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  1. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)
    Since bout 2001 liked em, hardcore fan since 2004. Obsessive, normal, extreme? All.

    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!
    More respect for Adam. Still not my favorite (tie btw Edge and Bono) but I understand his appeal. Cool dude.

    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?
    Maybe less. Dunno why. Prolly won't be the case in 09.

    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why?
    None really, picked up just about all of em in 2007. Listened a lot to the pro recording of the Paris gig 87.

    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new?
    Joshua Tree 20th anniv Ed, hopefully I'll have Red Rocks deluxe set for Xmas.

    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year.
    Crumbs from Your Table.

    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year.
    ATYCLB

    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year?
    Visited everyday. Top notch site as always. No complaints.

    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score.
    Nothing too special...with the hope that next year will blow me away.

    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?
    New album will be colossal. Looks like it will channel Achtung Baby. If that's any indication, should be the best record since ATYCLB.

  2. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)
    I've been a fan for a few years, but my love really exploded when I started using U2Start. Before, i was only listening to the Albums, which can't even compare to a live performance about 95% of the time. I'd call myself an obsessive fan, because I hardly ever even think of listening to another artist, and I can relate almost anything to U2. I'm not even sure if I know how to play a different artist on guitar lol...
    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!
    Yes! Originally, my favorite tour was Vertigo (I only owned a few DVDs, but only saw the beauty of that DVD for that period of time) (that "period of time" being my pre-U2Start years). Since then, my preferances have changed almost weekly, a lot of times daily.
    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?
    Definitely!!! Before U2Start, I'd mainly listen to other artists, but with the discovery of the bootlegs, I very seldom listen to anyone else, because I now see the magic, the amazement, the hope from a live gig. I now know the fundamental difference between a Concert, and a Rock and Roll show.
    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why?
    Lets see...... only about 562 more!!! The only boot that I can always be in the mood to listen to is 2001-10-25 New York, New York - Madison Square Garden. Other than that, my preferences in eras and things of that matter often change.
    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new?
    In 2008, I became the proud owner of the POPMart Mexico DVD. In 2007, I got ZOO TV Sydney, Elevation Slane Castle, and Vertigo Chicago. However, at Christmas, I will get Under a Blood Red Sky, and Elevation Boston.
    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year.
    My favorite song changes daily, if not weekly lol. It is impossible for me to ever keep my profile up-to-date lol.
    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year.
    I think it must have been POP, if not that, then How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. Other than those two, I really only listen to the live performances. This is also true for the two albums that I just mentioned.
    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did you think we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year?
    Well, I met my gang lol, and MANY other very cool people on U2Start this year, and I thank them for being a part of it!!!!! I visit often daily. Yes, U2Start was very active, nobody could ever ask for anything more form an unofficial fan site!!!!!
    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score.
    Nothing really (U2 related). Except the announcement of "No Line On The Horizon"!!!!!!!!! I'd say only 9, because there were no releases or anything of the like.
    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?
    Personally, I expect myself to pass the ninth grade with nothing below a 90 in all of my Honors Classes. So, no pressure or anything lol . U2-related, I expect a chart topping album, that is the boys' best yet. I expect the highest amount of awards possible for the album. Finally, I expect a huge, amazing, mind-blowing, best-that-we've-ever-seen tour. My standards and expectations for this year are extremely high. And to all of the younger members of U2Start (my age, etc.) I urge you to never settle for anything less than perfect.


    Thanks!
  3. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)
    Been a fan since late 2006, when my mom bought me the Joshua Tree ( How I love her... ) I would suppose I'm an obsessive fan, pretty much everyone on this site is lol

    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!
    Well, during the first half, I was really into War, then in about the middle of the year, I listened to Zooropa. A lot.

