"U2 are quite unique as artists--have been for their whole career. It's hard to think of another band with that combination of longevity, variety, popularity, and social and musical impact."
Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?
Hi, guys! My name is Mario. I'm originally from Mexico City but have lived in the US for the last 28 years. I moved here to attend USC film school and have worked as a screenwriter, producer, and video editor, most recently spending 15 years at NBCUniversal. My partner and I were hit with a little wanderlust, so we just moved from Los Angeles, CA, to Denver, CO, and I'm in the middle of applying for a bunch of new jobs, so wish me luck!
How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?
It was probably 1983, I was maybe 7 years old, and I was at my aunt's house in Mexico when one of my cousins showed up wearing a U2 War tee. Now, I was the youngest of all of us, but my (older) sister said something like, "cool shirt," and when I looked at it, it immediately caught my attention--the combo of Peter Rowan's haunting image, the red lettering on the sleeves, and even the name "U2," it was striking and mysterious. I'm not sure it even registered that U2 was a band! But, you know, when you're young, you learn what's cool from the older kids, so... I probably heard "NYD" or "SBS" at some point, but might've not tied them back to the band. My next clear memory was the following year catching a Greenpeace video on TV. The activists were in their zodiacs ramming the whaling ships and the whole thing was set to "Pride." Again, very impactful (and made me a lifelong Greenpeace and, later, Amnesty International member). The combo of Bono's passion and the music just really etched into my mind. When I found out it was U2, I thought, "Oh, that band from the T-shirt," hahaha! By the time The Joshua Tree hit, I was primed for them, and Rattle and Hum cemented me as a lifelong fan.
You have seen U2 a few times on the 360 tour, tell us about your experiences and memories.
Yeah, I've been very lucky to have seen all tours from Zoo TV onward--sometimes multiple times and mostly GA--except for U2:UV
Even though it wasn't my absolute favorite tour, I did end up catching four 360 shows, really out of serendipity! They played the Rose Bowl, which was down the street from my then-house. That was the show that, of course, ended up on video later. I saw them in North Carolina, where my ex-wife is from, and we caught them in Chicago around 4th of July 'cause I love that cityI I thought my ex-wife had never been and I wanted to take her there and thought catching the show would be the icing on the cake. Halfway through the vacation I asked her, "How are you liking Chicago?," and she gave me this look and said, "You know I've been here before, right?" Doh! Well, we still had a great time. And when they rolled back around to Anaheim, CA, I took a good friend who'd never seen them before. The Claw was never less than mind-blowing, and the band were all in fine form, but I think I prefer arena shows. Small enough to feel intimate at times, but big enough to get loud and feel the crowd's energy. I actually like NLOTH quite a bit and was disappointed they dropped a lot of its songs as the tour went on. I would still love to hear "Breathe" again--and would kill for a live version of "Fez-Being Born"!In your opinion, what has been U2's defining moment and why?
Wow, that's a tough question! I recently saw the "Kiss the Future" documentary about the war in Sarajevo and subsequent Popmart show there. That certainly ranks up there for them. But, if I'm just thinking of them as artists, I'd have to say the transformation from JT/Rattle and Hum era U2 to Achtung Baby/Zoo TV/Zooropa U2 was mind-blowing. If you were around for that, to suddenly go from Stetson-wearing Bono to The Fly a few years later left us all gobsmacked. I remember playing Achtung Baby for the first time and being like, WTF?! Few other artists have re-invented themselves so aggressively and come out the other end even BIGGER than before! And the Zoo TV show, boy, that was something else! It was such an amazing time to be a fan of theirs and go on this wild sonic ride with them, when you were constantly being surprised by whatever else they had up their sleeves. (When "Numb" came out and a friend told me it was the new U2 single, I thought he was pranking me!) My first U2 concert was one of the Mexico City Zoo TV shows, and I remember it as a nearly-religious experience! The crowd was WILD (we're rowdy down there) and sang along to every single tune. And it was just so exciting to see your favorite band in the flesh for the first time, like some fantasy suddenly made real! Tip of the hat to my best friend's dad, who got us all pretty decent floor seats and took us to the show.
