"I remember when my dad played ‘The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone),’ and I fell in love with the song. At the time, Songs of Innocence was the only U2 album I had ever heard, so I was absolutely amazed a year or two later when I heard their other albums!"
Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?
Hi guys! My name is Colman, and I am from the Chicago area! Right now, I am currently a student.
How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?
I became a fan of U2 through my parents. My parents love U2, and that has transferred over to me. They have been going to U2 concerts for a long time, and they have many stories!
You are a very young U2 fan, who got you into U2? Did you also “influence” others?
My parents are really the ones who got me into U2. Most of my immediate and non-immediate family love U2. I remember when my dad played “The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone),” and I fell in love with the song. I would sing it constantly! At the time, Songs of Innocence was the only U2 album that I had ever heard, so I was absolutely amazed a year or two later when I heard their other albums! That was really the first memory of U2 that I have. I always try to get my little brother into U2, but he has yet to budge.
You first saw them in 2015, what were those shows like?
I was really amazed! At that point, I had only listened to Songs of Innocence, so I never heard songs like “The Electric Co.,” “Out of Control,” and “Gloria.” Looking back, it was really cool to hear those songs live. I also got to hear some rarities like “Volcano,” “Ordinary Love,” and “Lucifer’s Hand.” The crowd energy was really high as well, partly because Chicago’s NHL team, the Blackhawks, had just won the Stanley Cup a few days before those shows. These concerts were also my first-ever concerts! I can’t believe it’s almost been 10 years since then!
How did they evolve when you saw them again in 2018?
In my personal opinion, the setlist and the band evolved amazingly. It was the highlight of my year! My dad and I went together. His favorite song is “Acrobat,” and he was really happy to hear it live! The band played really well! The highlight songs for me were most of the Songs of Experience tracks, “Gloria,” “Desire,” “Acrobat,” “Staring At The Sun,” and “One.” The Experience + Innocence Tour holds a very special place in my heart.
What does your U2 collection look like? What kind of stuff do you have and how is it organized?
I began collecting U2 releases in July of this year, and I’ve grown my collection quite a bit since then. I have these albums on vinyl: Boy, War, Achtung Baby, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, Songs of Innocence, and the Songs of Experience Deluxe Edition. I also have the Atomic City Live Single, Live at Red Rocks on vinyl, and Live Dublin ’93 EP on vinyl, CD, and the Japan CD version. I’m really looking forward to the 20-year anniversary of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb to add to my collection!
How did U2start (or other forums) influence your music preferences? Did U2 fans influence you to like other artists?
My musical tastes haven’t really changed In a Little While. I really like ’80s and ’90s music. I enjoy Toto, Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC, Queen, The Police, Phil Collins, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Foo Fighters, R.E.M., Smashing Pumpkins, etc.
Current music seems more ‘targeted’ towards the younger demographic such as yourself - how does U2 fit into this musical landscape?
People really don’t talk about this, but the U2:UV residency got the younger demographics interested in U2. I know quite a few people who went to The Sphere to see them and fell in love with U2. I don’t think U2 should go back and do another residency there, but I think they got a younger audience interested in their music.
How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?
U2 is not really that different from other artists that I like, in my opinion. I really like ’80s and ’90s music, and U2 fits perfectly in that category.
What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?
I have many different hobbies and interests away from U2, including sports, coding/computer things, investing, video games, and I also run a small landscaping company.