    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?
    Way more, since I discovered this site and the joys of bootlegs

    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why?
    Yes, because I joined this site this year, and I owned no bootlegs up till then
    Hmm, the most listened too?? Probably Zoo TV Dublin, I don't care how overrated people say it may be, I love it. That's that Also the Elevation Boston gig, I listened to that a lot too

    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new?
    I have no posters or clothing, I have no idea where to find them, and trust me, I've looked Although, I discovered that my uncle is a HUGE U2 fan, from the very beginning And when he found out I loved them, he gave me vinyls of: Boy, October, TUF,UABRS, WAIA, and the Joshua Tree

    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year.
    Hmm, probably Babyface and Lemon

    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year.
    Like I said, War and Zooropa

    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year?
    Dude, this site is amazing, that's all I can say

    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score.
    Well, the first 11 months kind of sucked, I give that a 6/10, December has been very good to us fans, so it gets a 9/10

    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?
    Personally, I expect to see my brother graduate, and figure out how to deal with him being at college. I also hope that when I go into high school, I can make friends U2 wise, I expect to beg my parents to let me go buy the album before school, and carry it around and spazz out, but it won't happen. Also, I hope to see them in concert, and maybe even meet one of you guys (I don't mean that in a creepy stalker way lol)
  4. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)

    Since October of 2000 when I heard Beautiful Day on the radio. I'm probably on the borderline between extreme and obssessive.

    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!

    I woke up to Lovetown's greatness this year and revisited my love for Pop. The Fly is probably the song that grew on me the most this year; it was always a decent song, but i never really got into it like I did this year.

    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?

    Much, much more, mostly thanks to this website. Very refreshing to be able to compare what you hear from a U2 song with what others hear. Definitely enhanced my listening experience and made me all the more in tune with the compnents of each song.

    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why?

    Definitely; I think I had about 20 or so at this time last year, and now I've got around 300 or so. I've listened to the Vertigo Tour shows the most this year, I guess to get psyched up for the new album, and reminding myself how amazing they're going to sound on tour again.

    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new?

    Got a bunch of new singles this year at various used record stores, and my book collection has expanded. This time last year I only had the albums, the DVDS, and one book; this year I added the singles, the remasters, and five more books.

    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year.

    From all the playlists that I made, Vertigo is probably on all or most of them. Kite from Vertigo Melbourne got a lot of listens as well.

    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year.

    Probably the Bomb, to remind myself where the band were at at the last stage in their career thus far, and to see how its going to compare with this upcoming stage.

    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year?

    Next to my email, this is probably the site I visited the most this year. What else is there to say? Best site for the best fans of the best band in the world. I am excited about how U2start is going to handle the upcoming album and tour; I can't wait to see what's in store, and I know it'll just make me an even more extreme/obssessive fan.

    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score.

    My U2008 was defined by learning to differentiate the components of each song. After listening to so many bootlegs and reading all the reviews from the BRT, it's a lot easier for me now to pick out exactly why i like a version of a song, and to be a lot pickier when making playlists. i have no musical ability whatsoever, so this was pretty cool for me. probably a 9/10; could only be a ten if we got the new album in November.

    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?

    I really hope it's a great album. I'm not expecting the huge R&H-AB transition, but I am expecting a different direction and their usual great work. The only hope I have is to get to see them on tour several times--once was not enough last tour!

    Happy holidays U2starters! It's a pleasure to be on this great site!
  5. Some top-notch responses so far. Nice stuff
  6. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)
    I'm one that's hooked by the biggest band in the world. How you interpret that is up to you.


    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!
    For some reason, Peace on Earth is now one of my favourite songs. No idea why, it just has.


    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?
    About the same time. I found some great new bands and artists, but U2 is still up there.


    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why?
    I got a few new ones, like the remastered bootlegs, the Bobfather ones plus some lossless upgrades. The one I've listened to - our Bootleg of the Month, December 27, 1989. In my Fan of the Month section, I pointed that out as my favourite.


    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new?
    Yep. I got a few singles like The Fly, Best Of 1990-2000 / 1980-1990, the remasters, the How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb DVD box-set, a few new tour shirts etc.


    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year.
    Peace On Earth. It's such a beautiful song, yet so angry.


    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year.
    Original Soundtracks 1.


    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year?
    Bloody fantastic. I was made Fan of the Month for December 2008, had great fun with the Bootleg Round Table and the new site additions like Photos, Videos etc has been nothing short of brilliant. Of course, I discovered avatars, which I changed mine almost every week. Plus we came up with the Actual Status thing in your profile, which I see many have adopted.


    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score.
    My U2008? Special things that happened - I found the U2hub, I saw U2:3D for my 20th birthday, I got a few new singles like The Fly, Please, Staring At The Sun etc. Easily a 8/10, even with the lack of new U2 stuff like albums etc.


    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?
    Some great new things and for U2 to show they're still relevant after two very straight-up rock albums. No Line On The Horizon, we'll see if it lives up to the expectations. Plus Bono to wear massive amounts of eyeliner and come out in the bowler hat.

    On a personal level, I hope to keep my job, seeing my niece grow up another year and keep discovering music, and being here as one of the first members.

  7. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)

    Since 2003-ish - very obsessive at the moment and for last several years

    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!

    Nope

    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?

    Less

    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why?

    Last show of Vertigo tour

    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new?

    nothing new own all the albums and 12" singles on vinyl and all official dvds

    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year.

    Bad is always most listened, and Streets

    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year.

    Likely Joshua Tree this year cause of the re-release

    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year?

    nope, love the site as is

    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score.

    low score cause the band was in hiding, U23D being the high lite, saw it 4 times

    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?

    lots of traveling and spending way to much money buying tickets from scalpers
  8. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)
    Since around 1987 I guess. My earliest memories of U2 were probably Pride and the JT hits. It's fair to say I'm fanatical. I don't listen to much else.

    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!
    I've grown to really love the War Tour (thanks to the release of Under A Blood Red Sky DVD earlier this year and Live in Devore 1983 pro-shot). I've also really gotten into the Boy Remaster and bonus disc (really like Cartoon World)

    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year? More. A lot more, thanks to this site.

    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why? A lot more! Brussels 1987, Leeds 1997, Portland 2001, New York 19/6/2001, Milan 1992, Honolulu and all Saitamas (2006) are among the most listened.

    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new? I have all official DVDs (including JT deluxe), most treasured possession is U2 iPod (30 gig video).

    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year. That's a hard one. Probably Wild Horses (again). Mercy was also played quite a bit.

    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year. Boy Remastered (new) over last year's Achtung Baby.

    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year? I've been pretty active this year I guess. It's hard to keep away. It's been fantastic sharing the excitement of a forthcoming album with fans from around the world. This place rocks so there's not to many things you need to do to improve. I'd probably suggest a very stringent system in place next year on the forums or else this site is going to be extremely chaotic! I would also like to have a link to all reviews people have posted on their profile page.

    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score. I think U23D and stumbling on this site had to be my highlights. I saw U23D twice and it blew me away and since I joined early this year I've listened to plenty of gigs. Add to that a late-year buzz around the new album, I've gotta give it 9/10.

    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related? I expect U2 to again show why they are the best band in the world despite the younger rockers coming through the ranks. They will also show everyone why they are arguably the best live band the world's ever seen. And me personally? I'm going to enjoy it!
  9. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)

    I've been a fan since the Joshua Tree - on a school skiing trip, a friend had it on tape (remember those?) and I near wore his copy out in a week. From then on, near obsessive, although not the type who will fight a 'non-believer' - I see their faults, but know that the good far, FAR outweighs the bad.

    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!

    My only real change in attitude to U2 came with the seemingly ceaseless and mostly unnecessary reissuing. I don't know if it's a band or record company thing, but it's getting harder to defend - look at the FIVE listings on Amazon for No Line...

    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?

    About the same, which is plenty, believe me.

    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why?

    Of course I do! The one I listen to most is probably PopMart in Sarajevo, and I expect for the same reasons as almost everyone else - the emotion, the crowd, Bono's failing voice. Wonderful stuff.

    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new?

    I picked up the 1991 - 2000 videos DVD, but that's it for this year.

    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year.

    Either the Passengers version of One or Lemon from Sydney.

    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year.

    Probably Pop, which is getting better by the year. In another decade, I sincerely believe that it'll be regarded as one of U2's true masterpieces

    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year?

    I seem to be on here more often than I ever was, so I guess it's all working pretty well as far as I'm concerned

    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score.

    Purely on a U2 basis, I was disappointed by the no show of the new album, so I'll score it 3 for the let down...

    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?

    Personally, I hope to keep on doing well at Uni and making sure I'm not an arsehole so my girlfriend doesn't take the kids and leave me As for U2... I'm hoping for any kind of tour I can get to and a fantastic album to hear played live. As are we all, no doubt



  10. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)

    Been a fan since 01 but it wasn't Leave Behind that got me into them. It was the 1st 3 songs of the Joshua Tree played on loop. Nice. I was obsessive but thats edged off though i'm still a massive fan, albeit a bored one.


