Michelle Watson

I've been a copy editor all of my professional life and as far back as high school. (Even farther back, if you count correcting my dad's grammar and spelling). I don't often write, but when I do it's about U2.

I've been a U2 fan since the late '80s, and I somehow managed to work the band into papers for most subjects in college, and even one or two in high school. I've also penned a few columns about U2 professionally. (My editors were nice enough to indulge me and my fanaticism.)

My love affair with U2 goes back to sophomore year in high school. I had a friend from Honduras who was much more worldly than I. I remember her listening to her Walkman and singing, in a rather tone-deaf voice, "Coca-Cola, football, radio radio radio radio radio ..." My friends and I thought she was nuts. But then we listened for ourselves and fell in love. My first U2 show was on the Joshua Tree tour, which is why "Streets" (the opener) and "40" (the closer) still give me chills when I hear the first notes. Since then I usually saw one or two shows per tour (and even missed Pop!), but somehow I found myself at four Vertigo tour shows -- two in Dublin. Among my friends, that makes me certifiable. Among U2 fans, it just seems like a natural progression.

That progression seems to have coincided with joining the @U2 staff, although I'm not sure which came first. But it's a great relationship and a great outlet.

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