Def Leppard

[Train of Naught]

I had no interest in checking out a Def Leppard thread but this is actually pretty funny.

[TAC]

Honestly, what Rick Allen had overcome, and how the band embraced his whole comeback on the Hysteria tour was truly something to behold.

[King Postwhore]

Honestly, what Rick Allen had overcome, and how the band embraced his whole comeback on the Hysteria tour was truly something to behold.

Yes. Totally agree.

[Lowdz]

Honestly, what Rick Allen had overcome, and how the band embraced his whole comeback on the Hysteria tour was truly something to behold.

90, 000 people and not a dry eye in the house (or field really  ) at that Donington MoR.

[TAC]

From the FIRST Def Leppard thread: 
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?action=post;quote=1424670;topic=34406.0;last_msg=2011048

Def Leppard
October 12, 1987
Providence Civic Center

[Lowdz]

Hope there's no tongues in the bottom one 

[King Postwhore]

Only under the stage from the stories I remember.

[Stadler]

Rock of Ages was never a favorite, but I don't mind it.  The Leppard songs I am most likely to go for are Foolin', Too Late for Love, Gods of War, Bringin' on the Heartbreak and Rocket.  I actually liked Work It Out, too, which was pretty different for them, but still a good tune.

Same here Kev.  Their serious,  darker songs are what I like about them.

BTW,  I saw them with Billy Squire live in 84.

It's Squier, and I when I saw them (Lep opened for Billy on the Pyromania tour in '83) Joe had the SHIRT, I don't remember if Rick Allen the shorts, and Billy was NOT wearing pink, as it was a year or so before that debacle.  It was an excellent show.  Billy is great, that one misstep notwithstanding.

By the way, EXCELLENT two-part interview with Squier over at Eddie Trunk's site; he goes through every album one by one, and is very open and candid about that one period in '84 when everything went to shit for him (and he never recovered, even though he has quietly put out some great albums after Emotions In Motion).

[TAC]

even though he has quietly put out some great albums after Emotions In Motion).

Any recommendations on that?

[King Postwhore]

Don't Say You Love Me was a fantastic song. 

[Dream Team]

What's wrong with your sorry excuse for a forum ? 
No one is hearing the new Def Leppard album ? Really ?
 
An iconic band releasing its first album in 7 years, a labor of love with details to no end, lush harmonies over heavy guitars in a super-punchy high class non-compressed production, a melodic rock masterwork and not a single post mentioning it ?

What are you thinking ? They are like Bon Jovi,
a soccer-moms nostalgia act ? That had the last good album in Pyromania or even in High'n' Dry, before fully wimping out with Hysteria, selling their souls, hunting for hits ?
(See, i make it easy for you...)

While the new self titled album has its share of softer beautiful moments, it completly rocks down the house. Okay, it's not prog, but proggy in places.
Check the Zeppelin-like "Battle Of My Own" that out-progs everything dream theater did in the last 10 years, or the Beatles-influenced "Blind Faith" and the hands down heaviest hitting song of the album: "Wings Of An Angel".
Don't expect extended instrumental passages, it's all to the point, for a reason and the sake of the song. Still many songs take a twisty turn towards the end.

Do yourself something good and get this antidote to the substitute of music you're used to and enjoy this passionately performed ear candy but still raw enough album of the god **** ******' year.

You can thank me later. You bunch of slow pokes.

Hmmmm  . I'll raise you the new Iron Maiden album. Your thoughts?

[Lepprador]

How could I resist such a friendly invitation.
Like Dream Theater, Maiden compensates the inability to come up with really great ideas anymore with quantity, so songs and albums are becoming increasingly longer.
Sound-wise BOS is nowhere near the sonic bliss that Def Leppards self titled album is.
I really liked Kevin Shirleys early work, but his later productions were becoming too flat and dry for my taste.
But all that didn't keep me from enjoying BOS. It's good, not great. Better than TFF. Personally i have heard it more times than any Maiden album since 7soa7s. 

[Stadler]

Like Dream Theater, Maiden compensates the inability to come up with really great ideas anymore with quantity, so songs and albums are becoming increasingly longer.

This is as wrong as saying "the Earth is an equilateral trapezoid".   This couldn't be more wrong.   This is so wrong, it is unmeasurable how wrong it is.

It is wrong. 

[Stadler]

even though he has quietly put out some great albums after Emotions In Motion).

Any recommendations on that?

Well, Signs of Life is excellent, but that has "Rock Me Tonite", so that's where the trouble started.   Not counting his acoustic blues album, he's got four after SoL:

Enough is Enough
Hear and Now
Creatures of Habit
Tell The Truth

King's suggestion, "Don't Say You Love Me" is from Hear and Now, and is very good.  The problem, though, is the last three are hard to find; I don't know if they are on Spotify or not.

