‘Sexist’ Bono branded a ‘tool’ for claiming music has become ‘very girly’

The singer claimed the current music scene lacks “young male anger”
Lambasted: U2 frontman Bono has riled the Internet
Joel Ryan/Invision/AP
Emma Powell28 December 2017
The Weekender

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U2 frontman Bono has faced a backlash after claiming new music is “very girly” as it lacks “young male anger”.

The singer, real name Paul Hewson, appeared to argue that female artists are incapable of expressing anger, and that the industry has become so feminine that male artists are struggling to channel their rage productively.

Bono – who won the 2016 Glamour Woman of the Year Award – made the comment after he was asked whether or not he believes a “rock and roll revolution” is imminent.

Speaking to Rolling Stone he said: “I think music has gotten very girly. And there are some good things about that, but hip-hop is the only place for young male anger at the moment – and that’s not good.

Backlash: Bono's comments were lambasted online
Getty Images

“When I was 16, I had a lot of anger in me. You need to find a place for it and for guitars, whether it is with a drum machine – I don’t care. The moment something becomes preserved, it is f****** over. You might as well put it in formaldehyde.”

He continued: “In the end, what is rock and roll? Rage is at the heart of it. Some great rock and roll tends to have that, which is why the Who were such a great band. Or Pearl Jam. Eddie has that rage… It will return.”His comments were lambasted online, with many branding them “ridiculous” and a product of “toxic masculinity”.

One Twitter user posted: “1) define ‘girly’ 2) why are boys filled with rage 3) f*** off Bono.”

Another tweeted: “Bono thinks expressing emotions in a non-shouty way is 'girly'. It’s not. This is just toxic masculinity through the lens of ‘music’ (I mean, if we’re talking metal, U2 don’t exactly cut it). Men: it is not ‘girly’ to express feelings without hitting things or yelling.”

The Irish musician also spoke about a near-death experience he claimed to have had, which he referred to as an “extinction event.”

He said: “It’s just a thing that ... people have these extinction events in their lives; it could be psychological or it could be physical. And, yes, it was physical for me, but I think I have spared myself all that soap opera.”

Bono refused to disclose the details, saying it would demean those who have not been so fortunate.

“You know, people have had so much worse to deal with, so that is another reason not to talk about it,” he said. “You demean all the people who, you know, never made it through that or couldn’t get health care!”

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