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Dublin music legend Bono has revealed that the reason U2 have stayed together so long is because they split their money equally.

The U2 frontman also said that future musicians can learn from his fellow band member Alan Clayton's money woes.

Writing in his 11 ‘commandments’ of rock and roll, Bono explained how money can cause issues when bands make it big.

Talking about Clayton's legal and money problems, Bono said that being “smart with your art… doesn’t mean you have to be dumb with your money."

In 2014, Clayton’s former PA Carol Hawkins was convicted of stealing over €2.8 million from the star's bank accounts between 2004 and 2008.

(Image: Getty)

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Bono advised: “Do the math or make sure you have somebody numerate to do it for you.

“Pay attention to business, it’s really a drag when it goes wrong.

"Adam Clayton, normally so fastidious about his friends, his art, his style, can fill you in on what can happen when you’re too preoccupied with beauty… ugly stuff.

“Just because you’re smart with your art or your activism doesn’t mean you have to be dumb with your money.”

The 56-year-old Dubliner added that splitting U2’s profits equally among himself, Clayton, guitarist The Edge and drummer Larry Mullen Jnr is one of the main reasons why the band never split up because it meant they couldn’t fight over money.

(Image: Collins Photos)

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“There are a couple of reasons to get money right, but let’s start with the fact that it's the number one reason bands break up. Not musical differences, it’s money differences,” he wrote.

“If you’re the only one in the band who writes, remember the thing that will make your song famous is the band’s playing of it.

“In U2 we decided to split things equally. I think it’s at the top of the list of reasons we’ve lasted so long.”

Writing in the 30th anniversary edition of music magazine Q, Bono also revealed the band also came up with rules over the years when it comes to their music.

While some rules have changed over the years, Bono said that one has remained the same - strictly no golf.

“Limitation leads to innovation and a rulebook is useful even if you eventually tear it up,” he said.

“U2 had musical notes we wouldn’t use and lyrics we decided were against the law like baby and crazy.

“It took 20 years but we eventually loosened up on both and used the included ‘baby’ in the title of our seventh album [Achtung Baby] and it had appeared 23 times in the music.

He continued: “In truth, we needed more rules. Thou shalt not wear a mullet for a start, a rockstar should never look like his hair is ironed.

“Thou shalt not play golf is another. When we started as a band we committed to the principles of a golf-free band.

“Many mistakes were allowed for some of us who did terrible things that deserved firing but nobody ever played golf. Except, we think, The Edge.”

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