Bono

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Bono

Paul David Hewson (born May 10, 1960, Dublin, Ireland), nicknamed Bono Vox, stage name Bono, is the lead singer of the Irish rock band, U2.

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Biography

Paul Hewson was brought up in Dublin. His father was Roman Catholic and his mother Protestant, and he was brought up with a strong religious faith as a member of the Church of Ireland, but when asked whether he would call himself a Catholic or Protestant, the singer is reported to have said, "I always felt like I was sitting on the fence." His mother died when he was fourteen years old. He attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School, and it was there that he acquired the nickname "Bono Vox Of O'Connell St." In 1976 he responded to an advertisement by fellow student Larry Mullen Jr. to form a band, as did Dave Evans (aka The Edge), brother Dik Evans (who soon left the band), and Adam Clayton. The remaining four formed 'Feedback' before changing to 'The Hype' and then settling on U2. Initially Bono sang, played guitar and wrote songs; as The Edge became a better guitarist, Bono was relegated to vocals only.

He is married to high school sweetheart Alison 'Ali' Stewart and the couple have four children - Jordan (b. 1989), Memphis Eve ('Eve' b. 1991), Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q (b. 1999) and John Abraham (b. 2001).

In 1992, together with U2's guitarist The Edge, Bono bought and refurbished Dublin's two-star 70-bedroom Clarence Hotel and converted it into a five-star 49-bedroom hotel which quickly gained a reputation as one of the most stylish (and expensive) hotels in the city.

In 2002, Bono wrote the introduction to the "Book of Psalms", one of nine books of the Bible published individually in Canongate Book's "Pocket Canons" series.

His nickname "Bono Vox" – usually shortened to "Bono" – is a corruption of Bona Vox, a brand of hearing aid for which the Latin translates to "good voice". "Bono Vox", however, literally means "The voice to the good man", Vox, the subject and Bono, the indirect object.

The word bono is also Italian slang for "sexy" and the dative form of the Latin word bonus; see List of Latin phrases.

Bono has said that of all musicians, he most respects the work of John Lennon and Smashing Pumpkins' frontman (as well as lifelong friend) Billy Corgan. Of the former he has said "When he (Lennon) was killed, it was like part of me and my mates died with him. Edge loved him and so did I. But we carry it with us and we grow. That's what your heroes do for you, especially when you're young like that." And of the latter he says; "A lot of people say that they (the Pumpkins) went downhill after that (the release of the album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness), but I think otherwise. They were a great band, and that was their apex. There was nowhere uphill to go after that. They were at their peak, and no band ever got higher."

Instruments: Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals.

Bono appears in the BBC's 2002 List of "100 Greatest Britons" (sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public) which, somewhat controversially, included Irish people!

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Social Justice

In 1985, Bono appeared in the original Band Aid and then reprised his role in the 2005 Band Aid 20. Since 1999, he has become increasingly involved in campaigning for third-world debt relief and the plight of Africa. In May 2002, he took US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill on a four-country tour of Africa. Also that year, Bono set up an organization called "DATA", which stands for Debt, Aids, Trade in Africa. The focus of the organization is to raise awareness about what he claims are Africa's unpayable debts, uncontrolled spread of AIDS, and unfair trade rules that hurt the countries' poor citizens.

He also made a speech during the inauguration of Paul Martin as Canada's prime minister, who in turn pledged to help with the global crisis. In 2005, in a time that some claimed Martin was facing "political destruction", Bono spoke on CBC Radio "bashing" Martin for being slow at increasing Canada's foreign aid. Following this a spokesperson for the Prime Minister pointed out that the budget has seen an 8% increase to aid and that "Rather than set an artificial deadline, the prime minister has focused on real increases measured in real dollars each and every year."

While on his mission to highlight Africa's AIDS crisis, Bono travelled to the White House for a special private meeting with President George W. Bush, who had just unveiled a $5 billion aid package for the world's poorest countries that respect human rights. Bono also accompanied the President for a speech on the White House lawn. "This is an important first step, and a serious and impressive new level of commitment... This must happen urgently, because this is a crisis," Bono said:

"It is much easier and hipper for me to be on the barricades with a handkerchief over my nose — it looks better on the résumé of a rock 'n' roll star. But I can do better by just getting into the White House and talking to a man who I believe listens, wants to listen, on these subjects."

Along with Bob Geldof, Bono has come under fire from radical journalist George Monbiot for getting too close to those in power, and therefore running the risk of legitimising their actions. Monbiot dubbed the pair "Bards of the Powerful" in his The Guardian article in June 2005.

In July 2005, Bono played a fundamental role in the effort to organize and publicize Live 8, a series of 10 concerts around the globe aimed at encouraging the representatives of the world's industrialized countries at the Group of Eight Summit to write off Africa's enormous debt, reform trade policy, and grant a great deal more aid for crises such as the AIDS epidemics. It is believed that Bono will win the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize

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World Bank

In 2005, before Paul Wolfowitz was chosen to replace James Wolfensohn as president of the World Bank, Bono was spoken about as a serious candidate for the position. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury John Snow said about Bono on the ABC news talk program This Week "He's somebody I admire. He does a lot of good in this world of economic development." The selection process for the position is by member governments, however, and his selection was considered unlikely.

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Quotes

"It's an amazing thing to think that ours is the first generation in history that really can end extreme poverty, the kind that means a child dies for lack of food in its belly. This should be seen as the most incredible, historic opportunity but instead it's become a millstone around our necks. We let our own pathetic excuses about how it's 'difficult' justify our own inaction. Be honest. We have the science, the technology, and the wealth. What we don’t have is the will, and that’s not a reason that history will accept." --Bono in an interview to the World Association of Newspapers for World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2004.
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References

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External links

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