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DEF LEPPARD
1981 - High 'N' Dry.
1983 - Pyromania.
1987 - Hysteria.
1992 - Adrenalize.
more DEF LEPPARD.
way more Helter Skelter.

July 21, 1981 - 2021: 40 years of: High 'N' Dry.

Saturday night, who's high ?

Released at the height of a rocknroll-crossroad, a bloody British bombastic battleground of punk and heavymetal, no one could've foresee that these boys would become the world's biggest hardrock powerhouse in ages. Just another record, before they hit pyro fame and hysteric fortune ...but until then: it's just them and their wine.

Instant punch with "Let It Go", lotsa riffs, hooks and that deadly / lively vibe. Youth-rock at it's best, the message is loud and clear. The slick party-crasher title-track is an AC/DC-ish track most bands would die for while the masterful marathon of "You Got Me Runnin" never misses a beat.

Scream louder, as these deaf felines generate more decadent decibels on the NWOBHM "On Through The Night", while the rebelicious "No No No" is a certified fast-metal template. The instru-metal "Switch 625" opens the door to progressive-rock in a epic 3:03sec of distorted-melodies.

The heart-warming "Bringing On The Heartbreak" is an immortal signature in the powerballad repertoire. Filled with emotion and background-vocals from both ends of the spectrum, the crunchy guitars rapidly reminds us that this rock-cut is also a heavyrock-monument. A bold DEF LEPPARD career-setting statement.

Even with the RIAA-certified 2x Platinum reached plateau, they had to say goodbye to guitarist Pete Willis and welcome aboard GIRL player Phil Collen. The end of a chapter and a wild new beginning.

LEPP 2.0 would not only shake local pubs, but also arenas across the globe.
LEPP 2.0 would be the only European band to stand tall against the upcoming Sunset Strip tidalwave.
LEPP 2.0 would soon release one of hardrock's most venerated collection of overdriven-hits.

The gasoline is fuming, the fuse is lit, here comes the blazing hysterical Pyromania juggernaut LP of 1983 !

*
High 'N' Dry (Saturday Night) = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkfJOrdc1AU
Bringing On The Heartbreak = video remix with Phil Collen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g0CJdt-auk
Me & My Wine = video with Phil Collen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvwn7SCCa2c
High 'N' Dry = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUrpjKg0xU0&list=PLooO2pnhEkLjQGSLpZKuaVOVGzRlSDo8j
Interview in 1981
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rawONf-LOdY
Live in Newcastle in 1981
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUAMLyj0_ys

January 20, 1983 - 2023: 40 years of: Pyromania.

Thru pyromania, DEF LEPPARD sat the world afire.

Labeled a "heavier Second British Invasion", simultaneously along the punk-devolution, the NWOBHM 1978-82 craze was one of hardrock's biggest expansion of the style ...on with the list: JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, VENOM, MOTÖRHEAD, SAXON ...and the feline DEF LEPPARD.

After the success of 1981's High 'N' Dry LP it was time for repeat. Introducing Phil Collen on lead-guitar and introducing more huge sing-along-power-choruses that would become the LEPP's trademark for their entire career. Again produced by visionary Mutt Lange, the album spawned four immortal singles that would shape the MTV-generation. 1983 is also one prolific year in hardrock / heavymetal history, a year of all-killers-no-fillers LPs ...on with the list: Balls To The Wall, Holy Diver, Lick It Up, Eliminator and the unholy Shout At The Devil.

The heaviest DEF LEP has even been, the LP opens-up with the red-blooded "Rock ! Rock ! (Till You Drop)", an up-beat high energy anthem that sets the pace. The progressive "Die Hard The Hunter" displays a fusion of keyboard + guitar unison riffing that would again be reproduced many times along their lengthy discography. At this point, if the almost speedmetal "Stagefright" doesn't fright you, nothing will, as the Clark + Collen duo tip-toed around the palm-muting realms of eventual thrashmetal. The kickin' "Foolin" is a blatant heavier homage to QUEEN, while the picture-perfect first single "Photograph" is another now permanent staple in the band's live repertoire. A true gem can be found on "Action ! Not Words" where the commanding riff trusts you into the limelight of air-guitar ...let the camera roll !

The album's cornerstone is the forever FM-friendly mammoth-hit "Rock Of Ages", a masterpiece that perfectly bridged the gap between hardrock and poprock. Massive rhythm, fist-pumping chorus and some of the greatest lyrics ever put to tape ...this is when the mighty LEPPARD became the mighty arena-fillers.

RIAA-certified 10x Platinum, Pyromania burned the Charts and in the process helped to catapult hardrock into the mainstream of the decadent acid-jeans wearin', arcade playin', muscle-car drivin', hair-spray fixin', Malboro smokin' and cocaine snortin' 1980s U.S Of A. !

Sadly tragedy would hit hard on December 31, 1984 when drummer Rick Allen would be involved in a near-fatal car accident. Thru rehabilitation and dedication, he would end up as the world's only one-armed drummer. Fear not, as they would be back, stronger and way, way, wwwaaayyy bigger than ever with 1987's universally acclaimed blockbuster all-hit machine LP: Hysteria.

Gunter, glieben, glauten, globen !

*
Rock ! Rock ! (Till You Drop) = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrkx4hXIbc4
Rock Of Ages = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncjcjpQzceQ
Photograph = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4dHr8evt6k
Pyromania = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_35OQcx7wo&list=OLAK5uy_l3oLLC5ms690aykS8xuz62HQqjEA8OrUA
Interview in 1983
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfou-XUvoDg
Live in Dortmund in 1983
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSnxHmpfUkA

August 3, 1987 - 2022: 35 years of: Hysteria.

The ultimate 360º hardrock experience.

Lightning never strikes at the same place twice ...yet ...we've got another thing coming. After burning the Charts on both sides of the Atlantic with 1983's Pyromania LP, the scene was now in full mid 80s hardrock-mode. While still keeping a Eurometal signature underneath, DEF LEPPARD was about to release a best-of record of universal magnitude. The definition of all-killers no-fillers ...not glamrock and not hairmetal, but the prestine summum of arenarock !

Hard stamina and suave delivery are in awe in front of all the lovely "Women". Power-chords and those trademarked background-vocals, the slick formula is at an all time high. Right into the stratosphere, we ride inside the rocknroll "Rocket", were the tribal rhythms brings forth a raw signature to this, to-be, global hit.

Headbangers gets a treat with metal-riffing on "Excitable", the speedmetalic "Run Riot" and on the AC/DC-ish "Don't Shoot Shotgun". Ladies gets a treat with the FM squeeze of "Love Bites", a now undisputed 80s mandatory powerballad, that goes oh so well in front of the fire-place with that special someone. More sophisticated rebel rock-romance hits loud on the title-track "Hysteria" and the LP's closer "Love And Affection".

The immortal raw-rock of "Animal", the opening single that presented the updated LEPPARDS in a very different 1987, is the perfect pace and perfect guitar-strumming. Supported by another Marshall-melter, the arenametal-monster of "Armageddon It" ...cmon Steve get it !

And now, the cat-call heard around the world. The bludgeon riffola that upped the LP into rocknroll-folklore stardom. Initially accepted with lukewarm reviews, Clubs and especially Strip-Bars in the Southern US started playing this track for their adorable late-night performers. Rapidly radios took notice and the scene became high and dry. "Step inside, walk this way, you and me Babe, hey hey". The first single-track that criss-crossed into the pop-rock mainstream and pushed the LP way passed the Platinum-plateau. The Mother of hard-rocknroll powerhouses, the biggest piece of the pie, the anthem of anthems, the sweet sinful saccharine of: "Pour Some Sugar On Me".

Two producers, four years in the making and seven issued singles, the RIAA-certified 12x Platinum, 20 million+ sold worldwide Hysteria LP is the ultimate tour-de-force in hardrock genetics. The perfect sough-after balance of rocknroll perfection, not too heavy for the pop-audience, yet it still stands with it's core hardrock-audience. Studio-wise, the desk work was again completed by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, yes the same Robert John "Mutt" Lange that pushed AC/DC's Back In Black LP into overdrive and into over-Platinum sales, do you see a correlation ?

To supply high demand, the band used and abused the reigning MTV-format: all seven singles had a matching video that enhanced the experience into this rock-supernova. Don't say cheese, the term you are looking for is: quality. The band was so hot that they even had a paperback-book release in the same calendar year, the appropriately titled Animal Instinct.

