Does Ireland appreciate U2?

AnneFrank

Bono lost me when he got a des Kelly on his head and high heels on his feet

Eggs For Dinner

Never really in to U2. Admired their achievements more than their music

4068ac1elhodqr

Does U2 (bono) 'appreciate' democracy and civil duties?

He's happy to beg the public for cash for 'charidy', whilst using 'extreme tax avoidance' for himself. Because he's 'worth it'.
He's happy to troll the Swedish Democrats who took about 20% of votes recently, because they don't suit his 'view'.
He's happy to vocally slay the 17.4m brexiteers, without any consideration as to 'why' it actually happened.

Anyone can sing a song or two, it doesn't instantly make you the global voice of reason or wisdom.

Junkyard Tom

Esel

castletownman

What sort of eejit is The Edge that even for his daughter's wedding a few years ago he wouldn't remove that stoopid beanie hat for the occasion?

He must have some case of hat hair by now.

murpho999

touts wrote: »

I used to like them when they were Irish but then they decided they were Dutch.

Seriously who cares where a relatively small company pays its taxes.
They would still pay personal income tax here.

Do you also object to the likes of Apple or Google being based in Ireland to avoid paying taxes in their home countries?

Just judge them on their music.

mossleycnoc

Their album “all that you can’t leave behind” was their last decent one imo- and that was released almost 20 years ago! The downfall was when they became multimillionaire social justice warriors- think that’s when most Irish lost respect and appreciation for them.

Esel

murpho999 wrote: »

Just judge them on their music.

Words by Bono. Music by U2.

mossleycnoc

Their album “all that you can’t leave behind” was their last decent one imo- and that was released almost 20 years ago! The downfall was when they became multimillionaire social justice warriors- think that’s when most Irish lost respect and appreciation for them.

5rtytry56

^^Say no more. Have the CD bought in 2000. Also have the U2 POP CD. Inferior to the former though.

Franz Von Peppercorn

castletownman wrote: »

What sort of eejit is The Edge that even for his daughter's wedding a few years ago he wouldn't remove that stoopid beanie hat for the occasion?

He must have some case of hat hair by now.

I think he has no case of hair now.

Franz Von Peppercorn

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Bono and the boys are probably only on a modest salary (sub 100k), and they’d pay their tax on that.
The Dutch company (which holds all the wealth & profits) probably buys their flights, pays for their hotels and lavish lifestyle, even down to petrol for their cars. Any personal expenses would be tax deductible, so the modest tax they pay on their sub 100k salary would be reduced even further.

Doubt if Irish tax law facilitated that. It didn’t for my IT company when I consulted. Sure U2 can charge most of the travel and hotel costs of their tours to expenses but bono can’t book a personal flight to his house in Monaco or New York and charge that.

In theory anyhoo. I suppose in practice the 1% can avoid where they like.

10000maniacs

I used to like U2, but when he suggested that all migrants are refugees and of course they are Europe's problem, not Africa's, I puked a little in my mouth.
How are we supposed to pay for er... "refugees" to come here when billionaires like Bono come up with nifty solutions to avoid paying tax in their home country.

Ken Tucky

I wasn't a fan growing up. Not liking U2 was a cool thing to do. Their earlier stuff. post punk wherever wasn't great in my opinion. But in between the albums they had some amazing songs.
Joshua tree happened....yeah good songs but still not for me. Loved Rattle and Hum. Was great that U2 fans didn't lol!
Then wow. Achtung Baby and the ZOO TV shows. Blew my mind. Cool as f**k.
Loved Zooropa. And very fond of pop.
Seen them in Slane2001?? Peppers were on before them. Was very good.
They should give up now though. Their music is bland and boring. Seriously can anybody say these songs of boredom are good.
Anyhow I appreciate what they were. Not what they are now...just like all great bands

piplip87

piplip87 wrote: »

Bono probably pays more income tax here in a year then you will.pay for.your life.

You don't understand how this tax dodging operates, do you? In tax terms Paul Hewson is a mere employee of his company who is paid a very modest salary out of which he pays income tax to the Irish state. The cars, houses and lifestyle expenses that he benefits from are, in tax terms, company expenses. So, yeah, ironically for your ignorance I probably do pay more income tax in absolute terms to the Irish state than Paul Hewson pays.

