Editing Bono (section)

===U2===
{{Main|U2}}
On 25 September 1976, Bono, [[The Edge|David Evans ("The Edge")]], his brother [[Dik Evans]], and [[Adam Clayton]] responded to an advertisement on a bulletin board at Mount Temple posted by fellow student [[Larry Mullen, Jr.|Larry Mullen Jr.]] seeking people interested in forming a rock band.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Boyd |first1=Bryan |title=U2 hit 40: The 'drummer seeks musicians' note that started it all |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/u2-hit-40-the-drummer-seeks-musicians-note-that-started-it-all-1.2799922/ |access-date=2 May 2024 |publisher=The Irish Times |date=21 September 2016}}</ref> The band had occasional jam sessions in which they did covers of other bands. Tired of long guitar solos and hard rock, Bono wanted to play [[the Rolling Stones]] and [[Beach Boys]] songs.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last1=Wenner|first1=Jann S.|date=3 November 2005|title=Bono: The Rolling Stone Interview|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bono-the-rolling-stone-interview-75927/|access-date=22 February 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> The band could not play covers very well, so they started writing their own songs.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Henke|first=James |title=Blessed Are the Peacemakers|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=9 June 1983 |issue=397|pages=11–14}}</ref>[[File:U2 21081983 01 800b.jpg|thumb|alt=A black and white image of a light-skinned man singing into a microphone. He is visible from the chest up and wears a sleeveless black shirt with an opened sleeveless white vest overtop. A small cross is worn around his neck. His black hair is styled into a mullet. The man looks past the camera to the left. A mixture of trees and sky are visible in the background.|Bono on stage in 1983]]The band went by the name "Feedback" for a few months, before changing to "The Hype" later on. After Dik Evans left the group to join another local band, the [[Virgin Prunes]], the remaining four officially changed the name from "The Hype" to "U2". Initially, Bono sang, played guitar and wrote the band's songs. He said of his early guitar playing in a 1982 interview, "When we started out I was the guitar player, along with the Edge—except I couldn't play guitar. I still can't. I was such a lousy guitar player that one day they broke it to me that maybe I should sing instead. I had tried before, but I had no voice at all. I remember the day I found I could sing. I said, 'Oh, that's how you do it.{{'"}}<ref>{{cite journal |title = Bono in San Antonio |journal = U2 Magazine |issue = 3 |date = May 1982 }}</ref> When The Edge's guitar playing improved, Bono was relegated mostly to the microphone, although he occasionally still plays rhythm guitar and harmonica. As of 2006, Bono has taken piano lessons from his children's piano teacher as a means to improve his songwriting.<ref>{{cite magazine |url = http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/story/bono-takes-piano-lessons_02_06_2006 |title = U2—Bono Takes Piano Lessons |magazine = [[Contactmusic.com]] |date = 6 February 2006 |access-date = 14 February 2008 }}</ref>