Heartfelt round of applause to the Thundergod, drummer Rick Allen, who underwent months of physiotherapy and relearning his craft on his new cutting-edge custom electronic-drum after losing his left-arm in Winter '84.

On tour, the LEPPS took the center stage, literally. In a game-changing move, the four-side center arena stage would set a new modus-operandi for rock bands to follow from METALLICA to U2. With in your face decibels and a futuristic laser-show, on through the night after night, filled to the brim with girls girls girls ...AMERICA WAS NOW DEF-NATION !

In the timeline of rocknroll H-bombs of the mid 80s, BON JOVI's 1986 Slippery When Wet LP opened the door to arenarock and now England strikes back with an ultimate seat-filler show-stopper. On top of the world, the gang would dominate the hardrock landscape for the upcoming four solid years, until they delivered 1992's digital delight Adrenalize CD, into a grunge-infested crowd.

Let's celebrate 35 years of hardrock perfection.
Let's celebrate 35 years of posh sights and sounds.
Let's celebrate 35 years of still hot hits and trendsetting hooks.
The year is 1987 ...they are British ...they are DEF LEPPARD ...and the LP is Hysteria !

PS: On a personal note DL is the band that initialy got me interested in hardrock / heavymetal. They were the first one that caught my interest in very early-1989, January 27th to be exact. Can you guess which song was still on heavy rotation on our local TV's music-channel ?

*
Women = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HR0P3sIb80
Rocket = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpcc43NV394
Animal = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecFPU--vvf0
Love Bites = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4XiSFyYRE8
Pour Some Sugar On Me = UK video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrZRpXoKoFQ
Pour Some Sugar On Me = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UIB9Y4OFPs
Armageddon It = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urNFQw8VIvA
Hysteria = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaiaaar88EM
Hysteria = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzEwuTZh0YA&list=PLNaZxfoERz7u5MSRjUeZ2Lt5FEJOWzqCK
MTV Interview in 1988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58ATwslzqjQ
In The Round, In Your Face = full VHS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK9ACEL5V8M&list=PLP_u_WyPWzX1o8jzxfOtoTtTTgIK4Oeqj
Live in California in 1988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMXSj7TEf7k
BBC Documentary in 1989
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8ZutDCv3Q8
Some band
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqhwEzVQlVg

March 31, 1992 - 2022: 30 years of: Adrenalize.

We're gonna get roooooocked !

After the 1987-88-89-90 global 360° hardrock-domination, DEF LEP are finally back. Sadly misfortune stroke again, as guitarist Steve Clark lost is battle against alcohol-addiction in early 1991. Regrouping and recruiting ex-DIO and ex-WHITESNAKE shredder Vivian Campbell, the leppards where now ready for some more hysterical action, in a very, very, very, very different scene than good ol' 1988.

The CD opens-up with "Let's Get Rocked" and instantly blasts-off into a high 'n dry tidalwave. Those hooks, those now-legendary Leppard-hooks, massive choruses and killer FM-attraction, it's all in here and this is just track #1. The rock savagery continues on the macho "Make Love Like A Man", the lovely "I Want To Touch U" and the muscular Eurometal vibed "Tear It Down".

Some strong Chart-topping powerballads appears in the form of "I You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" and the beautiful "Tonight". DEF LEP are the masters at this craft.

Recorded as a foursome, Campbell's presentation to the world came in the form of a local-gig: the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in front of a 72000+ filled Wembley Arena. Going on the road, the band faced success, even while being undermined by the current new METALLICA, GNR and alternative Seattle-rock takeover. Sing-along hardrock's decline has been present since the 1990-era, yet DEF LEPPARD's core fanbase and still stellar British performance on tape and in the live-environment, gave them leverage to glide through the turbulent 90s.

Totally DEF !

RIP Steve Clark (1960-1991)

*
Let's Get Rocked = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO1Nae_EBvQ
Make Love Like A Man = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg1ogWFqedA
Tonight = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE88id4sdT8
Adrenalize = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CWfgxtdbK0&list=PLvsYXqtYjMYe1_l_2LHSj25HigHnzur9p
MTV interview in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTckNjljOVI
Live at Top Of The Pops in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MMq4dVqg9E
Live at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gqIM47ZTNw
Live in Sheffield in 1993
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73PAXHJI80c

more DEF LEPPARD:

Freddie Mercury Tribute