DEAR BONO: I APOLOGIZE (SORT OF)

A couple of weeks ago, I had a post called "Dear Bono: Shut up." I was kind of bummed about a quote of his cited to UK publication The Sun where, in an interview about  the 20th anniversary of U2's Achtung Baby, he said, "We've been on the verge of irrelevance for the last 20 years, dodged, ducked, dived, made some great work, I hope, along the way – and the occasional faux pas."

 I had a problem with that statement, as U2's music from the past twenty years means a lot to me, up to and especially including "Moment Of Surrender" from their latest album, No Line On The Horizon.

But in a cover story with British magazine Q, Bono had a similar quote (maybe The Sun nicked it?). The rest of the quote says "Lots of people have U2 albums -- why they would want another one is a reasonable question.  I don't know if it's possible for us to make something current that is meaningful, not just to our audience but to the times we live in. But that's kind of the job for me and I'm not ready to give it up.  I think it's unlikely that we'll pull it off, but then, so has the last 20 years been unlikely."

For some reason, I feel a little less annoyed by seeing his quote in this context.  I can understand wanting to transcend the fanbase to do something that resonates with everyone.  On the other hand, if Bruce Springsteen retired because he'll (probably) never match the reach of Born In The U.S.A., we would never have gotten The Rising, We Shall Overcome or Magic.  Or look at Bob Dylan: he doesn't care at all what the larger culture likes or doesn't.  If he did, and retired because he didn't have any more songs like "Blowin' In The Wind" or "Like A Rolling Stone" or "The Times They Are A' Changin'" or "Hurricane" or "Subterranean Homesick Blues" in him, we would never have gotten Time Out Of Mind or "Love and Theft" or Modern Times or "Things Have Changed" or Together Through Life. What a shame that would have been.

In the Q feature, the band touch on the different albums they are working on, and I really look forward to hearing what they do with Danger Mouse. Based on the stuff that he has done with The Black Keys, I think he has to potential to craft a great, funky album around some cool songs.  Of course, U2 has to come with the songs.  Hopefully DM will be able to tell them to return to the drawing board if the songs don't measure up.  I have faith that they've got at least another great album in them.  And what is U2 about, if not faith?

P.S. Q put together a great Achtung tribute, Ahk-toong Bay-Bi.  It was available with the magazine in Europe, and is available to buy on iTunes. With artists like Nine Inch Nails, Garbage, Depeche Mode, Patti Smith, Damien Rice and Jack White, it's really worth a listen.

#20YRSAGO: U2 - ACHTUNG BABY (+ boxset review!)

The first post in my #20yrsago series -- celebrating some classic albums that came out in (or around) 1991 - was Chris Whitley's debut Living With The Law. Now, I'm going to write about an LP that is a little more well known (but both albums have involvement from Daniel Lanois, so there is a common thread).

I don't know that my mind has ever been as blown as it was when I first turned on U2's Achtung Baby. Yeah, I've been knocked out by many artists the first time I heard them... but by an artist who I had been following for years?  I have never been so surprised by a group's "new direction" as I was when I put Achtung Baby into my CD player.

This was, of course, before the web, and I don't think that I knew too much about what U2's "new direction" would be like.  In the years since, The Edge has often talked about performing encores on U2's last '80s tour with opener B.B. King and then going back to his dressing room and listening to KMFDM. But I didn't know about any of that at the time.

There were hints.  On the 12" of Rattle and Hum's "When Love Comes To Town," their collab with B.B. (a song which marked the peak of their explorations into American roots music), the B-side was a cover of Patti Smith's "Dancing Barefoot" as if to remind us of their post punk roots.

But the next new release by the band was a cover of Cole Porter's "Night and Day," from the Red Hot & Blue collection, the first CD compiled by the Red Hot organization.  I saw the video on MTV.  U2 still looked like their Joshua Tree selves - Bono with no shades, no makeup, long hair, The Edge with long hair and the doo-rag.  But they didn't really sound like U2.  It was darker, funkier, and synth-ier.  It reminded me a bit of Depeche Mode.

DEAR BONO: SHUT UP.

Dear Bono:

First off, let me get this out of the way.  I'm not a hater or a U2 detractor.  In fact, I have every U2 album. I went to see you guys on the Unforgettable Fire tour in April of 1985 and it blew my mind.  I've seen every tour since. I've stuck with you and also the band through everything. Lemons on the Popmart tour.  The Million Dollar Hotel. Spider-Man. Your well intended collaboration with Jay-Z and Rihanna. Everything.  Your music has always meant so much to me.

