For most musicians the thought of coming face to face with their idols is enough to bring on a cold sweat, and even the biggest stars can falter when the person who shaped their music suddenly steps into the room. Despite his reputation as one of rock’s most commanding frontmen, Bono is no exception.
U2’s rise had been fast and unstoppable. By the time they stormed the stage at Live Aid in 1985, Bono’s voice already sounded like it had been built for stadiums and the band were quickly repositioning themselves not just as part of the post-punk wave but as one of the most important rock groups of the decade.
Working with B.B. King, visiting Graceland, covering Bob Dylan – all of it were signs of a band stepping into the halls of rock history. Yet for Bono, one encounter stood apart from the rest, reducing him from superstar to starstruck fan.
The figure in question was Van Morrison. For Bono, this wasn’t just another influential singer from the past but an artist who had defined the very idea of what it meant to sing from the soul. Morrison’s albums, from Astral Weeks to Moondance, had already set a standard for raw, emotional expression.
When Bono finally came face to face with him, it felt, in his own words, divine. “His voice for me is like the angels singing for me, especially for Irish people,” Bono explained on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
“Van Morrison means so much to us. He knew that I was one of his disciples. When I met him, it was like meeting God for me.”
At the Nice Jazz Festival, Bono found himself backstage with his family when Morrison turned to him and asked: “Want to do Gloria?” For Bono, it was the ultimate invitation.
“Now Gloria is one of the greatest songs ever written. It’s like your dad saying, ‘Do you want to take the car out?’ Of course I’m like, ‘Yeah!’”
But the performance was anything but straightforward. Morrison, he recalled, began the set with new material that tested the audience’s patience. “The wine turns to vinegar, you know? Anyway, I thought: Be careful, you don’t want to screw this up.” Then Bono stepped out to a roar of approval.
“After an hour, no matter who you are, Van Morrison or whoever, the crowd loves a surprise guest. So I walk out on stage in Nice, and they love U2, so the place just erupts. I’m singing ‘G-L-O-R-I-A’ with the crowd, and then… Van’s gone. He just walked off.
“I’m standing there like, Let’s close this show! So he ends the concert. But look, that’s show business, baby. We all love each other now.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk