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The Edge: ‘Of Course Bono Gets Too Much For Me Sometimes!’

The Edge and his recent comments in an interview will likely make anyone that enjoys dunking on Bono smile. The U2 guitarist took part in a lengthy interview with The Telegraph where…

Bono and The Edge
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The Edge and his recent comments in an interview will likely make anyone that enjoys dunking on Bono smile.

The U2 guitarist took part in a lengthy interview with The Telegraph where he touched on a variety of band topics. Among them was his relationship with Bono. The outlet notes how the singer and guitarist have long been the prime creative force within U2. However, it noted, "With his proselytizing charity work and rock ’n’ roll swagger, Bono is a figure who (fairly or unfairly) a lot of people clearly find quite annoying."

The Edge is no fool and clearly knows this about Bono, especially since they've been in a band together since they were in high school in the mid-70s. He said, with a laugh, "Of course Bono gets too much for me sometimes! I’m sure I drive him mad, as well."

The guitarist continued, "If that wasn’t the case, I think we would be doing a disservice to each other, because it’s in the realm where we push each other, challenge each other, annoy the hell out of each other, that you know there’s something going on. If you never get to that place, dude, you don’t really have a proper ­creative relationship."

This year brings a lot of activity via the U2 camp. March 17 brings two notable releases: The new album Songs of Surrender and the Disney+ special Bono & the Edge: A Sort of Homecoming With Dave LettermanThe album is a retrospective of sorts and features 40 of U2's most popular songs "re-imagined." As for the Disney+ special, it features Bono and The Edge taking Letterman around Dublin and an intimate in-the-round performance.

In the Fall, U2 is heading to Las Vegas for a residency at the new MSG Sphere called U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere. While these shows will be the band's first live shows in four years, they will be without drummer Larry Mullen Jr. He told The Washington Post in November that he won't be able to perform in 2023 due to needing surgery. U2's website confirmed this in an announcement of the residency. The band also announced Bram van den Berg will be filling in.

Edge explained to The Telegraph, " ... No one is more disappointed than us that Larry won’t be joining us in Vegas ... The people who are going to miss Larry the most, I think, will be Bono, Adam [Clayton] and myself. It’ll be strange to turn around and not see him behind us after all these years. But the shows will be amazing."

U2 has been one of the biggest bands of the past 50 years and for good reason: Their catalog is a prime example of a band evolving and growing up before the eyes of the world.

So far, U2 has released 14 studio albums. Their catalog also features live releases, box sets, compilations and more. In total, they have sold over 175 million records worldwide.

The legend of U2 had humble beginnings. Its four members -- Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. -- were all students at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin.

One day in 1976, Mullen Jr. put a flyer on the school's bulletin board searching for musicians to start a band. He was only 14 at the time. Among the people who responded were Bono (16), The Edge (15) and Clayton (16). The band's first practice was on September 25, 1976 in the kitchen of Mullen Jr.'s childhood home.

Who would've thought all of this success started with a just simple post on a bulletin board and a practice in a kitchen?!

U2's list of accolades is nothing short of insane. They've won 22 Grammy Awards out of 46 nominations. In 2005, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The band received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2022.

In addition to those awards, they've been a massive tour draw. Per Pollstar, U2 has sold over 26 million tickets since 1980. Their tours have grossed a staggering $2.12 million. The only other act to make more money on the road is the Rolling Stones with $2.16 million.

With all of this mind, we thought we'd take on the daunting task of ranking U2's best song. Scroll through the list below to see which songs from their vast catalog we think are their 50 best!

50. “City of Blinding Lights” - ‘How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb’ (2004)

U2_how-to-bomb.jpgUMG

49. “Two Hearts Beat As One” - ‘War’ (1983)

U2_WAR.jpgUMG

48. “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” - ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’ (2000)

u2_all-that-you.jpgUMG

47. “Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way” - ‘Songs of Experience’ (2017)

u2_songs-of-experience.jpgUMG

46. “All Because of You” - ‘How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb’ (2004)

U2_how-to-bomb-1.jpgUMG

45. “Mofo” - ‘Pop’ (1997)

u2_pop.jpgUMG

44. “Magnificent” - ‘No Line On the Horizon’ (2009)

U2_no-line.jpgUMG

43. “Miss Sarajevo” - ‘Original Soundtracks 1’ (1995)

passengers_u2.jpgUMG

42. “40 (live)” - ‘Under a Blood Red Sky’ (1983)

u2_under-a-blood-red.jpgUMG

41. “Salome” - ‘Even Better Than The Real Thing - EP’ (1992)’