I've always respected the fact that you and the band have try to use your position to make the world a better place. Your reach may exceed your grasp, but still you try, and I love that. I don't mind that you have no problems with enjoying the spoils of your success, either. And I don't think that it makes you a hypocrite when you talk about working to eliminate extreme poverty. I've always been interested to hear what you have to say. I've always read interviews with you, and have been honored to interview U2 twice.

But some of the stuff you've been saying lately is ridiculous and insulting, and I'm calling you on it right now.

Apparently you told The Sun that "We've been on the verge of irrelevance for the last 20 years, dodged, ducked, dived, made some great work, I hope, along the way – and the occasional faux pas."  I'll argue the point that a lot of the music you've made in the past 20 years holds up to your first ten.  "Dirty Day," "Numb," "The Wanderer," "If God Will Send His Angels," "Gone," "Please," "Wake Up Dead Man," "Your Blue Room," "Staring at The Sun," "Beautiful Day," "In A Little While," "Stuck In A Moment," "Walk On," "Electrical Storm," "Vertigo," "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," "All Because Of You."  You created a second classic version of "One" with Mary J. Blige and brought "The Saints Are Coming" to a huge audience via your powerful collaboration with Green Day. U2's past 20 years have been more relevant than most bands at their peak.

This quote stings: "Whether we can play music for small speakers of the radio or clubs or where people are living right now, remains to be seen, we have to go to that place again if we are to survive." Yeah, I know you want to be played on the radio. What terrestrial radio channels play new music from a band that's been around for more than 20 years? Terrestrial radio is completely ageist. And of the bands they support, how many are actually good? Bono, what do you mean by "clubs and places where people are living right now?"  Are people who don't go to clubs anymore not "living"? Are they worth writing songs for? Your fans who went to see you on the Unforgettable Fire tour, the Joshua Tree tour, the Achtung Baby tour... and even the Popmart tour.  They're not "living right now?" They're working, and raising families and trying to make their way in the world. Are they really less important than people who pay tons of money to hear David Guetta or Deadmau5 spin records? (I'm not done - click below to see the whole letter.)

U2's 360 TOUR RETURNS TO NJ

Giants still walk the earth, and I'm not talking about a sports team.  Last night, U2's concert at the New Meadowlands Stadium was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. I've seen lots of U2 shows: I've seen every tour since 1985.  This may well have been the best one.

For the past twenty years, I've felt that the band have had a hard time aligning their two sides: the rootsy, earnest Joshua Tree guys and the edgier, darker guys who chopped that tree down with Achtung Baby. Put another way: their '80s material didn't always fit into their shows in the '90s, and then in the '00s, post-All That You Can't Leave Behind, it sometimes felt like the '90s material didn't totally make sense in their sets.  On the 360 Tour, everything seems to work. Their gigantic stage is a visual assault with both heart and mind. I saw the earlier part of the tour, and this time the show was even better.

Clearly, Achtung Baby was on the band's collective mind: they are about to release a 20th anniversary edition of that album, and they opened up with four songs in a row from the LP: "Even Better Than The Real Thing," "The Fly," "Mysterious Ways" and "Until The End Of The World." The songs sounded better live than they ever have: they've lost some of their techno sheen, replaced by a roaring garage rock sound. When those songs first came out, they sounded like a real departure from "rock" music, but last night they all sounded like stadium anthems.

Speaking of anthems: from there they went into "I Will Follow," which still sounds so fresh. I've never gotten tired of this song. It struck me that this must be so much fun on "Rock Band," especially on drums. Listen to this song, you'll understand why U2 should have been called The Larry Mullen Band. His playing is so cool, but he doesn't try and call attention to himself.  You notice it if you're paying attention.  Larry and Adam Clayton really held it down last night: Adam sounded more funky and aggressive than ever.  He's probably getting more girls than ever (Bono remarked that he still thinks that being in the band is a "great way to meet girls"). You can hear it in his playing.

It's the end of the tour, and they've dropped a few songs from No Line On The Horizon. But they did play "Get On Your Boots" (which doesn't really work for me, it always struck me as an attempt to repeat the similar but cooler "Vertigo," which they also played), the remix of "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" (also didn't really work, but they segued into "Discotheque," which is a much better dance jam), and "Magnificent," which is a classic.

