U2 and Bono play golden oldies set at Glastonbury as tax protest fizzles
Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 07:34 AM
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U2 rocked Glastonbury with a 'Greatest Hits' performance, instead of their present 360 tour gig as anti-tax U2 protests fizzled on the night.
Glastonbury is the headline British rock festival which U2 had to miss last year due to Bono's back injury
The band opened with their smash 'Even Better Than The Real Thing' followed by 'The Fly'.
An effort to float a massive balloon protesting U2 paying their tax outside Ireland failed when security deflated he balloon before it could take flight.
The message on the balloon was "U Pay Your Tax 2"
Bono was in top form on the night
"We're sorry we had to phone in sick last year," he told the 50,000 present.
"But this is a great occasion for us. A pilgrimage, almost."
"It could be the lines, it could be the jetlag, but it's a special feeling being here," he said before launching into 'One'.
The band had a long discussion over which songs should be played for the Golden Oldies night
"There were an awful lot of opinions," said drummer Larry Mullen. "Everyone had a view about how it should go."
"There were the 'Where The Streets Have No Name' camp and then the more subtle approach, the 'Achtung Baby' dynamic approach, where you build slowly.
Then there were those who thought we should open with '40' (from U2's 1983 album 'War'). We went through a number of combinations."
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Newrone | Jun 26, 2011, 02:17 PM EDT
I'm with AltRock. It's just good "business practice" to get the least outgoings possible on your bottom line, be it tax or anything else. And why SHOULDN'T they say how they believe we should all behave, with respect to poverty or anything else. IMO, it's Jagger who is the irresponsible one, to cite your reference.
Personally, I'd have them all pay 100% tax above $1m revenue. That would change a lot of people's perspective on what they are doing it all FOR. ("Money" being the only gauge in force for the past hundred-odd years). Nobody needs more than a million, but millions need the bare minimum & aren't getting it.
Personally, I'd have them all pay 100% tax above $1m revenue. That would change a lot of people's perspective on what they are doing it all FOR. ("Money" being the only gauge in force for the past hundred-odd years). Nobody needs more than a million, but millions need the bare minimum & aren't getting it.
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WoundedKnee | Jun 25, 2011, 04:27 PM EDT
Alrrock---You're delusional. No one objects to U2 making money, and no one objects to U2 organizing their own tax affairs to advantage. That's why I mentioned Mick Jagger, because that's what he does, a reference whose intent you appear to completely miss. The difference between Mick Jagger and Bono is that Mick makes no claim to be anything but a very wealthy bon viveur. Bono on the other hand preaches to us. He even tells the taxpayers of countries like Ireland that they should pay more tax in order to forgive the debts of African countries. But when it comes to U2 contributing to taxes they takes steps to pay the minimum. And for such a big mouth, how come he's had nothing to say, be it in prose or in song lyrics, about the crisis his country is facing? Total silence. I won't even go into his other disgusting habits such as consorting with war mongers such as Bush & Blair, telling Bill Clinton not to allow Gerry Adams into the US a few years back, running with the St Tropez jet set while pretending to worry about poverty. And of course your claim that U2 are Ireland's "top employer" shows you live in FantasyLand. You even ask us to give credit to US for paying their taxes in full. Why should they get any credit for that? It's the LAW, buddy. Most Irish workers do the same, even though they can scarcely afford to.
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AltRockAddict | Jun 25, 2011, 03:35 PM EDT
The individuals of U2 have NOT stopped paying their taxes in Ireland. Only part of their royalties within the corporation have been moved to Holland...it's called a tax shelter and we all do it. It's prudent, not hypocritical (but YOU might be hypocritical if you take any tax breaks and complain that U2 does) They all pay income tax, property tax, business tax, etc. to Ireland and they don't have to -- they could move their base of operations if they wanted to, but they are paying more Irish taxes than you will ever know because they don't brag or try to defend your lame accusations. They are Irelands top import and top employer. Taxes from the Hotel Bono and The Edge own are always current and paid in full. So...Bono has every right to campaign for things that burden his heart. Have you (or Mick Jagger) literally saved 120,000 lives this year? .
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WoundedKnee | Jun 25, 2011, 03:14 PM EDT
U2--what frauds & hypocrites. You gotta like Mick Jagger--he doesn't go around preaching about how others should spend their money.
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