’Who’s This Weirdo?’
’Who’s This Weirdo?’
’Who’s This Weirdo?’

'Who's This Weirdo?'

Bono, writes for the 2004 NME Year Book, about his year in politics. Extract here.

10 Nov 2004
Bono, writes for the 2004 NME Year Book, about his year in politics. Extract
here.

'I suppose I could tell you about some of the people I've met in the last year. There's the powerful ones - politicians, business men, bankers - with that look in their eye, a kind of wary recognition: 'Don't I know you from the news stand?' crossed with, 'Who's this weirdo?'

Then there's the powerless ones, dying, sick, starving in vast numbers, silent, compliant. I can't begin to describe the look in their eyes. But it's a habit I have, looking people in the eye, and it gets me into a lot of trouble...

So, who have I met and where have I been?

George W Bush. I was surprised that he agreed to see me at all. He didn't have to, especially as I used to crank-call his dad at the White House from the stage during U2's 'Zoo TV' Tour. Dressed as the devil with 70,000 of my closest friends singing along, I would call at about 10 o' clock at night. We usually got Operator 2, and we would sing at the top of our voices, "I just called to say I love you". Still, since I posed for a photo with W in 2003, he agreed to pledge $15bn for five years to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa.'

To read more about Bono's year in politics get the NME Yearbook on sale now.

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