(In)appropriate U2 obsession?

Tina Rhoades ([email protected])
Thu, 17 Dec 1998 09:10:48 -0500

Nope, David. I wouldn't call it an "inappropriate obsession." I
would like to think of it more as an act(?) of compassion.

One of the defining moments, for me, of U2 in the 90's was during the
Zoo TV tour. I remember Bono on stage performing (acoustically)
"Unchained Melody." The stage was dark during the beginning
of the song. Then the screens lit up all around him with scenes of
military persons dashing about. At first I thought, "some video crew
member must be asleep at the switch. They're on the wrong song."
But it took only seconds to realize the image that was being projected.
While Bono sang the refrain of "I need your love," I rocket was
launched on the screen. As the missile descended onto its target,
Bono sang, "God speed your love to me." As the bomb exploded,
U2 burst into "Bullet the Blue Sky" without missing a beat.

Over 150,000 Iraqis (25,000 women + children) were killed in
the Gulf War as compared to 189 Allies (149 of which were
Americans). Various groups such as Amnesty, Doctors Without
Borders, International Action Fund, etc., estimated well over
250,000 would die from famine and epidemic, due to food refineries
and water supplies being bombed. (Their initial estimates were
conservative as, 6 years after the war, the number was closer to the
1 million mark.) All essential civilian services were destroyed. A
22-member International War Crimes Tribunal from five continents,
found Bush and his administration guilty of 19 charges of war crimes--
crimes against peace and crimes against humanity for U.S. conduct
before, during, and after the war against Iraq.

So . . . happy Ramadan 1998 to the people of Iraq. God speed
your love to them, indeed.

Tina

P.S. Patrick, I believe that was the point that Rob was making--
that dark, compelling, music will always endure. But, he felt that
the "mainstream" was more interested in happy, shiny, sweet,
cookie-cutter, "wallpaper" tunes. (Which is probably why those
"types" of groups remain on top of the charts much longer than
someone of the same caliber as U2.)

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