Latest news with #BeautifulDay
Dublin Live
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Dublin Live
Bono opens up on U2 member who has final say on band's music
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info U2 frontman Bono has described the band as a "democracy". The 65-year-old rocker explained how the iconic group – which also comprises The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr – all chip in with ideas for new music. However, the Beautiful Day singer added that it is usually the lead guitarist's suggestions that are given preference. Asked how U2 work after more than 40 years in the industry, Bono said: "Bloody democracy. Thom Yorke from Radiohead says, 'A band is like the United Nations, except I'm America'. But U2 is an actual democracy. We all listen to each other, and then do what Edge says." Bono takes centre stage in the new Apple TV+ documentary film Stories Of Surrender which documents a one-man performance he gave in New York in 2023 – although he doubts that his U2 bandmates are that interested in the project. He said: "I think Larry only likes Westerns, Adam said he liked the moonwalk, so I think perhaps he was looking at a different film. Edge is always there. He's so supportive, especially when he sees me be open or be vulnerable, which is our definition of art." The Dubliner describes the film as "very intimate" and revealed that he took inspiration from the late Beatles icon John Lennon for the project. Father-of-four Bono explained: "It was always, 'Break open the ribcage, show what's the heart, let it bleed'. That was the John Lennon way. So it starts with heart surgery." Meanwhile, the singer recently teased that he wants U2 to make "the sound of the future" on their next album. The With Or Without You artist said on Jimmy Kimmel! Live: "We've been in the studio and you've sometimes got to deal with the past to get to the present, in order to make the sound of the future. That's what we want to do." Bono also insisted that U2 continue to be very ambitious despite their long and successful career in music. He said: "It's the sound of four men, who feel like their lives depend on it. I remind them, they do. "Nobody needs a new U2 album unless it's an extraordinary one. I'm feeling very strong about it." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
U2 is true democracy, says Bono
U2 frontman Bono has described the band as a 'democracy'. The 65-year-old rocker explained how the iconic group – which also comprises The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr – all chip in with ideas for new music. However, the Beautiful Day singer added that it is usually the lead guitarist's suggestions that are given preference. Asked how U2 work after more than 40 years in the industry, Bono said: 'Bloody democracy. Thom Yorke from Radiohead says, 'A band is like the United Nations, except I'm America'. 'But U2 is an actual democracy. We all listen to each other, and then do what Edge says.' Bono takes centre stage in the new Apple TV+ documentary film Stories Of Surrender which documents a one-man performance he gave in New York in 2023 – although he doubts that his U2 bandmates are that interested in the project. He said: 'I think Larry only likes Westerns, Adam said he liked the moonwalk, so I think perhaps he was looking at a different film. Edge is always there. He's so supportive, especially when he sees me be open or be vulnerable, which is our definition of art.' The Dubliner describes the film as 'very intimate' and revealed that he took inspiration from the late Beatles icon John Lennon for the project. Father-of-four Bono explained: 'It was always, 'Break open the ribcage, show what's the heart, let it bleed'. 'That was the John Lennon way. So it starts with heart surgery.' Meanwhile, the singer recently teased that he wants U2 to make 'the sound of the future' on their next album. The With Or Without You artist said on Jimmy Kimmel! Live: 'We've been in the studio and you've sometimes got to deal with the past to get to the present, in order to make the sound of the future. That's what we want to do.' Bono also insisted that U2 continue to be very ambitious despite their long and successful career in music. He said: 'It's the sound of four men, who feel like their lives depend on it. I remind them, they do. 'Nobody needs a new U2 album unless it's an extraordinary one. I'm feeling very strong about it.'
