Latest news with #MountTempleComprehensiveSchool
Metro
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Bono addresses ‘sore' rumours of romance between his wife and U2 bandmate
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Bono has addressed rumours of a romance between his wife and bandmate. The U2 frontman – born Paul David Hewson – was a founding member of the Irish rock band, which formed in 1976 while they were attending Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin. As a teenager he began dating his future wife, Alison Stewart, who was also in the same year as his bandmate David Howell Evans, best known as The Edge. They also went to school with Larry Mullen Jr., the band's drummer. Across the past 49 years, U2 have released 15 studio albums and are one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold an estimated 150–170 million records worldwide. They've also won 22 Grammys, eight Brit Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. But decades on, Bono has joked about suggestions his wife, 63, whom he married in 1982 and shares four children with, had a fling with The Edge. In the upcoming documentary, Bono: Stories of Surrender, he suggests his wife of 42 years and his bandmate were 'an item'. When interviewed on The Project about his comment on Sunday, he joked it was still a 'sore subject'. 'They were the two cleverest in their year,' he said of Ali and David, who were in the year below him. 'She did seem to be taking an interest in his guitar playing and, as hard as I might practice, I just knew I couldn't touch this guy. 'So, I had to become, you know, the class clown.' He then added: 'They're still really close – and they still talk about me behind my back. 'They say it's out of concern,' he added with a laugh. Bono went on to say there were certain people that he doesn't need to 'worry about' in his life because they are 'so consistent' and 'there' for him. 'Edge is one, Ali is another,' he said. Praising his wife, Bono said that her support and belief in him made him the musician he was today. 'If I believed in myself now, I probably wouldn't be sitting here. I'm really one quarter of an artist without Edge, Adam and Larry. I'm half of a person without Ali,' he added. The Edge married his high school girlfriend, Aislinn O'Sullivan in 1983, with the couple going on to have three daughters. They separated in 1990, with the guitarist then dating American professional dancer Morleigh Steinberg in 1993. They have two children together and were married in 2002. Bono: Stories of Surrender documents a 2023 performance by Bono at the Beacon Theatre in New York City during his one-man stage show Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief…, which was done to promote his 2022 memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last week and received a seven-minute standing ovation. Bono and Ali, an activist and businesswoman, share children Jordan, 36, Eve, 33, Elijah, 25, and John, 22. In 2022 Bono described his now 43-year marriage as a 'relay race'. Speaking to The Sunday Times Magazine, he revealed that Ali 'wanted to jump' after he became less present in their home life but his love for her helped overcome the 'dark waters' of their relationship. More Trending 'It's not like our love was absent any dark undercurrents or briny water, [but] we got each other through those bits where it was hard to see where we were. Ali calls it 'the work of love'. I wish she wouldn't use the word 'work' because I have a feeling there's an adjective, ''hard', that's inferred… 'If one of us got lost the other was going to get us back, that's kind of been the way it's been for us. I think in relationships somebody is in charge at some point, but you swap. It's a relay race. 'The significant thing about Ali was she was never going to be 'her indoors'. She was never going to be just my girlfriend, and she was never going to be just my wife. So, if I was home I'd better be present. And in the Eighties at some point, I was home, but I wasn't present. And that's when I think she wanted to jump.' Bono: Stories of Surrender is streaming from Friday on Apple TV Plus. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Lead singer of legendary 80s band announces shock departure on live TV MORE: Rock's most bitter break-ups as The Who axe drummer Zak Starkey again MORE: Glastonbury reveals line-up for another stage including chart-topping 80s legend
Sky News AU
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Still really close': U2 rockstar Bono finally responds to romance rumours between his wife Ali Hewson and bandmate The Edge
Irish rockstar Bono has responded to rumours his wife Ali Hewson and U2 bandmate The Edge were together. The U2 frontman, 65, born Paul David Hewson, spoke to The Project on Sunday ahead of his upcoming film Bono: Stories of Surrender. The documentary delves into Bono's life as U2's lead vocalist and the trials and tribulations of being a son, father, husband, activist and rocker. In it, he suggested his wife of 43 years Ali and U2's lead guitarist David Howell Evans, known as The Edge, were "an item". He told The Project the rumour was "still a sore subject". And Bono praised the pair for being "the two cleverest in their year" at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin. It's there the rockstar said Ali first appeared interested in David's guitar skills when the pair were in the year below Bono. "She (Ali) did seem to be taking an interest in his guitar playing and, as hard as I might practise, I just knew I couldn't touch this guy," Bono said. Ali Hewson and Bono depart the 'Bono: Stories Of Surrender' red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals in May 2025 in Cannes, France. Picture:Bono and The Edge. Picture:"So I had to become, you know, the class clown." The founding member of U2 poked further fun at himself as he said Ali and David are "still really close" and "still talk about me behind my back". "They say it's out of concern," he joked. He said he didn't need to "worry about" them as some friends were "so consistent" and "there" for him. "Edge is one, Ali is another," he said. Scene from a U2 video film clip for The Sweetest Thing featuring Ali and Bono. Picture: News Limited. Bono met Ali at age 13, and after splitting up briefly and reuniting, he married the Irish businesswoman and activist in 1982. After their honeymoon on Jamaica's north coast, the newlyweds returned to live in a small mews house in Howth, 14km northeast of Dublin. They shared the home with the rest of U2's members Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen Jr. In his 2022 memoir Surrender, Bono said his wife would "have been happier" had he embarked on a whirlwind life with the band's members. "Ali would have been happier with a life that was simpler than the one we've ended up with," the rocker said. U2 performing on their Joshua Tree Tour at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Simon Cross/Supplied "Ali had never been 'just' my girlfriend, and now she was never going to be 'just' my wife." "She was also realising that there were three other men in her marriage. "Men whom she was more than fond of, but men who were taking her man away, not just in his wild imaginings, but physically, all over the world." In 2022, Bono told The Sunday Times Magazine Ali "wanted to jump" from their marriage when Bono became less present at home during U2's 1980s tour. However, he said the couple could always "pull each other back" out of the dark times. "It's not like our love was absent any dark undercurrents or briny water, (but) we got each other through those bits where it was hard to see where we were. Ali calls it 'the work of love'." Bono and Ali shared daughters Jordan, 36, Eve, 33, and sons Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q, 25, and John Abraham, 24. Elijah followed in his father's footsteps as the lead vocalist and guitarist in the rock band Inhaler. Eve is an established actress best known for her lead role in the Netflix hit Behind Her Eyes.
Irish Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
U2 fans surprised by meaning behind name and why it makes band 'embarassed'
U2 is one of the most iconic names in music history - yet, even the band members themselves were never particularly fond of it. From Cold War espionage technology to spiritual symbolism, fans of the Dublin-born chart-topping group have always speculated about the origins of the name - but the reality is more straightforward than many might imagine. In 1976, a 14-year-old Larry Mullen Jr. posted a handwritten note on the notice board at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, expressing his desire to form a band. What started as six youngsters jamming in a kitchen gradually evolved into something much more ambitious: Paul Hewson (soon to be known as Bono), David Evans (aka The Edge), Adam Clayton and Dik Evans made up the early formation of the band. Initially, they went by the name Feedback - a choice they later confessed was because it was one of the few musical terms they actually understood. They then rebranded as The Hype, a name which also didn't stick around for long. It was in 1978 when things truly transformed, reports the Irish Star. Dik Evans left the band, and a new four-piece line-up emerged into the limelight with a fresh name: U2. The name was actually proposed by Steve Averill, a punk musician from The Radiators From Space and a mate of Adam Clayton's. He presented the band with a shortlist of six potential names - and U2 just scraped through... But only just. "It wasn't that it jumped out to us as the name we were really looking for" The Edge recalled, "but it was the one that we hated the least." During a chat on Awards Chatter, the band's axeman remarked that the moniker felt "fresh" and was open to multiple interpretations, without shoehorning their music into any particular style. Bono conceded: "I still don't [like it]. I really don't." He mentioned that initially, they were drawn to the name due to its connotations of cutting-edge technology – "the spy plane", "the U-boat", etc. , however, eventually, it seemed to suggest an undue compliance. "As it turned out to imply this kind of acquiescence - no, I don't like that name". Talking about hearing their music unexpectedly, he said: "I've been in a car when one of our songs has come on the radio," and "And I've been the colour of - as we say in Dublin - scarlet. I'm just embarrassed." Bono hasn't shied away from expressing his ambivalence towards U2's earlier endeavours, including their aesthetic and auditory identity: "I do think U2 pushes out the boat on embarrassment quite a lot" he admitted on the Awards Chatter podcast. "And maybe that's the place to be as an artist - right at the edge of your level of pain for embarrassment." The vocalist has even critiqued his younger self's vocal performances, stating "my voice sounds very strained on those early recordings" yet acknowledged the singular piece where he believes his vocals shone: 2004's chart-topping 'Vertigo'. In an interview, he unexpectedly revealed that his late-diagnosed dyslexia might have been why it took so long to twig that The Beatles was actually a play on words: "I didn't realise that The Beatles was a bad pun either.." Following a swift rebrand which included a name change, bolstered line-up, and fresh image, the band bid goodbye as The Hype with a farewell performance in March 1978. They later returned to the same venue that night under their now-famous moniker U2, introducing audiences to their own material. Just weeks after this pivotal switch, they snagged the top prize at Limerick's "Pop Group '78" talent competition—a win The Edge retrospectively deemed "a great affirmation" for the novice group. Fast forward, U2 has risen to global fame, having sold north of 150 million records, bagged an awe-inspiring 22 Grammy Awards, and crafted a tour legacy that has revolutionised live music for generations.
Daily Record
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
U2 fans finally learn meaning behind band's name and why Bono 'really doesn't like it'
U2 are one of the biggest bands in the world, but their lead singer has admitted that he's never been a fan of the name - and is 'embarrassed' by it whenever he hears it U2, one of the most iconic names in music history, was never really a favourite of the band members themselves. The origin of the Dublin-born record-breaking group's name has always intrigued fans, with theories ranging from Cold War espionage technology to spiritual symbolism, but the reality is much simpler than many might imagine. In 1976, Larry Mullen Jr. , then just 14 years old, posted a handwritten note on the notice board at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, expressing his desire to form a band. What started as six youngsters jamming in a kitchen gradually evolved into something far more ambitious: Paul Hewson (who would later become Bono), David Evans (known as The Edge), Adam Clayton and Dik Evans were the early members of the band. Initially, they chose the name Feedback - a decision they later confessed was because it was one of the few musical terms they actually understood. They subsequently rebranded as The Hype, a name that also didn't last long. It was in 1978 when things truly transformed, reports the Irish Star. Dik Evans left the band, and a new four-piece line-up emerged with a fresh name: U2. The name was actually proposed by Steve Averill, a punk musician from The Radiators From Space and a friend of Adam Clayton's. He presented the band with a list of six potential names - and U2 barely made the cut. The Edge remarked on the band's choice of name in an interview with Awards Chatter, stating, "It wasn't that it jumped out to us as the name we were really looking for", and admitted "but it was the one that we hated the least." He thought the name sounded "fresh" and didn't pigeonhole their musical style. Bono, however, was less convinced: "I still don't [like it]. I really don't." Bono commented on the name's connotations with elements such as "the spy plane" and "the U-boat", but later felt it suggested a sense of acquiescence, "As it turned out to imply this kind of acquiescence - no, I don't like that name". Discussing further experiences, Bono said: "I've been in a car when one of our songs has come on the radio," and confessed how it makes him feel deeply self-conscious: "And I've been the colour of - as we say in Dublin - scarlet. I'm just embarrassed." His reflections on U2's formative years continued candidly on Awards Chatter, "I do think U2 pushes out the boat on embarrassment quite a lot", considering perhaps that being on "And maybe that's the place to be as an artist - right at the edge of your level of pain for embarrassment." Even regarding his voice in early works, Bono expressed dissatisfaction, revealing, "my voice sounds very strained on those early recordings", yet acknowledged a single occasion he deemed fit, the 2004 hit 'Vertigo'. During the same interview, he conceded that his dyslexia, which was diagnosed later in life, might have led to him not realising the true nature of The Beatles' name: "I didn't realise that The Beatles was a bad pun either." The group rebranded themselves with a fresh moniker, lineup, and image, bidding farewell as The Hype with a performance in March 1978. Later that evening, they took the stage anew as U2, delivering a set of original melodies. Just weeks after, they clinched victory at Limerick's "Pop Group '78" talent contest - an accolade The Edge described as "a great affirmation" for a band still finding its feet. U2 has since ascended to the status of one of the most monumental bands in history, having sold more than 150 million records, securing an outstanding 22 Grammy Awards, and revolutionising live music with their extensive touring legacy.
