YouTwo.net: April 28, 2002 (long)
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New Stories:
Sunday Independent: Paul McGuinness attended Jonathan Philbin Bowman memorial
(4-28-2002)
Sunday Independent: McGuinness sought to contradict Terry Keane (4-28-2002)
The Jakarta Post: U2 mention in Ipang album review (4-28-2002)
Independent: U2 mention in Morcambe and Wise article (4-28-2002)
Ananova: Sandler and Bowie record soundtrack song; U2 contribute Sweetest Thing
(4-28-2002)
YouTwo.net: Bono tells fans the band has been working non-stop (4-27-2002)
Belfast News Letter: Bono Looks Forward to Gig Date in Odyssey (4-27-2002)
Liverpool Daily Post: Star's Wife in No 10 Demo (4-27-2002)
Mirror: Bono stuck in rush-hour traffic (4-27-2002)
Mirror: Eye Oppose Nuke Plant (4-27-2002)
NZ Herald: Give Us An Ivor (4-27-2002)
Newsobserver.com: Helms makes milestones in recovery from surgery (4-27-2002)
BBC: Bono's wife in anti-nuclear protest (4-27-2002)
Ananova: V2002 fans offered tickets in online quiz (4-27-2002)
Jam!: U2 on 'Mr. Deeds' Soundtrack (4-27-2002)
BBC: Stones duo to star in Simpsons (4-27-2002)
Dotmusic: Eire We Go! (4-27-2002)
Irish Independent: Bono to tour Africa next month (4-27-2002)
Cherry Red Records: 'When Irish Eyes Are Smiling' Tribute CD release (4-27-2002)
TV Barn: 'U2: A Year in Pop' Anniversary (4-27-2002)
YouTwo.net: Online birthday card for Bono (4-27-2002)
Q: Oasis on U2: 'It's all about money' (4-27-2002)
U2 Zoostation: Boston concert to air on Russian TV (4-27-2002)
Reuters: Bono's trousers to be auctioned at pop memorabilia sale (4-27-2002)
4NI: U2 scoop three Hot Press Awards (4-27-2002)
News and Star: Celebrity Call to Shut N-Plant Is 'Irrational' (4-27-2002)
Daily Telegraph: Rock and rolling about (4-27-2002)
Irish Examiner: 'Shut Sellafield' postcards flood Downing Street (4-27-2002)
Irish Times: Enjoying The Island (4-27-2002)
Daily Record: Bono's Wife in Protest (4-27-2002)
Reuters: Bono's Wife Takes Nuke Plant Protest to Blair's Door (4-26-2002)
Irish Mirror: Ali attends exhibition opening (4-26-2002)
Irish Mirror: Hot Press Judge Paul Martin Slams the Verdicts (4-26-2002)
Belfast News Letter: Sellafield Postcard Blitz on No10 (4-26-2002)
DPA: Postcard campaign to shut Britain's Sellafield (4-26-2002)
AFP: Irish use Chernobyl anniversary to seek closure of British plant
(4-26-2002)
Sky News: Sellafield Closure Demands (4-26-2002)
UTV: Bono's wife takes Sellafield campaign to London (4-26-2002)
Guardian: 'Mrs Bono' Takes Sellafield Protest To No 10 (4-26-2002)
Femail: Bono's wife in Sellafield protest (4-26-2002)
NME: Bono's Backing Belfast! (4-26-2002)
Radio 1: U2 triumph at Irish Music Awards (4-26-2002)
Irish Mirror: Corr Blimey (4-26-2002)
Irish Mirror: Who Won What (4-26-2002)
Belfast News Letter: Hot Press Awards Special (4-26-2002)
Belfast News Letter: The 'Egos' Have Landed (4-26-2002)
PA: Bono's Wife Takes 'Close Sellafield' Protest to No10 (4-26-2002)
PA: Animated Stones to Be Simpsons' Guests (4-26-2002)
AP: Irish protesters send cards to Blair and Prince Charles (4-26-2002)
MCD.ie: Hot Press Irish Music Awards - The Results (4-26-2002)
Hot Press: Hot Press Award Winners (4-26-2002)
Glasgow Herald: Part 2 - Tell Me Our Kids Are Safe (4-26-2002)
Glasgow Herald: Part 1 - Tell Me Our Kids Are Safe (4-26-2002)
YouTwo.net: Slane DVD at Xmas (4-26-2002)
Online.ie: Shut Sellafield' campaigners in postcards blitz (4-26-2002)
Ananova: U2 are big winners at Irish Music Awards (4-26-2002)
Montreal Gazette: U2 mention in Montreal-Boston NHL series article (4-26-2002)
BBC: U2 conquer Irish music awards (4-26-2002)
Scotsman: Fiery start for store (4-26-2002)
Launch: Bono To Tour Africa In May With U.S. Treasury Secretary (4-26-2002)
YouTwo.net: Australia's Musicmax celebrates Bono's birthday (4-26-2002)
El Universal: U2 items to be auctioned in charity event (4-26-2002)
All Ireland Music: Blair under fire from Bono's wife (4-26-2002)
Irish Echo: Readers' Favorite Irish Bands 2002 (4-26-2002)
MRIB: U2 Scoop More Gongs (4-26-2002)
RTE: U2 top Irish music awards (4-26-2002)
ShowBiz Ireland: The Corrs, Bono & Westlife Feeling the Summer Buzz (4-26-2002)
London Evening Standard: Bono's wife in Sellafield protest (4-26-2002)
Irish News: Hot Press Awards declared 'a success' by Bono (4-26-2002)
Irish News: U2 conquer music awards (4-26-2002)
Irish News: Downpatrick chic. . . (4-26-2002)
Belfast Telegraph: Beautiful Day as U2 steal the show (4-26-2002)
Irish Times: The Corrs and U2 dominate Hot Press Awards in Belfast (4-26-2002)
Belfast Telegraph: North West acts aim for glory (4-25-2002)
EURWEB: U2 Lead Head to Africa, Too (4-25-2002)
Irish Mirror: A Word Too Many (4-25-2002)
Irish Mirror: U2 Look Hot Tips for Top Awards (4-25-2002)
Belfast News Letter: U2 to Come Out on Top at Battle of the Bands (4-25-2002)
PANA: US Treasury Secretary Visists Africa 20-31 May (4-25-2002)
Belfast Telegraph: U2 up for five awards (4-25-2002)
Hot Press: Better get this party started! (4-25-2002)
ChartAttack: U2 mention in Brit pop article (4-25-2002)
NZ Herald: Craig Armstrong' As If To Nothing' review (4-25-2002)
Baltimore Sun: U2 mention in Now CD article (4-25-2002)
ATL: U2's Spirit Levels (4-24-2002)
ShowBiz Ireland: Bono is No Naked Chef (4-24-2002)
Coventry Evening Telegraph: Mock Rockers Play for Charity (4-24-2002)
DPA: Singer joins U.S. Treasury Secretary to help Africa (4-24-2002)
Independent: Soft rock giants tune up for awards duel (4-24-2002)
Dotmusic: Bono goes to Africa (4-24-2002)
ITV: Dido and Damon on shortlist (4-24-2002)
Net Music Countdown: Bono Tours Solo Goodwill to Africa (4-24-2002)
IC Wales: Rock hero Eric Clapton receives dubious honour (4-24-2002)
Sound Spike: Bono to join U.S. treasury secretary in Africa (4-24-2002)
U2.com: Travis, David Gray, U2 Up For Novello's (4-24-2002)
MRIB: U2 Approve Of Bellefire Cover (4-24-2002)
The Age: Irish Artist David Egan Opens Exhibition Inspired By U2 (4-24-2002)
AP: Bono, O'Neill to Tour Africa (4-24-2002)
The Handful: Bono wins 'Greatest Frontman' poll (4-24-2002)
US-Africa: Online voting for Mother Africa Award (4-24-2002)
U2.com: Edge and Bono Honour Hume and Mallon (4-24-2002)
Reuters: U2's Bono, U.S. Treasury Secretary to Tour Africa (4-24-2002)
Guardian: Part 2 - Postcards from the Edge (4-24-2002)
Guardian: Part 1 - Postcards from the Edge (4-24-2002)
BBC: U2 nominated for Ivor Award (4-24-2002)
Dotmusic: Out of Our Heads (4-24-2002)
The IVORS: U2 nominated for 'Best Song Musically and Lyrically' (4-24-2002)
AP: Powell Floats Africa Credit Plan (4-24-2002)
Scotsman: U2 nominated for Ivor Award (4-24-2002)
Calgary Sun: Pete Yorn influenced by U2 (4-24-2002)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday Independent: Paul McGuinness attended Jonathan Philbin Bowman memorial
(4-28-2002)
Condensed from the Sunday Independent:
A life less ordinary
A 'monument' to Jonathan Philbin Bowman was received in style, writes Liam
Collins
IT WAS the kind of party he would have relished, a gaggle of gossipy
politicians,
gangs of journalists, plenty of pretty women, a couple of priests and the
dramatic
arrival from the Four Courts of one of the main protagonists in a celebrated
libel trial.
All gathered last Wednesday evening in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, to
commemorate Jonathan Philbin Bowman, on the occasion of the publication of a
book of memories and reflections on the writer and broadcaster.
The Tanaiste Mary Harney was there, the Minister of State Liz O'Donnell and the
editor of the Sunday Independent, Aengus Fanning. Friends of Jonathan like
Angela
Douglas, Jeananne Crowley, Margaret Nelson, U2 manager Paul McGuinness, his
wife Kathy Gilfinnan and their daughter Alexandra, the clubbable Aidan Doyle,
cartoonist Jim Cogan, model Patricia Devine, photographer Conor Horgan, Twink,
Frank Callinan, Joe Duffy, Helen Shaw and Claire Duignan of RTE, William Binchy,
Shay Howell of Q&A, Eoghan Harris, Bruce Bradley (SJ) and Leonard Moloney (SJ)
of Belvedere College mingled with the journalists and people about town.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday Independent: McGuinness sought to contradict Terry Keane (4-28-2002)
McGuinness sought to contradict Terry Keane
MILLIONAIRE U2 manager Paul McGuinness made several
attempts to present evidence in the controversial John Waters v
Sunday Times libel action which would contradict the
testimony given under oath by retired gossip columnist Terry
Keane.
The High Court was told that Mr McGuinness, who runs U2's
business empire through Principal Management, would say in
evidence that when he contacted Terry Keane back in 1991
about a story on the sex of Bono's baby before the rock star
knew it himself, she did not deny she had written it "and
refused to apologise for the article".
McGuinness made contact with the Irish Times columnist John Waters and his
solicitor several times last weekend offering to go into the witness box to make
a
dramatic intervention in the libel action between Waters and the Sunday Times.
But Judge Nicholas Kearns decided that Mr McGuinness should not be called to
give
evidence because the jury had been told only to expect closing submissions and
Terry Keane had gone to Spain on a three-week holiday.
Giving evidence during the trial, which ended with Irish Times columnist John
Waters
being awarded €84,000 by a jury in the High Court in Dublin, Mrs Keane was
questioned about the story of Bono's baby, which appeared in the Keane Edge in
the
Sunday Independent on June 16, 1991.
"I was deeply shocked by it [the story]," Terry Keane said in evidence. "And
Paul
McGuinness rang me up and said: 'I know, Terry, you had nothing to do with this
because you would not have anything to do with anything as disgusting as that
was."'
Terry Keane said that she had objected to the story and said she should write a
letter
of apology to Bono and Ali, but that "if you did something like that, you would
be out
on your ear".
When it was put to her by Garret Cooney, SC for Mr Waters, that it was written
10
years ago, and this contradicted her evidence that her column had started out as
"carefree" and only later had become "poisonous", Ms Keane replied: "That
particular
piece was not written 10 years ago, I think it was written 18 months ago."
But last weekend, after reading newspaper accounts of Terry Keane's evidence,
Paul
McGuinness gave a different account of what occurred at that time.
"In fact, My Lord, Mr McGuinness informs us that after he saw this article, he
wrote
to Mrs Keane, and he has a copy of that letter, My Lord, in which he asked her
whether she or whoever wrote the article would apologise to Bono. He will give
evidence, My Lord, that she telephoned him ... in the course of that
conversation, she
first of all did not deny that she was the author of that particular piece and,
in this
evidence, (Waters v Sunday Times) she did say it was somebody else.
"Secondly, My Lord, the more important aspect is that she refused to apologise
for
the article, either personally to Mr McGuinness or to write a letter of apology
to Bono
and his wife Ali, My Lord. This is contrary to what she swore to, My Lord. The
other
thing, My Lord, is that this incident happened in 1991," said Mr Cooney.
He went on to tell the judge that he wanted to recall Mrs Terry Keane and to
have
evidence from Mr McGuinness, "and the purpose will be simply to relate to Mrs
Keane's credibility, because the constant theme throughout her evidence was,
yes,
she was associated with a gossip column which was pernicious and capricious,
which had done a lot of harm to people, but she always regretted it, and at the
first
opportunity she expressed regret and apology, and she signalled this by
referencing
this one incident.
"In fact, the evidence is to the contrary, and she was given an opportunity to
apologise personally, and she never did it."
After hearing that Mrs Keane went to Spain the day after finishing her evidence,
but
Mr McGuinness was willing and available to be called as a witness, Judge Kearns
said this was "an unexpected turn of events".
While he understood "the sensitivities that prompt" Mr McGuinness to offer
himself
as a witness, he did not think there was a legal basis to re-open the trial.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Jakarta Post: U2 mention in Ipang album review (4-28-2002)
Condensed from The Jakarta Post:
Artist: Ipang; Album: Debut#1 (Prosound)
In the 1990s, there was a good local rock band called
Plastik. The music resembled those early '90s
alternative and grunge groups, like Pearl Jam -- the
timbre of Plastik's frontman's voice, Ipang, even
sounded like Vedder's.
The result is surprisingly good, and at least it gives us
more options than those from U2 wannabes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Independent: U2 mention in Morcambe and Wise article (4-28-2002)
Condensed from the Independent:
As the biographer of Morecambe and Wise, Graham McCann is an
authority on double acts. "They're pure showbiz," he says, "harking
back to a golden age of entertainment." Whether they will reach the
legendary interplay of a Morecambe and Wise or Laurel and Hardy
remains moot, and McCann feels that their stagecraft has room for
improvement. "What's missing with Ant and Dec is that they're very
much a TV double act," he says. "They haven't acquired the craft
that comes from stagework: the experience of walking off to the
sound of your own footsteps." But many prefer to agree with the U2
singer Bono, who told Ant and Dec: "You are one of the great
couples of our time."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ananova: Sandler and Bowie record soundtrack song; U2 contribute Sweetest Thing
(4-28-2002)
Sandler and Bowie record soundtrack
song
David Bowie and Adam Sandler have recorded a version
of Space Oddity for the soundtrack to Mr Deeds.
Sandler stars in the film, which is a remake of Mr Deeds
goes to Washington, with Winona Ryder.
The soundtrack also includes new material by Counting
Crows and Dave Matthews Band.
U2's Sweetest Thing, Natalie Imbruglia's Wrong Impression
and Travis's Sing are also on the album, reports
www.mtv.com.
Mr Deeds will be released in the UK later in the year.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YouTwo.net: Bono tells fans the band has been working non-stop (4-27-2002)
Thanks to Rosa for the following report:
I was on the way to a friend's office near the studio in Dublin last week
(Thursday, April 18) when I met Bono and Gavin Friday.
My friend and I were walking along the quays, and Bono and Gavin were in
Bono's Mercedes. Bono must have thought we were waiting for the band
to come out of the studio and take photos with us or something, but it was
simply a coincidence that we passed by there when they left the studio.
Bono got out of the car and chatted with us a little. He asked us what we
were up to, and we replied, "Drinks!"
Bono offered to give my friend and me a lift back to town in his car, which
we accepted. In the car, he introduced us to Gavin. During the drive,
Bono made a few jokes about the times he has been to Rio (as he asked
me where I was from).
He took us to a pub and told us the band has been working non-stop on the
next album and also confessed that he'd rather be touring Europe again.
"It's not up to me all the time, you know," he said.
My friend had a camera in his bag, and Bono said he'd take the photos.
Bono and Gavin left the pub after the photos session and asked us to take
care.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast News Letter: Bono Looks Forward to Gig Date in Odyssey (4-27-2002)
From The Belfast News Letter:
BONO LOOKS FORWARD TO GIG DATE IN ODYSSEY
IRISH rock giants U2 have confirmed their desire to play Belfast's Odyssey
Arena after their triple success at the Hot Press Music Awards.
It follows our exclusive report earlier this year that a concert in Northern
Ireland
was one of the group's main priorities. U2 lead singer Bono scooped the
Best Male Singer award and, along with his three band mates, claimed the
Best Band and Best Live Gig by an Irish Act gongs at the Hot Press ceremony
in Belfast on Thursday night.
Afterwards, he dropped a strong hint that the Odyssey was in their sights for
a gig in the Province.
"You know, driving in here I saw this new venue, the Odyssey, and I thought
'Wow, that's like those arenas they have all around America'," he said.
"That is a place we should be playing. "Looking around Belfast, it is looking
handsome; you know, people are looking good."
Paul Martin revealed in the News Letter in February that a concert in Northern
Ireland - either Belfast or Londonderry - was one of U2's main priorities.
Then, this month, Arts Minister Michael McGimpsey said the group was
being lined up to play in Londonderry in the summer.
Bono has always spoken of his love for the Province and has described the night
he performed at Belfast's Waterfront Hall on the eve of the Good Friday
Agreement referendum as "the most important thing we could ever have done".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool Daily Post: Star's Wife in No 10 Demo (4-27-2002)
From The Liverpool Daily Post:
STAR'S WIFE IN NO 10 DEMO
ALI Hewson, the wife of U2 frontman Bono, yesterday delivered her personal
protest against the Sellafield nuclear plant to 10 Downing Street.
The anti-nuclear campaigner wanted to deliver a protest card in person on
behalf of thousands of Irish residents who are calling for the Cumbrian
installation to be closed down. Ms Hewson posted a card to No 10 showing
a human eye with the words "Tony, look me in the eye and tell me I'm
safe".
More than 1.3 million postcards were delivered to Downing Street, Prince
Charles, and to Norman Askew, head of BNFL, which operates the processing
plant. The campaign comes amid fears the plant is threatening the Irish
environment and offering a target to terrorists. Ms Hewson said: "There are
millions of people in Britain who live as close to Sellafield as we do and the
risks are great.
"A report commissioned by the European parliament has said Sellafield has
the potential to be 80 times more hazardous than Chernobyl."
Ms Hewson, patron of the Chernobyl Children's Project, called on members
of the British public to join the campaign. "If the British people were to
make this an election issue, then they will have to listen."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mirror: Bono stuck in rush-hour traffic (4-27-2002)
From The Mirror:
STUNNERS
BONO almost missed the start of the awards when his limousine got stuck
in rush-hour traffic. Organisers were bracing themselves to delay the start
for 30 minutes but he turned up just in time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mirror: Eye Oppose Nuke Plant (4-27-2002)
From The Mirror:
EYE OPPOSE NUKE PLANT
Damien Lane
ALI Hewson, the wife of U2 frontman Bono, demonstrated her opposition to
Sellafield outside 10 Downing Street yesterday. The anti-nuclear campaigner
delivered a protest card in person on behalf of thousands of Irish citizens
calling for the controversial reprocessing plant to be closed down.
Ali, 41, arrived at No 10 holding a postcard with the message: "Tony, look
1.5 million people in the eye and tell them they're safe."
