U2 - Live in Mexico City - 2011

 

I know that there was a commercial release of this tour.  It's a great release, and has a lot of awesome shots, and the video for it kicks ass.  Yes, yes, I know.  But, there is so much more.  From what I understood of the tour, nearly every show was recorded through the soundboard.  Why?  I don't know.  I'll leave that for others to explain.  All I know, is that you can find over a dozen perfect soundboard recordings from this tour, and choosing just one is hard to do.  This one kicks ass....

I prefer actual bootleg recordings of concerts over commercial releases in a lot of cases.  The commercial releases edit out a lot of banter, false starts, etc.  They also tend to re-engineer into a studio session.  When you get these raw live performances, and leave in all the flaws and "extras", it helps, I think, to bring to the Live experience.  That's what I like.

As for U2

I honestly thought that the 360 Tour was mediocre.  Not really one of my favorites.  Mind you, I think seeing that stage would have been larger than life, but that's it.  I think my favorite Tour of theirs would still have to be the original ZooTV Tour, followed by the Elevation Tour, then the Joshua Tree Tour, and the Unforgettable Fire Tour.  I think that 360 really comes out just after that, maybe.  Hard to tell.  I will say that their latest tour, the Innocence one, from what I've seen and heard so far, comes in dead last.

U2 - Live in Mexico City - 2011 - Pt 1

U2 - Live in Mexico City - 2011 - Pt 2 

 

Covering the Beatles - Volume One

My Dad is the one who introduced me to the Beatles.  I grew up listening to the Beatles Red and Blue compilations from my earliest memories.  My favorite tracks were the ones released between 1965 and 1969.  I strongly preferred the "psychedelic" side to their music, I found it more creative than the rest.  I never got into the early 60s stuff, even though it was good, simply because it sounded a lot like all the rest of the bands from that era, and to me it got repetitive.  And, the stuff from the White Album on seemed a little too stoner hippy type music, a more Classic Rock/Prog Rock sound of sorts.  Just didn't dig it.

In the late 90s I really got into their work, purchasing all of their albums as they were remastered and released, memorizing every track.  Every time I listen to them, I am constantly reminded at what master songwriters they were, and I marvel at their creativity.  Their body of work can be matched by no other, in my opinion.  Not the Stones, not Floyd, not Led Zepplin, not U2, NOBODY.  There are bands and songs that I like better, but from an educated and learned position on music, I thoroughly respect and admire all that they did while they were together.

I've read that neither Paul or John were satisfied with the end results on their songs.  They both felt (especially John) that a lot of their most well-recognized hits were never fully realized.  Never finished as they should have been in their eyes.  Sometimes, they've even admitted that other artists were able to perform the songs better than them (hard to believe, really).  I have to admit, that over the years, I have heard versions of their songs that I find breathtaking.  Sometimes there are artists who can really reach into the song and pull out the inner beauty in ways like no other.  Sometimes, there are artists that play a perfect homage to the Beatles, giving heartfelt versions that honor the work the Fab Four did together.

After I got the "Across the Universe" soundtrack, which is magnificent in itself, I began a long an arduous search to find as many covers and the best covers of Beatles tunes.  With 300-400 different cover versions of their songs that I find acceptable, I have barely scratched the surface (but there's a lot of shit out there, too)  I've been able to pull together some of my favorites into one set.  This "Covering the Beatles" though, is only Volume One.  I will eventually be compiling Volume Two and Volume Three, for sure, and maybe more as I find more versions out there.

All of these songs represent my favorites at this point in time.  Some more than others, obviously, but all of them positively permanent renditions in my eyes (ears?) Some of my favorite highlights on this specific set...

-  The opening stanza of Cheap Trick's MMT.
-  Cornershop and the Vickers are both covering the same song on this comp, but the versions are so dramatically different, I had to put them both on, if anything, to compare to one another.  They both kick ass.
-  U2's version of LItSWD from Across the Universe.  Not the best film, but an excellent soundtrack version.
-  The Ladders' Paperback Writer, an Italian cover band who have done a spot-on version with their own little flare.  I'll be posting more of these guys in February.
-  Julie Fowlis' version of Blackbird sung mostly in Gaelic.
-  Paul Moody's version of WMGGW.  A youngster who played and recorded this version with his computer in his bedroom.  YOU WILL BE ASTONISHED.  (Find his videos on Youtube)
-  And Sean Connery's version of In My Life.  This version will be played at my funeral when I die.  I've insisted, and my wife and children have promised.


Of all the comps I'm doing this week, this one is probably my favorite.  It was also the most fun AND the most difficult to assemble.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Covering the Beatles V1

U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - 2004

I debated on whether or not to make this a two disc set or a three disc set.  There are enough songs for the regular album to make it two discs, and then a third disc of mixes, of which there were plenty.  But, a lot of the mixes sucked, and a two disc set for the album would be two short discs....  But, I also hate having one album disc and then the second disc with just a few album tracks and a bunch of mixes.  BUT, I also didn't feel like making three covers for this collection, as I'm not a huge fan of it.

As an album, I think it is a good album, but I am not drawn to listen to it, and I grow weary when I do.  It didn't do a whole lot for me.  I started feeling this way about the group starting with ATTYCLB.  Their style changed yet again, and it didn't thrill me as much as their 90s albums or even their 80s albums for that matter.

I did love the tour for this album, though.  The DVD for it was incredible.  I can only imagine what a fantastic show it must have been to see live.  If there's one thing these guys can do, it's put on a live show that is better than anyone out there.  I've watched other videos from that tour that weren't pro-shot, and they are all fantastic.  Great stuff to hear them take songs from their entire catalog and amalgamate the sound and style to sound unified.  Signs of true artists and performers.

I still remember being in San Diego in 2006 for vacation and my wife and I took my oldest son to Seaworld.  When we went to see Shamoo (spelling?) they played Vertigo when he came shooting out of his pen and started leaping into the air.  Pretty cool.

Disc One

Disc Two

U2 - Achtung Baby! - 1991

 So, when this album came out, I didn't know what to think.  This was not the same U2 I had grown up with.  But, when the fans divided into two camps, I was in the camp that was more than happy to embrace their new sound.  There's honestly nothing that I can add to the discussion about the album as it's all been said.  But, as you can see, I became a seeker of the unknown, obscure and rare recordings from these sessions.

In this set, I've kept the original album, added the b-sides, included some of the unreleased tracks from the sessions, and picked the best of the jam sessions.  In my complete collection, I have hours of drum tracks, and take after take after take of the album tracks.  It's a bore listening to all of it, so I only saved the best.

Although they were created roughly about the same time, I've chosen to keep the Zooropa tracks as their own separate album.  I also haven't included any tracks from the "Baby" album, which I think is best kept separate as well.  It gets redundant if I tried mixing that "album" in as well.

Lastly, I put the remixes as their own disc on Disc Four.  So, essentially, the album is three discs long, plus the remix disc.  If you want the Baby Achtung Baby, you'll have to get it from Pirate Bay.  Or maybe later I'll post it.

Hope you enjoy this.  But I can guarantee one thing.  U2 is like pancakes.  At the beginning, they're fabulous.  But, by the time you finish, you're fucking sick of them.

Have a great Fourth!

 

U2 - Achtung Baby - Disc One

U2 - Achtung Baby - Disc Two 

U2 - Achtung Baby - Disc Three 

U2 - Achtung Baby - Disc Four 

U2 - Window In the Skies - Compilation

As I said in my previous post, I haven't been much of a fan of U2 since Pop, but they still have some gems out there, especially non-album tracks.  This is a collection of the dozens still out there that either Bono or U2 have done "on the side".

Again, as I said in the Pop post, that album is a gem, a masterpiece.  So, the reworked versions for the Greatest Hits are essential for this set.  Then, you've got their soundtrack songs, their tribute album songs, a few extras, and then SOON.  Where is this song?! I guess for the 360 tour, but nowhere else.

I had always planned on entitling this compilation "Window in the Skies", as it was the only song title on the mix that was innocuous enough to be used.  Googling images using just that phrase, I came across the picture you see above that I used for the comp.  The pic has a story.  Plus, I liked the image as it gives the comp an early 80s feel to it.

Enjoy!

U2 - Window In the Skies - Compilation

U2 - POP - 1997

I don't always listen to U2.  But when I do, I make sure it's Pop.

I will admit, I haven't been the biggest U2 fan in the new millennium.  They have their moments, and I tend to stick with their hits. But, when they recreated themselves in the 90s, I was their biggest fan. Achtung, Zooropa, Pop.  I loved them all. (Okay, Passengers was alright, but a little weird.)

I liked Pop a lot because of the electronica at the time.  But, as time has passed, the electronica has become dated, but the songwriting is classic and legend.  Every album track is a masterpiece.  Best ones are If God Would, Staring Sun, Last Night, Gone, and Wake Up.  The b-sides aren't bad.  I like the Sinead O'Connor duet, the Willie Nelson duet, and their supercharged version of Pop Muzik (When the build up breaks into music, it's like an adrenaline rush.)

When this album came out, I was managing a restaurant chain and worked with my wife and a large group of our friends (who we still talk to today, thanks to Facebook.)  We'd go dancing at a club called Bricktop, then 1421, and we'd have a blast.  I tie this album to that time in my life (Along with Wild Mood Swings) as a fantastic period of freedom and fun.  I'll always remember this album fondly....

I mixed it up a bit, b-sides here and there, but I got them all.  I left the Skysplitter Dub of I'm Not Your Baby on here, rather than the regular release, as the mix seemed to fit the overall feel of the album better.  When I go to release my mix disc of this album, I'll put the original on that.

Goodbye
It's emotional
Goodnight
I'll be up with the sun
Are you still holding on
I'm not coming down....

U2 - POP - Disc 1 - 1997       U2 - POP - Disc 2 - 1997

U2 - Unforgettable Fire - 1984

The first U2 album I ever purchased, I got because of the song Pride and watching the video of it on MTV.  As a young teen, I sorta liked the first four tracks, but then I got bored.  It was because I hadn't yet learned how to listen to music.

The Joshua Tree came out, and I instantly fell in love with it, along with everyone else, so I had to go back and buy their back catalog and listen to all of it again.  It took a while, but I eventually learned the beauty and power of The Unforgettable Fire.

Again, dividing side A from side B, I plugged all b-sides and unreleased tracks in the middle.  With the volume of additional tracks, it starts to wear out right before the original album starts back up with Fourth of July.  If you can make it to that, you'll be able to finish the album.  Sometimes, packing all the tracks together on the original album works, sometimes it's better if you just add them as their own "album".  I probably should have done that in this case....

U2 - The Unforgettable Fire - 1984

Just take a look at the track listing.  He's one of the most proliferous "Rock" artists that I know of, outside of his band.  His vocals are always impeccable, and he always gives it his all, he never phones it in.  A true craftsman.  For the most part, this is his "Duets" album, although it's missing that awesome "Summer Wine" track with the Corrs.  But, that's for another time.

If you like U2 and you like Bono, then enjoy this collection.  If not, then, what can I say, get stuffed.


Bono - Sweet Fire Of Love