Bono

:Other people called Bono are available at Bono (disambiguation).

Biography

Paul Hewson was brought up in Dublin. His father was Roman Catholic and his mother Protestant, and he was brought up with a strong religious faith but no attachment to any denomination. When asked whether he would call himself a Catholic or Protestant, the singer is reported to have said, "I always felt like I was sitting on the fence." His mother died when he was fourteen years old. He attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School, and it was there that he acquired the nickname "Bono Vox Of O'Connell St." In 1976 he responded to an advert by fellow student Larry Mullen to form a band, as did Dave Evans (aka The Edge), brother Dik Evans (who soon left the band), and Adam Clayton. The remaining four formed 'Feedback' before changing to 'The Hype' and then settling on U2. Initially Bono sang, played guitar and wrote songs; as The Edge became a better guitarist, Bono was relegated to vocals only.

Related Topics:
Mount Temple Comprehensive School - Larry Mullen - The Edge - Adam Clayton

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He is married to high school sweetheart Alison 'Ali' Stewart and the couple have four children - Jordan (b. 1989), Memphis Eve ('Eve' b. 1991), Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q (b. 1999) and John Abraham (b. 2001).

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In 1992, together with U2's guitarist The Edge, Bono bought and refurbished Dublin's two-star 70-bedroom Clarence Hotel and converted it into a five-star 49-bedroom hotel which quickly gained a reputation as one of the most stylish (and expensive) hotels in the city.

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In 2002, Bono wrote the introduction to the "Book of Psalms", one of nine books of the Bible published individually in Canongate Book's "Pocket Canons" series.

Related Topics:
2002 - Book of Psalms - The Bible - Pocket Canons

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His nickname "Bono Vox" – usually shortened to "Bono" – is a corruption of Bona Vox, a brand of hearing aid for which the Latin translates to "good voice". "Bono Vox", however, literally means "The voice to the good man", Vox, the subject and Bono, the indirect object.

Related Topics:
Hearing aid - Latin

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The word bono is also Italian slang for "sexy" and the dative form of the Latin word bonus; see List of Latin phrases.

Related Topics:
Italian - Slang - List of Latin phrases

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Bono has said that of all musicians, he most respects the work of John Lennon and Smashing Pumpkins' frontman (as well as lifelong friend) Billy Corgan. Of the former he has said "When he (Lennon) was killed, it was like part of me and my mates died with him. Edge loved him and so did I. But we carry it with us and we grow. That's what your heroes do for you, especially when you're young like that." And of the latter he says; "A lot of people say that they (the Pumpkins) went downhill after that (the release of the album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness), but I think otherwise. They were a great band, and that was their apex. There was nowhere uphill to go after that. They were at their peak, and no band ever got higher."

Related Topics:
John Lennon - Smashing Pumpkins - Billy Corgan - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

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Instruments: Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals.

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Bono appears in the BBC's 2002 List of "100 Greatest Britons" (sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public) which, somewhat controversially, included Irish people.

Related Topics:
2002 - 100 Greatest Britons - BBC

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