They were talking about breaking up over “artistic differences.”

—–

The new Showtime documentary ‘From the Sky Down,’ debuting at 8 p.m. EST Oct. 29, recalls how the band’s 1991 album ‘Achtung Baby’ restored their faith in each other while cementing their rock god status.

The film may not convert those immune to the band’s arena rock anthems or those who find their socially conscious pose hypocritical given their affinity for tax shelters.

Frankly, director Davis Guggenheim (‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ ‘Waiting for ‘Superman”) isn’t interested in expanding the band’s fan base nor exploring universal themes. It’s a portrait of a band in crisis, one which focuses like a laser on how the U2 sound came to be.

‘From the Sky Down,’ which opened the Toronto International Film Festival, begins with U2 rehearsing for a Glastonbury concert to feature songs from ‘Achtung Baby.’ It’s the Spring of 2011, and the rockers are in a reflective mood.

“There is a moment when it’s dysfunctional not to look back at the past,” says Bono, a veritable fountain of tasty sound bites.

So Guggenheim flips the calendar back to the band’s earliest days, when a simple pub band from Dublin first hit American shores. We see more than an act conquering a nation. We watch as the quartet embraces America, both its people and musical spirit. The latter, culminating in the disappointing concert film ‘U2: Rattle & Hum,’ shook the band’s confidence.

“You start to believe what people are saying about you,” Bono recalls of the film’s mediocre notices. “Maybe this is the end.’

The band eventually regrouped and, inspired by the collapse of the Berlin Wall, shook up their formula the best way they knew how.

“Making ‘Achtung Baby’ was the reason we’re still here now, the pivot point. Either we’re going forward, or this is the moment when we’re going to implode,” Bono says.

‘From the Sky Down’ may be one of the best X-rays of a band’s musical process. We watch group members noodling over the smallest song details, hear Bono scat singing in rehearsal and watch as musical keys float on the screen.

That minutiae, initially fascinating, starts suffocating the film’s entertainment value. Even diehard fans might beg for another irresistible Bono quote to bring some humanity back into the narrative.

Far better are scenes debunking the band’s oh-so-serious image. We watch Bono and co. strike rock star poses for ‘The Joshua Tree’ album cover against their better judgment, mumbling about how silly the whole process feels. And the film’s detour to Berlin to witness history proves both practical and a singular inspiration.

‘From the Sky Down,’ part of a massive U2 repackaging of ‘Achtung Baby’ coming Nov. 1, is a purist’s delight. With a little tweaking, it might have gone down as one of the more instructive rock documentaries of the modern era.

I understand where it comes from. Musicians usually become Rockstars by appealing to the common man. When they become rich and famous, they have to find ways to appeal to the demographic they abandoned. So they take up causes. Sheryl Crow feigns concern about the environment, for example, even though the energy required for just one tour could satisfy the energy needs of a small American city.

When Bruce Springsteen started singing about blue-collar teenage angst, he was an angry blue-collar guy, barely out of his teens. His jeans would fade from hauling amps, just like any other working stiff. A billion dollars later, he has to work hard to remember the old days; and like most Grammy winning musicians, has a Guatemalan sweatshop put holes in his jeans.

Unlike the other European Rockstars of the eighties (who are forgotten, but for their haircuts), U2 frontman Bono has been able to keep himself relevant for a generation with his Saint Bono routine. He is not just a champion of the working class, he is the superhero for the impoverished and oppressed peoples of the world. He has met with presidents and dictators, leaders of every political and religious stripe, and set up programs where you can still be a commercialist with a conscience by buying a Red™ iPod. He successfully petitioned 23 nations to forgive Third World debt; debt that will eventually have to be picked up by the taxpayers of those 23 nations.

But the truth is, he is, deep down still a Rockstar. Like any human, he wants to keep as much of what he earned to himself. So when we learn that Bono is moving his publishing facilities to a friendlier tax haven, the only question should be: why didn’t he leave years ago? (Actually that one is pretty easy to answer: Artists were granted full tax exemptions on royalties in Ireland; until the financial crisis made them reform their tax policies, and they capped the exemption at €250,000 in 2006.)

