Author Topic: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983  (Read 10660 times)

morgan1098

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2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« on: November 14, 2013, 09:05:00 PM »
The 2014 gift is a book... but it's a pretty cool book.  And the article seems to suggest that exclusive music will be available later in the year, so I'm guessing it will be downloads.

http://www.u2.com/news/title/northsidestory-u2indublin-1978-1983

George

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2013, 10:21:02 PM »
The 2014 gift is a book... but it's a pretty cool book.  And the article seems to suggest that exclusive music will be available later in the year, so I'm guessing it will be downloads.

The article/email says:
Quote
Along with this special annual gift, U2.com subscribers access a range of other benefits including exclusive music and editorial content and the chance to take part in ticket pre-sales if the band go on tour.

I don't interpret that to mean that there will necessarily be any bonus downloads.  Remember that we got an "exclusive" preview of the preview for the Mandela movie.  U2.com tends to consider that stuff to be really special.  So while I'd like to think that there may be some sort of music exclusively available to members at some point in time next year, I certainly don't expect it.

Regarding the gift, I think it's certainly much higher production quality than anything from U2.communication up through to Artifical Horizon, but still, I'd really like some music.  After all, I follow U2 for the music.

George

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2013, 10:25:42 PM »
Having just said that, I read on the sign-up page:
Quote
Regular subscribers know we also aim to offer exclusive music as part of a subscription such as U22 (2011/12) and From The Ground Up: Music Edition (2012/13). We anticipate that in this next subscription term we'll also be bringing subscribers some exclusive music from the band.

So I now remain hopeful.

morgan1098

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2013, 12:43:30 AM »
Having just said that, I read on the sign-up page:
Quote
Regular subscribers know we also aim to offer exclusive music as part of a subscription such as U22 (2011/12) and From The Ground Up: Music Edition (2012/13). We anticipate that in this next subscription term we'll also be bringing subscribers some exclusive music from the band.

So I now remain hopeful.

Yeah, I was referring to that little blurb on the sign-up page.  Hopefully we'll get something cool in terms of actual music this year, although I'd prefer a CD included with the book.  The last couple of subscribers gifts (U22 and From the Ground Up) were just about perfect in that regard.

God, Part II

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2013, 08:25:54 AM »
Underwhelmed.

Aaron

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2013, 10:20:09 AM »
Seriously underwhelmed here. 

I always resubscribe immediately after hearing the gift announced.  Even "Duals".  Yes.  I found stuff on that I was interested in (although not much).

But I'm not going to bother here.  First off the book.  That era has been covered to death.  The photos and snippets being shown on the page are all pictures we have seen before.  That doesn't leave me with much interest. Even recently there's been an exploration of this era with the remasters, and the book of Brocklebank's photography.  Hot Press has put together a number of books that look at those early days.  Bill Graham put together an early book of photos as well. 

Second?  My subscription doesn't renew until April.  With the mention of the Super Bowl in the recent flurry of announcements, I fully expect if there is a tour, they'd hit while the iron is hot the day after the Super Bowl, like Madonna did last year.  Oh and every ticket bought the week of the SuperBowl of Madonna's album?  Came with a presale copy of the album, which counted towards eventual first week sales of the album...so that's what I'm guessing may happen again...So my sub won't even be up by the time such an offer comes along.  So no push there.

Third?  The promise of exclusive music.  They have touted the exclusives before - the video on the website, downloads and streaming.  None of that is all that special, and within days of being posted can be found in general all over the net.  The CDs however used to give me something special for the value.  And I always wanted to jump right on and subscribe to make sure I was in the first batch of CDs that came out and wasn't left waiting.  This year though?  Meh.  Just a book I'll flip through once or twice and then likely never look at again.

If they announce further music, in the form of a release, I'll hop right on subscribing.  And eventually i'll likely resub anyway - I'm just not in any rush and find this the most underwhelming subscription offer since the metal membership card.

