Well last night I queued up and bought the new U2 album*. It was a way of supporting my recession hit chums. Poor Bono, Edge, Larry and Adam.
I heard from a very good source that things were so tight with U2 that redundancies were being talked about. 50% of the workforce would have to have been laid off when Ireland changed its Artists Exemption Tax law in 2006.
The band simply wouldn’t have been able to keep going if they’d had to pay tax here and in the interests of job saving they went and set up in Amsterdam so they could continue bringing their unique brand of sounding exactly the same for the last 15 years music to the world.
Ok, that may all be bollocks, according to Bono “We pay millions and millions of dollars in tax”.
Dollars. Dollars. Quite so. Not euros. Nor punts back in the day.
Now, U2 are a big, wealthy machine and big, wealthy machines have the best people to ensure that they pay as little tax as possible. I think we’d all do the same if we could. Fuck social responsibility, fuck our contributions, we’d write off this, that and the other if we could. There’s no point pretending otherwise.
So from that point of view I can understand why U2 do what they do. But in today’s Irish Times Bono fudges the issue, talks about the benefits of tax exemption policies to the nation as a whole, and fails to address the fact that U2 are Ireland’s most successful entertainers but pay very little tax here – and have never paid very much tax here.
It’s all well and good looking for governments the world over, not least here, to increase contributions to Africa and his other pet causes, but unless you’re making a real contribution to that fund yourself it’s no wonder people accuse you of hypocrisy.
Maybe Bono is a great philanthropist, donating piles of money to good causes, but like Smashy and Nicey he doesn’t like to talk about it.
Maybe he’s got great intentions and truly wants to help. But while everyone was quids in and the economy was booming nobody really cared that much that U2 didn’t pay tax here.
Times have changed. People’s attitudes have changed. And Bono playing politician and avoiding the real issue isn’t going to wash any more.
* I did not buy the album. I downloaded it for free. I didn’t listen to it though. Why the fuck would I want to listen to it?
Well fair is fair – if Bono doesn’t want to pay tax in Ireland, he doesn’t get to use tax-funded public amenities – like roads or the police or an Irish passport.
Let’s dig up the road outside his gaff and tell him if he wants it back he can fucking pay for it himself.
I downloaded it for free. I didn’t listen to it though. Why the fuck would I want to listen to it?
why would you bother downloading it either, unless of course it was to sell bootleg copies to tourists so as to shave a couple of euro off Bono’s record company’s income.
how did he get his passport for free ?
Adam Clayton is from the same housing estate as me – when we were kids- and edge up the road. I was a massive fan of u2 – Boy, I won October on Poparama with Maxi, The Joshua Tree was excellent, Pop was ok’ish – they all went downhill from there. Compare how stale u2 have been to Radiohead over the last 10 years. u2 are to pop music what FF are to politics – a disgusting bunch of fuckers who’ll do or say anything for the filthy lucre. power corrupted them horribly. Bono is a bollix.
have a nice w/end.
I remember hearing U2 in the Dandelion, I stopped momentarily, thought “ho hum” to myself and carried on.
In the three decades since I have never bought and don’t own any of their music. I’m not one of the folks who has to tear down music I’m not ‘into’, and I’m happy for anyone to have their success, even Enya, and Daniel.
But these rich folks who are resident nowhere, or who never stay anywhere long enough to pay tax there, or who shift their corporate interests offshore to a light tax regime in order to avoid making a contribution to their ‘home’ economy – these folks are complete cunts, whatever line of business they’re in.
I generally agree its completely hypocritical for doing what they’re doing…but he made an interesting point about the fact that many people from abroad use Ireland as a base for financial services etc. and he was simply using a Dutch one…
still a cunt mind
Have you got a cup? Cause my fucking heart is bleeding for him!
Bono – Irish for cunt.
Here’s another bono in action:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20090227/tod-oukoe-uk-ryanair-toilet-d987f7f.html
http://www.irishsentinel.com/2009/02/27/ryanair-to-start-charging-for-toilets/
Heh – isn’t life great.
I wonder if we could borrow Mark Chapman from Obama ?
The John Lennon Mark Chapman?
The same – he could do with some exercise.
I hear Heather Mills is petitioning for his release too.
There you go – your mission in life – start an online petition with a few celebs signing for publicity – no matter what else,your life will not have been in vain!
Maggot, do you look anything like Igor from the Frankenstein movies?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EDuK46ZqFM
Bill Bailey – what a man!
This is me
http://media1.break.com/dnet/media/2007/11/29nov21-big-ass-maggot.jpg
My cousin
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/139414/maggot_lives_inside_womans_head/
Oh man, that video is minging
Hardcore maggot porn Twenty!
Bleeeee, why did I click that link.
Maggottastic
Thanks for the heads-up, Missus Cat.
Not one for self promotion (until now) I predicted the toilet charge thing yesterday and then bam, there it is on the news today. Next thing they’ll probably charge for looking out the window………… any day now.
Well now that you’ve mentioned it they certainly will…
Only a matter of time before they introduce a pay-by-weight surcharge at boarding.
Ohno, the horror! You’ve just unearthed a repressed memory of the traumaticexperience of getting weighed coming back from germany once – a random test thing – so they said…
Excuse me Ma’am, we need to weigh your breasts…. weeehhhhayyyy
Bono is indeed a BOLLICKS – whats with the yankee ‘ix’ ending?
But you know what they say – you can take the man out of Dublin (or even Belmullet) but you’ll still end up with a Bollicks…
“Let them eat biscotti.” I heard he said that.
I dunno Jo, could lead to a nice sideline business in colonic irrigation at the airports.
As it is I suppose the boarding queues will be separated in No. Ones and No. Twos.
I have to agree about Bono is being very generous with Irish tax payers money, considering he has made sure that he will NEVER be one!
A tax payer, I mean!
As it is I suppose the boarding queues will be separated in No. Ones and No. Twos.
Solids and liquids
Fuck Bono he’s a douche
I think “bollix” is an irish/dublin thing, while bollocks is a london/england thing. I’ll get back to you on it gluaistean
I do know that the phrase “the dogs bollocks” originated with the use of (:-) by letterpress but had no meaning as it does today. It was more like “OI! STEVO. HAND ME THE DOGS BOLLOCKS” in an eastender afghan shite tv accent.
“Solids and liquids”
‘You would seem to have more than the 100ml personal allowance in your bladder, Madam. No, I’m afraid you can’t split your allowance with your travelling companion. You can pay a supplement of €25 or use the bathroom facilities in the main terminal, half a mile away. Unfortunately that would result in your missing the flight…’
That would be all we need, the airport floor awash with pee while we stand there in our socks, belts in hand, jeans absorbing through their cuffs…
What is the measure of a life ?
To improve and help long after one is dead and buried.
He didnt have to get involved in charity or good causes etc … but he did.
I would think if he (bono) never existed then perhaps some peoples lives in the developing world would be worse than what they are now.
Change in humanity can never be measured in immediate terms but in steady incremental improvements in the fabric of society throughout the world.
You will never be hailed a king in your own land ..
so to link this up to your original query that he didnt pay tax etc …
What… are we to hold artists accountable for what they say and what they do.
There artists for christ sake … there job is not to dictate or abide by policy ..there job is to free ones mind from the everyday moan and groan and if they take the time out to help in other causes then fair play to them
He was fuckin about on the roof of the BBC here in London a couple of hours ago, a few of us shouted as much encouragement as we could, but the Irish bastard still wouldn’t jump,fuckin coward!
What do you expect from a phoney cunt who enjoys the company of shitbags like Dubya and Tony Bliar so much?
If Bono and his tribe of twats can’t afford to be mediocre rock ‘stars’ then they should give it up! For all our sakes! Make way for more talented newcomers in the music biz!
This weekend’s UK media coverage of said twats is just nauseating. I got bored of U2 a good 20 years ago, I don’t fancy having them rammed down my throat AGAIN!!!
In all my life, I have not seen a more embarassing display of jealousy of someone who actually went out and DID something respectable with his life than what I am witnessing here.
What is your REAL peeve with your fellow Irishmen (there’s four people in U2 the last time that I looked – and their manager)?
Could it possibly be that the GREEN of Ireland has more to do with being green with ENVY than for the rolling hills of your countryside?
Quite honestly, if it wasn’t for U2 and their stellar reputation that they have all over the world (except in some parts of their homeland and the country which oppressed Eire for centuries right next to you) – your country would unfortunately still be regarded only for shamrocks and Guinness.
U2 has elevated the reputation of being Irish around the world and it is only your obvious envy & jealousy of their fame and fortune which shows.
The one thing that I know is this – when the U2 tour comes to Dublin this Summer and tens of thousands of people come to Ireland to see U2 in concert, the amount of you criticizing the band now will magically morph into those who will sing U2′s praises because of the cash influx that comes to Ireland BECAUSE of U2!
If this band never existed, think of all of the tens of thousands of people who would have NEVER visited your fair land – think of all of our tourist dollars that wouldn’t have been spent in your country and the TAXES that we have paid your government because we come to the country which gives us the band that we love.
If your government has misused your tax dollars that is not U2′s doing nor their business. YOU are responsible for the politicians that you put into office and for what they do with YOUR tax dollars.
Stop blaming U2 for your mistakes and get on with the business of your lives and straigthening out your government.
You only have you to blame for the mess that your government’s coffers are in – not U2.
All the Best, debbie :)
They don’t have dollars in that part of the British Isles, you don’t half talk some shit, you TWAT!
Is Debbie a ringer ?
Shocked and horrified by this –
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090301/tuk-bbc-probes-university-challenge-ring-45dbed5.html
Bring back Magnus – I said no good would come of Paxman!
Well Debbie; you’re welcome to take the mediocre cunts off our hands. u2 are to music what mcdonalds is to food; a fucking vile influence.
They gave us a clue all those years ago when they were called “The Hype”.
If you ever need an example of marketing winning over talent then this is it. Bland, crass, bland, wankety, wank.
And as for that tedious, irksome cunt Bone-Oh lecturing the world about ethics whilst he moves his corporate headquarters from tax haven to tax haven… give us a break.
U2 have not produced anything of merit for over a quarter of a century – sorry, but I can see the Emporer’s bum.
Yoko has more talent in her little finger – Hell, even Geldof has more talent …
First single from new album is shite, but I just heard the title track, No line on the horizon, and in my opinion it’s very good. So there.
So Bono wants to know where is the love?
He should check his bank balance.
U2 should just piss off if they are still worried about money. And that shit about bono saying Ireland became rich from companies coming to Ireland to avail of low tax rates here is a complete load of bollox. First of all There was only a select few became rich out of it (Corrupt politians). and 2nd of all those companies gave irish people thousands of jobs. Do U2 hire thousands of dutch people now. I don`t think so. I hope they never play in Ireland again. Using our country to earn another few million EUROS for themselves!!
U2 theres MY 2 …..cents
There is no line on the horizon to the ranting and raving about how annoying U2 are. Well here’s my own argument about the situation. It’s important that people remember that U2, like every other artist here do pay tax. They don’t pay tax on royalties earned from artistic works in accordance with the legislation passed in the 80′s-as neither does every other artist earning royalties here. All other successful acts and businesses in the World avoid paying tax that they don’t have to and why shouldn’t they-would you if you were in the same position?
Its also worth mentioning that U2 give a certain percentage of profit from sales to selected charities and have done so constantly for the last twenty years or more. You should note that U2 have set up the only affordable music programme for children in the state this year donating €5milliion to it. As far as I know this is a non-profit programme. Bono also runs one.org an organisation to end poverty. Ali Hewson, his wife, has done significant charitable work, most notably to shut Sellafield nuclear station among other important work, and has done so quietly and without media hype.
After their gig in Croke park this year, U2 paid for the desperately needed new pitch surface (needed for at least 4 years now) which was laid after their performance. Have Bon Jovi or other acts offered to do this after their performances? The recent U2 shows at Croke Park were worth about another €5million in taxes (on top of the €5million donated to the music ed programme) to the economy-just by playing here. ….
What other successful artists have used their success for good causes to the extent that U2 have? And why should U2 continuously be criticised over this? I don’t understand it. Musically, U2 are one of the most influential bands ever, something undeniable at this stage, and have almost single-handedly kept the current/contemporary Irish Music industry running, while we wait to see if Snow Patrol or the Script can do what every other contemporary Irish band of the last 20 years couldn’t-become consistently successful (although Hotpress would have you believe that every Irish band they review is the greatest thing since… well, U2). The Irish music scene is otherwise a corrupt, immoral shambles, dominated by a few small organisations and venue owners who decide who makes it, and who doesn’t. It is akin to an unfettered capitalism of pre-unionised Edwardian Europe, where genuinely nice, talented and unpretentious musicians don’t stand a chance. (By the way have you heard of a band called Reamon, the biggest Irish act other than U2, headlining stadiums in Europe for the past decade, but cant get accepted here?)….
Irish people continue to begrudge or ignore their own-just as we did with Lizzy and every other successful artist I can think of – Gallagher, Morrison, O Connor, Enya, Brady (again, all have careers spanning back more than two decades, if they’re still alive) What credible international success have we had since these anyway?….
If there is someone to blame on artists not paying royalty tax, blame the government. Change the law. Protest, vote-it’s a democracy. I wouldn’t give Fianna Fail a penny had I the choice. A number of people also said that they downloaded the album illegally-maybe they feel better spending money on real hypocrites like Bob Dylan (also known as Robert Zimmerman), whom the listener can be assured does very little charity for good causes, well at least not after he’s tired of it. (His misogynistic views are also well documented-as if it wasn’t obvious from his lyrics, and his half arsed performance at Live aid in the eighties was an example of his appalling attitude). Also, by illegally downloading the album, you’re stealing one of the things that U2 actually pay tax on, not to mention one of their main sources of capital for their charities! Their performance royalties and airplay royalties are still tax free!….
Some people say they don’t listen to U2, but criticise them anyway. Maybe if you listen to U2 you’ll find their genius; comparable to the Beatles and Led Zeppelin on a level of influence. It was stated by some that they have released the same basic material for the past 15 years. It is in fact the contrary which has ensured their continued success. In the mid-nineties U2 made a massive departure from what would have been perceived as a comparative norm. (although they never really had a norm if you listen to the changes in style between Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and then Achtung Baby) This was when they released Pop-which is a self-explanatory name for the album, but was ultimately an ‘ironic’ take on the music and music scene at the time. Then they changed again with the next release, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, which was overall, a comparatively raw but uplifting rock album with some ballad like songs for good measure. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was harder overall and not as raw. The album was also very musical. The band’s creativity really shone through on Eastern tinged tracks like ‘Fast Cars’ not to mention that the production of this album was incredible. If you’re going to criticise U2’s music, listen to it and base your criticism on some credible point. Personally, I find blindly insulting U2’s work is up there with denying the Beatles’, Louis Armstrong’s, or Chuck Berry’s contribution to pop music-utterly stupid. Sure we might as well have a go at Shakespeare now. ….
It was also mentioned that the marketing is a significant part of what has made U2 successful ever since they were known as “The Hype”. Well isn’t marketing the reason any successful act is… successful? – Except U2 do it with more style and always seem to convey a message, which I thought was what Rock n Roll was all about. Zoo TV is my favourite example of this. In my opinion, this was the greatest live event of all time-I cant think of any event since that has matched it (although other U2 shows have come close – remember Pop mart or maybe Live Aid and Live Eight, which U2 also helped to organise), so maybe “the hype” is justified. ….
Another criticism was the sarcastic remarks made about U2 moving to Holland to save Irish jobs. Well they moved to Holland to save money, why shouldn’t they, but it has been an important part of U2’s business to hire Irish people down the years, and have worked with most of those people for the majority of their careers. Its also known that those who work for U2 are incredibly well paid-does your employer pay you well? U2 have recorded at least part of every album in Ireland to date, and have released them here before anywhere else in the world. When U2 caused “controversy” by applying for planning permission for work on the Clarence Hotel recently (their one relatively unsuccessful business) people were horrified and objected, even though it was stated that without work to improve the hotel it is likely to go out of business and Irish jobs would be lost! ….
People would prefer if U2 just disappeared, didn’t donate to charity, maybe spend what they have on drugs and plastic surgery and grow old ungracefully like other rock stars, lamenting about times past. (“Oh! how great the 60’s were, if only Vietnam didn’t end” Dylan, Neil Young, The Stones- I’m big fans of these too by the way, but they do have their flaws ;-))….
My Irish compatriots would put me off ambition. I’m proud of Irelands successes and achievements-I wish others could be.
Proof Bono is a big wet smelly cunt – http://www.bonoisacunt.com !!!