John Avlon

John P. Avlon writes a column for The Daily Beast and is author of the forthcoming Attack of the Wingnuts, to be published in January by Beast Books. He is also the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. Previously, he served as chief speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.

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Author and journalist

One of my great pleasures in life is being a U2 fan—and today marks the release of their 12th studio album, No Line on the Horizon. I remember the days each of their albums were released—buying Achtung Baby on cassette in London’s Victoria Station, getting an advance import copy of The Joshua Tree at a record store on Carmine Street in Greenwich Village. I count down the calendar to consume their albums and tours; hunt down interviews, videos, b-sides and T-shirts. Their songs somehow inspire my most in-focus self, defining chapters of my life from the time I saw the Unforgettable Fire tour in 1984 to the way in which All That You Can’t Leave Behind became the soundtrack to the emergency operations center in New York after the attacks of September 11th.

2:35 pm, Mar 3, 2009

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All That You Can't Leave Behind, 1984, Unforgettable Fire, Carmine Street, The Joshua Tree, Victoria Station, Achtung Baby, No Line On The Horizon, September 11th, U2, Greenwich Village, London

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