Remy
Dalton Brother
Posts: 10104
Location: Holland
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Every month we put an U2 fan in the spotlights, the fan of the month February 2010 is user flowerchild. Read along for the interview we had with her!
Tell us something about yourself, who are you and what do you do for a living?
My name is Jana, I'm a 21 year old German student from Duisburg, North Rhine Westfalia.
Since October 2009 I'm studying German Studies and Philosophy at a university in Essen. I'm not intending to finish my studies, because going to university has never been a goal of mine, but my parents pretty much forced me to do it anyway until I find an education. So, while going to uni I'm applying for an education in media design and/or photography. It's tough, because it looks like that's what everyone wants to do these days, but I wasted my entire last year chasing after "alternatives" and that didn't work out well either (got send home by several firms etc), so now I'm going for what I'm really interested in. We'll see how that goes.
What would you like to ask U2 if you got the chance to?
To be honest, I never really thought about what I'd ask them. There's hardly anything they haven't been asked yet anyway, so it'd be hard to be original. Generally though, I'd be interested in anything they have to tell about their youth and first steps as a band, I'd want to know what a regular day at the studios or before a concert looks like, or what they think they'd be doing now, if they hadn't become musicians etc.
You visited some 360 shows, which one was your favorite and why?
I've seen two 360 shows - the first night in Amsterdam and Gelsenkirchen. Each of those nights have been unique and special to me, it'd be unfair to pick a favourite.
Amsterdam was mindblowing, because I've never travelled to a different country to see a band live. It felt like one big adventure when Kirsten (MacStripey) and I drove down the highway, travelling 3+ hours and sitting in the searing sun for what felt like ages just so to see our four Irish boys after 4 years of waiting. It was hard - I'm not too keen on travelling and the exhausting procedure of waiting in line all day - and the hostel we stayed in was a nightmare, but hell, I've seen my first 360 show and I pretty much cried from beginning to end (yeah, you guys go ahead and roll your eyes now  ). It was great.
And then there was the show Auf Schalke, aka The Closing Of The Circle.
First time I saw U2 live was during the Vertigo Tour in Gelsenkirchen 4 years ago. Since then, I travelled to Ireland twice with Kirsten. The first time, we visited (almost) all those places a U2 fan simply gotta visit, the second time we actually met Bono and Edge in front of the studios on the very same date we saw them live for the first time 3 years ago. Then, in 2009, U2 returned Auf Schalke, and we were there again - the circle was closed. And we actually got to the first row in front of the outter circle - it was perfect.
So, you see, each of those shows were special in itself. I can't pick a favourite.
What do you expect of a new album?
After NLOTH I have no idea what to expect, really. They could do anything, go anywhere, and I'm ready to listen to it any time. I'm of those fans who wouldn't have minded another ATYCLB or HTDAAB, they could go back to that or stay with the No Line stuff, or do something else entirely. I don't mind.
In your opinion, what has been U2's defining moment and why?
I don't think one should pin that down to one moment/time only.
Of course, I could point out the usual stuff: their younger years during boy/october/war, Live Aid, their incredible success with the release of the Joshua Tree, the sudden turn with achtung baby/zooropa, their experimental time with POP or "going back to the roots" and rock'n'roll with ATYCLB and HTDAAB etc etc - I'd say all those moments have been defining, every album, every change, every new tune, every concert, every impact in their lives. All those things got them to where they are now, made them who they are now or who they were at the time - they'll never stop defining themselves as long as this band exists.
How did you become a fan of U2, tell us how it happened?
It took me several years to become the U2 fan I am now.
It all started with my dad listening to U2 every now and then, I was aware of songs like Sunday Bloody Sunday, With Or Without You, Bullet The Blue Sky etc but never really knew they came from the same band and wasn't really interested until Elevation got played nonstop on MTV. I thought the video looked great, the song rocked, the guy with the glasses looked kinda cool and the one with the beanie on and spiky red guitar who somehow ran around with Lara Croft caught my eye. I think that was the first time I actually had a "face" to go along with the band.
My dad bought ATYCLB and I pretty much stole the cd for the next months to come, but my enthusiasm died after a year or two, only to get re-ignited again once a by now all too familiar HELLO HELLO echoed through every turned on radio. This time, -I- bought the album and the DVD Rattle & Hum to go along with. I watched the thing billions of times and just knew that I -had- to see them live. I just had to, there was no frigging way around it, so I signed up at u2tour.de and waited for an opportunity to get some left-over tickets for the show in Gelsenkirchen. One lucky day, I got an email "first person to respond will get my two tickets for face value, I can't go." - I sent an email back without thinking and BAM - I had my tickets. You know the rest 
When you're forced to leave to a deserted island and you can take only one U2 album with you, which would it be?
That'd be my favourite, POP.
For me, that album got pretty much everything - a sad song, a party song, a thoughtful song, a despairing song, a sexy song, an angry song (to sum it up shortly, lol). There's no track I'd skip on that record (yep, I like Miami and Playboy Mansion), I like the whole style, sound and atmosphere of it. It got a song for nearly every occasion, so yeah - POP would be my definite choice.
What is your favorite U2 videoclip, and why?
With videoclip you mean the official music videos, I guess? Hum, tough one.
I don't have a definite favourite, but I've always liked the ones most, which got a lot of the band in it and which carry the atmosphere of the song, like Beautiful Day and Elevation. Lemon is a pretty awesome video, too, because it's kinda surreal. And I like the video of Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (although I'm not a fan of the song), because I love black/white contrast. Ugh. Can you tell I'm indecisive? lol
What do you think of the Stranded song, made for Haiti? Does Bono do too much charity?
I've never felt bothered by Bono's activism/charity stuff. On the contrary, I admire his strength and endurance. He did and does a lot more than I could and would ever do. You know, the guy is rich. He could walk away from the music, walk away from all that travelling and holding speeches and talking to politicians and helping others - he could give a shit, but he doesn't. Now, I know many people see that differently. Many fans don't agree with the time he spends elsewhere instead of with the band - but I think it's okay. I really believe it's something he feels like he has to do and he got the popularity, which gives him the chance to be heard. I think that's a good thing.
Now, I wouldn't count Stranded to my favourite songs, I've only listened to it once, but that's okay, that doesn't matter. It's for a good cause and what is there to say against a good cause?
What are your hobbies and interests away from U2, musical or otherwise?
I pretty much spend most of my time reading books or writing stories myself, watching movies with my favourite actors (Tim Roth, Ralph Fiennes...) or TV shows (LOST, House, Grey's Anatomy, Lie To Me...) - I could spend hours talking about those things, and if I'm not occupied with any of that, I'm either playing video games (yep, a girl playing Call of Duty) fiddling around with Photoshop (to either make icons/graphics or touch up pictures) or spending hours in the city (especially at malls, ice cream parlors or McDonald's ) with my friends. I guess I'm not your typical girl or party-goer, I like staying inside and having DVD or gaming nights with my friends instead.
Concerning music and bands, I'm a big fan of Chris Cornell (Soundgarden reuinion, hell yeah!), but so far, nothing has reached the same dimension as my U2 insanity 
Thanks for this interview flowerchild!
Note: Our crew members randomly pick fans of the month, you can't sign up for it.
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. Good read 
I'm with you there too with Pop 
I had fun answering the questions.
