mumble.de: Der irische «U2»-Sänger Bono hat zwar im Rockgeschäft alles erreicht, was man erreichen kann - ist aber dennoch unzufrieden. «Es gibt Augenblicke, da wäre ich am liebsten ein Country-and-Western-Sänger», sagte Bono einem Bericht des «Express» zufolge. «Wenn ich in ein Hotel komme und da singt jemand "Oh, Ruby...", dann bin ich aufrichtig neidisch. Ich wäre gerne ein Crooner.» [ more]

thestar.com: Paige Pedlar autographed Bono's book and he autographed hers.

It was that kind of day.

The day before, the 7-year-old Grade 1 student was sitting in F.M. Heard School in Whitby. At about 2 o'clock, her mother, Anna, got a phone call. It was the Prime Minister's Office, saying the man himself would like to see the book Paige wrote and illustrated about AIDS orphans, Who Will Cuddle Them When They Sleep?

The next day, dressed in a black skirt, sweater and tights, Paige went to Parliament Hill, where she got to meet with Paul Martin and Bono, the lead singer of U2, who was in town to applaud Martin's announcements about new spending for HIV/AIDS.

Paige sat on the rock star's lap and her 2-year-old sister Erin in Paul Martin's, while people took photos. "You're an amazing little girl," Bono told Paige. She gave him her book and he said, "I have a little book to give you too."

He then gave her a book and CD of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, which he illustrated with help from his daughters Jordan and Eve.

"Love to the amazing Paige, from Bono, 2004," his autograph says, beside a drawing of himself. The night before the big day Paige told her friends she was going to meet "the singer guy." Then her family drove to Ottawa.

She got the idea for the book when she was watching television around the time of World Aids Day in December.

u2log.com: U2log.com’s New York editor Chris Conroy recently attended a Tribeca Film Festival screening of the thirty-minute documentary Heart Of America, chronicling the December 2002 initiative by Bono and his DATA group to bring the message of the AIDS emergency and relief for Africa to the American Midwest. To read his review of the film and event, click here.

bbc.co.uk: We've got the short and sweet stats of the big money (earned and spent) by our lush celebs uncovered by the finance fiends from Liquid Assets. Bono is the latest to reveal his figures... which are quite handsome for a strong-minded singer from Dublin.

We reckon Bono can bank on a personal fortune totalling around £108 million - having earned around £26m of it from U2's songs. And that's despite splitting all profits not four, but five ways - with all band members and manager Paul McGuinness.

Because artists in Ireland are exempt from paying tax on royalties or artistic incomes, Bono's saved millions of pounds over the years. The band's royalty rate is believed to be 28% making them one of the highest earning acts in pop history. [ more]

thestar.com: Canada doubles AIDS funding to $70M a year

Prime Minister Paul Martin got some priceless pre-election publicity today as rock star Bono hailed him for increasing AIDS funding to Africa.

The U2 frontman, sitting casually in Martin's office with his legs crossed and wearing his trademark dark wraparound sunglasses, said he's not in Ottawa to campaign for the prime minister.

"I'm not here to elect Paul Martin or the Liberal party," he said. "I'm here to elect our issue - the AIDS emergency. . . . I'm here to elect that to office, that's really it."

But some of his other comments could have been scripted by a Liberal speechwriter: "We've come to say thank you . . . We have to compliment the prime minister and his team. It's not just the easy money before an election . . there's some cleverness going into this money."

Bono told a news conference later that he is being used, but he's happy to be. "That's my job," he said, "is to provide applause when somebody does the right and courageous thing and to provide criticism, when they don't." [ more]

usatoday.com: There's a lot not to love about Howard Stern. Janet Jackson and U2's lead singer, Bono, may not be your favorites, either.

But because the government has decided to target them in a new, censorious war on live broadcasting, all three deserve enthusiastic support. If we let the government win, a dreary world of bleeped, canned and punch-pulling television and radio awaits.

The FCC found that Bono's spontaneous use of a single expletive during the live broadcast of last year's Golden Globes Awards was indecent and profane. "This is really, really, f——— brilliant!" is the exclamation by Bono that ultimately upset the FCC.

The Bono edict may be the most troubling of the post-Super Bowl developments. Previously, the FCC's indecency rules — dubious to start with — were enforced only in cases of "deliberate and repetitive" uses of expletives.

Now, the commission says that the isolated or fleeting use of taboo words can lead to the revocation of licenses. And it has broadened the definition of forbidden words to include those that are "as highly offensive as the 'F-word.' " Blasphemy, as well as "personally reviling epithets," terms that are vulgar, irreverent and "grossly offensive" will also raise red flags now. [ more]

cnews.canoe.ca: International rock star Bono once vowed to become a "pain in the ass" to Prime Minister Paul Martin, but at this pace he may end up instead on Liberal election posters.

The prime minister is set for his second meeting in six months with the U2 frontman, who warned in a speech at the Liberal leadership convention last November that he would constantly pester Martin to improve Canada's contribution to developing countries.

