Elvis meets U2

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Elvis

Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Joined
May 22, 2000
Messages
4,007
Location
Orange County, CA
I originally posted this story in the fall of 2000, enjoy.



A long long time ago, in a galaxy far far away....

Oh wait.. wrong story.

For several weeks, I had been asking one of my contacts, let's just call him 'Obi Wan' for now, to get me admitted to the Farmclub.com taping with U2 on October 27, '00. I waited and waited for an answer, once in awhile hearing mumblings that that performance would almost be impossible for me to get into. The week of the performance had arrived, still no firm answer of whether or not I would be attending the taping in Los Angeles. I get into my office Tuesday morning and sometime between 9 and 10am the phone rings, it's someone that works for 'Obi Wan'... lets call him 'Luke' for now. 'Luke' says the normal good morning type things, and then lets me know, "Joel, I have some good news and some bad news, which would you like first?'. I promptly replied, 'I'll take the bad first... it's gotta mean I won't be making plane reservations'. 'Luke' informs me of the bad news, there is no way I will be able to get into the Farmclub taping. Now I'm feeling a little down, expectations had not been fulfilled, but I still had good news to come. I'm then told that I need to book a plane ticket immediately so that I can be in Los Angeles on the morning of Thursday, October 26, for U2's Breakfast with KROQ radio performance.

Thursday, October 26, 2000.
I was told to arrive at Universal Studios back lot at, or before, 9am. I got there at around 8am... just to make sure I didn't get stuck in traffic, or get lost. I drive up to the studio entrance, tell them my name as I was instructed, and I'm given a studio parking permit. Yah! So far I've been admitted into the studio... how much better can it get? I drive into the parking structure like any normal person would, then my adventure begins.

I was told to go to a specific back lot studio, of course the last time I was here I believe I was on the Universal Studios tour tram. I wander around for a bit, finally finding someone that looks like they can guide me the right way. I ask him 'Which way to studio #XX?' I'm asked if I have any credentials, and I respond that I'm a guest of 'Obi Wan' (and the company he works for). I'm told that he will have to go find my credentials, and until he does I could go to the studio and he'd find me there (to give me my credentials). For those of you who don't know what credentials are, it's basically an industry name for a 'pass' and what access you have. So I head over to the studio noticing there are two entrances... the one for the people from KROQ (which has a metal detector), and another with a bunch of monkey suit wearing bouncers. That happen to be the VIP entrance (which didn't have a metal detector), and was the one I was told to use.

I walk in, being asked where my credentials are, I say 'They are being brought to me inside' and I guess that was enough for them. I enter the studio and had no idea really where or what I should be doing, I'm really early, but end up making my way inside the actual set for Farmclub - very impressive. After sitting on the stage awhile, I figured I'd call some friends and sarcastically ask them why they weren't there with me.. ok ok.. so it wasn't the coolest thing to do, but even they got a laugh out of it. I forget at exactly at what time, but the engineering crew from KROQ arrived and started setting up all of their equipment. Soon after they cleared out, the band's techs arrived. They brought in what instruments weren't already there (everything but Larry's drum set), started tuning, playing riffs and bass lines... and then Dallas, Edge's guitar tech, starts playing various songs from the ZooTV era, the rest of the techs follow, and what have we got here... suedo-U2, lacking a LV of course. Paul McGuinness, the bands manager appears from the right side of the stage, followed of course by 4 of my favorite musicians. I'm five feet away, just observing, a fly from the wall. The band takes their places, and with only a few people in the studio including myself, the band starts rehearsing. Honestly, I lost count of how many songs they rehearsed, either 4 or 5. Counting the songs, or even keeping track of which ones were played was the last thing on my mind. I was seeing U2 rehearse with only a few people present, and closer than I had ever been to U2 before.

Somewhere around 10am, other VIPs, record company folks, and then the KROQ folks start pouring in. I'm told by 'Obi Wan' that we have to move to the upper deck to watch the show. I go upstairs with a few handfuls of people and position myself on the right side of the stage and against the rail. For about an hour and a half, the band performs and alternates with some really classic interviews. It was probably the most incredible U2 experience I had ever had at this point. First a rehearsal, and then a private show with less than 150 people. The band was outstanding, and seemed well rehearsed for the songs they performed. If this was any indication of how the upcoming tour will be, we are all in for a real treat. Ok.. shows over, everyone is instructed to get out of the studio for security reasons. I follow 'Obi Wan', 'Luke' and some of the people they work with outside.

Standing around talking, a woman approaches me, she is someone familiar to me - yet I have never met her before. She tells me that the band would like to meet me and asks if I was going to hang around. OK... I think to myself, should I stay or should I go.. I'm only kidding. I said 'of course I'll stay'. The band was upstairs in a building across from the studio, apparently having a photo shoot. Several of us had went upstairs to wait, it was a pretty narrow walkway, barely wide enough for 2 people to cross, and guess who walks right by me... Adam. At this point, I'm not in awe, things are becoming familiar and normal, and I'm just looking forward to being able to have a conversation with any or all of the band. Well, I didn't bring up the monkey suit wearing bouncers for the heck of it, earlier... this evil evil man asks us to go down the stairs and wait there. This being only after we were told to go upstairs. Frustration subsides and we resume conversation where we had been previously.

The moment of truth arrives. Hmm... or was it Edge?
Edge starts making his way down the stairs, is led to me and we're introduced. This being a very surreal experience, I actually stayed very calm and collected. We talked a bit, he mentioned he had visited Interference.com often, and really liked the site. Of course, that's been something I have been waiting to hear from the horses mouth, I must confess. Our conversation pretty much circled around the Internet, music, Napster, Gnutella, and how he envisions U2 fans on the Net now that the band is getting involved. It felt like I was talking to an old friend, not some rock star, not the guitarist for U2, just a down to earth musician that seems to be very interested in technology and the Internet.

The man himself makes his appearance...
As I'm enjoying conversation with Edge, I get tapped on the shoulder from behind. 'Hi Joel, haven't we met somewhere before?', I hear. I'm face to face with Bono, and in what was my calm and collected self... I turn a bit cocky, and respond 'No, Bono, we haven't met before.' Hey plays on, and asks 'Are you sure, you seem so familiar.' I mentioned that he may have seen me during Popmart, or that he may even remember the Interference.com banner we hung during the Las Vegas show. Does Bono have a good memory? Yes! He not only remembered the banner, but remembered that it was on the (his) left hand side of the stadium. Quite impressive, as was the conversation that Edge, Bono, and myself had... really a down to earth experience. At one point, I wasn't sure if the band had known about the Joshua Tree dying, or the tree at One Tree Hill being cut down. I asked them if they had heard about the JT, both said they had heard mentions of my article I wrote, but weren't aware of the full details. They both seemed slightly saddened, of course Edge and I quickly made comments about their quote from the Achtung Baby days when they said 'its four guys chopping down the Joshua Tree', and he said jokingly, 'looks like we really did it this time, we pushed it over now.' I told them I had more bad news, and sprung the news of One Tree Hill. Edge made a witty remark, 'What's the deal, they are chopping down all over our trees! Its U2 deforestation.' I kindly asked both of them to sign 2 cds, one being a mint copy of Melon, and the other being a mint copy of One. Both signed, each in their own personal way, Bono's drawings and thumb smudge included.


Oh no... monkey suits again!
Adam and Larry appeared, but only to be swept off by security. Bono and Edge were being told as well to hurry along. They apparently had another photo shoot inside the studio, and then were going to rehearse for the next days taping of Farmclub. It was all pretty sudden, and chaotic. As they were about to make their way back into the studio, Bono and Edge asked me to come along. 'Obi Wan', and the woman I earlier mentioned, followed me inside.

Its time to dream it all up again...
I hung out for about 30 minutes, talked to Edge a little more, got a couple photos (which I wasn't supposed to be doing), watched the photo shoot, and watched the band rehearse a bit. Oh.. did I mention I pissed off one of the monkey suit wearing bouncers? Well I did, guess he didn't like my digital camera or something. Geez, those guys take their jobs way to seriously. We left the studio, 'Obi Wan', 'Luke', and myself talked for a bit about the whole experience... and that part of my day drew to a close.

I hope you've enjoyed this, an experience I was very fortunate to have. I really owe a 'thank you' to the people that shall remain unnamed, Obi Wan, Luke, and 'the woman'. Thanks so much, the day was everything I expected it to be, beautiful.

Joel Tanner
elvis@interference.com
 
Thanks for sharing your story, Elvis! I wasn't around when you posted it the first time. Sounds like an amazing experience- I don't know if I would have been able to keep my cool while talking to U2.
 
Thanks Elvis! I was hoping I'd be able to hear your story. Wow, what an experience! Glad you got to meet the band you've devoted so much time to here. :) I hope someday it'll happen to me!
 
OMG I have only just read this. :eek:

Wow, what a cool story, thanks for sharing it.

*plans a way to hide in Elvis' bag next time* :D
 
wow, Elvis-and to meet them on their level, too! I mean, you maintained your cool even tho you were living your dream!! wow, and you seem to have maintained your level of admiration to this day..too cool! And they know your name!! Yowza, thanks for sharing!
 
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