Rock stardom was wasted on us,' as Bono jokes. We got quite good at being rock stars even if it was only play-acting. But, you know, the leather pants stuck and it was hard to get those goggles off because I found there was a certain freedom in getting rid of all that moral baggage. I'd love to think that there was a nagging element to the music. Because all that other stuff is pure packaging.
People talk about irony, but that was an amazing piece of disinformation.
We were putting on a show. It was fun, but there isn't a shred of irony on any of those records. Bono's mother died when he was 14 years old, something which he has long recognised as a defining moment in his life. In some ways, his whole career might be viewed as an ongoing attempt to reconcile the conflicting demands of his faith and his vocation. It's a big subject.