On 13 July 1985, U2 performed at the [[Live Aid]] benefit concert at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] before a crowd of 72,000 fans and a worldwide television audience of 1.5&nbsp;billion people.<ref name="rs-liveaid-bad">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/u2s-bad-break-12-minutes-at-live-aid-that-made-the-bands-career-242777/|title=U2's 'Bad' Break: 12 Minutes at Live Aid That Made the Band's Career|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|first=Gavin|last=Edwards|date=10 July 2014|access-date=13 July 2020}}</ref><ref name="mcg88">McGee (2008), pp. 88–89</ref> During a 12-minute performance of "[[Bad (U2 song)|Bad]]", Bono climbed down from the stage to embrace and dance with a female fan he had picked out of the crowd,<ref name="rs-liveaid-bad"/> showing television viewers the personal connection that he could make with audiences.<ref>de la Parra (2003), pp. 72–73</ref> Bono's impromptu departure from the stage extended the length of "Bad", cutting into their allotted time and forcing them to drop "[[Pride (In the Name of Love)]]", their biggest hit at the time, from their setlist. The group initially regarded the concert as a missed opportunity,<ref name="rs-liveaid-bad"/> but many journalists called their performance one of the show's highlights;<ref name="mcg88"/> ''[[The Guardian]]'' cited Live Aid as the event that made stars of U2 and their performance as one of 50 key events in rock history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/12/u2-stars-live-aid | title= U2 become stars after Live Aid| website=[[The Guardian]]|first=Pete|last=Paphides|date=12 June 2011|access-date=7 November 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Sting-Bono-Conspiracy of Hope-by Steven Toole.jpg|thumb|Bono (right) with [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] during [[A Conspiracy of Hope]] in 1986]]
Bono writes the lyrics for almost all U2 songs, which often have social and political themes.<ref name=ATU2comBonoBio>{{cite web |url = http://www.atu2.com/band/bono/ |archive-url = https://archive.today/20120718084047/http://www.atu2.com/band/bono/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = 18 July 2012 |title = Bono: Biography from @U2 |publisher = atU2.com |access-date = 19 November 2010 }}</ref> His lyrics frequently allude to a religious connection or meaning, evident in songs such as "[[Gloria (U2 song)|Gloria]]" from the band's album ''[[October (U2 album)|October]]'' and "[[I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For]]" from ''[[The Joshua Tree]]''.<ref name=Stockman>Stockman (2005)</ref> During the band's early years, Bono was known for his rebellious tone which turned to political anger and rage during the band's ''[[War (U2 album)|War]]'', ''The Joshua Tree'', and ''[[Rattle and Hum]]'' eras.<ref name=ATU2comBonoBio /> Following the [[Remembrance Day bombing|Enniskillen bombing]] that left 11 dead and 63 injured on 8 November 1987, the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|Provisional IRA]] paramilitaries threatened to kidnap Bono.<ref name="Bono on Bono" /> IRA supporters also attacked a vehicle carrying the band members.<ref name="Bono on Bono" /> These acts were in response to his speech condemning the Enniskillen bombing during a live performance of "[[Sunday Bloody Sunday (song)|Sunday Bloody Sunday]]".<ref name="Bono on Bono" /> Bono had been advised to cut his on-stage outburst from the ''Rattle and Hum'' film, but it was left in.<ref name=RattleandHum>{{cite video |people = Hamlyn, Michael (producer), and Joanou, Phil (director) |year = 1988 |title = [[Rattle and Hum]] |medium = Motion picture |location = United States |publisher = [[Paramount Pictures]] }}</ref>

The film also contains footage of the band's 11 November 1987 free "Save the Yuppies" concert at [[Justin Herman Plaza]] in San Francisco, during which Bono spray-painted "Rock N Roll Stops the Traffic" on the [[Vaillancourt Fountain]] sculpture. Bono was criticised by Mayor [[Dianne Feinstein]] and faced a misdemeanour for defacing public property. He apologised in a written statement to local officials, and the band's promoter [[Bill Graham (promoter)|Bill Graham]] agreed to pay to clean up the graffiti.<ref>Jobling (2014), pp. 189–190</ref> With the band feeling a sense of musical stagnation towards the end of the [[Lovetown Tour]], Bono hinted at changes to come during a 30 December 1989 concert; before a hometown crowd in Dublin, he said on stage that it was "the end of something for U2", and that "we have to go away and&nbsp;... dream it all up again".<ref>McGee (2008), p. 129</ref>{{sfn|U2|2006|p=213}}

[[File:Bono as The Fly Cleveland 1992.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Bono as his alter-ego "The Fly" on the [[Zoo TV Tour]] in 1992]]
U2's sound and focus dramatically changed with their 1991 album, ''[[Achtung Baby]]''. Bono's lyrics became more personal, inspired by experiences related to the private lives of the members of the band.<ref name="Bono on Bono" /><ref name=ATU2comBonoBio /> During the band's 1992–1993 [[Zoo TV Tour]], Bono assumed a number of costumed [[Zoo TV Tour#Bono's stage personae|stage personae]] in an attempt to be more lighthearted and escape the group's reputation of being overly serious and self-righteous.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Achtung Stations|magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|first=Stephen|last=Dalton|date=November 2004|issue=90|page=52}}</ref> Bono said: "All through the Eighties we tried to be ourselves and failed when the lights were on. Which is what set us up for Zoo TV. We decided to have some fun being other people, or at least other versions of ourselves."<ref>McCormick (2006), pp. 234–235</ref> Bono's primary persona during the tour was "the Fly", which originated from him wearing an oversized pair of [[blaxploitation]] sunglasses, given to him by wardrobe manager Fintan Fitzgerald, to lighten the mood in the studio.<ref name="mcg134-5">McGee (2008), pp. 134–135</ref><ref name="comp">McCormick (2006), pp. 224–225, 227, 232</ref> He developed the persona into a leather-clad egomaniac, and described his outfit as having [[Lou Reed]]'s glasses, [[Elvis Presley]]'s jacket, and [[Jim Morrison]]'s leather trousers.<ref>{{cite episode|title=U2|series=[[VH1's Legends|Legends]]|network=[[VH1]]|season=1|number=6|airdate=11 December 1998}}</ref> To match the character's dark fashion, Bono dyed his naturally-brown hair black.<ref>Flanagan (1996), pp. 97, 521</ref> In contrast to his earnest stage demeanour of the 1980s, as the Fly, Bono strutted around the stage with "swagger and style", exhibiting mannerisms of an egotistical rock star.<ref>McGee (2008), pp. 143–144</ref> He often stayed in character as the Fly away from the stage, including for public appearances and when staying in hotels.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bono-behind-the-fly-the-rolling-stone-interview-88039/|title=Behind the Fly|first=Alan|last=Light|author-link=Alan Light |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=4 March 1993|issue=651|pages=42+|access-date=27 February 2020}}</ref>

