McCulloch has regularly stated his aversion to Bono and friends and appears to love using the press to express his disdain. Last year he referred to them as “spud peelers” whose ambition was to join music’s elite stars like Bob Geldof, Sting and “all them c—-s who no one really likes.”
This time around, while he was slightly less vitriolic, McCulloch continued to ridicule U2 for appealing only to a younger, less-mature fan base and being nothing more than a commercial enterprise. “Bands all say they want to be as big as U2, but weirdly no one ever says they’re influenced by them,” he told New York magazine. “That’s because there’s nothing there, really.”
He continued, “They’ve got good tunes, and you can see that it works on 14-year-olds. But I can’t see mature people or kids, who are looking for something, something deep — something that you just know it’s art and it’s going to change your life — caring. For U2, it’s always flag-waving and ‘Yippee.’”
Not that McCulloch’s jealous of course. Echo & the Bunnymen begin a UK tour of mid-sized theatres in December, while U2 have recently concluded a tour of the world’s biggest sports stadiums.
Happy Thanksgiving from U2TOURFANS
Break time for the crew, the band and us too. As we kick back here in America grab some food and drink we are reminded of those that are in the fight of their lives. Aung San Suu Kyi and others like her fight for those rights which we enjoy.
We are off for the holiday and shall return shortly after. - Cheers to all. We thank you for all your support and comments.
Bono Offers Some Drunken Words of Wisdom
As modern rock sages go, few equal the breadth (and ego) of U2’s Bono. So it’s nice to see when he’s not preaching about world debt, Catholicism or the bird-like qualities of Evan Rachel Wood’s singing voice, the Irish singer takes time to share his years of experience to a new generation of rock stars.
Such was the case at a recent party in New York when a rather inebriated Bono took drummer Dominic Howard from 360 Tour openers Muse aside for “a drunken chat about things.”
“We were just nattering on about music,” Howard tells Spinner. “He had a go at passing on his wisdom, though it was mostly a pat on the back, I think.
“There are a lot of similarities between our band and theirs,” Howard continues. “They took a long time to get to the big stuff in America, as well — ‘Joshua Tree’ was their fifth album. They spent years making albums and getting bigger and bigger and learning their craft before they got to the big stadium stuff and we talked about how that was the right way to go about that.”
Bono and “Special Friends” After listening intently to the elder Irish statesman, Howard eventually worked up the courage to tell the vocalist that, while he had been a fan for several years, he had never attended a U2 concert until his band began their tour with the rock behemoths at New York’s Giants Stadium.
“I told him my first time seeing his band was in New York and how I thought it was a great show. I could see that despite they’re on their 12th album or whatever they’re still enjoying it, still on top of their game. We just talked about how I was very impressed, genuinely, and he was saying similar things. He told me that if you stay together and keep on making music you can achieve what you want to achieve. You know, just wisdom.”
Top 10 U2 Songs of all time
Today we thought about something on the lite side after yesterday’s story on Bono, who would have ever thought we would get so many comments. Our collection based on our likes, of course we welcome your thoughts too. Also remember if your looking for a gift for the holiday we have a great selection of items either in our amazon story or our music store.
We think part of what makes U2 so great to listen to is that every fan could have a different list of favorites and it would be hard to argue against any of them. A few other AC Content producers have already published their take on the Top Ten Songs by U2. Here are our ten favorite U2 songs along with a few brief comments on why we love them enough to put them on this list.
10. With or Without You - The Joshua Tree
This song has a great moody feel. I love the way it slowly builds and builds and builds until Bono finally cuts loose at the three minute mark. Time and cigarettes have taken a bit of a toll on Bono’s voice, but in the days of The Joshua Tree he could soar like very few vocalists can.
9. All I Want is You - Rattle and Hum
This choice is all about Bono. It’s one of my favorite vocals by him. Most singers today seem to try and prove how talented they are by oversinging everything so it’s especially lovely to hear something as quiet and understated as this vocal performance.
8. City of Blinding Lights - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
We like Vertigo and we love Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own, but this is the song from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb that I keep coming back to. It has a big, building, uplifting melody that we love. U2 does this kind of soaring song better than anyone else. Very Where the Streets Have No Nameish. We also want to point out on the 360 tour this song fits so nice with the stage and lights.
7. Pride (In the Name of Love) – Rattle and Hum
I love the lines, “Free at last/They took your life/They could not take your pride.” Plus a Jesus reference! (“One may betrayed with a kiss.”) love that U2 has never been afraid to mix the secular and the spiritual.
6. Acrobat - Achtung Baby For a period in the 90’s, U2 moved away from their mostly hopeful, upbeat music. This song really encompasses the darker, more cynical attitude of that time. It’s definitely a different mood but, no surprise, a lot of the music is just as good as the material that preceded it. “I must be an acrobat/To talk like this and act like that” is a feeling that most people have had at some point in their lives.
5. Running to Stand Still – The Joshua Tree
Another beautiful melody. I love Edge’s twanging guitar at the very beginning. Plus I’m a sucker for songs with things like “Ha La La La De Day, Ha La La La De Day” in them. Fun to sing along with. Oh, and there’s harmonicas!
4. Beautiful Day - All That You Can’t Leave Behind
The students I work with every day are 11 and 12 and I can’t believe the junk they listen to. I catch snatches of it here and there or they’ll insist on playing this “really awesome” song for me. The language is awful and the lyrics are sexist, violent, or just plain hateful. So I love that one of the biggest rock bands in the world came back from a long hiatus with a song called Beautiful Day featuring lyrics as simple and direct as, “It’s a beautiful day/Don’t let it slip away.” I love the “daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay”s in the background. This song makes me so, so happy. It has a very joyful feeling about it.
3. I Will Follow - Boy
Awwww, Bono sounds so young! Twenty-five years later this song still sounds as fresh and energetic as it did the day it was released.
2. Until the End of the World - Achtung Baby
How can you not love a rock star who writes a song from the point of view of Judas Iscariot? Fabulous. One of my favorite songs ever. The lyrics, the tune, the sheer creativity of the idea behind it – all amazing. I don’t know if I’d say Bono has one of the greatest pure voices, but he can get to the heart and emotion of a song like very few people singing right now can. He totally delivers every time, and this is one of the best examples of that.
1. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For - The Joshua Tree I kind of feel like this is a pretty cliched song to pick as my favorite U2 song, but everyone in the world knows it for a reason: It’s a great song. I love that one of the band’s most popular songs contains some of the most direct references to Christianity (“I believe in the kingdom come/When all the colors will bleed into one/Bleed into one/But yes I’m still running/You broke the bonds/And you loosed the chains/Carried the cross and all my shame/All my shame/You know I believe it…”) As I said earlier, the combination of secular and religious ideas is one of my favorite things about U2. Their music is filled to the brim with religious references and not generic “spiritual” ideas – references that are very specific to Christianity, the Bible, and Jesus. People are so quick to separate secular and religious – one goes here, and one goes there, and never shall the two meet – and I love that U2 doesn’t do that. Even when I’m not sure I entirely agree with something they’ve expressed, it’s always thoughtful and honest and sincere, and I can’t help but appreciate that.
Of course you can download the whole collection of U2 songs direct from iTunes.
The 10 Commandments of Bono
Remember we are a fan based site and because we are a fan based site sometimes people send in interesting points of view from the other side of the street.
We continue to review guest writers and have been thinking about a couple of new stories. We have yet to finish up on our selections. So if your interested and believe that your story should be shared, please send us your thoughts before writing a full article.
Today’s story is a bit long and we would say that this view is not something we would endorse, rather than not share it and throw it aside as some would suggest we thought it was more important to share a different view. This for sure will make us remember why we are fans and that at times when your at the top of your game some will throw rocks at you. Of course Bono and the boys know this by now, or else they would have tossed in the towel many years back.
The 10 Commandments of Bono
Thou Shalt Not Worship Any Gods Before Me
First and foremost, Bono demands that we adhere to this fundamental rule. Some may mock, but whether he is saving the world one continent at a time or patronising leaders of other faiths, it is clear that Paul Hewson is the earthly vessel of the Lord Bono Vox (that’s Latin for “Good Voice”, in case you were in any doubt as to the majesty of his heavenly singing).
Practising Bonoists have been following his divine teachings since the early-80s Mullet Era. But now it seems that other religions are starting to wise up and preach the word of Bono.
Thou Shalt Not Steal (Cowboy Hats)
In 2006 Bono taught mankind that theft is a grave sin. Even if the victim is a multi-millionaire. And the stolen item is a hat. And the perpetrator is an ex-employee. Who maintains that the hat was a gift. And the theft occurred in 1987. Even then, the principle holds, and justice must be done. Even if it makes you look petty.
Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery
There was much controversy last month over the (un-incriminating) photographs of Bono and two attractive, bikini-clad young ladies that were plastered all over Facebook, then subsequently (and inexplicably) all over the front page of the Mail on Sunday, then predictably (and amusingly) all over the web, and finally replicated here, just for reference.However, Bono, it should be stressed, is a committed family man. And, as just about every article that ran these pictures carefully stated, his “26-year marriage to wife Ali is famously strong”.Follow his virtuous example people. But be mindful of the dangers of social network sites.
Though Shalt Go Forth and Promote the New Gospel of Wealth
Bono’s perspective on wealth is a thorny issue for his followers due the bewildering contradictions inherent in his actions and teachings. But on careful inspection one can glean his true underlying message. For beneath the selfless anti-poverty posturing, lies a person in thrall to materialistic aspirations of wealth and fame; evinced, not only by his substantial personal fortune (estimated at well over £400m), but also by his recent acquisition of a 40% stake in Forbes Media through his private equity fund, Elevation Partners.
Thou Shalt Hypocritically Dodge Taxes
Hypocrisy is to Bonoism, as forgiveness is to Christianity. Thus, when it comes to legal obligations – such as paying taxes – Bono teaches us to exploit loopholes whilst sanctimoniously commanding others to give more money to those in need. Bono revealed this enlightened path to us poor mortals in 2006 when his band moved their music publishing company from Ireland to the Netherlands in order to avoid new Irish legislation and benefit from the lenient Dutch taxes on musicians (a common path for rock ‘n’ roll deities to follow). Some argue that this is at odds with Bono’s campaigning for increased aid and debt-relief for Africa. Which is hard to deny in light of the recent Christian Aid report which denounced tax-dodging as the “new slavery”, citing it as a major cause of child poverty and blaming it for the deaths of 1,000 children a day in developing countries (as discussed in a previous blog). Obviously, this report should be dismissed as blasphemy by true believers.
Thou Shalt Murder (Classic Songs)
Having anointed many classics with his blessed banality from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, it would appear that Bono is very much pro-murder. His re-imagining of Lou Reed’s Satellite of Love is particularly annoying.
Though Shalt Be Charitable (if it is Personally Lucrative and Counter-Productive)
As a world-famous philanthropist, Bono has dedicated his life to campaigning for charity. It should be pointed out, however, that he advocates a particular model of charity; one exemplified by his high-profile Product (RED) campaign, described on the website as “a business model designed to create awareness and a sustainable flow of money from the private sector into the Global Fund, to help eliminate AIDS in Africa.” Sounds like Bono’s worked miracles by efficiently uniting capitalism and altruism, right? Well, not quite.
Last year Advertising Age reported on the disparity between the campaign’s advertising costs (estimated as high as $100m) and the amount raised for the Global Fund (just $18m). Elsewhere, BuyLessCrap.org and others, have taken issue with the campaign’s inference that consumerism is an effective solution to the world’s problems by calling for people to bypass (RED) and donate directly to the Global Fund. Before taking out a (RED) credit card or buying a (RED) iPod, check out the excellent collection of compelling essays concerning the counter-productiveness of the campaign and its perpetuation of African disempowerment in the current issue of the Journal of Pan African Studies.
Thou Shalt Live a Life of Hypocritical Excess
Bono’s teachings on excess are best demonstrated by the Parable of The Flying Cowboy Hat. This widely-reported and fist-clenchingly annoying story tells of the alleged thousands that he paid to fly his beloved, sweaty little hat first-class from London to Italy for a live performance. You can almost picture his benevolent face as he screamed at some lowly assistant, “screw the expense, screw the environment, I want me FECKIN’ HAT.”
Perhaps this event was intended to be allegorical – maybe it means that, in today’s world, if you’re a rich rock star, you can act like a tosspot.
Thou Shalt Sell Out to Big Politics
One of Bono’s most influential teachings is that the UK government under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and the US Bush administration are the true heroes of our time. He has taught us that they are visionaries who, like himself, have selflessly dedicated themselves to making this world a better place, to provide relief from poverty and disease for the disenfranchised of the world.
In 2004, while cosying up to the British government at the Labour party’s annual conference, Bono shamelessly described Blair and Brown as the “Lennon and McCartney of global development. Two years later during his speech at the US National Prayer Breakfast Bono personally praised the President for the lives he has saved in Africa (much to the chagrin of many), despite Bush’s questionable legacy in that continent.
