Bono at the Gates'

Bono bunks with Bill Gates when in Seattle
Tue Apr 26, 7:01 AM ET
SEATTLE (Reuters) - When U2's lead singer came to Seattle over the weekend for a concert, there was only one logical place to stay -- the home of Bill Gates, who shares Bono's passion for Third World development and relief efforts.



"I was one of 20,000 screaming fans," Microsoft's co-founder Gates told Reuters. Gates, the world's richest man, said he got to know Bono through his work with his philanthropy.

Gates said that Irish rocker Bono was staying with him and that the two hung out together after the concert in Seattle.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with an endowment of $28 billion (14.6 billion pounds), is the world's biggest charitable organization and aims to improve the health of people in the developing world.

"We're big believers that more needs to be done in developing countries," Gates said. "Let me tell you, Bono has had a huge impact."

Bono is a vocal advocate of Third World debt relief and Gates' foundation has given out more than $4 billion for global health since its inception to fight diseases such as AIDS and malaria.

Asked if their friendship would entice him to buy one of Microsoft rival Apple Computer's black-and-red U2 edition iPods, Gates said: "Absolutely not."

intravenous de milo

In light of today's much-heralded release of Bruce Springsteen's latest - "Devils & Dust" - I am reminded of this Slate article from a few years back. Here the relevant passage:

U2 is perhaps the world's vaguest band. If a U2 song isn't written in the first person, it is penned to an unnamed, indistinct "you." Instead of stories or wordplay, they rely solely on fuzzy imagery. I opened the liner notes to All That You ... and wrote down the first three lines I read: "See the canyons broken by clouds"; "I and I in the sky"; "A man takes a rocket ship into the skies." Classic U2 haze—skies, rockets, clouds, canyons. Doesn't anyone have a name? There are never any actual people in U2 songs, never any characters. (Compare U2 to the narrative specificity of Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen.) This vagueness drains U2's lyrics of any content: It is impossible to think about a U2 song. "One" includes depressing lines like "We hurt each other/ Then we do it again" and "You say love is a temple. … You ask me to enter/ But then you make me crawl"...

Well since you asked [full disclosure: I like depressing lyrics as much - more, in fact - as the next guy. But that notwithstanding...], here's the opening lyrics to the best song on Springsteen's best record:

My name is Joe Roberts I work for the state
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville barracks number 8
I always done an honest job as honest as I could
I got a brother named Frankie and Frankie ain't no good

Now ever since we was young kids it's been the same come down
I get a call over the radio Frankie's in trouble downtown
Well if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
But when it's your brother sometimes you look the other way

Yeah me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin'
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band
Played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"

I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family well he just ain't no good

What with the new job and all, I've had to try to explain my anti-U2 stance more than usual over the past few weeks. I've finally determined: the only difference between Matchbox 20 and U2 is their megalomania. And I'm indicting the Edge and the other guys too, because they tolerate Bono's bullshit. The musical growth rate of this band cannot even be charted. They are treading water in a sea of retarded politics and bad poetry.

how long must they sing this song?

The Seattle Times asks and answers.

"He pulled two women up from the audience to dance and play with him. He gave one of them a piggyback ride. Both got hugs and kisses."

World Domination program going according to plan

Don't let the Masons win.

Experience Music Project, Bono-Style

Courtesy of the Seattle Times...

From a Fly to a Crowe - Trying to Be Like Bono

The many moods of Russell Crowe, courtesy of Salon:

"This record is fresh, revelatory and graceful." That's Russell Crowe, writing with customary modesty about his upcoming solo record, "My Hand, My Heart." Best of all, says Crowe, is the song "Raewyn," "the only song I've ever written that has made both men and women cry, think and call their parents, usually in that order." And he's got testimonials from famous friends to prove it. "I have e-mails from Sting and Billy Bragg � that give testament to the quiet power of this song." Crowe actually went so far as to post the e-mails on his Web site, although they've now been removed, after he was widely mocked for doing so. "Raewyn" was put up for download on iTunes Tuesday, so now you can judge just how quietly powerful it is for yourself. And if you need some help appreciating its quiet power, you may find it useful to read the 1,000-word explanatory "Background to Raewyn" that Crowe has posted in the news section of his site. I say don't waste your dollar. The song is dull, sentimental, confessional singer-songwriter blahness.

I want to break down the walls that hold me inside.

From "http://www.rightnow.org/contentDetail.aspx?id=1208&sid=1003"

"I like tough people," he said. "You're tough in the Midwest. There's a toughness and tenacity here." ----------------->



Without introduction, Bono steps onto the Wheaton College stage and pandemonium erupts. A standing-room-only crowd leaps to its feet and cheers as if it were a rock concert.

Wearing black pants, a dark sweater and an army green military cap, the lead singer of U2 slaps a few outstretched hands and launches into what may be the two most surreal hours in the Christian school's history.

He swears. He quotes Scripture. He cracks jokes and chokes back tears. He chastises Christians' occasional blind eye, then praises their hearts.

He listens with great humility to a welcome telegram from the Rev. Billy Graham, the college's most beloved graduate. Minutes later, he confidently tells the students they have a moral obligation to battle the AIDS virus that plagues Africa.

"You didn't start it," he said. "But you can end it. We need your help. Let's rock and roll."

...

Get off your knees? Please...

