The Edge calls in to WXPN studios to catch up with Dan Reed

So last Wednesday night I got an e mail from U2’s record company. It said that they had The Edge (he – of course – is the guitarist and original member of U2) available tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. Did I want the interview? Uh… OK.

I did a little research on the band and their new album, got some question ideas from my “Dan & Dan Music Podcast” partner Dan Deluca of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and took the call. He was extremely nice, very cordial, very professional. It was an enjoyable 10 minutes for me. Listen…I’m no U2 superfan, but I certainly recognize the group’s importance and longevity. They do what they do as well, if not better than, any band in the past 50 years. So it was an honor and a pleasure to talk to The Edge for a few minutes.

As a side note, I went to see U2 on their very first U.S. tour. It was April 17, 1981 (I just looked it up) at Bogart’s in Cincinnati. At 20 years old, I was a few months older than two of the members (including The Edge). They were really, really good… they entertained the 200 or so in attendance, got asked back for an encore, and had to play “I Will Follow” again because they had no other songs. If you would have told me that day that this band would someday become (not too) arguably the biggest rock & roll band in the world, I would have told you that you were nuts. Then if you would have told me that I would be interviewing the guitarist 36 years later for a radio station in Philadelphia, I would have REALLY though you needed help. But it happened. And I’m really glad it did.

Listen back to the interview below.