All in a day's work Bono's words ring true
Bono rings a bell to start a meeting of Germany's Social Democrat party
IT IS incredible what Bono can fit into a day, let alone a lifetime.
The U2 frontman amazed his fans yesterday when he phoned a 2FM radio show to defend his legendary voice during the school run.
Just hours later, he was appearing in photos ringing a bell with a bunch of German politicians in Berlin.
Bono's busy day began when he took the unusual step of ringing an early morning radio show while dropping his daughter to school.
Fans nearly choked on their breakfast when his unmistakable tones rang out over the airwaves.
The inexhaustible star took umbrage when he heard a report read out that claimed he was no longer up to singing his hit duet with Clannad singer Moya Brennan. Bono and the Donegal trad singer had a big hit with the haunting song 'In a Lifetime' in 1986.
The breakfast show crew had been pointing out that Moya's uncle Noel Duggan had said that Bono did not feel he had the voice for the duet anymore.
Bono laughed off the report when he phoned hosts Colm and Jim-Jim and insisted he could still hit the high notes.
"This is inter-band rivalry from those Donegal messers. They've always been putting it up and I'd say it's the uncles, or it could be the brothers Paul or Ciaran. We'll see but there could be trouble," he said.
Listeners initially thought it was a spoof until the singer burst into a jingle for the radio presenters.
Not one to get stuck in a moment for too long, Bono then jetted to Germany to give its politicians an earful.
During a speech to a parliamentary council meeting of the Social Democrats, he said Germany had not been shy about showing the world what values are worth fighting for.
Bono, seen above ringing the bell next to Peter Struck, parliamentary floor leader of the Social Democrats, to start the party's meeting said his visit to Berlin aimed to let them know that using money to fight poverty was helping.
"The good news, help works," Bono said, referring to a 2007 aid package he said could save up to four million lives in the coming three years.
The rock star also praised a debt relief law passed by the government of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, which Bono said let another 29 million children in Africa attend school.
A spokesperson for U2 confirmed last night that Bono had picked up the phone to 2FM in Dublin yesterday, but was not aware of his more distant, later, appointment.
- Anne-Marie Walsh
