Hello all, my name is James. I am a long time U2 fan, but a new U2 fanatic. I have collecting in my blood and never realized before how collectable U2 can be. So much stuff. So little money to spend on it all.
Anyway, my first experience with U2 was back in late 87. My cousin let me borrow his JT record. I was 12 at the time, and I remember playing the record on my Fisher Price turntable. I sat there trying to figure out the words. I just remember becoming hooked. I never wanted to give him the record back, but eventually I had to. I purchased the casette tape soon after. If you were to ask me what I was listening to at that age, I would have just said JT... nothing else (well maybe a bit of UABRS, my second purchase). I must have listened to that tape a million times over and over, beginning to end. I never listened to it without listening to the whole thing. I never just played one song, it was all or nothing. It breaks my heart to think about it, but as time has gone by, I no longer have that tape, although I bet if I ever found my old walkman, it would be in there... it never left it. By my freshman year, I purchased JT on CD. AB came out my junior year of high school and I tried like mad to get tickets to a show (in Lexington, KY where I lived), but to no avail.
To be completely honest, U2 lost me during the 90s. I continued to listen to JT fairly often, but the "newer" stuff never really captured my attention. Ocasionally I would listen to Rattle and Hum, The Unforgettable Fire, or War. But that was it. I didn't buy Zooropa or Pop when they came out. By the time ATYCLB came out, I was dating my (then) future wife. She had purchased ATYCLB and I gave it a listen. I thought it was pretty good, but nothing more.
Then one day last summer, I pulled out JT (which I hadn't listened to for at least 6 years) and went for a drive. What can I say? I fell in love with the album all over again. On my way home from the drive I decided to stop at a Circuit City and buy the RaH DVD. I really enjoyed the movie, and could feel myself becoming more of a fan. Soon after I purchased Live at Slane Castle. That did it for me, and made me an official fanatic. Since then, I have gone back and bought all the U2 stuff I can get my hands on (CD singles, all their CD albums, vinyl albums and singles, VHS cassettes, DVDs, etc.). I have yet to see a U2 show, but I eagerly await one this time round. Nothing is going to stop me this time.