The Irish rocker and the Irish-Canadian politician meet again Wednesday in Ottawa. They will get together for a photo op in the prime minister's office and head out to an AIDS symposium where each is scheduled to speak later in the day. [ more]

atu2.com: People Magazine's reports that Bono celebrated his birthday by attending the Troy premiere and afterparty at New York City's Cipriani last night. Bono and Ali were accompanied by their daughter Jordan, who was also celebrating a birthday (her 15th).

electronicintifada.net: "BONO: We appeal to you, and to all the music world, to speak out now and say: 'STOP THE OCCUPATION!'"

So begins an online appeal - addressed to Bono Vox, leader of the rock group U2 - that asks the music world to organize a global "Concert for Palestine". [ more]

theglobeandmail.com: Bono, the lead singer for Irish rock band U2 who founded the group DATA -- which stands for Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa -- to combat AIDS and promote development in Africa, issued a statement giving glowing kudos to Mr. Martin. The rock star had spoken at last November's Liberal leadership convention, where Mr. Martin took over the governing party.

"Wow. A politician who doesn't break his promises. This is real leadership," Bono said in the statement. "I hope Canadians will know what this means in the rest of the world." [ more]

us-irelandalliance.org: The US-Ireland Alliance announces an upcoming fundraising auction using the popular online site, eBay, beginning on May 17, 2004 and lasting for ten days. Two tickets to the next U2 show at Madison Square Garden in New York City and a private concert with Maura O’Connell are among the items to be auctioned.

Two Concert Tickets for U2 and Pre-Show Dinner in NYC
Donated by U2 manager, Paul McGuinness, win two premiere seating admission tickets for a U2 show at Madison Square Garden, New York City, during the band’s next tour, (dates yet to be determined) as well as a pre-concert dinner at New York's hip new restaurant, The Spotted Pig. Tickets will be sent once dates have been confirmed. Minimum bid - $500 [ more]

cnn.com: Bono brings passion to issues and music. U2 lead singer Bono is just as comfortable meeting with the pope or world leaders to lobby for social causes as he is being onstage fronting the enduringly successful Irish rock band.

"Rock stars are good at making noise," Bono said, explaining his talent for publicizing issues important to him. [ more]

atu2.com: Welcome to the first in a series of "Best Of" articles intended to highlight the lives and careers of U2's four talented members on the occasion of their birthdays. Our first subject has been known as Posh Spice, Sparky and Spoon Boy. You might know him better as Adam.

To begin with, it is acknowledged that Larry Mullen Jr., posted the notice that started the band, the Edge built his own guitar, and Bono was a charismatic son of a gun with a penchant for world causes. Fair enough. But, U2 could not be U2 without the unique qualities brought to the table by all four of its members. And now the time has come to bring Adam Clayton out of the shadows and celebrate the highlights of his distinguished career. [ more]

atu2.com: All great characters begin life with some suggestion of the magical; some sign that precedes their birth and gives rise to the beginnings of legend.

It comes as no surprise, therefore, to learn that Iris Hewson was told by a fortuneteller that she would bear a son, whose name would start with “P”, and who would achieve fame in whatever life he chose.

That, at least, is the story Bill Flanagan tells in U2: At the End of the World. Prophecy? Blind luck on the part of the fortuneteller? Simply a grand story by Bob Hewson? It doesn’t matter. As the man himself has said, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” [ more]

u2log.com: Last week U2log asked our friend Derek McAllister to check in on the “In the Time of Shaking” exhibition opening at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, where Edge introduced Yoko Ono to a gallery filled with socialites and media. Asked if he was happy with the new album to date, Edge told Derek,... [ more]

belfasttelegraph.co.uk: U2 LEAD singer Bono and Belfast legend Van Morrison appeared at a concert organised by actor Robert de Niro to bring life back to downtown New York.

Bono appealed to Americans to help fight Aids in Africa and thanked Pope John Paul II for his work in fighting poverty and disease in Africa.

Bono's lengthy speech at the concert was introduced by de Niro, who helped organise the festival two-and-a-half years ago in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks... [ more]

The Grand Total For the "2004 Bono Birthday Wells Fundraiser" Is.....

$15,757.60 (USD)!

Once again, U2 fans responded generously making this year's fundraiser a tremendous success! Almost 300 of you gave to the "Make it a Beautiful Day in Africa" campaign. On behalf of Africare and the people of Ethiopia, the African Well Fund would like to thank you for your generosity.

The birthday messages for Bono left on our site have been delivered to Principle Management, along with an announcement of the amount raised. In the coming months, we will be providing more information about the well projects funded by this campaign as it becomes available.

U2-Frontman Bono feiert heute seinen 44. Geburtstag!

Paul David Hewson, wie er mit bürgerlichem Namen heißt, wird heute, am 10. Mai, 44 Jahre alt. Seine Fans kennen ihn allerdings besser unter seinem Künstlernamen 'Bono', Frontmann und Sänger der irischen Rockband 'U2'.

Bereits seit über 20 Jahren ist Bono mit seiner Truppe eine Kultfigur und in der internationalen Rockszene nicht mehr wegzudenken. Verkaufsrekorde bei den Alben 'The Joshua Tree' und 'Rattle and Hum', könnten sogar den Beatles Konkurrenz machen.

Bono wuchs in den politischen Wirren Nordirlands auf. Seine Mutter starb früh. 1976 gründete er eine Band und wurde dort Sänger. Bereits 1978 gewannen sie einen Wettbewerb. Kurze Zeit später entstand 'U2'.

atu2.com: Paul McGuinness is quoted in a Los Angeles Times article today which discusses the decline of stadium rock tours in recent years. Writer Randy Lewis says U2 is one of the few acts still capable of doing stadium tours, and poses the question to McGuinness which way the band will go next time out -- to stadiums or indoor?

"It's a little hard to predict," U2's manager, Paul McGuinness, says."They haven't finished the new album yet, and the character of the new album and the new production will be the determining factors.

"Quite honestly," he says, "in the case of U2, it's more a function of what kind of music they want to do, rather than what kind of box-office gross they want to achieve.

"Certainly playing indoors is much easier, and the logistics are much more controlled," McGuinness says. "Now that high ticket prices indoors are accepted, if you're going to take the audience to a big outdoor event, you'd really have to be doing something very, very good, and we would take that responsibility very seriously. If we decide to go outdoors, it will be because it's worth doing something on a grand scale."

kentucky.com: Earlier this year, Christian musicians rallied behind U2 front man Bono's charge for the church to fight the AIDS crisis in Africa.

They put together a 13-song CD of covers of U2 classics such as Sunday Bloody Sunday and Beautiful Day, with proceeds going to World-Vision's efforts to combat AIDS. For someone who's followed contemporary Christian music and U2 for two decades, it was so cool to finally see the faith community embrace a band and a man who has walked the walk outside the mainstream church for most of his career. It was even cooler to see it happen in the name of doing the work Jesus called us to do: reaching out to help the sick and the poor..

remhq.com: The film documents a seven day tour of Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee by one rock star (Bono), two movie stars (Chris Tucker and Ashley Judd), one heroic Ugandan activist (Agnes Nyamayarwo), three brilliant doctors, and twelve talented Ghanian kids who travelled in three buses through "the heart of America" in order to put a human face on the HIV/AIDS crisis.

The seven days on the road that this movie captures and presents, from the campaign-like schedule of private meetings and public events, to the quiet moments of reverie it captures Bono, Agnes, and others in, are the beginning of a movement, that, as Bono tells a group of college students, "will change the world." In fact it did change the world.

As a result of the tour, thousands of conscientious Americans called the White House in December 2002 to request an "historic AIDS initiative" (6,500 Africans die of HIV/AIDS each day and another 9,500 are infected with the disease), and in response in the 2003 State of the Union the President proposed just such a plan, since enjoying bipartisan support in the Congress. This was the doing of people in the "heart of America," which beats throughout this documentary.

What: A rally consisting of concerned Americans and a diverse coalition of partner groups committed to fighting Aids and poverty in Africa and around the world.

When: 1:30 p.m. Sunday May 16th

Where: Independence Mall, 5th and Market Streets, Philadelphia PA (Rain location: The Trocadero, 1003 Arch Street)

Who: Speakers include U2 lead singer and DATA co-founder Bono, NBA star Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia 76'ers President and GM Billy King, Grammy award winning gospel artist Michael W. Smith, Richard Stearns (World Vision), Ugandan Nurse Agnes Nyamayarwo, and David Beckmann (Bread for the World).

Anne-Marie O'Connor has created an hilarious rollercoaster of a comedy out of the theory that everyone in Dublin has met Bono (stood next to him in the queue at Bewley's, heard him sing at the Dandelion Market in 1979, been offered a hand with the shopping by him). This hilarious novel is for all fans of the Man Himself.

u2.com: Edge introduced Yoko Ono last night, to open 'In the time of shaking' at the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

Edge, who has supported Amnesty with U2 for 20 years, recalled attending the opening of the first Amnesty Irish offices in Shaw Street in Dublin in 1984.

'I'm proud of the way Ireland and Irish people have supported Amnesty ever since then.' he said, 'I'm also particularly pleased that this Irish initiative is spear-heading what will hopefully become a series of similar art exhibitions around the world that will raise money for Amnesty.'

(Foto: u2.com)

u2log.com: Paul McGuinness spoke to BBC Radio 5 on Thursday evening in their Late Night Live programme. He talked about the Oxford Union debate and was asked what U2 were up to. McGuinness confirmed the band were recording in Dublin and were nearly done. He also said a record will be out in November and a tour will start in Miami in March 2005.