BONO PUTS SWEET VOCALS TO WORK ON AFRICAN DEBT.(MAIN)

Bono put his famous voice to work this week, but he wasn't just belting out U2 songs.

The Irish rocker was with African leaders in Philadelphia discussing third-world debt.

``The debt issue appealed to me because it wasn't throwing pennies at the problem,'' Bono said Friday. ``It was looking at the structure of the problem.''

Bono, long active in economic and social issues around the globe, said debt forgiveness would give struggling countries a chance to succeed. He also plans to focus his attention on trade issues and AIDS.

``I try to keep my rants to a minimum,'' Bono said. ``I don't think they want a lecture when they go to a rock show.''

The weeklong trade summit brought dozens of African finance and economic ministers, and a few heads of state, to Philadelphia.