Bono, Edge chat with Dave for HBO talker

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Despite its recycled title, HBO's new late-night series feels reasonably fresh. "Bono and the Edge: Off the Record" is a preview of the interview show hosted by producer and Eurythmics mainstay

Stewart has heard every question a musician could get and uses that experience to get U2's famous duo talking about the studio, the songs, the road and the road to stardom. His biz cred and a casual, intimate setting help distinguish "Off the Record" from the legions of similar programs. He asks solid if sometimes rambling questions, though his first is hardly his best. After recounting some of U2's myriad accomplishments, Stewart asks, "How the hell do you do it?"

But the host's decades-long acquaintance with his subjects, along with the show's eschewing of tight structure, help the hour play more like a friendly chat than just another interview. The Edge comes off as a humble bloke-next-door type, while Bono mostly reins in his usual rock-star persona, save for the gaudy glasses. The revered singer does, however, offer typically indirect and meandering answers that often are as open to interpretation as his lyrics.

The most enjoyable part of the show is when Stewart plays a sort of a musical Rorschach test using album covers. Out of his briefcase come records ranging from the Clash and Television to the Beatles and Frank Sinatra. Bono and the Edge eagerly discuss the effects each had on them and their band.

After debuting with one of rock's biggest acts, it will be interesting to see how "Off the Record" plays in future installments. It certainly will be worth a look.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

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