1. Every month we put a U2 fan in the spotlight. The fan of the month for August 2016 is user Dystopian45. Read along for the interview we had with this U2 fan.

    "The radio station had a ticket giveaway for a [Boy] show they were doing at San Jose State University where I went to college and I won the tickets. What a show, and my love for U2 was born and solidified."

    Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?
    Hi, my name is Dave Ristrim and I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area in California. I went to college to be a chemical engineer but somehow ended up being a musician as a profession. It was a crazy path for sure. I now live in Nashville, TN and work in the band for a country artist touring the US and doing some overseas work. I’m considered a “utility” player as I play several different instruments in the band. Pedal Steel, Banjo, Guitar and Dobro are the main instruments I play.

    How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?
    I’ve always gone different directions than most as far as taste in music and loved the boundaries that were being broken back in the punk days. The edgier new wave bands caught my attention as well and college radio was playing lots of new bands, U2 being one of them. I heard I Will Follow off of Boy which had just come out in the states and totally dug it. The radio station had a ticket giveaway for a show they were doing at San Jose State University where I went to college and I won the tickets. What a show, and my love for U2 was born and solidified.

    You saw U2 live at clubs during the Boy era. How was that? How does it compare to arenas or stadiums?
    I’ve not been able to go to lots of U2 shows because I play music for a living and always seemed to be working on the same nights as their shows. But, that first show in 1981 was special. It was at the San Jose State University student ballroom which was upstairs in the student union. The building was earthquake proof and the floor of the room was built to move slightly. The show was over capacity and when the crowd started to move with the music, the floor started to really move acting almost like a trampoline. My friend was timing his jumps and at one point he shot up high enough in the air that his knees were about eye level to me. It was crazy. The speakers for the PA started tipping over and crew guys had to hold them for the rest of the show. To see U2 in such an intimate setting was fantastic. Stadium shows are visually amazing but not as intimate. The last show I saw was Nov. of 2015 in Glasgow at the Hydro. The round arena setting brought back some of the intimacy and is a perfect way to see the band in my opinion. I hope to see them on the next leg of that tour when it happens.

    As a musician, has U2 influenced your style? If so, in which ways?
    As a musician, yes, U2 has influenced my playing and the way I look at a song and how to color it. The Edge has basically created a style that has stuck around and many have incorporated it into their playing. His use of delay and other effects got many to rethink how they were using their sonic palettes.

    In your opinion, what has been U2's defining moment and why?
    It may sound strange, but Rattle and Hum to me was a defining moment. Yes, it’s also may not be their best moment according to some, but they really stretched out and reached for something. Trying to bring some of their big influences into play with their own stuff was a cool idea. Once they did that, they went into a super creative phase. I appreciate that they try new things all the time. Sometimes they’re subtle, but if you look for them you’ll find them. Joshua Tree was kind of like the Big Bang for the band. It took all that they’d done before, brought new elements and what a great result. To put out R&H next was brave and set up a place to restart from.

    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?
    My best friend was already a U2 fan when I won tickets to the first show I saw in 1981. We were both on the same page as far as what music we were into at that time. A quick story about my friend Chris. I bought him tickets to see Madness in San Francisco, CA for his birthday. This is May of 1981 and U2 had played a show a night or 2 before the Madness show. We were standing in line to get in to the venue and we noticed Edge was standing about 5 people in front of us. Nobody seemed to know who he was, so we went up and said hi and let him know how much we liked the show a couple months before in San Jose. He was the nicest guy you could ever hope to meet.

    What does your U2 collection look like? What kind of stuff do you have and how is it organized?
    I have all their recorded work (that I know of) on CD, most on Vinyl. I don’t have any posters or memorabilia, although I really should have some. I do have T-shirts and wear some onstage when I perform. I do have a massive collection of vinyl as I started buying records way back when.

    How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?
    Interesting question. I love so many different bands, but I realize that U2 is very unique to me. I can’t think of another band like them and my musical taste runs from Bach to Zappa and most everything between.

    What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?
    I’m lucky enough to play music for a living. So, music is my career and my main hobby. I also work on guitars and amps, do recording sessions etc. As far as hobbies outside of music, I love working around the house in the woods and I’m also a big foodie and love to cook.



    Thanks for this interview Dystopian45!

    Note: Our crew members choose the fan of the month, you can't sign up for it.
  2. Thank you very much Dave! What an experience at San Jose! Nothing will ever be that intimate.
  3. This is a great interview. Love the mention of 'from Bach to Zappa' and is that a self-built guitar there?
  4. Thanks! Lovely read
  5. Nice read Dave !
  6. Nice interview, cool storie about Edge.
  7. nice story
  8. Great interview -- and a Bay Area hella-o Been in SF for 20 years -- you look super familiar
  9. @drewhiggins, that's an electric banjo made by a company called Nechville. They work well in stage settings when the volume is loud. @allad1nsane, I played live music in the SF Bay Area for many years and grew up in East San Jose. We may have crossed paths for sure. As far as meeting Edge standing in line for Madness, it will be burned into my memory forever.