If you thought an unsolicited U2 album getting dumped on your phone was the most unwanted thing Bono could gift you, think again.
That’s because he’s now offered up his opinion on the “very girly” state of music at the moment.
The U2 rocker has sparked somewhat of a backlash after lamenting the lack of music that allows young males to express their anger.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, he was asked if he believed a rock and roll revolution was round the corner, to which he replied: “I think music has gotten very girly. And there are some good things about that, but hip-hop is the only place for young male anger at the moment – and that’s not good.
“When I was 16, I had a lot of anger in me. You need to find a place for it and for guitars, whether it is with a drum machine – I don’t care.
“The moment something becomes preserved, it is fucking over. You might as well put it in formaldehyde.”
While Bono didn’t care to expand on what he meant by “girly”, many people on social media were quick to call him and his fragile masculinity out:
wow!! starting off 2018 by cancelling bono!! I’m glad you think labeling something as “girly” is an insult. bc the “young male anger” which you miss so much has obviously gotten us so far this year?? right??? https://t.co/s25o6l0N15
December 27, 2017
Bono thinks music is too girly and there’s not enough anger? I’m a girl and I was really angry when he put a U2 album on my phone without asking me
Bono didn’t mind his girly “woman of the year” award from Glamour in 2016 which he accepted. Bono doesn’t mind “girly” things when they directly benefit him https://t.co/M8r2goqMMp
December 28, 2017
Bono has been criticized for calling music “too girly.” It’s OK, Bono. The music industry can survive With or Without You. pic.twitter.com/xrf4dGgyfy
“Girly” isn’t an insult. If you want a really insulting term, replace it with “Bono” https://t.co/lk5uM9Cxm6
Bono: Music is too “girly” and there’s not enough rage in that sound. Me: *plays Jagged Little Pill in full* Bono: Okay, but that’s not a kind of rage that makes my fragile masculinity comfortable.
December 28, 2017
1) define “girly” 2) why are boys filled with rage 3) fuck off bono https://t.co/T74Ipxi1m3
Oh Bono. You have no idea of the rage us ‘girly’ people have. https://t.co/6xX1or7A1P
Bono thinks music has become too ‘Girly’ for his uber virile self. Same guy who sent his album univented into people itunes, like an unsollicited dick pic. Must know a thing or 2. How did girls, manage to enjoy music before this? DRAMA *eyeroll*https://t.co/3dZfUVuIVh
December 27, 2017
Bono thinks music has gotten very girly. He clearly wasn’t paying attention to the charts this year. He’s old. And wrong! https://t.co/JE6349Car5
Eat shit, Bonobos. White guy anger is boring af and no one wants to listen to it. https://t.co/TtOD6XxhwB via @vulture
I joke that I saw U2 every 5 minutes in the 80s. As a young GIRL, I looked up to Bono as a rational voice. This is not so rational. Gonna put on some “girly” @amandapalmer, @DresdenDolls, @toriamos and such to wash this grime off. Girls get angry, too, #Bono! https://t.co/UqNMfXUpRs
December 28, 2017
I didn’t realize that music’s sole reason for existence was as an outlet for young, male anger. https://t.co/QgUmQYGcSV via @vulture
During the cover interview, Bono also revealed he almost died recently, with his near-death experience playing a big part in the band’s latest album, ‘Songs of Experience’.
Although not drawn on the details, he told the magazine: “People have these extinction events in their lives; it could be psychological or it could be physical. And, yes, it was physical for me, but I think I have spared myself all that soap opera, especially with this kind of celebrity obsession with the minutiae of peoples’ lives – I have got out of that.
“I want to speak about the issue in a way that lets people fill in the blanks of what they have been through, you know?”
“People have had so much worse to deal with, so that is another reason not to talk about it. You demean all the people who, you know, never made it through that or couldn’t get health care!”
Read Bono’s full interview with Rolling Stone here.