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U2 give Bono green light for solo career

U2 would have no problem with Bono going solo.

The ‘Vertigo’ group’s bassist Adam Clayton, 61, has insisted he and the rest of the band – also comprising guitarist The Edge and drummer Larry Mullen Jr., both 59 – would support the 61-year-old singer if he decided to write a solo record.

Appearing on the latest episode of the ‘Rockenteours’ podcast, Adam said: “If Bono wanted to go off and do a solo record, I would encourage him and certainly everyone else would.”

The musician also hinted at some acoustic releases from the ‘Beautiful Day’ rockers and teased their upcoming movie soundtrack.

He said: “We have been recording acoustic versions of some of our catalogue in different keys and different tempos as a challenge.

“We have a track in the next ‘Sing 2’ movie.”

In September, The Edge revealed they were working on new music before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

He and Bono were in their native Dublin penning new material before they went their separate ways during the lockdown period.

However, the guitar hero was fortunate enough to make it back to Ireland after spending quarantine with his wife Morleigh in California.

He said: “I was actually working on some new songs with Bono and … I had a decision, am I going to go to Dublin or am I going to head to California where my wife was so I opted to head for the wife which I think was the right call, ’cause literally within two days they’d shut all flights into America so I snuck in and spent the first part of the lockdown with Morleigh in California and then came to Dublin for early May and was in Dublin for a while … I felt very fortunate … overall I felt like one of the really lucky ones.”

The band members use Zoom to keep in contact but it proved “challenging” to get to grips with the video conferencing software.

He quipped: “I’m known as the technology genius, but basically that’s because I know how to fix the printer. That’s about the extent of my technology skills, but to say that sets me on a whole different level to everyone else in the band should explain what you’re dealing with so yeah it has been challenging at times.”