Bono and Deep Purple

Bono is a nob. He is such a hypocrit it infuriates me. Today, check me out for being topical, he was named A Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of The British Empire. He won't be given the title of 'Sir' because he isn't a British national. It was given for his services and contribution to both music and the fight against poverty. Now first of all, U2 do not deserve a knighthood. I am assuming that this knighthood is for U2 as a group effectively, as I can't think of anything he has done as a solo artist, other than one line in 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'. They have no doubt made some alright music in their time, not all my cup of tea, but the first couple of albums are quite good, and particularly the live EP 'Under a Blood Red Sky', but they haven't really made a life changing contribution to music (and what the hell was that giant lemon about?) in the way that Macca or Jagger have. Admittedly neither Macca nor Jagger did it on their own, but that's a whole different blog. Anyway, so on the basis of them having made some half decent records and flogged truckloads of them, they gain a Knighthood. Ridiculous. Also, on the contribution to fighting poverty thing, I am totally cool with Bono using his powers to talk about it to people that you or I could not reach. Fine. But he could do a bit more about it couldn't he? Such a fucking hypocrit. Why don't U2 pay to do a gig, then give all the money they make to Oxfam or Unicef or whoever? That would make lots of money. In fact, fuck it, do a whole tour. I don't know, but they have shedloads of cash themselves and are telling me to give more money? Millions of starving people in the world, give lots of money to charity, excellent idea, then pay £125 fucking pounds to go see U2 at the City of Manchester Stadium on their Vertigo World Tour? Don't give me that shit.


My beer has run out which is disappointing. I have just put side two of 'Fireball' by Deep Purple on the stereo. I am in a 70's mood lately, paying some Allman Brothers, Blood on the Tracks, Deep Purple etc. I'll put the MC5 back on soon so I don't become a hippy. Mind you, not that I would call Deep Purple hippies. Criminally underated band. So fucking good. Miles better than Sabbath, yet all they're remembered for is Smoke on the bloody Water, which is a fucking good tune, if you listen to it again, rather than just snobbishly rule it out because it's on 'Air Guitar Anthems', because guess what, so is 'Ace of Spades' and that is ridiculously good. The 'Made in Japan' live album by DP is so good. And the three albums from which all that material comes from, namely 'Deep Purple in Rock', 'Machinehead' and 'Fireball' are all quality 70's rock records. So it's time they become critically acclaimed I feel. Maybe I'll play 'Speed King' to a New Young Pony Club fan.

Currently listening to 'Fireball' by Deep Purple

Sam