'We really miss him!' Bono tears up as he remembers the late Michael Hutchence and laughs as he recalls how the INXS frontman would flirt with all of U2's girlfriends

By Amy Croffey for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 07:21 EST, 26 October 2014 | Updated: 11:54 EST, 26 October 2014

Some would have seen Bono and Michael Hutchence as rivals but the U2 front man Bono thought of the late musician as a friend.

Appearing on Channel Nine's 60 Minutes on Sunday night, the Irish singer, 54, broke down as he recalled spending time with the Australian lead.

Bono told Georgie Gardner, 43, during the sit-down chat, 'We never really saw them as rivals, they were so great'.

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Fighting back the tears: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen sat down with Geordie Gardner for Channel Nine's 60 Minutes on Sunday night where they discussed the late, great Michael Hutchence

Fighting back the tears: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen sat down with Geordie Gardner for Channel Nine's 60 Minutes on Sunday night where they discussed the late, great Michael Hutchence

Pals: The Irish singer broke down as he recalled spending time with the Australian lead

Pals: The Irish singer broke down as he recalled spending time with the Australian lead

'We were envious of some of their grooves and this beautiful baritone,' he said.

He recalled spending time with Michael in France, where U2 would would write music and relax, and could barely contain his emotions.

'We have a house in France that we share, and all the band are down there, so we spent the summers in France.

'We'd write down there and he was always around.

'Even now, all of these years later, there is a seat at the table and he isn't there, you know?' he said as he fought back the tears.

Emotional: He recalled spending time with Michael in France, where U2 would would write music and relax, and could barely contain his sadness

Emotional: He recalled spending time with Michael in France, where U2 would would write music and relax, and could barely contain his sadness

Memories: Bono, pictured here with Michael and The Edge, also recalled the INXS' front man's flirtatious ways

Memories: Bono, pictured here with Michael and The Edge, also recalled the INXS' front man's flirtatious ways

He laughed as remembered the amorous singer and actor, who had a string of high profile girlfriends, such as Kylie Minogue, Helena Christenson, Elle Macpherson and the late Paula Yates.

'This guy that would be flirting with your girlfriends the moment you turned your back. 

'He was so bold and mischievous,' Bono laughed.

Following Michael's suicide in 1997, Bono put pen to paper and wrote their hit, You Got Stuck In The Moment And You Can't Get Out Of It, about his untimely death.

Memory lives on: Following Michael's suicide in 1997 Bono put pen to paper and wrote their hit, You Got Stuck In The Moment And You Can't Get Out Of It

Memory lives on: Following Michael's suicide in 1997 Bono put pen to paper and wrote their hit, You Got Stuck In The Moment And You Can't Get Out Of It

He told Rolling Stones in 2005 that the pair had discussed suicide in the past and they both said how 'pathetic' it was.

At the time, he told the magazine of the song: 'It's a row between mates. You're kinda trying to wake them up out of an idea.

'In my case it's a row I didn't have while he was alive. I feel the biggest respect I could pay to him was not to write some stupid soppy f****** song, so I wrote a really tough, nasty little number, slapping him around the head. And I'm sorry, but that's how it came out of me.'

Bite out of Apple: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen also discussed the controversy when Songs of Innocence was automatically downloaded into iTunes users' music collections

Bite out of Apple: Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen also discussed the controversy when Songs of Innocence was automatically downloaded into iTunes users' music collections

Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen also discussed the controversy when their new album Songs of Innocence was automatically downloaded into half a billion iTunes users' music collections in September.

'They are the times we live in. There are people out there who want to vent and they find an excuse and they are going to go for it,' The Edge explained to Georgie.

Georgie reminded the foursome that the album has been accessed by more than 80 million and downloaded by around 30 million.

Friends forever: The Edge believes the whole reason they have stayed together for the last 38 years is because they 'were friends before the band and that's key'

Friends forever: The Edge believes the whole reason they have stayed together for the last 38 years is because they 'were friends before the band and that's key'

'What took us 30 years for The Joshua Tree, we did in three weeks on Songs of Innocence, which is mental,' Bono said. 

The Edge believes the whole reason they have stayed together for the last 38 years is because they 'were friends before the band and that's key'.

He did admit he could imagine the end of U2 but he said that they would still all be in each other's lives.

'We would still be friends if U2 stopped being a band,' The Edge said.

'For sure,' Bono interjected.  

Making it work: He did admit he could imagine the end of U2 but he said that they would still all be in each other's lives

Making it work: He did admit he could imagine the end of U2 but he said that they would still all be in each other's lives

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