Glad to see it's a mongrel he's got and not some pretentious ankle snapper pedigree woofer. :lol:

When did Bono become American?

 

By Neil McCormick Music Last updated: September 9th, 2011

 

http://i52.tinypic.com/am77s1.jpg

 

 

Always a man for a soundbite: Bono

 

In Toronto to attend the premiere of a new U2 film documentary, When The Sky Falls Down, Bono answered a reporter’s questions about the forthcoming 10th anniversary of the assault on the Twin Towers by claiming he would be “a very proud American on 9/11.”

 

Always a man for a soundbite, the Irish rock star elaborated: “It’s just too big a moment in all our lives. Even if you’re not an American, everyone became an American that day.”

 

It’s a remark that will, no doubt, rankle with many on this side of the pond, particularly those who see only ego and hypocrisy in every utterance of rock’s self-appointed global statesman. I look forward to the usual colourful comments below.

 

But in America, to the audience for whom it was presumably intended, it will be taken as confirmation of the real special relationship. Not the much trumpeted and oft exaggerated post war political bonds between the governments of the USA and the UK, but the genuine bond of affection between that massive nation of 311 million people and a tiny island of four and a half million.

 

Ireland and America have always been close. The Irish are one of the many European nations that built modern America, physically, culturally and socially. You could say the same of Britain and, in particular, England, of course. Indeed, arguably more so. The Plymouth pilgrims, after all, were the true founders of that nation. Yet the relationship carries with it historical tensions, as the new nation only truly became itself by throwing off the claims of British empire, going on to outgrow its parent economically, technologically, militarily and culturally. In a sense Bono’s comment is just stating the obvious. We have all grown up in the American century, raised on the values of Hollywood. But there is a broad sense in which Britain, or more particularly England, has never been comfortable with this notion of cultural subservience, with a tendency to look down on American values, to characterise them as crass, trashy and lacking in substance.

 

Ireland, on the other hand, was always grateful to America providing emaciated refugees from the disasters of the 18th century potato famine with a new home and a new hope. Growing up in Ireland in the 1970s, in a continuing era of widespread youth unemployment and emigration, America was genuinely viewed as the Promised Land, with much talk of how to get a precious Green Card. Of course, most young people simply took a ferry to Britain in search of jobs, but that was in itself fraught with cultural complications, with the rebellion against our British masters still within living memory (certainly of our rather prejudiced history teachers) and its legacy of poisonous troubles in Northern Ireland not helping matters, nor the British comedy stereotyping of Irish people as inherently lazy and stupid. In the US, there was a different sort of welcome. A 2000 US census found 41 millions American claiming to be wholly or partly of Irish descent, one in five of the white American population. Even Barack Obama has proclaimed his Irish roots. Being Irish in America is not a liability to be overcome, but a positive advantage.

 

If there has been a genuine cultural special relationship between Britain and America, it has been rock and roll. The music was born in the USA but was given shape by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and the anglo beat boom of the 1960s. But UK pop culture turned inwards with punk rock in the 70s, and the contemporary band who has most effectively capitalised on that special relationship is an Irish one. One of the keys to why U2 have been the most successful rock band of the modern era is that they prioritised America (still the biggest music market in the world) from the very beginning. With Britain as its gateway to the world, Irish pop had rarely had much success internationally but U2’s manager Paul McGuinness had a notion that he could bypass the insular UK scene and take an Irish band directly to the USA. U2 had an evangelism, sincerity and a penchant for big musical gestures that was often sneered at in hipper circles of the British music scene, but played well in the American heartland. Their multi million selling breakthrough album, 1987’s The Joshua Tree, was also their most self-consciously American, digging into rock and blues roots and addressing American identity and politics (indeed, it was originally going to be titled The Two Americas). And U2 had a work ethic that put British rivals to shame. They toured relentlessly, shook hands, and worked the media. The Clash, who arguably should have gone on to be Britain’s biggest band since the Rolling Stones, went to America with their punk anthem I’m So Bored With The USA and wondered why they struggled to win over audiences. It’s a conflicted Anglo-American relationship that has sabotaged so many promising careers, from The Smiths to Robbie Williams. One of the big reasons why Britpop stalled on US shores is that Liam Gallagher spat at the audience during their debut dates. To take America, you’ve got to want it, and you’ve got to love it.

 

Bono’s comments may have a sentimental ring to them. Most sympathetic people (in the western world certainly) would have felt America’s pain during the terrorist attacks of 9/11 without feeling the need to proclaim themselves American. But the truth is that, like a lot of Irish people, U2 have always aspired to be Americans in their hearts, in their dreams, and in their ambitions.

