Well, you can’t please them all. It doesn’t matter that U2 has several critically acclaimed albums, a number of Grammy Awards, and a fanbase that has stuck around since the 1980s. Some musicians and contemporaries of U2 just can’t stand them. Let’s look at three artists who voiced their distaste for the Irish rock band in the past.
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Liam Gallagher
Honestly, this entry isn’t too surprising. Liam Gallagher has had no issue voicing his distaste for anyone, including his own band and brother, through the years. Once upon a time, he had some pretty serious negative words for U2. And it had less to do with the sound of their music and a lot more to do with the band members’ attitudes.
“I think rock ‘n’ roll deserves a little bit more than just making music,” said Gallagher. “They [U2] pass themselves as a rock ‘n’ roll band, but what the? C’mon on, man, I’ve never seen f*cking Bono. I mean, I’ve never seen any of them do anything remotely rock ‘n’ roll.”
Ouch.
Ian McCulloch
Remember Echo & The Bunnymen? If you’ve heard of U2, you’ve likely heard of them, considering the two bands were often pitted against one another back in the day. Ian McCulloch, the group’s famed frontman, has historically had a few insults to throw at U2 that only added fuel to the fire. Like Gallagher, McCulloch seems to have issues with Bono, specifically.
“I’ve always thought he was a c*nt,” said the always-colorful McCulloch. “A real proper one. Had he been in Liverpool, he would have been laughed out of the place. U2 have never been liked in Liverpool. We know a fake when we see one.”
Ozzy Osbourne
It’s hard to imagine Ozzy Osbourne having anything bad to say about another rock musician. However, the former Black Sabbath vocalist makes our list of musicians who can’t stand U2 for one particular comment involving the band’s decision to give away an album for free.
“U2 did an album free, and it’s like, why would anybody do that?” said Osbourne. “I don’t know… I liked some of their earlier stuff, but to be perfectly honest, that Bono pisses me off. He’s made his name out of working with and talking about starving people in Africa. I don’t particularly like what he does. It’s phony.”
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