Re: Humble Bono/Who/Beatles Quote

[email protected]
Sat, 8 Aug 1998 09:43:38 -0400

Well rob, I didn't really agree with you memory of what the "jist" of the quote was, so I found it
-- and I think it pretty much speaks for itself -- from page xiii of the introduction in the book U2
-- The Rolling Stone Files:

     "I don't mean to sound arrogant," Bono told Henke, "but ... I do feel that we are meant to be
one of the great groups. There's a certain spark, a certain chemistry, that was special about the
Stones, the Who, and the Beatles, and I think it's also special about U2."

That was in 1981. Now, if you want to read that quote as Bono only striving to be as big as the
Beatles were -- if that makes you feel better -- more power to you. I would rather appreciate
Bono's early arrogance.

Then you wrote the following:
"White flag symbolism from '83, anti-violence sentiments articulated at
gigs had more weight than some 80's 3rd rate artist singing fluff
lightweight shallow lyrics and then mouthing off at everyone post
concert to show his true colours.
It seems Bono's strong overt actions, non-conformity with the status
quo, or strongly opinionated verbiage is simply dismissed no matter how
valid or compelling simply because people don't have the attention span
at a concert to care to listen what he has to say. Sure a concert is
great escapism and entertainment, but who is selfish and arrogant, the
people with the short attention spans who couldn't care less about
violence somewhere else, after all it's cutting into the concert time."

I don't think this is any response to anything in my post -- not sure what the point is either.
However, the way I remember it --
U2 fans loved Bono's strong overt actions, loved the white flags, the preaching -- those are the
things that made a U2 concert
such an emotional experience. For Bono to pull it off, it took a certain amount of arrogance to
think that he was a person
that should be delivering these kinds of messages and making those kinds of statements. I think it
is pretty simple, really -- and
I don't remember U2 fans in the 80s being "selfish and arrogant". They loved every minute of it.
It was U2 that decided to
change. I can't see how you could expect him to keep up the same antics for 20 years. It would be
a little too predictable
to remain poignant.

I feel sorry for you rob -- you still seem to need Bono to hit you over the head with a white flag
to be able to get the message.
It is a shame you are too shallow to be able to get past the glitz of the 90s U2 to find the
substance underneath. You are missing
quite a bit.

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