"The Joshua Tree (30th Anniversary Edition)" - U2

Album

Track Listing (The Joshua Tree):

Track Listing (The Joshua Tree Live at Madison Square Garden 1987):

Disc 3 & 4 (Remixes and B-Sides & Outtakes):

Background Information

On March 9, 2017, the 30th anniversary of the original album, the 30th anniversary pressing of The Joshua Tree was announced in a number of formats including CD and standard vinyl, containing just the album, a 2-CD Deluxe version containing the album and the live CD, a super deluxe 4-CD Box set containing all of the audio contents across four CDs, and a super deluxe 7-Vinyl Box set, containing all of the audio contents across seven vinyl records. The 2-CD Deluxe version features new album artwork, using a colour version photo from the original photo sessions. Both box sets feature a sunburst pattern and a textured embossed gold foiled Joshua Tree icon on the outside of the box. The album itself isthe 2007 remastered version of the album. This remastering for the 20th anniversary of the album was carried out by The Edge.

The live concert disc features a concert from September 28, 1987, the first of two shows held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The live disc is 76:36 in length and several tracks have been removed from the concert in order to fit this concert onto one disc. Performed that night, but not appearing on this album are “The Unforgettable Fire,” “Help!”, “Bad,” and “Spanish Eyes.” This concert was previously released by a company called Wolfgang’s Vault on March 29, 2013, and that release contained the full show, but was only released in a digital compressed format. That company sourced its material from the collection of the late Bill Graham, and the legal agreement to release these recordings that they have with U2 is unknown. The second version of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” found on this live disc is the version recorded with the gospel choir, New Voices of Freedom, which was previously released on Rattle and Hum.

For the boxed versions of the release additional material includes a number of newly created remixes, including a new remix of “Red Hill Mining Town” which features music from the original recording sessions for The Joshua Tree, but features newly recorded vocals by Bono. Remixes were completed by Brian Eno, Steve Lillywhite, Daniel Lanois and Flood who all worked on the original album, as well as remixes by Jacknife Lee and St Francis Hotel who had not worked on the initial recording in 1987. Most of these remixes are listed as 2017 versions, however one alternate mix from 1987 is also included here, an alternative mix of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” completed by Steve Lillywhite in 1987.

Additional contents in both box sets includes “Photographs by The Edge”, an 84-page hardback book of personal photography from The Edge, taken from the original desert Joshua tree shoot, and a folio of 8 12-inch Anton Corbijn prints, which will contain a foreward written by The Edge. On the deluxe vinyl set, The Joshua Tree is split over two 12-Inch records, as is The Joshua Tree Live at Madison Square Garden 1987. The remixes CD fits on one vinyl. The final CD is split onto two vinyl, one for the “Outtakes” (I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (Lillywhite Alternative Mix ’87) / One Tree Hill Reprise (Brian Eno 2017 Mix) / Silver and Gold (Sun City) / Beautiful Ghost/Introduction To Songs Of Experience Outtakes Side 4: Wave Of Sorrow (Birdland) / Desert Of Our Love / Rise Up / Drunk Chicken/America) and one for “The B-Sides” (Luminous Times (Hold On To Love) / Walk To The Water / Spanish Eyes / Deep In The Heart / Silver And Gold / Sweetest Thing / Race Against Time)

In the announcement of this set at U2.com, both the Vinyl Super Deluxe Boxset and the CD Super Deluxe Boxset list that they come with a digital download card. Digital versions are also planned with a Standard, Deluxe and Super Deluxe digital version being available. Standard will include just the album itself, Deluxe will include the live audio, and Super Deluxe will feature all of the audio content. U2.com also lists the availability of a “Standard CD” and a “Standard Vinyl” – at least some countries (Canada and Japan) have done new single versions of the CD using the 2007 master. Vinyl versions of the 2017 release were pressed in Europe and the USA.

