Beat Goes On

9 Jun 2008
The great Bo Diddley passed away earlier this month and Edge recalls the influence of one of the 'very few true originals in rock'n'roll'.

Speaking to the New York Times, Edge said, "There are very few true originals in Rock and Roll, Yves Klein had a colour named after him, Bo Diddley had a beat, West African in origin, but honed to perfection by the man from McComb Mississippi.
'Bo Diddley and his beat exerted a huge influence on the development of early rock and roll and beyond, from The Stooges' 1969 to U2's Desire. He will be greatly missed, but his beat will go on.'

Listen to Desire.

More on 'The Originator'.

RECENT NEWS

22 Jun, 2026

Bono and Edge performing City of Blinding Lights at the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

17 Jun, 2026

Watch live on Thursday as Bono and Edge join artists performing at the Opening Ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center.

28 May, 2026

The band meet the players on the final day of the Street Child World Cup in Mexico City.

10
22 May, 2026

We asked four fans to tell us what happened at the secret video shoot in Mexico City.
 Subscribers Special.

8

Related Topic