"11 O'Clock Tick Tock 40th Anniversary Edition" - U2

Single

Track Listing

Background Information

U2 released a 40th anniversary edition of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” for Record Store Day 2020. The single is on 180g vinyl, and is pressed in transparent blue vinyl. The sleeve is a gatefold sleeve, with a variety of photos on the inside of the gatefold. The release contains the longer version of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock,” the original version of “Touch,” and two previously unreleased live tracks from September 22, 1980, “Touch” and “Twilight.” Both were recorded at the Marquee in London. The description of this single is as follows: “40th anniversary reissue of U2’s first single, recorded with Martin Hannett in Dublin’s Windmill Lane Studios in 1980.” We are told that this U2 release was a late addition to the Record Store Day list. This release of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” is a worldwide release, and should be available in any country that participates in Record Store Day. The vinyl is being pressed in Germany, and it is listed as having 7000 copies on the Record Store Day USA site for the USA market. The release will not be numbered.

The original single, released on 7-inch only was released on May 16, 1980. This new version was released with new artwork based on the original artwork. The new artwork is a picture sleeve and resembles the original sleeve, but instead of a flat blue colour background the background will be concentric blue and black circles, and the hand of the clock and the tick marks will be in blue. The front of the sleeve shows the War Child logo and is stickered with information about the release. In white near the top is “U2 11 O’Clock Tick Tock.” The new artwork is designed by Shaughn McGrath of Amp Visual based on the original artwork which had been designed by Bruno-Christian Tilley at Island Records. The record is being pressed in Germany.

The 40th anniversary release was initially announced on March 5, 2020 at 6pm GMT. The release was originally planned for April 18, 2020, as part of Record Store Day. Due to concerns with the COVID-19 virus, the date of Record Store Day was delayed. On March 13, it was announced that Record Store Day would be postponed until June 20, 2020. On April 29, a further delay was announced, splitting Record Store Day into three days to reduce crowd sizes. These three new days would be August 29, September 26, and October 24. The U2 release of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” is on the first of the three days, August 29, 2020.

In the UK, the single is one of three releases that is being released in conjunction with War Child UK. War Child is the official charity partner of Record Store Day 2020. £1.00 from each of the three records sold will be contributed to War Child in the UK. The other two releases contributing to War Child in the UK are by David Bowie and Manic Street Preachers. In the UK, where this promotion is taking place, there is an additional sticker on the outside of the record, with the War Child logo. The UK release also has a unique UPC on a sticker on the outside of the stretch wrap, which covers the usual UPC which is part of the back cover. Besides the two extra stickers on the stretch wrap, the pressing is the same as it is for the rest of the world.

The original single included an edit of the title track, and “Touch” on the B-Side. This 40th anniversary single will feature remastered versions of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” and “Touch”, and it is the full length version of “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” that is included and not the shorter edit released on the original single. Also included on the new 12-inch is two unreleased live recordings, “Touch” and “Twilight” taken from the September 22, 1980 concert at The Marquee in London, England. Previously, “Boy-Girl” from that concert was released on the B-Side to the original single for “I Will Follow.” In 2008 on the Boy remaster, both “Boy-Girl” and “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” from that concert were included on the release. These two tracks were the only two tracks released from this show until the release of this 12-Inch single. The 2015 fan club release Another Time, Another Place featured songs taken from the September 29, 1980 show at The Marquee, a concert that took place a week after the one featured on this single.

Previously, U2 issued a 40th anniversary pressing of “Three” last fall for the Record Store Day Black Friday event. U2’s participation in past Record Store Day events includes the following:

  • November 26, 2010: Release of the EP “Wide Awake in Europe” [5000 copies USA, numbered]
  • November 29, 2013: Release of the 10-inch single “Ordinary Love” [10000 copies USA]
  • November 28, 2014: Release of a North and South of the River Poster / Map
  • April 18, 2015: Release of Songs of Innocence on double 12-inch vinyl [5000 copies USA, numbered]
  • April 22, 2017: Release of “Red Hill Mining Town” as a 12-inch picture disc, also a limited release of a numbered ‘fanzine’ [7000 copies of vinyl USA, 1000 copies of US fanzine, 500 copies of UK fanzine]
  • November 24, 2017: Release of “The Blackout” in 12-inch black and 12-inch coloured vinyl [750 copies limited coloured vinyl, 19250 copies of black vinyl]
  • April 21, 2018: Release of “Lights of Home” as a 12-inch picture disc [5000 copies USA]
  • November 23, 2018: Release of “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” as a 12-inch black vinyl [7000 copies USA]
  • April 13, 2019: Release of “The Europa EP“ as a 12-inch black vinyl [5000 copies USA]
  • November 29, 2019: Release of the 40th Anniversary Edition of “Three“ in 12-Inch Black Vinyl [17,000 copies Worldwide]

Liner Notes

Bono: Vocals. The Edge: Guitar. Larry: Drums. Adam: Bass.
Music by U2. Lyrics by Bono
Side A: Produced by Martin Hannett, engineered by Paul Thomas and Martin Hannett. Recorded in Windmill Lane Recording Studios. Remastered by Scott Sedillo, Bernie Grundman Mastering.
Side B: Recorded live at the Marquee – 22nd September 1980. Engineered by Tim Painter. Mixed by Richard Rainey. Mastered by Scott Sedillo, Bernie Grundman Mastering.

Creative Director: Gavin Friday.
Director of Production: Nadine King.

Artwork

Art direction and Design: Shaughn McGrath
Photography: Shiela Rock, Colm Henry, Paul Slattery, Hugo McGuinness, Pennie Smith, Tom Sheehan, James Mahon, Nadine King, Virgina Turbett.

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