'I'm not sure we deserved all of them,' said Larry. 'But Album of the Year is a special one.'

There have been a few great nights for U2 at the Grammy Awards - and last night's was undoubtedly right up there. So, Edge was asked after the show, does five out of five officially make U2 the greatest band in the world ?
'We are tonight!' he said.

"You can't ask me to be humble in a moment like this," added Bono, with a chuckle.

Maybe because the album came out such a long time ago - October 2004 - U2 were not favourites last night, even the band admitting as much in the build-up to the ceremony.

The Album of the Year is only U2's second - there was The Joshua Tree in 1987 - and Bono was gracious towards the other nominees in receiving it.

'This is our second Album of the Year but we've lost two, 'Achtung Baby' and 'All That You Can't Leave Behind,' so we know how it feels -- Kanye, you're next... he's a great artist, being on the road with us. Extraordinary. To be in the company of Paul McCartney, who discovered the country that we're all living in, is a true honour indeed. Yes, sir. Mariah, you sing like an angel, really something else.
'And what about Gwen? This is the heart of Hollywood. She's like Carole Lombard, she's this extraordinary girl.'

The memory of Grammy nights in the past when they were favourites but didn't win, made this night all the sweeter said Larry after the show.

'After the 'Pop' record, things like this actually mean something. I'm happy and humbled to have received so many Grammys.' he said. 'I'm not sure we deserved all of them, but Album of the Year is a special one.'

And although U2's Grammy haul is now at 21, putting them sixth on the list of all time winners, there are no dead certs on Grammy night.

'We've been here and lost on some of our most important albums,' recalled Bono, citing the example of 'Achtung Baby. 'But what's really great about this is that in truckstops around the world, especially the United States, people will pick this album out and discover songs they didn't know. As songwriters it really means something, you want to get these songs off, get them into the pop consciousness.'

And the band are as excited as ever about the prospects for rock and the bands that play it.
'There's something about this bass, drums and guitar format that feels fresh,' he said. 'You have this opportunity to make rage into a chorus or hurt into a verse, (and) sorrow is always so much sweeter when it rhymes..'

At which point Larry reminded him that when he's 'finished dealing with the world problems, Third World problems, maybe he should do something about the music industry, because it needs a little help.'

The celebrations were already kicking off, added the singer. 'There may be some Guinness involved.'

Willie Williams, our U2.Com on-the-road diarist, has not just been lighting the band at the Grammys, he's also been keeping his journal up to date. Here's an extract from last night: 'It sounds predictable and unlikely to say so, but the band genuinely didn't expect to win. The competition was so strong and the Atomic Bomb album has been out for over a year so it seemed unlikely that they'd get it, which made the winning all the more sweet. It was great to watch them. There was much rejoicing (though sadly U2 was overlooked yet again in the 'Best Polka' category.)'
Read the diaries in full on our Subscriber Site.

And in case you missed them, here's the awards that U2 won - and who else was in the running.

Album of the Year
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - U2
Also nominated:
The Emancipation of Mimi - Mariah Carey
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard - Paul McCartney
Love.Angel.Music.Baby - Gwen Stefani
Late Registration - Kanye West


Song of the Year
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own - U2
Also nominated:
Bless The Broken Road - Rascal Flatts
Devils & Dust - Bruce Springsteen
Ordinary People - John Legend
We Belong Together - Mariah Carey



Best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal
Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own - U2
Also nominated:
Speed of Sound - Coldplay
Best of You - Foo Fighters
Do You Want To - Franz Ferdinand
All These Things That I've Done - The Killers


Best rock song
City of Blinding Lights - U2
Also nominated:
Best Of You - Foo Fighters
Beverly Hills - Weezer
Devils & Dust - Bruce Springsteen
Speed of Sound - Coldplay


Best rock album
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - U2
Also nominated:
X&Y - Coldplay
In Your Honor - Foo Fighters
A Bigger Bang - The Rolling Stones
Prairie Wind - Neil Young