Thursday, August 23, 2012

U2.COM : Remastered, Reissued, Reimagined

Since 2007 some of the band's seminal albums have been born again: remastered, reimagined, reissued. Now we want your reviews of those re-released classics.

October, for example, returned in 2008 with remastered audio and a bonus CD of live tracks and rarities along with a commentary from Edge.

1991's Achtung Baby came back just last year, this time with  a raft of unreleased material; video, remixes, b-sides and documentary footage along with a second album's worth of demo and early versions of the final 1991 tracklisting.

 A quarter century after Kerrang first said of it 'This ain't mere genius, this is rock'n'roll…' , The Unforgettable Fire was remastered and rereleased in 2009 with a shedload of bonus content.

And twenty years after it's debut, The Joshua Tree came back remastered in 2007, with liner notes from Bill Flanagan, unseen photographs from Anton Corbijn and unheard material like Wave of Sorrow (Birdland) and Desert of Our Love.

We've now added a comment facility to each title which means you can add your own review to each re-release. What did it bring you that the original release didn't? Was there a hidden gem or unexpected surprise ? How does the reissued edition stand up to the passing of time - what memories does it all bring back?

Start listening. Start reviewing...add your thoughts in the comments window at the foot of each album page. We'll be highlighting some of your best album reviews in the coming months and sending you exclusive prizes.

Friday, August 10, 2012

U2.COM : Unforgettable Single

Over on our Discography page you'll find dozens and dozens of singles the band have released over the years.

Starting with U23 way back in 1979 - Out of Control, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl - the trail leads all the way to 'I'll Go Crazy', third single from No Line On The Horizon, in 2009.

Maybe you'd forgotten Lemon was a single. Or you've never listened to Fire. Or you just recently discovered Please. But there'll be a U2 single that's special to you in some way - the one that comes on the radio or arrives unnoticed when your iPod's on shuffle and suddenly a moment in your life comes back to you.

What was the U2 single that stopped you in your tracks - and still does ?

It might depend on where you were when you first heard it, what was happening in your life, how you first got into the band?

Remind yourself of the history of the band's single releases and look through the promotional videos on this page in our Video Gallery (set aside a week or two for this) -  find the one that reminds you of a time and place in your life.

In the comments below tell us why this song is special for you. Is there a story behind it - an anecdote from your life ?

What brings the track alive for you? What was happening to you at the time you first heard it that means you'll never get over this single?

We have prizes for the best, the funniest, the most moving or surprising entries. Add them in the comments below. (Did we mention that ?)

U2.COM : Thrill Me

'Riddle me this, riddle me that…'

It was back and sounding fresh as ever on U2360 but maybe you'd forgotten the time Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me took the band to play in Gotham City.

With its genesis in the Zooropa recording sessions, 'Hold Me Thrill Me' turned out to be an inspired choice for the soundtrack of the1995 movie Batman Forever.  As this great find from our archives shows, Kevin Godley's animated video was also pretty special. Tell us what you think in the comments below.