Irish Independent
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘Just an unbelievable feeling' – Katie McCabe hails Arsenal's shock Champions League final victory over Barcelona
Stina Blackstenius scored the 75th-minute goal that allowed McCabe and her team of Gunners heroes to secure the win that will ensure their names join the list of champions who have led the regulation of women's soccer, as they took their place alongside the Arsenal icons. Emma Byrne, Ciara Grant and Yvonne Tracy were the Irish trailblazers who inspired a generation of Irish girls to believe they could forge a career in soccer as they were part of the first Gunners team to be crowned as queens of European football 18 years ago. Now, a new generation of Arsenal heroes has secured their place in the club's Hall of Fame, as they defied the odds to defeat a fearsome Barcelona side in a thrilling final. A clearly emotional McCabe was among the first Arsenal players to offer condolences to the crestfallen Barcelona player at the final whistle, as the magnitude of a long and arduous journey in this competition ended in the most glorious manner possible for Arsenal. Renee Slegers' team had played 14 matches to get to this stage of the Champions League, but this was always going to be the biggest test against a Barcelona side widely recognised as the best team in European football. 'We suffered together,' said a euphoric McCabe. 'Barcelona threw everything at us, but we fought together and we got there. 'We deserved to be in this final. We bounced back in the knock-out stages of the competition and we needed to be resilient. 'When I first came to the club, I was a young, naive kid who came over from Dublin. To be here now is just an unbelievable feeling. 'This was for our fans today. We are all European champions. It's amazing.' McCabe had to apologise for dropping a swear word into his emotional post-match interview, but such a slip was understandable as her ten-year adventure at Arsenal had finally reached its ultimate moment. With U2's Beautiful Day screaming out on the PA system in Lisbon's Estadio Jose Alvalade, this felt like the perfect moment for the girl from Kilnamanagh. She has given so much to Irish soccer, so much to Arsenal and now McCabe has the golden medal that will forever mean she is a champion. This was a win Arsenal deserved after a battling performance that limited a threatening Barcelona attacking unit to a handful of half-chances. With 44 goals in this season's Champions League, the Catalan giants have highlighted their scoring threat, with that total a massive 19 more than Arsenal in the competition. Yet it was Slegers' Gunners who reach the break reflecting on what might have been, after they weathered an early burst of pressure to carve out the best chances. While Aitana Bonmati was a threat every time she got on the ball for Barcelona, the Spanish side were relieved to reach the break on level terms as Arsenal squandered a host of presentable chances. Arsenal believed they had taken the lead after 23 minutes as Irene Paredes's attempted clearance ended up on the back of the Barcelona net, with a narrow VAR offside decision saving her from the ignominy of an own goal in a Champions League final. Frida Maanum then went close for Arsenal as her long-range shot needed to tipped over the bar by Barcelona keeper Catalina Coll. The half-time whistle sounded with the most feared team in European football pondering a change of approach as an Arsenal backline featuring the always reliable McCabe were handling everything coming at them. Barcelona started to gain momentum in the second half and they so nearly snatched a lead as Claudia Pina looped onto the crossbar via a deflection from Arsenal's Emily Fox. The always threatening Bonmati then drew a fine save from Gunners keeper Daphne van Domselaar as her low shot was kept out and with the Barcelona pressure mounting, Arsenal so nearly snatched the vital opening goal on the break as Blackstenius broke at pace and forced a fine save from Coll. Blackstenius must have been pondering whether she would get another chance as good as that, but it came just five minutes later and this time, she fizzed a shot back Coll to score the goal that would be etched into Arsenal folklore. 'We worked so hard and it just feels amazing. Just amazing,' said Arsenal forward Alessia Russo. 'We had to suffer a lot, they are a top side. We knew coming into the game we would have to suffer and there would be moments where we wouldn't have the ball. We had to be content and happy with not having the ball, knowing our moment would come. 'Everyone just wanted it so badly. I can't say enough.' Whatever McCabe achieves from this point forward in her remarkable career, this will be the night that shines through. Ireland has a Champions League winner and like her boxing namesake Taylor, this Katie will forever be listed among our nation's sporting greats.
