An Open Letter to the Edge of U2

(please forward)

To: The Edge, U2

From: Philip Sudo

Re: Zen Guitar

Dear Edge--

Caught your show in Charlotte. I totally related to the theme of the "Elevation" tour, the idea of playing from a big heart. I wanted to humbly introduce myself as both a fan and the author of a book you may find interesting, called Zen Guitar. What prompted me to write was Bono's introduction of you during the show as a "Zen Protestant." I knew what he meant, but I wonder how many others in the audience did.

I've always heard in your playing and recognized in your interviews an innate and perhaps overt understanding of zen principles. Given that, I respectfully offer my book as a small gift to you, in both appreciation of what your music has given to me, and as a fellower traveller of the zen path. Though there is nothing in the book you do not already know, I give it in the hope that you, with so much influence over the hearts of young people, might find it worthy of recommending to those people who look up to you--in effect, awakening more of your audience to zen, the zen inherent in your approach to music, and what the zen way might hold for them.

I'd love to jam sometime, too.

Here's to the music.

with open ears,

PTS 23 aug 01

Open letter to Bono

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