This Song Is Not A Rebel Song
I finally figured out tonight what has been bothering me about Bono. A couple weeks ago a friend gave me a copy of the New York Times Magazine with Bono on the cover, with a lengthy article focused mainly on the fact that Bono is apparently saving the world. Now, as a two-decade and longer U2 fan, the size and scope of Bono's ego is no surprise, nor is his commitment to worthy causes and I really dont have a problem with him using his position to influence world opinion or anything, for that matter.
But what has bothered me is something about how Bono has become more important for being Saint Bono than he has for being the lead singer of one of the greatest rocknroll bands in history. Tonight I was watching my LiveAid video (I have my reasons) and watched the boys rip through Sunday Bloody Sunday and Bad and it still brings me to tears. In 1984, with the Joshua Tree and all the other stuff still ahead of them, U2 was the most important thing in the world, but all they wanted to be was a rock an roll band. Now, they're a pretty good rockandroll band, but all they seem to want to be is the most important thing in the world. They havent really put out a decent album since 1990, and though the last two have been pretty good, with flashes of brilliance, they havent hit the heights of the '80's ever again.
So tonight it dawned on me: U2 arent cool anymore. I am so sick of hearing about Bono like he was the pope it isnt funny. This does not mean I want him to stop doing what he does or trying to change the world, hell, we all want to change the world. I'm just sick of Bono being known for changing the world. I want him to be known for being the lead singer of U2.
The short version: in 1984, u2 embodied all the hopes and dreams of everybody who heard them, who cried when they sang Gloria or Sunday Bloody Sunday or Bad....now in 2005, they embody a guy who hangs out with senators and congressmen and has a backup band that he tours with. It should be the other way around.
Or maybe I'm just like the guy who yelled Judas at Bob Dylan and should stop living in the past and get a life. Bono does things like erase world debt and feed the hungry: what am I doing? Still, I cant help but think that if Bono would put more of the energy he puts into those things into producing good music, there wouldnt be any lame tracks on their records, and that's just not the case.
Rant over. I'll read it in the morning and probably think I was nuts. But there you go.
But what has bothered me is something about how Bono has become more important for being Saint Bono than he has for being the lead singer of one of the greatest rocknroll bands in history. Tonight I was watching my LiveAid video (I have my reasons) and watched the boys rip through Sunday Bloody Sunday and Bad and it still brings me to tears. In 1984, with the Joshua Tree and all the other stuff still ahead of them, U2 was the most important thing in the world, but all they wanted to be was a rock an roll band. Now, they're a pretty good rockandroll band, but all they seem to want to be is the most important thing in the world. They havent really put out a decent album since 1990, and though the last two have been pretty good, with flashes of brilliance, they havent hit the heights of the '80's ever again.
So tonight it dawned on me: U2 arent cool anymore. I am so sick of hearing about Bono like he was the pope it isnt funny. This does not mean I want him to stop doing what he does or trying to change the world, hell, we all want to change the world. I'm just sick of Bono being known for changing the world. I want him to be known for being the lead singer of U2.
The short version: in 1984, u2 embodied all the hopes and dreams of everybody who heard them, who cried when they sang Gloria or Sunday Bloody Sunday or Bad....now in 2005, they embody a guy who hangs out with senators and congressmen and has a backup band that he tours with. It should be the other way around.
Or maybe I'm just like the guy who yelled Judas at Bob Dylan and should stop living in the past and get a life. Bono does things like erase world debt and feed the hungry: what am I doing? Still, I cant help but think that if Bono would put more of the energy he puts into those things into producing good music, there wouldnt be any lame tracks on their records, and that's just not the case.
Rant over. I'll read it in the morning and probably think I was nuts. But there you go.
Brought to light by JTK at 7:31 PM
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