The Joshua (Money) Tree

The last couple years have seen re-releases of the earlier albums from U2's impressive back catalogue. Each album, Boy, October, War, The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree has been repackaged, remastered and the 2-disc version bundled with a bonus CD of rare b-sides and live tracks, with extensive sleeve notes as well. The releases for Boy, October and War were very well done…

Done so well in fact, that someone somewhere decided to up the ante a little and release a plusher version of Joshua Tree. Well, it is one of the biggest selling albums of all time, after all so perhaps a little extra effort was required? The deluxe version was offered in addition to the standard and 2-disc releases. The same pattern was repeated with The Unforgettable Fire, oddly released after Joshua Tree. Available as:

• A standard remaster, 
• 2-disc remaster 
• A deluxe version
• There was also a new Super Deluxe Version thrown into the mix as well. 

The choices were endless, and getting expensive. For the release of the U2-360 Blu-ray, yet again multiple versions were offered:

• Standard DVD 
• 2-disc DVD Blu-ray 
• Deluxe boxset

All these were reasonably priced at £15-£20 except for,you guessed it - the deluxe boxset, which featured all manner of tour related crap and was apparently worth £120+.

And so we come to the point of this post, the 20th anniversary release of my favourite U2 album, Achtung Baby. Promotional drive has started already, in preparation for an October 31 st release. The Achtung Baby archives have unearthed some previously unreleased songs from the recording sessions, alongside a raft of unreleased material; video, remixes, b-sides and documentary footage has been discovered, while a full album of demo and early versions of the final 1991 tracklisting has also been revealed. Along with digital options, no less than five physical editions including vinyl, CD, DVD will be made available (and here’s where reality really comes off the rails):

• The Standard CD is the original album. £13 
• The Deluxe Edition is a 2xCD set containing the reissue of the original album plus B-sides and rarities. £16 
• The Vinyl Box Set is a limited release containing 4 LPs, two of which are pressed on translucent blue vinyl containing remixes and B-sides. The box includes a 16-page booklet. No price yet. 
• The Super Deluxe Edition will contain 6CDs and 4 DVDs, in addition to a 92 page hardback book and 16 art prints in a wallet, taken from the original album sleeve. £105.99

And finally, the limited, numbered Uber Deluxe Edition is a magnetic puzzle tiled box, which will contain:

• 6 CDs including the original Achtung Baby album (as in the Super Deluxe), 
• The follow-up album, Zooropa, 
• B-sides and re-workings of previously unheard material recorded during the Achtung Baby sessions. 
• 4 DVDs (as in the Super Deluxe) including 'From The Sky Down', 'Zoo TV:Live From Sydney', 
• all the videos from Achtung Baby plus bonus material. 
• There will also be 5 clear 7" vinyl singles in their original sleeves, 
• 16 art prints taken from the original album sleeve, 
• An 84-page hardback book, 
• A copy of Propaganda magazine, 
• 4 badges, 
• A sticker sheet, 
• And a pair of Bono’s trademark 'The Fly' sunglasses.

Yours for just...I don't even what to say it! £385.99...I’m not kidding. The pre-order links are available through the link above.

Now, I love U2. I’ve been a fan for years, been to 3 gigs and my favourite period of U2’s history starts with Achtung Baby and continues through to Pop, excluding Passengers. In that relatively short period of time, just 7 years, and since those days, the prices of their albums, tickets, merchandise have gotten progressively (excessively) dearer. Not content with:

• Charging fans £120 for a blu-ray in a big box for U2 360 tour concert, 
• Charging £60-odd quid for an extra DVD for The Unforgettable Fire, or 
• Charging fans £55+ for cheap seats to their live tours,

The band and their record company have the unbridled belief someone, somewhere will be happy to fork out almost four HUNDRED pounds for a few discs of plastic and some copied sunnies – the album is 20 years old! Even The Beatles Remasters - the whole frigging lot –12 albums, is less than £160. The sad thing is that there are MegaFans out there right now who've read the blurb for this new release and are working out how to remove their own kidney to pay for it!

In today’s current climate, with pockets getting deeper and finances dwindling, I think charging these prices for this item is just complete madness.