U2 offer 8-track live CD to U2.com subscribers

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In a bid to retain their many subscribers after their first full membership year, U2.com are offering an ‘exclusive’ CD/CD-ROM double disc set called ‘U2 Communication’ to current members, and an additional 20% discount on the $40 subscription fee.

The CD’s exclusivity is debatable, since the 8 tracks are taken from the current Vertigo live DVD which many U2.com subscribers are likely to have acquired. It looks rather sexy, though, and this fan has already succumbed to its lure.

The offer was made via a U2.com mail shot which was sent out this Tuesday.

From the e-mail: This package, which will not be available at retail, contains an 8-track CD featuring songs recorded live during the Vertigo Tour; and a CD-ROM containing an interactive audio player, an exclusive live video clip from U2’s Vertigo 2005 show at Milan’s San Siro stadium, as well as wallpapers and U2 screen savers using the show’s amazing imagery.

U2.com staff further apologise for the 2005 ticket snafu and state they continue to look into fair ways to distribute tickets to fans. They stress however, that the subscription renewal does not include any distribution solution or any guarantee of tickets to future shows. No change there, then. Boom boom.

62 thoughts on “U2 offer 8-track live CD to U2.com subscribers

  1. Not sure if its 20% off 40 bucks or 20% off $50 and final cost is 40. So what do you think of a yearly fee. They just made over 130 million from this tour do they need 40 bucks a year from 100,000 fans?

  2. Not sure if its 20% off 40 bucks or 20% off $50 and final cost is 40. So what do you think of a yearly fee. They just made over 130 million from this tour do they need 40 bucks a year from 100,000 fans?

  3. I’ve been a U2.com member since the very day that they started accepting memberships, and I have still not received my membership card from them. I was also a Propaganda member, yet I never received the last magazine. Emails and phone calls about both missing items were completely ignored. Now they offer CDs to get me to renew my subscription… Joy.. Another wad of cash for something that they may or may not deliver to me, and I have no one to even complain to if they don’t.

    Oh.. and access to U2.com’s subscriber areas.. *yawn* I think this might be the end of my many years as a U2 fanclub member.

  4. I’ve been a U2.com member since the very day that they started accepting memberships, and I have still not received my membership card from them. I was also a Propaganda member, yet I never received the last magazine. Emails and phone calls about both missing items were completely ignored. Now they offer CDs to get me to renew my subscription… Joy.. Another wad of cash for something that they may or may not deliver to me, and I have no one to even complain to if they don’t.

    Oh.. and access to U2.com’s subscriber areas.. *yawn* I think this might be the end of my many years as a U2 fanclub member.

  5. I’m not convinced either. The only thing I’m slightly worried about is that they now say they’re not giving any warranties about ticket sales, yadda, yadda, but that they will anyway when new ticket sales start happening.

    Considering I’m still convinced there will be another EU leg (wishful thinking), this is an issue…

  6. I’m not convinced either. The only thing I’m slightly worried about is that they now say they’re not giving any warranties about ticket sales, yadda, yadda, but that they will anyway when new ticket sales start happening.

    Considering I’m still convinced there will be another EU leg (wishful thinking), this is an issue…

  7. When I renewed my subscription I got a discount coupon to the u2.com-store.. nice… but it expires today! Thank you u2.com! ..*grumble*

  8. When I renewed my subscription I got a discount coupon to the u2.com-store.. nice… but it expires today! Thank you u2.com! ..*grumble*

  9. I’m curious. How many fans will renew there subscription?

    With no ticket guarantees as part of the re-subscription package. Why should someone pay 30$?

    The site offers nothing new or nothing fans can’t find on other U2 sites on the internet.
    (news is delivered faster on the sites made by the fans.)

  10. I’m curious. How many fans will renew there subscription?

    With no ticket guarantees as part of the re-subscription package. Why should someone pay 30$?

    The site offers nothing new or nothing fans can’t find on other U2 sites on the internet.
    (news is delivered faster on the sites made by the fans.)

  11. how do u renew your membership? cos ive tried and it dont wanna know.ps still waiting for a t shirt from august order no monies taken but they keep promising to do it.

  12. how do u renew your membership? cos ive tried and it dont wanna know.ps still waiting for a t shirt from august order no monies taken but they keep promising to do it.

  13. Is this DVD supposed to make up for the horrible service of their website, in which we paid good money for? I’ll bet it will be just a rip from the audio of the Chicago DVD.

    Whatever happened to all those concerts Bono said we would be able to download from the internet? I guess those were lies too just like he claimed this album was their best stuff and not a single song is a hit.

    This a little too late. I am finished with U2.

  14. Is this DVD supposed to make up for the horrible service of their website, in which we paid good money for? I’ll bet it will be just a rip from the audio of the Chicago DVD.

    Whatever happened to all those concerts Bono said we would be able to download from the internet? I guess those were lies too just like he claimed this album was their best stuff and not a single song is a hit.

    This a little too late. I am finished with U2.

  15. The carrot is not big enough for this horse. I ain’t biting.

    Even back in the U2 World Service and Propaganda days, people subscribed to the fan club mainly for the ticket offer. I’m in agreement with Bieke2be. Why should anyone spend the money to have access to a web site? I don’t read the U2.com updates. I don’t look at the video or listen to the audio there. I don’t use the email service or forum. The disks they are offering with the new subscription don’t appeal to me.

    I would feel like a sucker if I renewed my subscription, which is really sad as I have been a fan club member without interruption for more than 20 years. Honestly, I think fans can spend their money on better things than a U2.com subscription. I recommend fans consider supporting fan-based activities instead — donate to your favorite fan site, fan-organized charity (e.g., African Well Fund), or even a charity/activist organization the band have supported (e.g., One Campaign, Jubilee Network, Greenpeace, Amnesty International).

  16. The carrot is not big enough for this horse. I ain’t biting.

    Even back in the U2 World Service and Propaganda days, people subscribed to the fan club mainly for the ticket offer. I’m in agreement with Bieke2be. Why should anyone spend the money to have access to a web site? I don’t read the U2.com updates. I don’t look at the video or listen to the audio there. I don’t use the email service or forum. The disks they are offering with the new subscription don’t appeal to me.

    I would feel like a sucker if I renewed my subscription, which is really sad as I have been a fan club member without interruption for more than 20 years. Honestly, I think fans can spend their money on better things than a U2.com subscription. I recommend fans consider supporting fan-based activities instead — donate to your favorite fan site, fan-organized charity (e.g., African Well Fund), or even a charity/activist organization the band have supported (e.g., One Campaign, Jubilee Network, Greenpeace, Amnesty International).

  17. So it’s audio from the Chicago DVD. And the Milan clip will be on the Milan DVD next year… so we’re not getting anything actually truly exclusive here.

    However I would like to know if U2.com will still attempt to do a ticket presale for subscribers – albeit without guarantees. The presale for the 3rd leg went very smoothly for me and I think they could pull it off. Though possibly not if they advertised it as part of the subscription package and got thousands of new fans signing up.

    Does anyone know whether they will still attempt fan presales? Or is that over forever now? I will only renew if a presale benefit is involved.

  18. So it’s audio from the Chicago DVD. And the Milan clip will be on the Milan DVD next year… so we’re not getting anything actually truly exclusive here.

    However I would like to know if U2.com will still attempt to do a ticket presale for subscribers – albeit without guarantees. The presale for the 3rd leg went very smoothly for me and I think they could pull it off. Though possibly not if they advertised it as part of the subscription package and got thousands of new fans signing up.

    Does anyone know whether they will still attempt fan presales? Or is that over forever now? I will only renew if a presale benefit is involved.

  19. The CD looks pretty attractive to me, but less so now that I ripped the audio from the Chicago DVD to MP3. I did the same to the Slane DVD, and will do the same to the upcoming (hopefully) Milan DVD.

    Ah, almost 40 high quality live U2 tracks on my iPod, for the same price as the DVDs and a piece of software. No extra subscription costs needed.

  20. The CD looks pretty attractive to me, but less so now that I ripped the audio from the Chicago DVD to MP3. I did the same to the Slane DVD, and will do the same to the upcoming (hopefully) Milan DVD.

    Ah, almost 40 high quality live U2 tracks on my iPod, for the same price as the DVDs and a piece of software. No extra subscription costs needed.

  21. The CD audio actually features audio 5 songs recorded in Chicago and 3 recorded in Milan, according to the U2.com “Subscribe” page on the website: http://www.u2.com/subscribe/

    Here’s the track listing:
    1. City Of Blinding Lights live FROM Chicago, May 2005
    2. Vertigo live FROM Chicago, May 2005
    3. Elevation live FROM Chicago, May 2005
    4. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For live FROM Milan, July 2005
    5. Miracle Drug live FROM Chicago, May 2005
    6. Miss Sarajevo live FROM Milan, July 2005
    7. The Fly live FROM Chicago, MAY 2005
    8. With Or Without You live FROM Milan, July 2005

    (Even so, the audio from Chicago could indeed be ripped from DVD and if the Milan show is released on DVD, the same could be done. And, it’s certainly possible the live could eventually be released as B-Sides – well, Miss Sarajevo (Live from Milan) already is!

  22. The CD audio actually features audio 5 songs recorded in Chicago and 3 recorded in Milan, according to the U2.com “Subscribe” page on the website: http://www.u2.com/subscribe/

    Here’s the track listing:
    1. City Of Blinding Lights live FROM Chicago, May 2005
    2. Vertigo live FROM Chicago, May 2005
    3. Elevation live FROM Chicago, May 2005
    4. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For live FROM Milan, July 2005
    5. Miracle Drug live FROM Chicago, May 2005
    6. Miss Sarajevo live FROM Milan, July 2005
    7. The Fly live FROM Chicago, MAY 2005
    8. With Or Without You live FROM Milan, July 2005

    (Even so, the audio from Chicago could indeed be ripped from DVD and if the Milan show is released on DVD, the same could be done. And, it’s certainly possible the live could eventually be released as B-Sides – well, Miss Sarajevo (Live from Milan) already is!

  23. that is a bummer that the audio is from chicago. anyone who wants those mp3s already has them. and once again the explanation on ticket pre-sales is very vague. whatever their intentions are, the u2.com marketing is a real turn-off.

  24. that is a bummer that the audio is from chicago. anyone who wants those mp3s already has them. and once again the explanation on ticket pre-sales is very vague. whatever their intentions are, the u2.com marketing is a real turn-off.

  25. I’m a fan of U2, but I would never pay a subscription fee to access areas of a website that should be free. They need a complete overhaul on the website front. It’s crap. I know this, because of all the complaints I’ve just read from some of you.

    Mike: You don’t think Vertigo was a hit?

  26. I’m a fan of U2, but I would never pay a subscription fee to access areas of a website that should be free. They need a complete overhaul on the website front. It’s crap. I know this, because of all the complaints I’ve just read from some of you.

    Mike: You don’t think Vertigo was a hit?

  27. I agree with a lot of things here except for what mike has said about the new almbun and not a song being a single hit. This may not make any sence but if you take the songs seperatly they are one of their best songs written but as a whole album is not quiet the same. I love every song in the new album.

  28. I agree with a lot of things here except for what mike has said about the new almbun and not a song being a single hit. This may not make any sence but if you take the songs seperatly they are one of their best songs written but as a whole album is not quiet the same. I love every song in the new album.

  29. I don’t consider Vertigo a hit at all. It was the first single which was hyped because it was the first single and it was bombarded on us because of iPod. It was not a hit because it was a good song. For instance, Pride is a bonafide hit. Really Vertigo is nothing more than a rehash of Out Of Control and Stories for Boys slightly changed for current radio play.

    Since Vertigo this album has really been a failure and I don’t even think U2 can deny it. Just look at the reviews on amazon, they are the worst I have ever seen for a U2 album. I would love to like this album but after 4 listens it became unbearable and too depressing to hear how bad U2 have become. I remember the days when I liked everything they ever put out. But those days are over now for me and many long time fans.

    But more importantnly I am disgusted with U2 as people. They are no longer honest but just marketing whores. There is no way they honestly thought this was their best album and yet they led us all to believe this with their statements.

    Bono led us to believe we could download concert recordings from this tour and yet not one concert has been available. Why?

    Look at the cover of the album. How much effort did it take to have another album with their picture on it? Look at the cover of the new DVD. It is almost exact copy of the Boston DVD cover. Look at the new tour. The same old circle stage and same old look and same old songs played over and over and over. And the songs that are new are pathetic losers like Miss Sarajevo!! Does anyone pay hundres of dollars to see U2 and want them to play Miss Sarajevo? Or how about playing Vertigo twice during the tour? That is just blatant lazy and disrespectful to paying fans.

    I think Bono and the boys have become too arrogant and maybe lost their ability to write good songs. Instead they should have called this album “The B Side Rejects Album”

  30. I don’t consider Vertigo a hit at all. It was the first single which was hyped because it was the first single and it was bombarded on us because of iPod. It was not a hit because it was a good song. For instance, Pride is a bonafide hit. Really Vertigo is nothing more than a rehash of Out Of Control and Stories for Boys slightly changed for current radio play.

    Since Vertigo this album has really been a failure and I don’t even think U2 can deny it. Just look at the reviews on amazon, they are the worst I have ever seen for a U2 album. I would love to like this album but after 4 listens it became unbearable and too depressing to hear how bad U2 have become. I remember the days when I liked everything they ever put out. But those days are over now for me and many long time fans.

    But more importantnly I am disgusted with U2 as people. They are no longer honest but just marketing whores. There is no way they honestly thought this was their best album and yet they led us all to believe this with their statements.

    Bono led us to believe we could download concert recordings from this tour and yet not one concert has been available. Why?

    Look at the cover of the album. How much effort did it take to have another album with their picture on it? Look at the cover of the new DVD. It is almost exact copy of the Boston DVD cover. Look at the new tour. The same old circle stage and same old look and same old songs played over and over and over. And the songs that are new are pathetic losers like Miss Sarajevo!! Does anyone pay hundres of dollars to see U2 and want them to play Miss Sarajevo? Or how about playing Vertigo twice during the tour? That is just blatant lazy and disrespectful to paying fans.

    I think Bono and the boys have become too arrogant and maybe lost their ability to write good songs. Instead they should have called this album “The B Side Rejects Album”

  31. Mike: “Since Vertigo this album has really been a failure and I don’t even think U2 can deny it.”

    WHAT? I honestly cannot see how you can say that. This is one of their best albums of all time, looking at musical talent, songwriting, live tour.

    Are you serious? I mean… are you SERIOUS? Or are you just trolling?

  32. Mike: “Since Vertigo this album has really been a failure and I don’t even think U2 can deny it.”

    WHAT? I honestly cannot see how you can say that. This is one of their best albums of all time, looking at musical talent, songwriting, live tour.

    Are you serious? I mean… are you SERIOUS? Or are you just trolling?

  33. Mike,

    Thanks for laying out your current issues with U2 – you’ve got some strong feelings about where they are right now, and I disagree with you on a few points you raise.

    Though I think HTDAAB isn’t the most mind-blowing or earth-shattering album U2 has put out, it seems to be head and shoulders above what most other bands are putting together nowadays, either newfound bands on the radio or groups that have been around for 25 years. Vertigo, City of Blinding Lights, Love And Peace or Else, All Because of You, and a few others on it seem to me to be better songs than most of the junk that I find out on the airwaves today. And “having a hit” doesn’t a great album make – Radiohead’s “Kid A” has been viewed by some critics as one of the top 10 albums of the last 25 years, and it never had a hit song. Nor do Amazon reviews a great album make – I can think of hundreds of albums on Amazon that have received better reviews from listeners and have, in my opinion, stunk beyond all recognition.

    You might point out that when you contrast this album with the last 25 years of U2’s catalog, this doesn’t stack up with War, JT, AB, and Pop (a personal fave). I think you’re right, but I also think that it’s better than Passengers, Zooropa (in some ways), and October. I think it’s one of their more middling albums, but I think there are some real gems in there. And I don’t think an artist or band is lying when they claim that they think this is their best album yet – for what reason would a group claim otherwise? Musicians, especially ones with a work ethic that’s been heralded as second-to-none by top music insiders and outsiders for years, don’t go into a studio and work long hours trying to put out crap – they try to put out their best stuff. Granted, I don’t feel this is their best album yet, but I don’t think they were lying when they claimed that they thought it was.

    In regards to your point about U2 being marketing whores, I haven’t seen any U2 songs in car ads, shoe ads, or almost any other TV spots out there in which you hear either classic rock songs or current pop tunes. They’ve never had a corporate sponsor on one of their tours (and never will, I believe), they never received a dime from Apple for the iPod ad, and they refuse to take advantage of most of the other marketing avenues thrown their way. The Rolling Stones and almost all other groups/artists out there take advantage of the $$$ thrown their way – not U2. Seems to me that they’re in the small minority of musicians out there – they don’t sound like “marketing whores” to me.

    As for the tour design and set up, I look at it as taking something that was really innovative and that worked well (the setup for the Elevation tour) and tweaking it so that it worked better for their new tour. It also seems to me that the lighting curtains and video setup for Vertigo was, again, something totally new and unprecedented. It allowed for 365-degree views of the group and the video screens at the same time – something that couldn’t happen with their previous setups.

    No huge problems here with the song selection for the tour – I personally like “Miss Sarajevo” and didn’t mind hearing “Vertigo” again. As you said, “it was a good song.”

    All in all, I’m a huge fan of theirs, obviously. Though I don’t think they’re as innovative in their music, their lyrics, or their presentation as they once were (I look to other artists and groups for that now, like Bjork, Outkast, The Flaming Lips, and lesser-known groups), I really enjoy their new stuff. It seems better than most other stuff out there, without them stooping to the levels of true “marketing whores”.

    BTW, all, sorry for the dissertation – Mike just raised some strong points that I didn’t want to leave unanswered 🙂

  34. Mike,

    Thanks for laying out your current issues with U2 – you’ve got some strong feelings about where they are right now, and I disagree with you on a few points you raise.

    Though I think HTDAAB isn’t the most mind-blowing or earth-shattering album U2 has put out, it seems to be head and shoulders above what most other bands are putting together nowadays, either newfound bands on the radio or groups that have been around for 25 years. Vertigo, City of Blinding Lights, Love And Peace or Else, All Because of You, and a few others on it seem to me to be better songs than most of the junk that I find out on the airwaves today. And “having a hit” doesn’t a great album make – Radiohead’s “Kid A” has been viewed by some critics as one of the top 10 albums of the last 25 years, and it never had a hit song. Nor do Amazon reviews a great album make – I can think of hundreds of albums on Amazon that have received better reviews from listeners and have, in my opinion, stunk beyond all recognition.

    You might point out that when you contrast this album with the last 25 years of U2’s catalog, this doesn’t stack up with War, JT, AB, and Pop (a personal fave). I think you’re right, but I also think that it’s better than Passengers, Zooropa (in some ways), and October. I think it’s one of their more middling albums, but I think there are some real gems in there. And I don’t think an artist or band is lying when they claim that they think this is their best album yet – for what reason would a group claim otherwise? Musicians, especially ones with a work ethic that’s been heralded as second-to-none by top music insiders and outsiders for years, don’t go into a studio and work long hours trying to put out crap – they try to put out their best stuff. Granted, I don’t feel this is their best album yet, but I don’t think they were lying when they claimed that they thought it was.

    In regards to your point about U2 being marketing whores, I haven’t seen any U2 songs in car ads, shoe ads, or almost any other TV spots out there in which you hear either classic rock songs or current pop tunes. They’ve never had a corporate sponsor on one of their tours (and never will, I believe), they never received a dime from Apple for the iPod ad, and they refuse to take advantage of most of the other marketing avenues thrown their way. The Rolling Stones and almost all other groups/artists out there take advantage of the $$$ thrown their way – not U2. Seems to me that they’re in the small minority of musicians out there – they don’t sound like “marketing whores” to me.

