Bono´s Ticket to Ride with Sir Paul

Sir Paul MCCartney gave Bono a personal tour of his native Liverpool, England.
The former Beatles star collected the Ultimate Legend prize at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Thursday (06Nov08) from the U2 front man. And to show his gratitude, MCCartney took Bono around his hometown, showing him the places that inspired the Fab Four's hits.
MCCartney says, "I love Liverpool. There is nothing like coming home."
And Bono admits it was something of a surreal experience because MCCartney is treated like royalty.
He jokes, "It was like being in the Popemobile with the Pope driving."

Ultimate Legend in the European MTV Awards

"Here is one person in this hall tonight whose songs we know will be here now and forever.'

Bono was in Liverpool to present Paul McCartney with MTV Europe's 'Ultimate Legend' award.

'In the universe of rock and roll,' he said, 'The Beatles were the Big Bang'."Liverpool, this is the man who invented my job!"



McCartney's acceptance speech was more modest but rose a huge ovation.

"I want to thank my mum and dad," he said, going on to pay tribute to his bandmates in the Beatles, the people of Liverpool and Americans, "for voting in Senator Obama."

'Many years ago, there were four little boys born here in Liverpool and we went on to do quite well...'






source:www.U2.com; www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2008/11/07/mtveurope-awards.html

U2 Honors Lucian Grainge At Music Industry Trust Awards

The band were in London last night, honouring Universal Music's Lucian Grainge, at the Music Industry Trust's Award ceremony.

Mika and Take That performed at the ceremony last night along with Jamie Cullum and rock band Razorlight, which released its new album "Slipway Fires" today.

Artists among the 1,200 guests included Girls Aloud, Sugababes, The Fratellis, The Feeling, Snow Patrol, members of ABBA, Ray Davies and James Morrison.

A limited edition lithograph of the 'War' album sleeve went to Benny and Björn of ABBA while the green Gretsch, a guitar designed for and signed by Bono was snapped up by retail magnate Philip Green.Bono paid £21,000 for a box at Arsenal Football Club's Emirates Stadium, while bandmate The Edge stumped up £15,000 for singer Jarvis Cocker's puppet from TV satire Spitting Image.

Adam, Larry, Edge and Bono all took the stage to make the award to Lucien Grainge, Universal Music Group International chairman/CEO who is marking his thirtieth anniversary in the business.

'He's great because he's ready to take on the world for British music, and Irish music for that matter,' said Bono. 'He's a tough guy when it comes to deals but he's a very tender soul to deal with if you're U2.'Bono joked about U2's failure to release a new album this year, commenting that Grainge provides "cuddles" for the band "when we get stressed out and we haven't got the hits and we missed Christmas."

In his acceptance speech Lucian Grainge said: "This recognition is an honor, and I'm delighted to be able to share it with the many artists, colleagues and friends who have been at the center of my professional and personal life for the past 30 years. I'm proud that music is the only industry I have ever worked in. Music has given me opportunity and fulfillment beyond measure, and I'm grateful for that."

As well as honouring Mr Grainge, the night raised more than £568,000 money for two charities, the Brit performing arts school and Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,LARRY!!!!!

"I have nightmares of my kids saying, Did you really look like that? Did you really make that shit? I want to make good enough records for them to be able to say I'm OK." Larry Mullen Jr.

Today Larry Mullen Junior (a.k.a.Lawrence Joseph Mullen) is 47! The youngest member of the band and the one that "started it all" with his now infamous notice in Mount Temple School in 1976..."drummer seeks musicians to form band". The auditions were in his kitchen in Artane, Dublin on 25th september, 1976.

Known for his love of Harley Davidson motorcycles, he has driven his Harley from gig to gig in the past, clocking over 10,000 miles on the Zoo TV tour alone. He is also recognized for his fandom for Elvis Presley, following the Irish National Football team, playing pranks on people, as well as stealing the spotlight with a karaoke machine.

Besides U2, Larry has done some side projects with artists like Nanci Griffith, Daniel Lanois, Emmylou Harris, Robbie Robertson, Paul Brady and B.B. King among others. In honor of the Irish National Football team's bid for the World Cup in 1990, Larry co-wrote and co-produced the anthem "Put 'Em Under Pressure." He also worked with fellow band mate Adam Clayton on the theme to Mission: Impossible for the film's release in 1996. Larry and Adam also teamed up with Mike Mills and Michael Stipe to form the group "Automatic Baby" for Bill Clinton's Presidential Inauguration in 1993 at MTV's Inaugural Ball.

In the mid-70s Larry began his signature military-drumming style and became a member of the Artane Boys' Band, a military-style fife and drum band. The marching military sound made him develop a drumming style that to this day is characteristic for the music of U2.

Several physical health problems followed Larry Mullen over the years. During the recording of the album "Pop" in 1996, he was forced to take a back seat while he underwent surgery for his severe back problems. Another ailment that bothered Larry, was his tendonitis, which has been curbed by specially-designed drumsticks from Pro-Mark . He also performs with special Yamaha drums and Paiste cymbals.
He´s known as the silent, shy member of U2 but also the most handsome according to female fans.

"It was the Larry Mullen Band for about ten minutes, so as not to hurt my feelings. It was also my kitchen. Then Bono came in and that was the end of that.He blew any chance of being in charge."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CREATOR OF THE BEST ROCK BAND EVER!! WE´LL BE FOREVER THANKFUL!!

HAVE THE BEST OF DAYS WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Angels in Devil´s Shoes

This documentary came after the Lovetown tour, 18/11/1989 and it´s recorded in Australia.
Bono attempts to explain U2 music. A very interesting documentary of their early years when they were already a blast.

Bono talks about Elvis, rock and roll, black and white American music and even human rights!!!Edge explains his musical influences, such as Patti Smith, and what made him a guitar player. Larry goes back to the 70´s for "new" music and Adam explains about their discovery of American classics and how punk music opened a door to his generation.

Bono explains their "Beatles complex".

The final part of the vid shows us the original U2, white Afros, incredible mullets but a unique energy behind each performance!! The seed of the greatest rock band was already there.

Jazz, Blues,Edge and Bono

Bono and The Edge accepted on Paul Allen´s behalf the Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award at last night’s Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz saxophone competition and benefit gala.

The Kodak Theatre event started with the competition finals, in which three young saxophonists vied for up to $20,000 in scholarship money and a recording contract.

The night heated up even more as the pros took the stage for “The Blues and Jazz: Two American Classics” Gala Benefit Concert, the proceeds of which will support Institute blues and jazz education programs in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and throughout the Mississippi Delta.

Quincy Jones introduced the night’s other honoree, blues legend B.B. King, who accepted the institute’s Founder’s Award then sat down to perform U2’s “When Love Comes to Town” with Bono, The Edge, Herbie Hancock, and others. After Jon Irabagon was announced the competition winner, he joined in for an all-star finale of "Let the Good Times Roll" led by King and Bono and featuring virtually every artist who had appeared during the night.

Poverty Inspires Bono for New Song

Recent poverty campaigns did inspire Bono to write a new song for U2.

Bono said the Stand Up and Take Action campaign in 131 countries had moved him to start creating a song called "Stand Up".

"It's not finished yet but it's inspired by this concept of stand up. It's a little diamond, though," Bono said, "It's not a 'let's hold hands and the world is a better place sort of song.' It's more kick down the door of your own hypocrisy," he said.
Organizers said the 116 million people who called on global leaders not to forget their promise to reduce world poverty and hunger by 2015, represented nearly two percent of the world's population and was a Guinness World Record "for the biggest mass mobilization on a single issue".
African leaders have already accused rich donor nations of not keeping to their aid commitments, which has become critical to combat the effects of higher world food prices.
"Although they were not a legal contract, and we wish they were, there is a moral contract that was made," Bono said.
"To break a promise to yourself, to your partner, to your family, a politician to his constituents, are all bad things to do -- but it's a heinous crime to make a promise to the poorest most vulnerable people on earth and break it. That's just not acceptable," he said.

For years, Bono has used his celebrity to raise money and draw attention to global poverty and highlight how aid, when used properly, can help prevent and treat diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS.
"It is dreadful to think that we could take the foot off the pedal at our end and they run out of road on theirs," he said of concerns that less aid will slow Africa's progress.

Still, Bono said the region had demonstrated significant economic potential after several years of strong economic growth, led by a new generation of leaders.

"I have faith in Africans who are becoming very adept at this balancing act between necessary aid flows and realizing that business, commerce and investment can take you out of catastrophe," said Bono.

source:http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/