Author Topic: 80s Classic Albums (Featuring: King Crimson) (Read 117579 times)

KevShmev · « **Reply #560 on:** May 16, 2015, 07:31:08 PM »

I still remember a guy I worked with many years ago, who was a massive SRV fan, said his thought when he heard of his death was, "Why couldn't it have been Clapton?"

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #561 on:** May 17, 2015, 04:43:53 AM »

Quote from: KevShmev on May 16, 2015, 07:31:08 PM

I still remember a guy I worked with many years ago, who was a massive SRV fan, said his thought when he heard of his death was, "Why couldn't it have been Clapton?"

lol

KevShmev · « **Reply #562 on:** May 17, 2015, 01:10:10 PM »

Hysteria was to late 1987 and 1988 was Thriller was to late 1982 and 1983: total and utter domination. You couldn't turn on a rock radio station or MTV in 1988 without hearing Def Leppard every hour. I swear, at its peak, the video for "Pour Some Sugar On Me" was played literally every hour for months on MTV. I was always kind of lukewarm on that song, although its popularity is not hard to figure out. Of the hits, I always like "Animal" and "Rocket" the most, and while I wasn't that wild about it at the time, I've coming around to liking "Love Bites" quite a bit. Of the non-hits, "Gods of War" is the clear standout, IMO, although I admittedly do not remember the others much. I know a lot of Def Leppard hardcore fans weren't wild about the slick, pop metal sound that dominated this record, but there is no doubt that Mutt Lange and Def Leppard knew what they were doing. They made a landmark album, and while it is one I have never owned on CD, it is a monster classic.

Zydar · « **Reply #563 on:** May 17, 2015, 01:18:24 PM »

Good one, but I prefer Pyromania. Can't deny the hit domination though.

jjrock88 · « **Reply #564 on:** May 17, 2015, 01:34:49 PM »

All good material but I'll take the first three albums any day

jammindude · « **Reply #565 on:** May 17, 2015, 01:40:45 PM »

I'll echo that.

For the theme of this thread, I suppose Hysteria was the obvious choice, but I'll take Pyromania over this album any time. (and I'll take High and Dry over Pyromania the same way)

This was the album that changed Def Leppard from hard rock icons to Journey clones....but then again, in 1987 that was a void that needed to be filled. That's probably why this album did so well.

Kotowboy · « **Reply #566 on:** May 17, 2015, 02:16:39 PM »

I really like Bryan Adams and they do share a similar sound and songwriting / production but for whatever reason i've just never liked Def Leppard.

TAC · « **Reply #567 on:** May 17, 2015, 02:43:35 PM »

Quote from: jammindude on May 17, 2015, 01:40:45 PM

For the theme of this thread, I suppose Hysteria was the obvious choice, but I'll take Pyromania over this album any time. (and I'll take High and Dry over Pyromania the same way)

This was the album that changed Def Leppard from hard rock icons to Journey clones....but then again, in 1987 that was a void that needed to be filled. That's probably why this album did so well.

I agree 100% with this entire post.

I will also add that this is one of the most disappointing albums I've ever heard. WTF happened to Def Leppard? NOT worth the wait.
I would love to hear the Jim Steinman version. Also, love the B Sides.

Saw this tour a number of times. Saw Queensryche, Tesla, and Europe as opening bands for Def Lep.

Kotowboy · « **Reply #568 on:** May 17, 2015, 03:04:46 PM »

I'd be interested in hearing the multitracks for this album as I heard things like - every guitar string was tracked seperately and other ridiculous claims

T-ski · « **Reply #569 on:** May 17, 2015, 04:33:12 PM »

Gods of War is the best song on the album followed by the title track. So many accessible songs it's easy to see the reasons this album was as big as it was.

BlobVanDam · « **Reply #570 on:** May 17, 2015, 08:44:01 PM »

First half of the album is great, second half is not.

Bolsters · « **Reply #571 on:** May 17, 2015, 09:12:49 PM »

Quote from: BlobVanDam on May 17, 2015, 08:44:01 PM

First half of the album is great, second half is not.

Yeah. Excitable isn't bad but the album otherwise really loses steam after Armageddon It.

The Curious Orange · « **Reply #572 on:** May 18, 2015, 02:24:42 AM »

Not checked this thread for a while -

The Cars - a great album, but not a classic.
Triumph - never heard of 'em. I assume they never made it across this side of the pond.
Rush - the last truly classic rock album ever recorded. Nothing since comes close.
SRV - not overly familiar with his stuff
Def Leppard - sounds very dated today, but it was a monster in its time.

