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PJ Harvey, musician, singer, songwriter
"It's not my cup of tea, but I appreciate what they do and
they do it very well."
(22nd August 2001, Radio One)
John Lydon, singer/musician
"There were a couple of speeches here today that really
worried me. Bono [pronounced Bone-o] was more twaddly than usual,
but with less content. Someone must have told him to lay off
the charities, and that left him empty-headed. Cos let's face
it - Bono without a charity is Bozo. And the guy with a condom
on his head [Brian Eno] that said the only victims of the war
so far are Afghan refugees. Well, hello - the World Trade Centre
glares alarmingly at me. And I don't appreciate death of any
kind."
(Q Magazine, 2001)
Ian McCullough, singer and musician (Echo and
the Bunnymen)
"People used to tell me in the early days that he had ripped
me off," says Mac. "I used to say, 'Which bit?' All I could
see was this cabaret that would make Brian Conley or Michael
Ball blush. "They've had some good tunes, but I met him once
on 'Top Of The Pops' and he started rattling on about how we
were in this together, on a mission to save the rock 'n' roll
species. I thought, 'What the hell are you on about?' All that
Billy Graham stuff just seemed dead peculiar to me...it still
does."
(13th July 2002, The Mirror article)
John Mellencamp, singer/songwriter/musician
"I find U2 so pretentious I couldn't even like their records.
They probably make great records, but the things that come out
of those guys' mouths is offensive to me. 'We are the greatest
band in the world.' If you were, why would you say that?"
(July 5th 2002, Star-Tribune article)
Graham Nash, singer/songwriter/musician (Crosby,
Stills, and Nash)
"Q: Do you like what Bono is doing socially or musically?
A: I’ve never liked U2 that much.
Q: Do you think Bono’s sincere in his humanitarian desires
or just doing it for show?
A: I think it’s a combination of both. I think you can’t
do that without some sincerity, but he’s a great showman.
I mean, pulling open your shirt at the Super Bowl and showing
an American flag, gimme a ... break. But it got him on the cover
of Time.
(April 3, 2003, Argus Leader interview)
Henry Rollins, singer/writer
(Asked: "What's your opinion of U2's new album, All
That You Can't Leave Behind?")
"It's yet another album saved by (producer) Brian Eno.
U2 records are basically bad Eno albums. They're Eno with a
(crappy) bar band with a corny singer in his way. When Eno is
unimpeded by such mediocre talent, he's an ace. Check out his
solo records like Taking Tiger Mountain, or Another
Green World or Here Come the Warm Jets.
"I read this great interview with Bono where he said,
'We're going start in the arenas and if it goes to the stadiums,
we'll take it to the stadiums.'He's out of his mind. They're
never going to be a stadium band again. When you have to resort
to a lyric like 'when I look at the world,' you've got nothing
to say."
(March 1 2001, Arizona Republic)
"Oh, yeah, they saved rock with that fuckin' corny lightweight
pap record," he says of the band's critically lauded All
That You Can't Leave Behind. "If that's savin' rock and
roll, rock and roll's already dead. Rock and roll's Charles
de Gaulle, if that's saving it."
(August 2 2001, Cleveland Scene)
"I hate [Bono]'s music, but I like the idea of absolving
Third World debt, because otherwise these people are gonna die.
So if he's using all that rock-star power, well, fucking right
on. But now he's "Mr. AIDS Guy"--well, wait a minute.
How did you go from Third World debt to AIDS? It starts to sound
like he leaves a lot undone. So when I see Bono doing this,
I think, Gee, is this a crusade or really good promo for U2's
new greatest-hits album? How can you go on tour and be "Cause
Guy" to the level that he's purported to be? Seems to me
you'd have to quit the band to do that. I dunno. I have to think
his heart's in the right place. I think he's a boring singer,
but I don't think he's a bad man."
(Jan. 2003, Metro newspaper)
'I applaud Bono's humanitarian efforts, I mean, right on getting
attention for Third-World debt and AIDS,'' Rollins said of
the U2 lead singer. But anything to keep this guy out of the
recording studio is a humanitarian effort in itself. ... There
is a lot of
'me, me, me' in his 'us, us, us.' I wouldn't throw him off
the ark.
I just think his music is atrocious.''
(Jan. 2004, Poughkeepsie Journal)
Patti Smith, singer, songwriter, musician, poet
"I'm not your mother, Bono. Do your own dirty work. F**k you."
(17th November 2001, MTV News - Comments by Patti Smith after
Bono presented her with a lifetime achievement award at the
NME awards, and described her as a "sister, lover, and mother".)
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