Bono has “certainly thought about” quitting U2.
The ‘One’ singer admitted he and bandmates The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. have all considered leaving the band at various points during their lengthy careers but are ultimately compelled to stay together to create the ultimate song.
Speaking on upcoming Disney+ documentary ‘A Kind Of Homecoming’, he admitted: “I have certainly thought about walking away from U2, every member has. We have all thought about it.
“It is the right instinct to question whether this should still be going and what it demands of all four members.
“But the reason why I want to go forward is something is stirring in my voice and my singing and the desire to write songs we don’t have yet. We are chasing the dragon of the song we can’t get.
“The real magic of U2 is that everything we needed, the people we needed, were always right there.”
The 62-year-old singer admitted his activism has “tested the patience” of his bandmates at times.
He said: “Friendship is deeply part of who we are, but you could lose that along the way. We had to work on it.
“If you are in a rock and roll band, you don’t want to be in the photograph with some people who might have polarising opposite values you hold dear, and I did that to them.
“I am turning what we created as a band into currency that I chose to spend in these areas.
“By and large they support me, but I do know I test their patience.”
Guitarist The Edge agreed, admitting there has been “a lot of tension” over the years.
He said: “The fact we are still together is a remarkable thing. We kind of grew up together and learnt how to be people of the world via the band.
“We are probably a little institutionalised by being in this thing a little too long. There are many times in the past I think we were pushing our look a little too far. It was hard for us. There was a lot of tension.”