In October 2018, a new version of this release was announced on coloured vinyl. Pressed on gold 180g vinyl, The Joshua Tree was a double disc, with a release date of October 26 in the UK, and November 23 in most other countries. In November 2019 a second coloured vinyl version, this time in red vinyl, was given out as an exclusive gift to attendees of U2’s The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 who purchased VIP tickets. This red-coloured vinyl, and the accompanying poster was advertised as an exclusive and was not made available for sale separate.

Liner Notes

Original 1987 Notes:

Produced by : Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois.
Recorded by : Flood
Additional Engineering : Dave Meegan with Pat McCarthy
“Where the Streets Have No Name”, “With or Without You”, “Bullet the Blue Sky”, “Red Hill Mining Town” Mixed by : Steve Lillywhite
Mix Engineered by : Mark Wallace
Assisted by : Mary Kettle

Words: Bono. Backing vocals: The Edge, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois. DX7 Programmes and Keyboards: Brian Eno. Tambourine / Omnichord / Additional Rhythm Guitar: Daniel Lanois. Harmonica: Bono. One Tree Hill – Radd Strings: Recorded by Bob Doidge. Played by the Armin Family. Red Hill Mining Town – the Arklow Silver Band. Red Hill Mining Town – Brass Arranged and Conducted by Paul Barrett.

Studio Crew: Joe O’Herlihy, Des Broadberry, Tom Mullally, Tim Buckley, Marc Coleman, Mary Gough, Marion Smyth. Manager: Paul McGuinness. Principle Management, Dublin: Anne-Louise Kelly. Principle Management, New York: Ellen Darst.

Drums, Keyboards, Outboard Equipment: Yamaha. Cymbals: Paiste. Sticks: Pro Mark. Strings: Superwound, Rotosound – James Howe Industries. Infinite Guitar invented by: Michael Brook. (Part of this album was recorded on Edge’s Amek Mixing Console).

Recorded and Mixed at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin. Dublin.

The Joshua Tree Remixes and B-Sides:

One Tree Hill (St Francis Hotel Remix):
Original production by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Recorded by Flood. Remix by St Francis Hotel. Additional recording in 2017 by Andrea Lepori.

Bullet the Blue Sky (Jacknife Lee Remix):
Original production by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Recorded by Flood. Remix by Jacknife Lee. Programming and additional keyboards: Jacknife Lee. Editing by Matt Bishop.

Running to Stand Still (Daniel Lanois Remix):
Original production by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Recorded by Flood. Additional rhythm guitar by Daniel Lanois. Remix by Daniel Lanois. Set up and engineering by Wayne Lorenz.

Red Hill Mining Town (Steve Lillywhite 2017 Mix):
Original production by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Recorded by Flood. Additional engineering by Dave Meegan, Pat McCarthy and Declan Gaffney. Mix by Steve Lillywhite at Lillyput Studios. Assisted by Jones Roma. The Arklow Silver Band, Red Hill Mining Town Brass: Arranged and conducted by Paul Barrett.

With or Without You (Daniel Lanois Remix):
Original production by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Recorded by Flood. Remix by Daniel Lanois. Set up and Engineering by Wayne Lorenz.

Where the Streets Have No Name (Flood Remix):
Original production by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Recorded by Flood. Remix by Flood. Engineered by John Catlin. Assisted by Richie Kennedy.

One Tree Hill Reprise (Brian Eno 2017 Mix):
Original production by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Recorded by Flood. 2017 Mix by Brian Eno. Horns recorded and played by the Eno Family. Radd Strings recorded by Bob Doidge. Played by the Armin Family.

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (Lillywhite Alternative Mix ’87):
Produced by Steve Lillywhite. Recorded by Mark Wallace.

