U2 Receives iHeart Music Awards 2016 Innovators Award

Bono and The Edge expressed some old school values in accepting the Innovator Award at last night's iHeart Radio Music Awards. Instead of trumpeting the worthy musical exploration the band has done, the two spoke about some things that really haven't changed during their long career. This is what Bono had to say, “I guess a band using bass, guitar and drums all those years after rock n’ roll was invented doesn’t sound so innovative. But it turns out rock n’ roll has more to do with spirit than flesh. Isn’t that right, The Edge?” And here's The Edge,“I think the thing that might be the most innovative of all about our band is that we are a real band. We are still in our high school band.” After pointing out the innovative producers they've worked with, Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno and Brian Burton AKA Danger Mouse, and giving props to last year's Innovator Award winner, Pharrell Williams, who presented them with their trophy, Bono concluded by talking about freedom of expression and including a not-too-subtle dig at one of our presidential candidates,“Strange to say that there are places around the world where making music is a crime, where you can go to jail for expressing an opinion, where you can get a punch in the face for disagreeing with some politician somewhere. That could never happen here, could it?”