The Fly

The Fly. Bono portrays an arrogant rock star (ironic eh? although I do not believe he's arrogant personally). This persona takes the celebrity ego to the edge of reality.

Ever wonder where Bono's sunglasses came from? The Fly. Before this, Bono may have worn sunglasses here or there, but never as a permanent accessory.

During the Zoo TV tour, where The Fly emerged, Bono would walk out in public in his Fly attire - leather with the glasses.

Zoo TV was after the Rattle and Hum tour for the Joshua Tree album. JT rocketed U2 to emmense fame with songs like "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," "Where the Streets Have No Name," and "With or Without You."

Bono has said before that he wears his sunglasses for a few reasons. One because his eyes are sensative to light and two to keep some privacy. I remember reading in a book that he felt uncomfortable with perfect strangers looking straight into his eyes. Being that he leads a very public life, both on and off stage with his activism, I can imagine that he would want to keep something to himself.

Watching The Fly perform you can see this character come to life. I posted a video below of Bono taking on this persona.... enjoy

Bono's Ego

I found this article today and found it rather amusing. So today, instead of a song you get an article of Bono being truthful. The Fly, MacPhisto, whoever he was during Pop.... I believe those stage personas were extensions of himself taken to the nth degree.

Bono admits he is 'annoying'

01/08/2009 - 08:39:09

U2 singer Bono - a keen political activist and charity campaigner - knows he makes it easy for people to dislike him but insists having an "ego" is an essential part of being a successful musician.

He said: "I can be annoying. I have a kind of annoying gene.

"As Delmore Schwartz said, 'Ego is always at the wheel.' It's just with rock stars, it's more obvious. The need to be loved and admired doesn't come from a particularly pretty place.

"But people tend to do a lot of great things with it. Ego, yes, but the ego is in everything human beings are capable of. Without ego, things would be so dull."

Bono - who is joined in U2 by guitarist The Edge bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr - explained to The Guardian newspaper: "The villain is usually me. The hypocrisy of the human heart is the number one target. Rarely do we point the finger at anyone other than ourselves.

"U2 choose more interesting targets than other bands. Your own hypocrisies, your addictions we never pick the obvious. I think we make our enemies very interesting."