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ONE love, blood, life
Bono: More Than Just A Rock Star On His Birthday *
By Bonochick
May 10, 2003
[SIMG]http://bonovox.interference.com/news/cdg_b_179thumb.jpg[/SIMG]
The best conversations I have ever had with friends have usually been late night talks consisting of random questions. One question I recall in particular was this: ?What is the most powerful word?? Without a moment?s hesitation, I had my answer.
Bono.
That simple four-letter word harbors so many emotions. Just the very mention of it makes my heart flutter. It evokes a whole range of feelings that all splash together to paint the picture of an amazing soul. By Bono opening his heart and mind and sharing them with the world, he has done more for the world than any of us may ever realize.
(Photo courtesy U2.com)
I first stumbled across Bono when I was thirteen years old. My parents gave me a copy of U2?s The Joshua Tree. As I listened to it, I was following along with the lyrics in the CD booklet. After ?Red Hill Mining Town,? I flipped the page and found myself gazing at the centerfold, a black and white shot of four stoic men in the desert. My eyes were immediately drawn to ?the sexy man in the white tank top.? I wondered what role he played in the band.
When the album was finished, I was stunned. I had never felt so passionately drawn in by music before. It was an absolutely incredible feeling. The music blew me away, but what truly amazed me were the lyrics. They were the most beautiful words I?d ever read. Reading the liner notes, I saw that the person who pieced together those incredible lyrics was somebody called ?Bono.? After a little research, I discovered that ?the sexy man in the white tank top? was that Bono fellow. Thus began my love affair with U2, with a special focus on Bono.
I scraped together my allowances and baby-sitting money to buy more U2 albums. I went to the library to dig up old magazines with U2 articles in them. I did searches on the Internet. I wanted to know everything I possibly could about U2, particularly Bono. After eight years, I have learned a lot. I think the most important thing I?ve learned is that Bono is far more than just some rock star. He is one of the most admirable figures of all-time. I believe that he will be in history books someday.
Bono would certainly be deserving of such. One of the most recent examples of that is him coming out on top in TIME magazine?s European Hero poll, beating out competition that included French president Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. How could some rock star beat such prominent figures? He couldn?t. This is Bono we?re talking about though.
Bono?a husband, a father?a man, a child?a teacher, a student.
Bono is a husband. He is married to Ali, an equally amazing person. After over twenty years, they are still going strong. Recent photos have showed the two of them cuddling and looking as giddy as a pair of newlyweds. Bono has women all over the world fawning over him, and he still goes home to the arms of his beautiful wife. The devotion displayed in just that respect is to be admired. He is also the father of four lovely children: Jordan, Eve, Eli, and John. If they grow up to become adults who are even just half as caring as Bono is, the world has much to look forward too.
Bono is a man. He stands strongly for his beliefs and works hard to do what he knows is right. He has never been one to sit back and let somebody else take action against the troubles in this world. Bono IS that somebody else. He is man enough to take on the tasks that others shy away from. He is also a child. When children encounter problems, they are usually nothing that a little love can?t fix, be it a hug or a kiss. Bono takes that childlike innocence and magnifies it the way a true man should so that it truly can have an impact on the world.
Bono is a teacher. In school, there were times we got bored and tuned out our teachers because we didn?t want to hear what they had to say. When Bono speaks, some may try to ignore him. Maybe it?s because they don?t want to hear what he says because they know it is true, and it hurts to hear it. For whatever reason, Bono is unlike any teacher we?ve encountered in the past because there is nothing that we can do to shut him out. He has a unique, charming talent of being able to make anybody listen. He makes us do more than just listen though?he makes us want to change the world with him. On the other hand, Bono is also a student, learning more about the world and himself everyday. He doesn?t just breeze over to places to perform his do-gooder deeds and then have himself whisked back to his mansion. He immerses himself in his activities and interacts with the people he is trying so hard to help. Bono isn?t working to help causes; he is working to help the people affected by the causes.
Knowing all of that, it would clearly be unfair to classify Bono as just some rock star. However, it would be equally unfair to completely ignore his rock star status. Let?s face it - U2?s music is how most, if not all of us first heard of Bono. Most likely, the first time anybody heard Bono?s voice was when it was delivering some of his powerful lyrics. We are also more likely to talk about seeing Bono?s charismatic self at a concert than at a political press conference. With that in mind, we should also appreciate the rocking side of Bono.
As a child, Bono lived with his parents Bob and Iris, and his brother Norman. When Bono was fourteen, Iris passed away, leaving a significant void in Bono?s life. He sought to fill that void, choosing music as his method. A couple years later, he spied a notice on the bulletin board at his high school that had been posted by a drummer who wanted to form a band. Bono showed up, claiming that he could sing and play guitar, which was stretching the truth a bit. Luckily, his charisma and charm made up for anything he was lacking. The band that was formed would eventually become U2.
One of the most significant moments in U2?s earlier years was their performance at Live Aid on July 13, 1985, an event set up by Bob Geldof to raise money for famine victims in Ethiopia. During their performance of ?Bad,? Bono spontaneously jumped down from the stage to embrace a girl from the audience. It was a simple gesture, but the power that exuded from it is something that is still recalled by many, bringing smiles to their faces. It was a moment of sheer beauty, so it comes as no surprise that Bono was behind it.
Throughout the years, Bono has continued to connect with U2?s fans. There?s a certain sort of magic created onstage during a U2 show. Somehow, Bono manages to scatter that magic throughout the venue, making the people sitting up in the nosebleeds feel as close to Bono as the girl who danced with him at Live Aid. There really is no way to explain the feeling. It is something that one must experience to fully understand. What is even better is that the feeling stays with oneself even after leaving the venue. It?s been close to six years since my first U2 concert, and I still have some of that Bono magic in my soul.
I try to imagine my life without Bono, and I just can?t. When I stop to think about it, I am amazed at how many things in my life exist because I have gotten to know Bono through his music with U2 and through everything else he has done. There are friends that I would have never made, had it not been for U2?s music. There are songs and poems that I would have never written, had I not been inspired by Bono?s words. There are letters to politicians that I would have never written, had it not been for Bono informing me of issues in the world. I could write pages and pages, but I will leave it at those examples.
It is so impressive how many lives that Bono has touched in his forty-three years on this planet. What?s even more impressive is that he shows no signs of stopping.
Happy Birthday, Bono?from those of us who know that you are so much more than just some rock star.
By Bonochick
May 10, 2003
[SIMG]http://bonovox.interference.com/news/cdg_b_179thumb.jpg[/SIMG]
The best conversations I have ever had with friends have usually been late night talks consisting of random questions. One question I recall in particular was this: ?What is the most powerful word?? Without a moment?s hesitation, I had my answer.
Bono.
That simple four-letter word harbors so many emotions. Just the very mention of it makes my heart flutter. It evokes a whole range of feelings that all splash together to paint the picture of an amazing soul. By Bono opening his heart and mind and sharing them with the world, he has done more for the world than any of us may ever realize.
(Photo courtesy U2.com)
I first stumbled across Bono when I was thirteen years old. My parents gave me a copy of U2?s The Joshua Tree. As I listened to it, I was following along with the lyrics in the CD booklet. After ?Red Hill Mining Town,? I flipped the page and found myself gazing at the centerfold, a black and white shot of four stoic men in the desert. My eyes were immediately drawn to ?the sexy man in the white tank top.? I wondered what role he played in the band.
When the album was finished, I was stunned. I had never felt so passionately drawn in by music before. It was an absolutely incredible feeling. The music blew me away, but what truly amazed me were the lyrics. They were the most beautiful words I?d ever read. Reading the liner notes, I saw that the person who pieced together those incredible lyrics was somebody called ?Bono.? After a little research, I discovered that ?the sexy man in the white tank top? was that Bono fellow. Thus began my love affair with U2, with a special focus on Bono.
I scraped together my allowances and baby-sitting money to buy more U2 albums. I went to the library to dig up old magazines with U2 articles in them. I did searches on the Internet. I wanted to know everything I possibly could about U2, particularly Bono. After eight years, I have learned a lot. I think the most important thing I?ve learned is that Bono is far more than just some rock star. He is one of the most admirable figures of all-time. I believe that he will be in history books someday.
Bono would certainly be deserving of such. One of the most recent examples of that is him coming out on top in TIME magazine?s European Hero poll, beating out competition that included French president Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. How could some rock star beat such prominent figures? He couldn?t. This is Bono we?re talking about though.