 

 

The Guardian UK

Edited September 9, 201113 yr by Sacramento

Without being totally cynical here....

 

The US is U2's biggest market. :whistle:

Bono Says U2 ‘Won’t Be Back for a While’

 

Heading up the biggest concert tour in the history of rock music has to be taxing. So, it’s no wonder U2’s Bono is hinting at a major hiatus for the guys over the next few years.

 

In an interview with Guilty Pleasures (via Metro) in the U.K. at the annual GQ Men of the Year Awards, the singer first mentioned how much the gents of U2 enjoyed every blasted date of the 360° Tour: “They say every tour is 10 days too long. Not with this one. We genuinely loved every single night and at the end we were so sad.”

 

However, the 51-year-old says he and his comrades need a lengthy break and won’t be back “for a while.”

 

Bono and his bandmates were on hand to collect the prestigious GQ award for Best Band. “Growing up is not what is meant to happen to a rock band,” he said in the band’s acceptance speech. “It has happened, we are now men.”

 

 

Soource..antimusic.com

Guess the new album has been well and truly shelved then :nocheer:

From

http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/art.../story96473.htm

 

 

Lady Gaga, U2’s record company charged with drug trafficking

Updated on Friday, September 16, 2011, 17:56

 

Lady Gaga and U2’s record company is said to have been used by a drug-trafficking ring involving the shipment of equipment cases stuffed with cocaine and vacuum-packed 20 dollar bills.

 

According to the Smoking Gun, a year-long Drug Enforcement Administration investigation has resulted in the indictment of James Rosemond on 18 felony charges.

 

It means he will be spending the rest of his life behind bars if convicted, Fox News reported.

 

 

Rosemond’s associates, who have also admitted to their roles in the operation, have provided prosecutors and DEA agents with insider accounts.

 

The Wall Street Journal also reported that members of Rosemond’s organization used “road cases”, which were made specifically for musical equipment, for shipping cocaine from Los Angeles to New York, between January 2010 and June 2011.

 

The cases were then allegedly stuffed with the proceeds from the cocaine sales and distributed to music studios in Los Angeles.

 

The company responsible for shipping the cases, Rock-It Cargo Ltd., has declined to comment, but the filing did not say whether the company was aware of what was being shipped.

 

 

:mellow:

Bono new INXS frontman

 

 

INXS have a new song at their website and the lead vocal by U2's Bono.

 

The song, 'Tiny Summer' is a one off.

 

Bono was a very close friend of Michael Hutchence. He sang a duet with Hutchence on the song 'Slideaway' on Michael's solo album.

 

'Tiny Summer' sounds more U2 ballad than INXS. Andrew Farriss commented at the INXS website, "Recently at a party I met a fellow songwriter... an Irish bloke, and we sat around playing songs on acoustic guitars."

 

INXS also put an end to the speculation JD Fortune was out of the band by confirming Fortune's departure at inxs.com. 'There has been a lot of speculation in the media regarding INXS and JD Fortune. To all our friends and family, we would like to say we have gone our separate ways to pursue different musical paths. This was a mutual and amicable decision. We would like to thank JD all the best for all the memories, and wish him all the best for his future endeavours'.

 

Have a listen here http://soundcloud.com/inxs/4697-20110915

 

 

Musicnews.com

 

Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan has dubbed U2 fans "cardboard cut-outs".

 

 

The singer said supporting Bono and co on their 360 Tour was one of the worst live experiences the Leicester band have ever endured. "I didn't take in anything supporting them, them gigs were horrible, worst ever," he told News.com.au. "U2 fans are cardboard cut-outs, can you imagine supporting U2? Their fans are probably into one band and one album - 'The Joshua Tree'. ( bet he still took the money when it came time to getting paid )

 

He added: "I didn't learn anything because that's just a f***ing different level. It was amazing to watch and meet them, but I didn't learn anything apart from just get the f*** out." :angry:

 

Kasabian's frontman went on to describe the experience as like playing to an "empty stadium". "We were the support, so it is what it is," he added. "I hate supporting bands, we're not a support band. So that's never going to happen again."

 

 

 

Source..nme.com

U2 are included in VH1's list of Greatest songs of the 00s.

 

Obviously an American list. I wouldn't give half of those songs listed the time of day.

