1. Every month we put a U2 fan in the spotlights, the fan of the month March of 2023 is user bonoschild. Read along for the interview we had with this U2 fan.

    "Zoo TV was a brilliant spectacle that, in my opinion, heightened the concert experience. All the video screens and interference were awesome, but I still felt that it was the music that was the highlight."

    Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?

    I'm 47, I've been married for 22 years (with my love for 25 years). I have two wonderful kids, a 19 year-old son and 22 year-old daughter. I work for a funeral home as a cremationist.

    How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?
    I was a freshman in high school in 1989. After school we'd often visit a local music and book store. The first music I heard by U2 was either the Unforgettable Fire or Rattle and Hum.. I remember having both of those on cassette and getting hooked.

    You have seen U2 shows spanning multiple decades, can you take us back to your first show?
    My first show was in Tempe in April of 1992. The Pixies opened for them, which was a bonus because I loved them as well. Zoo TV was a brilliant spectacle that, in my opinion, heightened the concert experience. All the video screens and interference were awesome, but I still felt that it was the music that was the highlight. I loved (still love) Achtung Baby, and it was a ballsy and impressive feat to recreate so many of those songs live.

    How have you seen U2 evolve over the years?

    Boys become men, as we all have. It's interesting to see their albums over time and compare them to them performing in a live setting. Ultimately I'd say however they've evolved musically and creatively over the years, they've generally always been successful at taking album songs on tour and turning them into great live songs. In my opinion, U2 album songs are great, but live versions are better.

    You play guitar, what is your favorite U2 song to play on guitar and why?
    It depends on my mood, or what I'm in the mood for. I play drums, bass and guitar. I'll pick two of each. Drums would be Another Time, Another Place or Gloria. I love the energy of those two. Guitar, that one's hard. That definitely depends on what I'm in the mood for. Some favorites on guitar would be Wire, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh, Red Hill, One Tree Hill, Bullet (ZooTV style), In A Little While, Gone, Crumbs, Original of the Species, No Line. Too many more to list.

    When you're forced to leave to a deserted island and you can take only one U2 album with you, which would it be?
    Definitely Achtung Baby. That album was released just after my grandfather passed away, and he was practically a dad to me. That album was the right one at the right time for me, and so many of the songs resonate for many different reasons.

    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?

    I took my daughter to her first concert on 5/22/15 in Phoenix during the IE tour. That was definitely one of my greatest memories, and hers as well. My wife has been a great sport for 20+ years with my love of the band, and I'll play different versions of songs and point things out and she'll say, "they all sound the same."

    What are your expectations of a future U2 (rock) album and Songs of Ascent?

    I'm just looking forward to anything they create. SoS already has its share of criticism l, but I'm just grateful they're still doing something. I'm looking forward to a more rock type of album, whatever that means. The band is getting up there now, and I'm thankful for anything we get. Songs of Ascent is kind of bittersweet- it's sounding like we'll get that as a final album. It's always nice to get something new, but the more we hear about it, it's sounding like a bookend kind of thing, to cap off the career.

    How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?

    U2 definitely has their own style and sound. I like lots of music, older and newer. I'm definitely a child of the grunge era, and I still especially love music from the early and late 90s. For some years I've been into independent artists. Mainstream music has just sounded generic and boring to me- there's so many great artists out there who deserve to be heard.

    What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?

    Definitely love music- listening to it, discovering it, and playing it. I love spending time with my kids and wife, although that's been hard lately because work has been very busy. We also just found out that we'll have to move within the next few months, which stinks. Life is never boring, and I'm thankful to have some great music to play on the journey 😊


    Note: Our crew members randomly pick fans of the month, you can't sign up for it.
  2. Nice interview! Cool to hear about being able to take your daughter to her first show with IE Tour. I'm hoping to be able to take my oldest to her first U2 show in the next couple of years.

    Also love the In A Little While pick for the list of best songs to play on guitar.
  3. Good interview @bonoschild

    You play guitar, what is your favorite U2 song to play on guitar and why?
    That definitely depends on what I'm in the mood for. Some favorites on guitar would be Wire, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh, Red Hill, One Tree Hill, Bullet (ZooTV style), In A Little While, Gone, Crumbs, Original of the Species, No Line. Too many more to list.
    Wow, nice list. Wire?!?! That one drives me nuts, I never got it right. But all the others are great and really enjoyable. In A Little While is one of my go-to riffs anytime I pick a guitar, any guitar.
  4. Thanks man.. yeah there are so many fun ones to play. Wire was always tricky but it's a blast when you can do it with proper delay. I love playing songs from the first three albums.. the energy of so many of them is just incredible.
  5. Originally posted by bonoschild:Thanks man.. yeah there are so many fun ones to play. Wire was always tricky but it's a blast when you can do it with proper delay. I love playing songs from the first three albums.. the energy of so many of them is just incredible.
    I know right?? A Day Without Me is my favorite U2 song to play on guitar, period. It's got so many different parts while at the same time it's rather easy to make it sound good without overcomplicating stuff... The first 3 albums have something to them that's hard to put the finger on. They might lack the sonic complexity of TUF onwards, but there's something to their songwriting and musical style that they never got to capture again. Amazing stuff.
  6. Originally posted by Remy:Every month we put a U2 fan in the spotlights, the fan of the month March of 2023 is user bonoschild. Read along for the interview we had with this U2 fan.

    "Zoo TV was a brilliant spectacle that, in my opinion, heightened the concert experience. All the video screens and interference were awesome, but I still felt that it was the music that was the highlight."

    Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?

    I'm 47, I've been married for 22 years (with my love for 25 years). I have two wonderful kids, a 19 year-old son and 22 year-old daughter. I work for a funeral home as a cremationist.

    How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?
    I was a freshman in high school in 1989. After school we'd often visit a local music and book store. The first music I heard by U2 was either the Unforgettable Fire or Rattle and Hum.. I remember having both of those on cassette and getting hooked.

    You have seen U2 shows spanning multiple decades, can you take us back to your first show?
    My first show was in Tempe in April of 1992. The Pixies opened for them, which was a bonus because I loved them as well. Zoo TV was a brilliant spectacle that, in my opinion, heightened the concert experience. All the video screens and interference were awesome, but I still felt that it was the music that was the highlight. I loved (still love) Achtung Baby, and it was a ballsy and impressive feat to recreate so many of those songs live.

    How have you seen U2 evolve over the years?

    Boys become men, as we all have. It's interesting to see their albums over time and compare them to them performing in a live setting. Ultimately I'd say however they've evolved musically and creatively over the years, they've generally always been successful at taking album songs on tour and turning them into great live songs. In my opinion, U2 album songs are great, but live versions are better.

    You play guitar, what is your favorite U2 song to play on guitar and why?
    It depends on my mood, or what I'm in the mood for. I play drums, bass and guitar. I'll pick two of each. Drums would be Another Time, Another Place or Gloria. I love the energy of those two. Guitar, that one's hard. That definitely depends on what I'm in the mood for. Some favorites on guitar would be Wire, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh, Red Hill, One Tree Hill, Bullet (ZooTV style), In A Little While, Gone, Crumbs, Original of the Species, No Line. Too many more to list.

    When you're forced to leave to a deserted island and you can take only one U2 album with you, which would it be?
    Definitely Achtung Baby. That album was released just after my grandfather passed away, and he was practically a dad to me. That album was the right one at the right time for me, and so many of the songs resonate for many different reasons.

    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?

    I took my daughter to her first concert on 5/22/15 in Phoenix during the IE tour. That was definitely one of my greatest memories, and hers as well. My wife has been a great sport for 20+ years with my love of the band, and I'll play different versions of songs and point things out and she'll say, "they all sound the same."

    What are your expectations of a future U2 (rock) album and Songs of Ascent?

    I'm just looking forward to anything they create. SoS already has its share of criticism l, but I'm just grateful they're still doing something. I'm looking forward to a more rock type of album, whatever that means. The band is getting up there now, and I'm thankful for anything we get. Songs of Ascent is kind of bittersweet- it's sounding like we'll get that as a final album. It's always nice to get something new, but the more we hear about it, it's sounding like a bookend kind of thing, to cap off the career.

    How different is U2 compared to other artists that you like?

    U2 definitely has their own style and sound. I like lots of music, older and newer. I'm definitely a child of the grunge era, and I still especially love music from the early and late 90s. For some years I've been into independent artists. Mainstream music has just sounded generic and boring to me- there's so many great artists out there who deserve to be heard.

    What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?

    Definitely love music- listening to it, discovering it, and playing it. I love spending time with my kids and wife, although that's been hard lately because work has been very busy. We also just found out that we'll have to move within the next few months, which stinks. Life is never boring, and I'm thankful to have some great music to play on the journey 😊

    [image]
    Note: Our crew members randomly pick fans of the month, you can't sign up for it.
    Thanks for the interview!