You make decision's on ME1 that effect ME2, But what they did for the PS3 owners (and eventually Xbox360 Owners) was introduce "Genesis" which gave you all the important decision's from ME1 for you to pick what you would have done so you can play ME2 without having to play ME1. So no you don't need to have played ME1 to play the rest.
I loved ME1, I tried to play it once and didn't like it, sort of like what you did, then I was off work for a coupel of days sick and couldn't leave the bed Mass Effect was the only game I had that was new to me so I gave it another go and spent 2 days straight playing it, amazing game once you get in to it.
Mass Effect 2 is so much better tho, Really worth playing ME2, You can get it cheap enough nowadays. There are alot of side quest's but they are brilliant add-on to the game and they don't feel like side quests. You can just do the main quest but then you are not getting the full enjoyment of the game.
I'm just starting ME3 now, It look brill.