Bono?a husband, a father?a man, a child?a teacher, a student.
Bono is a husband. He is married to Ali, an equally amazing person. After over twenty years, they are still going strong. Recent photos have showed the two of them cuddling and looking as giddy as a pair of newlyweds. Bono has women all over the world fawning over him, and he still goes home to the arms of his beautiful wife. The devotion displayed in just that respect is to be admired. He is also the father of four lovely children: Jordan, Eve, Eli, and John. If they grow up to become adults who are even just half as caring as Bono is, the world has much to look forward too.
Bono is a man. He stands strongly for his beliefs and works hard to do what he knows is right. He has never been one to sit back and let somebody else take action against the troubles in this world. Bono IS that somebody else. He is man enough to take on the tasks that others shy away from. He is also a child. When children encounter problems, they are usually nothing that a little love can?t fix, be it a hug or a kiss. Bono takes that childlike innocence and magnifies it the way a true man should so that it truly can have an impact on the world.
Bono is a teacher. In school, there were times we got bored and tuned out our teachers because we didn?t want to hear what they had to say. When Bono speaks, some may try to ignore him. Maybe it?s because they don?t want to hear what he says because they know it is true, and it hurts to hear it. For whatever reason, Bono is unlike any teacher we?ve encountered in the past because there is nothing that we can do to shut him out. He has a unique, charming talent of being able to make anybody listen. He makes us do more than just listen though?he makes us want to change the world with him. On the other hand, Bono is also a student, learning more about the world and himself everyday. He doesn?t just breeze over to places to perform his do-gooder deeds and then have himself whisked back to his mansion. He immerses himself in his activities and interacts with the people he is trying so hard to help. Bono isn?t working to help causes; he is working to help the people affected by the causes.
Knowing all of that, it would clearly be unfair to classify Bono as just some rock star. However, it would be equally unfair to completely ignore his rock star status. Let?s face it - U2?s music is how most, if not all of us first heard of Bono. Most likely, the first time anybody heard Bono?s voice was when it was delivering some of his powerful lyrics. We are also more likely to talk about seeing Bono?s charismatic self at a concert than at a political press conference. With that in mind, we should also appreciate the rocking side of Bono.
As a child, Bono lived with his parents Bob and Iris, and his brother Norman. When Bono was fourteen, Iris passed away, leaving a significant void in Bono?s life. He sought to fill that void, choosing music as his method. A couple years later, he spied a notice on the bulletin board at his high school that had been posted by a drummer who wanted to form a band. Bono showed up, claiming that he could sing and play guitar, which was stretching the truth a bit. Luckily, his charisma and charm made up for anything he was lacking. The band that was formed would eventually become U2.
One of the most significant moments in U2?s earlier years was their performance at Live Aid on July 13, 1985, an event set up by Bob Geldof to raise money for famine victims in Ethiopia. During their performance of ?Bad,? Bono spontaneously jumped down from the stage to embrace a girl from the audience. It was a simple gesture, but the power that exuded from it is something that is still recalled by many, bringing smiles to their faces. It was a moment of sheer beauty, so it comes as no surprise that Bono was behind it.
Throughout the years, Bono has continued to connect with U2?s fans. There?s a certain sort of magic created onstage during a U2 show. Somehow, Bono manages to scatter that magic throughout the venue, making the people sitting up in the nosebleeds feel as close to Bono as the girl who danced with him at Live Aid. There really is no way to explain the feeling. It is something that one must experience to fully understand. What is even better is that the feeling stays with oneself even after leaving the venue. It?s been close to six years since my first U2 concert, and I still have some of that Bono magic in my soul.
I try to imagine my life without Bono, and I just can?t. When I stop to think about it, I am amazed at how many things in my life exist because I have gotten to know Bono through his music with U2 and through everything else he has done. There are friends that I would have never made, had it not been for U2?s music. There are songs and poems that I would have never written, had I not been inspired by Bono?s words. There are letters to politicians that I would have never written, had it not been for Bono informing me of issues in the world. I could write pages and pages, but I will leave it at those examples.
It is so impressive how many lives that Bono has touched in his forty-three years on this planet. What?s even more impressive is that he shows no signs of stopping.
Happy Birthday, Bono?from those of us who know that you are so much more than just some rock star.
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