Rossi risks upsetting the status quo at Curragh with claims that Bono can't sing

Melanie Finn

STATUS Quo superstar Francis Rossi is coming to Ireland next month to perform a special gig at the Curragh Racecourse.

But the part-Irish rocker (60) clearly has no intention of paying homage to our most famous musical export, Bono, during his visit here.

The straight-talking performer reckons that the native Dubliner, who turned 50 this month, may be lacking in the vocal department.

"I was talking about it the other day with a record company MD and he said, 'I agree with you about Bono not being able to sing', and I said, 'no he can't'.

"But if you're talking about singers, I can't sing, Jagger can't sing, Madonna can't sing and Bono can't sing -- there are loads of us who can't sing.

"Yet he has turned into a very good frontman and he knows how to do it now. None of us can really sing. We're not singers, we are entertainers."

The Rockin' All Over the World star, who performed with Bono on-stage at Live Aid in 1985, also reckons that the crooner needs to keep his humanitarian work in perspective.

"He's got to be careful not to lose the plot, that boy -- you're not here to save the planet. You wanted to be a little popstar and what's what you are. You've got that and now behave yourself," he continued.

"If we actually wanted to change Third World Debt, it would have been done years ago. But our politicians don't want it because they know it will affect our economy. When Maggie [Thatcher] said to Geldof, when he was after the VAT [on the Live Aid sales], she said, 'No it will affect our economy and our mortgages'. And everyone was like, 'No, I'll feel that -- p**s off'."

He added: "I'm not knocking him per se. But you have to be careful not to start believing it all; remember where you came from."

Status Quo will perform at the Curragh Racecourse on June 4, tickets priced €30.

mfinn@herald.ie