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  1. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    2010 was his back surgery. Don’t think there was a specific incident mentioned for him having to have that surgery but the bike accident that ended his guitar playing days was definitely late 2014.
    The story goes that he was in a lot of pain on his 50th birthday (May 10 2010), and it caused him to go to the doctor, which lead to him needing surgery and the postponement of the 2nd North American leg.

    But in the fall of 2014, right before they were scheduled to do a bunch of SOI promo shows, Bono had a significant injury after a bicycle accident in Central Park. All scheduled appearances were cancelled, and Bono didn't appear in public for several months, until the lead up to the SOI Tour in May 2015. The nerve damage apparently caused him to lose motion/dexterity in some of his left fingers, thus he can no longer play guitar.
  2. Guitar playing was never his forte.
  3. I’m really surprised no pictures of him right after the bike accident have shown up as he must have been in a bit of a state. Don’t get me wrong I’m glad there wasn’t people keen to take pictures when he must have been in pain but just majorly surprised based on the way social media is nowadays.
  4. Originally posted by podiumboy:[..]
    The story goes that he was in a lot of pain on his 50th birthday (May 10 2010), and it caused him to go to the doctor, which lead to him needing surgery and the postponement of the 2nd North American leg.

    But in the fall of 2014, right before they were scheduled to do a bunch of SOI promo shows, Bono had a significant injury after a bicycle accident in Central Park. All scheduled appearances were cancelled, and Bono didn't appear in public for several months, until the lead up to the SOI Tour in May 2015. The nerve damage apparently caused him to lose motion/dexterity in some of his left fingers, thus he can no longer play guitar.
    This is all correct as I understand it.

    Weird that this topic just came up... because earlier this week I was re-watching Bono speak on Dave Letterman in July 2011, and when Dave asks him about his 2010 back injury - they both talk about it being from a BIKE ACCIDENT. (yes, around his 50th Birthday).
    I had to do a double-take. Never had I heard any story about his 2010 injury and any bike accident. An eerie hinting of what's to come in Nov 2014...

    it's at approx the 3min here
  5. Originally posted by deanallison:I’m really surprised no pictures of him right after the bike accident have shown up as he must have been in a bit of a state. Don’t get me wrong I’m glad there wasn’t people keen to take pictures when he must have been in pain but just majorly surprised based on the way social media is nowadays.
    Fair point; it seem like these days whenever anything happens, the instinctive reaction is to whip out a phone and start recording. It has amazed me to see footage on the news of people running away from shootings, disasters and other stuff; filming and commentating as they go. FFS just run and concentrate on getting out of there. That no bystanders filmed him as he waited for an ambulance or sold it to TMZ or posted it online is such a rarity; thankfully.

    It is such a shame that he has lost the ability to play. As MC noted, he was never in the league of The Edge or being recognised as a rhythm guitarist but it did flesh out their sound a little more
  6. Originally posted by deanallison:I’m really surprised no pictures of him right after the bike accident have shown up as he must have been in a bit of a state. Don’t get me wrong I’m glad there wasn’t people keen to take pictures when he must have been in pain but just majorly surprised based on the way social media is nowadays.
    Well to bystanders it looked like just another bycicle acciddent. Had they known it was Bono no doubt at least photos if not video would have surfaced.
  7. Originally posted by marik:[..]
    This is all correct as I understand it.

    Weird that this topic just came up... because earlier this week I was re-watching Bono speak on Dave Letterman in July 2011, and when Dave asks him about his 2010 back injury - they both talk about it being from a BIKE ACCIDENT. (yes, around his 50th Birthday).
    I had to do a double-take. Never had I heard any story about his 2010 injury and any bike accident. An eerie hinting of what's to come in Nov 2014...

    it's at approx the 3min here [YouTube Video]
    I dont remember the bike being the source of 2010 event but i do remember it was a serious spine related injury.
  9. Thanks! Downloaded and archived. I'll see if we can add it to the Milton Keynes 85 entry in some way. Did you record it back in the day or did it come on someone else's tape?

    I love Bono dissuading people from buying WAIA imports because they were so expensive and encouraging them to tape the tracks off the radio with their tape recorders, both at the beggining and at the very end of the interview. Lovely
  10. that was one of my recordings, dropped on the end of another tape to fill it up
  11. Not sure where to ask this . . . in Bono's "extended interview" with Colbert, he talked about a performance in the south of France with Van Morrison. I think it's this one from Nice in 1999:

    https://u2start.com/shows/121

    But apparently there's no audio or video of this gig? I was curious to see or hear it, just because it was a funny story.

    If anyone knows of some media for the show, it would be appreciated if you could point me to it. Thanks.
  12. Exists. Won't come out.