Look Who's Not Talking, Bono!

During U2's live stream from the Rosebowl it seemed that the unthinkable has happened. Bono has started editing himself. There was still some of that naff self righteous patter, but I remember U2 concerts when you could retire to the back stalls for a bit of a snooze between songs while Bono rabbited on about Burma, or Mandela, or whales, or the memory of Martin Luther King or the Troubles......whatever. Don't get me wrong. Among many of my friends I am often the only one who thinks dear Bono is actually doing something incredible during his days off (unlike those people lounging on sofas criticizing him for, it seems, working to alleviate world hunger and poverty) but I now prefer my live music served up sans manifesto de half baked.

Now this wasn't always the case. I once saw Courtney Love eat up most of Hole's set slurring her way through an unintelligible stage patter. She was talking total rubbish but yes, it was utterly mesmerizing. Later, on the same stage, Iggy Pop spent a great deal of time talking about his dick and then thought the best thing to do was show it to us. (I was too far from the stage to now give an honest assessment of the appendage).

And at the same festival Rage Against The Machine table-thumped against a grab bag of causes that left me totally addled. Cuban refugees, the arms race, Africa, Republicans, pseudo-Republicans, gay Republicans, gay hating Republicans, gay Cuban refugees. Zack de la Rocha raved on ... and on, and the gaps between the songs were so long that I could have completed a sophomore political science thesis and had time to spare.

This was a very long time ago. Several generations ago in rock years (which if you add up rock years like you do dog years, you begin to feel creakingly old at oh, about 30). There was nothing unusual at all about the amount of time The Ig, Courtney and Zack blathered on.

Now it would be true, even in the loosey goosey world of rock and roll, that Courtney Love is the exception to just about every rule, but don't you think that times have changed? No longer are we content to hear the tin pot half-baked undergraduate political ramblings of some bloke who just happens to have the mic. What in the hell would he know? And why is he breaking up the set like that? Start with your first song and don't stop playing until the final bar of your last. Thank you, money well spent.

I realized I was over the political science lessons one night in a gigantic pub venue where some of the best alternative bands were playing. Granted, I was older than most of the audience, but in my defense, I was still pretty young (it was a long time ago). A band with members that I knew quite well played, and the lead singer - a lovely guy who fancied himself a bit of a political activist - chatted between songs from a seeming shopping list of pet causes including the right wing governor of his home state. His diatribe went like this (and I am fairly sure I am recounting this word perfectly). "Now listen, this dude is, you know, like a bad man and yeah! Like yeah! We gotta you know ... yeah right! ... it's like bad news man, and he's a fascist and man, he's just bad news, I'm here to tell you ... so like wow ...." In fairness this chap was a fan of John Pilger, which would dull anyone's political acuity, but honestly, I was hoping that he would just shut up and get on with the set.

The last big concert I saw was Nine Inch Nails. Now Trent really knows how to shut up. The band walked on stage and cranked it up. About an hour later Trent spoke for the first time. "Thank you" he said. Then off they churned again with their industrial strength boil-in-the-bag assault. My skull was catapulted onto the back wall of the arena and I didn't want to have to stop for a minute to hear Trent crap on about many of his causes. And he does have them. We all know that Trent is an ardent animal rights activist and musician's rights advocate. Last week he came out all guns blazing about the use of music as torture at Gitmo. But did he give us a lecture and a bit of finger wagging in between Head like a Hole and March of the Pigs? Thankfully, no. Toward the end of the set, Trent mumbled the names of the band with a bit of an arm wave in their direction. Didn't catch the names, didn't care. I was waiting for more songs with naughty words in them.

Maybe I'm just more grown up and going to more grown up concerts although my desire to hear naughty words in NiN songs may be an indication that this is not entirely true. But the need to fly your political colors, or just ramble about the addled state of your brain (refer: Iggy and Courtney) or have meaningless discussions with the audience about how- is everyone-feeling-this-great-day seems to be receding. Is it because rock is the mainstream? Or is it because as esteemed music critic Greil Marcus famously once said, (and I am paraphrasing here) we are just too grown up to get our political education from some numbskull with a guitar? Like I said, I have lived my life in love with numbskulls with guitars, but now it seems cooler than ever to just shut up.

Comments

[yankees]

Each Generation is different I guess. I'm from the Hippie days and the protest was in the music and lyrics, not much talking in between songs, and the concerts went on for hours. Yes, a lot of the concerts had a festival "feel" to them, where booths were set up and leaflets were handed out to anybody that cared.
Today you pay a small fortune to see a group that plays for 1 1/2 hours if you're lucky with about 15-30 minutes taken up with their political views.
Where are Rock groups today that put protest and concerns in their music. With everything going on today you'd think there would be an anthem like My Generation/The Who or God Save The Queen/Sex Pistols. Maybe there is but I haven't heard it or it is not politically correct for a Rock group, under 25, to go after this administration, (I'd be mad if my generation doesn't have jobs and has to pay back money to cover the misspending of this and past Governmental follies). After all we criticized other Democratic Administrations in song back in the day.

