Adam Clayton Quotes

1. Long, creative relationships are unusual in rock 'n'roll, but the mileage and the knowledge and the understanding from having been around with (Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois) for 20 years makes them a pleasure to work with.


2. A man's respect for law and order exists in precise relationship to the size of his paycheck.

3. We spent a year trying to play one song, practising about four hours a week. Then we decided that if we really wanted to learn this song, we'd have to practice two days a week.






4. I've never necessarily chosen to be a bachelor. I've had girlfriends throughout the last 20 or 30 years. It's just that there were times when I met people that fascinated me and times I didn't.

5. From an early age I didn't buy into the value systems of working hard in a nine-to-five job. I thought creativity, friendship and loyalty and pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable was much more interesting.





6. I think rock 'n' roll would become exponentially, considerably more difficult to perform past about 65.

7. You can't make assumptions when you're dealing with health issues.





8. (the secret of U2's longevity) We won't let each other fail. 

9. Men should not be forced to wear pants when it's not cold.






10. I definitely got to a point where I realize how unusual it is to be able to play large, sold-out shows 30 years into a rock and roll career. I don't take it for granted.

11. (on the success of the ZooTV tour, 1994) With that tour, I feel we really pushed ourselves to the limit. I know that we regained a lot of critical credibility; that's nice but to be honest that wasn't something that I really thought about very much.






12. I was drawn to things I thought were either sexy or aggressive - or both.

13. The biggest misconception about me was that I was some kind of wild, crazy rock'n'roll firework. It was an easy image to pick up on, but I'd like to think I was a little deeper than that.


14. Unless man is committed to the belief that all mankind are his brothers, then he labors in vain and hypocritically in the vineyards of equality.

15. The drums tell me everything. Everything else registers a millisecond later.

16. There are two types of collector, I think. There are those who are quite academic, and get into the archaeology of finding the earliest example of a particular idea. Then there are those interested in what's new.


17. I think it's hard to come to a U2 show and just eat hot dogs and drink a soda, and not be moved by it.

18. It was like - throw out technology. Give us a microphone and a bit of tape and you do the bit in between.

19. It's very confusing when fame comes early on in your career. You get a little bit bent out of shape in terms of what's important. Fame is like the dessert that comes with your achievements - it's not an achievement in itself, but sometimes it can overpower the work.

20. I don't think rock 'n' roll is necessarily a young man's game. I think Neil Young is just as rock 'n'roll now as he was in his 20s. I'd like to think we can still be edgy and challenging.

21. The art market was very different before the mid-1980s: then, art was all about passion, whereas now it's become a commodity.

22. Bono and Edge can have their heads down trying to complete material and lose perspective, whereas Larry and I can come in with a fresh perspective. It's both a blessing and a curse. Someone who's put in a lot of hours in a tune is reluctant to give up on it and admit it's not making the grade.

23. (describing the atmosphere of the ZooTV tour, 1993) It was a pretty special couple of years. I mean it was a pretty mad couple of years where reality and fantasy and everything got kinda mixed up big time.








24. I was actually pretty shy in school. My defense mechanism was to be the class clown. I remember getting into a lot of trouble for being disruptive, and I was brought in front of the headteacher, who said: "What's going to happen to you; what are you going to do when you grow up?" and I said: "Well, I'm obviously going to be a comedian."

25. (on the demands of world tours) Performing at this level requires an absolute commitment and dedication. You can't half commit.



26. If you believe in a cause, you must be willing to put yourself on the line for that cause.


27. For us there's U2 music, and then there's everything else.


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