More than 1.3 million postcards have already been delivered to British
Prime Minister Tony Blair and British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NZ Herald: Give Us An Ivor (4-27-2002)
From The New Zealand Herald:
GIVE US AN IVOR: In yet more awards news, the Ivor
Novello Awards - Britain's coveted song of the year prize -
has nominated Fran Healy of Travis, David Gray and U2 for
the best song prize. Healy is nominated for Side, Gray for
Sail Away, and U2 for Walk On. In the awards' best
contemporary song category it's between Ash's Shining
Light, Gorillaz' Clint Eastwood and Dido's Thank You. Kylie
Minogue's Can't Get You Out Of My Head is up for the dance
award, against DJ Pied Piper's Do You Really Like It? and
Basement Jaxx's Where's Your Head At?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsobserver.com: Helms makes milestones in recovery from surgery (4-27-2002)
From Newsobserver.com:
Helms makes milestones in recovery from surgery
By JOHN WAGNER, Washington
Correspondent
WASHINGTON - The first full day of Sen. Jesse Helms' recovery
from open-heart surgery went as well as could be expected, aides
and associates said Friday.
The North Carolina Republican remained in stable condition and was
alert and responsive during visits from his family, said Jimmy
Broughton, Helms' chief of staff.
"He clearly recognized his family members," Broughton said in an
interview Friday. "He nodded in response to questions."
Helms, 80, remained on a ventilator Friday at Inova Fairfax Hospital in
northern Virginia. Doctors familiar with his situation said the next big hurdle
he faces is breathing on his own as he is weaned from the device in
coming days.
"So far, he's making the milestones very well," Dr. Bert Coffer, a Raleigh
anesthesiologist and longtime friend, said Friday afternoon.
Dr. Randolph Chitwood, a cardiac surgeon at Brody School of Medicine at East
Carolina University, said Helms' level of alertness was a very positive sign.
"I think it's about as good as it gets at this point, from what I can tell,"
said
Chitwood, whose daughter works for the senator and who has been receiving
periodic updates on Helms' condition. "One of the first things you look at is
the
neurological situation."
During five hours of surgery Thursday, doctors replaced a worn-out pig valve
that
was implanted in Helms' heart nearly 10 years ago and also inserted a ring to
reinforce another heart valve that had weakened.
Helms is expected to remain in intensive care for several days and could be in
the
hospital two weeks.
Broughton said everyone remains optimistic about Helms' recovery.
In the days following such an invasive procedure, patients face a variety of
risks,
including stroke, pneumonia or additional heart failure. The risks tend to
increase
with age.
Helms, who plans to retire in January after a 30-year Senate career, has been
accompanied at the suburban hospital by his wife, children and several other
members of his extended family.
He was hospitalized Monday at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda,
Md., after feeling tired and weak.
Tests there revealed the failure of the pig valve that Helms was given in June
1992
to replace his mitral valve, which keeps blood flowing from the left atrium of
the
heart to the left ventricle.
Aides said cards, e-mail, faxes and flowers continued to pour into Helms'
offices
in both Washington and Raleigh on Friday.
Broughton said several of President Bush's Cabinet members had sent cards and
that a get-well letter arrived Friday from the president of Finland, Tarja
Halonen.
The U.S. ambassador to the country is Bonnie McElveen-Hunter of Greensboro.
Broughton said Bono, the front man of the rock band U2, had also sent words of
encouragement. Helms and the politically active singer struck up an unlikely
friendship about a year-and-a-half ago.
In Raleigh, cards were coming in from both prominent and everyday citizens, said
Helms aide Eddie Woodhouse. "It's substantial, and it's from a real
cross-section
of people," he said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BBC: Bono's wife in anti-nuclear protest (4-27-2002)
From BBC:
Bono's wife in anti-nuclear protest
The wife of U2 singer Bono, Ali Hewson, has
gone to Downing Street to protest personally
against the operation of Sellafield nuclear plant
in Cumbria.
The anti-nuclear campaigner was highlighting a
mail-out of 1.3 million protest postcards calling
for the plant in Cumbria to be closed.
Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Prince of
Wales are among recipients of the cards which
highlight fears in the Irish Republic about
alleged pollution risks from Sellafield.
But Mrs Hewson wanted to deliver her card in
person to Mr Blair.
The card has the message: "Tony, look
me in the eye and tell me I'm safe."
The campaign is also being supported by
The Corrs, Ronan Keating, Samantha
Mumba, and Manchester United FC
captain Roy Keane.
Mrs Hewson said: "There's millions of
people in Britain who live as close to Sellafield
as we do and the risks are great.
"A report commissioned by the European
parliament has said Sellafield has the potential
to be 80 times more hazardous than
Chernobyl," she said.
'Important contribution'
But Energy Minister Brian Wilson said closing
the plant would be irresponsible as it made an
important contribution in the fight against
global warming and climate change.
The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland
said the small amounts of radioactivity
discharged from UK nuclear sites "do not pose
a significant health risk to people living in
Ireland", Mr Wilson added.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring
the Sellafield nuclear site would be run to the
highest standards of safety and environmental
protection.
"The UK Government would not pursue any
course of action that is damaging either to
our own people or to our neighbours in
Ireland."
Norman Askew, chairman of British
Nuclear Fuels which operates Sellafield,
has also been targeted by the campaign,
which is backed by the Irish Government.
Postcards sent to him read: "You know that
radiation released into the atmosphere has no
borders ... No country, no government and no
company can afford this risk for profit."
Protests at plant
A series of protests over the reprocessing of
nuclear fuel have been held outside Sellafield,
which have been attended by some Irish
members of parliament.
The plant is on the Cumbrian coast of
north-west England, 110 miles (180 kilometres)
from Ireland.
Postcards were delivered to homes throughout
Ireland and people were urged to sign and
return them. They have also been on sale in
shops and post offices.
The expected delivery date of the cards, 26
April, was chosen to coincide with the 16th
anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
Card to prince
Radioactive contamination from the world's
worst civil nuclear disaster was blamed for
thousands of deaths in Ukraine, Belarus and
Russia and a huge increase in thyroid cancer.
Prince Charles, known for his interest in
environmental issues, will receive a card
depicting Ireland ravaged by nuclear fallout.
Its messages read: "Greetings from Ireland"
and "Charles - wish you were here?"
The commissioning of a new Mixed Oxide
(MOX) reprocessing facility at the end of 2001
caused outrage in the Irish Republic.
The Fianna Fail political party published
adverts in the British press demanding
Sellafield's closure.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ananova: V2002 fans offered tickets in online quiz (4-27-2002)
From Ananova:
V2002 fans offered tickets in online quiz
V2002 fans can win tickets to the event in an online
competition.
The quiz is being used to promote Simply Acoustic - an
upcoming compilation LP of 40 acoustic tracks.
The LP is released on April 29 through UMTV.
It includes tracks from artists including Oasis, Paul Weller,
Bob Dylan, U2 and Sheryl Crow.
The online quiz, an album sampler and full track details are
available on the Simply Acoustic (http://www.simplyacoustic.co.uk)
website.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jam!: U2 on 'Mr. Deeds' Soundtrack (4-27-2002)
From Jam!:
Bowie and Sandler record duet
In one of the most unlikely duets in music
history, David Bowie has teamed with "Happy
Gilmore" star Adam Sandler for a remake of
Bowie's classic "Space Oddity".
The results will appear on the soundtrack for
Sandler's new movie, "Mr. Deeds", MTV
reports.
"Mr. Deeds" is a remake of 1936's "Mr. Deeds
Goes To Town". It co-stars Winona Ryder ("Girl
Interrupted") and Steve Buscemi
("Armageddon"). The movie hits theatres June
28.
Sandler's version is about tuba playing
Longfellow Deeds (Sandler) who must outsmart
everyone in the big city when he received a
fortune from a dead relative.
Meanwhile, the soundtrack for the film also
features new material from the Counting Crows
("Go To Town") and Dave Matthews Band
("Where are You Going").
The "Mr. Deeds" soundtrack hits stores May 7.
Here's the track listing, according to MTV.com:
1. Dave Matthews Band - "Where Are You
Going"
2. Travis - "Sing"
3. Pete Townshend - "Let My Love Open The
Door"
4. U2 - "Sweetest Thing"
5. Natalie Imbruglia - "Wrong Impression"
6. Lit - "Happy In The Meantime (remix)"
7. Weezer - "Island In The Sun"
8. Trik Turner - "Friends & Family"
9. Adam Sandler and David Bowie - "Space
Oddity"
10. Ben Kweller - "Falling"
11. Counting Crows - "Go To Town"
12. Yes - "I've Seen All Good People"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BBC: Stones duo to star in Simpsons (4-27-2002)
Condensed from BBC:
Stones duo to star in Simpsons
Rolling Stones founders Mick Jagger and Keith
Richards are to be guests on The Simpsons,
the animated show's creator has revealed.
Tom Petty, Elvis Costello and Lenny Kravitz would
all be appearing in the same show, Matt Groening
told Phill Jupitus's breakfast show on the BBC digital
radio station 6 Music.
Sir Paul McCartney, U2, and The Who have already
appeared in the series.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dotmusic: Eire We Go! (4-27-2002)
From Dotmusic:
EIRE WE GO!
U2 swept the board at last night's Irish Music Awards,
dotmusic can report.
The Irish rock gods walked away with three awards
including Best Band and Best Live Gig by an Irish Act.
Frontman Bono was also honoured with the award for Best Male Singer.
Elsewhere at the annual event, Northen Irish band Ash picked up two awards for
Best Album for 'Free All Angels' and Best Single for 'Shining Light'.
The four-piece band opened the ceremony with a performance of the hit single
'Burn Baby Burn'.
Former Divine Comedy frontman, Neil Hannon was named Best Songwriter,
whilst Westlife were awarded for their Outstanding Achievement in Popular
Music.
Meanwhile, newcomer Gemma Hayes took the award for Best Female Singer,
beating the likes of Andrea Corr and Samantha Mumba in the process.
The Corrs collected the trophy for Best Pop Act whilst band drummer, Caroline
Corr, received the Rory Gallagher Musician Award, report the BBC.
An apparently drunk DJ David Holmes was honoured with the Special
Contribution to Music Culture Award, whilst Radiohead were presented with the
trophy for best Live Gig by an International Act.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Independent: Bono to tour Africa next month (4-27-2002)
Condensed from The Irish Independent:
Bono is to tour Africa next month, in his ongoing drive to deal with world
poverty. The
U2 frontman will visit four African nations in May, to look into how efficient
development aid has been in the region and push for greater economic
productivity.
He will be joined by American Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil, in a trip which
begins
on May 20 in Ghana, and will also call at South Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia. The
pair
will visit a number of locations, including a number of development projects,
which
aim to improve water supplies, sanitation and HIV/AIDS care.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cherry Red Records: 'When Irish Eyes Are Smiling' Tribute CD release (4-27-2002)
Thanks to Eric for the following.
From Cherry Red Records:
(YouTwo.net note: Larry Mullen's '' Put 'Em Under Pressure'' is featured on this
CD.)
Various
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling - A Tribute To The Republic Of Ireland Football Team
CDGAFFER 47
This Irish celebration CD is released to celebrate the team's involvement with
the World Cup 2002
in Japan and Korea that kicks off in June. Republic Of Ireland enjoy worldwide
support and are
known of their passionate support.
The CD features all the fan's favourites and the Squad records from over the
years to celebrate their
involvement in previous major tournaments these include "The Boys In Green" by
the 1988 Squad,
"Put 'Em Under Pressure" by the 1990 World Cup Squad and "Jack's Heroes" by The
Pogues with
The Dubliners for the 1994 World Cup in the USA. Other favourites featured; "The
Wild Rover" &
"The Black Velvet Band" by The Dubliners, honorary Irishman Jack Charlton with
"Simple Little
Things" and the hit single "Niall Quinn's Disco Pants" that hit the charts in
2000.
This album will be the perfect soundtrack for all the followers of the green
shirts as they go for
glory!
The Boys In Green - 1988 Republic Of Ireland Squad / Put 'Em Under Pressure -
Republic Of
Ireland / Jack's Heroes - The Pogues With The Dubliners / Simple Little Things -
Jack Charlton /
The Wild Rover - The Dubliners / The Boys In Green - Irish Eyes / The Finn Harps
Song - Hugh
McLean & The Blue Glows / Niall Quinn's Disco Pants (12") - A Love Supreme /
Paddy Goes To
Italy - Shamrock Man / Twist & Shake - Shamrock Man / Black Velvet Band - The
Dubliners / Big
Paddy Bonnar - The Legend Lives On / Bhoys Are Back In Town - London Celtic
Lizzy / Pride -
The Greens / The Fields Of Athenry - Paddy Reilly / Whiskey In The Star - The
Legend Lives On /
Going All The Way 2002 - McCarthey's Marvels / When Irish Eyes Are Smiling - The
Irish
Supporters Choir
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TV Barn: 'U2: A Year in Pop' Anniversary (4-27-2002)
From TV Barn:
Friday, April 26
On this day...in 1997, ABC's has "POP!" with an exclusive concert
documentary "U2: A Year in POP," kicking off its May sweeps theme
(which includes a golden ABC disco ball.)
"The documentary airs one day after the start of U2's 14-month,
100-city international 'PopMart' tour complete with a sci-fi disco
supermarket setting."
The Saturday night special (simulcast on the Westwood One Radio
Network) manages to achieve a 2.5 rating, making it (at the time) the
lowest rated show ever in the history of the big three networks.
Thomas Heald 5:41 AM ET (respond at tvbarn2)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YouTwo.net: Online birthday card for Bono (4-27-2002)
Two Bono fan sites, U2:Bono and The Bono Filling Station have joined forced to
create:
"A Celebration - May 10th, U2002, An Online Greeting Card for Bono"
( see http://www.gurlondamoon.com/bfs/celebration.html).
Fans all over the world will be given the chance to send their very own birthday
greetings
to Bono. You may submit your birthday wishes to aceleb...@u2email.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Oasis on U2: 'It's all about money' (4-27-2002)
Thanks to Ben for the following.
Condensed from Q Magazine:
Interview with Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis
Liam: "Listen, I went to America I had a good time. But if I don't
like something, I'm on the fucking plane. We're not U2. With them
cunts, it's all about money. We're not money orientated. Some cunt
fucks me off, I'm going home. Member of my family's dying, I go home.
At the end of the day it's only music. And I don't do fucking American
tours so some fat yank cunt can make a load of money and I get a few
quid in my back pocket. Sorry. And if you won't have me back next
time, then go and suck your cock!
Noel: "We were top five and we went home. Careerists would have
stayed. But we were fucked. We should have had a year off."
Liam: "You should always have a year off. Even when you're already
having a year off, you should have a year off. Two years off, you
cunt."
Liam, intensive comparative study of the photo files and tabloids
suggests your behaviour gets worse, the more hairy you are. True?
Liam: "I like that. That's the best bit of myth I've heard for ages.
I'm getting it cut."
Noel: "It's the ale not the fucking hair. You've done the wrong
study."
Noel, at the Wembley Stadium shows [in 2000] Liam blew the gigand the
live telecast to 70 million people by telling everyone in a drunken
tirade that Patsy had walked out and left him "with a tea bag". Did
that feel like the end?
Noal: That was my own personal nightmare. That'll stay with me for a
long time.
Liam: I'd had a shitty year. Just come off a tour. Missus had left. I
ain't fucking Superman. I came home, she's fucked off and left me with
a tea bag. I went on the piss. End of story. I was only half as pissed as
half the people in the crowd.
But people paid good money to see you...
Liam: We're not U2, INXS or Simple Minds! Those cunts are so in it for
the money they'll carry on whatever. With me, if I've got something
better do, something more important, I'm fucking doing it. If you want
your money back I'll personally give it you back.
Noel: Can I just say, for legal reasons, there will be no refunds.
Talk about the Oasis near-split and the rumoured Noel solo album.
Noel: "It was like you have an argument with your girlfriend and you
kick her out the fucking house and say, Fuck off, I don't wanna speak
to you. And then you say sorry. I threatened to do a solo album in the
press just to wind him up. And he bought it. He was so fucking pissed
all the time he'd ring up saying, What's this about fucking going
solo? But we didn't come close, because if Liam went to prison and
everyone else died in a plane crash I can't think of 5 other blokes I
want to be in a band with. And believe me, I know lots of people in
bands."
So how close did you come to splitting?
Noel: We didn't. We sat down and I said, "Listen, I love you and you
love me, what's the most important thing? One: the music. Two: the
singer. Three: the cunt who writes the songs." So we got rid of the
fucking entourage of 450 cunts hanging around us, he cut down on his
drinking and wrote some fantastic songs, we got working with two great
musicians and here we are.
Who's the competition these days?
Noel: All the new bands like The Strokes and Travis and Black Rebel
Motorcycle Club - we were doing all that when they were at school.
Writing guitar pop anthem music. Nobody's doing anything in this
country which makes me go, "Ooooh, that's new!"
What about Will Young and that Pop Idol crowd?
Noel: I just want to know what were those fuckers hoping to achieve
out of this? What was that twat Dr Fox and those other cunts doing?
Did they really think they'd find the new Elvis? They've made a
mockery of singing, of selling a million records. Will Young's in the
Guinness Book Of Records for fuck's sake! But so what? So is a bloke
who jumps off the Eiffel Tower and lands in a fucking tea cup. Did he
write Strawberry Fields Forever? No, so fuck off, you fuck.
But who shall guide them as they try to make it work one last time?
Last year, a familiar, cassocked figure stepped out of the shadows and
pointed the way. Noel Gallagher may have been "a drunk bastard"
backstage at U2's Manchester show, but the beatific gaze of rock's honorary
vicar Bono could not be diverted...
Noel: I was a bit pissed so I went up to him and said, You've made
Ł150 million this year, but you still believe in God. How's that? He said he
wouldn't explain, but he gave me a couple of books. And it boils down
to you either believe or you don't. And I don't believe there's a God who
says, Ifyou drink, do drugs and swear and rob houses you're not
sitting on my cloud. It's all cock. It's all fanny. The amount of times I've
gone out in me back garden and shouted up to the sky Come on then,
fucking show me! Give me a sign!
Liam: Hit me baby one more time!
Noel: We're all heathens. Few of us practise a faith but we're after something.
I'm after something. I'll say no more than that in case I start to sound like
Thom Yorke.
Liam: And that, my friend, is the day this band is over.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U2 Zoostation: Boston concert to air on Russian TV (4-27-2002)
Russian U2 fan site U2 Zoostation reports that U2 "Elevation: Live from Boston"
will air on Russian channel TVC on May 2, 2002.
(YouTwo.net note: U2 Zoostation contains characters that cannot be correctly
displayed in English language/character set. To view the site, you must modify
your settings.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reuters: Bono's trousers to be auctioned at pop memorabilia sale (4-27-2002)
From Reuters:
Beatles set to top pop memorabilia sale
Fri Apr 26, 1:49 PM ET
By Jeremy Lovell
LONDON (Reuters) - The Beatles look set to top the charts next week at an
auction in London of pop memorabilia dating back
to the hallucinogenic heyday of the 1960s.
"The market in pop memorabilia is very buoyant at the moment, and the Beatles
are especially strong. They are at the top of
the tree," auction house Christie's pop specialist Sarah Hodgson told Reuters
Friday at a preview of the collection.
Centerpieces of the auction are a draft manuscript of Paul McCartney's chart
topping ballad "Hey Jude," which is expected to
fetch up to $116,200, and two previously unreleased recordings by John Lennon
expected to fetch a similar sum.
Publicity postcards, record covers, fan magazines, autographs, posters,
pictures, drawings and autographs charting the Fab
Four's rise to fame from Liverpool's Cavern Club to New York are also up for
grabs.
While the Beatles may be top of pops at the auction on Tuesday, they are at the
head of a strong line-up that includes stars
ranging from Andy Warhol to Elton John, Carlos Santana and Bob Dylan.
A 1967 Gibson J-160E guitar and its battered carrying case owned by Noel
Redding, bassist for the Jimi Hendrix Experience, is
expected to fetch over $30,000.
An eight-page hand-written letter from Rolling Stones founder member Brian Jones
to a fan in 1963, and detailed questionnaires
completed by each band member will also vie strongly for attention.
All five members of the Rolling Stones -- except Jones, who was found dead in
his swimming pool six years later -- included
"girls" among their likes. Jones said his favorites were "sleeping" and "getting
out of London."
Stones guitarist and fellow song-writer Keith Richards, whose drug and
alcohol-fueled lifestyle were the stuff of legend,
describes his eye color as "brown (and bloodshot)."
"The letter and the questionnaires are wonderful. They give a real insight into
the characters in the group," said Hodgson.
A selection of letters and cards to Bob Dylan dating from a visit he made to
London in 1965, is likely to go for around $9,000
pounds.
A suit and gaudy pink shirt owned by Elton John jostle for position with a tan
sweater owned by Eric Clapton, a red sweater
worn by Elvis Presley in the film Viva Las Vegas and a pair of black trousers
worn by U2 singer Bono.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4NI: U2 scoop three Hot Press Awards (4-27-2002)
From 4NI:
26 April 2002
U2 scoop three Hot Press Awards
Irish rock superstars, U2 and pop supergroup, The Corrs, led the roll-call of
winners at the Hot
Press Irish Music Awards, held in Belfast on Thursday April 25.
U2 picked up the awards for 'Best Live Gig By An Irish Artist' for their Slane
concert and 'Best
Band', whilst lead singer, Bono, picked up the award for 'Best Male Singer' at
the ceremony
which was held at the BBC Northern Ireland Blackstaff Studios.
Meanwhile, The Corrs also picked up three awards, with the band's manager, John
Hughes
picking up the Industry Award, while Caroline Corr was named as 'Best Musician'.
The band also
beat pop rivals, Westlife, to win 'Best Pop Act'.
However, the boy-band idols received some compensation in the form of the
'Outstanding
Contribution To Pop Music' award. The lads, who were playing a concert in
Newcastle and were
unable to attend the ceremony, recorded a special version of their 'World Of
Their Own' hit,
which will be screened on BBC1 on Friday April 26.
The awards, which were hosted by Northern Ireland funnyman, Patrick Kielty were
opened by
Ash, who performed their hit single, 'Burn Baby Burn', for which they won the
'Best Single'
accolade, triumphing over U2.
The Downpatrick rockers also beat U2 to win the 'Best Album' award for their
'Free All Angels'
opus, whilst Bono also suffered defeat in the 'Best Songwriter' category, losing
out to the Divine
Comedy's Neil Hannon.
Brit-pop legends, Suede, were also in Belfast last night to perform at the
Awards, as were a few
members of Radiohead, who won 'Best International Act Gig' for their Odyssey
Arena show.
Other winners on the evening were: up-and-coming young singer, Gemma Hayes
('Best Female
Singer'), The Revs ('Best Newcomer'), Cara Dillon ('Roots Award'), David Kitt
('Emerging
Songwriter') and Belfast DJ legend, David Holmes ('Special Contribution To Music
Culture').
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
News and Star: Celebrity Call to Shut N-Plant Is 'Irrational' (4-27-2002)
From The News and Star:
CELEBRITY CALL TO SHUT N-PLANT IS 'IRRATIONAL'
ENERGY Minister Brian Wilson has promised that safety at
Sellafield will not fall below the "very highest standards".
And he dismissed a celebrity-backed campaign from Ireland to
close the nuclear power station in Cumbria as "fundamentally
flawed".
After receiving thousands of postcards from Irish campaigners
demanding that the Government "Shut Down Sellafield", Mr Wilson
branded their arguments "misleading" and "irrational".
Protesters claim the power plant is unsafe and claim that a
radiation leak would pollute miles of scenic coastline.
Ireland's football captain Roy Keane is among those backing the
campaign, which is being led by the wife of U2 singer Bono.
But Mr Wilson said: "I recognise the sincerity with which many in
Ireland express concerns about Sellafield. These are reflected in
the recent campaign. There is an obligation to respond to specific
concerns as fully and frankly as possible.
"However, there is also an obligation to deal in fact rather than
through emotive and misleading arguments. The UK Government
would not pursue any course of action which is damaging either to
our own people or to our neighbours in Ireland.
"The demand on the postcards to "Shut Down Sellafield" is
fundamentally flawed. As the campaigners themselves have
admitted, the most irresponsible thing anyone could do in respect
of Sellafield would be to shut it down.
"There has been a nuclear industry in the UK for half a century,
creating legacies that will have to be managed for another 100
years or more. The incremental increase in Sellafield's workload as
a result of current or future nuclear generation is comparatively
small.
"It should also be seen in the context of the nuclear industry's
important contribution in the fight against global warming and
climate change.
"The shared interest of the British and Irish peoples is that
Sellafield, like any other part of the nuclear industry anywhere in
the world, should be run to the highest standards of safety and
regulation.
"That may be a less exciting demand than to "Shut Down
Sellafield" but it is a far more honest and relevant one."
Mr Wilson added: "Facts and evidence produced from reputable
scientific sources about the negligible impacts of activities at
Sellafield are simply ignored by the campaigners."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Telegraph: Rock and rolling about (4-27-2002)
From The Daily Telegraph:
Rock and rolling about
(Filed: 27/04/2002)
AGEING rock stars and their "bimbo" wives are to be
sent up in a television version of the long-running
Private Eye comic strip, Celeb.
The BBC series will star Harry Enfield and Amanda
Holden. Enfield will play Gary Bloke, a 50-something
former rock star living in a mansion in Berkshire.
He said his part was modelled on a number of
famous names including Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart
and "those blokes from U2".
Holden described her character, Debs, as a mixture
of Meg Mathews, the former wife of the Oasis
songwriter Noel Gallagher, Jerry Hall and "any
number of Rod Stewart's wives".
A less cynical take on celebrity life is likely to be
offered by a new behind-the-scenes documentary
about the fashion designers Donatella Versace and
Tom Ford.
The Channel 4 programme is being made by David
Furnish, Sir Elton John's boyfriend, who was also
responsible for the fly-on-the-wall documentary,
Tantrums and Tiaras, about the singer.
His latest project is expected to include interviews
with many of the couple's celebrity friends such as
David and Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez and
Elizabeth Hurley.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Examiner: 'Shut Sellafield' postcards flood Downing Street (4-27-2002)
From The Irish Examiner:
'Shut Sellafield' postcards flood Downing Street
By Mark Sage
MORE than a million postcards were delivered to Prime Minister Tony Blair and
the
Prince of Wales yesterday as part of an Irish bid to have the Sellafield nuclear
installation
closed down.
People throughout Ireland posted the cards after weeks of campaigning, backed by
celebrities such as soccer international Roy Keane and pop stars Ronan Keating
and
Samantha Mumba.
The 1.3 million postcards were set to reach 10 Downing Street and St James's
Palace
yesterday on the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Others were heading
for
Norman Askew, head of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd which operates Sellafield.
The Shut Sellafield campaign, spearheaded by Ali Hewson, wife of U2 star Bono,
urged
people to express fears that the Cumbrian power and reprocessing plant
threatened the
Irish environment and offered a target for terrorists.
Ms Hewson was at Downing Street yesterday and said she was delighted with the
response.
. 'I am very proud to be Irish. The response from the Irish nation to the Shut
Sellafield
campaign has been overwhelming. Over 1.3 million people in this country have
expressed
their desire to close the reprocessing plant, which is a very strong message to
the British
Government."
The postcards being sent to Mr Blair show an eye and carry the message: "Tony,
look
me in the eye and tell me I am safe." The card sent to Prince Charles at St
James's Palace
shows an image of Ireland suffering the fallout of a nuclear disaster at
Sellafield. A third
shows human lips calling on Mr Askew to "tell us the truth".
Ms Hewson called on members of the public from across Britain to join them in
their
campaign because, she said: "You are at as much risk as we are. There's the
potential for
it to be very serious.
" If the British people were to make this an election issue, then they (the
Government)
will have to listen. We are taking all the risks and yet we do not have a say in
this," she
said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Times: Enjoying The Island (4-27-2002)
From The Irish Times:
April 27, 2002
Enjoying The Island
Last Friday's annual SDLP fundraiser was a more glitzy affair than usual, with
Paul Brady playing the piano and Bono singing. Brady's The Island, which has
become a peace am in Northern Ireland, was popular on Saturday but he was
also pressganged into accompanying John Hume for his party pieces: We Shall
Overcome and The Town I Love so Well.
The event was a sort of farewell to Hume and Seamus Mallon, who have guided
the party and the North through the years of greatest turbulence. Michael Woods
represented the Taoiseach. Other guests included Rnalrl Quinn, Liz O'Donnell and
Prionsas De Rossa. Hume was full of praise for Bono and his third-world
campaigning and Ali Hewson and her anti-Sellafield campaigning but he reserved
a special accolade for Brady, whom he taught at St Columb's, Derry. Brady, he
said, was the greatest talent ever to come out of Strabane.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Record: Bono's Wife in Protest (4-27-2002)
From The Daily Record:
BONO'S WIFE IN PROTEST
THE wife of U2 frontman Bono yesterday delivered a personal protest against
Sellafield nuclear plant to 10 Downing Street. Irish anti-nuclear campaigner
Ali Hewson put a postcard through the door showing a human eye with the
words: "Tony, look me in the eye and tell me I'm safe".
She said: "I wanted to deliver this card in person. A report commissioned by
the European Parliament has said Sellafield has the potential to be 80 times
more hazardous than Chernobyl."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reuters: Bono's Wife Takes Nuke Plant Protest to Blair's Door (4-26-2002)
From Reuters:
Bono's Wife Takes Nuke Plant Protest to Blair's Door
April 26, 2002 08:59 AM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - Irish protesters chose the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl
nuclear
disaster Friday to bombard Prime Minister Tony Blair and Prince Charles with
postcards
demanding the closure of Britain's Sellafield nuclear plant.
"Sellafield has the potential to be 80 times the size of the Chernobyl
accident," leading
protester Ali Hewson, wife of Irish rock star Bono, told reporters after
personally handing in
a postcard at Blair's Downing Street office in London.
In the world's worst civil nuclear disaster, Chernobyl exploded on April 26,
1986, and its
radioactive contamination was blamed for thousands of deaths in Ukraine, Belarus
and
Russia, and for a huge increase in thyroid cancer.
The Sellafield reprocessing plant, on England's northwest coast across the Irish
Sea, has
long caused friction between the two governments due to Irish fears of accidents
or pollution.
"Tony, look me in the eye and tell me I'm safe," said Hewson's postcard to Blair
under a
picture of a staring green eye. It was one of more than 1.2 million such
postcards sent by
Irish households for delivery to Britain Friday.
Long a focus of protests for environmentalists in Britain and Ireland, the
anti-Sellafield lobby
said the issue has taken on new urgency since the Sept. 11 attacks on the United
States.
"That's the reason that people are rethinking exactly the problems of
Sellafield," said Hewson,
whose husband Bono, of the U2 rock band, is a leading campaigner against Third
World debt.
"It has 75 tons of plutonium sitting on its site. It can't but be at the top of
any terrorist's list."
Energy Minister Brian Wilson issued a statement decrying the "emotive and
misleading
arguments" of anti-Sellafield campaigners and citing "facts and evidence
produced from
reputable scientific sources about the negligible impacts of activities at
Sellafield."
"The U.K. government would not pursue any course of action which is damaging
either to
our own people or to our neighbors in Ireland," he said.
Reuters photos:
http://youtwo.net/pictures_archive/aliatno10.jpg
Ali Hewson, the wife of U2 singer Bono, joined other protesters in Downing
Street to hand in
postcards from the Irish people against the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing
site, April 26,
2002. The protest coincides with the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear
disaster.
Photo by Stephen Hird/Reuters
http://youtwo.net/pictures_archive/alipostcard.jpg
Ali Hewson, the wife of U2 singer Bono, joins other protesters in Downing Street
to hand in
postcards from the Irish people against the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing
site, April 26, 2002.
The protest coincides with the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear
disaster.
REUTERS/Stephen Hird
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Mirror: Ali attends exhibition opening (4-26-2002)
From The Irish Mirror:
CHERNOBYL EXHIBITION
Joe Roberts
MINISTER Liz O'Donnell yesterday opened an exhibition to mark the 16th
anniversary of the
Chernobyl disaster. The Blackwind Whiteland Living with Chernobyl project will
run at the
Civic Offices in Dublin until May 17.
Campaigners Ali Hewson and Adi Roche also attended.
The works explore the issues involved in the Chernobyl debate. The exhibition
was launched
in the US last year.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Mirror: Hot Press Judge Paul Martin Slams the Verdicts (4-26-2002)
From The Irish Mirror:
HOT PRESS JUDGE PAUL MARTIN SLAMS THE VERDICTS
THERE'S no doubt that last night's Hot Press Award bash was a great celebration
of Irish music.
But the selection of some of the winners were nothing short of a disgrace -
notably the Corrs
scooping the best pop act accolade. Fair enough, the Corrs have had success over
the past five
years - but nothing to rival Westlife's.
In the past few months alone Westlife have notched up a No1 album, chart topping
singles and
are in the middle of a sell-out 60-date arena tour.
In comparison the Corrs have had little impact in the charts and only made the
occasional
appearance - low profile by any band's standards.
How can they justify Westlife winning a prestigious pop industry award and then
not name them
the best pop act? It's like Arsenal winning the Premiership title but Newcastle
being named the
best, most talented team.
A bigger joke was that Neil Hannon won the best songwriter award - for what?
His band split up last year and his recent offerings have been so insignificant
in mainstream music
that I would struggle to name any of them.
I think people will be asking what songs he has written recently, never mind how
he won a top
award for them.
Bono's songwriting skills apparently don't live up to Neil's despite guiding U2
to global dominance
and a record-breaking sell out tour with his latest songs.
Ash deserved to win two awards after a great year of touring and in the charts.
At least the judges
got something right.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast News Letter: Sellafield Postcard Blitz on No10 (4-26-2002)
From The Belfast News Letter:
SELLAFIELD POSTCARD BLITZ ON NO10
MORE than a million postcards were delivered to Prime Minister Tony Blair and
the Prince of
Wales yesterday as part of an Irish bid to have the Sellafield nuclear
installation closed down.
People throughout the Republic posted the cards after weeks of campaigning
backed by
celebrities, such as soccer international Roy Keane and pop star Ronan Keating.
The 1.3 million postcards were set to reach their final destinations in London
on the 16th
anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. The Shut Sellafield campaign, spearheaded
by Ali
Hewson, wife of U2 star Bono, urged people to express fears that the power and
reprocessing
plant threatened the Irish environment and offered a target for terrorists.
The cards were delivered to 10 Downing Street and St James's Palace. Others were
heading
for Norman Askew, head of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd which operates Sellafield.
Hewson was delighted with the response, which came despite celebrity- led
television
commercials being cancelled under an Irish law which bans political advertising.
She said: "Over 1.3 million people in this country have expressed their desire
to close the
reprocessing plant which is a very strong message to the British Government."
The cards show an eye and carry the message: "Tony, look me in the eye and tell
me I am safe".
Those sent to St James's Palace show an image of Ireland suffering the fallout
of a nuclear
disaster at Sellafield.
A third shows human lips calling on Mr Askew to "tell us the truth".
Sellafield has been a contentious issue between Dublin and Westminster for
years.
The commissioning of a new mixed oxide (MOX) reprocessing facility at the end of
last year
provoked outrage in the Republic.
Ireland has already taken two legal actions against Sellafield. The first was
under the Ospar
Convention on nuclear emissions and the second was to the Hamburg-based United
Nations
International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea.
Although Ireland failed to win an injunction banning the opening of the MOX
plant, it claimed a
partial victory after the Hamburg panel ordered Britain not to exacerbate Irish
fears.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DPA: Postcard campaign to shut Britain's Sellafield (4-26-2002)
From Deutsche Presse-Agentur:
Postcard campaign to shut Britain's Sellafield
London - Irish citizens have sent 1.3 million postcards to British prime
minister Tony Blair,
demanding the closure of the British nuclear processing plant Sellafield.
The cards, which carry the message, "Tony, look me in the eye and tell me I'm
safe," were
sent to mark the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on Friday.
Prince
Charles was also sent cards portraying an Ireland destroyed by a nuclear
accident.
The "Shut Sellafield" campaign was launched by pop star Ronan Keating and Ali
Hewson,
the wife of U2 lead singer Bono.
The Irish government has been trying to close Sellafield down for several years.
It claims
that the plant on the northwest coast of England is an environmental threat to
Ireland and a
potential terrorist target following the September 11 attacks in the United
States.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFP: Irish use Chernobyl anniversary to seek closure of British plant
(4-26-2002)
From Agence France Presse:
Irish use Chernobyl anniversary to seek closure of British plant
LONDON, April 26 - As Ukraine marked the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl
disaster a
massive Irish campaign to demand the closure of a British nuclear plant on the
shores of
the Irish Sea was set to inundate top British officials with postcards.
Campaigners, who included Ali Hewson, the wife of of the pop singer Bono, said
around
90 percent of Irish households had sent the postcards, aimed mainly at Prime
Minister
Tony Blair, heir to the throne Prince Charles and Norma Askew, the chairwoman of
British
Nuclear Fuels.
The protesters are demanding the closure of the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing
plant,
located just across the Irish Sea from Ireland on England's northwest coast.
Campaigners
said Blair was set to receive 600,000 postcards, out of a total of more than 1.1
million.
Ireland has no nuclear power stations, and the Sellafield plant has been a
source of tension
between Dublin and London for decades.
The cards being sent to Blair are decorated on the front with an illustration of
an eye and the
caption: "Tony, look me in the eye and tell me I'm safe".
On the back a message reads: "This is the sixteenth anniversary of the Chernobyl
disaster.
The world can't afford another, and neither can you. Don't be blind to the
danger, Tony. The
risks are too great."
Chernobyl was the world's worst nuclear accident, and is believed to have
directly or
indirectly caused the deaths of between 15,000 to 30,000 people since 1986.
Ali Hewson, a patron of the Chernobyl Children's Project, delivered her card in
person to
Blair's London residence.
"There's millions of people in Britain who live as close to Sellafield as we do
and the risks
are great," she told reporters after delivering the card to Blair's residence at
Number 10
Downing Street.
"A report commissioned by the European Parliament has said Sellafield has the
potential to
be 80 times more hazardous than Chernobyl," she added.
Elsewhere, more than 275,000 cards, depicting a glowing radioactive Irish
landscape, were
sent to Prince Charles and more than 250,000, with the caption: "Tell us the
truth", were
being delivered to Askew.
These cards had to be bought at one euro each (0.9 dollars), while those sent to
Blair were
free.
Profits from the sale of the cards are to go to Hewson's charity, which provides
help to areas
of Ukraine and Belarus hit by the Chernobyl disaster and brings affected
children on holiday
to Ireland.
A number of Irish celebrities, including music groups the Corrs and the
Cranberries, have
also backed the protest.
Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has called for the immediate closure of Sellafield,
describing it
as a "dangerous dinosaur" and the "single most serious threat" to Ireland's
environment.
Responding to the protest, Britain's Energy Minister Brian Wilson said: "I
recognise the
sincerity with which many in Ireland express concerns about Sellafield and these
are reflected
in the recent campaign.
"The UK government would not pursue any course of action which is damaging
either to our
own people or to our neighbours in Ireland."
He said the call to close Sellafield was "fundamentally flawed".
"There has been a nuclear industry in the UK for half a century, creating
legacies that will have
to be managed for another 100 years or more," he said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sky News: Sellafield Closure Demands (4-26-2002)
From Sky News:
Sellafield Closure Demands
More than a million postcards have been delivered to the Prime Minister and the
Prince of
Wales calling for the Sellafield nuclear plant to be shut down.
Irish celebrities, including soccer international Roy Keane and pop stars Ronan
Keating and
Samantha Mumba, are backing the campaign.
The 1.3 million postcards were also sent to the plant's operators to commemorate
the 16th
anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
Public response
The Shut Sellafield campaign, spearheaded by Ali Hewson, wife of U2 star Bono,
expressed
fears of an environmental disaster.
Hewson said the public response made her "proud to be Irish".
"The response from the nation to the campaign has been overwhelming, a very
strong message
to the British Government," she said.
Legal actions
The postcards sent to Mr Blair show an eye and carry the message: "Tony, look me
in the eye
and tell me I am safe".
Sellafield has been a contentious issue between Dublin and Westminster for
years.
Two legal actions have so far failed to have the Cumbrian plant closed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UTV: Bono's wife takes Sellafield campaign to London (4-26-2002)
From UTV:
FRIDAY 26/04/02 11:40:02
Bono's wife takes Sellafield campaign to London
The wife of U2 frontman Bono, Ali Hewson, today delivered her personal protest
against the
Sellafield nuclear plant at 10 Downing Street.
The anti-nuclear campaigner wanted to deliver a protest card in person on behalf
of thousands
of Irish residents who are calling for the Cumbrian installation to be closed
down.
Mrs Hewson placed a postcard through No 10 showing a human eye with the words
``Tony,
look me in the eye and tell me I`m safe``.
More than 1.3 million postcards were today being delivered by the Royal Mail to
Downing
Street, Prince Charles at St James`s Palace, and to Norman Askew, the head of
British Nuclear
Fuels Ltd, which operates the power and processing plant.
The campaign comes amid fears that the plant is threatening the Irish
environment and offering
a target to terrorists. Ms Hewson said: ``I wanted to deliver this card in
person today.
``There`s millions of people in Britain who live as close to Sellafield as we do
and the risks are
great.
``A report commissioned by the European parliament has said Sellafield has the
potential to be
80 times more hazardous than Chernobyl.``
Today`s protest comes on the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
Ms Hewson, patron of the Chernobyl Children`s Project, said the postcards
represented the 1.3m
households in Ireland.
She called on members of the public from across Britain to join them in their
campaign because,
she said: ``You are at as much risk as we are. There`s the potential for it to
be very serious.``
When asked what her response would be if the British government said Sellafield
said safe, she
added: ``Do not believe them. I do not feel safe. It`s not safe, how could it be
safe?
``If the British people were to make this an election issue, then they (the
government) will have
to listen.
``We are taking all the risks and yet we do not have a say in this. I`m hoping
you (the British
public) will take this up.``
Three different sets of postcards have been sent as part of the Shut Sellafield
campaign.
As well as the ones addressed to British prime minister Tony Blair, a card sent
to the Prince of
Wales shows an image of Ireland suffering the fallout of a nuclear disaster at
Sellafield. The third,
addressed to Mr Askew, shows human lips calling on the NFL boss to ``tell us the
truth``.
Ms Hewson also carried two extra-large cards, showing the human eye, when she
arrived at
Downing Street this morning.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guardian: 'Mrs Bono' Takes Sellafield Protest To No 10 (4-26-2002)
From The Guardian:
'Mrs Bono' Takes Sellafield Protest To No 10
Friday April 26, 2002 12:02 PM
Bono's wife has delivered a personal protest against the Sellafield nuclear
plant to No 10
Downing Street.
Anti-nuclear campaigner Ali Hewson delivered a protest postcard on behalf of
millions of Irish
residents calling for the plant to be closed down.
Mrs Hewson's postcard showed a human eye with the words "Tony, look me in the
eye and tell
me I'm safe".
More than 1.3 million of the protest cards are being delivered by the Royal Mail
to Downing
Street, Prince Charles, at St James's Palace, and to Norman Askew, the head of
British Nuclear
Fuels Ltd, which operates the power and processing plant.
The campaign comes amid fears that the plant is threatening the Irish
environment and offering
a target to terrorists.
Ms Hewson said: "There's millions of people in Britain who live as close to
Sellafield as we do
and the risks are great. A report commissioned by the European parliament has
said Sellafield
has the potential to be 80 times more hazardous than Chernobyl."
The protest comes on the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Ms Hewson,
patron of the
Chernobyl Children's Project, said the postcards represented the 1.3m households
in Ireland.
She called on members of the public from across Britain to join them in their
campaign because,
she said: "You are at as much risk as we are. There's the potential for it to be
very serious."
When asked what her response would be if the Government said Sellafield is safe,
she added:
"Do not believe them. I do not feel safe. It's not safe, how could it be safe?
"If the British people were to make this an election issue, then they (the
Government) will have to
listen. We are taking all the risks and yet we do not have a say in this. I'm
hoping you (the British
public) will take this up."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Femail: Bono's wife in Sellafield protest (4-26-2002)
From Femail:
Bono's wife in Sellafield protest
26th April 2002
The wife of U2 frontman Bono, Ali Hewson, today delivered her personal protest
against the
Sellafield nuclear plant at 10 Downing Street.
The anti-nuclear campaigner wanted to deliver a protest card in person on behalf
of thousands
of Irish residents who are calling for the Cumbrian installation to be closed
down.
Mrs Hewson placed a postcard through No 10 showing a human eye with the words
"Tony, look
me in the eye and tell me I'm safe".
More than 1.3 million postcards were today being delivered by the Royal Mail to
Downing Street,
Prince Charles at St James's Palace, and to Norman Askew, the head of British
Nuclear Fuels
Ltd, which operates the power and processing plant.
The campaign comes amid fears that the plant is threatening the Irish
environment and offering a
target to terrorists. Ms Hewson said: "I wanted to deliver this card in person
today.
"There's millions of people in Britain who live as close to Sellafield as we do
and the risks are great.
"A report commissioned by the European parliament has said Sellafield has the
potential to be 80
times more hazardous than Chernobyl."
Today's protest comes on the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
Ms Hewson, patron of the Chernobyl Children's Project, said the postcards
represented the 1.3m
households in Ireland.
She called on members of the public from across Britain to join them in their
campaign because,
she said: "You are at as much risk as we are. There's the potential for it to be
very serious."
When asked what her response would be if the Government said Sellafield is safe,
she added: "Do
not believe them. I do not feel safe. It's not safe, how could it be safe?
"If the British people were to make this an election issue, then they (the
Government) will have to
listen.
"We are taking all the risks and yet we do not have a say in this. I'm hoping
you (the British public)
will take this up."
Three different sets of postcards have been sent as part of the Shut Sellafield
campaign.
As well as the ones addressed to Prime Minister Tony Blair, a card sent to the
Prince of Wales shows
an image of Ireland suffering the fallout of a nuclear disaster at Sellafield.
The third, addressed to
Mr Askew, shows human lips calling on the NFL boss to "tell us the truth".
Ms Hewson also carried two extra-large cards, showing the human eye, when she
arrived at
Downing Street this morning.
Sellafield has been a contentious issue between the Republic of Ireland and
Westminster for many
years.
The commissioning of a new mixed oxide (MOX) processing facility at the end of
last year provoked
outrage in the Republic.
Ireland has already taken two legal actions against Sellafield. The first was
under the Ospar
Convention on nuclear emissions and the second was to the Hamburg-based United
Nations
International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea.
Although Ireland failed to win an injunction banning the opening of the MOX
plant, it claimed a partial
victory after the Hamburg panel ordered Britain not to exacerbate Irish fears.
Ms Hewson added that many fear Sellafield would be a prime target for
terrorists, especially in the
wake of September 11.
"There's 75 tons of plutonium sitting on that site, how could it not be at the
top of any terrorist's list?
"Whatever the arguments are for or against nuclear power, we are not in the
debate but are expected
to take the risks."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NME: Bono's Backing Belfast! (4-26-2002)
From NME:
BONO'S BACKING BELFAST!
U2 frontman BONO has thrown his weight behind BELFAST's bid to become
UROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE in 2008.
The city is battling it out with a number of others in the UK, and is currently
joint
favourite with Newcastle and Liverpool.
Speaking last night (April 25) ahead of the Hot Press Music Awards in the city,
Bono said: "Belfast is really happening at the minute. I'm looking around and
the people are looking good, the place is looking good -- it's the perfect time
for
it to be happening with the Capital of Culture 2008 bid.
"Driving into Belfast today I drove past The Odyssey, which is a huge
professional arena which they have in America and I was thinking 'Hey, we
should be playing there.'"
The shortlist of possible winners will be announced in September, with the final
winner will be announced in Spring 2003.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Radio 1: U2 triumph at Irish Music Awards (4-26-2002)
From Radio 1:
U2 triumph at Irish Music Awards
Updated: 26 Apr 2002
U2 have picked up three gongs at the Irish Music Awards, held in Belfast last
night (Thursday).
They received Best Band, Best Live Gig by an Irish Act, and Bono got Best Male
Singer.
DJ David Holmes received the Special Contribution to Music Culture award, while
Westlife took
the trophy for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Music.
Ash opened the evening with a performance of 'Burn Baby Burn', and they also
collected two
awards - Best Album for 'Free All Angels' and Best Single with 'Shining Light'.
Radiohead received Top Live Gig by an International Act for their performance at
Belfast's
Odyssey. Radio 1 caught up with Ed, who told us work on their new material
starts next week:
"We're just gonna start rehearsing, and ease back into it, and do some recording
towards the
middle or end of the year. And we'll probably have a record out by 2008!"
"This is the start of it. There are some things going around. You never know how
it's gonna turn
out. We're looking for six years in the studio on this one, our opus, and
whatever."
You can watch the Irish Music Awards ceremony on BBC Choice at 7pm on Sunday.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Mirror: Corr Blimey (4-26-2002)
From The Irish Mirror:
CORR BLIMEY
POP GROUP & ROCK LEGENDS U2 SHARE SIX GONGS IN NIGHT OF UPSETS AT
AWARDS BASH
Paul Martin, Ireland's No1 Showbiz Reporter
THE Corrs and U2 shared the spoils at last night's Hot Press Irish Music Awards
by scoring a
hat-trick of triumphs.
Both superstar bands jetted in for the showbiz occasion and cleaned up with an
impressive
haul of three top gongs each.
U2 were crowned with the best band, best singer and best concert accolades while
the Corrs
scooped best musician, the industry award and best pop act - toppling hot
favourites Westlife in
the process. U2 lead singer Bono said the latest honours were their most
important yet. He
added: "This is really what it's all about - we value the recognition from the
Irish music industry.
"We didn't come to Belfast because we thought we were going to win - we came
because we
love the place. Winning best band means a lot and also to get the recognition
for the Slane show
is big too."
Comic Patrick Kielty hosted the star-studded event at BBC Northern Ireland's
Blackstaff Studios.
The Corrs made up for a lacklustre year in the pop charts when drummer Caroline
beat hot
favourite U2 guitarist The Edge to win the best musician prize. Their manager
John Hughes was
presented with the prestigious industry award.
But the biggest surprise of the night was when the brother and sisters beat
Westlife to the best
pop act honour.
It wasn't all gloom for the Sligo and Dublin superstars. They won a special
award for outstanding
contributions to the pop industry.
Westlife couldn't attend to pick up the award but they did record a special
version of World Of Our
Own to celebrate.
The show kicked off in spectacular style with Ash rocking to their chart topping
hit, Burn Baby Burn.
Indie stars Suede played Positivity and Bellefire sang U2's anthem, All I Want
Is You - as Bono
and the rest of the group watched on in the audience.
Irish Popstars Six sang United We Stand but missed out on any gongs.
Co Down stars Ash celebrated when they won two high profile awards after an
impressive year.
They were awarded the best single accolade for Burn Baby Burn and best album for
Free All
Angels - toppling U2 in both categories.
Lead singer Tim Wheeler said: "It's a great privilege to beat U2 and it's great
to be home again."
In another big surprise, little-known Gemma Hayes scooped the best singer award
beating Andrea
Corr and Samantha Mumba. Gemma said: "I honestly didn't expect it. It's a night
to celebrate - I will
never forget this."
Members of Radiohead flew to Belfast to pick up the best international concert
award for their show
at the Odyssey Arena last year.
U2 closed down trendy showbiz haunt China Club for their own private aftershow
party - surrounded
by a huge security operation.
The Dublin rockers partied until the early hours in the exclusive club and other
VIP guests attended
a private bash downstairs in Bar Red.
Another big party was staged at the Europa Hotel which was surrounded by more
than 100 security
guard.
Despite missing out on best pop act Westlife said they were thrilled with their
success.
Shane Filan said: "It's great to have a special award in our honour. Hopefully
they will keep it going
every year now and we will have a kind of legacy."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Mirror: Who Won What (4-26-2002)
From The Irish Mirror:
WHO WON WHAT
(Hot Press Awards)
Best Pop Act: The Corrs. Best Male Singer: Bono. Best Band: U2. Best Musician:
Caroline Corr.
Best Live Gig By An Irish Act: U2 At Slane. Best Album: Ash - Free All Angels.
Best Single: Ash -
Burn Baby Burn. Industry Award: Corrs Manager John Hughes. Outstanding
Contribution To Pop
Music: Westlife. Best Songwriter: Neil Hannon. Best Female Singer: Gemma Hayes.
Roots Award:
Cara Dillon. Special Contribution To Music Culture: David Holmes. Emerging
Songwriter: David
Kitt. Newcomer: The Revs. International Act Gig: Radiohead At The Odyssey.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast News Letter: Hot Press Awards Special (4-26-2002)
From The Belfast News Letter:
WHISPERS: HOT PRESS AWARDS SPECIAL
Paul Martin
Last night's Hot Press Awards was a star-studded occasion - but the real
partying happened
when the cameras were turned OFF.
As I exclusively revealed earlier this week, U2, THE CORRS and SUEDE were among
those to
turn up to the BBC Northern Ireland event. I was invited to the most happening
parties of the
night - including a members -only bar CHINA and a secret VIP bash at Red in Ten
Square.
ANDREA CORR and U2 stayed at the plush Ten Square hotel at the back of the City
Hall.
They insisted on CHINAS being closed down to the public so they could stage a
private party for
their VIP entourage.
But, as always, I was on the case and managed to blag my way on to the guest
list for the
exclusive gathering.
While the other journalists were forced to make do with the 'official'
after-show party at the Europa
Hotel, I was busy mixing with the real stars.
WESTLIFE were celebrating after picking up a special award for their services to
the pop industry,
but they had to record their performance during their Belfast visit. It will be
screened tonight on
BBC Northern Ireland.
One of my rivals was so dismayed by my high status among the stars that they
bitterly complained
to a show organiser: "How are we meant to get anything worthwhile from this when
Paul Martin is
getting everywhere we can't." That's what they call connections.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast News Letter: The 'Egos' Have Landed (4-26-2002)
From The Belfast News Letter:
THE 'EGOS' HAVE LANDED
HOT NIGHT IN THE CITY AS MUSIC STARS JET IN FOR AWARDS CEREMONY
Paul Martin
DOWNPATRICK rockers Ash enjoyed a night of glory as the stars jetted in for the
showbiz party
of the year - and a controversial awards ceremony.
They beat off competition from U2 to scoop the best single and best album awards
after a year
of chart-topping success.
Superstars U2 attended the event at the BBC Northern Ireland Blackstaff Studios
and picked up
three gongs. They triumphed in the best concert, best singer and best band
categories to celebrate
a year of success in style.
The Corrs also turned up to collect a trio of accolades, including best
musician, the industry award
and best pop act - to scoop their rivals Westlife.
Many thought the Corrs' triumph as the best pop band was controversial after
Westlife enjoyed a
string of number ones and sell-out concerts in comparison to the Dundalk group.
But the boy band hunks still had something to celebrate when they were presented
with an award
for their outstanding contribution to the pop industry.
The lads were performing in Newcastle last night but they recorded a special
version of their World
Of Our Own hit which will be screened on BBC Northern Ireland tonight.
Ash opened the show, hosted by Ulster comic Patrick Kielty, with a revved up
rendition of their Burn
Baby Burn hit - for which they won best single.
They also pocketed the gong for best album for Free All Angels - beating hot
favourites U2 in the
process.
Neil Hannon delivered another victory - and another controversy - when he was
named best
songwriter ahead of Bono.
"It's been a great night," said Ash lead singer Tim Wheeler.
"We couldn't have dreamed of this.
"It's great to be back home and then go up there and win something."
Indie rockers Suede were also in town to perform and two members of Radiohead
attended to pick
up their award for best concert by an international group.
Bono and the Corrs stayed at the plush Ten Square Hotel and had the members only
night-club
there, Chinas, closed down for their own private party.
Most guests partied the night away at the Europa Hotel, while many on the 'A
List' headed to Ten
Square's Red Bar for an exclusive bash.
Bono said it was an honour to win in Belfast: "We have been away from here for
too long and it's a
great night.
"We are honoured to win these awards and it's just a great night for the Irish
music business."
Hot Press winners: Best Pop Act: The Corrs; Male Singer: Bono; Best Band: U2;
Best Musician:
Caroline Corr; Best Live Gig by Irish Act: U2 at Slane; Best Album: Ash - Free
All Angels; Best Single:
Ash - Burn Baby Burn; Industry Award - John Hughes, manager of The Corrs;
Outstanding
Contribution to Pop Music: Westlife; Best Songwriter: Neil Hannon; Best Female
Singer: Gemma
Hayes; Roots Award: Cara Dillon; Special Contribution to Music Culture: David
Holmes; Emerging
Songwriter: David Kitt; Newcomer: The Revs; International Act Gig: Radiohead at
the Odyssey
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PA: Bono's Wife Takes 'Close Sellafield' Protest to No10 (4-26-2002)
From The Press Association:
BONO'S WIFE TAKES 'CLOSE SELLAFIELD' PROTEST TO No10
Tom Whitehead, PA News
The wife of U2 frontman Bono, Ali Hewson, today delivered her personal protest
against the
Sellafield nuclear plant at 10 Downing Street.
The anti-nuclear campaigner wanted to deliver a protest card in person on behalf
of thousands
of Irish residents who are calling for the Cumbrian installation to be closed
down. Mrs Hewson
placed a postcard through No 10 showing a human eye with the words "Tony, look
me in the
eye and tell me I'm safe".
More than 1.3 million postcards were today being delivered by the Royal Mail to
Downing Street,
Prince Charles at St James's Palace, and to Norman Askew, the head of British
Nuclear Fuels
Ltd, which operates the power and processing plant.
The campaign comes amid fears that the plant is threatening the Irish
environment and offering
a target to terrorists. Ms Hewson said: "I wanted to deliver this card in person
today.
"There's millions of people in Britain who live as close to Sellafield as we do
and the risks are
great.
"A report commissioned by the European parliament has said Sellafield has the
potential to be
80 times more hazardous than Chernobyl."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PA: Animated Stones to Be Simpsons' Guests (4-26-2002)
From The Press Association:
ANIMATED STONES TO BE SIMPSONS' GUESTS
Anthony Barnes, Showbusiness Editor, PA News
Wrinkly rockers Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are to be guests on The Simpsons,
the
show's creator revealed today.
The Rolling Stones legends will join a host of music veterans in a forthcoming
episode of
the hit show, following in the footsteps of rock stars like Sir Paul McCartney,
U2 and The
Who. Matt Groening, who dreamt up the show, spoke of the appearance as he
guested on
Phill Jupitus's breakfast show on BBC digital radio station 6 Music.
"We have coming up on the show Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Tom Petty, Elvis
Costello,
Brian Setzer, Lenny Kravitz all in the same show. It's fantastic."
"We get to animate them exactly the way we want to - even if they're old they
can still rock.
That's the way we animate them."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AP: Irish protesters send cards to Blair and Prince Charles (4-26-2002)
From The Associated Press:
Irish protesters send cards to Blair and Prince Charles calling for closure of
nuclear plant
LONDON - Irish protesters Friday flooded the mailboxes of Prime Minister Tony
Blair and
Prince Charles with more than one million postcards calling for the closure of a
British
nuclear plant.
The protesters believe an accident at the Sellafield plant on England's
northwest coast
could have disastrous consequences for residents on the other side of the Irish
Sea.
Ali Hewson, the wife of U2 frontman Bono and the director of the protest, said
the 1.3 million
postcards represented each household in Ireland. They were timed to arrive at
the offices of
Blair, Prince Charles, who is not connected with the plant, and Norman Askew,
the head of
British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Friday to mark the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl
disaster.
"A report commissioned by the European parliament has said Sellafield has the
potential to
be 80 times more hazardous than Chernobyl," Hewson said, referring to the
world's worst
atomic accident which took place at a Ukraine plant in 1986.
Hewson warned that Sellafield was a prime target for terrorists and called on
the British public
to make the plant an election issue.
"There's 75 tons of plutonium sitting on that site, how could it not be at the
top of any terrorist's
list?" she said.
Britain's energy minister Brian Wilson said the government was committed to
ensuring the
plant was run with the highest standards of safety and environmental protection.
"The U.K. government would not pursue any course of action which is damaging
either to our
own people or to our neighbors in Ireland," he said.
He pointed to a report from the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland,
which although
objecting to all radioactive discharges, concluded that the amounts of
radioactivity discharged
from British nuclear sites were very small and "do not pose a significant health
risk to people
living in Ireland."
Sellafield has been a contentious issue between the Republic of Ireland and
Britain for many
years.
Ireland failed to win an injunction banning the opening of a new mixed oxide
processing facility
at Sellafield, at the end of last year.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCD.ie: Hot Press Irish Music Awards - The Results (4-26-2002)
From MCD.ie:
Hot Press Irish Music Awards - The Results
News last updated: 26-04-2002
The Hot Press Irish Music Awards Winners were announced at a ceremony at the
BBC's Northern Ireland studios in Belfast last night (Thursday).
The winners in full were:
Best Irish Album: 'Free All Angels' - Ash
Phil Lynott Newcomer Awards: The Revs
Live Performance in Ireland by an Irish Artist: Radiohead in The Odyssey,
Belfast
Roots: Cara Dillon
The Hot Press Irish Music Industry Award: John Hughes
Rory Gallagher Musician Award: Caroline Corr
IMRO Emerging Songwriter: David Kitt
Dance Award: Phil Kiernan
Songwriter: Neil Hannon
Female Singer: Gemma Hayes
Male Singer: Bono
Pop: The Corrs
Outstanding Contribution to Popular Culture: David Holmes
Band: U2
Visit MCD.ie for photos of U2 at Slane.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Press: Hot Press Award Winners (4-26-2002)
From Hot Press:
Best Irish Album: "Free All Angels" - Ash
... presented to the band by Sharon Corr
Phil Lynott Newcomer Award: The Revs
Live Performance in Ireland by an Irish Artist: U2 - for Slane 2001.
While accepting the award, Edge promised "... that the DVD will be out
before Christmas!!!!", Larry thanked everyone for travelling TO the show,
While Bono gave praise to the one and only Barry McGuigan who
presented them with the award
Live Performance in Ireland by an International Artist: Radiohead in
the Odyssey, Belfast.
When presented the award by Bono, Colin commented what a privilege it
was to get the award from a band who'd they'd seen in Milton Keynes
back in 1985!
Roots: Cara Dillon
Presented to Cara by Clannad's Maire Brennan.
The Hot Press Irish Music Industry Awards: John Hughes
Presented to John by Jim Corr
Given in recognition of the phenomenal success of The Corrs, both in
Ireland and internationally. "John was more then just a manager.... so
thank you from Caroline, Andrea, Sharon & me" - Jim Corr.
Rory Gallagher Musician Award Caroline Corr
presented to Caroline by another member of the Drummers union Larry
Mullen.
IMRO Emerging Songwriter David Kitt
presented by Chairman of IMRO Michael Hanrarhan.
Dance Award Phil Kieran
local boy Phil K cleans up as Ireland's best dance act.
Songwriter Neil Hannon
After a turbulent year, Neil's continued excellance is rewarded!
Female Singer Gemma Hayes
Gemma Hayes is actually on the radio in France tonight!!! Martin Byrne
picked up the award on her behalf!!
Male Singer: Bono
It isn't his first Hot Press Irish Music Award, and it won't be the last.
Single: "Burn Baby Burn" by Ash
Their second award of the night.
Pop: The Corrs
A genuinely shocked Andrea thanked Hot Press, John Hughes and
"Daddy", receiving the award from Anna Nolan.
Outstanding Contribution to Popular Culture David Holmes
Belfast's legendary "Homer" gets the award not just for his 3 stunning
albums, his eclectic djing and his stunning remixes. But also for his
incredible scoring of the movie Ocean's 11 and for being the guy NEVER
afraid to take a chance
Band: U2 - fittingly, following their triumphant tour, U2 again won best
Irish Band.
So, that's the awards wrapped up - other incredible highlights of the
night included Sude's return to the spotlight, David Kitt playing Prince's
"When Doves Cry", and the showstopping "Debasser" cover by Ash and
The Frames.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glasgow Herald: Part 2 - Tell Me Our Kids Are Safe (4-26-2002)
''Up until now, whatever the arguments for and against Sellafield's nuclear
power and
nuclear waste re-processing, the Irish nation hasn't been involved in the
debate.''
Hewson had earlier been drawn into direct consideration of all matters nuclear
by an
invitation to present a documentary on Chernobyl for Irish TV in 1993. She
accompanied Adi Roche, the director of the Chernobyl Children's Project, an
offshoot
of the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, to neighbouring Belarus. ''They
received 70% of the fall-out from Chernobyl,'' she says. ''Nuclear fall-out
doesn't have
any respect for borders, and going over there simply consolidated the fears I
had
about Sellafield. It's simply a matter of which way the wind might blow. Given
BNFL's
safety record, it didn't inspire any great confidence.''
Subsequent to her visit to Belarus, Hewson supported Sellafield protests by
Greenpeace, in one of which U2 staged a symbolic seaborne raid on Sellafield's
waste outlet pipes. At that time, in what until now has been her sole big
interview,
Hewson told More magazine of her dismay at discovering the increased incidences
of
leukaemia and childhood cancer in the region adjoining Chernobyl.
She also expressed an awareness that her actions could be dismissed as the
dilettante posturing of a left-leaning lady-who-lunches. ''I can really see
where that
criticism comes from -- that some people are rich and can go out and raise money
for
charity, and feel like they've done something, but never really care,'' Hewson
told her
interviewer.
''But I don't think it's justified. The people who criticise are giving in to
cynicism, and I
think if you get cynical about life, you lose the true meaning of it. I couldn't
allow the
fear of someone saying that about me to stop me from doing what I believe in.''
Family is what she most believes in, although had child-rearing not intervened,
she
might have pursued an independent academic career following her marriage to her
schoolboy sweetheart, Bono, whom she met in her teens at Dublin's
inter-denominational Mount Temple secondary school.
As it was, the birth of the Hewsons' first daughter, Jordan, followed mater's
final
exams as a mature student at University College, Dublin, by barely a fortnight.
Hewson nevertheless attained a social sciences degree, in sociology and
politics.
Jordan Hewson has since been followed by Memphis Eve; the extravagantly named
Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q, and the more plainly monickered John Abraham.
Ali Hewson's four children underpin her involvement in the Sellafield postcard
protest.
''I don't feel that I'm the best person to be fronting the campaign -- in fact
I'd rather
someone else was doing it,'' she says.
Despite the support and media-literate advice of her husband, she still finds
speaking
to interviewers a bit of an ordeal. ''All I really have is the privilege of
knowing a few
celebrities,'' she adds of her involvement.
''But what keeps me going is the thought of turning to my kids in 20 years' time
and
saying: 'Hey, do you know what, I had a chance to do something about Sellafield
--
and I didn't take it.' There are times when we all sit and watch the news on the
telly
and ask ourselves: 'What can I do to help? I feel so useless, I feel so
helpless.' My
opportunity just landed in my lap, and I had to take it.''
Kids being kids, of course, minor protests from the more literate of the junior
Hewsons have been triggered by mum's occasional brief absences in selfless
pursuit
of securing everyone's long-term future.
For, over the years, the young Hewsons have become accustomed to dad going off
for
months at a time. Mums aren't meant to go away, though, as Ali Hewson has been
made aware. ''I've had a few notes under the pillow saying: 'I want my mummy
back.'
''But the girls are sanguine and also pretty switched on about environmental
issues.
They would rather I was doing this than getting involved in the music business.
''I feel I'm just speaking out from a position of common sense. I'm simply
saying:
'When it comes to nuclear waste, let's err on the side of caution.' ''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glasgow Herald: Part 1 - Tell Me Our Kids Are Safe (4-26-2002)
From The Glasgow Herald:
Tell Me Our Kids Are Safe
In the name of love: the wife of U2 star Bono has sacrificed her
privacy to front the shut Sellafield postcard campaign. She tells
DAVID BELCHER why.
For the past 20 years, Alison Hewson has approached the role of being Mrs. Bono
in
a deliberately low-key manner. Until the past few weeks, she's wholly shunned
the
global media spotlight in which her husband has spent his adulthood being
bathed,
initially as U2's frontman and latterly as rock'n'roll's most notable social
conscience.
While the erstwhile Paul Hewson has long been public property, entertaining
multi-millions worldwide at the same time as acting as a voluble focus for
various
governmental-level campaigns of political activism, Mrs. Bono has remained
quietly at
the couple's seaside home on the choice southern outskirts of Dublin.
She's side-stepped tabloid gossip columns. She's avoided being caught in the
late-night paparazzi flash-bulbs. No glossy mags have been courted to share her
taste in home decor. Instead, aside from one large-ish magazine interview nine
years
ago, 41-year-old Ali Hewson has simply concentrated on being mother to her four
children, aged from almost 13 to 11 months.
Within the past seven days, though, Ali Hewson has voluntarily upped her media
profile with dramatic suddenness. Reversing a lifetime's policy, she's been
talking to
dozens of newspapers and radio stations as a means of helping alert Britain to
Irish
unease about the nuclear threat posed by the Sellafield re-processing plant in
Cumbria.
Her efforts are scheduled to reach a climax at three prominent U.K. addresses
early
tomorrow morning, when up to a million postcards should drop through the
letterboxes
of Tony Blair, Prince Charles, and the chairman of British Nuclear Fuels, Norman
Askew.
This mass postcard protest campaign is intended to mark tomorrow's sombre
sixteenth anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. In particular,
Britain's prime
minister will be button-holed with a simple query: ''Tony, can you look me in
the eye
and tell me I'm safe?''
Ironically, Hewson herself has discovered a minor degree of personal disquiet in
her
recent self-exposure to the eye of the media whirlwind. Over-heated tabloids:
they can
be a pain. I open my interview with Ali Hewson by asking her if there's any
truth in a
feverish tabloid report this week that she has been named as the Irish Labour
party's
number one candidate for the presidential election in 2004.
She laughs heartily in response, before adopting a more diplomatic tone. ''I
haven't
been approached by anyone,'' she days. ''It's not a serious proposition. It
would
obviously be a huge honour if I was asked to take on such a huge task, but for
one
thing I'm not sure I'm qualified, and for another I've got four small kids to
bring up first.
''On top of that, my husband has joked that we couldn't possibly move into the
president's official mansion in Phoenix Park in Dublin and set up home in a
smaller
house.''
For the moment, Ali Hewson is content with the amount of interest stirred up by
the
Shut Sellafield postcard campaign, of which she has been a part since its
genesis in
January. The anti-nuclear protest has been prominently supported by a range of
figures from contemporary Irish cultural life: ex-Boyzone pop stars Ronan
Keating and
Keith Duffy, comedy dramatist Brendan O'Carroll, boy-band managerial guru Louis
Walsh, Celtic roots music legend Ronnie Drew, of the Chieftains.
''It's been great to have put the issue back on to the level of public
discussion rather
than just political discussion,'' Hewson says. She's also keen to stress that
Shut
Sellafield isn't her sole possession. ''The idea came to me via a friend of a
friend, a
guy I hadn't at that time met -- Michael Carroll. He'd had this genius notion of
postcards to register the protests of people in Ireland, thus giving everyone an
individual chance to speak.
''Post-September 11, we're surely all reconsidering our ideas on public safety.
In
Sellafield's case, it's not so much that it's producing nuclear energy as acting
as a
re-processing plant, gathering waste in one spot -- 75 tonnes of plutonium.
You'd have
to be living in a vacuum not to be aware that there's some potential in that
fact for
terrorists.
''On top of that, I'm a mother living on the east coast of Ireland with small
kids, and
I've been concerned about Sellafield, 60 miles away, for a long time. How safe
is it for
my kids to swim in the Irish Sea? How safe is it for them to eat the fish?
(Continued)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YouTwo.net: Slane DVD at Xmas (4-26-2002)
At yesterday's Hot Press Awards, The Edge told the
audience that the Slane 2001 concert would be
released on DVD before Christmas 2002.
Additional rumors indicate that a new album
release and a new Best of CD/DVD release will
also occur before Christmas 2002.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online.ie: Shut Sellafield' campaigners in postcards blitz (4-26-2002)
From Online.ie:
Shut Sellafield' campaigners in postcards blitz
online.ie 25 Apr 2002
More than a million postcards will be delivered to Prime Minister Tony
Blair and the Prince of Wales tomorrow as part of an Irish bid to have
the Sellafield nuclear installation closed down.
People all over Ireland posted the cards after weeks of campaigning
backed by celebrities such as soccer international Roy Keane and pop
stars Ronan Keating and Samantha Mumba.
The 1.3 million postcards were set to reach their final destinations in
London tomorrow on the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
The Shut Sellafield campaign, spearheaded by Ali Hewson, wife of U2
star Bono, urged people to express fears that the Cumbrian power and
reprocessing plant threatened the Irish environment and offered a
target for terrorists.
The cards will be delivered to 10 Downing Street and St James's
Palace.
Others were heading for Norman Askew, head of British Nuclear Fuels
Ltd which operates Sellafield.
Hewson was delighted with the response, which came despite
celebrity-led television commercials being cancelled under an Irish law
which bans political advertising.
She said: "I am very proud to be Irish. The response from the Irish
nation to the Shut Sellafield campaign has been overwhelming.
"Over 1.3 million people in this country have expressed their desire to
close the reprocessing plant, which is a very strong message to the
British Government."
The postcards being sent to Mr Blair show an eye and carry the
message: "Tony, look me in the
eye and tell me I am safe".
The card sent to the Prince at St James's Palace shows an image of
Ireland suffering the fallout of a nuclear disaster at Sellafield.
A third shows human lips calling on Mr Askew to "tell us the truth".
Sellafield has been a contentious issue between Dublin and
Westminster for years.
The commissioning of a new mixed oxide (MOX) reprocessing facility at
the end of last year provoked outrage here.
Ireland has already taken two legal actions against Sellafield. The first
was under the Ospar
Convention on nuclear emissions and the second was to the
Hamburg-based United Nations International Tribunal on the Law of the
Sea.
Although Ireland failed to win an injunction banning the opening of the
MOX plant, it claimed a partial victory after the Hamburg panel ordered
Britain not to exacerbate Irish fears.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ananova: U2 are big winners at Irish Music Awards (4-26-2002)
From Ananova:
U2 are big winners at Irish Music Awards
U2 scored a hat-trick at the Hot Press Irish Music Awards.
They took the awards for Best Irish Band and Best Live
Performance By An Irish Artist, with Bono winning Best Irish
Male Singer.
Ash and The Corrs won two awards each.
The Corrs were named Best Irish Pop Group, with Caroline
Corr winning the Rory Gallagher Musician Award.
Ash won Best Single for Burn Baby Burn, and Best Album
for Free All Angels.
U2's live performance award was in recognition of their
concerts at Slane Castle. The Best Live Performance In
Ireland By An International Artist award went to Radiohead
for their gig at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast.
Belfast DJ/producer David Holmes won the award for
Outstanding Contribution To Popular Culture.
The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon won Irish Songwriter Of
The Year, Gemma Hayes won the Irish Female Singer
award, and David Kitt won the IMRO Emerging Songwriter
Of The Year title.
A full list of the winners is available at the official Hot Press
website, www.hotpress.com.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Montreal Gazette: U2 mention in Montreal-Boston NHL series article (4-26-2002)
Condensed from The Montreal Gazette:
"It's a beautiful day," U2 sang, as the Molson Centre scoreboard
displayed black-and-white video of Canadiens' Stanley Cup parades.
"Don't let it get away."
The Canadiens let Game 4 get away.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BBC: U2 conquer Irish music awards (4-26-2002)
From BBC:
U2 conquer Irish music awards
Irish rock legends U2 came to Belfast and
conquered yet another awards ceremony when
they walked away with three gongs at the
Irish Music Awards.
Bono scooped the Best Male Singer award and
along with his three band mates claimed the
Best Band and Best Live Gig by an Irish Act
Award.
Dundalk group the Corrs also had a successful
evening picking up the Best Pop Act, while
drummer Caroline was presented with the Rory
Gallagher Musician Award.
A star studded audience of over 500 were
entertained by comperes Patrick Kielty and
Christine Bleakley at the BBC's Blackstaff
studios on Thursday in Belfast.
UK band Suede launched their comeback to
mainstream music with a live performance
while Downpatrick band Ash opened the
evening with a rousing rendition of their hit
single Burn Baby Burn.
The four piece outfit also collected two
awards on the night, best album for Free All
Angels and best single with Shining Light.
DJ David Holmes received the Special
Contribution to Music Culture Award while pop
quintet Westlife, who are to perform in
Belfast's Odyssey arena in June took the
Outstanding Achievement in Popular Music
Award.
Former Divine Comedy frontman, Neil Hannon
was awarded Best Songwriter while Gemma
Hayes ousted the likes of Andrea Corr,
Samantha Mumba and Juliet Turner to clinch
the Best Female Singer award.
Radiohead were awarded the top Live Gig by
an International Act for their performance at
Belfast's Odyssey, while Phil Kieran took the
honours in the Dance Award category.
Corrs manager John Hughes received an
Industry award, while David Kitt was presented
with the IMRO Emerging Songwriter Award and
Londonderry singer Cara Dillon won the Roots
award.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotsman: Fiery start for store (4-26-2002)
From The Scotsman:
Fiery start for store
IRISH girl band Bellefire are to launch HMV's new record store at Ocean
Terminal.
The four-piece are currently attempting to break into the UK charts with their
second single, a cover of the U2 ballad All I Want Is You.
The band's version has already been a top five hit in Ireland.
Bellefire will help to launch the new HMV branch at the shopping centre on
Tuesday alongside Forth One DJs Micky Gavin and Diane Lester who will be
entertaining shoppers from 11.30am.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Launch: Bono To Tour Africa In May With U.S. Treasury Secretary (4-26-2002)
From Launch:
Bono To Tour Africa In May With U.S. Treasury Secretary
Thu Apr 25, 9:07 AM ET
(4/25/02, 7 a.m. ET) -- U2 singer Bono is set for a tour of Africa next month
with U.S.
Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill. O'Neill is set to visit Ghana, South Africa,
Uganda, and
Ethiopia starting May 20, reports the Associated Press.
Bono has long championed the cause for Third World countries. First the vocalist
urged
rich countries to forgive the debts of impoverished nations, now he's
championing the
cause of fair trade with those same countries.
"Away from calamity and physical circumstances, there's often a structural
aspect to
poverty in the developing world," said Bono. "We've had some success raising
awareness about the burden of old debt, and we must now also focus on the unfair
trade
status of these most fragile and seedling economies."
-- Darren Davis, New York
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YouTwo.net: Australia's Musicmax celebrates Bono's birthday (4-26-2002)
Thanks to Amy for the following:
Australian music channel 'Musicmax' is celebrating Bono's Birthday on Friday,
May 10th
by airing Elevation Live in Boston, U2 Live at Red Rocks, The Unforgettable
Fire,
Achtung Baby: the Videos Cameos, and Back-to-Back clips.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
El Universal: U2 items to be auctioned in charity event (4-26-2002)
The Mexican newspaper El Universal has published an article about the next
edition
of the awards "Esperanza y Armonia" of the Instituto de Investigaciones de la
Diabetes
[Diabetes Investigation Institute], which will take place on May 6th. In the
ceremony,
some items donated by celebrities will be auctioned, including a dress worn by
Madonna
and a U2 signed t-shirt.
Full story (in Spanish) available at:
http://www.el-universal.com.mx/pls/impreso/noticia.html?id_nota=62030&tabla=notas
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Ireland Music: Blair under fire from Bono's wife (4-26-2002)
From All Ireland Music:
Blair under fire from Bono's wife
Hundreds of thousands of speciallly designed postcards have been sent from
Ireland to
Tony Blair as part of the 'Shut Sellafield' campaign organised by Bono's wife to
have the
nuclear plant closed. The campaign is designed to put pressure on the British
Prime
Minister and others to shut down the plant on the West Coast of England which
many
believe is extremely hazardous particularly to people living on the East coast
of Ireland.
The deadline to send the cards was last Friday, 19 April.
Ali Hewson who spearheaded the campaign to have the plant closed, is already
experienced in the effects of nuclear discharge, having worked with Russian
children who
suffered in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster sixteen years ago.
The Shut
Sellafield campaign has also being strongly endorsed by a host of Irish
celebrities, namely
Samantha Mumba, actor, Colin Farrell, the entire Irish soccer squad and U2
drummer,
Larry Mullen.
Every single Irish household was sent a prepaid 'Shut Sellafield' postcard
addressed to
Tony Blair. There were also two other postcards on sale for 1 Euro; one to
Prince Charles
and the other to the Head of British Nuclear Fuels, Norman Askew. It's hoped the
campaign
will force Mr Blair and other key figures to take action.
The first postcard to Tony Blair shows a picture of an eye with the words 'Tony,
Look me in
the eye and tell me I'm safe', the second postcard to Prince Charles, a known
environmentalist, shows a radioactive scene of Ireland and the final postcard to
the head of
BNFL, urges Norman Askew to 'tell us the truth'.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Echo: Readers' Favorite Irish Bands 2002 (4-26-2002)
From The Irish Echo:
Irish Echo Readers' Favorite Irish Bands 2002
U2: best international rock/pop band!
By Eileen Murphy
One thing we can say about our readers: you guys have very definite opinions
when
it comes to music. A few weeks ago, we asked you to vote for your favorite Irish
bands,
and the response - via e-mail, fax and snail mail - was tremendous.
In addition to checking off boxes, many of you included charming little notes,
some of
which are being screened by the authorities, and some of which we can answer
here.
To G. Clooney of Hollywood, Calif.: Yes, we're still single and have no problem
dating
actors. To R. Keating of Kildare: No, we have nothing against cosmetic
dentistry. To
L. Mullen Jr. of Dublin: Yes, we'll take it on faith that drummers "do it to the
beat", and
we're sure that "Harleys rule!" To C. Moore: No, we won't forget our shovel when
we
want to go to work. And, finally, to D. O'Donnell of Kincasslagh, Co. Donegal:
No, we
don't think you'll go to H-E-double hockeysticks for saying "Darn!" on your
upcoming
rap/country fusion album.
But enough about us - it's time to present the winners. The math whizzes among
you
will notice that not all areas add up to 100 percent, due to write-in votes. But
whatever -
the tribe has spoken . . .
Int'l Rock/Pop Band
The Corrs 15.0%
The Cranberries 5.2%
Samantha Mumba .9%
Thin Lizzy 5.6%
U2 60.7%
The Waterboys 10.9%
Westlife .5%
Winner: U2
Celtic Rock Band
Black 47 32.2%
The Prodigals 18.0%
The Saw Doctors 39.5%
Seanchai/Unity Squad 9.1%
Winner: The Saw Doctors
Traditional Artist
Altan 10.6%
Cherish the Ladies 14.7%
The Chieftains 44.2%
De Danann 6.4%
Morning Star 18.8%
Solas 4.3%
Winner: The Chieftains
Irish Showbands
Brendan Bowyer & Royal Irish Showband 31.6%
Larry Cunningham & The Mighty Avons 15.0%
The Dixies 27.2%
Declan Nerney Band 24.1%
Winner: Brendan Bowyer & The Royal Irish Showband
Irish Tenor
Anthony Kearns 12.3%
Frank Patterson 33.9%
Ronan Tynan 42.7%
Finbar Wright 10.1%
Winner: Ronan Tynan
Solo Artist
Enya 36.1%
Ronan Keating 4.8%
Brian Kennedy 2.4%
Shane MacGowen 18.6%
Van Morrison 28.8%
Sinead O'Connor 8.5%
Winner: Enya
Folk Artist (Male)
Paul Brady 5.2%
Liam Clancy 9.0%
Ronnie Drew 4.8%
Tommy Makem 17.9%
Christy Moore 34.6%
Paddy Reilly 27.1%
Winner: Christy Moore
Folk Artist (Female)
Mary Black 62.3%
Frances Black 4.5%
Dolores Keane 15.0%
Maura O'Connell 12.0%
Eleanor Shanley 4.0%
Winner: Mary Black
All-Time Folk Band
The Clancy Bros. & Tommy Makem 28.8%
The Dubliners 17.5%
The Furey Bros. & Davey Arthur 11.4%
Moving Hearts 3.5%
Planxty 4.8%
The Wolfe Tones 32.8%
Winner: The Wolfe Tones
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MRIB: U2 Scoop More Gongs (4-26-2002)
From MRIB:
U2 Scoop More Gongs
U2 were - surprise, surprise - big winners at this year's Irish Music Awards on
April 25th.
The Grammy-winning rockers scooped Best Band and Best Live Act while Bono was
named
Best Male Singer.
The Corrs took away the award for Best Pop Act while Ash won Best Album (Free
All Angels)
and Best Single for Shining Light.
The show, which took place in Belfast, also saw Suede's first live performance
in over a year.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RTE: U2 top Irish music awards (4-26-2002)
From RTE:
26/04/2002
U2 top Irish music awards
U2 took three awards at the Hot Press Irish Music Awards in Belfast last night.
The Irish rockers won Best Band as well as Best Live Gig by an Irish Act, and
frontman
Bono was voted Best Male Singer.
Ash collected two awards: Best Album for 'Free All Angels' and Best Single for
'Shining
Light'. The Downpatrick four-piece opened the evening's proceedings with a
performance
of their hit single 'Burn Baby Burn'.
Dundalk group The Corrs won Best Pop Act, and drummer Caroline Corr was
presented
with the Rory Gallagher Musician Award. The group's manager John Hughes also
received
an Industry award.
Gemma Hayes beat Andrea Corr, Samantha Mumba and Juliet Turner to take the award
for Best Female Singer, while former Divine Comedy frontman, Neil Hannon won
Best
Songwriter.
David Kitt took the IMRO Emerging Songwriter Award and Londonderry singer Cara
Dillon
won the Roots award.
DJ David Holmes received the Special Contribution to Music Culture Award while
boyband
Westlife took the Outstanding Achievement in Popular Music Award.
Radiohead were awarded the top Live Gig by an International Act for their
performance at
Belfast's Odyssey. Phil Kieran took the Dance Award.
UK band Suede launched their comeback to mainstream music with a live
performance at
the ceremony, which was presented by comedian Patrick Kielty.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ShowBiz Ireland: The Corrs, Bono & Westlife Feeling the Summer Buzz (4-26-2002)
From ShowBiz Ireland:
The Corrs, Bono & Westlife Feeling the Summer Buzz
The Early summer sunshine in Dublin seems to have Irish celebs in the partying
buzz
around the Capital's Hotspots.
ShowBizIreland.com has been given exclusive access this Sunday, April 28th, for
the
first Corrs party of the year. Jim Corr from the famed Irish band will hit the
decks alongside
one of Ireland's top DJ's Tony Fenton.
Both DJ's will give their time generously in aid of charity with all the takings
on the night
being donated to a charity of the celebrities' choice.
The money from Sunday night will go to the Aoibhneas Women's Refuge. For over 14
years
Aoibhneas has provided crisis accommodation, 24 hour helpline, counseling and
practical
advice to women and children escaping violence in the home.
Also partying this week in Dublin was U2's star Bono. He has been hard at it all
this week
with his favorite Corr. That's Andrea by the way.
But, before our tabloid friends get their knifes out Andrea's boyfriend Giles
Baxendale was
also with the couple as was Bono's best mate Guggi and Andrea's sister Caroline.
The group all enjoyed a night out on Tuesday starting in the Shelbourne hotel,
followed by
Keoghs bar just off Grafton Street.
This was followed by a spot of dinner in Shanahans followed by a nightcap until
closing time
in Renards.
Westlife were also out in Dublin this week on a break from their current tour.
Both Bryan and Nicky joined the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern during the week to
promote the
June Killarny festival in which Westlife will perform along with the Irish
Popstars SIX and Tom
Jones.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London Evening Standard: Bono's wife in Sellafield protest (4-26-2002)
From The London Evening Standard:
Bono's wife in Sellafield protest
The wife of U2 frontman Bono, Ali Hewson, has delivered her personal protest
against
the Sellafield nuclear plant to 10 Downing Street.
The anti-nuclear campaigner wanted to deliver a protest card in person on behalf
of Irish
residents who want the Cumbrian installation closed amid fears it is threatening
the Irish
environment and could be a terrorist target.
Ms Hewson took a postcard to No 10 showing a human eye with the words "Tony,
look me
in the eye and tell me I'm safe."
More than 1.3 million postcards are being delivered by the Royal Mail to Downing
Street,
Prince Charles at St James's Palace, and to Norman Askew, the head of British
Nuclear
Fuels Ltd, which operates the power and processing plant.
Ms Hewson said: "There are millions of people in Britain who live as close to
Sellafield as
we do and the risks are great.
"A report commissioned by the European parliament has said Sellafield has the
potential
to be 80 times more hazardous than Chernobyl."
The protest comes on the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
Ms Hewson, patron of the Chernobyl Children's Project, said the postcards
represented
the 1.3m households in Ireland.
She called on members of the public from across Britain to join them in their
campaign
because, she said: "You are at as much risk as we are. There's the potential for
it to be
very serious."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish News: Hot Press Awards declared 'a success' by Bono (4-26-2002)
From The Irish News:
Hot Press Awards declared 'a success' by Bono
By David Roy
THE stars turned out in droves last night for the Hot Press Irish Music Awards
at BBC Blackstaff
House.
As many expected, U2 walked off with the Best Band trophy, as well as the Best
Live Gig by an
Irish Act for their appearance at Slane last year. Bono himself, swooped in to
collect the award
for Best Male Singer.
Downpatrick upstarts Ash won the awards for Best Album and Best Single, with
Free All Angels
and Shining Light respectively.
They also teamed up with The Frames (who should have won Most Robbed Band of the
night) for
a raucous rendition of the Pixies' classic, Debaser.
London born Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherly explained how the collaboration
came about:
"We're all huge Pixies fans, " she said.
"Hot Press and the BBC really wanted us to do something together, so since
Debaser is Tim's
favourite song we thought we'd give it a go. I think it sounded good - really
raw!"
The Corrs, also enjoyed a successful night, picking up the trophy for Best Pop
Act.
There was a surprise win for the group when drummer Caroline Corr, above left,
won the Rory
Gallgher Musician Award - following in the footsteps of U2's Larry Mullen who
won in 1998.
Female musicians made a strong showing on the night, with Cara Dillon and Gemma
Hayes
winning the Roots and Best Female Singer categories respectively.
Ex-Divine Comedy man Neil Hannon collected the Best Songwriter prize, while
Radiohead were
awarded Best Live Gig by an International Act for their performance at the
Odyssey.
Phil Kieran nabbed the Dance Award, David Holmes got the Special Contribution
gong, and
David Kitt won the IMRO Emerging Songwriter award.
What a shame there's no room to tell you about Westlife's win, eh?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish News: U2 conquer music awards (4-26-2002)
From The Irish News:
U2 conquer music awards
By David Roy
THEY came, they saw, they conquered - again. At the Hot Press Irish Music Awards
last night,
U2 reinforced their position at the top of the Irish music tree.
While pop sensations Westlife won just one award, the special Outstanding
Achievement in
Popular Music category, U2 claimed three of the most prestigious prizes up for
grabs. They took
home Best Irish Band, Best Live Gig by an Irish Act for their Slane Castle
performance last
summer, and the Best Male Singer award for Bono.
Asked about the possibility of U2 playing in Belfast, Bono replied: "Driving
into Belfast today I
drove past the Odyssey which is a huge professional arena which they have in
America and I
was thinking 'hey we should be playing there'.
"Belfast is really happening at the minute. I'm looking around and the people
are looking good,
the place is looking good - it's the perfect time for it to be happening with
the city of culture 2008
bid."
However, the next generation of Irish rock and pop were by no means ignored at
the awards bash
at BBC Blackstaff House in Belfast, which was hosted by Patrick Kielty.
Northern Ireland's biggest band Ash also made a strong showing, with the
Downpatrick popsters'
album Free All Angels collecting the Best Album award after a year in which its
runaway success
literally dragged them back from the brink of implosion.
Their comeback single, Shining Light, won the Best Single category - making Ash
one of only
three acts to win multiple awards.
A highlight of the awards ceremony was when Ash and The Frames, who were also
nominated for
Best Band, teamed up for a rendition of Debaser by seminal American rockers The
Pixies.
At the tamer, yet infinitely more commercially successful end of the pop
spectrum, Dundalk
superstars The Corrs caused some controversy on the night by beating Westlife
for Best Pop Act.
Westlife enjoyed a string of hit singles last year whereas The Corrs were
largely absent from the
home music scene.
Andrea Corr said: "We have the utmost respect for Westlife. They did very well
at the Meteor Awards
in Dublin and we have done well tonight."
Further Northern Irish success came in the form of the Songwriter award for
exDivine Comedy
frontman Neil Hannon.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish News: Downpatrick chic. . . (4-26-2002)
From The Irish News:
Downpatrick chic. . .
GOLDFINGERS: Downpatrick shining lights Ash scooped the best album and best
single awards at the prestigious Hot Press Irish Music Awards in Belfast last
night.
Other winners included U2, the Corrs and Neil Hannon.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast Telegraph: Beautiful Day as U2 steal the show (4-26-2002)
From The Belfast Telegraph:
Beautiful Day as U2 steal the show
Bono and the boys clean up at Belfast's Hot Press Awards
By Claire Regan
THE cream of Irish rock and pop may have glittered at last night's Hot Press
awards but the
night belonged to music giants U2.
Bono and the boys confirmed their reign at the top of the world's rock scene as
they jetted into
Belfast to take home three gongs from the prestigious event. The Dubliners
picked up Best Irish
Band, Best Live Act for last summer's Slane gig and the Best Male Singer award
for Bono.
Speaking of the Belfast bash, Bono said he had been away from the city for too
long.
"We are honoured to win these awards here," he said.
"Driving past the Odyssey Arena today I was thinking, 'hey, we should be playing
there'.
"Belfast is really happening at the minute. I'm looking around and the people
are looking good,
the place is looking good."
Downpatrick lads Ash kept the flag flying for Northern Ireland as they left with
two awards - Best
Album for Free All Angels and Best Single for Shining Light.
Divine Comedy frontman Neill Hannon also pulled further success for the province
when he won
Best Songwriter.
But the upset of the night was when teenage favourites Westlife picked up just
one award.
The boy band, who recently played the Odyssey Arena as part of the record
-breaking sell-out run
in the city, won an award for their Outstanding Achievement in the Popular Music
category.
They lost out to Dundalk favourites The Corrs who were crowned Best Pop Act.
Speaking of the upset, Andrea Corr commented: "We have the utmost respect for
Westlife.
"They did very well at the Meteor Awards in Dublin and we have done very well
here."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Times: The Corrs and U2 dominate Hot Press Awards in Belfast (4-26-2002)
From The Irish Times:
The Corrs and U2 dominate Hot Press Awards in Belfast
By TONY CLAYTON LEA
U2 and the Corrs dominated the Hot Press Irish Music Awards last night, taking
three
awards each.
At the awards ceremony in the BBC's Blackstaff studios in Belfast, the Corrs won
Best
Pop Act, while drummer Caroline Corr won the Rory Gallagher Musician Award. The
manager of the Corrs, John Hughes, received the Industry Award.
U2 won Best Band, Best Male Singer (Bono) and Best Live Gig by an Irish Act.
There were some unusual sights before the awards, among them Brian Kennedy and
Bellefire around a piano in the Europa Hotel singing standards, and David Kitt
having a
look-see in the local Spar before heading into the Crown Bar.
British rock band Suede gave their first live performance in over two years.
"It's been emotional," a saturnine, fresh-looking Brett Anderson told The Irish
Times.
Other major award winners included pop/punk band Ash (Best Album/Best Single for
Free All Angels/Shining Light); singer/songwriter Gemma Hayes (Best Female
Singer);
DJ/producer David Holmes (Special Contribution to Music Culture); and Westlife
(Outstanding Achievement in Popular Music).
David Kitt won the IMRO Emerging Songwriter Award and the Divine Comedy's Neil
Hannon won the Songwriter Award.
Cara Dillon won the Roots Award. The Revs won the Philip Lynott Newcomer Award.
The Hot Press Irish Music Awards are broadcast tonight on BBC Northern Ireland
at
10.30 p.m.; tomorrow evening on TV3 at 8p.m.; and on BBC Choice (Satellite) on
Sunday at 7 p.m.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast Telegraph: North West acts aim for glory (4-25-2002)
From The Belfast Telegraph:
North West acts aim for glory
Publication Date: 25 April 2002
By Roisin Cox
THE North West will be well represented tonight at this year's Hot Press
Irish Music Awards.
Three acts from the region have been nominated for awards.
The prestigious event takes place at the BBC's Blackstaff Studios in Belfast
and will be hosted by Patrick Kielty.
Derry native Neil Hannon of Divine Comedy has been nominated in the best
songwriter category.
However he faces stiff competition in the category from fellow nominees
Bono and Christy Moore.
Cara Dillon from Dungiven has been nominated in the Roots category.
Cara, who comes from a strong musical background, released her first solo
album last year to great critical acclaim.
Other nominees in the category include Dervish and Kila.
Donegal's The Revs are nominated for the Phil Lynott Newcomer Award.
The band seem set for success after the release of single 'Wired To The
Moon' and an appearance at Witness under their belts. They face opposition
for the title from Relish and Melaton.
Meanwhile, U2 were expected to jet into Belfast today to attend the awards.
The band is up for five gongs in this year's ceremony.
Bono has been nominated for Best Male Singer and Best Songwriter, while
the group is in the running for Best Single, Best Band and Best Live Gig by
an Irish Act.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EURWEB: U2 Lead Head to Africa, Too (4-25-2002)
From EURWEB:
U2 LEAD HEADS TO AFRICA, TOO: Bono joins Treasury Secretary on African visit.
(Apr. 25, 2002) With major international kudos, not to mention major Grammy wins
under his belt, U2 lead singer Bono is joining US Treasury Secretary Paul
O'Neill
on a visit to Africa next month.
Reuters reports that the rocker, an activist and advocate of world aid, will
take part in
O'Neill's assessment of development aid to four countries, as well as push for
economic productivity.
The visit begins with Ghana on May 20, then to South Africa, Uganda, and
Ethiopia.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Mirror: A Word Too Many (4-25-2002)
From The Irish Mirror:
IRISH DAILY MIRROR COMMENT: A WORD TOO MANY
U2 are to take to the stage again tonight as they make a big entrance at the Hot
Press
awards.
Let's wish our favourite band all the success they are used to.
Hopefully, though, there won't be any long speeches from Bono if he does well.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Irish Mirror: U2 Look Hot Tips for Top Awards (4-25-2002)
From The Irish Mirror:
U2 LOOK HOT TIPS FOR TOP AWARDS
EXCLUSIVE
Paul Martin
U2 are expected to pick up a record number of gongs tonight when they turn up at
the Hot Press
Music Awards.
Bono and the band confirmed last night they would be at the BBC Northern Ireland
studios in
Belfast for the star- studded event. U2 are up for three awards including Best
Band and Bono is
up for Best Male Singer.
An insider said: "Bono will be there. He was talking to organisers last night
about the appearance.
"The band came to the awards last time they were staged in Belfast and Bono
wants to be part of it
all again."
A huge security operating is being planned for the studios and the after-show
party at the Europa
Hotel.
U2 will arrive just an hour before the show begins and go straight to the
studio. They will return
home to Dublin later and are not planning to perform at the ceremony.
Only a small number of VIPs have been granted access to the event which will be
televised tomorrow
night.
Westlife are up for Best Pop Artist against The Corrs, Ronan Keating and
Samantha Mumba.
The only act who will give U2 a run for their money are Ash, who have been
nominated for four awards
including Best Live Gig for their Witnness show last summer.
Singer Tim Wheeler said: "It's going to be an interesting night. It would be
great to top U2."
A BBC spokesman said this year's event would be the best ever, adding: "We
expect a few surprise
performances."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast News Letter: U2 to Come Out on Top at Battle of the Bands (4-25-2002)
From The Belfast News Letter:
U2 TO COME OUT ON TOP AT BATTLE OF THE BANDS
STARS OF ROCK AND POP IN BELFAST FOR HOT PRESS AWARDS BASH
Karen Quinn
U2 will celebrate a night of dominance at the Hot Press Awards this evening.
The stars are set to pick up a record haul of gongs after a memorable year in
the music business.
Bono and the group were last night in negotiations with organisers to attend the
bash which will
be staged at BBC Northern Ireland's Blackstaff Studios. They attended the last
Hot Press Awards
to be staged in Belfast three years ago, on the eve of the referendum.
The stars are coming out in force tonight and a huge security operation is being
planned to make
sure no fans gate-crash the exclusive after-show parties.
'U2 are going to be the big winners,' said a show insider. 'It's going to be a
great night for them.
'But there's also going to be success for Westlife and Ash, who both have huge
followings in Ulster.'
Only a small number of VIPs have been granted access to the event which will be
televised on BBC
Northern Ireland tomorrow night.
Westlife are expected to dominate the pop categories while Downpatrick rockers
Ash will mount a
challenge to U2 in the rock categories.
'It's going to be an interesting night,' said lead singer Tim Wheeler.
'It would be great to come out tops over U2 but we know that we have our work
cut out.'
After the awards are handed out by show host Patrick Kielty, the stars will head
to the exclusive after-
show party at the Europa Hotel.
Reservations have also been made by stars at trendy showbiz haunts China Club,
Milk and Seven in
the Odyssey Arena.
A fleet of limousines has been booked to transport the stars to the venue and
whisk them to the after-
show bashes.
A show spokesman promised a night to remember.
'There are going to be some surprise performances,' he said.
'We're also expecting some great battles in the rock and pop categories so
people will be interested
to see who comes out on top.'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PANA: US Treasury Secretary Visists Africa 20-31 May (4-25-2002)
From Panafrican News Agency (PANA):
US TREASURY SECRETARY VISITS AFRICA 20-31 MAY
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and musician
Bono of the
Irish rock Band U2, will tour four African countries, Ghana, South Africa,
Uganda and Ethiopia
20-31 May, the American Embassy said in Addis Ababa Thursday.
O'Neill, who will attend the annual meeting of the African Development Bank in
Ethiopia, seeks
through the visit to "highlight efforts to enhance the effectiveness of
development assistance, the
importance of increasing productivity through investment in human capital, and
the role of the
private sector as an engine for economic growth." The Embassy said he also
"hopes to promote
the (President George W.) Bush administration's Millennium Challenge ... (and)
its development
aid programme for poor countries".
O'Neill's first stop in Africa will be Ghana, "host to many successful US direct
investment, and is
a recent recipient of the first stage of debt relief under the World Bank and
International monetary
Fund programme for poor countries".
Later in South Africa, the continent's largest economy, he expects to meet with
business leaders
and representatives of the financial sector, to discuss the economy and
HIV/AIDS.
Before winding up the tour in Ethiopia, the US official will visit Uganda, a
country widely lauded
for achieving rapid rates of economic growth and poverty reduction in recent
years, the Embassy
added.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Belfast Telegraph: U2 up for five awards (4-25-2002)
From The Belfast Telegraph:
U2 up for five awards
Publication Date: 25 April 2002
By Maureen Coleman
U2 were expected to jet into Belfast today to attend the Hot Press Irish
Music Awards.
The band is up for five gongs in this year's awards, which are being
held at BBC Blackstaff tonight.
Bono has been nominated for Best Male Singer and Best Songwriter,
while the group is in the running for Best Single, Best Band and Best
Live Gig by an Irish Act.
It is understood that Bono and the boys will not perform at the awards
ceremony, but Dublin girl group Bellefire will entertain the VIP guests
to their own version of the U2 track, All I Want Is You.
Among the other stars due to attend the glittering bash are The Corrs, Ash,
The Frames and Brian Kennedy.
Downpatrick rockers Ash have been nominated in three categories and are
expected to give U2 a run for their money.
Britpop band Suede will also be appearing.
However Westlife, who are up for Best Pop Artist, along with Ronan Keating,
the Corrs and Samantha Mumba, will not be at the awards as they are
currently on tour in Newcastle.
BBC Northern Ireland's head of entertainment and events Mike Edgar said
he was delighted the ceremony had returned to Belfast.
"Our association with Hot Press and the awards goes back some 15 years."
The event will be presented by Patrick Kielty and Christine Bleakley and
shown on BBC1 tomorrow night at 10.35pm.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Press: Better get this party started! (4-25-2002)
From Hot Press:
Better get this party started!
Awards by the dozen, celebrities wall-to-wall, gobsmacking world
exclusives and of course, great music: it can only be the Hot Press
Irish Music Awards. Only 24 hours to go - here's how it's all shaping
up
It's twenty-four hours and counting until the party of the year: the Hot
Press Irish Music Awards, coming this Thursday night from the BBC's
Northern Ireland studios in Belfast and being broadcast to an expected
audience of 20 million. Luminaries as diverse and impressive as U2, The
Corrs, Ash, Westlife, The Frames, David Kitt and Samantha Mumba, just to
name a few, will be battling it out to win the various honours at stake,
representing the best Ireland had to offer in 2001. The night will also play
host to live performances from some of the finest Irish and international
bands and artists in music today... and at this eleventh-hour stage, the
excitement among the Irish music industry, the music-listening public and
the Hot Press/hotpress.com readership is palpable.
Ireland's perennial favourite sons, U2, have been nominated for 6 awards
this year - not surprising given the huge critical and chart success of their
2001 album 'All That You Can't Leave Behind', and the overwhelming
affection with which the listening public embraced this most
down-to-earth of U2 releases. The categories in which they received
nominations are Best Male Singer (Bono), Best Band, Best Single ('Stuck
In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of'), Best Songwriter (Bono), the Rory
Gallagher Best Musician Award (Edge) and Best Live Gig By An Irish Act
(their two landmark dates at Slane Castle, August 2001).
Ash, who had possibly their best-ever year in 2001, with chart and critical
successes unsurpassed since the heady days of their early singles, are
up for 5 awards, including Best Band, Best Album (Free All Angels), Best
Single ('Shining Light') and Best Live Gig By An Irish Act (Witnness
Festival, August 2001). Ash are also among the special guests who will be
playing live at the Awards.
The Corrs - fresh from their jaunt through the United States showcasing
their new DVD, VH1 Presents: The Corrs Live In Dublin - have been
nominated in 4 categories: Best Female Singer (Andrea Corr), Best Band,
Best Pop Artist and the Rory Gallagher Musician Award (drummer Caroline
Corr).
This is to name just a few of the stellar nominees. (For a list of the
categories and nominees in full, click here.)
In addition to handing out gongs to the most highly-lauded bands and
musicians of 2001, the Hot Press Irish Music Awards will feature live
performances from some of the most exciting musical talent around.
- Suede, the band who gave Britpop a much-needed swathe of glamour in
the 1990s, have chosen the Hot Press Irish Music Awards as the perfect
setting to unveil their new-improved band line-up and to debut much of
their forthcoming album. This is a world exclusive.
- Multiple nominees Ash - whose live performances are so
gobsmacking they have been nominated, aptly enough, for Best
Live Gig By An Irish Act 2001 among other things - will be
regaling television and net audiences with a special live set.
- Again-multiple-nominee David Kitt, who had a thrilling 2001 in Ireland
and abroad following the release of his critically acclaimed and much-loved
debut album The Big Romance, will also be playing live on the night. Kitt is
up for Best Male Singer, Best Album (The Big Romance), Best Single ('You
Know What I Want To Know') and Best Songwriter.
- Also-multiple-nominees and near-legendary live performers The Frames,
whose 2001 release For The Birds has already won Album Of The Year
laurels in both the Hot Press Critics' Poll and the Hot Press Readers' Poll,
and who have just returned from a by-all-accounts stunning appearance
at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas leaving a vapour-trail of excited
next-big-thing murmurings in their wake, will also be playing a special live
set at the Awards.
- Other surprise guests (which, naturally enough, must remain just that)
are also on the way...
Possibly the most contentious category of the evening will be the Best
Single category, populated as it is with such strong nominees that it will
be difficult for viewers to choose whom to root for, and well-nigh
impossible to predict a winner. The nominees represent, not
coincidentally, the four Irish bands who arguably had the most eventful,
exciting and successful years at home and abroad, and who most put
their stamp on the cultural zeitgeist of Ireland 2001. The nominated
songs are: Ash's 'Shining Light', U2's 'Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get
Out Of', David Kitt's 'You Know What I Want To Know' and The Frames'
'Lay Me Down'.
The Hot Press Irish Music Awards are being overseen by historic Live Aid
producer David Croft and will be broadcast on BBC Northern Ireland on
Friday, 26th April at 10.30pm and BBC Choice on Saturday, 27th April. For
music fans who cannot wait that long, Hot Press will also be covering the
Awards live on Thursday evening (25th April).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ChartAttack: U2 mention in Brit pop article (4-25-2002)
Condensed from ChartAttack:
Face it: Aside from U2 (whom some sticklers continue to claim are,
in fact, actually ''Irish''), there haven't been any real movers and
shakers from England over here in recent months. And before we
get a massive load of hate-mail, please remember that we're
speaking from a purely commercial point of view. It's all well and
good that you think Belle And Sebastian is the bee's knees or that
Oasis is waaay less derivative than Creed -- just remember that
despite your favourite band's talent, their singles aren't being
scooped up by the handful and that the mainstream press is
spending far more time fawning over, say, Enrique Iglesias or that
delightful Pink.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NZ Herald: Craig Armstrong' As If To Nothing' review (4-25-2002)
From The New Zealand Herald:
Craig Armstrong: As If To Nothing
25.04.2002
By RUSSELL BAILLIE
(Herald rating: * * * * )
Hip soundtrack producer/ arranger Armstrong's second
non-movie solo album has quite a supporting cast of its
own. There's Bono, former Lemonhead Evan Dando, British
soul singer David McAlmont, Scottish guitar-noisemeisters
Mogwai, and drum'n'bass don Photek through the 15
tracks.
But while the guest vocalists make their mark (Dando on
the Jimmy Webb-ish ballad Wake up in New York,
McAlmont sounding androgynously unearthly on the
sweeping Bond theme-like Snow and the U2 vocalist on a
melancholy version of his own Stay) the dominant sound is
Armstrong's deft blend of grand glacial strings,
arpeggiating pianos and subtly throbbing electronics. All of
which suggest its own very big picture.
Yes it can border on the overblown (after all, Armstrong's
last soundtrack was Baz Luhrman's Moulin Rouge) but
while it's lush, it is mostly engrossing in its own highly
refined semi-orchestral way. All this and a King Crimson
tribute too - Starless II - samples the prog-rockers and
helps makes for a quietly majestic highlight in an album full
of them.
Label: Virgin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baltimore Sun: U2 mention in Now CD article (4-25-2002)
Condensed from The Baltimore Sun:
But two things separated even the first Now from the cheesy,
K-Tel, one-hit-wonder collections of the '70s: Several artists were
red-hot stars such as the Backstreet Boys and Janet Jackson,
and none of the songs was more than a year old.
Indeed, Now itself became a bona-fide brand name, like MTV's
TRL or BET's 106 & Park. Once that happened, the compilations
started getting even more star-studded: U2, Aerosmith, Incubus,
Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Aaliyah and - most crucially - the
Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync and Britney Spears.
Each Now collection is separated into three distinct genres: The
first five or six songs are pop songs; the next five or six are R&B
or hip-hop tunes; and the rest are rock songs.
Those who watch record-sales charts say there's only slight
evidence that the Now compilations have hurt their artists' record
sales.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ATL: U2's Spirit Levels (4-24-2002)
From Across The Line:
U2'S SPIRIT LEVELS
U2 were apparently well watered at the recent Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
While many of the party were clutching water bottles, at least some of these
containers were filled with clear, but fiendishly potent vodka. U2 are up for a
rake
of Hot Press Awards on Thursday, but will be given nothing stronger than orange
juice.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ShowBiz Ireland: Bono is No Naked Chef (4-24-2002)
From ShowBiz Ireland:
Bono is No Naked Chef
Bono's wife Ali Hewson commented for the first time on living with the world's
biggest
rock star and it turns out he's human after all...
She admitted the hardest issue for Bono is doing the weekly shopping as he
always
gets mobbed.
Speaking to the Irish press recently Ali, who is campaigning against Sellafield
Nuclear
Plant in the UK said, "he can't cook or clean. Although when we first moved in
he used
to do all the cooking. He used to make this thing with pork. But, when I gave up
meat he
didn't cook any more."
She went on, "every time he went to the supermarket he got mobbed. So, he can't
even
find his way around the supermarket these days."
Ali also intimated that when she first met the megastar the couple were in
secondary
school but she never wanted to be "one of Bono's girls."
Thankfully for Bono she gave in.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coventry Evening Telegraph: Mock Rockers Play for Charity (4-24-2002)
From The Coventry Evening Telegraph:
MOCK ROCKERS PLAY FOR CHARITY
U2 TRIBUTE band Zoo 2 will be performing at a charity night at The Maudslay, in
Allesley
Old Road, Coventry, on Thursday.
Landlord George Doyle is hoping the event will raise at least pounds 500 for the
Snowball
appeal, run by the Evening Telegraph and Mercia FM. He said: "We are having a
raffle on
the night, with some of the prizes donated by our customers, including a hamper
and a bottle
of whisky.
"We will be giving away a bottle of champagne to the person in the best U2 fancy
dress."
Admission costs pounds 3 and the band will take to the stage at 8.30pm.
Anyone who would like further details should phone George on 024 7671 8611.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DPA: Singer joins U.S. Treasury Secretary to help Africa (4-24-2002)
From Deutsche Presse-Agentur:
Singer joins U.S. Treasury Secretary to help Africa
Washington - Bono, the lead singer of rock band U2 and a long time activist for
African debt
relief, is to tour four African countries with Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill
next month.
The tour marks the latest success of Bono in persuading influential government
officials to help
ease Africa's crushing debt burden. which is preventing economic development of
much of the
continent. O'Neill and Bono will travel together in Ghana, South Africa, Uganda
and Ethiopia
starting May 20, according to news reports Wednesday.
A statement by the Treasury said that O'Neill was pleased that Bono "will also
be in Africa for
much of this itinerary".
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Independent: Soft rock giants tune up for awards duel (4-24-2002)
Condensed from The Independent:
Soft rock giants tune up for awards duel
By David Lister Media and Culture Editor
24 April 2002
The two giants of contemporary soft rock, Fran Healy of Travis and
David Gray, will contest the country's top songwriting honours at the
Ivor Novello Awards next month.
The Novellos do not have the glitz and international television
coverage of the Brits, but they are hugely coveted by musicians.
Gray and Healy are former winners. Gray won best song musically
and lyrically last year, and Healy took the songwriter of the year
award in 2000
This time, David Gray's "Sail Away" is nominated for the best song
musically and lyrically, alongside Fran Healy's "Side" and U2's
"Walk On". The Ivor Novello awards nominees are selected for their
song-writing skills by the British Academy of Composers and
Songwriters. Awards are given in categories which include best
song musically and lyrically, best contemporary song and best
original music for TV.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dotmusic: Bono goes to Africa (4-24-2002)
From Dotmusic:
BONO GOES TO AFRICA
Bono is to tour Africa next month, in his ongoing drive to
deal with world poverty, dotmusic can report.
The U2 frontman will visit four African nations in May, to look
into how efficient development aid has been in the region
and push for greater economic productivity.
He will be joined by American Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil,
in a trip which begins on May 20 in Ghana, and will also call at
South Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia.
Bono and O'Neill are to visit a number of locations, including a number of
development projects, which aim to improve water supplies, sanitation and
HIV/AIDS care.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ITV: Dido and Damon on shortlist (4-24-2002)
From ITV:
Dido and Damon on shortlist
10.45AM BST, 24 Apr 2002
Brit winner Dido and Damon Albarn's band Gorillaz are going head to head
for a top songwriting award after the shortlist for the Ivor Novellos
awards was unveiled.
Dido's Thank You - used as the backing for Eminem's number one hit Stan
- is up against Gorillaz' Clint Eastwood, together with Ash's Shining Light, at
the event on May 23.
Of My Head is up for four categories, although they are mainly for sales
and plays rather than for songwriting.
Another top award, best song musically and lyrically, sees David Gray's Sail
Away compete with Travis's Side and U2's Walk On.
The Novellos see songwriters, composers and music industry bigwigs
coming together to celebrate the best tracks of the year.
Kylie's chart-topper is up for most performed work, international hit of the
year, best selling UK single and the Ivors dance award.
Dido, Gorillaz and Ash are nominated in the Best Contemporary Song
category.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net Music Countdown: Bono Tours Solo Goodwill to Africa (4-24-2002)
From Net Music Countdown:
Bono Tours Solo Goodwill to Africa
By Sheila Green
GHANA, AFRICA Wednesday 4.24.2002 /netmusiccountdown.com/ -- Yes, Bono will
tour Africa
without his U2 bandmates. No, this does not mean the NMC eCharting supergroup is
breaking
up.
Bono's African tour is part of his other project, you know, saving the world.
Bono will be accompanying Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill. He'll most likely be
along to help
goad O'Neill into getting the US and world to do more to bring down third world
debt and help
stop the African AIDS crisis.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IC Wales: Rock hero Eric Clapton receives dubious honour (4-24-2002)
From IC Wales:
Rock hero Eric Clapton receives dubious honour
ROCK hero Eric Clapton picked up an unwanted award
yesterday as the world's most over-rated guitarist.
He pipped Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler and Rolling
Stones legend Keith Richards to the dubious honour.
Oasis plucker Noel Gallagher, U2's The Edge and Queen
guitarist Brian May also appeared in the chart.
Ironically, some of the stars also featured in the Top 10 of the
world's best guitarists.
The poll - of 1,000 rock fans - was carried out jointly by guitar
manufacturers Ibanez and the makers of Laney guitar amps.
Slowhand Clapton can take comfort
Eric Clapton from the fact that his classic track Layla was
voted as the second greatest "riff" of all time, after Led
Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love.
Dave Gilmour, guitarist with Pink Floyd, was voted as the man
behind the greatest guitar solo of all time, for Comfortably
Numb from the band's album The Wall. He was followed by
Jimmy Page (Stairway to Heaven) and Eddie Van Halen
(Eruption).
A spokesman for Laney Amplification said, "The Most
Over-rated Guitarist category was always likely to cause a stir.
I know plenty of guitarists who would give their eye teeth to
be able to sound like any one of the players listed."
Best Guitarist
Bestguitarist
1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Jimmy Page
3. Eddie Van Halen
4. Eric Clapton
5. Joe Satriani
6. Steve Vai
7. Peter Green
8. Brian May
9. Mark Knopfler
10. Gary Moore
Most over-ratedguitarist
1. Eric Clapton
2. Mark Knopfler
3. Hank Marvin
4. Keith Richards
5. Pete Townshend
6. The Edge
7. Carlos Santana
8. Brian May
9. Noel Gallagher
10. Ronnie Wood
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sound Spike: Bono to join U.S. treasury secretary in Africa (4-24-2002)
From Sound Spike:
In Brief: Bono to join U.S. treasury secretary in Africa
U2 frontman Bono will join U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill
on a visit to several African nations in May, the Treasury
Department announced. Bono has a long history in activism, often
focused on increasing foreign aid to poor nations. O'Neill's
itinerary includes stops in Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and
Ethiopia; Bono "will also be in Africa for much of this itinerary," a
press release said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U2.com: Travis, David Gray, U2 Up For Novello's (4-24-2002)
From U2.com:
Travis, David Gray, U2 Up For Novello's
U2's Walk On is up against David Gray's Sail Away and Travis's
Side in the Ivor Novello Songwriting awards.
Ivor Novello awards nominees are selected for their songwriting
skills by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters.
U2's nomination for Walk On is in the 'Best song musically and
lyrically' category competition comes from two previous winners
in David Gray and Francis Healy of Travis.
Dido's single Thank You, which was sampled by Eminem, was
written by the singer with Paul Herman and is in the running for
best contemporary song. It will compete with Shining Light, written
for Ash by Tim Wheeler, and Clint Eastwood, written by Gorillaz
members Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett and Teren Delvon Jones.
Other awards, including that for outstanding song collection,
international achievement and songwriter of the year, will be
presented on the night. The 47th Ivor Novello Awards, sponsored
by the Performing Right Society, will be held at the Grosvenor
House Hotel in London's Park Lane on May 23rd.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MRIB: U2 Approve Of Bellefire Cover (4-24-2002)
From MRIB:
U2 Approve Of Bellefire Cover
Bellefire have revealed that, if U2 hadn't given them the seal of approval, they
would never have
bothered releasing their cover of the rockers' 1989 hit, All I I Want Is You.
"We're all big U2 fans and two years ago when we got together, we went into the
studio for the first
time and wanted to pick a song we all loved and could put harmonies to," Cathy
Newell told
worldpop.com. "We did a rough demo and got great feedback from our record
company but also
from the U2 lads themselves."
According to Cathy's bandmate, Kelly Kilfeather, Bono told the girls at an
awards ceremony that he
loved hearing women sing their songs and thought their version of the track was
great, which was
enough to convince the girls and their label, Virgin, to release the track.
All I Want Is You hits the shops on April 29th.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Age: Irish Artist David Egan Opens Exhibition Inspired By U2 (4-24-2002)
From The Age:
Irish Artist David Egan Opens Exhibition Inspired By U2
An art exhibition inspired by the music and lyrics of Irish band U2 is coming to
Sydney.
David Egan's Music To Your Eyes exhibition will be officially launched on
Thursday 16
May at the artist's studio in The Rocks.
Egan received the green light for the exhibition from the Irish rockers in
February last
year.
The exhibition features 35 of 60 pop-art paintings inspired by the music and
lyrics of
U2, one of the world's most successful bands.
Egan uses the band's lyrics in his paintings.
"Irish music is at the hub of all Irish art from the poetry of Yeats and
Kavanagh to the
songs of Paul Brady," Egan said.
"It has always been music that comes directly from life. U2 excites me for
everything
that they are -- original, innovative, poetic -- and for their ability to create
art that
connects with people."
Egan, 36, was also recently commissioned to produce a painting for Elton John by
Universal Music Australia, and it will be presented to him during his current
tour.
The painting was inspired by the song "Original Sin" from John's most recent
album,
Songs From The West Coast.
Music To Your Eyes will travel to Egan's native Dublin in September this year.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AP: Bono, O'Neill to Tour Africa (4-24-2002)
From The Associated Press:
Bono, O'Neill to Tour Africa
Wed Apr 24, 8:39 AM ET
WASHINGTON (AP) - U2 frontman Bono will spend part
of next month touring Africa with Treasury
Secretary Paul O'Neill.
O'Neill's office says that the secretary will
travel to Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia
starting May 20.
Bono will come along for much of the trip. The
musician has been a longtime champion for aid for
Third World countries.
U2's latest album, "Elevation" came out in 2000.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Handful: Bono wins 'Greatest Frontman' poll (4-24-2002)
Bono has won the 'Greatest Frontman' poll at The Handful. Poll results may be
found at:
http://www.votations.com/asp/resultsview.asp?pollid=45066&voteon=1?=
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
US-Africa: Online voting for Mother Africa Award (4-24-2002)
Bono is one of the choices for the Mother Africa Award. You may vote at:
http://us-africa.tripod.com/vote.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U2.com: Edge and Bono Honour Hume and Mallon (4-24-2002)
From U2.com:
Edge and Bono Honour Hume and Mallon
Edge and Bono performed at a special retirement party for SDLP
politicians John Hume and Seamus Mallon.
Singing Stand By Me, the pair had guests at Dublin's Burlington
Hotel on Friday on their feet to mark the retirement of two key
players in the Northern Ireland peace process. Bono paid tribute
to the pair, calling them 'giants of peace making in Ireland'.
U2 also played Stand By Me, along with Ash, when the two bands
took part in a concert to promote the Referendum For Peace at
Belfast in June 1998. On that night David Trimble, leader of the
Ulster Unionist Party and Hume, then head of the nationalist
SDLP, appeared on stage together with Bono and shook hands in a
symbol of unity between the communities.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reuters: U2's Bono, U.S. Treasury Secretary to Tour Africa (4-24-2002)
From Reuters:
U2's Bono, U.S. Treasury Secretary to Tour Africa
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, along with rock
singer Bono, will visit four African nations in May to assess the efficiency of
development aid and to push for greater economic productivity, the Treasury
Department said Tuesday.
O'Neill begins his African visit on May 20 in Ghana and will include stops in
South
Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia before returning to Washington on May 31.
Treasury said that O'Neill was pleased that Bono "will also be in Africa for
much of
this itinerary," reflecting the Irish-born singer's intense interest in
increasing aid to the
world's poorest countries.
O'Neill will travel to Bucharest, Romania, just before the African trip to
participate in
meetings of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
He concludes the African visit in Ethiopia, where the U.S. treasury chief will
attend
the annual meeting of the African Development Bank.
O'Neill's and Bono's African trip is to be sprinkled with visits to a variety of
development projects, ranging from some aimed at improving water supplies and
sanitation to HIV/AIDS treatment centers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guardian: Part 2 - Postcards from the Edge (4-24-2002)
A hundred million U2 album sales and another daughter and son later, she had
their
fourth child, John Abraham, last May; her husband flew back from several months'
lobbying U.S. politicians to cancel African debts -- a campaign cleverly
disguised as
U2's latest U.S. tour. But despite 24-hour access to the lifestyles of the rich
and
famous, Hewson has resolutely failed to inhabit the rock'n'roll cliche. Press
cuttings
yield up no celebrity trysts, penchants for exotic substances or even a
Hello!-style
photo-shoot in a vast farmhouse kitchen. Until the last couple of weeks you
would
have been hard-pressed to find an interview with her, and there is scant mention
of her
visits with relief agencies to Africa and Central America in the '80s, and to
Belarus
through the '90s. So why the change now?
It was having children, she says, that compelled her to act on Sellafield. "I
started to
wonder how safe it was for them to play on the beach or to swim in the sea or
even to
eat fish." In 1992 she organised a successful publicity stunt at Sellafield in
which U2
donned white anti-radiation suits and masks and stood on drums with contaminated
mud from the Irish Sea. A decade on, with Sellafield expanding, she has
mobilised an
all-star cast, from Ronan Keating and Samantha Mumba to Roy Keane and the Irish
World Cup squad, to increase pressure on the U.K.
She believes that Blair, another parent of four, might just understand. "Over
here we
respect him for his work with the peace process, but not for standing behind
Sellafield. We know he wouldn't put his children at risk and we want him to stop
putting ours at risk." But with her husband now almost as well known as a
campaigner on poverty and debt as he is as a rock star, have there been
sensitive
negotiations in the Hewson household about confusing the message?
"We're both aware of overkill, and with a baby of one year and three others,
there
could be a better time, to be honest. But this was the right time (for this
campaign).
"Our relationship works because we have respect for each other and we are very
fortunate in how things have worked out. We allow each other to pursue our
goals. I
wouldn't want to be married to someone who was not happy with what they were
doing with their life and Bono wouldn't either -- it works both ways."
The eldest children do have reservations about seeing their mother break cover,
she
says -- having one celebrity parent is complicated enough. "I've had a few notes
under
the pillow saying, 'I want my mummy back,' but the girls are sanguine and also
pretty
switched on about environmental issues. They would rather I was doing this than
getting involved in the music business." As if to underline the timing of the
campaign,
last Thursday it emerged that radioactive contamination has been found leaking
into
the groundwater under Sellafield from 50-year-old tanks containing untreated
nuclear
waste. And a recent report claims that the two million gallons of mildly
radioactive
waste water discharged daily from Sellafield into the Irish Sea are equivalent
to a
nuclear accident each year.
Hewson believes a person-to-person civil campaign by the people of Ireland can
persuade their neighbours to shut their "nuclear dustbin." "The tobacco industry
told
people for decades there was no health risk," she says. "Britain is
experimenting with
our lives and we're not even allowed into the debate. I was in two minds about
this
role. I think our family probably has enough publicity as it is, and I would
prefer to
keep a more private life, but in the end I felt I couldn't turn round to my
children in 20
years' time and say that I had had an opportunity to do something about
Sellafield but
didn't."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guardian: Part 1 - Postcards from the Edge (4-24-2002)
From The Guardian:
Postcards from the Edge
Ali Hewson's husband, Bono, is one of the most famous men on
the planet, but she has always shied away from publicity. So how
come she's breaking cover?
On Friday morning the prime minister, Tony Blair, can expect an uncomfortable
message from the people of Ireland. A million postcards are en route to Downing
Street, each with the message: "Tony, look me in the eye and tell me I'm safe."
The
mail will arrive on the 16th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, when an
explosion
ripped away the roof of a nuclear reactor in the former Soviet republic of
Ukraine,
causing the world's worst nuclear accident. The postcards -- several hundred
thousand have also been sent to Prince Charles and Norman Askew, head of British
Nuclear Fuels -- are the boldest signal yet that the Sellafield nuclear plant in
Cumbria
is making our Irish neighbours feel increasingly unsafe.
Fronting the campaign is a woman for whom celebrity is a way of life, but whose
face
will be almost entirely unfamiliar to most people on this side of the Irish Sea.
Ali
Hewson has been married to one of the most famous men on the planet, the U2
singer Bono, for almost 20 years, but has spent most of that time studiously
avoiding
the limelight. It is a measure of how strongly she feels about the Sellafield
issue that
she has chosen to come out of her husband's sizeable shadow, and mastermind what
may be the first time the population of one country has lobbied en masse the
government of another.
"Sellafield has already made the Irish Sea the most radioactive in the world,"
says
Hewson, "and if an accident happens or there is a terrorist attack, depending on
which way the wind blows, Dublin, Dundalk, Drogheda, Belfast and vast parts of
Ireland would be uninhabitable. For ever." That may sound a touch apocalyptic,
but
Hewson, 41, has seen the aftermath of a nuclear catastrophe close-up.
For the past eight years, as patron of the Irish charity Chernobyl Children's
Project,
she has been visiting Belarus to work with children affected by Chernobyl. When
the
accident happened on April 26 1986, vast clouds were released into the
atmosphere,
exposing people to radioactivity 100 times greater than that from the Hiroshima
bomb.
Nearly three-quarters of people affected by fallout were not in Ukraine at all,
but
across the border in Belarus.
"I have seen children born with deformities and dying in orphanages," says
Hewson.
"Children who have had their thyroid glands removed and will need to take
medicine
for the rest of their lives -- if they can get it. And because radiation does
not respect
borders, in Ireland we are in the same position as Belarus. We did not ask for
this
nuclear power base to be built beside us, but we are just as vulnerable as the
people
of Britain."
There is almost nothing about Ali Hewson that conforms to the stereotype of a
rock
star's wife. The discreet mother of four met her future husband at Mount Temple
secondary in Dublin -- the same school where, in 1976, U2's drummer Larry Mullen
pinned up a hopeful notice to see if anybody was interested in forming a band.
The
teenage Bono saw two opportunities and applied for both. He married Alison
Stewart
a few years later.
While U2 were finding their audience on the road in the first half of the '80s,
Hewson
had a hunch she would pursue "some kind of humanitarian work." When The Joshua
Tree made U2 the most successful band in the world in 1987, she was reading
political science at University College Dublin. She gave birth to their first
child, a
daughter called Jordan, two weeks before her finals. "My timing has never been
that
great," she says.
(Continued)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BBC: U2 nominated for Ivor Award (4-24-2002)
Condensed from BBC:
Ivor Novello award winners David Gray and
Travis's Fran Healy will be battling it out for
more honours at the music industry's
prestigious awards ceremony on 23 May.
David Gray's Sail Away is nominated for the
best song best song musically and lyrically - a
category he won last year - alongside Fran
Healy's Side and U2's Walk On.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dotmusic: Out of Our Heads (4-24-2002)
Condensed from Dotmusic:
OUT OF OUR HEADS
Cathy Dennis and Rob Davis have scooped four Ivor Novello
nominations for the hit single 'Can't Get You Out Of My
Head'.
The song, a UK number one for Kylie Minogue, has been
nominated for the Ivors Dance Award, PRS Most Performed
Work, International Hit of the Year, and Best Selling UK
Single.
Amongst the other nominees are Tim Wheeler for the Ash single 'Shining Light',
Fran Healy for the Travis hit 'Side', and Dido for her worldwide hit, 'Thank
You'.
Atomic Kitten's former number one, 'Whole Again', has been nominated for
both International Hit of the Year and the Best Selling UK Single.
The 47th presentation of the Ivor Novello Awards will take place in central
London on Thursday, May 23.
The list of nominees includes:
BEST SONG MUSICALLY & LYRICALLY
'Side' - Fran Healy (performed by Travis)
'Sail Away' - David Gray (performed by David Gray)
'Walk On' - Adam Clayton/Dave Evans/Paul Hewson/Larry Mullen (performed by
U2)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The IVORS: U2 nominated for 'Best Song Musically and Lyrically' (4-24-2002)
Condensed from The IVORS:
BEST SONG MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY
'Side'
Written by: FRAN HEALY
Performed by: TRAVIS
UK Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing
'Sail Away'
Written by: DAVID GRAY
Performed by: DAVID GRAY
UK Publisher: Chrysalis Music
'Walk On'
Written by: ADAM CLAYTON / DAVE EVANS / PAUL HEWSON / LARRY MULLEN
Performed by: U2
UK Publisher: Blue Mountain Music
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AP: Powell Floats Africa Credit Plan (4-24-2002)
From The Associated Press:
Powell Floats Africa Credit Plan
WASHINGTON- The Bush administration urged
African countries Tuesday to work toward establishing
solid credit ratings, which he said would represent a
major accomplishment on their road to greater
prosperity.
"It's simple. It's straightforward. It is not rocket science.
By attaining a sovereign credit rating, your country will
help reduce risk and encourage investment,"
Secretary of State Colin Powell said.
Both Powell and Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill
spoke to finance ministers and central bank governors
from several African countries at a State Department
conference aimed at supplying them with information
on what is needed to establish international credit
ratings.
Currently just four of 48 nations in sub-Saharan Africa
have sovereign debt credit ratings: South Africa,
Botswana, Senegal and Mauritius.
The administration believes that a dozen more African
countries with balanced budgets and established
protections for individual property rights may soon be
able to borrow money in private capital markets.
African countries considered close to this stage by
administration officials are Ghana, Kenya, Uganda,
Mozambique and Mali.
"A sovereign credit rating can be your country's ticket
to the benefits of the global economy and to the capital
flows that exist in the global economy," Powell told the
conferees.
O'Neill used the weekend meetings of the International
Monetary Fund and the World Bank to push the
administration's credit rating initiative. He contends
policy-makers should work toward a world in which all
nations have investment-grade debt.
The Treasury Department announced Tuesday that
O'Neill will conduct a fact-finding visit to four African
nations in May to learn firsthand what development
programs have been able to accomplish and what
more must be done to attract private capital.
He will be accompanied on part of the trip by U2 rock
star Bono, who has campaigned for a number of years
to get wealthy countries and the international lending
agencies to forgive bigger portions of loans they have
made to the poorest nations.
O'Neill's trip, which will begin on May 20, will include
stops in Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and Ethiopia.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scotsman: U2 nominated for Ivor Award (4-24-2002)
Condensed from The Scotsman:
The Ivors, now in their 47th year, are organised by the British Academy of
Composers and Songwriters and honour the cream of the writing talent in the
music world.
Travis's Side is up against David Gray's Sail Away, and U2's Walk On.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calgary Sun: Pete Yorn influenced by U2 (4-24-2002)
Condensed from The Calgary Sun:
The Thin White Duke is just another one of [Pete]
Yorn's many musical peers who are lining up to
work with him and offer their support.
Recently, Yorn's been able to meet some of his
musical influences including U2, R.E.M. and
someone that you'd expect any good boy from
New Jersey to idolize, Bruce Springsteen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Releases:
November. U2's 'Best of 1991-2001' (RUMOR)
November. U2 Slane 2001 DVD (RUMOUR)
Fall 2002. New U2 album (RUMOUR)
--------------
TV/Live Events/Appearances:
---------------
Vote:
Bono has been nominated for the US-Africa Mother Africa
Award. Vote here:
http://www.youtwo.net/news_archives.adp?newsid=18101
In Print:
Rolling Stone Magazine, April 25, 2002. Issue 894. Adam
Clayton Style section, pg. 71
NME, 50th Anniversary Edition, one of many different covers
features U2
--------------
Fan Club Meetings
May 3, 2002 U2-Midwest list meeting at U2 cover band Tribute
show
Where: Synergy II, West Chicago
When: 7 p.m.
Cost: $7.00/per ticket
Email in...@theu2tribute.com for more information
Please email eliz...@youtwo.net with your fan club meeting
details.
--------------
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