Watch Bono Apologize for Being Bono
Bono delivered a lighthearted apology for being who he is in a new interview with the U2 singer and bandmate the Edge.
In the hourlong Apple Music special, hosted by Zane Lowe, the songwriting duo discussed their creative partnership and the concept behind U2's new album Songs of Surrender. On the subject of whether it was appropriate for the group members to have such a high opinion of themselves, Bono replied, “Actually, I’ve got an apology – I wrote it,” before taking a piece of paper from his pocket.
He read: “I apologize for having the unreasonableness of youth as I enter my 60s. I apologize for being a singer who will get in your face, whatever direction you’re looking. I apologize for not being shy or retiring and for loudly giving thanks for where I go to work. I apologize for stretching our band to its elastic limit. I apologize for wanting to make an unreasonable guitar record that rattles my cage and others.”
The apology starts at 43:55 in the below video.
As all three people on the screen continued to break into grins and contain laughter, Bono continued, “I apologize for repeating over and over that rock 'n' roll is not dead, it’s just older and grumpier, and occasionally makes fireworks out of its mood changes. But most of all, I apologize for apologizing.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Bono argued that faith was “required for songwriting” and looked back at the Irish band’s faith. "When you’re a kid and you don’t have anything at all to offer the world – at least, it feels like that – and you’re at a place in tour life and your country’s life where there doesn’t look like there’s going to be a lot out there, you need faith," he explained. "And we found it in each other, we found it in music."