I would go: 
Tell The Truth - Hear and Now - Creatures of Habit - Enough Is Enough - Signs of Life, in that order.

There's a song on TTT called "Time Bomb" that is really good.   Don't Say No is still my fave, only because it has "history" (that album is the soundtrack to a good part of my then-young life) but there are good songs on all of his albums.  They are very consistent if you're asking me.   Honestly, if you're going to like it, you'll like any of them; if you're not it doesn't matter where you start.  It's not like one is "Foxtrot" and the other is "Invisible Touch". 

[Kwyjibo]

re: "iconic"



Not yet Winger cringeworthy but close enough.

[Lepprador]

This is as wrong as saying "the Earth is an equilateral trapezoid".   This couldn't be more wrong.   This is so wrong, it is unmeasurable how wrong it is.

It is wrong. 

I don't see an argument here, just repetitions.

[Kotowboy]

Please. Everyone knows the Earth is an Oblate Spheroid.

[Kotowboy]

Like Dream Theater, Maiden compensates the inability to come up with really great ideas anymore with quantity, so songs and albums are becoming increasingly longer.

This is as wrong as saying "the Earth is an equilateral trapezoid".   This couldn't be more wrong.   This is so wrong, it is unmeasurable how wrong it is.

It is wrong.

DT12 had great songs and was a hair over one hour long.

[bosk1]

Wow, I didn't realize they had a new album.  Will have to check it out.  They were my first real "favorite band" back when Pyromania was released.  They have had plenty of brilliant releases through the years, but plenty of misses as well.  I will be interested to see where this one falls.  I enjoyed Sparkle Lounge, but felt it was at the low end of the middle tier for them.  LOVED Viva Hysteria though.  I'd love to know just how much overdubbing and post-production went into that release, but I also largely don't care in terms of it impacting my enjoyment of that release.

Thanks for bringing the new album to our collective attention, Lepprador.  But in the future, please take advantage of the search function.  There is already a dedicated Lep thread, I believe (if not more than one).

[Lowdz]

Wow, I didn't realize they had a new album.  Will have to check it out.  They were my first real "favorite band" back when Pyromania was released.  They have had plenty of brilliant releases through the years, but plenty of misses as well.  I will be interested to see where this one falls.  I enjoyed Sparkle Lounge, but felt it was at the low end of the middle tier for them.  LOVED Viva Hysteria though.  I'd love to know just how much overdubbing and post-production went into that release, but I also largely don't care in terms of it impacting my enjoyment of that release.

Thanks for bringing the new album to our collective attention, Lepprador.  But in the future, please take advantage of the search function.  There is already a dedicated Lep thread, I believe (if not more than one).

Viva hysteria was excellent. My enjoyment of music DVDs is ruined if I spot too much overdubbing but that one seems fine. If they did it, they did it well. The Ded flatbird sets are cool.

New album is alright but doesn't rock anywhere near as much as Lepprador thinks it does.

[Lepprador]

DT12 had great songs

That's your subjective opinion. The last great DT song for me was Misunderstood.
DT12 was good. No stinkers no standouts. But you're right, they didn't completely fill the disc this time (in many years ?).

[Lepprador]

Viva hysteria was excellent.

I agree. It breathes an all new life in the overplayed songs.

They have had plenty of brilliant releases through the years, but plenty of misses as well.

True. Especially the X album was a big letdown for me.

I enjoyed Sparkle Lounge, but felt it was at the low end of the middle tier for them.

Accurate evaluation.

But the new one rocks as much as i think it does.
While 9 of 10 of the 30something reviews I have red are very positive (maybe you want to check out the "Melodic Rock" one ?), it seems there is not a single DTF member who shares our (mine and the reviewers) enthusiasm.

But in the future, please take advantage of the search function.

Yes. . I'll see what I can do.
 

[Elite]

I had no interest in checking out a Def Leppard thread but this is actually pretty funny.

Amen, this is hilarious to read through.
Not that I will listen to the album though.

[gazinwales]

DL got lucky their one and only good album, Hysteria.
Right place with MTV, hair metal was big.
They are 15-20 years past their use by date.
One Direction are way better.

[Lowdz]

DL got lucky their one and only good album, Hysteria.
Right place with MTV, hair metal was big.
They are 15-20 years past their use by date.
One Direction are way better.

Can't agree with you there Gaz. High n dry was a very good album and pyromania even better. They had a gift for writing catchy songs and were in there at the very beginning of the genre, paving the way for the others to follow.
And One a Direction aren't better than anybody.

