90s Deluxe/Remasters

[PennyLanePHINS]

It's been nearly 20 years since Achtung Baby was released. Think we'll be seeing a deluxe/remastered version like with The Joshua Tree and all their albums before that? It is U2's 2nd biggest selling album, I would expect something like that around the Holidays if a new album is coming out this spring. I would love Zooropa or Pop as well at some point. Rattle & Hum has yet to get a deluxe version though.

Anything people would like to see with Rattle & Hum/Achtung Baby/Zooropa/Pop?

 

[Hollow Island]

Rattle and Hum should get a deluxe version with more live tracks, but since there are so many high quality boots from 87-89, it would be a bit redundant. Maybe they could break up the live and studio tracks into two discs, and add more live tracks and the b-sides.

Achtung will probably have some spruced up Berlin demos. I can't imagine what would be on Zooropa and Pop (or Passengers) but they must have some great alternate versions.

The vinyl reissues are what I'm most excited about!

And I'd love NLOTH reissued with more Morocco versions. Maybe as a democracy fundraiser or something.

 

[TheEdge25]

Achtung Baby will probably have remastered album tracks, demo tracks, and unreleased tracks from that time period.

I would love to see some more footage from ZooTV shows and possibly footage of the recording of AB (if they have it, of course).

 

[Marien]

I may be wrong, but I've always thought Achtung Baby was the last album needing digital remastering. Perhaps they release anniversary deluxe editions of the others, though.

(of course Rattle and Hum master is not digital either)

 

[Hollow Island]

None of their albums from Joshua Tree on need remastering because they were made for CD, and are some of the best sounding records ever made. They probably want to brickwall them now, though.

Maybe the AB reissue will have the Zoo TV thanksgiving special.

 

[Marien]

None of their albums from Joshua Tree on need remastering because they were made for CD, and are some of the best sounding records ever made. They probably want to brickwall them now, though.

Maybe the AB reissue will have the Zoo TV thanksgiving special.

Were R&H and AB digital? I thought Edge told what I said in an interview, but as I said before I'm not sure, I wonder why Achtung Baby isn't better sounding then.

 

[theedgeu2]

Umm they're remastering all of their released discography. All the way up to NLOTH. So yes I expact an AB 20th anni remaster in fall this year.

 

[lemonfly]

I have mixed feelings about a remastered AB - if they "clean up" the sound too much. AB has a very distinctive "foggy" quality (can't think of any other word to describe it) and if that goes the album may lose something.
Sadly I don't think we'll get a remastered/deluxe Zooropa or POP editions because they might decide the demand isn't there to justify it.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Everything on the Best Of is remastered, no?

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I have mixed feelings about a remastered AB - if they "clean up" the sound too much. AB has a very distinctive "foggy" quality (can't think of any other word to describe it) and if that goes the album may lose something.
Sadly I don't think we'll get a remastered/deluxe Zooropa or POP editions because they might decide the demand isn't there to justify it.

oh i'm sure they'll remaster those too. my favourite band is remastering one of their worst selling albums (as in i think u2-3 sold more than this) so i'm sure they'll remaster zooropa and pop. if anything, they'll probably do zooropa just to remind the world that album won a freaking grammy.

 

[The_acrobat]

I hope that on the Zooropa 2nd disc we get some of the POP songs they were working on. IGWSHA, WUDM and HMTMKMKM were all songs that were cut off at the last minute from Zooropa, so it'll be interesting to hear those versions. Also, The Wanderer with Bono singing will probably be on there. Maybe we'll finally get to hear "In Cold Blood", and I'm sure there are other outtakes. Live version of "Dirty Day" is a MUST because it's so awesome.

I'm not sure what will be on the 2nd disc for Pop. I hope they don't rerecord it like they say they want to. It's perfect as is, and all the rerecordings so far have been not nearly as good.

The 2nd disc on AB will be awesome. There is so much material there they could work with. However, not at the expense of LP13!

 

[cobl04]

None of their albums from Joshua Tree on need remastering because they were made for CD, and are some of the best sounding records ever made.

have you heard the original JT cd? you can barely hear Exit, and One Tree Hill's coda is actually a part of Exit.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

He might mean after TJT... in which manner I have no opinion on the matter because when it comes to sound quality I wouldn't have a clue of what means what.

 

[dan_smee]

I for one hope they don;t touch the running order on R&H.

It is the running order that gives it it's life. Some hate it, not many love it, but for better or worse, that is 'Rattle and Hum'. Other albums you could change without killing, but there is something about that album in particular that means that a re-arrangement wouldn't sit well with me. A second CD (much liek the R&H 2 boot around) with a mix of other live cuts fromt he movie, and b-sides, plus full concert DVD of a Lovetown show (Point Depot, or Sydney Ent Cent)

 

[gareth brown]

why would they change the running order on Rattle and Hum???