But for thousands of true believers, who think we can tax our way to social paradise, Saint Bono’s defection has been a rude awakening. Protesters plan to stage demonstrations during an upcoming U2 show Jun 24. Which shouldn’t be a surprise. The only question should be: why didn’t fans protest five years ago? This major Bono disappointment actually predates “Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark” by four years. (Actually that one is pretty easy to answer too: Pot.)

What these protestors do not understand is despite their ragged appearances, U2 is a billion dollar industry. He isn’t the first Rockstar to display such hypocrisy: John Lennon, who once asked the world to “Imagine no possessions,” moved to NYC in 1975 so he could keep a little more of his own; the nation of Lennon’s birth was more than happy to relieve him of excess possessions.  Mick and the boys took Rolling Stones Inc. to France about the same time, to avoid England’s 83% marginal rate. The Rolling Stones now keep their songboooks in the Netherlands, where royalties compound virtually tax free, and will be handed down to their long impatient heirs without a death tax.

Which is where Bono went. I really don’t begrudge them that. The Netherlands favorable royalties tax has been attracting musicians for years. (Oh yeah, they also have legal pot.) Burdensome tax policy does more to hurt a nation than to help it. Divided equally among the citizenry, U2s entire net worth would only buy a couple dozen pints per Irishman. Certainly having U2 stay in Ireland is better for the economy. They invest capital into the nation which create jobs rather than welfare programs, refurbishing the rundown Clarence Hotel, among other things.

It is disappointing that Bono did not move his publishing empire to America. We are a nation founded on the rights of property, so it would be a natural fit. Something is drastically wrong that our nation no longer serves as a tax haven for wealthy artistic refugees from Europe and Canada. There is something unfavorable about America, and I really don’t think you can blame George Bush for that.

—–

Actors’ Equity Association, the theatrical actors union, has finally stepped in and pulled its members from the production until significant changes are made to the show’s special effects.  The show’s press representative has announced that they plan to re-open Wednesday night, but insiders say it will be difficult to make that deadline.

Broadway professionals who are accustomed to dealing with Actors’ Equity Association on a regular basis have been wondering when the union would finally step in and perform the fundamental role they have always claimed to play: protector of the safety of their members.  In an era where producers are forced to hire full-time massage therapists for chorus dancers and must pay hazard premiums to actors who perform on a raked (slanted) stage, it is an outrage that Mr. Tierney was the fourth actor to sustain an injury in this ill-conceived stage extravaganza.

Of course, ultimately the responsibility for this debacle is a combination of a stubborn, visionary director and a weak, inexperienced producer willing to accommodate her every desire.  But, in the traditional roles of the collaborating entities that make up a Broadway Musical team, the director and producer have never pretended to have the actors’ safety and well-being as their primary focus.  That sanctimonious position has been held by the actors’ union which often holds productions hostage for hazard pay, extra staffing and special make-up to protect the pores of the actors in their charge.

I’m a supporter of the free market and the rights of employers to basically call the shots for their employees’ work conditions.  I also support the other side of the free market which dictates that if an employer can’t provide a safe work environment, they have to deal with the fact that it will be very hard to find someone to work for them, and they are sure to be met with a hefty lawsuit if their employee gets injured due to their negligence.  But, years ago the actors’ union threw a wrench in to the free market ebb and flow between employer and employee and took on the role of grand protector of the actors’ safety and rights.  So one has to ask, where were they?  How did this show continue to go on?

I’m sure the union had a strong presence at the theatre during rehearsals and the lengthy preview process, and I hear through insiders associated with the production that there were moments of near-mutiny with cast members refusing to accommodate Taymor’s vision of a special effects, rock-and-roll extravaganza for fear of their lives.

As I said before, ultimately this is the fault of the director and the accommodating producers.  With Ms. Taymor, I am really disappointed.  She made history with her imaginative staging of Disney’s “Lion King” with her ground-breaking costumes that represented African animals in a very theatrical and surrealistic way.  She seemed to understand that when adapting a film to the stage, it is a horrible trap to try to re-create the film frame-by-frame.  It can’t be done.  It is a different medium.  Instead, Taymor re-invented and re-imagined “Lion King” for the theatrical stage.

