Achtung Baby/Zooropa remasters CONFIRMED for Fall 2011 by Rolling Stone - Part II

[Nick66]

IF AB (and Zooropa) aren't remastered, then the package-options are fucking terrible. Really, really bad. Atrocious. Fucked up. That's taking your fanbase for a ride, pure and simple. If the albums aren't remastered - fuck them. I'm holding out for the inevitable separation of the Documentary DVD, and knocking everything else off. I don't need another copy of Achtung Baby, Zooropa, the Sydney DVD and all those remixes. Why on earth would I? I don't care for a coffee table book of Bono posing. So I'm not paying £90 for the documentary DVD, 'Baby' CD and a scattering of three or four other interesting loose tracks. Not worth it. And fuck them for assuming I would.

Of course, if they are remastered, I'm all over it like a two peckered goat.

Yeah, but by that rationale, if all you're interested in is the remaster, you could just save yourself a lot of money, buy the single disc edition and be done with it, right?

 

[U2_Guy]

Yeah, but by that rational, if all you're interested in is the remaster, you could just save yourself a lot of money, buy the single disc edition and be done with it, right?

Nick, you're terrible! You don't let anything slip through the cracks. Hehe

 

[BVS]

Yeah, I call bullshit, I didn't see anyone just talking about buying the single disc and that's it. So let's not pretend it was the only thing that mattered.

That being said, I am disappointed, but really it just means I'll wait till the price of the Super comes down a little. I think it loses some value not being remastered.

 

[U2_Guy]

Yeah, I call bullshit, I didn't see anyone just talking about buying the single disc and that's it. So let's not pretend it was the only thing that mattered.

That being said, I am disappointed, but really it just means I'll wait till the price of the Super comes down a little. I think it loses some value not being remastered.

The hiper-uber-super deluxe edition of Exile on Main Street was priced around 200gbp when released. Last time i checked it was 50gbp. It will go down more than a little, me thinks...

 

[Blue Room]

I agree with every word. The remasters were all that mattered. Without them, they are fucking over the fans to George Lucas Star Wars proportions.

Well, its not quite THAT bad. We aren't looking at buying the 5th version of Achtung Baby this fall like the Star Wars series.


I'm a little surprised it may not be remastered. But I'm also surprised at people saying this is a weak set. Really? A whole CD of demos of the entire album and 6 new unreleased tracks and a couple of new remixes I have never heard. I'm not a huge remix fan, but they can be interesting sometimes. Also, have we found out what exactly is on that 4th DVD yet? I thought JT was a good set. But it really only had 3 unreleased real songs (I do not count Drunk Chicken or Beautiful Ghost). No demos of the JT songs either.

Maybe a tad overpriced, but I remember record show days. If a bootleg guy had 6 unreleased U2 songs and 12 unreleased demos that I had never heard of and had it for $150. I probably would have purchased it. I guess I'm alone on that. In fact, I think I paid $90 for the 6 disc vinyl set of the Hansa Sessions bootleg in 1991. I did not even think twice about that purchase at the time. I was a college student then and money wasn't exactly growing on trees.

I will be buying it the day it comes out. Can't wait to hear the material I have not heard previously.

 

[Nick66]

Yeah, I call bullshit, I didn't see anyone just talking about buying the single disc and that's it. So let's not pretend it was the only thing that mattered.

That being said, I am disappointed, but really it just means I'll wait till the price of the Super comes down a little. I think it loses some value not being remastered.

Well, the irony is 90% of the people on here screaming for a remaster are just going to rip the thing to some lossy format, throw it on their iPod and listen to it in their car or through ear buds while working out or on the subway.

Really, the remaster isn't going to make that much, if any, difference in every day listening environments. People mostly just want it because it's something "new" and it feels like a "new" U2 record, and gives them an excuse to play an album that in truth they probably don't play much anymore. Don't get me wrong....I know there are audiophiles with the right equipment for whom this is a genuinely big deal...but the simple fact is, no matter what people say, it's been proven most couldn't tell the difference in a blind A/B test.

(cue all the people on here with golden ears insisting they can hear subtle tonal difference in bass in WOTW while walking down a city street at rush hour next to a jackhammer)

 

[Nick66]

Nick, you're terrible! You don't let anything slip through the cracks. Hehe

You should see me in court.

 

[doctorwho]

Yeah, but by that rationale, if all you're interested in is the remaster, you could just save yourself a lot of money, buy the single disc edition and be done with it, right?

This is a good point.

My concern, though, isn't so much for the remaster (or lack thereof). It's more what the extra goodies are.

When JT was remastered, I thought, "Finally, 'Exit' will be fixed." I could barely hear that track on my original CD, even when it was past the soft cricket beginning. Yet the remaster never really did a lot. So my ears don't hear a lot of difference with these remasters (maybe if I used some super special head phones...).

For me, the "Uber Deluxe" is all about the extras. And remaster or not, it's not the album that interests me. It's the extras. Sadly, I find them a bit light even though they are presented to be all pretty (good marketing picture).

:
I'm a little surprised it may not be remastered. But I'm also surprised at people saying this is a weak set. Really? A whole CD of demos of the entire album and 6 new unreleased tracks and a couple of new remixes I have never heard. I'm not a huge remix fan, but they can be interesting sometimes. Also, have we found out what exactly is on that 4th DVD yet? I thought JT was a good set. But it really only had 3 unreleased real songs (I do not count Drunk Chicken or Beautiful Ghost). No demos of the JT songs either.

The problem I'm having is that this Uber set is mostly for the die-hards - especially at that price. And the die-hards have all of those remixes already. Many die-hards have some of the other items too ("Salome" bootleg). Some of the items in the set are interesting and I am anxious to hear or see them.

But if there's really just a CD or two of music and a DVD or two of video, that's worth what - $80 tops? The rest of that $300 price tag is for items we have, for the most part. And the "toys" aren't worth $200 (maybe Bono's real sunglasses are, but not these). Lastly, the current ridiculous $675 price tag on Amazon.com is just incomprehensible. I will not pay anywhere near that much for this set.

 

[U2_Guy]

You should see me in court.

Maybe i will if i have some case in a british court (i'm assuming you are brit) hehe
And if i have to recommend a lawyer in the UK i'll give your name. Hehe

 

[Nick66]

The remasters were all that mattered. Without them, they are fucking over the fans to George Lucas Star Wars proportions.

Actually, it's very much the opposite of the Star Wars situation. In that case, Lucas CHANGED something everyone grew up with. In the case of Achtung Baby, U2 is leaving the album just as we have always known it. For it to be like Star Wars, they would have had to CHANGE Achtung Baby, then make the original unavailable.

Or have Bono shoot first. Or something like that.

And if I recall correctly Lucas's actions didn't exactly hurt ticket or DVD sales.

Sorry, try again.

 

[canedge]

Pearl Jam's Ten reissue had the original tracks and a remixed album as well. This is a good choice.

That example is extenuating circumstances. For one, the band was only 6 months old when they recorded it and hadn't met their 'life producer' in Brendan O Brien yet. Fans had urged him to remix it but he initially declined citing artistic heritage.

Another fact to consider is that, during that period, bands were encouraged to make their major label debuts slick for radio first and then becoming increasingly more artistic as time went on. The Ten redux isn't that different from the original after all was said and done.

 

[dudeman]

you guys are all crazy - if they remastered it there would be a shit-ton of complaints and nitpicking about the remaster job. if they wanted to remaster it, they would. it's not a matter of money, or personnel (given the fact that the edge directed the prior RMs). wait a minute - Edge: you lazy fuck. i don't care if you just got home from 3 years of touring - get off your lazy ass and into a mastering studio and get to work. your fans want MORE. (this is sarcasm). gimme a break. in the end, it's THEIR art, and if they're happy with the version they're presenting us with, i'm satisfied. we all share it, but it IS theirs. (acknowledging the fact that POP wasn't what they intended, or so they say, given the stupid circumstances of it's completion and associated deadlines). I'm gonna trust that they're signing of on the sonics of this project.

Personally, i'm pumped to hear the "baby" versions of the album. In particular "Zoo Station", "Tryin to Throw Your Arms..." and "So Cruel". actually all of 'em. will be neat to hear if the arrangements went through any significant changes (especially considering their songwriting process, which is quite unorthodox). I expect they'll sound remarkably similar, but you never know... I've heard a bunch of the Salome outtakes - i don't recall that all of the album cuts appeared on there in substantial forms (seem to remember the guitar riff from UTEOTW popping up now and again....).

"Blow Your House Down" is the other tune i'm pumped to hear. There's some holy rock and roll happening in that one, i'm curious to hear what they land on as a sort of 'final' product. i wish that tune "Take Today" made it on there, tho. that's a pretty little ditty. i feel like some part of it morphed into "North and South of the River", but i could be wrong.

anyway, i'd say all in all, it's a pretty interesting package, even the remixes, and i'm no fan of remixes. don't buy it if you don't want to. Y'all will be able to find HQ rips of the bits that interest you somewhere here on the interweb, i'm sure, and won't hesitate to download. Personally, regarding the pricing, i'm not gonna shit my pants over any reports that are out there right yet. sure, it's mostly a nostalgia trip, and a pricey one, but AB is an important album to me, and reminds me of an important time in my life, and i'm willing to stroll down that memory lane with them.

lastly, regarding the pricing - i'm sure Amazon and all the other retail outlets are trying to see what they can get for these things. the profit margins on things like Cds and electronix are pretty slim, they're gonna inflate the price as much as they can while still moving products. Do they put high prices on these things, then see what the interest is, and then adjust => then re-evaluate and do it again until they arrive at a "final" price by release date?...

cool your jets, everyone.

 

[Nick66]

Stopped reading here:

you guys are all crazy

 

[sonichka]

I'm glad I bought them, but I think even the JT and UF box sets were too expensive for what they included. Other artists have released 2CD+1DVD sets for far less than the $50 price on the UF set. .

You can get the JT boxset for $35 now. Thats pretty decent, even though it was release 3 and a half year ago. I just purchased it now and i'm glad i waited. If anything i'll get the vinyl of the AB release now and wait a few years to get the others when they are cheaper.


This thread is insane though. What the hell guys? Don't worry. Be happy!! The nitpicking is unreal. lol

 

[dudeman]

Stopped reading here:

well played. the rest of what i wrote was all silly, anyway.
much of it even agrees with what you've been saying.


also- stop trolling. it's unbecoming.

 

[canedge]

Guys. Dream is Over

albums ARE NOT REMASTERED

"Newest info (source Universal UK) from u2.tour.de (from Germany) said that the AB re-release will not be remastered but the original tracks from 1991"

I still think it is really early to make any conclusions. I don't care what some Universal staffer says. The only one who has access to the material is the band, a few producers and maybe Paul McG. The rest of the people are subordinates.

This whole thing reminds me of Truman defeated in 1948.

http://media.washtimes.com/media/image/2011/03/07/B3_Truman_Defeated_GG_WEB_s336x300.jpg?5c845bda7bca6d8e7e1e382554a32495b3856f5b

 

[Nick66]

well played. the rest of what i wrote was all silly, anyway.

Ha! Good sense of humor. You took that well, you're alright in my book.

 

[U2_Guy]

I still think it is really early to make any conclusions. I don't care what some Universal staffer says. The only one who has access to the material is the band, a few producers and maybe Paul McG. The rest of the people are subordinates.

This whole thing reminds me of Truman defeated in 1948.

http://media.washtimes.com/media/image/2011/03/07/B3_Truman_Defeated_GG_WEB_s336x300.jpg?5c845bda7bca6d8e7e1e382554a32495b3856f5b

On this glorious occasion... Of the splendid defeat...

 

[canedge]

you're alright in my book.

Yeah, you are alright in my book too(dudeman). That is because you called Nick66 upon his trolling and scolded him for his unbecoming nature.

 

[Registered Dude]

jesus give it up

 

[Nick66]

jesus give it up

+1

 

[doctorwho]

Maybe Jesus knows if the album is remastered or not.

 

[canedge]

Jesus works exclusively in remixing.

 

[U2_Guy]

I wish i did not have sub-human intelligence so i could hang with the cool fellows in The Other More Intelligent Place.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

When JT was remastered, I thought, "Finally, 'Exit' will be fixed." I could barely hear that track on my original CD, even when it was past the soft cricket beginning. Yet the remaster never really did a lot. So my ears don't hear a lot of difference with these remasters (maybe if I used some super special head phones...).

Wait, really? I am by no means an audiophile but exit sounds WAY better on the remaster. Mostly because I can actually hear it now...

 

[corianderstem]

you guys are all crazy

My first thought was "What, are you new?"

That is because you called Nick66 upon his trolling and scolded him for his unbecoming nature.

Talk about the pot and the friggin' kettle.

 

[gvox]

 

[mobvok]

Wait, really? I am by no means an audiophile but exit sounds WAY better on the remaster. Mostly because I can actually hear it now...

Yeah, what? If you bought one of the CDs with Exit mastered way too quiet and Track 10 including the One Tree Hill coda, the Joshua Tree remaster is quite an improvement.

 

[kingofsorrow]

Well, the irony is 90% of the people on here screaming for a remaster are just going to rip the thing to some lossy format, throw it on their iPod and listen to it in their car or through ear buds while working out or on the subway.

Really, the remaster isn't going to make that much, if any, difference in every day listening environments. People mostly just want it because it's something "new" and it feels like a "new" U2 record, and gives them an excuse to play an album that in truth they probably don't play much anymore. Don't get me wrong....I know there are audiophiles with the right equipment for whom this is a genuinely big deal...but the simple fact is, no matter what people say, it's been proven most couldn't tell the difference in a blind A/B test.

(cue all the people on here with golden ears insisting they can hear subtle tonal difference in bass in WOTW while walking down a city street at rush hour next to a jackhammer)

very true. if the loudest is an issue then they can use a program called mp3 gain to raise the volume slightly to match the volume of other tracks in their mix.
i have no problem with AB not being remastered only the sydney dvd being released again.

 

[the tourist]

This is one of the most ridiculous threads I've ever read. Sooooo much argument over speculation.