Bono admits he can be a “pain in the ass”.
The U2 frontman, charity campaigner and activist admitted at the conclusion of the Australian leg of band’s 360 Degree Tour - which wrapped up in Perth on Sunday (19.12.10) - he can sometimes appear sanctimonious.
Writing about his band’s relationship with Australia in the country’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, he said:
“Sydney 1993 was a low point in our long career: the only time one of us didn’t turn up for a concert. Adam Clayton probably hasn’t forgiven himself until this tour.
“Australia forgave us that and other indulgences. Among them my sanctimony. I know I can be a pain in the a**e. I have an annoying gene; it’s in my DNA. I even annoy myself.
“When righteous anger turns to self-righteous, projectile vomit is the right response.
All I can say is that you can become traumatised as well as inspired by the lives you meet along the dirt road of extreme poverty.
“Sometimes I forget that I’m an artist - but I shouldn’t, because that’s what I am, a working pop artist in a big F-Off rock band.”
The 50-year-old vocalist - who was nominated for the Nobel peace prize in 2003, 2005 and 2006 for his charity work - also talked about the band adding rare 1980s track ‘Love Rescue Me’ to their set in Australia for the first time since 1990.
He added: “In Sydney we played ‘Love Rescue Me’ for the first time in 20 years. It was a broken version, but it made a strong case for continuing with our new practice of rehearsing in real time.
“On this tour we’ve played songs that we haven’t yet recorded: In Brisbane, ‘North Star’, in Melbourne, ‘Mercy’.”