So, what went wrong here?  Why did Ms. Taymor try to re-create flying and climbing stunts on stage with real actors that were actually performed by CGI creatures on film?  My hunch is the producer gave her a blank check and told her to go for it.

Michael Cohl is a first-time solo producer.  He has three theatre credits to his name, as a partner with a producing entity called TGA Entertainment.  Mr. Cohl’s background is a concert promoter and he was brought in as producer by the show’s composer, Bono of U2.  Mr. Cohl had promoted many of U2’s concerts.  As Mr. Cohl is now learning, Broadway ain’t concert promotion.

As long as rookie producers are willing to sycophantically accommodate diva writers and directors’ unrealistic and ill-conceived visions, disasters like this (and Shrek, the musical) will continue.

Bono’s anti-poverty foundation ONE is under pressure to explain its lavish salaries after it was revealed that only a small percentage of money it raises reaches the needy.

The non-profit organisation set up by the U2 frontman received almost £9.6m in donations in 2008 but handed out only £118,000 to good causes (1.2 per cent).

The figures published by the New York Post also show that £5.1m went towards paying salaries.

While the organisation’s gameplan has never been direct handouts on the ground, many who admire the Irish rock legend may be surprised by the figures.

Bono was playing Brussels last night with U2 as the world’s leaders – so many of whom he speaks to directly – were meeting at the UN assembly in New York to assess the progress, or lack of, in reaching the Millennium goals they set.

The Post revealed it had received a number of gifts from ONE in the run-up to the event, such as leather notebooks, bags of coffee and water bottles.

In the UK, the organisation has laid on a series of high-profile, celebrity-supported events since it launched in 2002 to fight poverty in Africa and Aids worldwide.

In 2009, the group campaigned to have enshrined in British law a commitment to development assistance abroad.

ONE spokesman Oliver Buston has now defended the way the organisation is run, insisting the money is used for promoting its campaign and raising awareness rather than being given  straight to those who need help.

Read the full article here.

This was a relief, because the previous Saturday they had turned in a dismal, oddly disjointed performance on “Saturday Night Live.” But three days later the boys were back in fighting shape; it was, in fact, one of the hardest rocking shows I’ve ever seen them give — and I have seen my share of U2 shows (my lifetime total is now somewhere in the double digits).

The show opened with several numbers from the woefully under-appreciated new album No Line On The Horizon; the thrilling and unique “Breathe,” segued into “Magnificent,” a tune which doesn’t quite soar as as high as it wants to, but comes closer live than on record. The lackluster “Get On Your Boots” was followed by Zoo-era favorite “Mysterious Ways,” bringing the stadium down and prompting Bono to remark, “Well, it’s a warm night after all!” He then gave a preview of the rest of the set: “We have old songs; we have new songs; we have songs we can barely play!”

Next was, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” which they can definitely play, and with verve and passion, even after what must be hundreds of performances. The end of the song dissolves into “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King. As Bono sings the lyrics, “…and the moon is the only light we’ll see,” he motions upwards to the gorgeous, engorging gibbous moon suspended overhead; it was the kind of beautiful, unscripted moment that makes it still worth going to live shows.

Other highlights: “Vertigo” pummeled the audience with it’s rusty razor riff, sped up and compressed to the point of insanity. A retooled, club-trippy, “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight,” featuring drummer Larry Muller on bongos and a giddy The Edge jumping up and down in delight at the marvelous noise swirling around him. A stripped down, acoustic “Stuck In A Moment.” And rarely played gems like “The Unforgettable Fire” and “Your Blue Room.”

Things dragged towards the end of the main set during the (inevitable) political segment. “New Year’s Day” was head-scratchingly dedicated to Ted Kennedy; “Walk On” to Burmese dissident Aung San Suu Kyi. Still, the political set was — thankfully– far shorter than similar segments have been in previous U2 shows. And it was not one sided: Bono, to his great credit, actually uttered the words: “God bless George Bush,” in acknowledgment of the former president’s criminally under-reported efforts at AIDS relief in Africa, which, Bono graciously reminds the packed stadium, have saved countless lives.

Still, the political rally portion was the anti-climatic low-point of the show- – people actually sitting down during the closing songs is most assuredly not what you want.