There were some of the colossal hits: "Pride (In The Name Of Love)," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," "One," "With Or Without You" and "Where The Streets Have No Name." All were incredible as always.

On this tour, they've brought back "Walk On," one of my favorites.  They have Amnesty International volunteers on stage with candles in honor of recently freed Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi, (read more about her here). Aung San Suu Kyi addressed the audience via video after the song.  It's one of those powerful moments that U2 pull off so well.  Another moment was astronaut Mark Kelly's video intro to "Beautiful Day," where he floated flash cards with the lyrics before the song, and then quoted Bowie: "Tell my wife I love her very much: she knows." How could you not get a lump in your throat! Kelly read some of the lyrics during the song also. He is already home from his space mission, but still, wow. That moment could have overwhelmed the song, but it didn't.  "Beautiful Day" is that rare rock song about, well, beauty... but played with Zeppelin-esque power.  And last night's performance was righteous, as was the performance of its album-mate, "Elevation," which followed.  I know The Edge isn't a typical "guitar hero," his playing is so rocking while also being zen. Like Larry's drumming, you never feel like The Edge is trying to call all the attention to himself.

Some surprising '90s moments: "Miss Sarajevo" and "Zooropa," both of which were excellent. Bono even sang Pavarotti's part of "Sarajevo," and pretty much pulled it off.  He was in amazing vocal form, and of course, was incredible as a frontman (a great moment came when he read a setlist from a U2 show from The Fastlane, 30 years earlier).  Also, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" from the Batman soundtrack was great, proving that not all of U2's superhero collaborations aren't disasters.  Although the folks at Marvel Comics probably weren't psyched that "Hold Me" made the playlist ("How about 'Rise Above 1?').

The show ended with No Line On The Horizon's "Moment Of Surrender." My opinion: it holds up with the band's best songs.  Check it out if you haven't.  It's a soul music classic.

And that's the way the show was supposed to end. But Bono says "One more!" And so it was that they launched into "Out Of Control." A song I've always loved and have never seen them perform in the 26 years I've been attending U2 concerts. It's amazing that they are still surprising me after all that time, both with old classics and with their ability to continuously add to their catalog, already bursting at the seam with an embarrassment of riches.

(a few other notes: the show was opened by Interpol, a very Joy Division sounding band, who are no match for Muse, who opened last time. The top photo here was taken by my lovely wife, and the second photo is by my dear friend Ashmi, follow her on Twitter.)

MY FAVORITE JULY 4TH SONG - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN "AMERICAN LAND"

(this image is from Wikipedia commons, anyone is allowed to use it, so I'm using it!)

It's hard to write about America and do a good job at it.  Obviously, it's easier to rebel about things that you don't like than it is to celebrate America, and that's often the rub with art. Rebelling is easier than celebrating. But I think that July 4 is a good time to be thankful to live in the U.S.A., without getting too flag-wavvy about it.

In recent years, there's been a few attempts at writing what could be referred to as "The Great American Song." U2 wrote "The Hands That Built America" for Martin Scorsese's 2002 film Gangs Of New York. Good song, but not a great one.  Bruce Springsteen took a few whacks at it: "This Hard Land" from his 1995 Greatest Hits album felt like an attempt, as did "Land Of Hope And Dreams" which he started playing on the 1999 reunion tour with The E Street Band. The latter stayed in Bruce's setlists for a long time, but I didn't feel the song was as good as he seemed to think it was.

During Bruce's tour with The Seeger Sessions Band for the 2006 album We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, he started playing a new song "American Land."  I felt he nailed it. Bono has talked about how America isn't just a place, it's an idea. I don't think the idea of America has ever been better expressed in a rock song than in "American Land." He romanticizes the idea from the perspective of immigrants ("There's diamonds in the sidewalk the's gutters lined in song/Dear I hear that beer flows through the faucets all night long/ There's treasure for the taking, for any hard working man /Who will make his home in the American Land?") in a way that can make all of us proud that we do call this place home.  It also points out that a fair immigration policy is one of the things that made us great. At the same time, he expresses some of his core values: the plight of blue collar workers ("They died building the railroads worked to bones and skin/They died in the fields and factories names scattered in the wind/They died to get here a hundred years ago they're still dyin now/The hands that built the country were always trying to keep down").  And also the fact that everyone deserves a shot, no matter their race or color ("The McNicholas, the Posalski's, the Smiths, Zerillis, too/The Blacks, the Irish, Italians, the Germans and the Jews /Come across the water a thousand miles from home/With nothin in their bellies but the fire down below").

That's why I choose the above photo for this post.  No matter what you think of The President, when Bruce was growing up, or even when *I* was growing up (I'm much younger than Bruce), the idea of an African American president seemed unlikely to say the least.  The fact that Bruce worked so hard for President Obama - who campaigned on a platform of hope and change, some of which has arguably been fulfilled - makes this photo really powerful.

Bruce has nothing to prove anymore. The fact that he still works so hard to fulfill what he sees is his responsibility to himself, his audience, and his country, is inspiring.  Like any other great artist, sometimes his reach exceeds his grasp, but on "American Land" he hit a grand slam.  It's not just a classic that stands up next to his catalog, it also stands next to Woody Gurthrie's.

("American Land" was the only song from The Seeger Sessions that Bruce played with The E Street Band, and you can see their version - played in Hyde Park, in England, here. )

TOMORROW NIGHT ON THE CATHOLIC CHANNEL: U2 "ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND"

For those of you who are new to No Expiration, about once a month I go on SIRIUS XM’s The Catholic Channel’s Busted Halo show to talk about music. Tune in at about 7:20 pm ET on SIRIUS channel 159 and XM channel 117. Thursday nights are “Faith & Culture Thursdays” and we usually talk about a certain artist. We've talked about Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Cliff and even Black Sabbath before. Tonight, we're revisiting U2, who we've talked about once.

There are lots of other artists who I want to discuss on the show... so why am I going back to U2? Well, this week, Team Busted Halo is celebrating Father Dave Dwyer's ten year anniversary as a Man of The Cloth, and many of the topics that they are discussing this week are on that topic.  So, in 2000 when a (very) young Dave Dwyer was ordained -- obviously a huge transition in his life -- U2 released an album that marked a transition for them, the classic (and in my opinion, their last classic), All That You Can't Leave Behind. After the busy sounding, dark, disco-y, decadent, dense, cynical albums of the '90s (all of which, I must say, I loved), ATYCLB marked a return, musically and philosophically, to the U2 of yore, circa Unforgettable Fire, Rattle and Hum and especially The Joshua Tree. It's an album that resonates with me in a big way, a decade later, and I hope it does with you as well.  It meant a lot to me the day it came out, and seemed eerily prescient post-9/11.

I'll "dedicate" my appearance on this show to my good friend, fellow U2 fan, singer-songwriter and documentary maker, Benjamin Wagner, who will become a Dad any day now (to clarify, He will be A Father Named Ben, but not "Father Ben") .  He's gone through some decadence in his day too. But if there's anything in these dark days to inspire optimism, it's the fact that such a great guy and his lovely wife are bringing a new life to this troubled planet. Or as Bono might say, an "original of the species." While I'm on the "shout out tip," I'll also send this one out to Bono himself: as most people now know, U2 is postponing their US tour to 2011 due to Bono's back surgery. As (I thnk) Questlove once said, I'd rather have it right than right now. I want Bono to be at 100% when I see U2! Anyway, this should give Ben and Abbi time to book a babysitter!

BONO'S LATEST NEW YORK TIMES OP-ED

In today's New York Times, you can read Bono's latest op-ed piece. Called "Africa Reboots," It's about "civil society" and big business and how they can (hopefully) work together to ensure a better future and put an end to "extreme poverty." Interestingly, he writes that he senses and end to the usual donor-recipient relationship; Africans felt a pressing need for new kinds of partnerships. That is a departure from the way most people think of charity. It's not "give a (wo)man a fish" or even "teach a (wo)man to fish." It's really, "teach a (wo)man to fish and then create a business selling those fish in a way that benefits the community, and when said business is profitable, get a percentage since you are a partner."   It takes more committment, it's not just making a credit card donation. It's not as sexy as paying attention to a cause du jour for a week or two.  It's not something that will get an immeadiate big spike on the NASDAQ index.  It's not marketing - write a big check, look great to the public, move on. It's something that requires an actual committment.  Here's hoping that it happens someday soon.

LARRY MULLEN (SLIGHTLY) ONE-UPS BONO AND THE EDGE

I'm not a big fan of the Seth McFarlane TV shows: Family Guy, American Dad or The Cleveland Show. I watched the first two minutes of the first episode of Family Guy and thought it was a Simpsons knock off. I realize that that isn't totally the case, and a lot of people who I respect watch it, but it just isn't my thing, and neither or his other shows.