Preaching U2:
http://www.cowleypublications.org/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=141

"I wouldn't be at all surprised if after you read a few of these sermons you'll be hungrier for a more meaningful life."
- Scott Calhoun on @U2 (a fan website)

What would Bono say?

Asshole, Pt. II

Spotted in Romanesko's daily journo-blog:

http://www.madison.com/wsj/mad/local/index.php?ntid=36376

Only campus media were allowed to cover Sting's appearance in a University of Wisconsin-Madison classroom, but pro reporter Melanie Conklin did her best to get the scoop. She writes: "Reporters become beastly people when told they are forbidden from getting information from a public entity. So we do what any rational person would do: phone campus papers, harass current and former student interns, visit Sting chat rooms, call music junkies. All that gleans is an article saying he'll allegedly perform 'Don't Stand So Close to Me,' a rather creepy choice for a classroom visit."



This is what Elvis Costello meant when he sang "Hurry Down, Doomsday, the Bugs Are Taking Over:"

"Any day a giant insect mutation
Will swoop down and devour the white man's burden,
Starting off with all of the sensitive ones,
Better make like a FLY if you don't want to die,
Look out! There goes GORDON."

Fokkers.

zoopopa

guilty by association

Lest we focus too much on the frontman, here's a picture of one of the other guys looking every bit as much of a poseur as the Edge or Bono:

Another Bono/Elvis Mix

Who IS he? Is he the FLY? Or is he the King of America?

Outside it's America! Outside it's America!

Dude, I'm sweating all over your flag...

the year in review. belatedly.

I forgot about this gem on the self-proclaimed "Best Page in the Universe" until Dave reminded me about it yesterday. Having now heard this abominable record, it's even funnier. Not only that, but it's got some good images and sound clips, to boot. And don't forget to read all the way to the end for the quintessential Bono quote. So without further ado...

The Eleven Worst Songs of 2004

Narrowing down the worst songs of 2004 to a mere eleven was possibly the hardest thing I've ever done. What, with Jessica Simpson's "ReJoyce" Christmas-exploitation album, Lindsay Lohan's aural holocaust, "Speak," and Celine Dion's pretentious bullshit "Miracle," and by the way, I didn't think it was possible for me to hate Celine Dion anymore than I already did until I saw the cover of her newest album and accompanying calendar for the modern "grrrl power" super-bitch who finds solace in Dion's brash self-righteous smuggery. Alas, I used some restraint and narrowed the list down to eleven. Here they are:

the list

BONO! This one's for you!

Dear Bono,

Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here. I'd say I was in heaven, but heaven is where you are.

Love,
Johnny

bookkeeping

Well it's nice to finally see some stuff up here. I decided yesterday that to begin posting periodical song reviews of their catalog. That's right: I'll listen so you don't have to. Anybody have any other ideas about how we might spruce things up a bit? Leave your comments in.... uh, "comments."

What goes on in that pretty little head of yours?

What goes on in that place in the dark?
Well I used to know a guy and I could have sworn
That his name was Bono-nica. Anyway... is it Bono or Elvis? U be the judge.

How to Dismantle the Atomic Bono

From an industry newsletter I receive... (it's slightly edited)


U2 Teaches the World About Texting
By Cory Treffiletti

This past weekend I was lucky enough to see U2 play a sold-out show in
San Jose. If you haven't seen U2 in the last few years, you need to do
so immediately! The show they put on is one of the best shows I've
ever seen and they definitely know how to work a crowd.

During the show, Bono dedicated some microphone time to the topic of
human rights, and as part of their desire to raise awareness for this
timely topic, they asked everyone to take out their cell phones and
text message their names to the number 86483 to be added to a petition
of people who pledge their support to improving human rights around
the globe. Bono stated they were looking for 1 million names and when
I looked around the arena I think it's realistic that they'll get it.

The cell phone is now as ubiquitous, and as useful at a concert, as
the lighter was in the '80s. What's more, 20 minutes later, the names
of the people who had texted themselves was scrolled across the big
screen hovering over the band, allowing the crowd to see their names
in lights and tied forever in the image of their minds to that show.
As one of the people who saw his name in lights, I can personally
attest that the experience was fantastic and a one-of-a-kind feeling.
It allowed me to connect with my inner rock star, if only for a brief
moment.

...

That night, after my name was scrolled for the world to see, I
received four text messages from other people in the crowd who'd seen
my name in lights and wanted to say 'Hi.' No wasting time, just a
quick "what's up" and a "rock on" response. The connection was made,
and we got back to the business at hand.

...

Cory Treffiletti is the senior vice president, managing director at
Carat Interactive San Francisco.

all that you can't leave behind

It's disconcerting/somewhat unsurprising how words written of a record from seventeen years ago still ring true. According too allmusic.com, "Rattle and Hum" is

...undercut by heavy-handed performances and Bono's embarrassing stage patter; prefacing a leaden cover of "Helter Skelter" with "This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles, and now we're stealing it back" is bad enough, but it pales next to Bono's exhortation "OK, Edge, play the blues!" on the worthy, decidedly unbluesy "Silver and Gold." Both comments reveal more than they intend -- throughout the album, U2 sound paralyzed by their new status as "rock's most important band."

how can you not hate this band?

first of a series....

The God I believe in...

The God I believe in isn't short on cash, mister!

And thus a legend was born....


MacMillan signing on.