Bono On Bowie - Noise11.com
David Bowie 2004 Rod Laver Arena. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Bono On Bowie

by Music-News.com on January 28, 2016

in News

David Bowie wrecked Bono’s dreams of becoming a rock star, because the U2 singer always knew he’d never be as good as the Thin White Duke.

The U2 frontman was good friends with the late singer, who lost his battle with cancer on 10 January (16), and he has shared his memories of the 69-year-old in the latest issue of Rolling Stone.

“I’ve played at being a rock & roll star, but I’m really not one,” he confessed. “David Bowie is my idea of a rock star. Right now, I’m in Myanmar, a little cut off from the reaction to David’s passing, but I can assure you the sky is a lot darker here without the Starman.”

The 55-year-old grew up with Bowie and became friends with the star after U2 hit the big time, and Bono credits David with introducing the band to many sights and sounds which influenced the group’s music.

“He came and visited us when we were mixing Achtung Baby – and, of course, he had introduced us to Berlin and to Hansa Studios,” Bono continued. “We had a playful sort of banter – he would really go there in conversations, and we would even occasionally hurt each other’s feelings.”

While the truth can hurt, Bono appreciated David’s honesty for the most part, especially when it came to remarks he made about his Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, which he co-wrote with bandmate The Edge.

“He took his daughter to a matinee, and he sent me the reasons he didn’t like it,” he recalled, “and everything he said was really helpful, because it was in the early days of the show.”

Like all David’s friends, Bono was devastated to learn of his death, but he’s glad he reached out to contact his hero on his birthday, just two days before he passed.

“I sent him a long email, and I sent him a beautiful poem by Michael Leunig, called Love and Fear,” Bono recalled. “One line goes, ‘There are only two feelings/love and fear’. I didn’t hear back, but I was told he got it.”

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Never miss a story! Get your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to the Noise11 Music Newsletter here

Listen to the Noise11 Music News channel now at iHeartRadio

Follow Noise11.com on Facebook and Twitter

NOISE11 UPDATES are now in Apple News

more from music-news.com

Related Posts

The Edge and Bono of U2 photo by Ros O'Gorman
U2 To Release David Guetta Remix of ‘Atomic City’

U2 have shared an EDM remix of their song 'Atomic City' by world-famous DJ David Guetta.

February 6, 2024
The Edge and Bono, U2 perform at Etihad Stadium. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
Bono Backflips On Nuclear Energy

U2, longtime protesters of nuclear energy, have had a complete backflip over the nuclear threat. Bono and The Edge are now for nuclear energy, not against it.

September 30, 2023
The Edge and Bono, U2 perform at Etihad Stadium. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
U2 Preview Sphere In Las Vegas

Bono and The Edge take Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on an exclusive sneak preview tour of Sphere — the innovative Las Vegas performance venue the band will christen in September.

April 25, 2023
The Edge and Bono of U2 photo by Ros O'Gorman
U2 Announce Vegas Residency Minus Larry Mullen Jr

U2 will head to Vegas for a long-term event in a purpose-built venue called The Sphere but they will have a line-up change.

February 13, 2023
Bono of U2 by Ros O'Gorman
U2 Have Re-Recorded 40 Songs for the Album ‘Songs of Surrender’

U2 have re-recorded 40 of their songs for a new album ‘Songs of Surrender’. The band has released a trailer for the album with a preview of the reimagined ‘Beautiful Day’.

January 11, 2023
Bono, U2 perform at Etihad Stadium. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
Bono Performs Stunning Solo Version of With Or Without You For Colbert

Bono performed solo this week for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert performing a solo version of his U2 classic ‘With Or Without You’.

November 6, 2022
Bono, U2 perform at Etihad Stadium. Photo by Ros O'Gorman
Bono To Go On Book Tour

Bono is launching a book tour to support the release of his new memoir.

October 4, 2022