Bono phones in to last ever Mystery Train

‘God bless you and the babies too!’

Bono paid tribute to radio DJ John Kelly on the last ever Mystery Train on RTE radio 1 on Thursday evening. Phoning in from France ‘under an orange moon, thinking of Enniskillen’, he talked to Kelly about the — wait for it — ‘extraordinary’ show, which has been prematurely axed in a recent RTE programming shake up, as well as congratulating him on the imminent birth of his twins.

Listen to Bono’s call. (mp3)

Later on during the show Bono rang in again (as did The Edge), off air, to request ‘Death is not the End’ by Dylan, or Gavin Friday, but Kelly didn’t have it on him. However, he had played the track earlier in the week in memory of Paschal Hanvey (Gavin’s father), who passed away a year ago this Wednesday.

We’re very sad to see a great, eclectic and unpredictable show like gentleman John’s go off air and wish him the best of luck, wherever the tracks may take him.

The good news is, John Kelly announced he will be back on air in October, on Lyric FM (1.30 – 2.30pm, Monday to Friday), with a different type of show. He encourages listeners to join him there.

Drummer in the City

New York loves U2, and U2 love New York. A Bono sighting in the Big Apple is a rather common occurrence these days. An Edge or Adam Clayton sighting isn’t completely unheard of either. A Larry Mullen sighting, however, is a rare thing because, despite his pretty-boy looks, Larry has the magical ability to move among common-looking people without getting noticed often — which is why we took note of a sighting of the U2 drummer in the city posted at Gawker.com. We can only imagine what Larry was doing in Soho (uhh…shopping?), but we do suspect that he noted the large photo of his friend Bono in the window of the Morrison Hotel Gallery on Prince Street, where there is an exhibition of rock photography by Neal Preston taking place through June 2nd.

Peace be with your haircut

From Flickr, picture taken by Bona Vox, April 2006.

And … aww.

One Pastiche of Beckett, please

Bono launched the Beckett Centenary Festival at the Dublin castle on Wednesday.

He was attending at the invitation of Michael Colgan, Director of the Gate Theatre and the Chairman of the Beckett Centenary Committee.

Colgan asked Bono to perform his ‘pastiche of Beckett’, which you can listen to on the RTE website. Parental advisory: explicit genius.

Colgan then presented Bono with a signed edition of Beckett’s book ‘Murphy’.

• Bono’s ‘Pastiche of Beckett’ (Real audio)
• Read full text
• RTE TV report (Real video)
• Pictures of the event
• Festival website
• RTE radio report on the launch (Real audio)
• Pastiche MP3
• Samuel Beckett – Murphy

Bono Dines With Jesse Helms

A very excited Jesse Helms and Bono shared a meal of grilled chicken, roast beef and salmon (where’s the veggies guys?) and talked DATA before U2 went on stage in Charlotte.

B-Unit hits da party

If you’re Bono (don’t even dream about it!), what do you do after two sold-out, successful shows in Los Angeles? Party, of course!

Following U2′s concert at L.A.’s Staples Center last night (Nov. 2), Bono attended a party to celebrate the premiere of the film Get Rich or Die Tryin’ for his friend Gavin Friday, who was involved in writing music for the film’s soundtrack with Quincy Jones and Maurice Seezer. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is directed by Jim Sheridan and stars American rap artist 50 Cent (pictured with Bono).

Bono and Edge attend Corbijn exhibition opening

Bono and Edge were among the famous faces who appeared at the opening reception for Anton Corbijn’s U2&I exhibition at the Stellan Holm Gallery in New York City this evening (Oct. 9). The exhibition drew not only celebrities, including Orlando Bloom, Kate Bosworth, Michael Stipe, Dave Gahan, and Gina Gershon, but also a slew of U2 fans, who were eager to see the famous photos of the megaband and talk to the photographer who took them.

Six of the photographs on exhibition are available to purchase as lithographs from the gallery at a price equivalent to approximately 84 U2 general admission tickets (figure that one out!). The exhibition runs until Saturday, October 15 (10 to 6 pm).

Photos: U2log.com

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Tickets for Jeffrey Sachs lecture on sale now

We just got a heads up from our reader Amanda to point out tickets for Jeffrey Sachs’ lecture at New York University are already on sale. Jeffrey Sachs will deliver his lecture “The End of Poverty” in a series named to honor the late Senator Maynihan, the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Memorial Lecture. Jeffrey will be introduced by Bono.

The lecture will take place at the Skirball Centre, October 5 and 6 pm and tickets are going for $40.

U2 vs Cashman: a witness report

Our old mate Mr Jetlag reports from Dublin Circuit Court where Bono and Larry testified in their case vs stylist Lola Cashman. Their former employee tried to auction off several items she claims were gifts from the band. U2 stopped the 2001 auction, which included a cowboy hat, a sweat shirt, trousers and earrings, instructing Christie’s auction house the items weren’t Cashman’s to sell.

“It was mental – The court room was more packed than the bomb shelter. I watched Bono and Larry take the stand. There was loads of laughter in the court when Bono was giving evidence. He agreed he had different trouser designed for him in diferent sizes because of a weight problem: ‘…but so did Elvis.’

When he recalled touring and doing promotion for the Joshua Tree and trying to improve their image he said: ‘In a way it was the thing we always thought the last about. As might be obvious looking at the earlier photos.’

There was more laughter when he explained to the judge about a posed live shot they had done using wardrobe. Ever the salesman he said: ‘That photo is today available in music stores – you can get it at €9.99.’

Bono was then accused of performing a legal stunt to secure a stay in another case. He replied: ‘How on earth can it be a legal stunt to protect your reputation?’

When asked about the hat and its status Bono said: ‘You try as a songwriter to place your work, not just on the road, not just in people’s cars and homes but into their consciousness.’

When Ms Cashman’s barrister asked about how they could have known about the value of the items and what they would be worth Bono said: ‘We had delusions of grandeur from the very beginning.’

To top it all off, many of the barristers present were scrambling to get autographs.”

More details at The Guardian

Get yerself a Bonographed book in Boston

U2.com has confirmed that Bono will be appearing at Michka Assayas’ book signing this afternoon at Barnes and Noble in Boston (800 Boylston Street location).

Take your camera, 25 bucks, and a quality pen. Be prepared to queue at length.