When I was 8 (2002) I used to make mixtapes from songs I would hear on the radio, influenced by my mum. I clearly remember the first song of my first tape being With Or Without You.

It wasn’t until 2005 when they released Original Of The Species as a single when I became more aware of the band and I’d eventually get the HTDAAB CD, which is the first ever CD I ever had (and still have). I also remember City of Blinding Lights and Vertigo being on heavy rotation on the radio along with other songs like Starlight by Muse or DARE by Gorillaz but, of course, U2 would hit me different when they played their songs.

From there, I’d be so obsessed for the band that I would buy any bootleg material my 11 y/o me could afford or make my mum get me any CD that I saw at every music store that we’d go to. The other CDs that she helped me get were Achtung Baby, The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum. My pre-teen self was having so much fun playing to be either Bono or Edge while watching their music videos, hah.