I can understand Bono's point of view that doing it illegally causes a lot of problems for the "smaller artiest", but at the same time U2 isn't really hurting that much, after making millions off the 360 tour, yeah album sales were a little low, but I personally don't feel that is because of internet music file sharing. So why is Bono really worrying about all this? Is he worried maybe that U2's future will be effected by file sharing? or is he really caring about " the smaller guy"?

I sit at the opposite side of the table with Bono on this, but at the same time I can see his point, maybe that makes me a hypocrite on this, but that's not the point here.

The point is Bono wants to put a tracking device to stop file sharing completely. That's a bit much don't you think? And Let me ask this, If I decide to burn a cd to my computer and download it, so I can file share it with a friend, should I be punished for that? But I'm telling my friend about the artiest and sharing their music, is that wrong? Isn't that part of the music industry to share with others what is out there? A way of promoting? So I should be punished for promoting a group I like, such as U2? I don't know Bono this sounds a bit twisted and wrong here. And with the Ipod particularly The (RED) Product Nano you promoted, requires downloading and file sharing to get music on there, correct? Sorry,something doesn't sound right here Bono.

I love Bono to death and support him in just about everything, but this tracking those that download music and trying to put a stop to file sharing is a bit much, and bit confusing for me here and little bit delusional don't you think?

I lay about 50/50 on the fence here with this, but a lot of this is a bit to much, even for Bono.

Personally trying to put file sharing to a complete stop is bit much, and can probably hurt the industry more than file sharing itself does.

I don't know about this one Bono.

Do understand that this writing is not to attack Bono at all it's just something I feel it a bit much, even for one of the biggest frontman out there.

I have been helping out on a U2 fan site on facebook recently and I came up with this idea to start a discussion on how U2 is an inspiration and I was very surprised at the response I got and how many, including myself poured our hearts out on some situations and struggles we have been facing or have faced in the past, and how U2 were the ones that helped us get through, I had everything from depression, to the lost of love ones, and even toughs having their hearts opened to help others in need. It really amazes me how U2 has made a very huge impact on people's lives, it's very inspiring and touching.

U2 is more that just your typical rock band, that go around the world and put on a rock show for millions. They are a voice for many, they touch the hearts of millions night after night, they change lives, they save lives. You can't say much like this about other rock bands out there. U2 is different they're inspiring, up lifting, etc. Worlds can not even described them and all that they do.

Their music up lifting, compassionate, and full of love and the band members even add more to that. It's truly amazing what U2 has done, and no band can ever top that.

U2 is a huge inspiration for many.

If you have a story to share on how U2 has been an inspiration, I would love to hear from you and/or join the conversation on facebook at

May you have a wonderful and blessed Holiday season.

Crystal

U2 makes an invasion in Phoenix, Az on the night of October 20th, 2009, with a bang, and it couldn't have came at a better time.

The night started with the opening band act, Black Eyed Peas, who put on a great performance, with Fergie doing her thing, as the rest of the band got the audience to rock out and get pumped up for U2, they even talked about "Where is the love", President Obama, and how we can all love one another and be "One". After about an hour of Black Eyed Peas, U2 came on.

Opening with one of their smash hits Breath off the No Line On The Horizon album, with Larry Mullen Jr. pounding on the drums, as the rest of the band walked on, and the crowd going nuts to the beats, and as Bono comes on to the stage singing "16th of June, Doorbell Rings".

After U2 finishes Breath, they go into Get On Your Boots, and boy was the crowd getting on their boots, as everyone jumped, and rocked out to the first smash hit off the No Line on the Horizon album, it was like the crowd had put on their boots and were ready to rock out, as Adam Clayton put on his bass beats, and The Edge puts in his slick guitar sounds, as Bono sings "Get on your boots". We knew were all in for a big ride on this space adventure.

As the band went into Magnificent, the crowd takes a breather, as Bono sings his heart out, across the brides of the stage on to the cat walk of what the fans call "The outer circle" or simply "the outer rail". You can tell Bono is in a moment in this song, his hands in the air, than falls to his knees, as like he had been called to kneel, as he sings with such beautiful emotion. At the end of the song he looks into the heavens, as the crowd looks at him with such emotion, like we're all in a spiritual moment and then Bono gets up and starts to dance and we go into Mysterious Ways, off the Acthung Baby album, as Bono swings his hips in "mysterious ways", as all the ladies in the crowd, stare at him in dreamy ways.

After a few more other songs, Beautiful day, I still haven't found what I'm looking for, Stuck in a moment, No Line On the Horizon, Elevation, and a few others. The crowd and U2 go into a beautiful moment with the song Walk On, everyone puts on their Aung San Suu Kyi mask, in which they were all requested to put on for the democracy leader, Aun San Suu Ki, who has been under arrest for 14 years fighting for the democracy for the people in Burma. As a few people who were chosen from the audience put on the mask and line up on the cat walk, as Bono wraps himself with his arms around himself, as to give a hug, and sings his heart out with such beautiful emotion, and compassion, as the crowd sings a long, with some crying, and some in prayer, a beautiful moment in the show no words can express, something you wouldn't except at a rock show, something so amazing, it's too hard even touch.

After a beautiful moment with Walk on, the band goes into Where the streets has no name, a fan favorite, and then a target looking microphone is pulled down, and Bono puts on a jacket that is turned on like a Christmas tree with bright reds light, as the band goes into Ultra Violet, and Bono swings on the microphone like he is Spiderman or someone from a comic book, as the crowd goes nuts over the jacket and the microphone and then slowly goes into with or without you and slowly coming to the end with Moment of Surrender.

As the show comes to an end everyone is mixed with such emotion, excitement, tears, and so on. The invasion of U2 into the desert was a success, and all that attended this invasion at the University of Phoenix stadium, came in one person came out another. What a beautiful night in the desert of Arizona.

As you start out the climb

Do you believe me or are you doubtin?

We're gonna make it all the way to the light

But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight."

But the one thing I love about this song, is the live version U2 has been doing during their 360 tour this year. It's full of lots of fun and joy. From big beats from Adam Clayton's bass, to Larry Mullen Jr. banging on a djembe, a pair of African drums that really brings in a new beat to this song, which makes you want to grab the person next to you and do the congo.

A long with some awesome beats, you also got every member including Larry Mullen rocking it out on the catwalk and bridges, so that every person attending the show can have an experience with each member,from wherever you maybe standing or sitting,everyone gets to have that intimate moment with the band members.

U2 is known to like to have their fans have an intimate moment at their shows, one reason why they have also created, with just about every stage they have used in their shows an area in front of the stage, where everyone can get as close as they can to the band, as they are surrounded, by ramps, bridges, and so on.

With this live mix of I'll Go Crazy If I don't Go Crazy Tonight, you'll be sure to be getting off you feet, and dancing your heart out.

So go to a show if you haven't already and Go Crazy to I'll Go Crazy If I don't Go Crazy Tonight.

Videos of I'll Go Crazy If I don't Go Crazy Tonight.
Solider Field, Chicago Illinois and Amsterdam Arena

I thought I would come in and introduce myself to all you lovely people and give a little bet of info about me.

Now so you all know I'm new to this whole writing online thing, so bare with me, as I learn all this as I go. I'm no professional at this thing, but hey what the heck, I'm trying right?, It's better to try, than not do it all. Now before I start jabbering on and on, which is one of my bad habits. Let me introduce myself a bet.

I'm from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and I'm currently a full time college student studying zoo keeping technology ( Zoology) and hoping to get into journalism or something that involves music, one reason why I have jumped aboard to write here at U2station. Now I'm no pro at this, and sometimes my grammar and what not sucks, but if you understand it, and you like it ( or maybe not), that is what matters right?

Any who, I've been into music ever since I was a little girl, from singing, to dancing, to performing, and playing whatever I got my hands onto and I've been a U2 fan since I was a little girl, but didn't really start "religiously " following them until recently.

I've always loved their music growing up, in fact Rattle and Hum was my first cassette tape, Yes I said cassette for those young ins out there and the funny thing was it was given to me by my father by accident. He meant to get me some other band, that I can't remember whom at the moment's tape, but instead picked up Rattle and Hum. He had hope at the time I didn't notice that it wasn't the band he intended to get me, since I was about 4-5 years old, but I did notice it was different, but in a good way. I fell in love with the cassette tape, I would put in my stereo before I went to bed and fell asleep listening to Where the Streets Have No Name ( One of my favorite U2 songs), but as I got older I drifted away and started listening to what my friends listened to, which come to think of it now days I probably wouldn't touch what we listened to. Ha ha. But after a couple of years passed, U2 came back into my life, and they couldn't have came at a better time.

On September 10th,2001, my grandmother passed away. I was extremely close to her since I have lived with her and my father ever since I was a toddler. I didn't know how to react to her death, I was sad, scared, and probably angry all at the same time, and being 13 at the time, I really didn't want to show how I really felt, nor do I think I knew how at the time. The following day was also tragic, as my country was attacked. At the same time as my country mourned, I was mourning, at I know this sounds weird, but that was kind of a comfort to me, because I knew I wasn't the only one that was hurting, but still I couldn't really express how I felt and now not only was grieving about the death of my Grandmother, I was now grieving about what had happened to my country. I was running with a million emotions in my head, from why?, to what to do?, and what is going on.

A couple days later, I went to school, as everyone met up with their friends and did their daily chatting it up, I was the one alone, I didn't want to be around any one, at all. I went through the day not talking to any one, except this one girl in my reading class. I sat down next to her, as she had her headphones on, she seemed to me to be rocking out like crazy, than all of sudden she just went quiet and began humming a long to what she was listening to. I sat there and listened to what she is was humming, I perked up and leaned closer to her, and finally asked shyly, " what are you listening to?" She perked up very fast with a smile on her face, and said " I'm listening to U2!" "The best band ever!" and than she went back to listening to her music, and I taped her on the shoulder and asked, " May I listen?" " Sure!" She said, " you're gonna love it". As I listened, I started with Beautiful Day, I really like how it sounded, than it went onto Walk on, as I listened to the lyrics of Walk On I began to cry, it was exactly how I was feeling at the moment, than it went into I still haven't found what I'm looking for, again I began to cry and the girl goes. " Isn't their music beautiful?, it touches the soul so much". I just nodded with tears down my face.

A couple hours later I have gone home, the whole family was there since we all were still mourning about my Grandmothers death, as I sat there listening to everyone, I kept humming, Walk on. One of Aunt's came up to me and asked what I was humming I said, Some song by this band U2 and than she goes with excitement "U2?!", I looked up at her strangely and said lightly " Yes, U2" and she goes " I love U2", and we started talking about them.

The next day I went to school and met up with that girl, we headed to the school library to play on the computers before heading to class. We both were looking stuff up about U2, I started reading about Bono, Edge, Adam, and Larry and I began to fall in love with them, but than, but than, I saw it the heart shaped stage, I was amazed by the look of this stage, and it also brought a peace to me, I can't really explain how that stage made me feel that way, but I ended up printing it off the computer, and drawing that stage with every chance I got, and of coarse I would steal that girls U2 cds so I could listen to them over and over in class. I was in love with U2, and their music was healing me and helping me get over my Grandmother's death and helping me see the world in a different way.

A few years later March of 2009 U2 came to the rescue again, my father ended up having to be rushed to the hospital with a splitting aorta, everyone was scared he wasn't going to make it and the doctors even said he'll be lucky if he did. There wasn't anything they can do for my father since his heart was weakened for a few years back after having a massive heart attack and having to have quad triple bypass heart surgery.

As everyone around me began to go crazy, preparing for the worst, I went to music to heal me. At first it wasn't U2, it was just random bands all together, but it wasn't doing it for me. I began to get depressed, and shut myself off preparing for the worst for my father. As I went home for a couple of hours, I had put on the tv, I kept seeing this commercial for the cable company and which kept playing Get on your boots, at first I was like thats a strange song, but than it began to grow to me. I couldn't stop singing it, and couldn't stop stay saying " The Future Needs a Big Kiss". It went on and on in my head, and every time I heard it, I couldn't catch who the artiest was. So I ended up going on line and looking it up. Turned out to be U2. I was like " Oh my God, you got to be kidding me, U2?!" and than I went out to buy No Line On the Horizon.

As I popped it in the cd, I began to go yet again in another world, I was at peace as I went though the songs, Moment of Surrender, White as snow, Magnificent, and so on. I began to feel like my soul was being heal, my faith began to build up, and I began to have faith my Dad was going to make it, even if all odds were against him.

A few days later I went to see my Dad, he was sitting up in his hospital bed cracking jokes with the nurses, and when I came in he smiled at me and went "baby girl, I'm going to make it", I smiled so big, ran to him and held on to him and began to cry in relief. I also had my portable cd player in my hand. My Dad asked " what are you listening to?" and I replied "Believe it or not Daddy, U2. They got a new album out, and it's beautiful" and he goes " Oh, let me listen", and I handed him the cd player, and he too just went into his own world particularly during Moment of Surrender.

U2's music has healed me so much it's amazing, words can't not express it, even though I wrote a novel here. I'm excited to be on board u2station and I hope I'll be able to write some good stuff for your guys.

In the mean time, that is my story on how I became a U2 fan.