U2 wanted Letterman to “take the piss out of them” for new doc, says Bono

This week, Bono, The Edge and David Letterman took part in a Q&A at the premiere of A Sort of Homecoming in Los Angeles.

The trio are the stars of the new documentary which streams on Disney Plus on Friday, March 17. In the film, the bandmates and Letterman take a trip to Dublin to trace the roots of the band's song-writing. It also features a concert performance "unlike any they've done before". After the screening in the Orpheum Theatre, Bono explained that they needed the former late-night host to add something new to the documentary.

“[Letterman] brought the comedy to the tragedy and there’s a reason why Shakespeare loved that form. Our music is just better with him around. The music is better itself just by him being in the room, taking the piss out of us.” We’ve known Dave for many years, and he was foolish enough once to invite us to play for an entire week on The Late Show. And I don’t know if we outstayed our welcome, but it was very brave of him. Also, if your two good-looking members have gone AWOL, you bring in some really great storytellers. So here we have two great storytellers."

Letterman is a long-time fan of U2 and throughout the documentary he interviews Bono and The Edge as they travel to iconic Dublin landmarks which have influenced the band throughout its existence. The documentary is intended as a companion piece to U2's upcoming album releasing on the same day. Titled Songs of Surrender, the collection features re-recording of 40 songs in more stripped-down format, mostly with Bono and the Edge, but with Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. joining in on “very gentle bass” and a standup drum kit, respectively, on some tracks. The documentary will show Bono and The Edge having a sing-song at McDaid's pub off Grafton Street, alongside Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová, Imelda May, Loah, Saint Sister, Grian Chatten of Fontaines DC and Dermot Kennedy. Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr don't feature in the film due to other projects and injury respectively Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming with David Letterman releases on Disney+ on March 17. Header image via newyorkpost.com This story originally appeared on joe.ie  READ NEXT: A history of the Shamrock Shake, the mint-flavoured tribute to St Patrick