Proposal for a 2012 15th anniversary Pop Remaster/release

[namkcuR]

TheWanderer's threads for Rattle And Hum and Zooropa inspired me to create this one for Pop. Fair warning, I went all out with this. It's total fantasy, especially considering we can't even be sure U2 will do a re-release for Pop. But I had a lot of fun thinking this up. Without further ado:

Disc 1: Original Album Remastered

1. Discotheque
2. Do You Feel Loved
3. Mofo
4. If God Will Send His Angels
5. Staring At The Sun
6. Last Night On Earth
7. Gone
8. Miami
9. The Playboy Mansion
10. If You Wear That Velvet Dress
11. Please
12. Wake Up Dead Man

Disc 2: B-Sides, alternate mixes, rarities

1. Holy Joe(Garage Mix)
2. Holy Joe(Guilty Mix)
3. North And South Of The River
4. Pop Muzik(Pop Mart Remix)
5. Happiness Is A Warm Gun(The Gun Mix)
6. Happiness Is A Warm Gun(The Danny Saber Remix)
7. I'm Not Your Baby(Sky Splitter Dub)
8. Slow Dancing(w/ Willie Nelson)
9. Two Shots Of Happy, One Shot Of Sad
10. If You Wear That Velvet Dress(Jools Holland Version)
11. Discotheque(Mike Hedges aka "New" Mix)
12. Staring At The Sun(Mike Hedges aka "New" Mix)
13. Gone(Mike Hedges aka "New" Mix)
14. The Playboy Mansion(rumored Mike Hedges mix recorded for Best Of 1990-2000 but never released)
15. If God Will Send His Angels(unreleased Zooropa version)
16. If You Wear That Velvet Dress(unreleased Zooropa version)
17. Wake Up Dead Man(unreleased Zooropa version)
18. North And South Of The River(Salome outtakes demo)

Disc 3: Alternate mixes(I just picked my favorites, might be different for you)

1. Discotheque(DM Deep Club Mix)
2. Discotheque(Hexidecimal Mix)
3. Discotheque(David Holmes Mix)
4. Mofo(Phunk Force Mix)
5. Mofo(Romin Remix)
6. If God Will Send His Angles(Grand Jury/Big Yam Mix)
7. Staring At The Sun(Monster Truck Mix)
8. Staring At The Sun(Sad Bastards Mix)
9. Staring At The Sun(Lab Rats Mix)
10. Last Night On Earth(First Night In Hell Mix)
11. If God WIll Send His Angels(Single Mix)
12. Last Night On Earth(Single Mix)
13. Please(Single Mix)
14. Please(USA Edit)

Disc 4: Various radio interviews from Pop promo period in 1997 - this would be fascinating to listen to, to compare how they talked about the album then to how they talk(or don't talk) about it now.

Disc 5 DVD:
A Year In Pop - ABC special with footage of Popmart opening night in Las Vegas
K-Mart press conference for Popmart announcement w/ Holy Joe performance
Bono/Larry Mullen Letterman appearance, June 10, 1997
VH1 Legends U2(Because it was made in this time period, right after Popmart)
Various TV interviews from Pop promo period in 1997 - there are many, just look it up on youtube
Simpsons episode featuring U2 during Popmart
Music videos:
Discotheque version 1
Discotheque version 2
Mofo
If God Will Send His Angels
Staring At The Sun version 1
Staring At The Sun version 2
Last Night On Earth
Please
Please(Live, MTV Video Music Awards)
Mofo(Live, MTV European Music Awards)
North And South Of The River(Live, Omgha Tribute)
All I Want Is You(Live, same Omgha Tribute performance)

Disc 6 DVD: Popmart Rotterdam

Disc 7 DVD: Popmart Leeds

Disc 8 DVD: Popmart Sarajevo

Disc 9 DVD: Popmart Santiago
(no Mexico City, because it's already been released)

This is some sort of Pop rubix cube that I stumbled upon totally by accident in Google Image Search. I thought it would be a pretty sweet look for a Pop box set.

That's it. Yeah, it's a total pipe dream. I went completely nuts. Four live shows(five if you count the Vegas footage in 'A Year In Pop'), with no repeat Mexico City release? If only. This would be a really sweet set though. Oh, one more thing: A few years back, bono had been quoted saying something about how the band would like to finally 'finish' the Pop songs someday...if they wanted to finally complete Pop to their satisfaction, you could throw that disc in here too. Ok, that's it.

 

[The Panther]

As usual, Pop had lots of great music. Not all the production-sounds they attempted really worked, but it was certainly a noble attempt at progressive growth from a band that had everything to lose and nothing much to gain by shaking up their sound yet more.

However, all of the associated details of the Pop period -- the lead-off video, the giant Lemon, the costumes, the album cover, and most of all the cringeworthy press conference at K-Mart disaster -- were horrible. Unfortunately, no amount of re-recording those otherwise fine tracks can erase those memories of U2 trying to be funny on camera... and failing miserably.

 

[cobl04]

It doesn't matter if Bono wasn't funny during the Pop era, he looked like a tough cunt, and Mofo live immediately cancels out and refutes any perceived missteps.

 

[The Panther]

he looked like a tough cunt

Clearly, you've won this dispute.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

oh god, that legends show. i remember it premiered on a friday or saturday night and being teased by my friends that i was going to stay home and watch it. oh, and a year in pop, i remember watching that one too. it'd be great to see those programmes again as they're on some vhs tape somewhere. who knows where all my "mix tapes" (albeit video) went to.

anyway, that list looks pretty solid, and that rubik's cube is sweet.

 

[cobl04]

Clearly, you've won this dispute.

thanks nipples numbers The Panther.

 

[LemonMelon]

I hope they remaster that Rubik's cube before they make me buy it.

I hope they don't "remaster" Pop.

 

[lemonfly]

the lead-off video, the giant Lemon, the costumes, the album cover, and most of all the cringeworthy press conference at K-Mart disaster -- were horrible. Unfortunately, no amount of re-recording those otherwise fine tracks can erase those memories of U2 trying to be funny on camera... and failing miserably.

I respectfully disagree 100%. I thought this was a time when U2 were able to poke fun at themselves and were at their least self-conscious, and it worked wonders. Anyone who didn't find the Discotheque video funny has had a sense of humor bypass (not saying that's you).
Btw that Rubiks cube is unbelievably sweet! Where can I buy one??

 

[Galeongirl]

This OP wins. I'd SO buy that!

 

[popacrobat]

I have that rubik's cube. i don't need this remaster!

 

[Niceman]

I respectfully disagree 100%. I thought this was a time when U2 were able to poke fun at themselves and were at their least self-conscious, and it worked wonders. Anyone who didn't find the Discotheque video funny has had a sense of humor bypass (not saying that's you).
Btw that Rubiks cube is unbelievably sweet! Where can I buy one??

I still have my POPcube somewhere. As I recall, it worked great for years, but then the paper started to degrade and weaken.

 

[popacrobat]

I still have my POPcube somewhere. As I recall, it worked great for years, but then the paper started to degrade and weaken.

yeah, the paper is a bit weak on mine, but still attached perfectly fine, just some corners are a bit ratty. I don't even know where I got it from.

 

[namkcuR]

I respectfully disagree 100%. I thought this was a time when U2 were able to poke fun at themselves and were at their least self-conscious, and it worked wonders. Anyone who didn't find the Discotheque video funny has had a sense of humor bypass (not saying that's you).
Btw that Rubiks cube is unbelievably sweet! Where can I buy one??

Agreed. I've never really understood why so many found the imagery of that era(Discotheque video, giant lemon, costumes, etc) so cringe-worthy. It was by far their most colorful era in terms of image, and that added a sort of other-worldly vibe to Popmart and complimented the music really well, imho.

the album cover

See, I just don't get this. I've always thought the Pop cover was one of the sweetest looking album covers in U2's catalog. I love the whole Pop-art style.

 

[BVS]

Agreed. I've never really understood why so many found the imagery of that era(Discotheque video, giant lemon, costumes, etc) so cringe-worthy.

Because most people didn't want caricatures, and that's what some of this was... It wasn't consistent with the album.

 

[Tommy WM]

Chances are we'll get a All That You Can't Leave Behind 15th Year Anniversary Remaster before we get anything from Pop

 

[nirniva]

"What's Pop?"
-Bono

Spoiler

I definitely imagine Pop will get some sort of remaster/reissue treatment, if not quite as elaborate you described. Judging by U2 by U2, the band's always wanted to "finish" Pop, so I think a dual release of Pop 2.0 and the original album remastered is a possibility.

 

[Rafiennes]

Original album re-mastered
A b-sides and rare tracks CD
A remix CD (yikes)
A POP ‘Finished’ CD with the band re-doing all the songs how they want it to be done (with Greedo shooting first)

 

[theedgeu2]

I wouldn't mind a "finished" Pop bonus CD at all, in fact I think that would be a very interesting disc to listen to, however I feel that Pop is "finished" already. Definitely need some live material on a disc. I like what the OP chose for what could be a mega Pop re-issue/remaster.

 

[Galeongirl]

"What's Pop?"
-Bono

Spoiler

I definitely imagine Pop will get some sort of remaster/reissue treatment, if not quite as elaborate you described. Judging by U2 by U2, the band's always wanted to "finish" Pop, so I think a dual release of Pop 2.0 and the original album remastered is a possibility.

A non alcoholic fizzy drink

Yes, that's Bono reading the dictionary entry for the word Pop.

 

[nirniva]

 

[gareth brown]

Disc 6 DVD: Popmart Rotterdam
Disc 7 DVD: Popmart Leeds
Disc 8 DVD: Popmart Sarajevo
Disc 9 DVD: Popmart Santiago
(no Mexico City, because it's already been released)

I admire the optimism I really do.

 

[solemole]

IMO, remastering anniversary should really just stop at POP (although that album is pretty loud on CD).

 

[gareth brown]

by current standards any remastering would seem pretty redundant beyond (and probably including) Pop. unless they kept going and mastered them properly as decent audio and not a clipping hurricane of mulch that just looks like a rectangle instead of a waveform

that said, even if they just re-issue the original album as originally mastered I hope Pop gets the same 2+ CD release as the others...

god knows what you'd have for HTDAAB....two 'proper' B-sides (one a cover) a shitload of remixes of Vertigo and others then live tracks. NLOTH you'd just put in the alternate version of the title track then the Magnificent remix disc i guess... oh yeah and the 360 Crazy....then multiple remixes of that. god typing this just makes me remember how shit U2 have been for B-sides this past decade

 

[digitize]

HTDAAB needs to be remastered for quietness.

 

[gareth brown]

exactly

 

[kingofsorrow]

not a clipping hurricane of mulch that just looks like a rectangle instead of a waveform

HTDAAB needs to be remastered for quietness

 

[purpleoscar]

I just hope they don't release Mexico City as a DVD to go with the reissue/remixed tracks. Some popular show like Sarajevo would be better.

 

[kingofsorrow]

they will

 

[canedge]

I think they should do an album called opo.

Different versions of all of the songs in the same running order. The first track would be POP Music (Popmart mix) into Mofo. Also throw in the Jools Holland versions of Velvet Dress.

 

[Nick66]

htdaab needs to be remastered for quietness.

+1

Is it possible to remaster for greatness?