PS: Congrats on the desire to defend rich parasites. You'd make a great royalist.

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Bono and the boys are probably only on a modest salary (sub 100k), and they’d pay their tax on that.
The Dutch company (which holds all the wealth & profits) probably buys their flights, pays for their hotels and lavish lifestyle, even down to petrol for their cars. Any personal expenses would be tax deductible, so the modest tax they pay on their sub 100k salary would be reduced even further.

This, exactly.

Scott Tenorman

Bono's solution to ISIS :rolleyes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycXFWO8sjZY

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

SoPS: Congrats on the desire to defend rich parasites. You'd make a great royalist.

It’s a thread about U2 and you still manage a bit of shinner-head foaming at the mouth. Well done,

U2 are a great bunch of lads. Fair play to them.

Mookie Blaylock

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

I appreciate them as a band, and the fact they made some great hits, and helped shine a light on some of Ireland’s darker issues.

I don’t appreciate the fact they recently tried to build an absolute monstrosity of a vanity project to themselves on the quays.

Maybe leave that for 10 years after your all dead.

I also don’t appreciate them moving their business to Holland to avail of better tax arrangements so as to put an extra few quid in their pockets. its not like they’re short of a few euro. Dublin/Ireland has been very good to U2, yet when money was involved (small change in their grand scheme of things), they upped and f**ked off elsewhere like any big corporate entity would do.

Why should they pay over the odds in taxes in a country that accounts for less than 1% of their profits.
Any sane artist would do the exact same tbh ..no issues with that at all....they create jobs in the country already and are ploughing €30 million into a new distillery....we should be thanking them, not berating them

AndyBoBandy

Mookie Blaylock wrote: »

Why should they pay over the odds in taxes in a country that accounts for less than 1% of their profits.
Any sane artist would do the exact same tbh ..no issues with that at all....they create jobs in the country already and are ploughing €30 million into a new distillery....we should be thanking them, not berating them

I work for a global multi national, and of the work I do for the company, €0 is earned in Ireland, so by your logic, I shouldn’t pay any tax in Ireland?

What jobs have they created in Ireland?

Mookie Blaylock

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

I work for a global multi national, and of the work I do for the company, €0 is earned in Ireland, so by your logic, I shouldn’t pay any tax in Ireland?

What jobs have they created in Ireland?

What are you on about...
Are you the large multinational??...no...so that ends your argument straight away with

Google u2 and distillery...I'm on hols

Franz Von Peppercorn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

You don't understand how this tax dodging operates, do you? In tax terms Paul Hewson is a mere employee of his company who is paid a very modest salary out of which he pays income tax to the Irish state. The cars, houses and lifestyle expenses that he benefits from are, in tax terms, company expenses. So, yeah, ironically for your ignorance I probably do pay more income tax in absolute terms to the Irish state than Paul Hewson pays

That’s really not the ͏w͏a͏y company law works.
There may be other ways (domicile) that might be used by bono (or not) but that’s bollocks.

Faugheen

Anyone who plays the tax card is a begrudger.

I’d bet both my bollocks that if anyone whinging about rich people finding ways to not pay tax came into money, they’d do the exact same.

You don’t have to like it but using it as a stick to beat them with is a bit hypocritical, in my opinion.

AndyBoBandy

Mookie Blaylock wrote: »

Google u2 and distillery...I'm on hols

And what jobs have they created?

A plan to invest in and restore an old distillery is not actual jobs, where people work and pay tax.
maybe in the future it will be, but in the present, it's nothing more than a planning application.

Mookie Blaylock wrote: »

they create jobs in the country already

So what jobs have they created in the country already?

blinding

I would like to shove the other three up Bono’s Ar$e and the beat Bono to death with a Joshua Tree .

MarkY91

I'm certainly not from a time where I should naturally appreciate their music. The only song I remember in the charts growing up is the it's a beautiful day song..can't even be sure if that's U2.

But I've grown up in a country where it seems popular and cool to hate bono. I've no idea why but propel my she hate him

Gimme A Pound

Anesthetize wrote: »

I appreciate Echo and the Bunnymen.

I appreciate both Echo and The Bunnymen and U2 (up to Zooropa).