But I may have to check out The Cleveland Show: Larry Mullen has recorded two seperate characters for upcoming episodes: a mobster and a bad Elvis impersonator. Apparently, he is such a big fan that he reached out and asked to be involved. The BBC reports that besides Mullen, Kanye West, Will.I.Am and David Lynch (!) have also recorded guest spots for the show.

So, even though I'm not a huge Cleveland Show fan, it sure beats the Spider-Man musical that Bono and The Edge are involved with!

MTV TO HOST "HOPE FOR HAITI" TELETHON FRIDAY

I can't really add anything to the discussion about Haiti - so much has been said, and it is such a tragedy. There are lots of organizations accepting donations to help aid the situation there, which is a disaster.  I myself have given to the Red Cross by texting "HAITI" to 90999.  Whatever you may think of the Red Cross, I think that they are the most well eqipped to get aid to those in need as quickly as possible. I may be wrong, I'm not an expert. 

MTV is doing the right thing by putting on a telethon this Friday night to raise funds: artists involved will include Wyclef Jean, Bono, The Edge, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kid Rock, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Coldplay, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Sting, Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, Stevie Wonder, John Legend and Taylor Swift.  Wyclef, George Clooney and Anderson Cooper will be the hosts. All the performances will be available on iTunes the next morning. The show will be broadcast over a ton of networks.  Get more info at MTV.

SPIDER-MAN UPDATE

The Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark official website (for those of you who don't know, this is the Broadway production featuring music by Bono and The Edge that is the bane of my existance and probably Larry Mullen's as well) says that the show starts previews on February 25. But Alan Cummings, who was so great as Nightcrawler in X-Men 2 and who is playing The Green Goblin in this mess, tells The New York Times that that is not the case. You want to see a cool music production on Broadway? Try Fela, about the life of Fela Kuti, or the upcoming Green Day inspired American Idiot. I say this as a huge U2 fan, this Spider-Man thing is just corny!

THE AUDACITY OF HOPE: BONO'S LATEST TIMES COLUMN

I always enjoy reading Bono's occasional op-ed pieces in the New York Times. The last one I read, he wrote about Barack Obama and the promise of America. This time, he offers (yet another) top ten list, of things that could change the world in the next decade. Make cars sexier. Charge people for the amount of pollution they generate. An arts festival celebrating Judiasm, Christianity and Islam. I know a lot of people groan when Bono... well, does anything. But I am a big fan, and I like the fat that he tries to use his position to make some kind of difference.  Check out his top 10.

BEST OF THE '00s: U2

At the start of the '00s, U2 were in a weird place.  In the early '90s, they reinvented themselves in as radical a way as any other rock band ever had. Going from the Americana-influenced ernestness of Joshua Tree and Rattle & Hum, they returned as jaded techno-fuelled rock stars who didn't take much seriously with Achthung Baby. On paper, it would seen like a disaster, but as we all know, it worked incredibly well.  (For a pretty amazing analysis of the album, check out the 33 1/3 series book that features the album).

Some may argue that they took that approach too far on Zooropa and especially Pop. Actually, I felt that Pop was a bit misunderstood: the lyrical matter of the album is actually pretty heavy, it's just that they led with the single "Discotheque" and the tour was kind of a kitch-fest.  Moving in the millenium (everyone used to use that word all the time), they stripped down and went back to basics.

Actually, before they released their new album, they did a few new songs on the soundtrack to The Million Dollar Hotel, which was produced by Bono (and who did a few solo tracks on it). That film was a bit of a mess, and was Bono's first and last real foray as a filmmaker (unfortunately it didn't deter him from being involved in what may be Broadway's biggest ever flop, Spider-Man). The songs were stripped down and a good sign of where the band was going.

When they released All That You Can't Leave Behind in 2000, they were back. Four classic singles, "Beautiful Day," "Walk On," "Elevation" and "Stuck In A Moment That You Can't Get Out Of." Plus great album tracks like "Kite" and "In A Little While." It was a classic. When they hit the road, it was on a simple stage, with a heart-shaped track that went into the audience, allowing some fans to actually watch the show from inside the stage. After 9/11, they seemed to be one of the only bands, if not the only band, that mattered. Their performance of "Walk On" at the America: A Tribute To Heroes telethon was classic, and their halftime show at the Super Bowl that year was the best ever.

The follow-up, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, wasn't quite so powerful, but was still a great album, and "Vertigo" was an undeniably great single. And "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," which Bono wrote for his father, was one of their most emotional moments. There was another great tour, which was shot for the concert film U23D. That era also saw two cool U2 collaborations: they recorded an incredible version of their classic "One" with Mary J. Blige, and also with Green Day on a cover of punk rock band The Skids' "The Saints Are Coming" (which they performed at the New Orleans Saints' first game back in New Orleans aftre Katrina). They also did a great cover of John Lennon's Instant Karma for a Lennon tribute by the same name (a benefit for Amnesty International), a single released only in Ireland and featuring lots of Irish stars, "The Ballad Of Ronnie Drew." And they did a great Christmas single, a cover of Greg Lake's "I Believe In Father Christmas."

Their latest album, No Line On The Horizon, is good but not great - but the tour has been mindblowing. And U2 are one of the only bands -- if not the only band -- who I feel like can still crank out a classic after more than thirty years together.  I think they've been disappointed by their favorite bands, and they don't want to be the band that does that. On the other hand, as Neil Young sings in "Thrasher," "they had the best selection, they were poisoned by protection," and when you have multiple homes, millions in the band, etc., it's hard to grab that hunger that you sometimes need to create a classic. It's even harder when you are in a band (as opposed to a solo artist).

Some people have a problem with rock stars as activists: I don't. I respect Bono for being involved in the One campaign or Project (Red), or The Edge 's involvement in Music Rising. I think it is a logical extension of the music, and  I also think it fuels them in some way.  I mean, if all you do is make music and enjoy your millions, I don't know if you still have that fire. At least with U2, they have the audacity (of hope?) to try and make the world a better place through their music. Not many bands still do that - and not many bands still can.

More Best Of The '00s: Bob Dylan
Willie Nelson
Aimee Mann
Jeff Tweedy
David Johansen
Levon Helm
The Beatles
Jim James

COMING TO BROADWAY: GREEN DAY'S AMERICAN IDIOT

According to Playbill (not a source I often quote), Green Day's American Idiot is coming to Broadway. The show was originally staged in Berkley, California, by Tony winning director Michael Mayer. It was supposed to only be in September, but due to popular demand, it was extended through November!

So, to those of you who think I am hating on Broadway because I've been complaining about Bono and The Edge's involvement in the ill-fated Spider-Man musicial... well, I'm not anti-Broadway (not that I go very often!). I just think that the idea of a Spider-Man musical is a "naff" idea as the Brits say (i.e. silly, corny). And U2's Larry Mullen agrees - Bono wanted to have U2 record the album of Spider-Man songs that he and Edge wrote, and Larry, thankfully, said "Over my dead body" or something like that.

Back to Green Day, they've just released an iTunes exclusive 6 track live EP, Last Night On Earth: Live In Tokyo. They sound like superheroes on the album, and I mean that (in this case) as a compliment.

MORE TROUBLE FOR SPIDEY?

It looks like Spider-Man, the Broadway musical -- with songs written by Bono and The Edge -- is experiencing more troubles, according to a New York Times blogger. I was no fan of the idea in the first place, and I'm not surprised. For the record, I totally loved "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me," the song that U2 did for one of the (bad) Batman films in the '90s. And The Edge even did a pretty cool title theme for a Batman cartoon after that. I don't have a problem with this kind of stuff. But a superhero musical that's not done as kitch? I don't see how it will work, and it kind of goes to show you what sort of stuff Bono and The Edge (and I am a huge fan of both) will come up with without Larry Mullen Jr. around for quality control. I mean, really, this is an idea that had to have come up at some dinner party where $5000 bottles of wine are the norm. It seems to embody all the '70s and '80s rock bloat that U2 were always against.

BONO'S LATEST NY TIMES COLUMN

I think that the last time Bono wrote one of his columns for The New York Times it was about Frank Sinatra. This time, it is about Barack Obama, and the promise of, and the idea of, America. Check it out.

MY SPIDER-SENSE TELLS ME THIS WILL SUCK

This week, they're holding casting calls for the Spider-Man musical, featuring songs penned by Bono and The Edge. I've heard that there may be a U2 album of songs that they wrote, but I don't think Larry Mullen wants anything to do with this ridiculous project. He's the guy who always keeps it real anyway. 