[Virginia M. Moncrieff - Huffpost Blogger]

They're out there. I'm telling you they are out there!!!!

Thasnks for taking the time to comment ------ cheers!

[Sarijj]

One thing we have to keep in mind is that for many young people a political rant can be a learning experience. I was young when I first say U2. Bono brought up issues I had never previously thought much about. I developed a sense of universal morality because of Bono and Springsteen. Maybe as we get older we want less talk more rock because we not only already know about these issues, but attend concerts to get away from our concerns.

Nice post Virginia, thanks for starting this conversation.

[Virginia M. Moncrieff - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Sarrj - thaks so much for your comments and kind feedback. I think you are right about the politics being more appropriate for those in, er, the first flush of youth, and it's something I acknowledge rather late in the artcile. But I have noted that as a general trend there is less chatting about everything - politics, drugs, the sky blah blah blah - these days. And I am so with you on Bono - like I said, I really admore him!

Cheers and thanks again for taking the time to comment.

[Sarijj]

I wonder if there is more chatting when when a Republican in office? I remember in the 80's Springsteen would not shut up during his Born to Run tour and Bono went on and on during the Joshua Tree Tour. I think Clinton was in office during the Zoo TV tour, I do not remember Bono being really chatty then.

[Economike]

Best on stage patter: Patti Smith, man that was something I'll never forget.

[Kfontz]

long time fans know this is you bono is. it is want he does. (i'm sure you have never seen the "!~&***' the revolution" speech from rattle and hum). this is rock and roll. bono, michael stipe, bruce etc,, should never shut up..don't like it, stay the hell home or listen to music about how my truck thinks i'm sexy (throat vomit) as for me PREACH ON BROTHER B!!!!

[JDM73]

I've never been crazy about political activism in a musical setting. It's not a coincidence that Bob Dylan wrote most of his best material after he'd gotten past the "topical song" phase of his career.

[Virginia M. Moncrieff - Huffpost Blogger]

Maybe he had matured as a sing writer? Mind you I have never understood how many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man. That's always puzzled me........

Thanks for taking the time to comment JDM73.

[Economike]

I believe a straight analysis of Bob Dylan reveals him to be pretty apolitical.

[JDM73]

You're right, Economike, but he wrote topical songs when topical songs were what people wanted to hear. Granted, they were great songs--'Masters of War', 'The Times, They Are A-Changin'', 'With God On Our Side'--but they were outshone by later compositions like 'Mr. Tambourine Man' and 'Visions of Johanna'.

[1sparrow]

can't really understand the lyrics let alone speaking from a stage. until yesterday i thought joe cocker said, "for the julius band and myself... thank you very much.. see you again... beautiful". yesterday i saw a rare (after woodstock ) performance of delta lady- at the end he seems to thanks the julius band. but reading the credits it says, THE GREASE BAND.

[Virginia M. Moncrieff - Huffpost Blogger]

Beautiful indeed. Do you remember his song "You are so beautiful"? Eeeeeeew.

[learntofly]

Bono calls it 'spending his celebrity to help others'. And, no doubt, he has. If we could see how the millions he has raised or leveraged world powers to spend on the poorest nations in Africa and/or aided in the cancellation of their national debt, we'd probably jump on the band wagon too.

All causes may be good, but are not equal. Some could mean the difference between life and death for thousands of people.

These musicians can manage their career any way they want to, imo. I don't think it's hurting any of their careers to work for charities. Also, If it makes them happier, it might just mean a more motivated artist. And I'm all for that.

Nice blog post, Virginia!

[Virginia M. Moncrieff - Huffpost Blogger]

Totally agree learntofly. I think what Bono (and Sir Bob) have done is absolutely without a doubt truly fabulous. I am a major fan of the way he works. Funnily enough I have become more of a fan since he has shut up about it on stage but I can watch and listen to him endlessly on any other forum. What he does is working and is genuine and I am always stunned by people who seemingly have contributed nothing of any importance, who condemn him. Hello?

Thanks for the nice comment about the column!

[KickerBoard]

I love Bono - but let's not bat away the critiques so flippantly. He (and "Sir" Bob) are condemned by pretty serious people working on the ground and in the field, who have more first hand knowledge of the issues in play and the range of solutions most appropriate (which, in most cases, do not involve requiring Africa countries to agree to fake aid deals that amount to little more than further opening up African markets, natural resources and public utilities to big multi-national companies).

[VicksieDo]

What he does is working and is genuine and I am always stunned by people who seemingly have contributed nothing of any importance, who condemn him. Hello?

-------

Yes, HELLO?

[AmericanSon]

I remember a story that Sonny Bono recalled when he met the U2 singer in an elevator. Sonny said, "It's pronounced 'Bono', not Bahno". Sonny was right. If you're going to use someone else's name, at least pronounce it correctly.