    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!

    Yep. My U2 interest hit a brick wall. The last 8 years in U2's career have been very dull in my opinion. 2 albums that were all about commercial success, they found their comfort zone and found that it earned them lots of money so they just stayed there. This new album and tour is make or break for me in regards to U2. Also, the recent Kings Of Leon gig I saw puts loads of pressure on U2 for when I see them next tour.

    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?

    At the start of the year it was more or less 95% U2 I was listening to when it came to music. That has since tailed off and been replaced with Kings Of Leon.

    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why?

    A few more bootlegs but nothing substantial. Brussels 87 is my ultimate piece of U2, whether it be an album, DVD or bootleg. It just perfectly captured the boys in their utmost prime. No 1st Leg nerves or 3rd Leg ego, small venue, loud crowd and just sheer power. I can't see anything replacing it for me. That one gig has kept my U2 flame alive on quite a few occasions now.

    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new?

    I bought shitloads of vinyl, CD singles and promos. My shelf now looks great so no more purchases (unless it's newly reeased stuff)

    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year.

    Ultraviolet and Stay (album versions). Last year it was Streets and One. I'd still stay Streets is my favorite but Stay will soon topple it I reckon.

    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year.

    Last year would have been Joshua Tree and Achtung (surprise surprise) but this years remaster of Boy has received a lot of listens. Nice to get back to that fresh tense music rather than the over-produced drivel of this decade. Pop and Zooropa round out my top 3 most listened to.


    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year?

    As Site Manager, it's hard not to visit every other hour. I have a great mobile which allows me to keep an eye on things whilst out and about too which is great. My iPod videos projects and helping out with the lossless also had me on here a lot.

    However, my dips in interest in the band and the waiting around for new stuff has turned me into a miserable bastard as has no doubt been noticed. I have also tended not to participate too much in forum conversations (mainly because i'm bored with the band), but also because of the constant stream of useless topics and off-topicness that goes on. This place is just like a general chat room at times and it is annoying as hell. We already are one of the best U2 sites out there but I do hope in the New Year that we can sort of revamp the forum to turn it into a proper U2 fans forum rather than just a rather large MSN type thing.

    My miserable period and dryness should slowly filter out as my interest levels pick up again

    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score

    The year I lost almost lost all my faith in the band. A combination of 2 shit albums in a row, no flare, Bono annoyance, general U2 quietness and seeing other bands make ground on U2 have properly stunted my love for the boys.

    My U2 year has been a 4/10


    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?

    It's not so much what I expect, more of what I hope. U2 haven't delivered for me this decade so I think i'd be naive to 'expect' anything great. I hope to hell that they do something to really capture me again because i've heard all of the songs, all of the b-sides, all the collaborations, all of the bootlegs, i've watched all of the DVD's and I still lost my faith. I want to fall in love all over again, I want to feel like this is the first U2 album i've ever heard, I want to see them in concert and not cringe or feel embarrassment when Bono does his Africa thing and I want rid of that eye liner.

    2009 doesn't need to be critically acclaimed, It doesn't need to rake in billions, doesn't have to be the biggest or the best, doesn't have to be another Achtung or ZooTV. In truth I don't know what it will be, or even what I want it to be, but it needs to be something. 2009 will decide my U2 fate.

    And thats that
  11. 1. How long have you been a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)

    I've been a fan since c. 2000 when I first listened to The Unforgettable Fire at my cousin's many moons ago, although my interest only really took off when I stole his copy of The Best Of, 1990-2000 in 2002 or so? I'd say I'm an extreme fan, but I wouldn't claim to be obsessed. There's no denying their status as my favourite band by a massive margin and they probably always will be, but I've got what I'd consider to be a pretty wide taste in music and the stuff I listen to, but the key is I've found my niche with U2 and they're pretty much my default - when in doubt, I stick on a bootleg or an album (I've got most of the CDs in my car at the moment, the only non-U2 one being X&Y by Coldplay lol!).

    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!

    I think if anything, I finally grew to love Pop, and it's now up there as one of my favourite albums. It's taken a long time, it must be said, but after listening to it a few times one night in...whenever it was, must have been the summer I think, coupled with watching the PopMart DVD and listening to PopMart/Elevation shows which showcased much of the material, we clicked.

