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YOU might not be surprised to learn that Bono, a full-on rock god, owns
an extra-wide bed with room for six.
But unlike many chart stars, flings with adoring groupies could not be
further
from the U2 singer's mind.
In fact, the devoted family man and his wife Ali splashed out on the
super-sized bed
for the benefit of their four children - because the
youngsters so often end up climbing in with them.
Bono, who
is celebrating 20 years of marriage to his childhood
sweetheart, explains: "Four kids sleep in our bed too - sometimes
all
on the same night - so there's six of us!"
The couple's youngsters are Jordan, 15, Eve, 13, Elijah, five, and
three-year-old John.
Their marriage has survived despite Bono going off on massive world
tours - because he
makes sure his family comes first.
He explains: "We're never away from each other for more than three
weeks. That's
kind of a rule.
"And don't forget, I spend more time with my kids than most of my
friends because when I'm home,
I'm home."
U2's new album, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, is still at No1 here
and has now topped the chart in
34 countries.
But despite the group's phenomenal success, Bono's feet are planted
firmly on the ground - especially
when he returns to his wife and
children in Dublin.
Maybe other stars should take a leaf out of his book. He doesn't
employ minders and blasts celebs who moan about fame.
He thinks they should be grateful to the public, whose cash funds
their luxury lifestyles.
He says: "I do hate whingeing rock stars. Riding around in your own
airforce is not something
I'm going to complain about.
"The life that people have given us is amazing. We don't have the same worries other people
do, like how to pay the bills. In return we only have to do one thing. The deal is, don't be cr*p! - that's all anyone's asked
of us."
The Irish group are easily the biggest band on the planet after selling
130MILLION albums.
Bono
reckons the key to their enduring success is the amazing chemistry.
He explains: "It's a thing you can't contrive.
I saw bands starting out
that had everything but 'it'.
"They had the right look and attitude, they can play their
instruments, they had everything but IT.
"It's almost impossible to make anything great, to make a great movie,
write
a great novel. The odds are you won't do it and if you know that going in then you're probably better prepared.
"We've
written 25 songs to get down to the 11 on the new album, and
even if you get really great at songwriting you can still
be left
without the magic.
"Whatever that is - the spark, the moment when you feel God walking
through the
room - that's what you live for."
Bono - real name Paul Hewson - has dedicated his life to campaigning to help save
Aids and starvation victims in Africa.
He was the only artist from the original Band Aid line-up in 1984 to
help
record the current version of Do They Know It's Christmas?
It was felt that no other artist could live up to his classic
line:
Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you.
The track, which aims to raise millions for famine in Africa,
hit No1
yesterday and features today's big-name stars including Dido, Chris
Martin and Robbie Williams.
Bono
is good friends with Robbie and insists he's not just a cheesy pop singer.
He says: "I love him. I think he has a poetic
nature and a pop nature - two sides to him. The poetic nature is the lyrical side and his
vulnerable side and the pop
thing is his performer, the mischief in his
eyes."
Bono also insists Robbie didn't "run away" to Los Angeles to
escape his
fame.
"He's trying to break the US and he's prepared to humble himself in a
way a lot of other people
are not."
Bono is also full of praise for Coldplay's Chris Martin.
He says: "It's amazing what Chris is doing.
He's not just in a
brilliant band, there's a moral compass there.
"By picking on unfair trade agreements, I think
he's picked a very
smart fight. It's winnable."
Bono, 44, is now hoping someone will organise another Live Aid
gig next summer on the 20th anniversary of the 1985 concerts.
He has left a space in his diary for it - despite plans
for a U2 tour
next year.
Bono says: "Live Aid - that's why I went to Africa and that's how I've
ended up doing
what I do. Outside of the band and my family that's the most important thing I'm involved in."
(c) News Group Newspapers
Ltd. 2004
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