 

Anyway, link here

 

http://music-mix.ew.com/2011/09/29/vh1-100...-of-2000s-list/

Edited September 30, 201113 yr by Jupiter9

U2 360 Photo Book Coming in 2012

 

 

 

 

 

British GQ editor Dylan Jones confirmed for @U2 that he is writing the text to accompany a big book of photographs from U2's record-setting 360 tour, due out from Random House in late 2012.

 

The photographs are by Ralph Larmann, who captured many of the images featured in U2's 360 Tour book. Some of Larmann's U2 concert photos, along with his other work, are at Ralph Larmann Company.

 

Jones told @U2 the book will include interviews with U2, Paul McGuinness, Willie Williams, Mark Fisher and others, and that his understanding is there will be various editions of the book, with a special edition for U2.com subscribers.

 

As we learn more about this project, we'll be sure to let you know.

 

 

source.@u2.com

Tutu celebrates 80th birthday

 

 

http://i51.tinypic.com/nv8eic.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOHANNESBURG: South African peace icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday in the church where he preached against apartheid, just a few days after saying the former liberation movement now in government was in some ways even worse.

 

Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for speaking out against white minority rule, has remained one of the world's most celebrated figures and is widely seen as South Africa's moral compass.

 

Rock stars, politicians and parishioners packed St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town for a service to celebrate the man who sits on a panel of global statesmen. A day earlier, the diminutive Tutu filled separate birthday ceremonies with his enormous laughter and took to the stage with an African dance troupe.

 

"There is only one rock star in this room, and it's Archbishop Desmond Tutu," said U2 front man Bono, one of the celebrities joining the cleric for the three-day celebrations.

 

While birthday wishes have been streaming in, the festivities have been marred by a row with the African National Congress (ANC) over its failure to grant the Dalai Lama a visa to attend the celebrations on Tutu's invitation.

 

He said the ANC's failure to allow the Dalai Lama into the country amounted to pandering to major trade partner China and accused the party of conduct worse than that of South Africa's former white-minority rulers.

 

He said the action from President Jacob Zuma's government, which had the visa application for weeks but failed to make a decision, was "a national disgrace".

 

Tutu said Zuma did not represent him and warned that one day people would pray for the demise of the ANC.

 

Tutu's outburst was one of the harshest ever and prompted widespread concern in the party.

 

 

 

 

Source...dailygulfnews

Edited October 8, 201113 yr by Sacramento

Bono's famine advert is banned from UK television for 'breaching rules on political advertising'

 

 

A charity founded by Bono has been stopped from showing an advert about famine in Africa on UK television because it breaches rules covering political advertising.

 

The minute-long film, called The F Word: Famine is the Real Obscenity, features stars including the U2 frontman, George Clooney and Kristin Davis and is designed to draw attention to the famine in the Horn of Africa.

 

In the advert celebrities start to say the word 'famine' only to have their voices bleeped out after only managing to say the first letter, 'f'.

 

Full story here

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-20...o=feeds-newsxml

Bono with his serious hat one ( interviewed for RTE news )

 

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1008/globalirishforum_live.html

Album of U2 covers is a work of Ahk

 

 

U2 are always up for a chart battle It turns out Q Magazine are releasing the incredible covers album to mark the 20th anniversary of U2's Achtung Baby.

 

I've had a listen and it's class.

 

The impressive line-up includes The Killers, Jack White, Nine Inch Nails, Snow Patrol, Patti Smith, Depeche Mode and Damien Rice.

 

It's available from October 25 with the mag.

 

Source...The SUN

Blind Man Given Bono's Guitar Pens Song

 

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/only_...song-10-13-2011 ( Video included )

 

 

MESA - This is a story about dreams coming true, but it didn't start that way.

 

At 14 years old, Adam Bevell of Mesa was told he was going blind and nothing could stop it. Adam got through it -- in part -- inspired by the music of U2.

 

He learned how to play guitar, a skill that would lead him to a date with destiny -- a date with U2, arguably the greatest rock bank in the world.

 

Millions have seen them, but few have ever played with them. Adam Bevell got that rare chance three months ago in Nashville.

 

Adam's sign reading "blind guitar player" got Bono's attention. It's a moment that changed his life.

 

"Bono came over himself and grabbed my hand," recalls Adam. "Said 'hey come this way' and led me through all the obstacles on the stage and Bono said 'what to you want to play man.'"

 

Adam's pick was All I Want is You.

 

"Once I hit the first verse he said 'yah you can do it' and he turned around and started singing to the crowd, it was surreal… the level of kindness and his charity he showed to me I loved, and he had a great patience for me."

 

Bono and the band were clearly touched as well. Bono gave Adam his guitar.

 

Bono's Irish-Green Gretche Falcon played on some of U2's biggest hits. Bono shipped the guitar to Adam.

 

At first -- he was afraid to play it. Bono's guitar tech convinced him otherwise.

 

"There were fingerprints all over it and I didn't want to touch it. And he said, 'that guitar is meant to be played, Adam I want you to play it, Bono wants you to play it and the fingerprints are mine and Bono's.' He said, 'your fingerprints are now on this band forever Adam.'"

 

"I was able to send him a thank you letter to pass it on to Bono. I didn't think the thank you letter was enough so I ended up writing a song."

 

His first ever -- a song called hand in the darkness.

 

"I thought how often has it happened to me that someone has reached out to me through the darkness and led me to safety."

 

A thank you to Bono for his kindness that magical July night. He hopes the song will touch others.

 

"I thought that idea, a lot of people can relate to that idea, because you don't have to be blind to have lost your way… and that whole idea of hand in the darkness came along and I felt inspired to write this song."

 

Adam's moment on stage is all over you tube, and "Hand in the Darkness" is now available on iTunes.

 

Adam will give the proceeds to Bono's "One" foundation to end hunger.

 

Bono's guitar tech heard the song and loved it. He's going to pass it on to Bono.

 

Follow this story: Blind Man in Crowd Gets Invited to Play with Bono on Stage

 

Get the latest news from myfoxphoenix on your mobile with our iPhone, Droid or Blackberry apps. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Send us news pictures & video on MyFOX Cam.

 

Source...myfoxphoenix.com

Edited October 14, 201113 yr by Sacramento

Bono & The Edge performing a new somg :yahoo: during the week in Hollywood at the BCBG

 

Edited October 17, 201113 yr by Sacramento

From

http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1022/u2.html

 

 

U2 need to dream it all up again. Part 2

Saturday 22 October 2011

 

Bono says U2 are under more pressure to make a good album now than they were when they recorded the career-defining Achtung Baby 20 years ago.

 

 

Echoing his "we need to dream it all up again" words when U2 played Dublin's Point Theatre on New Year's Eve in 1989, he told The Irish Times: "It's actually worse for us now than it was when we went to Berlin. We can play the big music in big places. But whether we can play the small music, meaning for the small speakers of the radio or clubs, where people are living, remains to be seen. I think we have to go to that place again if we're to survive.

 

"There are so many U2 albums out there. We need a reason for another one. The whole point of being in U2 is that we're not here to be an art-house band. Our job, as we see it, is to bring the art house to the mainstream; our job is to puncture the mainstream."

 

The singer says he sees the future of the music industry in new technology and new formats. "Our last album was the first album to be made available as an app with BlackBerry devices, but it didn't work: the functionality was not what it could have been," he says.

 

"New formats are going to happen. I'm always banging on about this. The app format brings you back to that world of gatefold sleeves, of being able to read lyrics - and being able to play the album at home on your plasma TV."

 

Bono also defended the sales performance of the band's 2009 album, No Line on the Horizon. "We're just about to come to five million sales on No Line on The Horizon, and that, these days, is the equivalent of selling 12 million records," he says. "You can actually do the figures on that. So when you look at it like that, it has the same sales as All That You Can't Leave Behind.

 

"That's despite the fact that No Line doesn't have A Beautiful Day and doesn't have a Stuck in A Moment. There's no pop song on No Line, but it's still sold that amount. It's been an amazing success for an album which is quite a complex piece of work and doesn't have one single pop song on it."

 

"People say Get on Your Boots was the wrong single, but it's great live. Unfortunately in the last few weeks of finishing the album, we didn't have the objectivity. We figured out Get on Your Boots later, when we were on the road and it became a much better song. I think Unknown Caller is a classic, as is Moment of Surrender."

 

U2 release the 20th anniversary edition of Achtung Baby next week.

http://www.billboard.com/events/billboard-...005476062.story

 

2, Bon Jovi, Take That, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, and Usher are among the finalists for the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards, set for Nov. 10 at the Roosevelt Hotel ballroom in New York City. The awards are primarily based on box office numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore from Oct. 1, 2010, through Sept. 30, 2011.

 

"To a large degree, the touring industry rebounded this year, and the tours, venues, companies and events that are finalists for the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards are examples of the types of shows that worked," says Billboard's Ray Waddell. "The wide range of success shown by the finalists proves superstars are still superstars, artist development is still happening, and fans still love the live concert experience."

 

The finalists for the Top Tour, based on Boxscore gross, and Top Draw, based on Boxscore attendance, are the same three acts: U2 for their record-setting 360 tour; Bon Jovi with their massively successful Circle tour; and Take That's European/U.K. tour, which shattered box office records as the reunited group went out again with breakout superstar Robbie Williams.

 

 

 

Finalists for the Top Package award, which goes to the top-grossing tour with three or more artists on the bill, include six-time winner Kenny Chesney for his Goin' Coastal tour; http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/to...005296162.story Usher's OMG tour, and Taylor Swift's Speak Now tour.

 

 

 

The finalists for Top Boxscore, which recognizes the highest-grossing single engagement for the time period, are Take That for their stands at Wembley Stadium, and City of Manchester Stadium, and U2's mega-show at Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil. Finalists for the Breakthrough Award, which honors an artist in their first decade of headlining who cracked the top 25 tours for the first time, are Katy Perry, Jason Aldean, and Rihanna.

The Billboard Touring Awards culminates the two-day Billboard Touring Conference, presented by ShowClix, taking place at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City on November 9-10. The conference unites today's top touring professionals to discuss the current state of the industry. This unique event includes provocative panels, productive roundtables and networking opportunities with touring industry power players and decision makers.

 

The complete list of finalists for the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards:

 

TOP TOUR

Bon Jovi, The Circle

Take That, Progress Live :w00t:

U2, 360 :w00t:

 

TOP DRAW

Bon Jovi

Take That :w00t:

U2 :w00t:

 

TOP PACKAGE :unsure:

-Kenny Chesney's Goin' Coastal tour, with Zac Brown Band, Uncle Kracker, Billy Currington

-Taylor Swift's Speak Now tour, with Needtobreathe, Danny Gokey, Frankie Ballard, others

-Usher's OMG tour, with Miguel, Trey Songz, others

 

BREAKTHROUGH

Jason Aldean

Katy Perry

Rihanna

 

TOP COMEDY TOUR

Jeff Dunham

Peter Kay :puke2:

Robin Williams

 

TOP BOXSCORE

Take That, Wembley Stadium, London - June 30-July 9 :w00t:

Take That - City of Manchester (U.K.) Stadium - June 3-12 :w00t:

U2 - Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil - April 9-13

 

TOP PROMOTER

AEG Live

Live Nation Entertainment

SJM

 

TOP INDEPENDENT PROMOTER (U.S.)

Beaver Productions, New Orleans

C3 Presents, Austin, Texas

Jam Productions, Chicago

 

TOP INDEPENDENT PROMOTER (International)

Michael Coppel Presents, Australia

SJM, London

T4F, Sao Paulo, Brazil

 

TOP MANAGER

Bon Jovi Management

Front Line Management Group

Principle Management

 

TOP AGENCY

Artists Group International

Creative Artists Agency

William Morris Endeavor Entertainment

 

TOP FESTIVAL

Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, Texas

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Indio, Calif.

Lollapalooza, Chicago

 

TOP AMPHITHEATER

Comcast Center, Mansfield, Mass.

The Gorge, George, Wash.

Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, Calif.

 

 

TOP ARENA

Allphones Arena, Sydney

O2 Arena, London

Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne

 

TOP VENUE - UNDER 10,000 SEATS

Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City

Radio City Music Hall, New York

The Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York

 

 

TOP VENUE - UNDER 5,000 SEATS

Beacon Theatre, New York

The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas

Fox Theatre, Atlanta

 

TOP CLUB (based on attendance)

9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.

House Of Blues, Chicago

House Of Blues, Orlando

 

CONCERT MARKETING & PROMOTION AWARD

-Weezer Memories Tour, Driven by State Farm

-Dave Matthews Band Caravan/Brita FilterForGood

-AT&T/Samsung Present the Keith Urban Get Closer Tour

-Zac Brown Band Eat and Greets Sponsored By Kingsford Charcoal

-Natasha Bedingfield Less Is More Tour Presented By Freschetta

-Taylor Swift Speak Now World Tour 2011 Sponsored by COVERGIRL

-Foo Fighters Garage Tour Presented by BlackBerry

 

Eventful Fans' Choice Award

(TBA)

 

The Apple Award

Perry Farrell

 

Humanitarian Award

Coran Capshaw

 

Legend Of Live

Journey

 

It will really confuse all the Americans if Take That win.

 

 

Who??????? :blink: :blink: :blink:

 

 

 

:lol:

 

 

 

PS, I just read Top Comedy Tour as Robbie Williams :lol: :lol: :lol: