ATYCLB 20th Anniversary Box Set

[lazarus]

or Bonernie?

 

[DaveC]

little did we know that the fake bono from the EBTTRT video has secretly had a steady job for almost two decades.

 

[pacemaker]

Rumors persist that Bono was barefoot in the desert for The Joshua Tree photo shoot.

 

[dan_smee]

Those outtakes invariably became HTDAAB tracks, Electrical Storm and THTBA.

I would have expected 2-5 interesting ideas to have been on this box as either early versions of songs released later, or ideas that didn’t get developed further.

I had great hope after the announcement of this set that in 9 years we’d get a ‘baby’ NLOTH, but now...

 

[U2girl]

Those outtakes invariably became HTDAAB tracks, Electrical Storm and THTBA.

I would have expected 2-5 interesting ideas to have been on this box as either early versions of songs released later, or ideas that didn’t get developed further.

I had great hope after the announcement of this set that in 9 years we’d get a ‘baby’ NLOTH, but now...

They dont recycle that much. LAPOE and OOTS made the cut for Htdaab.

Jagger vocals in Stuck, single version of Walk on at the least could have been added.

 

[dan_smee]

COBL had been around since the Pop days, and OOTS was from ATYCLB sessions.

SYCMIOYO started as something different in those sessions before Bob died.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

They have a shit ton of unreleased material from the era.

During the production of “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” Brian Eno kept a production notebook that listed many of the songs and song ideas that were being worked on. The notebook listed over fifty different song titles that did not come to be on the album, including songs such as “Miracle Drug”, “A Man and a Woman” (described as “Boomerang 3”), “Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own” (called a Doo Wop version), and a song called “Night Shift / Harder / Love + Peace” which we know better as “Love and Peace or Else”. The notebook also mentions “Scott Walker” which went on to be developed into “City of Blinding Lights”. Another listed song, “Levitate” was released as part of “The Complete U2” on a digital album called “Unreleased & Rare” where it was marked as having been a demo from “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”. Other songs released in that set from the “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” sessions were “Flower Child” and “Love You Like Mad”. The notebook also listed “Are You Gonna Wait Forever” which was released as a b-side to “Vertigo”.

So if you eliminate the 9 mentioned tracks and the 5 songs on the reissue that's still a shit ton of unreleased material. they could also release earlier versions of some of the songs, as many bands do and as u2 did for the Achtung Baby reissue. Kite came from a recording session very close to the end of popmart. I'd love to hear what the original sounded like.

 

[ascender_RS]

I think earlier versions of songs are the best we can hope for. For all that every album inevitably has tens of songs which get whittled down to the final 10-12, I wonder how many of those others are anything other than very rough sketches which go nowhere, chord progressions/lyric ideas etc and just end up becoming other songs on later projects.

I suspect that even if there are nearly-finished songs there which aren’t being held back for future albums, the band has zero interest in giving them a bit of spit & polish so they can be released on things like this.

 

[lazarus]

Curious about this “Doo Wop” version of SYCMIOYO. Assuming it’s more interesting musically than what wound up on the album, which is mostly lifeless other than Bono’s vocal and easily my least favorite on The Bomb.

 

[tommycharles]

Carrying around songs from one album’s sessions to another has been a common U2 trait for years, anything unreleased is very much “unreleased so far”, rather than one they think they’ve truly consigned to history.

I forget whether it was Sometimes or COBL but one of them originated during the Pop sessions, for instance. If there are any promising unheard ideas leftover from ATYCLB, I wouldn’t be surprised if they still consider them as contenders for future albums.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I mean... it's been 20 years

 

[DaveC]

the band is now at the point of just straight up using riffs that other musicians wrote. the edge is out of ideas. they don't have any promising hidden gems sitting in the vault from the year 2000.

 

[Hollow Island]

There might not be gems but there are definitely unreleased songs at various stages of completion and different versions of released songs. They record songs in different tempos and keys, with different arrangements and lyrics.

This box set seems like a thoughtless last minute job dreamt up by the marketing department. That would explain the contents - they didn't have time to prepare anything else. Or they're just lazy, greedy, and delusional.

Including the audio from the Boston dvd in lieu of another, full show is shocking.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

There might not be gems but there are definitely unreleased songs at various stages of completion and different versions of released songs. They record songs in different tempos and keys, with different arrangements and lyrics.

This box set seems like a thoughtless last minute job dreamt up by the marketing department. That would explain the contents - they didn't have time to prepare anything else. Or they're just lazy, greedy, and delusional.

Including the audio from the Boston dvd in lieu of another, full show is shocking.

I'd be willing to hear out "didn't have time" arguments if not for the little known fact that we're in the midst of a global pandemic and literally all they've had over the past 6 months was time.

 

[tommycharles]

Especially as they have found the time to do a couple of cool things (Zoo TV Sydney with new audio, Vertigo Chicago in 1080p). They just didn’t put the people who care about things on this one.

 

[DaveC]

do people really care that much about hearing Elevation played in G instead of E, or like a demo version of Peace on Earth? if you want to hear an unfinished ATYCLB song just put on the closing track...

 

[The Disciple]

There’s a re-release of Sign O’ The Times did imminently which has 63 previously unreleased tracks including a previously unreleased 2 hour concert.

This is the new remaster/box set standard as far as I'm concerned. A mind-blowing set.

 

[Hollow Island]

I'd be willing to hear out "didn't have time" arguments if not for the little known fact that we're in the midst of a global pandemic and literally all they've had over the past 6 months was time.

Ha, true! I was trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. I dont know why...

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

do people really care that much about hearing Elevation played in G instead of E, or like a demo version of Peace on Earth? if you want to hear an unfinished ATYCLB song just put on the closing track...

Yes?

 

[bono_212]

I'm NGL, I'd pay the $210 for the box itself and the Anton book. I guess I'm the target demo for this particular release.

I wish there was more stuff I'd never heard. And I'll be very unlikely to ever attempt to play the 3LP live show. But, I love this album. It's one of the most important musical releases in my entire life. It got me into the band and I will never stop feeling a strong emotional attachment to it.

For others, I totally think the criticisms are valid, but for just something to go on my display case, I'm very much in.

 

[danm]

There’s a re-release of Sign O’ The Times did imminently which has 63 previously unreleased tracks including a previously unreleased 2 hour concert.

Let’s not forget though that in life Prince did everything he could to block live performances being available. There was barely anything on YouTube before he died and even with his recorded material, much of it wasn’t available online for years.

 

[lazarus]

He released a 4-disc live set in the 2000s, and the remaster of Purple Rain included a legendary live show from that tour.

I'm not even sure what your point has to do with the new release anyway.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

...indeed they had leftovers.

This was two pages ago an not one joke about Bono not leaving leftovers. I am very disappointed.

 

[Nate Dogg]

I already have the album on vinyl, so I went with the CD set. Not sure I need the extra songs and show on the LPs. I’m not crazy about the remixes being separated either. I’ll save a hundred bucks.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

This was two pages ago an not one joke about Bono not leaving leftovers. I am very disappointed.

For shame

 

[typhoon]

Should've thrown "Falling at Your Feet" on there as well and made the MDH soundtrack completely redundant.

 

[dan_smee]

Should've thrown "Falling at Your Feet" on there as well and made the MDH soundtrack completely redundant.

Never Let Me Go shits on Falling at Your Feet.

 

[ascender_RS]

He released a 4-disc live set in the 2000s, and the remaster of Purple Rain included a legendary live show from that tour.

I'm not even sure what your point has to do with the new release anyway.

Because usually when you get this sort of release its all about the unreleased tracks. We know U2 record every live show for example, so why not even go for the low hanging fruit by releasing a different show we’ve never heard?

 

[typhoon]

Never Let Me Go shits on Falling at Your Feet.

Well, plenty of room for it too. Who releases a bonus disc for a 20-year-old album with only 10 tracks on it.

 

[dan_smee]

Well, plenty of room for it too. Who releases a bonus disc for a 20-year-old album with only 10 tracks on it.

But it isn’t u2. I was just saying the soundtrack isn’t redundant because one of the best tracks is Bono and the MDH Band and wouldn’t be covered in this set.