 

[Notabene]

I would love to see some more footage from ZooTV shows and possibly footage of the recording of AB (if they have it, of course).

Me too!

 

[BVS]

None of their albums from Joshua Tree on need remastering because they were made for CD, and are some of the best sounding records ever made.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

Everything on the Best Of is remastered, no?

"Digitally Remastered" and a true Remaster are two entirely different things.

 

[Marien]

"Digitally Remastered" and a true Remaster are two entirely different things.

Could you tell me more about it? I'm confused now, I think I remember that Edge said that R&H and AB were the last albums needing remastering and I think my first R&H was an LP,but I can't comfirm it, I don't have it any more as someone broke into my house and stole all my music collection about 10 years ago. Thanks.

 

[BVS]

When something is "digitally remastered" it usually means it's just transferred to a digital format.

Take Exit from JT as an example: a "digital remaster" would mean it was transferred to a digital format but no real changes took place. But a real remaster would go in and fix the volume issue at the intro to the song.

 

[Marien]

When something is "digitally remastered" it usually means it's just transferred to a digital format.

Take Exit from JT as an example: a "digital remaster" would mean it was transferred to a digital format but no real changes took place. But a real remaster would go in and fix the volume issue at the intro to the song.

Thanks!

 

[theedgeu2]

Definitely for the Pop remaster I'd expect Holy Joe to be on there as well as remixes and maybe some live material. I am actually really interested in the 90s remasters as those will have a very interesting Disc 2. Can't wait much longer.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

"Digitally Remastered" and a true Remaster are two entirely different things.

No, I know that - but I did think that all of the Best Of tracks were properly remastered. Might be wrong...

 

[gareth brown]

As long as Zooropa gets the second disc it deserves and Pop's bonus disc isn't just 15 remixes, i'll be happy

 

[LuckyNumber7]

I got told off my my good friend for having many songs with 128 bitrate.


I'm relatively computer savvy, although when it comes to audio I don't know jack (pun intended).

What does that even matter, while we're vaguely on the topic?

 

[corianderstem]

A lower bitrate (is that the right word?) sounds worse than a higher one, to some extent. Depends on what you're listening to it on as well, but 320 is considered the best bitrate for MP3s. 128, while not the worst you'll find on the net, isn't awesome.

If I understand the technical bits correctly, it's about how much the sound/data is being compressed.

 

[BVS]

No, I know that - but I did think that all of the Best Of tracks were properly remastered. Might be wrong...

I don't believe they were. The liner notes don't mention anything about it and there's a noticeable difference between those tracks and the actual remaster releases.

 

[nathan1977]

I don't believe they were. The liner notes don't mention anything about it and there's a noticeable difference between those tracks and the actual remaster releases.

Actually, the liner notes to both Best Of CDs include the following:
"All tracks have been ditigally remastered from original master tapes where possible by Arnie Acosta at The Mastering Lab, Los Angeles."

 

[BVS]

Actually, the liner notes to both Best Of CDs include the following:
"All tracks have been ditigally remastered from original master tapes where possible by Arnie Acosta at The Mastering Lab, Los Angeles."

Right, "digitally remastered" hence the discussion earlier about the difference between the two...

 

[Partyslammer]

Well, going by past history, I would expect a Rattle and Hum deluxe set to include a 2nd cd with the numerous non-album b-sides including the remixes, single edits and live cuts from the '88 Smile Jamaica concert. All that right there is close enough to fill a cd, but I'd guess they'd also include a couple unreleased demos and one newly finished "unreleased" song from those sessions. It would be outstanding to have a complete Lovetown show on dvd but I think the odds are very slim of that happening. The album itself is probably the only one aside from Zooropa that needs a modern remastering job done to it.

Achtung Baby is probably my least anticipated album for a Deluxe Edition. The album itself still sounds very good to my ears. And I'd bet the 2nd cd would be the 8 or so non-album b-sides and the rounded out with as many of the numerous remixes done for the various singles as they could fit on the disc. The tour is already well documented on home video so I doubt say, first leg indoor arena show would be included as a bonus dvd.

Which leaves Zooropa..... IMO, the mix for cd has always sounded muted and muddy to an unnecessary degree and could greatly benefit from a new remastering job. A 2nd cd would have a lot of room for previously unheard tracks as there's really only a couple non-album tracks and a couple live cuts from the tour. Of course, U2 could really pad out the disc with all the remixes of Lemon....

I won't even go into Pop or any of the albums from the past decade.

T.B.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

A lower bitrate (is that the right word?) sounds worse than a higher one, to some extent. Depends on what you're listening to it on as well, but 320 is considered the best bitrate for MP3s. 128, while not the worst you'll find on the net, isn't awesome.

If I understand the technical bits correctly, it's about how much the sound/data is being compressed.

Sounds like that makes sense... just couldn't tell the difference between any of the qualities/different bitrates. Ah well. I guess it doesn't matter (to me) if I can't really tell.