June 2010 Archives

By Aoife Anderson, Herald.ie

BONO will be back on stage in a matter of weeks despite his recent emergency surgery, according to U2's manager Paul McGuinness.

The Irish rocker (50) was operated on after becoming temporarily paralysed -- forcing the band to cancel the start of the US leg of their 360° Tour and their headline slot at Glastonbury.

An optimistic McGuinness told the Diary: "He's making a full recovery. The doctors told me he's going to be fine. It was serious surgery but we expect him to make a full recovery. He's pretty fit."

McGuinness said there was no reason to believe the tour's massive stage production had anything to do with the singer's injury.

Writes 'NY Times' piece on 1972 massacre in Northern Ireland

By Daniel Kreps, Rollingstone

In his latest New York Times op-ed piece, Bono relives his own experiences of "Bloody Sunday," one of the deadliest days of "The Troubles" conflict between Northern Ireland and England, and celebrates the new British Prime Minister's decision to take blame for the massacre. "Bloody Sunday," the tragic event that inspired U2's hit "Sunday Bloody Sunday," took place January 30th, 1972, when members of the British Army opened fire on a group of unarmed civil rights protesters in the Northern Irish town of Derry, killing 14, including seven teenagers.

"It was a day that caused the conflict between the two communities in Northern Ireland -- Catholic nationalist and Protestant unionist -- to spiral into another dimension: every Irish person conscious on that day has a mental picture of Edward Daly, later the bishop of Derry, holding a blood-stained handkerchief aloft as he valiantly tended to the wounded and the dying," Bono writes.

By Bono, New York Times Op-ed Guest Columnist

Dublin

ONE of the most extraordinary days in the mottled history of the island of Ireland was witnessed on both sides of the border last Tuesday.

The much-anticipated and costly Saville report ... the 12-years-in-the-making inquiry into "Bloody Sunday," a day never to be forgotten in Irish politics ... was finally published.

On that day, Jan. 30, 1972, British soldiers fired on a civil rights march in the majority Catholic area of the Bogside in Derry, killing 14 protesters.

It was a day that caused the conflict between the two communities in Northern Ireland -- Catholic nationalist and Protestant unionist -- to spiral into another dimension: every Irish person conscious on that day has a mental picture of Edward Daly, later the bishop of Derry, holding a blood-stained handkerchief aloft as he valiantly tended to the wounded and the dying.

By Cahir O'Doherty, Irish Central

Just weeks after his emergency surgery, Bono is recovering at his luxury villa in the French Riviera - with a little help from friends, including bike racer Lance Armstrong.

Whilst the north American part of U2's tour is on hold, Bono spends his days meeting pals for lunch in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat restaurant (he drove himself there).

'Lunch with an old friend,' Armstrong tweeted on Thursday, posting a photo of himself with the Irish rocker in front of a very scenic backdrop.

Bono, who is still looking quite tired, is pictured holding a wine glass and has his arm around Lance's pregnant girlfriend, Anna Hansen, while Lance holds their son, Max.

By Buzz Brady, Irish Central

Bono, who is at home recovering from major back surgery and has postponed his North American tour this summer, admitted that the band took a big risk using a futuristic spider-like stage in their 360 Degree tour.

The band created a stage that allowed viewing opportunities from every angel of a theater or stadium and spent millions of dollars in doing so.
Bono said: "Had it flopped on the first night, we would have been in some deep doo-doo.

"Think about a rock show in 360 degrees with the scale of a gigantic action film, except you're moving location every few days. You're building a whole city, then knocking it down, putting it into trucks and moving. It's quite something.

Festival spokesperson says Bono and co are likely to play there eventually

NME

U2 may play at the Glastonbury festival next year after having to cancel their June 25 headline slot for this year, a spokesperson for the event has said.

Gorillaz have replaced U2 on the bill after Bono required emergency back surgery, and now a spokesperson for the festival has told the Irish Post that we shouldn't be too surprised if they come back next year instead.

"They've never played here before and we're very disappointed they can't perform," the spokesperson explained, "but they could well be back next year."

As well as Gorillaz, Muse and Stevie Wonder are set to play headline slots at the sold-out Somerset event.

© IPC MEDIA 1996-2010, All rights reserved.

By Buzz Brady, Irish Central

Bono and his wife Ali Hewson may be at risk of losing million as their ethical clothing change, Edun, continues to lose money.

At the end of last year Bono, and his wife of 28 years, Ali, moved their family from Dublin to New York to help launch the ethical clothing line based in Tribeca, Manhattan.

Ali has now revealed that the business has so far failed to make a profit.

"It hasn't made money -- it hasn't made a profit yet," said Ali. "But it's growing. It's growing.

"The first five years of the company is about putting money in and building the trade. So of course we had to support it. We're still here supporting it now, because we believe in it."