By Ken Sweeney
Monday, 12 September 2011

U2 singer Bono has revealed that some of the biggest names in music have contributed to a tribute to mark the 20th anniversary of band’s ‘Achtung Baby’ album.

White Stripes singer Jack White, performing legend Patti Smith, UK group Depeche Mode, and Irish songwriter Damien Rice are among the artists who have recorded U2 covers for the record, due out this autumn.

“Jack White did ‘Love Is Blindness’, Depeche Mode did ‘So Cruel’, Patti Smith did ‘Until the End of the World’, Damien Rice did ‘One’; the list goes on and it’s a list of the most incredible artists,” said Bono.

The singer was speaking at a press conference at the Toronto International Film Festival at the weekend to promote ‘Achtung Baby’ documentary ‘From The Sky Down’, which charts the making of the album.

The U2 frontman said, on first listen, he had been hugely impressed by the contributions to the tribute record.

“It’s strange, because when I hear the album (‘Achtung Baby’), all I hear is what’s wrong with it. But when I heard all these artists doing it, I thought, ‘That’s really good’,” he said.

He went on to speak of his delight about American singer, poet and visual artist Patti Smith’s involvement, having been influenced by her when he was growing up in Dublin.

“That opening line, ‘Jesus Christ died for somebody’s sins but not mine’ (from Smith’s 1975 album ‘Horses’) when I was 16, I was like, ‘I do not know what this woman is on about but I’d better find out’,” the frontman said.

The covers album will be tied in with a reissue, ‘20 Years of Achtung Baby’, due out October 31.

The six-CD set, includes the original ‘Achtung Baby’ album, follow on ‘Zooropa’, B-sides and reworkings of previously unheard material, recorded during the Achtung Baby sessions.

An ‘Uber Deluxe Edition’ even comes with a pair of Bono’s signature sunglasses.

In the US this edition, containing six CDs, four DVDs and a 92-page hardback book will be on sale for $170.