Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?
Uhm like in a presentation as it should be .. i’m Ronnie an italian from MilanO (with the o at the end or it could be confused with the worst football team in the whole planet hehe). i’m 43 not-at-all wise old.. since few days though hehe. I work as analyst-programmer in a software house operating in financial field .. curious as i’m always near to be broke.
How did you hear about U2start?
I think in a quite common way .. i searched for some bootlegs, mainly the dates I attended, and surfing i got into this awesome “St Patrick’s well”. When I began to use the torrents section, having some problems like often happens to me, i bothered in the forum (remember Chris? It was Christmas time .. uhm why you should hehe) and since then I keep going to bother the others.
How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?
probably my first meeting with U2 gives Sergio a smile. It’s lost in the mists of times by now; it was in 1983, during a students assembly in high school to organize school occupation for the days after, suddenly a song came out the stereo and completely caught my attention. It was Like a Song. I felt like it was the right soundtrack of what we’re doing there .. “a generation without name ripped and torn nothing to lose, nothing to gain nothing at all ..” I asked the guy who put that song on who they were and he recorded me the whole album (War of course hehe). I started listening to it over and over and over going back to the other 2 too .. till The Unforgettable Fire came out and consequently the first show I attended (Teatro Tenda 85) completely and madly dragged me in.
Which U2 song do you feel the most "attached" to, or means the most for you?
Well in all these years there were quite a bunch of songs that signed my moments but I can say without any doubt that the Song is Bad. I always go for it when I’m down and searching for something in me to face the things. I always go for it when I want to estrange myself and be on my own. I have a real intimate relationship with it. When those notes, that chant are in the air there’s only me and the music.
Bad is the song.
What do you think of Bono's charity works?
I have a big respect and appreciation for what he did/does beyond the music. His works make me love him as a man not only as an artist. What I see is a man who spends his time and makes his efforts in promoting initiatives and activities for the good of other human beings and this can only gives a positive perception of the man Bono. He has a big echo from his position and I find good taking advantage fo it; certainly he can be heard more than some “boring” activist.
He could simply stand by himself and enjoy all his money and time but he doesn’t (not only at least) .. he keeps on doing what he believes it’s right despite everything and everyone.
What he gets is lots of bad criticisms and bad publicities, among U2 fans too, but what it counts for me, and i’m sure for him too, is the result and some amazing results were obtained .. also thanks to him.
I can understand people who say he should put these things off his music, off his concerts but I think he/they shouldn’t .. if just one person among thousands exits from the stadium with his conscience shaken, a great thing happened … like happened at me back in ’87 ..
What does your U2 collection look like? What kind of stuff do you have and how is it organised?
I’m proud enough of what I have, not how I would anyway .. I’m never fully satisfied regarding U2 hehe.
In my collection there are all their official releases albums and singles (not all all .. sigh), almost all in various formats, single cd, double, boxset (simple, deluxe super uber .. ), lp and whatever. some unofficial cd found all over the years. there are also dvd and vhs, officials and not, concerts .. documentaries .. tv shows and so on. All this audio/video stuff is in plain sight covering almost all the shelves of the living room cabinet, divided by type and ordered by date of course. one shelf is reserved for a good dozens of books. A couple of capacious hd full of bootlegs audio and video (also thanks to U2Start).
Prints, photos and posters on some walls all over the house .. shirts, hoodies, scarf, hats and other gadgets.
I’m not an obsessed hunter of memorabilia but when somethig U2 related comes on my way I can’t hold myself.
What is your favorite U2 videoclip, and why?
said that I prefer watching them during a concert, so my choice should be Sunday Bloody Sunday, I’ll go for The Fly. That is for the impact and “shock” it had on me first time I saw it. It wasn’t so easy to get used to the “new” U2 hehe. what i immediately thought was wow not only big heart and soul, great geniality in them too!
It could not be their best videoclip but surely the one that impressed me most.
How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?
this is the toughest question by far. i say it without any embarrassment This is the band that took me when i was a boy and helped me in the growing process, in forming my beliefs and perception of life; of course they’re not the only one and surely not the main but they were part of maturity for sure. U2 is not just a rock band, is a concept with music.
i like to think we growed up together. One evident thing that distinguishes them is that U2 is always the same solid “thing” since their first day .. they 4 united in 1 35 years and the same now .. all 4 important and complementary. No other bands can “brag” with this.
In all their years they expressed heart, soul, genius, humanity, irony, bravery whatever.
Musically they could not be the best in their instruments (but the man on vocals is) but they wrote The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby!!!
What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?
aside of U2 and music there’s nothing left .. nah
i guess i’m a common guy with common hobbies like reading books (music sometimes enters in my readings), i like novels with historical background, psycho thriller, horror .. i’m a Stephen King freak. i like cinema even if i haven’t found a real good movie in the last period; i’m much more into tv series lately .. fan of csi (not the latest seasons though), criminal minds, dexter and others.last but not least something that you already know seeing the last question ..
Which soccer team do you support and why?
FC Internazionale / Inter .. the one and only team from Milano hehe. it’s a family affair i guess, i ineherited it from my father. sometimes i think he would have put me out of the door if i became fan of another team.
i’m forever grateful to him for having helped me in the direction of being an Inter supporter though.
Sorry for my not so good English .. feel free to kid me and correct me
Happy new year!!!
Thanks for this interview clover68!
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