I spoke to the Edge, who is in New York working on Spider-Man songs. “I’ve never written a waltz before,” he says, feeling pleased to have risen to a challenge. How does it affect him, Bono not being there much of the time? “It works pretty well. Ideas come to him quickly. In a funny way, it may work better for us to have him coming and going. If you’re working on a project for a long time you probably struggle with it, because I’m the guy working most closely with the music, initially on my own. So what I really love is being able to hear it through Bono’s ears.”
The Edge and Bono are that close. It’s not a problem for him to hear through his ears. They choose to spend time together, even though they get to spend less time together now. “He always relishes coming back,” says the Edge, “which is another good thing. U2 gave Bono a platform and the opportunity, so in many ways Bono’s work is just an extension of the band. Our life informs our music. It’s a natural development. The interest in civil rights was there from the start. We don’t necessarily agree on every single aspect of his work. For instance, when he did his photo with George Bush, I was set against it because photos speak so loudly. There was some disquiet from U2 fans, but ultimately I think what he did turned out to be right.” Has your relationship with him changed? “No. We are very close. He is my best friend.”