"For a young fan who had been dreaming about this concert since discovering the band's live performance capabilities and the level at which U2 plays live, it was a dream come true and one of the top three greatest events in my life."
Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?
My name is Raf Oskar, I was born in 1990, so when I was still a kid, U2 released Achtung Baby, and during the ZooTV era, there was a lot of drinking and else (let's not kid ourselves, U2 is a rock band, they're not saints, and we don't need to know everything about them). I work in the service sector, I try to live wisely, be a good person, help nature, and simply not bother anyone. Most importantly, I try to be myself, which is not always easy.
How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?
I was a fifteen-year-old kid who was at the beginning of my rebellious phase (although I wasn't a very troublesome individual) when I came across the news that a certain TV station would be broadcasting the U2 Vertigo Tour: Live from Chicago 2005 late at night. It was mid-December of that same year. Out of curiosity, I watched it with a completely indifferent attitude; I didn't even know exactly what genre of music they played. All I knew was that there was a guy named Bono and they had a song called "Beautiful Day" - which I actually liked a lot even before becoming a U2 fan. The concert broadcast was heavily edited, with over 20 songs in their setlist, but on TV, they only showed 8-9 songs. But that was enough. It's been almost 18 years since I've been with U2, and during this journey, many extraordinary things have happened to me related to these four guys. I am very grateful to fate for putting them in front of me when I was at an age where a young person needs good role models.
Did you ever have a special U2 experience like a live concert? Can you tell us something about it?
At the age of 19, I attended my very first U2 concert. It was August 8, 2009, at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów, with an audience of nearly 90,000 people. For a young fan who had been dreaming about this concert since discovering the band's live performance capabilities and the level at which U2 plays live, it was a dream come true and one of the top three greatest events in my life. I remember arriving at the stadium around 5 in the morning, and the entrance was scheduled for 5 PM. It was a warm summer day, quite pleasant. Snow Patrol was the opening act, and after several more hours of waiting, at 9 PM, Larry came out and started with "Breathe." I noticed Adam on the right, striding proudly and literally shaking the ground. A bit further on the left, Edge was warming up his guitar, and the applause reached its peak. It was so deafening and overwhelming that you could feel the significance of that moment. Then Bono came out, and that's when I felt what a difference he made because the stadium erupted. You could feel the power, recognition, and respect this man had among the fans.
The concert was fantastic both in terms of its technical aspects and its spectacle. The sound was crystal clear, and I was standing directly under one of the speakers, in the circle, on Adam's side. It's been 14 years already, and I've forgotten many things, forgotten many beautiful faces I was there with and shared this spectacle with, but I will never forget the moment I ran onto the stadium's field, saw the stage live, the still-empty stands, and thought to myself, "holy fuck, this is really happening, and now run, run, run.
A profound event in my life, which can be described as an incredible catharsis and almost a spiritual experience because, yes, as "Where The Streets Have No Name" started playing, there was a spirit hovering over the stadium. Quite literally. I'm thrilled that I was there and that I saw them for real. They are even more amazing live than on any screen.
In your opinion, what has been U2's defining moment and why?
I believe that U2 defined themselves through the album... Boy. Yes, it wasn't Achtung Baby, as many might think. I think defining happens at the very beginning of the process, and later, it's just about improvements and various transformations. The numerous changes in the band's image that occurred were just attempts to stay fresh and not bore the fans. Because, what if the mood of The Joshua Tree had been maintained for the next 15 years? Well, I think things would have gotten crazy at the concerts. Boy defined their sound, which, although evolved in a similar way over the next two albums, underwent a significant change in 1984. Then, over the next 6 years, the band evolved again, and there was another radical change in their identity and music. However, the U2 element from the Boy album can be heard in all their subsequent albums, to a microscopic extent, but it's there. At least for me. So, in my opinion, the defining moment in the band's career was the release of their first album, which, despite everything, achieved some success and undoubtedly propelled the band forward.
What does your U2 collection look like? What kind of stuff do you have and how is it organised?
I have a lot of items related to the band. Apart from the record releases, which I'll talk about in a moment, my collection also includes books (I think there are 7 of them if I remember correctly). The best titles among them are "U2 by U2" and "U2: Propaganda." An interesting and noteworthy item is "In The Name Of Love," where you can find unique translations and interpretations of U2 songs. Among the releases, I mainly have original editions of concerts from Chicago in 2005, Sydney in 1993, and Paris in 2015. I don't have all the albums in their original form, only „War”, "No Line On The Horizon" and the next album, "Songs Of Innocence." As for the rest, well, you have to figure it out somehow. As you can see from the above, there are quite a few original items, so in some way, I contributed to U2's great life. Plus, the ticket price for the concert in Chorzów in 2009 was around 190 Polish złotys, which is 500 dollars. And there's also my beloved pin, which is posted somewhere on the forum as a photo, I think in the U2 Collectibles thread or something like that. Besides that, there's also a T-shirt I wore to the concert and a substantial collection of unofficially released concerts (in video format), such as Irving Plaza, selected Pro Shots from Zoo TV (Adelaide), PopMart (Edmonton), Vertigo Tour (Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires), and the exceptional Glastonbury show from 2011.
All of this stuff has its own place on the shelf, the so-called "U2 shelf" :-)
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?
Here, the situation is straightforward - it's just me and U2. I discovered U2 on my own, attended their concert on my own (I met some fantastic people while waiting at the stadium), so the story isn't particularly worth mentioning. During my school days, I faced a lot of ridicule and teasing because I listened to U2 instead of other music. I had my entire backpack painted with U2 motifs and logos, so it wasn't hard to figure out what kind of music I was into. As you can see, I survived it, didn't abandon my ideals, and I'm still a fan to this day. It's a very interesting phenomenon because many people close to me, including my parents, can't understand what I see in them and why I'm such a fan. When I was younger, I tried to explain it to them, maybe convince them with a few songs, but it didn't work. My dad saw them as satanists, so what the fuck are we talking about here?
What is your favorite U2 book, and why?
Definitely 'U2 by U2.' It's a book in the form of interviews, entirely written with the statements of the band members. Fantastic, surprising, and moving. It strongly shows, among other things, how paradoxically U2 is a dysfunctional band, because their relationships (on which everything is built, what they call friendship) have been subjected to many trials, temptations, and doubts. They have so many scars; they are riddled with bullets, and for over 40 years, they have maintained their composure on stage. It's a unique story, exceptional compared to other musicians and music as a whole. A book for those who have just discovered the band and soak up their history like a vacuum cleaner. Also, for those who have been with them for quite some time. You can understand a few things better. Highly recommended
Current music is more 'targeted' towards the younger demographic such as yourself, how does U2 fit into this musical landscape?
Let's put it this way... Music as a whole is already a certain landscape, but U2 really stands out with their way of being as a band. Their place on the musical landscape has the brightest colors, making us want to be there, and it's not hazy. U2 has its own peculiar charm, and when you take a closer look at it, it's truly a profound human thought that stands out against other music. Especially over time, where in some landscapes, there may be fires, a cut-down forest, desolation. Yet, U2 still radiates with power and colors.
How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?
Apart from U2, I listen to many artists, but it's important to emphasize that I'm not their fan, perhaps a sympathizer. Eminem, Snoop Dogg, MJ, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, The Ramones, Elvis Presley, and also, much more selectively, Fat Boy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, Lemmy and Florence. So mainly guitars, rhythm, occasional hip-hop, and melodic singing too. How does this compare to U2? It's different. I probably don't completely understand this music; maybe I should have stumbled upon something else at a certain stage of my life, and I could have been a big Michael Jackson fan now. However, life wanted me to play "Live From Chicago" back then, and my path was defined. It was a bumpy ride, and U2's music remained unchanged and still does. It will continue to do so until the last of them goes into retirement. And probably even then, it will continue.
Unless I turn faster than they do.
What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?
I have many other interests that I have been nurturing for years, striving to develop them. Primarily, paleontology - I delve into the mysteries of the prehistoric Earth as an amateur, but I know a thing or two about it, and I have quite a substantial collection of fossils, mainly Paleozoic corals, but there are also Mesozoic belemnites and even a few specimens of coprolites, though it's hard for me to determine the period from which these dung fossils originate. Additionally, chess, as many of you can see, Formula 1, and in general, how life works.
Thank you for the opportunity to become the fan of the month.
I bow deeply, raf90
. Good to have you on the setlist parties!