Every Breaking Wave Single

[bobni]

On a more serious note: Brad wrote a great article about single releases nowadays.
Us collectors might still want a physical release, unfortunately the only option is a promo cd(r).
It's hard enough already finding and collecting these promo's (for a reasonable price).
These fake promo's aren't making collecting any easier...

[morgan1098]

On a more serious note: Brad wrote a great article about single releases nowadays.
Us collectors might still want a physical release, unfortunately the only option is a promo cd(r).
It's hard enough already finding and collecting these promo's (for a reasonable price).
These fake promo's aren't making collecting any easier...

Brad's article is great! Sadly it's not just singles and promos. It seems the reissue campaign has stalled as well. Deluxe versions of ATYCLB and R&H were possibilities at one point, but that doesn't seem to be the case now. Hopefully those will be resurrected some day for those of us who love the physical releases!

[Brad]

On a more serious note: Brad wrote a great article about single releases nowadays.
Us collectors might still want a physical release, unfortunately the only option is a promo cd(r).
It's hard enough already finding and collecting these promo's (for a reasonable price).
These fake promo's aren't making collecting any easier...

Agreed. I bought EBW and SFS promos off of eBay. I'm pretty sure that the UK promos I bought were both official, but I had some trepidation about both of them until I was able to examine them myself.

I do hope that they continue with the deluxe album reissues. It  would be interesting to see some sales data from other bands that have put out deluxe remasters recently.

[morgan1098]

On a more serious note: Brad wrote a great article about single releases nowadays.
Us collectors might still want a physical release, unfortunately the only option is a promo cd(r).
It's hard enough already finding and collecting these promo's (for a reasonable price).
These fake promo's aren't making collecting any easier...

Agreed. I bought EBW and SFS promos off of eBay. I'm pretty sure that the UK promos I bought were both official, but I had some trepidation about both of them until I was able to examine them myself.

I do hope that they continue with the deluxe album reissues. It  would be interesting to see some sales data from other bands that have put out deluxe remasters recently.

Yes, it's not like other bands and labels have abandoned reissues. Universal has put out some epic box sets from some of U2's contemporaries like Tears for Fears and Simple Minds--and Warner Bros is putting out a 5CD a-ha Hunting High and Low box this Friday. The TFF and Simple Minds packaging are clearly based on the boxes that were done for Joshua Tree and Unforgettable Fire. So I'm guessing there would be interest from Universal in putting out more U2 boxes, but maybe the interest from the band isn't there? The 2CD sets had pretty extravagant packaging and that might have hurt sales. Maybe more bare bones packaging and a lower price point is the answer?

[God, Part II]

Yes, it's not like other bands and labels have abandoned reissues.I'm guessing there would be interest from Universal in putting out more U2 boxes, but maybe the interest from the band isn't there? The 2CD sets had pretty extravagant packaging and that might have hurt sales. Maybe more bare bones packaging and a lower price point is the answer?

Total conjecture on my part, but considering each of the prior reissues were overseen with The Edge's devoted attention, I've always assumed that as the recording for SONGS OF INNOCENCE, and planning for its attendant tour, starting snowballing, Edge was not able to extend himself to provide the proper attention to the reissues that they are due, so it was either hand them over to outside ears and tastes to complete, or put them on the backburner until Edge is able to attend to them properly. Personally, since CD audio quality had pretty well been refined by the mid-90s, the only album remaining that has a desperate sonic need for a reissue is RATTLE AND HUM, but I would of course like to see all the outliers given the reissue treatment (including the Grammy-winning ZOOROPA, which was inexplicably given the red-headed stepchild treatment in the ACHTUNG BABY deluxe box), mainly for the chance to encounter more dusty, unreleased studio oddities and gems.

[morgan1098]

Yes, it's not like other bands and labels have abandoned reissues.I'm guessing there would be interest from Universal in putting out more U2 boxes, but maybe the interest from the band isn't there? The 2CD sets had pretty extravagant packaging and that might have hurt sales. Maybe more bare bones packaging and a lower price point is the answer?

Total conjecture on my part, but considering each of the prior reissues were overseen with The Edge's devoted attention, I've always assumed that as the recording for SONGS OF INNOCENCE, and planning for its attendant tour, starting snowballing, Edge was not able to extend himself to provide the proper attention to the reissues that they are due, so it was either hand them over to outside ears and tastes to complete, or put them on the backburner until Edge is able to attend to them properly. Personally, since CD audio quality had pretty well been refined by the mid-90s, the only album remaining that has a desperate sonic need for a reissue is RATTLE AND HUM, but I would of course like to see all the outliers given the reissue treatment (including the Grammy-winning ZOOROPA, which was inexplicably given the red-headed stepchild treatment in the ACHTUNG BABY deluxe box), mainly for the chance to encounter more dusty, unreleased studio oddities and gems.

That's certainly a plausible theory and I hope you're right! Like you, I saw the casual inclusion of Zooropa in the Achtung Baby box--sort of as an afterthought--as a definite sign not to expect more reissues any time soon. There's so much they could have done with a Zooropa deluxe set.

[Aaron]

I have spoken with someone who has worked directly on the remasters project and I can confirm, that at the current time they are not actively working on reissue projects.  The band have chosen to focus more on getting new material out, instead of looking back right now.  It's not just the Edge who has been involved in those projects.  A lot of the supplemental material has had others in the band involved, especially Bono who has recorded new vocals for a number of those tracks.  They are pushing on getting the next two albums finished up I'm told. 

That being said, the next album in the queue wasn't Zooropa anyway.  It was suggested to me that they were looking at doing an original collection of older material, and that "Pop" would be the next project they would turn to if they did another album.  Rattle and Hum continued to be tied up in issues with Paramount who owns the rights to the movie and was posing an issue to figure it out. 

[God, Part II]

Rattle and Hum continued to be tied up in issues with Paramount who owns the rights to the movie and was posing an issue to figure it out.

Strange. The only way I could see that being an issue is if the band:

a) wanted to include a DVD/Blu-ray of the film in with the package (hopefully remastered, since the current Blu-ray has compressed Dolby Digital 5.1 sound)
b) wanted to include the copious outtake footage from the filming of the movie (which I own on an epic set of four bootleg DVDs)
c) wanted to expand the CD album with the tracks that only appear in the film

Hmmm...now that I've typed that all out, that sounds positively rapturous so by all means, U2, you keep massaging Paramount's shoulders! I can wait for something that awesome! On the other hand, what I do not need is a mid-2010s reimagining of POP.

[MartinTexas]

I still hope for proper Zooropa & R&H remaster. In 2013 was great occasion for R&H, but next is on 2018.... I think they should't add a R&H movie to the box - better way is to add a R&H Tour DVD - Dublin or Sydney (my best).

FOr Zooropa is strange thing (or better for us) - that they didn't release in AB Box any studio/Live B-Sides from that era. There was only few remixes. Even the 2CD version could be great with some new material.

And at last I hope also that some day they also pick up Passengers  (it's possible that they add it to Pop Box as adding Zooropa to AB Box - but I preffer 2CD version as well).

[God, Part II]

FOr Zooropa is strange thing (or better for us) - that they didn't release in AB Box any studio/Live B-Sides from that era. There was only few remixes. Even the 2CD version could be great with some new material.

I dunno. Seems like they could have an entire bonus CD called "All the 'Lemon' Remixes".

[morgan1098]

It will never happen but I'd love to see a "U2 and Brian Eno 93-95" box that includes all the Zooroopa and Passengers stuff plus outtakes and demos and alternate versions and remixes, etc. Larry would never allow it.

[God, Part II]

It will never happen...Larry would never allow it.

Who does he think he is?! The founder of the band?!

Oh...wait...