As an Irishman, I find Bono to be emblematic of some kind of weird post colonialist ‘money-grubbing’ whore phase we Hibernians appear to be going through. Musically, they lost me after Achtung Baby and…….let’s be frank……at least 3 of them are card-carrying god botherers…..no surprise President Bono is so inclined towards evangelism along with all the other imbeciles who are genuinely antisemitic but support Israel…..the mind boggles 🤐
I found U2’s lyrics/music inane. The songs seemed to be penned to generate singalong audience participation but with very little of substance.
Bono likely became a millionaire in 1983, at the age of 23, following the success of U2’s third album, War. I might be slightly biased but would you expect any words of wisdom from a 23 year-old millionaire wedded to his shades?
Maybe, I thought Boy and October were Ok but by War they had been fully captured by the profit incentive in my view. If there is some worth somewhere in their music “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”
Thank you! I didn’t quite understand the details of that - he might still be paying a lot of tax, idk. I try to keep the focus on the war stuff but yeh thank you for this!
He and the Edge were taken to task about it and didn't put up a good defence. The criticism was that U2 had benefited greatly from the tax breaks the Irish state gives to rising artists, but once they had made it big, rather than repaying Ireland in corporation tax, they moved their business to the Netherlands – with which they had never had any connection – to take advantage of its lower tax rate. It was obviously not a decision driven by principle, and yet they had always made a big thing of their being on the side of the angels.
🖕🖕🖕Bono. He could have done like all the other cowardly “rockstars” that know their meal ticket is financed by the same people perpetrating the Genocide in Palestine and like them kept his stupid mouth shut.
But he had to open his mouth and prove 100% what a sorry POS he really is.
All the BS about the Reagan fueled wars in Central America, All that faux anger at SA’s Apartheid in the 80’s, was just hot air in crises that did not challenge his position or reputation. No risk taken. You are one of THEM.
So 🖕🖕🖕 you Bono. You ARE a coward. And you do bug me. You bug the ***k of me.
Bono is at a U2 concert in Glasgow when he asks the audience for some quiet.
Then he starts to slowly clap his hands, saying softly, “Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies.”
A voice from near the front pierces the silence: “Well, fookin’’ stop doin’ it then!
Classic :)
As an Irishman, I find Bono to be emblematic of some kind of weird post colonialist ‘money-grubbing’ whore phase we Hibernians appear to be going through. Musically, they lost me after Achtung Baby and…….let’s be frank……at least 3 of them are card-carrying god botherers…..no surprise President Bono is so inclined towards evangelism along with all the other imbeciles who are genuinely antisemitic but support Israel…..the mind boggles 🤐
Fab comment!
I didnt like his music after the first album. He is such a fake. He self absorbed, disgusting piece of shit…an insult to the Irish people.
God botherers. Love it.
Thanks for exposing this hypocrite DRMA👍
It’s just a simple listicle but thank you for saying
A very good article. I’m a longtime fan, but no more. There was a time when they had something to say, but that time is long past.
I found U2’s lyrics/music inane. The songs seemed to be penned to generate singalong audience participation but with very little of substance.
Bono likely became a millionaire in 1983, at the age of 23, following the success of U2’s third album, War. I might be slightly biased but would you expect any words of wisdom from a 23 year-old millionaire wedded to his shades?
Great points. I did find U2 really inspiring for a good while though.
Maybe, I thought Boy and October were Ok but by War they had been fully captured by the profit incentive in my view. If there is some worth somewhere in their music “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”
also Label Red, with American Express.
The pitch was 1% of new customer card users expenses would be sent to help with AIDs programs across Africa.
AE saw it as a cheap way to gather a new consumer base amongst young affluent types, cheaper than any other kind of advertising or marketing effort.
https://nonprofitrisk.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/04Criticism.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20140130003101/http://informage.net/2006/09/20/blood-money/
Lengthy report and analysis of Label Red, from and African perspective. Archived on Way Back Machine, site no longer available.
Thank you for this excellent addition!
I always think of Bono as the polar opposite of Rory Gallagher.
In fact I promise to return to my adoration for Rory Gallagher in a future Substack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT3IglivTW8
I’ll raise you.
https://youtu.be/CjVdV1SUBBo?feature=shared
You forgot the part about how he moved the U2 business out of Ireland as a tax dodge.
Thank you! I didn’t quite understand the details of that - he might still be paying a lot of tax, idk. I try to keep the focus on the war stuff but yeh thank you for this!
He and the Edge were taken to task about it and didn't put up a good defence. The criticism was that U2 had benefited greatly from the tax breaks the Irish state gives to rising artists, but once they had made it big, rather than repaying Ireland in corporation tax, they moved their business to the Netherlands – with which they had never had any connection – to take advantage of its lower tax rate. It was obviously not a decision driven by principle, and yet they had always made a big thing of their being on the side of the angels.
Perfect addiction, thank you Huw!
It's an old story, and I might not understand the details, but it seemed pretty hypocritical of him at the time.
Thought muso’s were peace loving people grounded in humanity. Guess I was wrong about at least one of them…
Maybe I was conflating with the cannabis smoking, happy lot of the 60s and 70s.🙈
Yeh, that'd be a better way!
"Show" business, ie. not necessarily very real or grounded people.
Incredible! A man that writes worse poems than the Vogons….
🖕🖕🖕Bono. He could have done like all the other cowardly “rockstars” that know their meal ticket is financed by the same people perpetrating the Genocide in Palestine and like them kept his stupid mouth shut.
But he had to open his mouth and prove 100% what a sorry POS he really is.
All the BS about the Reagan fueled wars in Central America, All that faux anger at SA’s Apartheid in the 80’s, was just hot air in crises that did not challenge his position or reputation. No risk taken. You are one of THEM.
So 🖕🖕🖕 you Bono. You ARE a coward. And you do bug me. You bug the ***k of me.
I wonder why he changed like that. Maybe just moving with the wind
Changed? No. He’s just a run of the mill megalomaniac windbag and a hypocrite.
Even his own country has left him stranded on the wrong side of history. 🖕him.
Genocide supporter? Just saying.
What is with the thinking pop stars have anything , important to say about anything , simply because they are pop stars?
Let’s compare and contrast Bono and Feargal Sharkey shall we?
He campaigns against river pollution!
Two cunts
He’s detested by the majority of decent humanity in Ireland. In my opinion Bono is the worse of us.
Not hard to dislike the depraved!!
Thanks for this take 🥂
Moronic narcissist and senile murderer 💀☠️💀☠️
He is such a dirt bag.