"Under a Blood Red Sky" - U2

Remastered Album and Video (2008 Master)

Track Listing (Disc One - CD):

Track Listing (Disc Two - DVD Video):

Background Information

After the successful release of U2’s first three albums in remastered format in the summer of 2008, Under a Blood Red Sky got the same treatment in September of that year. The release did not happen concurrently with the first three albums due to the added complexities of remastering the accompanying video Under a Blood Red Sky for release on DVD for the first time.

Like the first three remasters, Under a Blood Red Sky was issued in multiple formats, including a single CD, a single DVD, a CD+DVD set, a 180g vinyl edition (original audio tracks only), and an audio-only release through iTunes and other outlets that included a digital booklet. The packaging for the CD+DVD set was similar to that for the 2CD editions of Boy, October and War: a hardback book with sleeves inside the front and back covers to hold the discs. The book fit inside a slipcase with the album artwork on the front and a full track list for both discs on the back. However, unlike the first three albums, Under a Blood Red Sky did not include an additional CD of bonus tracks. Rather, the remastered original album fit in the first sleeve, while the remastered DVD fit in the second sleeve. A box set, released through amazon.com earlier in the year and containing the 2CD versions of Boy, October and War, also included a slot to fit the Under a Blood Red Sky two-disc set. This set had to be purchased separately, however; it was not a part of the amazon box.

Liner notes accompanying this release include an essay by rock journalist Anthony De Curtis. Unlike the previous U2 reissues, the liner notes do not include song lyrics or track annotations by The Edge. As a result, the booklet for Under a Blood Red Sky (24 pages for the single CD, 42 pages for the CD+DVD) is heavier on photos than on text.

The version of “The Electric Co.” on the CD is an edit of the earliest releases of Under a Blood Red Sky. During the original performance, Bono had included a snippet of “Send in the Clowns” in the middle of the song. Some early vinyl and CD releases included this snippet, but after the threat of legal action, it was removed from later pressings. The track on the remastered Under a Blood Red Sky has been altered even further, in an apparent attempt to make the edit less obvious. Also of note, the remastered DVD is not simply a reissue of the original 12 or 13-track Under a Blood Red Sky video. Rather, it presents U2’s June 5, 1983 Red Rocks show in its entirety (with the exception of “I Fall Down,” which suffered from a recording glitch) for the first time. All told, the remastered DVD adds 25-30 minutes of previously unseen concert footage compared to the original VHS release.

Finally, while the DVD content was recorded entirely at Red Rocks, only two of the tracks on the CD are taken from that performance. The remainder of the live tracks on the CD come from shows in Boston on May 6, 1983, and St. Goarhausen, West Germany on August 20, 1983.

Liner Notes

Original Credits: (Album)
“11 O’Clock Tick Tock”:
Location recording produced by DIR Broadcasting and Recorded on the Effanel Music Mobile, Boston, Mass, May 6th, 1983.
“Gloria”, “Party Girl”:
Location Recording by Randy Ezratty and Gary Gelfer and Recorded on the Effanel Music Mobile Facility, Denver, Co., June 5th, 1983. Audio Production by Steve Lillywhite.
“I Will Follow”, “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “The Electric Co.”, “New Year’s Day” and “40”:
Location Recording courtesty of “Rockpalast 83”, WDR Television, West Germany, August 20th, 1983.

Mixed by Shelly Yakus at The Hit Factory, NYC. Assistant Engineering by Bobby Cohen. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen at Precision Lacquer, LA.
Produced by Jimmy Iovine.

Original Credits: (Video):
Filmed at Red Rocks Ampitheatre, Denver Colorado on 5th June 1983.
Production Associate: Malcolm Gerrie. Director: Gavin Taylor. Producers: Rick Wurpel, Doug Stewart. Executive Producer for U2 at Red Rocks Associates: Paul McGuinness.

2008 Edition:
Re-Mastering Directed by The Edge.
Album Production Managers: Steve Matthews and Candida Bottaci.
Research and Archive Analysis: Cheryl Engels, Partial Productions. Re-Mastering Produced by Cheryl Engels, Partial Productions. Re-Mastering Engineering by Arnie Acosta at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Mastering Assistance by Scott Sedillo. Technical Support by Thomas ‘Beno’ May. U2 Catalogue Re-Release Co-Ordinator: Nick Stewarts and Associates. Thanks to Anthony De Curtis.

2008 Edition:
Producer: Ned O’Hanlon. Executive Producer: Paul McGuinness. Production Manager: Tara Mullen. Project Managers: Steve Matthews and Candida Bottaci.
Director of Mixing and Mastering: The Edge.
Stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound Mix by Carl Glanville. Assisted by Rob Macomber at XM Effanel Music Inc. Mastering produced by Cheryl Engels, Partial Productions, Inc. Mastering Engineering by Arnie Acosta at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Mastering Assistance by Scott Sedillo. Audio Consultant and Quality Control: Cheryl Engels, Partial Productions.

Picture Re-Edit . Mastering: Windmill Lane Ltd., Dublin. DVD Authoring, Design and Compression: Abbey Road Interactive, London.

Artwork

Original Credits:
Design by RX for The Creative Department Ltd, Dublin.
Monitor photography by Jacobus van Hespen. From “Under a Blood Red Sky”, a “U2 at Red Rocks Associates” Production.

2008 Edition:
Photography by Greg Wigler.
Cover Design and Art Direction by Steve Averill.
Packaging Design by Gary Kelly at Four5One Creative.

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