Bono Calls Modern Music ‘Girly’

Even a dude with coiffed hair and pastel tinted sunglasses can toss out a patriarchal putdown every now and then with some reasonable authority. During an interview with the freshly fire-sale sold Rolling Stone magazine, Bono noted that contemporary popular music is “girly” and believes the rock and roll spirit has left music. At least for the time being:

“And there are some good things about that, but hip-hop is the only place for young male anger at the moment – and that’s not good.”

Bono didn’t elaborate on why hip-hop is worse than head-banging rock, but suffice it to say, racism. Even the Irish progressives suffer it in spades. Are easily influenced and highly annoying bandwagon white suburban teens worse off with Jay Z or Gucci Mane versus Judas Priest and Motorhead. That probably merits deeper research. White suburban teens are probably annoying regardless of their specific Spotify playlist.

“When I was 16, I had a lot of anger in me. You need to find a place for it and for guitars, whether it is with a drum machine – I don’t care. In the end, what is rock’n’roll? Rage is at the heart of it. Some great rock’n’roll tends to have that, which is why The Who were such a great band. Or Pearl Jam. Eddie has that rage.”

Bono makes something of a point here in his mention of instrumental therapy. The physical act of working a guitar or drums is a cleansing bellow. Anything that makes you sore and sweaty is generally a great way to relieve male tension. You’re sixteen and you’re not getting laid, so you drink beer and get in fights. It’s simply not the same release to tinker with Garage Band or pen rhymes.

It’s why rockers burn out into mellow fellows later in life. They’ve spent tons of years blowing off steam. Also, nosebleeds. While Eminem remains incredibly angry. He writes poems. That’s no way for a man to relieve stress. 

Bono’s teenaged son tells his dad he thinks a new wave of legit rock is right around the corner. That’s been said by various people for the past couple of decades, while the charts fill ever more with synth pop and easy beats music stars with nice hair and tits. I wouldn’t hold out hope. Do boys still dream about getting a guitar for Christmas or do they prefer an iPad?

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