Spinner

U2 Drummer Condemns Bono's Relationship With Politicians

U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. is speaking out in criticism of frontman Bono over his bandmate's relationship with politicians. Mullen says he is specifically distressed by the singer's relationship former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

"My biggest problem really is sometimes the company that he keeps," Mullen says in the new issue of Q magazine. "And I struggle with that. Particularly the political people, less the financial people. Particularly Tony Blair -- I mean, I think Tony Blair's a war criminal. And I think he should be tried as a war criminal. And then I see Bono and him as pals, and I'm going, 'I don't like that.'

"I understand why people find it really offensive," Mullen added. "On the other hand, I think it has made people understand where Bono's coming from, in that he's prepared to use his weight as a celebrity, at great cost to himself and his family, to help other people. I don't think there's much of an upside for him and I don't think he chooses where he goes and who he meets. But as an outsider, looking in, I cringe."

While Mullen admits he admires his lifelong friend and bandmate for his accomplishments on the world stage -- saying that along with his voice and lyrics they will be "his legacy" -- the drummer says his opinions are no secret.

"[Bono] would know how I feel about Tony Blair," adds Mullen, who says he understood why the vocalist became friendly with President Bush. "George Bush has been very generous to his cause ... the difference between him and Tony Blair is that Blair is intelligent. So he has no excuse for what he did. Whereas I think George Bush could find a few excuses for his behavior."

All the AOL Music info you want to know

Chris Brown Probation: Singer Will…

The Boombox

Mindy Small, FilmMagic LOS ANGELES (AP) - A judge says Chris Brown should…

Amelia White, 'Beautiful and Wild' --…

Spinner

Artist: Amelia White Video: 'Beautiful and Wild' Highlight: "'Beautiful and Wild'…

Russell Simmons, Milk Ban: Mogul Wants…

The Boombox

Paul Zimmerman, Getty Images ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Music mogul Russell Simmons…

See all AOL Music »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

107 Comments

Filter by:
DwayneeM

Wow, amazing! We revel in the fact as citizens of the free world about our rights to speak freely, as well as our rights to pursue liberty for ourselves and others. Yet the minute we disagree with someone using those same freedoms we expouse, we tell them to shut up and don't say anything. Unfortunately, hypocritism is also a by product of those same freedoms.

March 03 2009 at 9:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tina

Larry makes some good points, but no one should believe that this is the first time Bono and him have had words about it. They are like brothers and Im sure that topic has came up many a times. Its just that this time the media was involved, and they blow things out of proportion as always.

January 06 2009 at 8:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kimberly

sorry for the bad grammer but was angry
like others say bono is not the god like creature he tinks he is

January 06 2009 at 3:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kimberly

fu** bonehead he did not have palne flying through his tall building by terrorists trained in his own country because they are the supposed melltling pot. do all the terrorists send their children to his country for an education no!! Why does he not look in his own back yard and see the hate that has festerede for years and then complain about his leaders, or try to be one if he can or would be elected. easy to say when you are on the outside, he knows nothing, is not american, and should shut his piehole.

January 06 2009 at 3:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
win4dei

idiot.he dosen't want anybody to know what bonos line is on politics,yet he says my president isn't intelligent.then he goes on about the former prime minister of britain.my opinion is i don't want their opinion.they're here to make music,i don't really want to hear their thoughts.they fall under the same category as the dixie chicks and bruce springsteen.they shouldn't use their celebrity status to sway peoples thinking.celebrities are not as importan as they think they are.

January 06 2009 at 2:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
gibsonlees1968

I agree with your comments Tonymac , i was a U@ fan as a teenager i the early 80's when Bono would always proclaim that u2 would never go commercial ,would always have their records on the top shelf , but as Larry Mullen Jnr says , his choice of friends arent his maybe ,but people with influence , who the Fk would wanna be friends with Mr GW Bush ? and by the way , Barrowlands Glasgow 83 and 84 where their best and most origional concerts when they where a real band , blah blah blah.....

January 06 2009 at 2:08 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
allstarace

Tony Blair is a war criminal?? I suppose Mr. Mullen believes bin Laden and Hussein are saints. Why is it always "cool" for a musician who knows nothing about (real) world affairs to bash his homeland. If we were living in the forties Mullen could have bashed Churchill for "war crimes" against Hitler's regime......

January 06 2009 at 2:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wjamesr

somehow folks who go "help" the poor while wearing $10,000 worth of clothing seem utterly full of themselves...oh and i forgot the jewelery...some of these characters wear $100,000 rings and watches while handing out bread and water to famine victims.

January 06 2009 at 2:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
hairywolf67

I can't beleive that Mullen is that ignorant. Bono's not supporting any politician or their politics. He's appealing to the people that are in charge. He's trying to raise money and awareness for people in Africa who are dying from famine and disease. I think what he's doing should be commended not slammed. And he calls Bush ignorant?

January 06 2009 at 2:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dbcooper

Who @#%&* cares??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

January 06 2009 at 1:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply