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Bono: My campaigning upset U2
LONDON, England (AP) -- Rock star Bono said Saturday that his commitment to campaigning against poverty caused tensions within his band, U2.
The musician said that, at one point, he feared his commitment to the anti-poverty cause might force him out of the band.
"They (the band) are hugely supportive spiritually and financially of the work I do, but they are in a rock 'n 'roll band, and the first job of a rock 'n 'roll band is not to be dull," Bono told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
"So we have to be very careful about just letting me go too far."
With fellow musician Bob Geldof, Bono was one of the leaders of this year's international Make Poverty History campaign and Live 8 concert, and frequently makes on-stage statements about global poverty during U2 concerts.
Bono acknowledged that his campaigning had sometimes "raised eyebrows" among his fellow band members.
"When I do my rant on making poverty history, I have got Larry Mullen, our drummer, behind me looking at his watch, timing me."
"There was one point when I thought `I'm going to be thrown out of the band for this stuff."'
"People just openly jeered, and I felt like I was a weight around my band's neck for doing this kind of work."
But Bono said he now feels the other band members recognize that U2's audience appreciate what he is doing.
"I thought we would wear our audience out, but it hasn't happened," he said. "People are smart out there. They know what you are doing, they know the compromises you are making, they get it."
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/31/bono.u2.ap/index.html
LONDON, England (AP) -- Rock star Bono said Saturday that his commitment to campaigning against poverty caused tensions within his band, U2.
The musician said that, at one point, he feared his commitment to the anti-poverty cause might force him out of the band.
"They (the band) are hugely supportive spiritually and financially of the work I do, but they are in a rock 'n 'roll band, and the first job of a rock 'n 'roll band is not to be dull," Bono told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
"So we have to be very careful about just letting me go too far."
With fellow musician Bob Geldof, Bono was one of the leaders of this year's international Make Poverty History campaign and Live 8 concert, and frequently makes on-stage statements about global poverty during U2 concerts.
Bono acknowledged that his campaigning had sometimes "raised eyebrows" among his fellow band members.
"When I do my rant on making poverty history, I have got Larry Mullen, our drummer, behind me looking at his watch, timing me."
"There was one point when I thought `I'm going to be thrown out of the band for this stuff."'
"People just openly jeered, and I felt like I was a weight around my band's neck for doing this kind of work."
But Bono said he now feels the other band members recognize that U2's audience appreciate what he is doing.
"I thought we would wear our audience out, but it hasn't happened," he said. "People are smart out there. They know what you are doing, they know the compromises you are making, they get it."
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/31/bono.u2.ap/index.html