Irish Independent
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Alejandro Garnacho ‘thrown under bus by Amorim', says player's brother after Europa League final defeat to Spurs
And from there the Manchester United forward barely moved, other than to cover his face with a hand. It felt like an age before one of Ruben Amorim's coaching staff sidled over somewhat sheepishly and attempted to pull Garnacho to his feet but he was not for shifting. The television camera crew spotted an opportunity and for the next few minutes they hovered around Garnacho like killer whales stalking a young seal. They were just doing their jobs but those prying lenses felt cruel all the same. Tottenham's Pedro Porro and then his Argentine team-mate Cristian Romero came over to console the crestfallen figure on the floor as U2's Beautiful Day reverberated rather unhelpfully around the stadium. It was a good 10 minutes before Garnacho composed himself enough to stray over to the half where those in red were scattered, the spaces between them as large as those opponents have exploited time and again during this most pitiful of campaigns. We will never know how this final might have panned out had Amorim opted to start with Garnacho in his attack but it is unlikely to have been much worse. There have been many strange calls at United this season, decisions that at times have stretched the bounds of logic and reason, and so at least there was continuity to that theme here in Bilbao. Amorim was right to argue that it is much easier to judge in hindsight but there can be little debate that the decision to drop Garnacho and start Mason Mount backfired. With Rasmus Hojlund again largely lost upfront and Mount virtually anonymous before being replaced by Garnacho in the 71st minute, United's entire attacking output seemed to be reduced to the hope that Amad Diallo might conjure a bit of magic. 'It's easy to say that now,' Amorim said of his selection. 'Who missed the big opportunity in the first half in the semi final [against Athletic Bilbao]? Garnacho. Football is like that.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more That felt rather like kicking a man when he was down but then Amorim has not pulled any punches since the moment he replaced Erik ten Hag as United's head coach in early November. Quite how Garnacho reacts remains to be seen. We were given some insight into his view of Amorim's decision to drop him for a player who, until the start of this month, had not started a game in 2025 via his Instagram stories in the hours before kick-off. There certainly felt something rather pointed about Garnacho posting an image of himself scoring in the FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City 12 months ago. After the game he hinted at those frustrations at being benched and said he would wait to see what the summer brought regarding his future. 'Obviously it's hard for everyone. Our season was s---,' the United winger told journalists, as reported by AlbicelesteTalk. 'We didn't beat anyone in the league. We lacked a lot of things. When you don't score goals, you always need more. Until we reached the final, I played every round. 'And I played 20 minutes today… I don't know. I'm going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens next.' Garnacho's brother and agent, Roberto, was even more forthright, accusing Amorim of throwing the player 'under the bus', comments that may only inflame an already delicate situation. 'Working as no one else, helping every round, coming from two goals in the last two finals, just to be on the pitch for 19 mins and get thrown under the bus. Wowe hahahahahaha,' Roberto Garnacho wrote on Instagram. Garnacho's end product has let him down this season and he does not look a particularly comfortable fit for one of the two No 10 positions in this 3-4-2-1 system to which United seem to have wedded themselves, for better or worse. But United's attacking play − hardly a fast and fluid construct even with one of their most penetrative and direct players in the team − was a byword for the leaden and the pedestrian against Tottenham, who did not need to be any good themselves to claim a first European trophy for 41 years. Chelsea and Napoli both failed with bids for Garnacho in January but it felt pretty clear to everyone that, if those offers had reached the right level, United would have cashed in. Will the same be true this summer? The circumstances of this final felt like Garnacho being pushed further towards the exit door but if they are to sell the Argentinian − particularly in a summer when they are already looking to shift three other wide forwards in Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony − they really will be staking all their chips on the Amorim experiment. And an experiment is what it feels like, no matter how much United fans sing their manager's name. Amorim had warned his paymasters before he accepted the job that, if he was to join in mid-season rather than at the end of the campaign as he originally wished, things could get a little ugly. No one in their right mind could have imagined they would turn quite this bad, though. This was Tottenham's fourth victory from four against United this season and they could yet rub salt into those wounds on Sunday. Better United's result and Spurs will leapfrog their rivals and relegate Amorim's side to 17th position. In other words, United would be the worst team in the top flight that has not been relegated. Drink that in for a moment. Amorim, in truth, has always been honest enough to admit that winning the Europa League was not going to mask the scale of United's problems but those troubles feel like they are morphing by the month. It will not feel like it now given the soreness in defeat − and the soul-searching that will inevitably follow − but the prospect of no European football at Old Trafford next season might not feel quite so damaging come August. After all, this mob need all the time they can get on the training pitch to try to fix this mess. Whether Garnacho is part of the rebuild, though, remains to be seen.
Irish Independent
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘This is my story' – U2's Bono to tell ‘tall tales of short rock star' in his new film on Apple TV+
Bono: Stories of Surrender is based on his memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, and the accompanying book and theatre tour. The Dublin singer, whose band is known for songs including Beautiful Day and With or Without You, performs in front of a lively crowd. In the black and white video the musician, whose real name is Paul David Hewson, says: 'Something to know about performers in pursuit of truth, we are capable of more untruth than most.' The film includes footage from his Beacon Theatre shows in New York and shows him performing the U2 songs that shaped his career. 'Turns out, the most extraordinary thing about my life is the people I'm in relationships with. I met my wife Ali the same week I joined U2,' he says. Bono also speaks about craving his father's attention and the last time he saw his mother alive. 'This is my story. I'm stuck with it,' he says. U2 formed in the late 1970s and comprises Bono, guitarist The Edge, bass player Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. They have had seven number one singles in the UK chart with tracks including Desire, Discotheque and Vertigo. Bono is also known for his activism and philanthropic work and was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in January, which is given for 'exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavours'.
