Music Is My First Love
Music Is My First Love
Music Is My First Love

Music Is My First Love

'Nothing comes close to the feeling of waking up with a melody in yourhead...'

07 Jul 2002
'Nothing comes close to the feeling of waking up with a melody in yourhead...'

Music is his first love and he has no interest in becoming a full-timepolitician says Bono in the latest edition of Hot Press.

"Nothing comes close to the feeling of waking up with a melody in your headand having a band like U2 to help you capture it," Bono told the Irish music magazine.

'Politicians don't turn me on, politics doesn't turn me on, the way musicdoes. I have a lot more respect for them than I used to. They work a lotharder than I thought... but I don't want to be one."

In recent months Bono has lobbied world leaders from George Bush and TonyBlair to Jacques Chirac in a bid to improve aid and debt forgiveness for poor countries and in May went on a high-profile 12-day trip through Africa with U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill.

But Bono dismisses talk of aiming for political career and says he has nodream of becoming the Irish President, a largely ceremonial position whichusually attracts a wide-range of candidates from outside the politicalmainstream.

"I don't think I could live with the pay cut or moving to a smaller house,"he said.

Bono has set up a new group called DATA (Debt, Aid, Trade for Africa),advocating economic aid, lower export tariffs and money to fight AIDS.

He is not getting mellower with age. 'I'm getting angrier and that's whatmakes me believe that with some smart thinking and simple changes to our lives, we can drastically improve the lives of so many other people.'

He also added that U2 had been working on a follow-upalbum to the Grammy-winning "All That You Can't Leave Behind" since the endof their "Elevation" tour in December 2001 .

'We set up in a disused bar/nightclub in the South of France. Very punk rockand very like old clubs we used to play. Maybe it was being in that kind ofvenue, but the music we started to make was very lo-fi high energy.'

More on DATA at www.datadata.org

MORE NEWS

ALL NEWS
Carnaval De Luz: Special Editions for Subscribers
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

Carnaval De Luz, the band's first studio album in nine years, arrives in just a few weeks and...

07 OCT 2026
Carnaval De Luz Indie Record Store Edition
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

Limited Edition Third Man Records Yellow Vinyl of New Album Arrives November 13 at Independent Record Stores

30 SEP 2026
Central Bank Deputy Governor Vasileios Madouros presented the coin to Larry Mullen Jr.
50TH ANNIVERSARY

Central Bank of Ireland launches U2 commemorative coin marking 50 years since the band's formation.

28 SEP 2026
Fifty
50TH ANNIVERSARY

Live in Dublin fifty years on. Pat Carty was there for U2.com.

27 SEP 2026
'CARNAVAL DE LUZ' - New Album In November.
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

The band's first studio album in nine years will be released on November 13th. Silencio, second track from...

24 SEP 2026
It’s Arrived (with a surprise)
SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVES

The Days of Ash Propaganda Magazine & EP bundle is here… complete with a bonus Easter Lily edition...

17 SEP 2026
'2027 Persons of the Year'
HEARTS + MINDS

Band to be honoured by Musicares for 'five decades of musical achievement and humanitarian service'

10 SEP 2026
’Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah’
COMPILATIONS

Release of Pogues cover today, Friday, from stellar line up for '20th Century Paddy - The Songs Of...

28 AUG 2026
'Fireflies'
COLLABORATIONS

Out today!  Martin Garrix teams up with U2 on new track 'Fireflies', debuted live with Edge at Tomorrowland...

24 JUL 2026
'In a place called Mexico…'

Behind-the-scenes with band and crew on the shoot for 'Street of Dreams'.

17 JUL 2026
Street Of Dreams - The New Single is Here.
SINGLES

Listen to Street of Dreams, the first single from the band's upcoming studio album.

07 JUL 2026
’BALLROOM BOOM’
TV

'Ballroom Boom' screening at the Galway Film Fleadh this Thursday.

07 JUL 2026
SHOWING 12 OF 4771 STORIES KEEP SCROLLING FOR MORE ↓

Related Topic

LATEST COMMENTS

THE NEW ALBUM
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

The new album. Out 13 November 2026.

PRE-ORDER

SUBSCRIBE TO U2.COM

Special editorial and video, exclusive newsletters and events, 25% coupon for the shop and first access to ticket sales when the band tour.