The Bridge: All That Bono Can’t Leave Behind

In this mini-episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy is joined by music journalist Stephen Thomas Erlewine, who writes for Pitchfork and the Los Angeles Times and has reviewed the entire U2 catalog for Allmusic. Tom says the Irish quartet were never much of a punk-rock band, but they did pick up where the Clash left off. And they always carried themselves like rock stars—especially their impassioned, ridiculous frontman Bono—which made their pivots in the ’90s and ’00s possible. Next, Chris quizzes a Slate Plus listener with some music trivia, gives him a chance to turn the tables with a question of his own, and previews the next full-length episode. Slate Plus members can sign up for a chance to be our trivia contestant on a future episode here. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis.