U2 frontman Bono along with the group’s lead guitarist, The Edge with recently gave an interview with India based outlet NDTV in which the iconic U2 members discussed a wide variety of topics at length. Here, the iconic U2 members spoke in great detail about adapting to the social media age, comparing negative comments in message boards to ‘dirty graffiti’, why Bono doesn’t have a personal Twitter account and more. Alternative Nation transcribed their comments. The Edge recently revealed if ‘final’ U2 show is coming not too long ago.
Interviewer: A lot of things have changed over the years. Records have become tapes and now it’s all digital. Selfies are the new autographs, have you all adapted well though the change? I’ve seen you all having fun on social media or wherever.
The Edge: I think the whole world of digital is still forming and there is jeopardy. I think it’ll take a few years before it settles down but it’s given vent to a lot of negative sentiment I believe and I think what’s the negative aspect of social media is communal events. [Examples such as] concerts, the gathering together of people, rubbing shoulders with people who are very different. Realizing that the difference is to be celebrators as much as to be cautious about. Bono was recently ripped for this ‘trainwreck’ U2 performance.
Bono: Well you enjoy Instagram.
The Edge: I do but I’m also aware of the negativity that gets amplified so strongly on social media.
Interviewer: Why is that? Why is it such a double-edged sword?
The Edge: It’s deep but I think, I mean, there’s almost – and I hate to say it – it’s almost a sadomasochistic sort of system where people are venting. They have rage and they have disappointment, they’re just spewing on the internet and it’s not at all.
Bono: The blogosphere can put you off Democracy. In Ireland, I don’t know about India but certainly in America and Europe they used to be in bathrooms and dwellings, you would find all of this graffiti and some of it would be very unpleasant, I mean very unpleasant. If you go into these bathrooms now, it’s not there. Now it’s all online. Awful U2 ticket sales at concert were revealed earlier this month.
