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Bono on His ‘Special’ Relationship with Wife Ali Hewson: We ‘Have Romantic Love and Friendship’
“But I would say if you ask me seriously, friendship can outpace romantic love, sometimes,” Bono said during the New Yorker Festival
Bono is opening up about his 40-year relationship with wife Ali Hewson — and their secret to staying together for so long.
During a Friday New Yorker Festival interview with journalist David Remnick, Bono, 62, did a deep dive into his soon-to-be-released book, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, at The Society For Ethical Culture in New York City. There, a newlywed audience member asked how he’s managed to keep a 40-year marriage with his wife going strong.
Bono, who met Hewson, 61, at age 12 at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, explained that it’s “quite mad getting married.”
“It is a grand madness about us,” he continued. “And there’s something about knowing that you’re going against the odds. But I would say if you ask me seriously, friendship can outpace romantic love, sometimes. And friendship is what myself and Ali have. When you have romantic love and friendship, that’s really something special.”
Bono has been married to his wife, Ali, for 40 years. At tonight’s #NewYorkerFest, he offered a newlywed some words of advice on creating a lasting partnership. pic.twitter.com/D1KVLb8Wko
— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) October 8, 2022
But Bono noted that doesn’t mean every day has to be a “Beautiful Day” for the couple, who celebrated 40 years in August and share four children together: Jordan, 33, Eve, 31, Elijah, 23, and John, 21.
Things could sometimes get difficult, even with that friendship involved, Bono shared, but he and his longtime love have remained committed to their union.
“Any time either of us got lost, the other would … be there to get the other one home. And I’m so grateful,” Bono said. “And 40 years is a powerful number for me. That’s a powerful number for Ali. And it was brilliant when we got to 40, and we went, ‘Let’s not f— this up now.’ ”
Bono also touched on the longevity he’s had with his U2 bandmates at the event, a topic he discusses in his upcoming book, which features 40 chapters, each named after the title of a U2 song.
During his conversation with Remnick, he explained his reasoning behind splitting finances up evenly between the band’s four members — Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. He called their decision to do so “the best thing ever.”
“And those songs are made what they are because of Edge, Adam, and Larry. And I think Edge feels the same,” he said. “You know, we’re the lead songwriters. But Adam will come up with an incredible bassline, or Larry will come up with an amazing beat… Our manager used to say to us, ‘You know, it’s not musical differences that break up most bands. It’s the moolah.’ He said, ‘Get that right.’ “
In promotion of his new book, the U2 frontman announced a series of solo shows, kicking off at New York City’s Beacon Theatre on Nov. 2 and wrapping up on Nov. 28 in Madrid.
The tour is described as “an evening of words, music & some mischief” that hits 14 different cities throughout the world. The book itself covers Bono’s Dublin childhood, including the loss of his mother at 14, U2’s rise, and his activism in the fight against HIV/AIDS and poverty.
“I miss being onstage and the closeness of U2’s audience,” Bono said in a press release. “In these shows, I’ve got some stories to sing, and some songs to tell… Plus I want to have some fun presenting my ME-moir, Surrender, which is really more of a WE-moir if I think of all the people who helped me get from there to here.”
Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story arrives on Nov. 1 via Knopf.
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