For his "Mirror Ball Man" stage character, Bono dressed in a shining silver [[Lamé (fabric)|lamé]] suit with matching shoes and cowboy hat.<ref name="flan62">Flanagan (1996), p. 62</ref> The character was meant to parody greedy American [[televangelist]]s, showmen, and car salesman, and was inspired by [[Phil Ochs]]' Elvis persona from his 1970 tour.<ref>Flanagan (1996), p. 61</ref> Bono said that the character represented "a kind of showman America. He had the confidence and charm to pick up a mirror and look at himself and give the glass a big kiss. He loved cash and in his mind success was God's blessing."{{sfn|U2|2006|p=238}} Mirror Ball Man appeared during encores of concerts in 1992 and made [[prank call]]s from the stage, often to the [[White House]] in an attempt to reach U.S. President [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref name="flan62" /> Bono portrayed this alter ego on the first three legs of the tour, but replaced him with "MacPhisto" in 1993.<ref name="flan228" /> MacPhisto was created to parody the [[Satan|devil]] and was named after [[Mephistopheles]] of the [[Faust (opera)|Faust]] legend.<ref name="flan228">Flanagan (1996), pp. 228–231</ref> As MacPhisto, Bono wore a gold lamé suit with gold platform shoes, pale makeup, lipstick, and devil's horns on his head.<ref name="mcg160">McGee (2008), pp. 160–161</ref> As the character, Bono spoke with an exaggerated upper-class English accent, similar to that of a down-on-his-luck character actor.<ref name="flan228" /> According to him, "We came up with a sort of old English Devil, a pop star long past his prime returning regularly from sessions on The Strip in Vegas and regaling anyone who would listen to him at cocktail hour with stories from the good old, bad old days."<ref name="u2byu2-248">McCormick (2006), p. 248</ref> As MacPhisto, Bono continued his routine of making in-concert prank calls, targeting local politicians and mocking them by engaging them in character as the devil;<ref name="flan245">Flanagan (1996), p. 245</ref> he said, "When you're dressed as the Devil, your conversation is immediately loaded, so if you tell somebody you really like what they're doing, you know it's not a compliment."<ref name="u2byu2-248"/>

During performances, Bono attempts to interact with the crowd as often as possible. He is known for pulling audience members onto the stage or moving himself down to the physical level of the audience.<ref name="Bono on Bono" /> In 2005, during U2's [[Vertigo Tour]] stop in Chicago, he pulled a boy onto the stage during the song "[[An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart]]".<ref name="Bono on Bono" /><ref name=VertigoDVD>{{cite video |people = O'Hanlon, Ned (producer), and Hamilton, Hamish (director) |year = 2005 |title = [[Vertigo 2005: Live From Chicago]] |medium = Motion picture |location = United States |publisher = 3DD Entertainment }}</ref> Bono has often allowed fans to come on stage and perform songs with the band.

[[File:2005-11-21 U2 @ MSG by ZG.JPG|thumb|right|U2 performing at [[Madison Square Garden]] in November 2005]]
While accepting the [[60th Golden Globe Awards#Best Original Song|2003 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song]] for "[[The Hands That Built America]]", Bono called the award "really, really fucking brilliant!" during the live television broadcast.<ref>{{cite news|last=Boliek |first=Brooks |title=Appeals court throws out FCC indecency ruling |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9177e066be8bee44d835017eb6e0cda7 |date=5 June 2007 |access-date=1 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707012358/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i9177e066be8bee44d835017eb6e0cda7 |archive-date=7 July 2007 |url-status=live  }}</ref> In response, the [[Parents Television Council]] condemned Bono for his profanity and started a campaign for its members to file complaints with the [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]].<ref>{{cite press release|title=PTC condemns NBC |publisher=[[Parents Television Council]] |date=20 January 2003 |url=http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/release/2003/0120.asp |access-date=16 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930211001/http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/release/2003/0120.asp |archive-date=30 September 2007 }}</ref> Although Bono's use of "fuck" violated FCC indecency standards, the FCC refused to fine NBC because the network did not receive advance notice of the consequences of broadcasting such profanity and the profanity in question was not used in its literal sexual meaning.<ref>{{cite news |last = Ahrens |first = Frank |title = FCC Says Bono Profanity Violated Standards, but Won't Fine NBC |pages = E1 |newspaper = The Washington Post |date = 19 March 2004 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A6242-2004Mar18&notFound=true |access-date = 16 July 2007 |archive-date = 4 June 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604132301/http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A6242-2004Mar18&notFound=true |url-status = dead }}</ref>
In apparent reaction to the refusal,<ref>{{cite web |title = Congressmen introduces bill to curb profanity in broadcasting |url = http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news/congressmen-introduces-bill-curb-profanity-broadcasting |date = 8 January 2004 |publisher = [[Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press]] |access-date = 30 December 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150624023421/http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news/congressmen-introduces-bill-curb-profanity-broadcasting |archive-date = 24 June 2015 |url-status = dead }}</ref> a group of congressmen introduced [[House Resolution 3687]], the "Clean Airwaves Act",<ref name=calvert>{{cite journal |title = Bono, the Culture Wars, and a Profane Decision: The FCC's Reversal of Course on Indecency Determinations and Its New Path on Profanity |author = Clay Calvert |volume = 28 |number = 1 |year = 2004 |journal = Seattle University Law Review |pages = 61–95 |url = http://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1802&context=sulr |access-date = 5 May 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150909204218/http://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1802&context=sulr |archive-date = 9 September 2015 |url-status = dead }}</ref> on 8 December 2003,<ref name=govtrack>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/108/hr3687 H.R. 3687 (108th)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150624021445/https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/108/hr3687 |date=24 June 2015 }} – [[GovTrack]]</ref> aiming to amend [[s:United States Code/Title 18/Part I/Chapter 71/Section 1464|section 1464 of title 18 of the United States Code]] to provide an explicit list of profane words and phrases and remove ambiguity that could enable certain uses of the phrases to be allowed.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = Fox Runs Afoul of FCC |author = Bill Holland |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qA8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA8 |page = 8 |magazine = [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date = 10 January 2004 }}</ref> The bill was not enacted.<ref name=govtrack/> The incident has had a long-term impact on the handling of profanity on live broadcasts.<ref name=calvert/>

U2 were criticised in 2007 for moving part of their multimillion-euro song catalogue from Ireland to [[Amsterdam]] six months before Ireland ended a tax exemption on musicians' royalties.<ref name="tax shelter">{{cite news |first = Lynnley |last = Browning |title = The Netherlands, the New Tax Shelter Hot Spot |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/business/yourmoney/04amster.html |work = [[The New York Times]] |date = 4 February 2007 |access-date = 21 March 2007 |url-access = limited}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.independent.ie/national-news/u2-move-their-rock-empire-out-of-ireland-133364.html |title = U2 move their rock empire out of Ireland |date = 6 August 2006 |access-date = 25 February 2009 |author = McConnell, Daniel |work = The Irish Independent }}</ref> Under Dutch tax law, bands are subject to low to non-existent tax rates.<ref name="tax shelter" /> U2 manager [[Paul McGuinness]] stated that the arrangement was legal and customary and businesses often sought to minimise their tax burdens.<ref name="tax shelter" /> The move prompted criticisms in the [[Oireachtas|Irish parliament]].<ref name="10162006Bloomber">{{cite news |url = https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aef6sR60oDgM |title = Bono, Preacher on Poverty, Tarnishes Halo With Irish Tax Move |publisher = Bloomberg |author = Fergal O'Brien |date = 15 October 2006 |access-date = 5 September 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110805043350/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aef6sR60oDgM |archive-date = 5 August 2011 |df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="they_live_like_aristocrats">{{cite news |first = Marina |last = Hyde |title = They live like aristocrats. Now they think like them |url = https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/story/0,,1968136,00.html |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date = February 2007 |access-date = 16 February 2007 |location = London }}</ref> The band later responded by stating that approximately 95% of their business took place outside Ireland, and that they were taxed globally because of this.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/u2-reject-tax-avoidance-claims-14203636.html |title = U2 reject tax avoidance claims |publisher = Belfast Telegraph |date = 26 February 2009 |access-date = 26 February 2009 |newspaper = Belfasttelegraph.co.uk }}</ref> Bono was one of several wealthy figures whose tax arrangements were singled out for criticism in a report by the charity [[Christian Aid]] in 2008.<ref name="smh tax tourists" />