Many argue that it’s damaging for a man of Bono’s undeniable prominence, influence and veneration to offer partisan political support whilst also aligning himself with protest and activism. Naomi Klein, for example, argues that Bono’s actions legitimise the structures that true activism seeks to change; as she puts it: “the story of globalization is the story of inequality. What’s been lost in the Bono-ization is ability to change these power structures. There are still the winners and losers, people who are locked in to the power structures and those locked out.”
Thou Shalt Spend, Spend, Spend
A committed follower of Bonoism must also be a committed consumer. As expounded by his (RED) campaign, through consumption comes salvation. It seems iPods are especially revered objects in Bonoism (although it is unclear whether this is due to an innate quality or due to the fat paycheque Bono picks up from Apple, and now Blackberry)
We want to hear your thoughts, post your comments -
U2 to headline UK's Glastonbury music festival
U2 to headline UK’s Glastonbury music festival
LONDON — Organizers say U2 will headline Glastonbury, Britain’s leading summer music festival.
Festival boss Michael Eavis said Monday that the Irish rockers will play the festival’s main stage on June 25.
It will be U2’s first appearance at the event, and comes as Glastonbury celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Eavis said he was delighted to have “the biggest band in the world” in the lineup and promised “more surprises in the pipeline.”
Glastonbury was founded in 1970 and is held on Eavis’ farm in southwest England. It is famous for its eclectic lineup — and the mud that overwhelms the site in rainy years.
Tickets for this year’s festival have sold out even though much of the lineup has yet to be announced. The festival runs June 23 to 27.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
U2: The Journey Toward Ascension (Part IV)
Three Chords and the Truth (Part IV)
Blackstone, MA
In this final trilogy of records, we find our quartet stripping back down. Imagine the excitement of the fans! They’ve been waiting for this since Achtung Baby. All the buzz words and phrases were making their appearances in publications everywhere: “back to basics”, “strip it down”, “four guys just playing music”. Essentially, to “dream it all up again”.
Ok, first things first. Right off the bat, you don’t even have to open the package. Some of the albums released had a special enhancement in which the original notation of flight and gate numbers on the upper left part of the cover were airbrushed to read: Jeremiah 33.3 (which incidentally, comes back again in the latest album No Line on the Horizon, “It was 3:33 when the numbers fell off the clock face…” from “Unknown Caller”). The biblical reference states, “Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known.” Bono calls this “God’s phone number” so it seems that the line is open again.
The only way we can change the world and bring about peace is to truly be the peace you want to see in the world, as Mahatma Ghandi so famously stated. Without God in your life, you can’t see what God sees, when you look at the world. Change your thoughts, change your life.
However, three years after Bob Hewson died, Bono was still feeling the effects of the event. The rumor is that Bono and Noel Gallagher were having a conversation as Bono’s father’s illness progressed and Bono wondered aloud if his father ever did believe in God. Gallagher remarked that he was one step closer to knowing.
The lyrics of this song seem to illustrate various crossroads in which we are on the brink of being “one step closer to knowing” about God. “I’m ‘round the corner from anything that’s real/I’m across the road from hope/I’m under a bridge in a rip tide/That’s taken everything I call my own”.
I’d like to also talk about “Yaweh”, since this is probably the most transparent of prayers on any of U2’s work. In this song, Bono prays to Yaweh (i.e. God) to help us turn this worldly existence around. “Take these hands/Teach them what to carry/Take these hands/Don’t make a fist no/Take this mouth/So quick to criticize/Take this mouth/Give it a kiss”.
In other words, show me the way, teach me the ways of non-violence, and help me find other ways to communicate that come from the heart; from love. Bono hints at the endless supply of love that God has and that it is found everywhere, “the sun is coming up/The sun is coming up on the ocean/His love is like a drop in the ocean”.
My answer is, “Ya’ think?” Now don’t misunderstand me on this; I’m not saying other bands didn’t last because they didn’t have heart, didn’t love each other as mates. Didn’t have God in their lives. But you have to admit there is something missing. U2 is more alchemy than chemistry.
I’m not setting them high on the pedestal here, but you can’t deny that this band has been through some very trying times and again, if you’ve read the books, you know the stories. Just because any one individual or any band has more money or more notoriety, doesn’t mean they don’t feel pain, despair, fear. The difference is how you deal with it. U2 chose to meet that challenge head-on, each and every time. They were committed to each other like bride and groom.
When you look at the U2 body of work, you can see a complete cycle of learning. As boys, they begin as normal adolescents with the usual problems, their worlds get clouded by a veil of organized religion that is heavy enough to split the band for a time.
