Bono and the Edge in Conversation About U2, Their Song for ‘Sing 2,’ and How Music Saved Their Lives, Too

variety.com:

Chris Willman Music WriterThe season of Lent is a ways off, but Bono already knows what he’s giving up: humility. “During the week there was this story about me not liking the sound of my voice,” he points out, referring to an offhand podcast comment that generated reams of headlines and brought out catty remarks from U2 non-fans. “And I was saying, you know, it’s not bad at all.

It’s just live is where U2 lives… and I love the (early) recordings, but when I hear my voice on them I just hear the fragility of it.” But he knows people took the self-effacement and ran with it. “It’s OK for me to occasionally try to be fucking straight-up honest with people,” says the singer. “I was trying to be humorous in this interview, and a bit humble.” He’s come to a conclusion: “It doesn’t suit,” he laughs. “I am back to full-on bollocks.” Well, not entirely, as Variety found in a conversation with the U2 singer and his bandmate, the Edge, this week.

There was indeed a fair amount of pride — in the name of bollocks? — but also enough self-abnegation to show that this is still a band that believes in something bigger than itself.

Like, not to put too spiritual a point on it, the connection between an artist and audience that can bring both listener and performer back from a despairing brink.