Bono! Do you ever take those wretched sunglasses off?: U2 and the performance of Irishness

McLaughlin, Noel (2009) Bono! Do you ever take those wretched sunglasses off?: U2 and the performance of Irishness. Popular Music History, 4 (3). pp. 309-331. ISSN 1740-7133

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Abstract

This article argues that the band U2 and lead singer Bono have been largely neglected in popular music studies. It aims to address this through a detailed consideration of the band’s negotiation of Irish identity, examining music press discourse about the band and offering an analysis of the band in performance. The article focuses mainly on Bono and seeks to consider the performer’s overall star-text, his prominent role as a global celebrity activist and the specificities of his performing style. The analysis is centred largely on the band’s Zoo TV period and their apparent embrace of postmodern ideas and strategies. The essay argues against too simple a correspondence between the group and the postmodern and suggests that post-colonial critical approaches sensitive to the nuances of popular musical practices are more useful in understanding the types of identity the band has articulated.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	W300 Music W900 Others in Creative Arts and Design
Department:	Faculties > Arts, Design and Social Sciences > Arts
Depositing User:	Helen Pattison
Date Deposited:	22 Jun 2012 14:59
Last Modified:	12 Oct 2019 19:42
URI:	http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/7857

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