Aaron

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2013, 10:22:16 AM »
Missed opportunity too.  Would be nice to take the time to put together the old demo tapes as a full fledged release, maybe with a few we haven't heard on boots over the years.  Would have fit in to this package really nicely.

What's that line about glorifying the past?

bobni

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2013, 10:37:05 AM »
the most underwhelming subscription offer since the metal membership card.

Seriously... what was wrong with the membership card? It was unique and nowhere to be found afterwards!

Pardon my sarcasm, but this is indeed one of the worst membership gifts in history. Not that there's anything wrong with the book itself, it's just... I was expecting a music CD (old, new, demo's, remixes, whatever) not a book.
If I want a U2 book I'll buy it, but I'm into the band because of the music so that's what I was expecting.
Is this the first sign of Paul no longer being their manager......

morgan1098

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2013, 11:05:25 AM »
I know it's naive and stupid, but I was really hoping the gift this year was going to be the Songs of Ascent material, even if much of it was in an unfinished form. They could have re-branded it as "NLOTH Outtakes and Demos" or something.

I guess it's possible that some of that material will still turn up on the new album in newly "Danger Mouse-ified" form.

George

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2013, 11:40:26 AM »
Missed opportunity too.  Would be nice to take the time to put together the old demo tapes as a full fledged release, maybe with a few we haven't heard on boots over the years.  Would have fit in to this package really nicely.

That was exactly my thought.  How can it not strike U2 smack in the face right after the success of From The Ground Up packaged with Edge's Picks?  It's so incredibly obvious that something like a 15-track CD of early demos (including the 3 or 4 early demos that came with The inComplete U2) should be tucked into the inside back cover of the book.  Sooooooooo obvious!  And the relative additional per-unit cost to them?  Pennies!

bobni

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2013, 01:17:44 PM »
Amen to that George!

dagobah

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2013, 03:03:26 PM »
I agree with all of the posts above.  My subscription ends this month.  I may renew in 2013.

Scarlet

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2013, 10:56:07 PM »
Not a bad gift, just not as nice as what has been offered over the past few years. Always nice to get an exclusive music release if you are a "Fan Club Member", makes collecting and subscribing worth it.

I am sure the book is informative and includes nice photos, but I have to agree with many others, that the band has a ton of material it could release... Early Demos, Red Rocks Complete, Lovetown Dublin, the mythical "Songs Of Ascent", even the soundtrack for U23D... many possibilities. We don't need another book.

I see this though more though that a new album and tour is forthcoming. The subscription fee will be worth it for the presale codes and probably exclusive live promo material.

morgan1098

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #13 on: January 24, 2014, 04:52:54 PM »
This is sort of underwhelming news in light of the fact that new music and hopefully a new album are about to launch--and also because there is no music included with the fan club gift this year--but for those of you who bothered to resubscribe, I got a notification yesterday that my book has shipped.  Woo hoo!  :/

morgan1098

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Re: 2014 Fan Club Gift--North Side Story: U2 in Dublin 1978-1983
« Reply #14 on: January 29, 2014, 07:39:03 PM »
Got the book... The content may be good (haven't read it yet), but the presentation is definitely lacking. I assumed it would be a hardback, but it's a paperback format, basically like a really thick magazine (almost 300 pages).  Even without taking the CD into consideration, last year's book was WAY nicer on the quality scale. The "map" itself is totally separate and not incorporated into the design of the book. And it's hardly a "map" at all, more like a poster with a few blobs representing the various regions of Dublin. It even has a note on it that reads, "This map is not to scale, it's an artistic interpretation, if you use it as an actual Dublin map you will get lost."  Ha!

So yeah, that leaves the text. There's lots of it and I'm sure I'll learn some interesting new tidbits about U2 in the early days (speaking of which, not all the photos are from that era, either... I saw at least one photo labeled 1987). I've never been a huge fan of Niall Stokes' writing, which can sometimes grate on a person.  So it's definitely not a thrilling fan club gift.

My only hope now is that somehow they'll announce a special mid-year CD of rarities to make up for this underwhelming offering.  :)