People don’t even ask me whom my favourite band is anymore … they know the answer already … it’s U2 of course. Whenever one of their songs play on the radio, one of my friends or family either call or send me a text message to say, ‘your Boys are playing on the radio, are you listening?’ And the answer would most often be, ‘of course I’m listening!’
How is it that an Irish rock band conquered my heart? Well … there is not really an interesting story attached to my fascination with these 4 gifted men … to be perfectly honest, up to about 3 years ago, the names Bono, Larry, Adam & Edge = U2, rock band hailing from Dublin, Ireland. Although I didn’t know too much about them, I loved hearing their songs on the radio. ‘With or without you’ were THE song that attracted me to U2 … the haunting intro notes always render me helpless when I hear it … and the live version of this song … it’s like being transported and elevated to a spiritual place.
I first started taking serious notice of the 4 Irishmen back in late 2001 when my daughter gave me the ‘All that you can’t leave behind’ album as a present – obviously I skipped the tracks I didn’t know and only listened to the known ones … it was only many months later when I discovered the stunning beauty of ‘Kite’ and the incredible drumbeat and guitar riff of the chorus of ‘New York’ … rather late than never, I maintain … and that was the start.
I bought ‘How to dismantle an atomic bomb’ in 2005, and once again, the songs that weren’t released as singles in South Africa, notably ‘City of blinding lights’ soon became my favourite song off the album. ‘Sometimes you can’t make it on your own’ has a very special place in my heart, because in 2003, my father passed away very unexpectedly, and I finally found a song that could voice the emptiness I feel whenever I think of my father.
On Christmas Eve 2004, one of our TV stations aired ‘U2 Go Home – Live from Slane Castle (2001)’ and I stayed up way past midnight to watch this spectacular, and yet intimate live show recorded a week after Bono’s father’s passing away. That was it … I had to get a copy of the DVD & after weeks of hounding and pestering our CD shops, I finally managed to lay my hands on a copy … and I might add, from all the concert DVD’s I have, ‘Live at Slane Castle’ is still my favourite live performance. There is something so … spiritual (for the lack of a better word) about the band’s performance in front of their home crowd … from the moment the band comes on stage, you just KNOW it was going to be a performance like you’ve never seen before … and in my humble (and personal) opinion … I don’t think the band could ever equal that day … that concert in their own territory.
How is it that an Irish rock band conquered my heart? Well … there is not really an interesting story attached to my fascination with these 4 gifted men … to be perfectly honest, up to about 3 years ago, the names Bono, Larry, Adam & Edge = U2, rock band hailing from Dublin, Ireland. Although I didn’t know too much about them, I loved hearing their songs on the radio. ‘With or without you’ were THE song that attracted me to U2 … the haunting intro notes always render me helpless when I hear it … and the live version of this song … it’s like being transported and elevated to a spiritual place.
I first started taking serious notice of the 4 Irishmen back in late 2001 when my daughter gave me the ‘All that you can’t leave behind’ album as a present – obviously I skipped the tracks I didn’t know and only listened to the known ones … it was only many months later when I discovered the stunning beauty of ‘Kite’ and the incredible drumbeat and guitar riff of the chorus of ‘New York’ … rather late than never, I maintain … and that was the start.
I bought ‘How to dismantle an atomic bomb’ in 2005, and once again, the songs that weren’t released as singles in South Africa, notably ‘City of blinding lights’ soon became my favourite song off the album. ‘Sometimes you can’t make it on your own’ has a very special place in my heart, because in 2003, my father passed away very unexpectedly, and I finally found a song that could voice the emptiness I feel whenever I think of my father.
On Christmas Eve 2004, one of our TV stations aired ‘U2 Go Home – Live from Slane Castle (2001)’ and I stayed up way past midnight to watch this spectacular, and yet intimate live show recorded a week after Bono’s father’s passing away. That was it … I had to get a copy of the DVD & after weeks of hounding and pestering our CD shops, I finally managed to lay my hands on a copy … and I might add, from all the concert DVD’s I have, ‘Live at Slane Castle’ is still my favourite live performance. There is something so … spiritual (for the lack of a better word) about the band’s performance in front of their home crowd … from the moment the band comes on stage, you just KNOW it was going to be a performance like you’ve never seen before … and in my humble (and personal) opinion … I don’t think the band could ever equal that day … that concert in their own territory.
Ensuring the band has a good source of income from a fan in the southern tip of Africa, I have since spent so much money on CD’s & DVD’s … and I guess some people would see it as a complete waste, but not to me … their music is what makes MY heart happy … and in the end that’s all that matters, not so?