WILL.I.AM'S LATEST OBAMA SONG

Will.i.am had a big viral hit with "Yes We Can," a pro-Obama song that really helped to rally the troops earlier this year. He's done a few more Obaba songs since then, which is cool. They haven't really appealed to me on a musical level, but anything that helped the cause I was cool with. He now has a new song - "America's Song," featuring himself, Faith Hill, Seal, Mary J. Blige and Bono. Again, not really a great song to my ears, but nice effort. Supposedly it was being offered as a free download today at Oprah's web site, but I can't find it, and apparently neither can a lot of other people judging by her message boards. Hopefully it will be available for everyone who wants it.

U2 IN Q

No surprise that U2 would grace the cover of Q magazine, as they are starting to promote their upcoming album, No Line On The Horizon. In the issue, Larry Mullen kind of complains about Bono's political activism. I think it's fair to say that the non-Bono members of the group get irked when they are working on a new album, and Bono has to go take a meeting at the U.N. or for the One campaign or for (RED). I get it, but the guy genuinely wants to make the world a better place, and he has used his celebrity and his charisma to do it for twenty years now (although he certainly has his critics who think that he should just shut up, and that celebrities and rock stars should stick to their day job). I myself am not of that mind, although I can sympathize with a band who want their singer around all the time.

But more than that, he mentioned cringing when seeing pictures of Bono with Bush and Tony Blair. I guess if you're in Bono's position, you can't be a die-hard progressive and not meet with Bush - he was the most powerful man in the world, and what are you going to do, wait until his term ends to meet with a more sensible, caring, intelligent president? People are dying every day. Still, as a U2 fan, and I'm sure for U2's drummer, it hurts seeing photos of Bono with Bush.

The quote from the magazine: "Tony Blair is a war criminal and I think he should be tried as a war criminal. Then I see Bono and him as pals and I'm going, 'I don't like that.' Do I think George Bush is a war criminal? Probably -- but the difference between him and Tony Blair is that Blair is intelligent. So, he has no excuse."

Amen. I think Bono has enough sense to realize that all three of his bandmates, and probably most of his family and friends, feel the same way. Happily, Bono's next event with an American president will be the concert honoring Barack Obama on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

BRUCE, STEVIE, BONO AND OTHERS TO PLAY INAUGURAL CELEBRATION

I wonder if Washington D.C. has ever seen anything like the excitement for Barack Obama's inauguration. Certainly the concert that will take place on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial this Sunday for the We Are One celebration is kind of unprecedented: Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Herbie Hancock, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, James Taylor and will.i.am are among the artists who will be performing at this historic event. The show will be open to the public: I think it is supposed to be freezing that day, but who cares? I wish I was going.

BONO'S NEW YORK TIMES OPINION PIECE; or Frank, Elvis and Me

Having already done a blog for The Financial Times, Bono is now starting to do occasional opinion pieces for The New York Times ("The Old Grey Lady" appears to be borrowing a page from The Huffington Post's book, so to speak - Neil Young, Harry Shearer and Jermaine Dupri are also among The Huff Post's staff of bloggers).

The suject of his first piece was Frank Sinatra. I have to admit, the appeal of Ol' Blue Eyes has always eluded me. Maybe because my first awareness of him was via Joe Piscopo's impressions of him on Saturday Night Live, and the "Johnny Fontane" character in The Godfather. Plus, I never really liked the music, which seemed too "schmaltzy" for me, although I'm told that I should check out the album In The Wee Small Hours. In fact, the only Sinatra in my whole collection is his duet with Bono, "I've Got You Under My Skin." I remember thinking that Sinatra - at least at his advanced age - was way out of his league.

And it's not that I'm "too young" or it's not that I don't like stuff that isn't rock and roll. In fact, I like lots of the songs that Sinatra sang - I just thought that Billie Holiday did them a lot better. And from the pre-rock and roll era, I'd prefer to listen to Hank Williams, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Woody Guthrie, etc.

But a lot of people who I admire respect the man: not just Bono, but also Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Henry Rollins to name a few. Maybe I should check out that Wee Small Hours album. It took me a while to open my record collection to Elvis Presley (influenced by Chuck D's Public Enemy lyric that "Elvis was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me, straight out racist the sucker was, simple and plain, motherfuck him and John Wayne!" and the fact that I felt that the other Sun artists - Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison - were better). I kind of felt that removed from the context of the times, the music just wasn't awesome. I have since picked up some of Presley's stuff on Sun, which is in fact pretty excellent, maybe it's time for me to re-evaluate some of Frank's music, at least the older stuff.