“I’ve been in every black hole/At the alter of the Dark star/My body’s now a begging bowl/That’s begging to get back/Begging to get back /To my heart/To the rhythm of my soul/To the rhythm of my consciousness/To the rhythm that yearns/To be released from control” Uh…WOW. Coming back around to what really matters.
Allow me to suggest a way of looking at that lyric. Bono seems to be saying, “We’ve had some dark times when we didn’t get along and now I want to get back to my faith and in believing and feeling the energy of God flow to my soul, my consciousness…
I want to think like God, and I want to be released from the ties that keep me from doing that.”
If I wasn’t sitting down when I first heard this song, I would’ve dropped to my knees. It brought tears to my eyes as it closed the show. I thought, “what a FANTASTIC message to leave with”. I found that I was in the minority of that sentiment. But I got it.
People balk at Bono’s “self-righteous, megalomanic” existence, but perhaps that’s because they know deep down that he’s got the right stuff and they recognize that they don’t, but would like to. I’ve always said that the people who knock this band, just aren’t giving them a chance.
They’re minds aren’t yet open enough; open to the possibilities of love, peace, charity, compassion. U2 is on message and if they asked me what I thought, I’d tell them to do more! Let your spirituality fly and do a record of hope for these times. Inspire us.
You can read the whole series from start to finish here.
Editor Note: We hope you enjoyed the 4 part story. As you begin to think about the story and have interests in learning more we invite you to our book store to check out some of the most interesting U2 books available today. All proceeds from any sales goes to supporting keeping the website up and our crew out during tour season So we thank you for the consideration.
Of course you can always follow us via twitter, facebook, youtube or right here.
Next up: We have another guest writer that we think you will enjoy. Starting on Monday
U2: The Journey Toward Ascension (Part III)
Three Chords and the Truth (Part III)
Blackstone, MA
We still move further away into new territory with Zooropa; we keep moving forward from Achtung Baby. Yet, the message hasn’t changed. SOUNDS different, but it’s the same message. Even though this album IS about them, we still have the underlying universal message of hope where redemption and salvation are concerned. Because Zooropa is a tale of excesses, particularly that of the media. We need to be saved from the bombardment of media images and messages.
Of Zooropa, Bono states that there is something in the New Testament “which says that the spirit moves and no one knows where it comes from or where it’s going. It’s like a wind. I’ve always felt that way about my faith. That’s why on Zooropa I say I’ve got no religion. Because I believe that religion is the enemy of God. Because it denies the spontaneity of the spirit and the almost anarchistic nature of the spirit.” AMEN, Bono! “Some days you feel like a bit of a baby/lookin’ for Jesus and his mother/some days are better than others”.
Another turn inside, to Jesus, in “Some Days Are Better Than Others”. If Johnny Cash doesn’t convince you that he’s a preacher on “The Wanderer”, you better turn it up and listen again. Another work born this time from The Book of Ecclesiastes about a preacher who sets off on a journey to gain experience and knowledge of whatever he encounters. Open to the flow of life. And if you ever listened to this record piped through headphones at a decent decibel level, the alarm at the end of the record will WAKE YOU UP. And that’s deliberate.
In all its glitzy-ness, the message is that the glitz of the human experience isn’t enough to satisfy us. We are living in times when instant gratification and an “all we can eat” culture is exploding. “Gone” is probably the best example of that idea. “You get to feel so guilty/Got so much for so little/Then you find that feeling/Just won’t go away/You’re holding on to every little thing so tightly/’Til there’s nothing left for you anyway.”
Now this album, as shrouded in metaphor as it is, yields its share of prayer, Jesus, and God. When the prayers aren’t answered, the singer feels he’s been cut off, “God has got his phone off the hook” (“If God Will Send His Angels”). He even goes a step further in “Wake Up, Dead Man”, which is definitely not a nice song. You just know that Jesus isn’t answering fast enough, “Jesus, I’m waiting here boss/I know you’re looking out for us/But maybe your hands aren’t free”. The song captures a moment in time that can yet again be incredibly relevant 12 years later.
The world’s gone crazy, and we’re all wondering where God is at the moment. “Wake Up, Dead Man” is a call or even can be as bold as a command for God to reveal himself and take notice.
After the ups (Achtung Baby) and the downs (Pop) of the 90’s, the excesses seemed to be purging from the band. Music IS their religion; their version of prayer.
Up next: the stripping down of U2 and God re-connects his phone line.
In case you have missed the first two parts tw following links can take you back to the start