the bono perplex

actually I always preferred pulp

(we are now in the period which TV channel controllers used to call “summer reruns”. There might be some actual reruns coming up, mainly of the very old stuff from when this ‘stack used to have many fewer readers – for the time being, I’ll try to keep the output going with short and whimsical things to suit the Northern Hemisphere’s weather, unless something big or serious comes up).

“The Bono Complex” is a name I have given in my mind to a cultural phenomenon which I think is absolutely obvious – whenever someone is harsh about a popular band, particularly one which was popular when they were young, what they are actually telling you about is the things they are embarrassed about for themselves at the age when that band was in the charts.

So, U2 and their self-righteous political sloganizing? Oasis and their coarse and mindless behaviour? Sting, acting like he’s so much better than everyone else? Bruce Springsteen, all sweaty and earnest? Phil Collins, with that selfish streak. U2 again, but this time trying to be trendy. Blur, that absolute arse of a bass player getting into foodie stuff. The list isn’t difficult to extend.

“The Bono Corollary” is simply the observable truth that when you tell someone about the Bono Complex, they almost always go “oh, not me, I never liked them, always thought he was a wanker”, and are lying. If even half of the fiftysomething men who claimed to have hated Rattle & Hum the moment they first heard it were telling the truth, it would have sold about eight copies.