The Joshua Tree Live at Madison Square Garden:
Recorded by David Hewitt at Remote Recording Services (The Black Truck)
Assisted by Phil Gitomer, Fritz Lang, J.B. Matteotti.
Live Crew: Steve Iredale, Joe O’Herlihy, Peter Williams, Tim Buckley, Tom Mullally, Des Broadbery, Sam O’Sullivan, Dallas Schoo, Bob Loney, Adam Rankin, Fraser McAlister, Dragan Kuzmanov.
2017 mix by Richard Rainey.
Technical Manager: Rab McAllister

2017 30th Anniversary Edition:
Executive Producer and Creative Director: Gavin Friday
Project production Managers: Jesse Peters, Tara Mullen, Candida Bottaci and Nadine King.
Research and archive analysis: Lisa Power
Archive Manager: Becky Coffey
Creative Consultant: Sharon Blankson
Mastering: Scott Sedillo, Bernie Grundman
Audio master transfer director: Declan Gaffney.

Artwork

Photography by: Anton Corbijn. Design and Layout by: Steve Averill.

Recognition and Awards

  • #14, The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time (Absolute Radio, March 2016, voted by Listeners)
  • #6, 250 Best Albums of Q’s Lifetime (Q Magazine, February 2011)
  • #4, Top 20 Albums in the Lifetime of Q (Q Magazine, November 2006)
  • Q Magazines Top Ten Recordings of 1987
  • #1, Best Albums of the 1980s (out of 40) (Q Magazine, August 2006)
  • #15, 21 Albums that Changed Music (Q Magazine, November 2007)
  • Q Magazine, Top 100 Albums Readers Poll #23 (January 1998)
  • #3, 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s (Rolling Stone, 1990)
  • #4, Rolling Stone Readers Top 100 Albums (Rolling Stone, 2002)
  • #2, Best Album Critics Picks (out of 10) (Rolling Stone, 1987)
  • Listed on Rolling Stones Essential Rock Collection 1980s Era
  • #1, Best Album Readers Picks (out of 10) (Rolling Stone, 1987)
  • #26, Top 500 Albums (Rolling Stone, 2003)
  • #27, Top 500 Albums (Rolling Stone, 2012)
  • #4, Ten Best Albums of All Time (out of 10) (Spin Magazine, September 1991)
  • Listed in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005 and 2008ed) by Robert Dimery
  • #8, Best Albums of All Time [Listeners voted from a list of 50] (BBC Radio 6, UK, 2002)
  • #3, Top 100 Albums [Listeners voted] (BBC Radio 2, UK, August 2006)
  • #19, Albums of the Millennium [Survey] (Channel 4 / HMV / Guardian Newspaper, Autumn 1997)
  • #2, 100 Best Albums of All Time (Channel 4)
  • #15, VH1’s Rock N Roll Top 100 Albums (VH1 Television, 1999)
  • Nomination and Win, Album of the Year (Grammy Awards, 1988)
  • Nomination and Win, Best Rock Performance by a Duo / Group (Grammy Awards, 1988)
  • #3, Top 100 Albums of 1987 (Rolling Stone Magazine)
  • #57, Top 100 Albums of 1988 (Rolling Stone Magazine)
  • #3, Top 100 Albums of the 1980s (Rolling Stone Magazine, November 1989)
  • #1, Top 100 Albums of All Time (2FM, Listeners Poll, October 1995)
  • Certified Gold, Platinum and 2x Multi-Platinum (RIAA, USA, May 13, 1987)
  • Certified 3x Multi-Platinum (RIAA, USA, September 30, 1987)
  • Certified 4x Multi-Platinum (RIAA, USA, December 22, 1987)
  • Certified 5x Multi-Platinum (RIAA, USA, October 6, 1988)
  • Certified 6x Multi-Platinum (RIAA, USA, June 12, 1995)
  • Certified 10x Multi-Platinum (RIAA, USA, September 11, 1995) [Last Certification as of 2017]

Specific to 2017 Box Set:

  • Winner, German Design Council, Award for Outstanding Design Quality in Packaging (2018)

Related Promotional Videos

Related News

Catalog of Releases