U2 Atomic: Bono

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1984>1985 era - gear

* per Musician magazine. February 1985 *
 
Bono unleashes his primal howl through a Shure SM58 vocal microphone. The Band's PA is by Clair Brothers audio.

* International Musician and Recording World, December 01, 1984 *
 
The Stoking of Unforgettable Fire
By Daniel Lanois
 
Bono Vox -- Neumann U47 and U67, and AKG C-12 mikes

All are tube mikes, which have a certain warmth to them. We managed to capture a bottom end and depth to Bono's voice that surprised even him. One of the first songs we did a vocal on was "Promenade," and I think I shocked him because I presented with a very close presence and a big sound on his voice in the headphones.

At one point he was ready to do a scream, but because he had this big tone in the phones. It caused him to sing a little quieter. That gives you more opportunity to draw on the fine points of the voice, because if a singer screams, his voice gets compressed automatically.

It was an example of a vocalist conforming to his environment. If you give a singer a lot of reverb, for example, that will inspire him to hold long, loud notes, whereas if you put him in an enclosed space, he'll mumble; maybe poetry will come out.

* per U2 Magazine. Vol 10. February 1984  *
 
BONO: Guitar - Fender Lead II. Amp - Roland JC120 Combo.

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