U2 Reportedly Reissuing 'Achtung Baby'

The U2 camp is apparently plotting its next round of remastered and expanded reissues. But word that the band's 1991 classic 'Achtung Baby' is being sonically tweaked came from an unlikely source: singer-songwriter and indie producer John Vanderslice.

"They're remastering Achtung Baby in next room!!" Vanderlice tweeted from a Los Angeles recording studio, where he was putting the finishing touches on his forthcoming album with the Magik*Magik Orchestra. According to Slicing Up Eyeballs, Vanderslice subsequently added, "Any suggestions for witty opening salvos to drop on U2 crew when I barge in on 'Achtung Baby' remastering session?"

Wrens frontman Charles Bissell, of all folks, jumped in on the fun to write, "At some point say, 'that sounds even better than the real thing.'"

While there's no word when 'Achtung Baby' will be reborn, the 20th anniversary of its release is just 14 months away. There's currently no expectation of a similar treatment for 'Rattle & Hum,' but it wouldn't be the first time the group reissued its back catalog out of sequence. Fans will recall that expanded version of 1987's 'The Joshua Tree' was released in 2007, preceding 1984's deluxe treatment of 'The Unforgettable Fire,' which dropped in October 2009.

A treasure trove of rare material exists from this era, including original B-sides like 'Lady With the Spinning Head,' 'Where Did It All Go Wrong' and covers of Cole Porter's 'Night and Day,' Elvis Presley's 'Can't Help Falling in Love,' Lou Reed's 'Satellite of Love,' the Rolling Stones' 'Paint It Black,' plus material that leaked in advance of the album as 'The Trashcan Bootlegs' in April 1991. The previously unreleased guitar track 'In Cold Blood,' which was kept off of 'Zooropa' because it didn't fit the dance-rock formula of that set, might also be a strong candidate for inclusion.