What does your U2 collection look like? What kind of stuff do you have and how is it organized?
As much as I love the band, I never got much into collecting their memorabilia. I have some of the nicer coffee table books--"U2 Show," "U2 by U2," "From the Ground Up"--and I've had a bunch of tees over the years, but I gave those away during my last move. I was really into bootlegs during the early 2000s, when Napster made it easy (and cheap) to share them (as opposed to those $40 double-CD boots of yore), but it's been a while since I downloaded a show. I think the last one was probably one of the Dublin E&I Tour stops. Even though it's been ages since I've had a CD player, and have gotten rid of all my other CDs, I still have my U2 ones, including a ton of singles. Call me sentimental...
Can you tell us one song (U2 or not) that you wish you had written?
Gosh, I love music, but I'm not "musical" per se, so I don't think I ever approach songs with that in mind. (There are, however, a few films I wish I'd made myself!) I guess if you press me on it, probably "Where the Streets Have No Name." It's such a majestic tune, the way it slowly builds and then takes off. The expanse of it. I think if you said, "Listen to this ditty my band just recorded," and started playing that to just about anyone, I can't imagine them not being blown away!
Does anyone in your family or one of your friends like U2? If so, did they introduce you to U2, or did you "convert" them?
Yeah, my sister likes them and has been with me to a few shows, although by no means is she a super fan. My nephew (her son) I think got into them because of me (or us), and I took him to the JT 2017 show at the Rose Bowl, and he was floored! Probably most of my friends like them well enough--again, several have been with me to different shows--and so does my partner, but none to the degree that I do. But I'm always happy to spread the Gospel...
What are your hopes and expectations of U2's next album?
I personally thought both SOI and SOE were terrific! Some songs on them--"California," "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now," "Iris," "Red Flag Day," "The Little Things"--I'd rank up there with the band's best. I did feel the first half of both records were weighed towards what the band thought would be their more "radio-friendly" hits, and I preferred the second, slightly looser, more experimental halves. I hope (and I know I'm not alone in this) that they stop worrying about getting on the radio/streaming/whatever, stop overcooking/overthinking things, and do something fun and raw. Lord knows they have enough money and have cemented their place in history to be able to do whatever they want, regardless of how esoteric it comes out. Everyone in the band is playing amazingly well. I think in particular Larry and Adam have really shined in recent years. If Edge gets a little more playful and experimental, and if the album "trilogy" pattern continues, this next Songs of... could truly be special.
How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?
U2 are quite unique as artists--have been for their whole career. It's hard to think of another band with that combination of longevity, variety, popularity, and social and musical impact. It's telling that there are many bands over the decades that've tried to be the "next U2," and none have succeeded. That said, I'm an 80s-90s kid, so I like a lot of their contemporaries, like The Police, Depeche Mode, and Pearl Jam; also classic rock bands, like Rush and Pink Floyd; and newer artists like Wolf Alice, Shakey Graves, and Jade Bird (who're all very much worth checking out).
What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?
I enjoy classical music--Tchaikovsky and John Adams are favorites--and, being a film geek, love soundtracks. I've had the "Oppenheimer" score on repeat, and also one for a small indie movie with Anne Hathaway called "Eileen." The composer, Richard Reed Parry, is in Arcade Fire, and it's this fantastic, moody, jazzy kind of thing. As far as hobbies, I'm an avid snow skier, rock climber, hiker, backpacker, and tennis player. I also like to build scale models, draw and paint, and recently launched a clothing line under the moniker "Emigrant Design" (you can find it on IG). If any U2 fans are in the Denver area, send me a PM--I'd love to hang out with a Guinness and share stories about the band!
