Cut To The Chase - Cool American

[Brad]

Bono is indeed credited in the liner notes for drums on Cool American. The only thing that makes me wonder is there isn't the usual "Bono appears courtesy of Island Records/Universal Music" or whatever, but this is on a small independent label.

Could there have been another musician going by the name "Bono" in 1992? I suppose so, but I'm pretty sure Bono was Bono by that point. The Joshua Tree had already conquered the world and Zoo TV was in full swing.

Anywho, scans below...

[Brad]

Found a 1992 Album Review in the Phoenix New Times.

No mention of Bono.

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1992-11-25/music/tops-and-flops-ii

[Trevor]

maybe someone can ask directly to mark manley, there is his email on his website http://www.markmanley.com/home.htm 

[Aaron]

I did ask using that email a couple of days ago as i mentioned in another thread.  No reply yet.

[miryclay]

I would imagine that if this is an American underground release that it was done as a joke.

Both Harry Rollins and Negativeland had had it in for U2 around this time. 

[slaneman]

I would imagine that if this is an American underground release that it was done as a joke.

Both Harry Rollins and Negativeland had had it in for U2 around this time.

 

[u2jc]

It could also simply be somone's last name. It's not uncommon.

[Brad]

It could also simply be somone's last name. It's not uncommon.

It's a possibility, but everyone else is credited by their first name. I just think that Bono was enough of a pop icon by 1992 that any reasonable person would know that using that single moniker would breed confusion. It would be like crediting Elvis on guitar or Madonna on bass.

I still think the two best explanations are he actually played drums or it was just a gag.

Anyone remember that thread a couple of years ago where it turned out there really is another drummer named Larry Mullins?

[miryclay]

Yeah he played on Iggy Pops American Cesar. Odd.

[God, Part II]

Was this issue ever definitively solved?  I received my copy of HARD today and listened to the track in question; quite frankly, if this is our Bono, I'd be rather impressed.  The only indication I'd had prior of Bono's skills with drums was the closing moments of the live version of "Love and Peace or Else" which, while fun to see him take over for a moment from Larry, hardly required any advanced skill.  This Cut to the Chase track has a drum track that is full of polyrhythms and would indicate that Bono has surprising, capable talent at an instrument we never see him playing.  That said, like Brad, I can't fathom his name being placed on the liner notes simply as a weird inside-joke gag.  I'd really like to know for certain (especially since I dropped $20 for this disc)...

[Aaron]

This one has been solved.  Not Bono.  It's someone by the name of Glen "Bono" Saunders.

There's a note in the new site about some of these questions...
http://www.u2songs.com/pages/non_u2_content/

Anyone else have any suggestions for things that have been considered "u2" over the years but later were debunked?

[morgan1098]

I'll have to dig up the links, but a lot of people were convinced that an unreleased INXS song called "Tiny Summer" had Bono on vocals (this was during the time that post-Michael Hutchence INXS was inviting all sorts of guest vocalists to record with them), but that was later debunked and it turned out that it was another Irish singer, an up-and-coming guy whose name escapes me. The debate is clearly settled but it would make for an interesting entry. I'd be happy to research and write it up if you so desire.

EDIT: Here's a link to one of the MANY sites at the time who were speculating it was Bono: http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2011/09/15/inxs-tiny-summer-new-demo-stream/

It was later revealed that the "Irish bloke" referenced by Andrew Farriss was a guy named Ciaran Gibbins. But the ambiguity in the original post from INXS was clearly intended to raise interest. And you can still find lots of mp3's online with "INXS and Bono" listed as the artist. Shameless!

[Aaron]

Oh that's a good one.  Ciaran Gribbin actually had a bit of a U2 tie later on.  He was behind the Killing Bono soundtrack.  He wrote / co-wrote a number of the original tracks that were used in that movie. He was apparently involved in the recording and production of the soundtrack as well.

I do remember that one well.  And yes this is the type of thing I'm looking for.  Thanks Don.  Will add it in.

Side Note: Failed INXS vocalist JD Fortune and I have known each other since high school, and even dated the same girl (but at different points in life).

[morgan1098]

Oh that's a good one.  Ciaran Gribbin actually had a bit of a U2 tie later on.  He was behind the Killing Bono soundtrack.  He wrote / co-wrote a number of the original tracks that were used in that movie. He was apparently involved in the recording and production of the soundtrack as well.

I do remember that one well.  And yes this is the type of thing I'm looking for.  Thanks Don.  Will add it in.

Side Note: Failed INXS vocalist JD Fortune and I have known each other since high school, and even dated the same girl (but at different points in life).

WOW! You and JD Fortune. I have no words...