    As for the tour design and set up, I look at it as taking something that was really innovative and that worked well (the setup for the Elevation tour) and tweaking it so that it worked better for their new tour. It also seems to me that the lighting curtains and video setup for Vertigo was, again, something totally new and unprecedented. It allowed for 365-degree views of the group and the video screens at the same time – something that couldn’t happen with their previous setups.

    No huge problems here with the song selection for the tour – I personally like “Miss Sarajevo” and didn’t mind hearing “Vertigo” again. As you said, “it was a good song.”

    All in all, I’m a huge fan of theirs, obviously. Though I don’t think they’re as innovative in their music, their lyrics, or their presentation as they once were (I look to other artists and groups for that now, like Bjork, Outkast, The Flaming Lips, and lesser-known groups), I really enjoy their new stuff. It seems better than most other stuff out there, without them stooping to the levels of true “marketing whores”.

    BTW, all, sorry for the dissertation – Mike just raised some strong points that I didn’t want to leave unanswered 🙂

  35. Mike, i hope you are kidding… i think that you are, but if your not i would recommend for you to go find another band. Thers alot of great bands out there you could use your time on, instead of bashing u2 on a site where (almost) everybody is die-hard fans -including myself.

  36. Mike, i hope you are kidding… i think that you are, but if your not i would recommend for you to go find another band. Thers alot of great bands out there you could use your time on, instead of bashing u2 on a site where (almost) everybody is die-hard fans -including myself.

  37. I think bono was correct you can download almost any show through bit torrent. Just not official release from band. Heading to atlanta hoping for something special.

  38. I think bono was correct you can download almost any show through bit torrent. Just not official release from band. Heading to atlanta hoping for something special.

  39. well i have renewed my subscription and look forward to the cd etc.Yes i miised out with tickets for both pop and atyclb tours but hey worse shit can happen to you!I kept up with my subs and still managed to get tickets on my own for those tours.The people at dublin also were very helpful in getting me missed copies of propaganda too!
    it would have been nice to get a cd with the unreleased stuff off the i tunes complete u2 instead of these tracks or a live cut of womanfish from tv gaga 1986 but what do i know i still love the pop record.
    love to u all james

  40. well i have renewed my subscription and look forward to the cd etc.Yes i miised out with tickets for both pop and atyclb tours but hey worse shit can happen to you!I kept up with my subs and still managed to get tickets on my own for those tours.The people at dublin also were very helpful in getting me missed copies of propaganda too!
    it would have been nice to get a cd with the unreleased stuff off the i tunes complete u2 instead of these tracks or a live cut of womanfish from tv gaga 1986 but what do i know i still love the pop record.
    love to u all james

  41. PK, you’re the voice of reason and your intelligent and calm answer to comments that bug the hell out a lot of people is examplary to me. Stanny boy, your positivity is refreshing and inspiring, thank you.

  42. PK, you’re the voice of reason and your intelligent and calm answer to comments that bug the hell out a lot of people is examplary to me. Stanny boy, your positivity is refreshing and inspiring, thank you.

  43. This works for me. I am a fan for 20 years. I don’t have time to chase mp3s, bootlegs and whatever else comes its way on the internet. My work keeps me way too busy. For me the one stop shopping is all I need. I will subscribe to U2.com. I will also buy the live Chicago DVD and if there is one from Milan that too. I am a fan. I don’t argue and dish the s… they are the greatest rock and roll act since the Beatles. Maybe even greater. Long live and long record U2. I will always buy…..

  44. This works for me. I am a fan for 20 years. I don’t have time to chase mp3s, bootlegs and whatever else comes its way on the internet. My work keeps me way too busy. For me the one stop shopping is all I need. I will subscribe to U2.com. I will also buy the live Chicago DVD and if there is one from Milan that too. I am a fan. I don’t argue and dish the s… they are the greatest rock and roll act since the Beatles. Maybe even greater. Long live and long record U2. I will always buy…..

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