    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?

    Erm...considering I primarily listen to U2 anyway, it's hard to be completely sure, but judging by the sudden influx of bootlegs on my hard-drive, I think I'll go with more!

    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why?

    Oh yes. Much more. I don't know about the single bootleg I could say I listen to more than anything, because I've gone through phases since my systematic attempts to flesh out my collection, e.g. at the moment, I'm really big on Elevation and Lovetown, whereas in the summer I was more into ZooTV and Vertigo for the most part. When I first discovered U2start back in August 2007, I just got hold of a few well-known gigs, e.g. the Sao Paulo & Twickenham broadcasts, the Mexico City '97 and Sydney '93 DVD shows, and basically stuck to 5-star rated boots. However, once I got a bit more involved on the site this year and drained the resources of most 5-star boots, I decided that I'd have to make the bold step and go for boots with lower ratings aswell as delving into the past (I'd basically stuck with Vertigo shows for the most part bar the odd exceptions), and I'm so glad I did! Which reminds me, I need to update my top 10 bootlegs on my profile...for the moment though, I'll go out on a limb and say that I've probably listened to Paris 1992-05-07 more than any other this year, because I think it's a fantastic show (for me, arguably Edge's finest two hours) with superb atmosphere and includes some pinnacle song performances, e.g. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, With Or Without You, Bullet The Blue Sky to name but a few.

    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new?

    I got my first U2 poster in September (a large JT one) which adorns one of the walls in my flat at university, and I also completed my collection of the official DVDs by getting hold of UABRS (as, I daresay, most of us did when it came out recently!) and, as everyone should remember (assuming you were part of the forum at that point), Slane, thus ending my shameful case of lackofSlaneitis...

    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year.

    Tough call - I'd probably have to plump for Until The End Of The World, though (although I think honorary mentions should go to Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, The Electric Co., Ultra-Violet, All I Want Is You and Bad). To be honest, I'm even less certain about last year, but I think I'd probably say Where The Streets Have No Name was my song of 2007.

    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year.

    Erm, probably Achtung Baby, and it was probably the same last year (although it's usually a flip-up between that and The Joshua Tree).

    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year?

    Before I started university, I was on the site everyday without fail. Nowadays, not so much (although this last week, not to mention the next 2-3 weeks, I'm on everyday again because I'm on my Xmas break), although I try to whenever possible. As a site, I think the place has definitely come on leaps and bounds with the additions (and many thanks to Remy and the rest of the crew for it, great job guys!), but I do have a certain sense of nostalgia about when I first joined - compared to then, the forums do seem to have got a bit more frosty, and I must admit to missing those early days at times. One of my fondest memories of the site was when I first started taking an active role on the forums and got lost in one of the biggest and most hectic conversations the old General Chat thread ever saw (with Gerard, Jeremy, Dan, Nikki, Nate, Drew and - I think - Johnny, aka. Casanova at one point) - possibly only 2nd to one that I hear about from some of the site's true oldtimers that took place before I joined. Nowadays, I get the feeling that the sheer exuberance and joy everyone used to have simply by being around fellow U2 lovers has faded off a bit, and been replaced by something I can't quite put my finger on, but it feels a bit colder around the place. Maybe I'm just turning into a sentimental old fart, I dunno...

    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score.

    I'd say 6/10 - the no-show of the new album put a big downer on things (although, in a way, it did lead to me uncovering a lot of new music in the wake of its absence, so on a purely musical level, 2008 has been a pretty good year for me!) but spending much of the year exploring the world of the site's extensive bootleg collection did do a lot to make up for it.

    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?

    What do I expect with regarded to the world of U2? I expect them finally release that bloody album on the 2nd March, all being well and good! With any luck, I'll finally also get a chance to see them play live, probably at one of the UK venues although it must be said, I would genuinely fly to the US or Poland if it meant I could see them in concert. I'm not jumping on the bandwagon that expects this to be a pinnacle of their achievement, because I don't think any band will ever reach the heights that U2 hit between 1987-1993, but if they come anywhere close they'll have made a pretty good fist of things. I hate to be a cynic, but I don't necessarily buy the hyperbole coming from the studio and those in U2's inner circle who claim it's their best work yet etc., since it's not like they're gonna come out with "it's a heap of crap but we're sick of the bloody studio and even we recognise that 5 years is a long time without any new material save for a random single and that collaboration with Green Day..."!?. Wasn't it in U2 by U2 that Bono or one of the others said they felt HTDAAB was their best album yet? Sorry chaps, but you clearly need to smell the coffee! However, that said, there must be something worthwhile bubbling away to generate such vibes, so while I've got no expectations per se, I'm damned excited. To put it bluntly, "I'm ready for what's next".

    On a personal level, I'll hopefully have a good 2nd semester at university to set me in good stead for my 2nd year (2009/10), finally get my hands on an Epiphone Explorer (a Gibson would be sensational but not affordable on a student budget, even with my fairly frugal treatment of taxpayers' mon- I MEAN student loans!) and to quite simply make the most of whatever life throws my way. To not do so would be chirlish in my humble opinion.

    Merry Christmas, have a great New Year and, as ever, thanks to Remy for creating this site! We'd be lost without it!
  12. 1. How long are you a fan of U2? What kind of fan are you? (normal one, extreme one, obsessive one etc.)

    I've been a fan of U2 since about 1995. I remember listening to them before that, but not as a "die-hard" fan. The anticipation of Pop coming out was insane, because we had heard all these rumors that U2 was going in a new direction again. I would characterize myself as a huge fan. Definitely not obsessive, and like Gerard, somewhat bored. I've stayed away from the beach clips because I want to be truly surprised, but I feel like we've been rehashing the same discussions over and over and over for the past few months, and I'm really just ready for some new music.

    2. Did something change in your preferences to U2 this year? Maybe another favorite band member or another favorite song, tour or album? Tell us!

    I've generally always liked U2's entire catalog, but I definitely got a lot more into the Lovetown tour this year. Generally, I skip over Rattle & Hum because I got burned out watching the DVD over and over and over....but it's the songs that aren't in the movie that are performed on tour that I really like: God Part II, Love Rescue Me, Hawkmoon 269, and better versions of Angel of Harlem and All Along The Watchtower.

    3. Did you spend more or less time listening to U2 than last year?

    Definitely more. Because of my extended time in the hospital, I found a lot of comfort in U2's music. See below:



    4. Do you own more bootlegs than last year? Can you point out the one you've listened the most this year, and why? I think I own a few more. Originally I only downloaded broadcast rips, but I've expanded my horizons now. I think I've probably listened to 12-27-89 @ the Point Depot more than any other bootleg. It's my favorite bootleg we have here.

    5. Do you have any new U2 stuff like posters, vinyl albums or DVD's? If so, what's new? At the beginning of the year, I started collecting original U2 tour posters in other languages. I've got Vertigo Japan, Popmart France, ZooTV Great Britain, and Unforgettable Fire Australia....but my favorite is Joshua Tree Germany. (Eat your heart out, U2retrobuff! I'm not selling it to you!)

    7. Which U2 song did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite song this year. Walk On. See above video.

    8. Which U2 album did you listen the most this year? Is it still the same as last year? If you don't know, guess it or fill in your favorite album this year. Probably Pop, surprisingly....I love how different it is than all the others.

    9. Regarding U2start, what was your U2008 year like? Did you visit us a lot? Did we were active enough this year? Any recommendations for next year? Yes, I was here a lot. Like Dan, being made crewmember was something I was particularly honored by. It was something I wasn't expecting, but it's been a pleasure to help out in whatever way I can.

    10. Can you shortly describe your U2008? Anything related to U2 this year, any special things happened? Please finish with a score from 1 to 10 to rate your U2008, where 10 is the highest score. See the video, I guess. As far as U2 is concerned....I would say that it was a 4. We all wanted a fall release and were disappointed when it got pushed into 2009. That being said, I'll love this band forever and can't wait to see what the new album is like.

    11. U2009 will be the year of No Line On The Horizon and probably a new tour. What do you expect of this year personally and U2-related?
    I expect to go to shows....hopefully making a trip to Europe in the summer and hopefully seeing them there as well. The one thing I've learned from 2008 though is that you can't plan too much for the future...you never really know what's ahead of you. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

    "I wish you a hopeful Christmas
    I wish you a brave new year"