Life Imitating Satire

From the BBC website on 31 December 2005:

U2 'tension' over Bono campaigns

U2 frontman Bono has revealed that his campaigning against global poverty has caused tensions within the group.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that at one stage he was worried his commitment to the cause might force him to leave the hugely successful band.

The singer was a figurehead for the Make Poverty History campaign and Live 8 concert alongside Bob Geldof.

He said his campaigning activities had "raised eyebrows" among his fellow band-members.  

Poverty campaign 'big step'                                                                             
Bono, Mullen, guitarist The Edge and bassist Adam Clayton have been in the group since they first formed as Dublin schoolboys in 1977.

Their front man is famed for making on-stage statements about global poverty during U2 concerts.

However he said his fellow Irish rockers were "hugely supportive spiritually and financially of the work I do, but they are in a rock'n'roll band and the first job of a rock'n'roll band is not to be dull".

"So we have to be very careful about just letting me go too far," he said, adding that the band's drummer, Larry Mullen, times his on-stage "rant" on poverty.

"There was one point when I thought 'I'm going to be thrown out of the band for this stuff'," he said.

"People just openly jeered and I felt like I was a weight around my band's neck for doing this kind of work." The singer said he had been concerned that his stance would "wear out our audience", but he did not think this had happened.

"People are smart out there. They know what you are doing, they know the compromises you are making, they get it.  

"Our audience feels like they have a stronger voice through me, and the band can see that."

The other band-members now recognise that U2's audience appreciate what he is doing, he said.

He added the agreements on aid and debt cancellation at the G8 summit in Gleneagles in July were "a very big step" towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal of halving extreme poverty by 2015.

But he was less positive about this month's World Trade Organisation talks in Hong Kong.

He said he was "completely gutted" by the lack of a breakthrough on fairer trade for developing countries.

... And from the Onion on 7 December 2005:

Rest Of U2 Perfectly Fine With Africans Starving          

SAN FRANCISCO—Rock band U2, currently on tour in North America, is well-known for its human-rights advocacy, particularly its ongoing campaign to eradicate poverty in Africa. Less known to fans of the Irish supergroup, however, is that the lion's share of these efforts are made by lead singer Bono. The three other U2 members are perfectly okay with the dismal plight of Africa's poor.

"Yeah, that Africa stuff is Bono's thing," The Edge said. "I don't mind if he pursues other interests, but I really try to focus on the guitar riffs that give U2 its characteristic sound."  

Bassist Adam Clayton, while "not opposed" to Bono's tireless efforts to improve the quality of life for impoverished Third World citizens, is apparently too busy to spearhead an anti-poverty initiative of his own.  

"I was happy to help out with the Live 8 thing," said Clayton, referring to the July mega-concert benefit. "But ever since I discovered rock 'n' roll in the mid-'70s, music has been my passion, and I'd be lying if I said it was something different, like helping people."  

Clayton added: "I don't have a problem with [Bono] trying to save Africa. Who knows, it might inspire some decent songs. But just as long as it doesn't interfere with the band."  

In 2002, Bono started an organization called Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa to raise awareness of the deep health and economic crises that cripple much of the continent. His fellow bandmates, however, do not lose any sleep over the debt crisis facing many African nations.  

"If I could wave a magic wand and cure Africa's problems, I would do that," drummer Larry Mullen Jr. said. "But someone has to take care of the more practical, day-to-day stuff that Bono doesn't really bother with. Like, for example, how's the next album going to sound? How're we going to keep our live act fresh? I can't tell you how many millions of decisions go into making one Elevation tour."  
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A starving African, who is of little concern to the other members of U2.  

Mullen added: "You don't win 14 Grammys feeding Africans."  

In the rare moment they have free, Clayton, Mullen, and The Edge said they choose to relax and rejuvenate, without letting the plight of Africa's starving and disease-afflicted millions weigh too heavily on their minds.  

"I have a garden to tend to when we're not on the road," The Edge said. "There's nothing wrong with taking care of your own little corner of the world. I work very hard in my garden."  

When asked their opinion about Bono's prospects of being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize within the next year, the music-playing part of U2 could not stifle their groans.  

"We had a big scare last year when [Bono's] name was put forward as the new president of the World Bank," Clayton said. "I mean, I have nothing against it, but it would just be more work for us, because we'd be left with the very challenging task of finding a new lead singer."  

During live concerts, U2 audiences are treated to a stunning audiovisual experience, with Bono periodically giving his opinion on social and world events between songs. During these interludes, the rest of U2 is often conspicuously silent.   "When Bono starts telling the audience how messed up the world can be and how we should work together to make things better, I usually just zone out," Mullen said.