Thankfully, redemption comes with the encore, starting with “Ultraviolet Light,” a deep album cut from their 90’s masterpiece, Achtung Baby!, featuring Bono singing into a glowing red microphone with red laser beams shooting out from his body (don’t ask me how). “With Or Without You” followed, always a joy to hear live, not least because they often change up the arrangement. For “With Or Without You,” Bono asks the house lights to be shut off and for everyone to hold up their cell phones. “Let’s turn this place into the Milky Way!” he intones, and sure enough, thousands of little points of light flicker into life throughout the black bowl of the stadium, now looking for all the world like a miniature galaxy. For all of the millions of dollars the band must have spent on their state-of-the-art light show, this low tech moment was by far the most affecting.

“Moment of Surrender” from the new album closed the show. It is possibly their best song, and fit perfectly with the rest of the encore. The packed house gave them rapturous, well deserved applause as the band took their bows.

It was a deeply gratifying, heartening night. For all of Bono’s politicking, for the long three decades they have been together, these four men from Dublin have neither lost the need, nor the talent, for the one thing that initially brought them together, and which brought thousands of us to FedEx Field that night:

Rock and Roll. Thank God.

Here’s an excerpt:

Chapter Five, Personalities, Politics and Powerbrokers

Somehow late night talk shows became a logical first step for politicians to reach voters. Somehow rock stars became a political voice of the disenfranchised. Somewhere along the way, American politics and pop culture personalities began to blend.

Blame it on Ike letting cameras into the White House, and perhaps Clinton blowing his sax on The Arsenio Hall Show – ‘celebrity creep’ into American politics seems to spread over time. Each campaign and each candidate changes the rules, receiving endorsements from big stars and taking lots and lots of their money.

G8 Summit, Gleneagles, Scotland, July 2005 Pres. George W. Bush, rock star Bono, First Lady Laura Bush and musician Bob Geldof hold a working meeting on Africa at the G8 Summit. Geldof praised Bush for delivering billions to fight disease and poverty, and blasted the U.S. media for ignoring the achievement. Geldof said Bush “has done more than any other President so far. This is the triumph of American policy.” (White House photo by Eric Draper.)

It is commonplace for celebrities to stump for candidates, throw lavish fund-raisers and donate mountains of their own cash. Television advertisement wars, funding a “ground game,” and a connecting with voters takes big money. And, there is lots of ‘gold in them hills’ – Beverly Hills! Bottomless wells of cash await that can make or break a candidate’s chance at success.

Oval Office, The White House, December 1970 Superstar Elvis Presley poses for an official photo with Pres. Richard M. Nixon.  The photograph remains one of the most requested documents from the National Archives.  Presley wrote Nixon a lengthy letter expressing disdain for hippie drug culture and asking to be named a “Federal Agent At Large.” Nixon, eager to gain inroads with young people, granted Presley’s wish and presented a badge from the U.S. Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Presley got his wish.  At Presley’s request, the meeting remained a secret until the Washington Post broke the story in 1972 (Courtesy National Archives.)

Glamorous Hollywood stars helped Truman and Eisenhower kick-start national optimism after Word War II. Fleetwood Mac’s hit “Don’t Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)” became a powerful refrain for President Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign. Perhaps no campaign involved so many vocal celebrities as President Obama’s 2008 race for President. There was a day when a candidate thought hanging around with rock stars sent the wrong signal. When that star is someone like heartland rocker Bruce Springsteen, it might send just the signal the candidate needs to reach a key voting bloc.

Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles, California, June 1967 Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman and Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson at the President’s Club Dinner. Wasserman was one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, and perhaps its’ first lobbyist. In 1966, he installed Johnson confidante Jack Valenti as head of the Motion Picture Association of America. His influence grew so great, both Johnson and Jimmy Carter offered Wasserman cabinet positions. (LBJ Library photo by Yoichi R. Okamoto.)

Nowadays, celebrities share political panels and campaign stages with candidates regularly. The lines have been blurred. Americans have grown so accustomed to the nexus between Hollywood and politics that they are electing many familiar faces — Singer Sonny Bono and Love Boat purser Fred Grandy became Congressmen, action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger became a two-term governor, and actor Ronald Reagan became a two-term President. How did they do it? When asked by a group of students which experiences best prepared him for the presidency, Reagan once said, “You’d be surprised how much being a good actor pays off.”

Here’s an excerpt:

Chapter Three

ACTORS TO ACTIVISTS

Sometimes activists happen to become actors and musicians. It happens more than we might think. And why not? It takes a natural drive and outspoken ambition to claw into stardom. So it makes sense that many famous names and faces have something to say – and it’s not off a script. 

Robin Bronk heads The Creative Coalition, the leading political advocacy group for show business. Bronk says nowadays “celebrities need an agent, a manager, a publicist and an issue.” Saving the spotted owl or protesting against landmines isn’t necessarily good for an acting career, but it shows how the power of celebrity can be used to change minds. “There’s no need to check your citizenship at the stage door,” says Bronk.  All of this idealism can come off as goofy to a Washington desk-jockey. But it is wise not to brush it off; celebrities at the top of their game can successfully push an agenda straight through the stuffiest bureaucracy. 

Senate Dining Room, Washington, D.C., 1970’s Actor Marlon Brando dines with Senator Charles Percy (R-IL).  Brando wrote in Songs my Mother Taught Me, “Simply because you’re a movie star, people empower you with special rights and privileges.”  Brando grew to understand those privileges using his influence to stump for civil rights, better treatment for Native Americans and fair housing. (Photo courtesy U.S. Senate Historical Office)

Political media sage and songwriter Mark McKinnon notes, “musicians especially almost always represent the anti-establishment, the voice without power.” Think of activist musicians like Bob Dylan, Bono and Peter, Paul and Mary.  McKinnon continues, “part of the Hollywood-Washington relationship is finding the art of the possible.” 

The result of all this goodwill and ambition can lead to some offbeat alliances — exotic film actress Angelina Jolie plots refugee camp security with Sen. Richard Lugar, trailblazing baseball player Jackie Robinson turns up the heat on President Eisenhower for civil rights and rock star Bono and President George W. Bush buddy up over AIDS policies. 

Grand Foyer, The White House, October 1985 Pres. Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan pose with action star Sylvester Stallone and his wife actress Brigitte Nielsen during a State Dinner for Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore.  What better way to impress a head of state – invite Rambo to dinner. (Photo Courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.)

There is plenty historic evidence that Hollywood is a powerful mouthpiece for political candidates or issues. In World War II, Rita Hayworth, Bing Crosby, and Fred Astaire asked Americans to buy War Bonds to support U.S. forces. Hollywood played a prominent role in the civil rights movement as stars such as Marlon Brando, Paul Newman and Sammy Davis Jr. led marches on Washington in the 1960’s. Dan Glickman sees Hollywood from both the political side and within the film industry as the president and chief executive officer of the Motion Picture Association of America. “When a celebrity shows up at your hearing on Capitol Hill,” he notes, “you are guaranteed to have a full room of reporters, staff members – and it usually means more congressmen show up too.” Whatever the result, it is always great theater when actors turn into activists.

What is wrong with our leaders?  Are they worried that they won’t be invited to those cool Ramadan parties?  The Islamists have been actively at war with us for 30 years and generally at war with western civilization for well over a thousand years, and still we pay lip service to these people in a way we never did with Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan or the Soviet Union.  Is it because the Muslims commit sadism and murder in the name of religion and not country?  If anything, I would think that would make their evil acts all the more contemptible.

Still, I would contend that Hezbollah and al Qaeda are not as dangerous as America’s liberals.  The Islamic terrorists can only kill so many people, but those on the Left are doing everything in their power to eviscerate America.  Cap and Trade can destroy our industrial might; Obama’s trillion dollar stimulus programs combined with his delusional health care plan will not only bankrupt our nation, but lead inevitably to a rate of inflation that will impress even Jimmy Carter; and the budget cuts directed at our military and our missile defense system will make us increasingly vulnerable to our various enemies.

The problem is that liberals are not only nuts, but inconsistent.  They very much want to send our military to Africa to stop the savagery in the Sudan, but didn’t want to see it employed against the equally barbaric Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot or Ho Chi Minh.  Funny how you never hear them insist that we have no business in Darfur because Sudan didn’t attack us on 9/11 or point out that we have no compelling interest in sub-Sahara Africa.  But that’s to be expected when people get their information from Bill Maher and Jon Stewart and their talking points from the likes of Bono and the Dixie Chicks.

Clearly, the Left wants America to be a toothless tiger, rather like the U.N.  What they fail to grasp is that as America goes, so goes freedom everywhere.  Or perhaps they think the French will do a better job of policing the world.  The French, alas, can’t even police Paris.

Speaking of liberals, the irony is that so many of them who never believed God even existed are now convinced that He is alive and well and going out on date nights with Michelle.

Getting back to Muslims, there are people who would insist that we should distinguish between those who cut off the heads of their innocent victims and those who just want to live and let live.  Well, I keep trying, heaven knows, but it’s not as easy as it sounds.

For instance, recently I read about a stomach-turning incident that took place in Phoenix, Arizona.  It seems that four boys between the ages of nine and 14 lured an eight-year-old girl into a shed and took turns raping her.  While that was pretty damn loathsome, what was even more disgusting is what took place afterward.  In the little girl’s presence, her father, a Muslim refugee from Liberia, told the police, “Take her.  I don’t want her.”

It seems that in what passes for their culture, the child had brought shame on the family.

Now I understand that any country that keeps electing people like Bill Clinton, Barney Frank, Barbara Boxer and Barack Obama, the killer B’s as it were, doesn’t have terribly high standards, but assuming we have any at all, will someone please explain how degenerates like these get into the country?

Yet I was willing to give him some credit for working with former President Bush on a cause they both believed in – AIDS and poverty in Africa – even though he disagreed with Bush’s stance on Iraq. I honestly don’t think throwing all the money in the world at Africa will change anything there unless the tin pot dictators on that continent are all tossed out on their hineys – and I believe fellow rock star philanthropist Bob Geldof said something similar - but that’s beside the point. I might think even more of Bono if he were to give all of his own massive fortune to the needy in Africa before he lectures the rest of us about our “responsibility,” but I doubt even his philanthropic tendencies go that far. If he did, how could he afford to do things that only rich folks can do, like have his favorite hat flown from the UK to Italy because he forgot it? 

But cool rock stars have their limits. Apparently the B Man reached his when Bush tried to give him a hug at a prayer breakfast a couple of years ago. Adroitly dodging the president by scooting behind the podium, he shook his hand instead. Apparently Bush was good for soaking for taxpayer money for Bono’s cause, but that didn’t merit a hug.

Surprisingly, the media failed to pick up on that little maneuver until this week, when Bono admitted to the dodge in a BBC interview. Why mention it now? Apparently he felt bad about it, but since no one noticed it, why point it out publicly and humiliate someone who is no longer in the public eye? He could have just written Bush a private note saying “sorry, dude.” But I’m a little more cynical – I’m thinking he knew about the buzz of publicity that would accompany his little admission. See, with Bush out of office and criticizing Obama being verboten in the media, even new evidence of old Bush-bashing would immediately be picked up on and go viral. When a world tour is looming, any publicity will work in a pinch.

But someone did notice Bono hiding behind the podium that day – then-Sen. Barack Obama, who reportedly said to Bono afterward, “Nice work with the hug dodge.” This is a man who knows all about the sneaky insult. Remember the middle-finger nose scratch? Both Hillary Clinton and John McCain were recipients of that bit. How about his “lipstick on a pig” zinger, which many thought was aimed at Sarah Palin? More class than you can serve with Wagyu steak.

One of the commenters on the Yahoo post linked above makes a good point (emphasis mine):

It’s really convenient that the news media has found an excuse for everything we see that might put Pres Barry in a bad light. They never came close to trying to make Bush look good. Even now, this story coming out makes it look like the two “cool” kids in school had an inside joke behind the reject’s back. The only reason Bush was a reject, the only reason anyone is a reject in the public eye is based on media stance. If they love you, you’re a rock star. If they don’t, you’re Adolf Hitler.

Yep. Bono and Obama – part of the clique of their own creation. Only not everyone is as impressed with them as they are with themselves.

Here’s a hint: not all the money in the world can buy you class.