I became fascinated with the band’s earlier music after buying the ‘Rattle and Hum’ DVD … and because of this, I’ve discovered my own and U2’s stories … and what a (musical) journey it is! The R&H era completely captivated me, and I think I still ‘prefer’ Bono and the ‘Boys’ from this era, way before all the glamour and glitz took over and capitulated them into super stardom. I love the performance footage of the band touring the US, but my favourite is the off-the-record chats the producer has with them … and I smile every time when I see Larry, trying so hard to remain serious, how the movie, in his opinion, was ‘a musical journey’ – the look on his face … priceless!
I became somewhat of a U2 ‘fundi’ (according to those who know me) and for my birthday in 2007, my children clubbed together and bought me what I refer to as ‘The U2 Bible’ – I refer to ‘U2 By U2’ of course … one of the BEST presents I could ever get from anyone! THE BOOK (as a e-mail friend &I call it) is such a rich discovery of the band, the individual members and their story with its humble beginnings. I can highly recommend it to anyone who’s a fan or to those curious to know HOW U2 has managed to get to the top and are still hailed as ‘the best band in the world’ … you will not be disappointed, I can guarantee that!
I got U2’s very first album, ‘Boy’ as an early Christmas present (in October!) from my youngest daughter, and when I listened to it for the very first time, I was amazed to discover that, even back in 1980, U2 had absolutely everything to make it to the top … and boy, did they ever!
My e-mail friend sent me a link to YouTube a few months ago, and did that video change my live … I’m referring to U2’s outstanding live performance on Sat, 13th July 1985 at Wembley Stadium when they did their bit for Sir Bob Geldof’s ‘Live Aid’. Those few minutes are etched into my heart and memory forever … the version of ‘Bad’ (where Bono did his ‘leap of faith’ and disappeared from stage for a few minutes to hug a girl from the audience) is my all-time favourite version of the song. I don’t think any performance, or any song for that matter, has touched me as deeply as this one … and to think the rest of the band wanted to fire Bono for his efforts!
I subsequently have in my current U2 collection:
Vertigo – Live in Chicago 2005
U2 go home – Live from Slane Castle
Rattle and Hum
The Elevation Tour – Live from Boston 2001
The U2 18 Singles DVD
How to dismantle an atomic bomb (limited edition DVD)
U2 – The best of 1990 – 2000 music videos DVD
PopMart
All that you can’t leave behind
How to dismantle an atomic bomb
The Joshua Tree
Achtung Baby
U2 – The greatest hits 1980 – 1990
U2 – The greatest hits 1990 – 2000
U218 Singles
U2 Live – Under a blood red sky
War
The unforgettable fire
Boy
What makes U2 so special to me? Well … let’s see … I will try sum it up in a few words …
Bono – for his masterful lyrics, telling a story and conveying emotions so well … his voice that transports me to another place …for closing the gap between performer and audience … for his amazing work in Africa, for fighting for justice and equality … for being so human … and the beautiful soul he is … and not apologising for it.
Adam – the bassist wearing an enigmatic smile when performing. To me he is a Zen master … he’s discovered the secret of the Universe and is NOT sharing … for making me notice how powerful and important the bass is in any song ... for giving me the courage to understand a simple truth … live does get better the older you are!
Edge – or shall I say, ‘Mr. The Edge’ – the man who has defined the unique U2 guitar sound … for being so grounded and humble … for giving his all when recording and performing … for making me want to get up and dance … for just being the best damn guitarist out there today!
Larry – what do I say about the man who started it all? I don’t think Larry ever realised just how HUGE ‘his band’ would become when he put up a piece of paper on the school notice board all those years ago. The strong, silent one … the glue that keeps the band together … the ‘brakes’ of the band as Bono is so fond of saying. To me he is the ‘X’ factor … the unknown one … the man who prefers staying behind the scenes ... the man who stirs my imagination when I see his eyes …
THANK YOU Larry, for taking that step, because if you didn’t … the world wouldn’t have had U2 and the music in their lives … and what a sad state of affairs it would be!
With word that U2 will not be releasing their long-awaited new album in October as previously announced (it’s provisionally been moved to Feb ’09), I’m eagerly awaiting the new songs from my favourite band. I know the wait will be worth it … and if what I’ve read on other U2 fan sites are true, then we can only expect the very best from them … as Bono once said in an interview, “we know who pays our salaries” … and that is a humble admission … thank you Bono!
I look forward ‘swaying to the music’ once again when the world hears the magic that would surely never fade into oblivion.
I would like to extend an open invitation to Bono, Larry, Adam and Edge to visit our fair shores when U2 goes on a world tour in 2009 … I know you’ve been here in 1997 (with PopMart) but guys, please … your fans here in South Africa would LOVE to see you perform here again … we will welcome you with open arms & make you feel right at home … I would even go so far as saying that Nelson (Madiba) Mandela & Archbishop Desmond Tutu (The Arch) would applaud your return … this time not to find a solution to the world AIDS crises … but to give us something to hold onto … a night we’d never forget.
PLEASE SAY YES!
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