U2_even-better.jpgUMG

40. “The Saints Are Coming” - ‘U218 Singles’ (2006)

u2_singles.jpgUMG

39. “Electrical Storm (William Orbit mix)” - ‘The Best of 1990-2000’ (2002)

u2_best-of-90-00.jpgUMG

38. “Staring at the Sun” - ‘Pop’ (1997)

u2_pop-1.jpgUMG

37. “Walk On” - ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’ (2000)

u2_all-that-you-1.jpgUMG

36. “The Blackout” - ‘Songs of Experience’ (2017)

u2_songs-of-experience-1.jpgUMG

35. “The Wanderer (feat. Johnny Cash)” - ‘Zooropa’ (1993)

u2_zooropa.jpgUMG

34. “The Sweetest Thing” - ‘The Best of 1980-1990’ (1998)

u2_best-of-80-90.jpgUMG

33. “Lady With The Spinning Head” - ‘One - EP’ (1992)

U2_One.jpgUMG

32. “Dirty Day” - ‘Zooropa’ (1993)

u2_zooropa-1.jpgUMG

31. “When Love Comes to Town” - ‘Rattle and Hum’ (1988)

U2_rattle.jpgUMG

30. “The Fly” - ‘Achtung Baby’ (1991)

U2_achtung.jpgUMG

29. “Out of Control” - ‘Boy’ (1980)

u2_boy.jpgUMG

28. “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own” - ‘How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb’ (2004)

U2_how-to-bomb-2.jpgUMG

27. “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” - ‘Achtung Baby’ (1991)

U2_achtung-1.jpgUMG

26. “All I Want Is You” - ‘Rattle and Hum’ (1988)

U2_rattle-1.jpgUMG

25. “Bullet the Blue Sky” - ‘The Joshua Tree’ (1987)

u2_joshua-tree.jpgUMG

24. “Red Hill Mining Town” - ‘The Joshua Tree’ (1987)

u2_joshua-tree-1.jpgUMG

23. “Love Is Blindness” - ‘Achtung Baby’ (1991)

U2_achtung-2.jpgUMG

22. “Elevation (Tomb Raider Mix)” - ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’ (2001)

lara-croft-soundtrack.jpgElektra

21. “Until the End of the World” - ‘Achtung Baby’ (1991)

U2_achtung-3.jpgUMG

20. “Ultra Violet (Light My Way)” - ‘Achtung Baby’ (1991)

U2_achtung-4.jpgUMG

19. “Please (Single Version)” - ‘Please - EP’ (1997)

u2_please.jpgUMG

18. “Running to Stand Still” - ‘The Joshua Tree’ (1987)

u2_joshua-tree-2.jpgUMG

17. “Last Night on Earth” - ‘Pop’ (1997)

u2_pop-2.jpgUMG

16. “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” - ‘Batman Forever’ (1995)

batman-foreversoundtrack.jpgAtlantic

15. “Even Better Than The Real Thing” - ‘Achtung Baby’ (1991)

U2_achtung-5.jpgUMG

14. “Angel of Harlem” - ‘Rattle and Hum’ (1988)

U2_rattle-2.jpgUMG

13. “Mysterious Ways” - ‘Achtung Baby’ (1991)

U2_achtung-6.jpgUMG

12. “I Will Follow” - ‘Boy’ (1980)

u2_boy-1.jpgUMG

11. “New Year’s Day” - ‘War’ (1983)

U2_WAR-1.jpgUMG

10. “Stay (Faraway, So Close!) - ‘Zooropa’ (1993)

u2_zooropa-2.jpgUMG

9. “Desire” - ‘Rattle and Hum’ (1988)

U2_rattle-3.jpgUMG

8. “With or Without You” - ‘The Joshua Tree’ (1987)

u2_joshua-tree-3.jpgUMG

7. “Beautiful Day” - ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’ (2000)

u2_all-that-you-2.jpgUMG

6. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” - ‘The Joshua Tree’ (1987)

u2_joshua-tree-4.jpgUMG

5. “Pride (In The Name of Love)” - ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ (1984)

u2_unforgetable.jpgUMG

4. “Bad” - ‘Live Aid (Live, 13th July 1985)’ (2018)

live-aid-album.jpgThe Band Aid Trust

3. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” - ‘War’ (1983)

U2_WAR-2.jpgUMG

2. “One” - ‘Achtung Baby’ (1991)

U2_achtung-7.jpgUMG

1. “Where the Streets Have No Name” - ‘The Joshua Tree’ (1987)

u2_joshua-tree-5.jpgUMG
Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights