are always innovating right?

maybe bono could revolutionize music with some sort of non-verbal singing method. no?
 
Originally posted by Tony:
I just cannot understand why he wasn't on 100% when he knew it was the biggest event of the year. I cannot imagine him doing party the night before. It's a non sense. Maybe he did and you see the result. Or maybe he had a flu. Just want to know

I'm curious
wink.gif

I think his voice wasn't 100% because he just got off of the Elevation Tour and he had just been speaking non-stop for 5 days (or so) at the World Economic Forum. Bono is quite a jibber-jabberer, and has always talked himself into oblivion. Not being 100% was not a conscious decision - his performance was certainly 200% - people the world over felt what he and the band were getting across - but his voice was clearly strained from recent over-usuage, and not from partying the night before.
 
Hey...at least he wasn't lip-syncing!
I didn't think it sounded bad.

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"Being one can be great but respecting differences can be greater." - Bono in Belfast, 8/26/97

"Don't forget to fasten your condom.." -Steve Martin, Father of the Bride

u2er@u2email.com
 
I think it is about time that the masses realize that Bono's voice isn't exactly what it used to be. I think his voice sounded great and I think the band, as one, was outstanding. Bono's voice breaks a few times when he sings "MLK" and people jump on the notion that he's lost his voice.

I remember many people thinking that he wouldn't be able to keep his voice during The Elevation Tour - and I think those people were sorely mistaken. The isn't the Achtung or Pop era anymore. It's the Soul period. Cheers to those that don't turn on Bono's voice.

~z~

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" You love this town - even if that doesn't ring true. You've been all over, and it's been all over you " - Bono

" Don't you know there ain't no Devil, that's just God when he's drunk " - Tom Waits
 
His voice is rough, yes, we have all listened to it's regression over the past ten years, but what about his HAIR? The combover mullet...and his bad eye job? The dude is getting older...my age!...we do all need to accept that he is no longer the Bono of JT days.
 
Originally posted by ballykissangel:
His voice is rough, yes, we have all listened to it's regression over the past ten years, but what about his HAIR? The combover mullet...and his bad eye job? The dude is getting older...my age!...we do all need to accept that he is no longer the Bono of JT days.

Okay, so Bono is a middle-aged, balding croaky-voiced singer with a bad eye job? Oh, and did I forget to mention overweight too. Sure, whatever...
Call me crazy but I still find him sexy as hell
biggrin.gif
And I'm 22.
Geez, the poor guy doesn't need any critics, his own fans are making a good enough job putting him down. And if 41 is so old, Sting, McCartney and Jagger should be dead and buried by now. BTW, I'm not in denial, I thought the Superbowl performance was painful to listen to, not one of his best.

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Get your head out of the mud baby...

All our songs are about God or women, and we often get the two mixed up.--Bono

My strongest trait is curiosity, I'm just lifting stones, you know, opening doors. Looking out windows, around corners, up skirts...--Bono
 
Originally posted by u2er:
Hey...at least he wasn't lip-syncing!
I didn't think it sounded bad.


No kidding!

I remember how cool we all thought it was that Bono wasn't going to be lip-synching...but then people say his voice was bad.

If he had been lip-synching, they probably could have pre-recorded everything when his voice was in tip top shape.

I prefer raw and earnest performances.


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"Hallelujah, Heaven's white rose,
The doors you open...I just can't close..."
 
Originally posted by Tony:
HelloAngel

How come he didn't had trouble (from the exeption of Albany) or a scatchy voice on the Elevation tour? You say that he was not 100% because has been speaking non-stop for 5 days at the World Economic Forum. I think that speaking 5 days will not affect your voice as much as touring every single day. So how come speaking messed his voice and not singing almost every day on the tour?


My.. you're certainly humpty about this.

Basically, I was just repeating what press agents have reported after speaking to Bono, and what my own observations are. Like everyone has said - he's getting older, his voice will suffer from years of impassioned singing. He's wonderful - and obviously I can't speak for why his voice doesn't croak all the friggin time on tour. I can't possibly know what vocal cord salve he takes, or what he does on his off days. But basically, he takes care of himself on tour - and he didn't have a day of rest after the WEF, so yes his voice was not at Elevation Tour level - so what? Why are you so concerned? From my POV, he gave 100% - and what they did at the SuperBowl is the stuff of legend, and that is the end of my involvement and concern on Bono's voice.
 
Concerning the Super Bowl performance, I thought "Beautiful Day" went well. MLK started off with Bono's voice cracking and Edge not being able to hear through his ear-piece, in effect, screwing up what could have been an emotional interlude between BD and Streets. When Bono did his shouting/yell during the beginning of Streets, the whole show jumped to a whole new level. All of a sudden, I completely forgot about the MLK mishap and reveled in awe. When the names of the 9/11 casualties started scrolling against the backdrop, I knew that this would be a historical moment for both music fans, as well as football fans.

Bono's voice is like his idol's voice. Frank Sinatra began his career as a tenor and by the age of 40 had seen it turn into a barritone. As long as Bono accepts the transition and doesn't try to always hit notes that are no longer in his range, he will woo the crowd and fans with his image and showmanship. Bob Dylan NEVER had a voice. David Bowie hasn't had a high voice since the late 1980's. Bono has held up nicely, and will sing or at least attempt to sing until the day he dies. That's what he does. It's his love and profession, so I can assure you that no matter how much criticism we lay upon him, he will walk on...
smile.gif
 
Originally posted by Danospano:
Concerning the Super Bowl performance, I thought "Beautiful Day" went well. MLK started off with Bono's voice cracking and Edge not being able to hear through his ear-piece, in effect, screwing up what could have been an emotional interlude between BD and Streets. When Bono did his shouting/yell during the beginning of Streets, the whole show jumped to a whole new level. All of a sudden, I completely forgot about the MLK mishap and reveled in awe. When the names of the 9/11 casualties started scrolling against the backdrop, I knew that this would be a historical moment for both music fans, as well as football fans.

Bono's voice is like his idol's voice. Frank Sinatra began his career as a tenor and by the age of 40 had seen it turn into a barritone. As long as Bono accepts the transition and doesn't try to always hit notes that are no longer in his range, he will woo the crowd and fans with his image and showmanship. Bob Dylan NEVER had a voice. David Bowie hasn't had a high voice since the late 1980's. Bono has held up nicely, and will sing or at least attempt to sing until the day he dies. That's what he does. It's his love and profession, so I can assure you that no matter how much criticism we lay upon him, he will walk on...
smile.gif

amen, and amen
smile.gif
 
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