[KevShmev]

By the way, EXCELLENT two-part interview with Squier over at Eddie Trunk's site; he goes through every album one by one, and is very open and candid about that one period in '84 when everything went to shit for him (and he never recovered, even though he has quietly put out some great albums after Emotions In Motion).

I said it in the 80s Song of the Day thread when we discussed it, and I will say it again: while the video for Rock Me Tonite might be an atrocity - okay, there is not might about it - the song itself is really good.  I know many cannot separate the two, but I can.

[bl5150]

Looks like they've gone Top 10 in the US and the best in the world was Australia at #4 , although that probably has a lot to do with them touring next week.   It won't equate to huge album sales but still a decent effort for them.

Any Aussies going to see them? 

[lonestar]

Brilliant read. As to the thread.... reminds me of an old joke... what has nine arms and sucks?

[cramx3]

Wow, I didn't realize they had a new album.  Will have to check it out.  They were my first real "favorite band" back when Pyromania was released.  They have had plenty of brilliant releases through the years, but plenty of misses as well.  I will be interested to see where this one falls.  I enjoyed Sparkle Lounge, but felt it was at the low end of the middle tier for them.  LOVED Viva Hysteria though.  I'd love to know just how much overdubbing and post-production went into that release, but I also largely don't care in terms of it impacting my enjoyment of that release.

Thanks for bringing the new album to our collective attention, Lepprador.  But in the future, please take advantage of the search function.  There is already a dedicated Lep thread, I believe (if not more than one).

Viva hysteria was excellent. My enjoyment of music DVDs is ruined if I spot too much overdubbing but that one seems fine. If they did it, they did it well. The Ded flatbird sets are cool.

New album is alright but doesn't rock anywhere near as much as Lepprador thinks it does.

I really enjoy Viva Hysteria, especially the Ded Flatbird sets, those are where the value really is on the blu-ray, the high'n'dry songs are awesome!

[TAC]

OK, so I don't expect you assholes to heckle me (that's a lie, I know you will) but I just got done listening to the new Def Leppard album, and I'm reporting that for the first time in a generation that I have heard a new Def Leppard album and my ears did not want to commit suicide.

For the most part, it's not overproduced shlock. It's just the band playing which for me is all I've ever wanted from them. I'll judge the music from that point, but just give me something organic. There are many really nice (what Lowdz said) moments on this. I haven't saved it on spotify yet, but I doubt this will be the last time I revisit it.

There. I said it.

[TAC]

I really enjoy Viva Hysteria, especially the Ded Flatbird sets, those are where the value really is on the blu-ray, the high'n'dry songs are awesome!

I actually pulled the old tracks on Dime from those shows. I didn't know they were released proper. I may purchase those tracks. Might even consider the whole album, Hysteria tracks and all. Listening now. They sound way more rocking here than on the album.

Edit: On Gods Of War, he introduces Steve Clark. Was that on a screen or something?
Edit Edit: Checked Youtube. Got it.

[cramx3]

I really enjoy Viva Hysteria, especially the Ded Flatbird sets, those are where the value really is on the blu-ray, the high'n'dry songs are awesome!

I actually pulled the old tracks on Dime from those shows. I didn't know they were released proper. I may purchase those tracks. Might even consider the whole album, Hysteria tracks and all. Listening now. They sound way more rocking here than on the album.

Edit: On Gods Of War, he introduces Steve Clark. Was that on a screen or something?
Edit Edit: Checked Youtube. Got it.

There is an actual CD of this?  Didnt realize, I just have the blu-ray and its for those old songs really.  High'n'dry is easily my favorite album by them.

[TAC]

Cram, I LOVE High n Dry. One of my favorite and most important albums. Amazon has a 2 CD/DVD package for 14.99. Strange as the Amazon download is 15 and change.

[bosk1]

DT12 had great songs

That's your subjective opinion.

Wrong.  It is objective fact.  NOW GET OUT!

Edit: On Gods Of War, he introduces Steve Clark. Was that on a screen or something?
Edit Edit: Checked Youtube. Got it.

Yeah, onscreen.  I know you almost certainly know this, but it is video of Steve's solo just prior to Gods of War from the In The Round; In Your Face video that was released after the Hysteria tour (they did that every show on that tour).  It is a really nice nod to the history of that tour, IMO, although it may seem weird and out of place for those who may not have seen that tour or video and do not know what it is from.

[bosk1]

Cram, I LOVE High n Dry. One of my favorite and most important albums. Amazon has a 2 CD/DVD package for 14.99. Strange as the Amazon download is 15 and change.

I'm only seeing the CD only.  Link?