The 50-year-old has spoken out against the Irish group before calling them 'spud peelers' and “boring” in a 2008 interview, but has now hit out again.

Speaking to New York Magazine, McCulloch blasted: "Bands all say they want to be as big as U2, but weirdly no one ever says they're influenced by them. That's because there's nothing there, really."

He finished: "They've got good tunes, and you can see that it works on 14-year-olds. But I can't see mature people or kids, who are looking for something, something deep - something that you just know it's art and it's going to change your life – caring.

“For U2, it's always flag-waving and 'Yippee.'"

U2 will headline the Friday night of Glastonbury's 40th anniversary next June.

(by Scott Colothan)