Anu said:
When do you know you are a fan, not just an engaged and interested listener?
I think it's hard, if not impossible, to draw any kind of line. I don't believe any criteria should really be established, but I also don't buy the "if you like a few songs, you're a fan" argument. In many cases, people would be better considered fans of a song rather than fans of the actual band. For example, I know a guy who thinks Elevation and Vertigo are fantastic songs (yeah, I know
), but he isn't interested in U2 otherwise and I don't think he could be considered a fan of the actual band at all.
I don't know if any hard and fast rule can be applied. For example, I consider myself a fan of both U2 and Cynic - however, I am highly active on Interference and I run a U2 setlist database, while I just enjoy listening to Cynic's sole album, Focus, and don't know much else about the band (except for bassist Sean Malone, who's in other bands I like such as Gordian Knot and OSI).
Besides U2, what other bands are you truly fans of?
My primary interests are The Shadows, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, Anathema, Pure Reason Revolution, Orphaned Land, Joy Division, Crowded House, and Split Enz. I'm also very much interested in other bands like Pink Floyd, The Chills, Blackfield, Spock's Beard, etc. I would consider myself a serious fan of a band if I have a bootleg/live album or would download one if I had the opportunity.