ANOTHER Happy Birthday - U2's Bono - 60

Apart from today being Mother's Day, today is also a milestone birthday for one of rock's finest voices - U2's Paul David Hewson, also known as Bono.
A black and white image of a light-skinned man singing into a microphone. He is visible from the chest up and wears a sleeveless black shirt with an opened sleeveless white vest overtop. A small cross is worn around his neck. His black hair is styled into a mullet. The man looks past the camera to the left. A mixture of trees and sky are visible in the background.

His life, in a nutshell

 Born in Dublin, Bono was a pupil that was not into the subjects taught at school. He idolized stars such as David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, and T. Rex. In 1975, he enrolled in Mount Temple Comprehensive School, the birthplace of the U2 story.

Well before the 80s.

 What many may not know, is that U2 was formed in 1976 - fours years before the release of their debut, Boy! It all started when drummer Larry Mullen Jr. placed an ad on the school bulletin board looking to start a band. One of the first answers was Dave Evans - aka The Edge, alongside his older brother, Dik Evans. Soon Bono and bass player Adam Clayton joined and the band began rehearsing in Larry Mullen Jr.'s kitchen. By 1979, Dik left the band but the quartet continued to succeed.

Working with Jimmy Iovine, the band produced three albums, their debut Boy, 1981's October, and their breakthrough, 1983's War containing hits such as Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day.

 However, it was with production team Brian Eno of Roxy Music fame and David Lanois, that the band rose to worldwide fame as was evidenced with their 1984 LP The Unforgettable Fire. Their success peaked with 1987's The Joshua Tree and 1988's Rattle and Hum.

The 90s saw a change in the band's style incorporating more electronics and a more danceable style. This was first notied on 1991's Achlung Baby, and 1993's Zooropa which led to a massive Zoo TV tour.

After issuing Pop in 1997, the band went on a massive tour, which peaked with a massive performance in my birthplace, Sarajevo. While Bono's voice was subpar, the performance was an unforgettable one for the band and fans alike. Twelve years later, during their 360 Tour, the band stopped in Zagreb.

Putting the "Vox" in Bono."

 In the late 70s, Bono hung out with a village gang, which had a tradition of nicknaming. During this time, Bono earned the title, Bono Vox coming from the lating word Bonavox meaning "good voice." By the early 80s, the "Vox" part was dropped and it since remained plain old Bono.

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