| In 2004 Apple's iTunes store released a "Digital Box Set"
of U2 Recordings entitled The Complete U2.
The set was made available only through the iTunes music store for download.
Included within the set were several rare recordings grouped as albums.
These "Digital Albums" were accompanied by new artwork designed by Four5One,
the creative design firm which has done most of U2's albums throughout
the years. These cover images were released in an accompanying "PDF"
file along with information about the full set of songs in the "Digital
Box Set". It is not known at this time if Apple plans on releasing
these "Digital Albums" separate from the box set - at this time they are
only available when one purchases The Complete U2.
The tracks could be downloaded in Apple's AAC format for compressed music.
This 3 song EP was included with the "digital box set" and contained
3 tracks from U2's earliest recording sessions, dating back to those that
gave us Boy. The sessions were recorded with
Barry Devlin producing in Keystone Studios. The entire first demo,
recorded in April of 1978 is included here. Two further demo tapes
would be recorded before the band recieved their contract and began recording
for the first album. All three demo tapes have shown up on bootleg
recordings over the years, usually placed together on one CD. These
digital files released with the "digital box set" are a remarkable improvement
over the versions I've heard from these various bootlegs.
If you want to hear U2 at their earliest than these three songs are
it. There is no earlier performance which has officially been released
by the band. This was their first recorded work in a studio. |