Calvin6s · « **Reply #573 on:** May 18, 2015, 02:49:14 AM »

I don't have Hysteria because in the very early 90s (around 1992 when I discovered Dream Theater) used CD shops were very popular. I sold a big chunk of my collection. The first round I got rid of my 80s "glam era" stuff. That included this CD. The second round was my thrash metal stuff (like Metallica and Megadeth). I regret both and it is why I will never sell my music again. Haven't replaced Hysteria. I just bought a greatest hits years ago. So moving past that ...

Women - very cool intro and theme. Holds up better than I thought it would.
Rocket - it is a well written song (as are most on this album), but it was never a fave
Animal - see Rocket
Love Bites - This is the song that finally got me to buy a Def Leppard CD. I like experimental pop (it was at the time)
Pour Some Sugar on Me - The reason I sold this CD. This and Winger's Seventeen are pretty embarrassing lyrics
Armageddon It - see Rocket
Gods of War - meh
Don't Shoot Shotgun - meh
Run Riot - meh
Hysteria - Feels like it is the soundtrack to a young John Cusack movie - was it?
Excitable - meh
Love and Affection - meh

Not much has changed. I like Women and Love Bites. Then "the hits". Then I could leave the half filler.

Def Leppard brings to mind:
1. A high school friend telling me "They said you like Metallica? Ugh. I mean, I can understand Def Leppard, but Metallica?" Metallica - Enter Sandman becomes a huge hit and same guy "dude. Have you heard of Metallica? So good."
2. Kid Rock in Joe Dirt "Def Leppard sucks"

Jaq · « **Reply #574 on:** May 18, 2015, 06:52:35 AM »

The earliest days of CDs, when bands started to figure out that they were no longer limited to the customary 35-40 minute album format, wound up producing some of the oddest track listings. Hysteria, with it's massively front loaded first side, might have been one of the oddest results ever. In the old vinyl days, you usually wound up front loading the first halves of sides with singles and you spread the non-singles and the more experimental songs (the old "side 2, songs four and five" stuff) across the rest of the sides. Hysteria suffers as a CD because the entire first side was released as singles, which leaves five of the last six songs as the lesser lights.

Time has kind of lessened how ground breaking this album was back in 1987 though. It was a weird beast for a hard rock album, with a lot of pop sheen, a spectacular production, some non-traditional approaches to songs-there's a decided lack of traditional guitar solos on this album-and some really amazing songs up against four so so pieces of utter filler. I can't complain, though, about Excitable: I told this story in one of Kev's threads about how, for some reason, girls frigging loved that song, and I got some mileage out of that with an attractive lady I worked with for a while, let me tell you

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #575 on:** May 18, 2015, 07:30:39 AM »

You could tell which guys were total metalheads back in the day because they like the earlier albums but don't like Hysteria.

I liked all kinds of music, so I liked Pyromania and Hysteria. I didn't discover their older stuff until later.

This album was a beast. The hits are mostly great, but my favorite songs on the album were actually the non-hits, notably Gods of War.

Lowdz · « **Reply #576 on:** May 18, 2015, 04:00:16 PM »

Great albumm but as others have said I'd take the two before it.
Don't like the first 2 tracks but after that it's all good. (yes even Excitable and Don't Shoot). replace the first two tracks witht he b sides and it becmes an awesome album.

KevShmev · « **Reply #577 on:** May 18, 2015, 04:02:45 PM »

Still crazy to think of how popular this album was despite the first single, Women, flopping here in America.

TAC · « **Reply #578 on:** May 18, 2015, 04:05:34 PM »

Quote from: T-ski on May 17, 2015, 04:33:12 PM

Gods of War is the best song on the album followed by the title track.

I agree. I like the title track. And I also like Love And Affection. Kind of wimpy but it moves along pretty well.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #579 on:** May 18, 2015, 04:16:54 PM »

Quote from: KevShmev on May 18, 2015, 04:02:45 PM

Still crazy to think of how popular this album was despite the first single, Women, flopping here in America.

Animal didn't do well either then.......BOOM!

bosk1 · « **Reply #580 on:** May 18, 2015, 04:44:23 PM »

Quote from: KevShmev on May 18, 2015, 04:02:45 PM

Still crazy to think of how popular this album was despite the first single, Women, flopping here in America.

Not really. It isn't really that uncommon for an album to have its first single start slow, only to have the album take off later on and do really well.

And I wouldn't say Women "flopped." I think that is overstating it. It charted. And on the rock charts, it made top 10 (I forget what its highest position was).

King Postwhore · « **Reply #581 on:** May 18, 2015, 04:55:12 PM »

Well it wasn't at the level of the Pyromania singles

KevShmev · « **Reply #582 on:** May 18, 2015, 05:03:51 PM »

Women only went to number 80 on the billboard charts, while the next SIX singles from Hysteria all hit the top 20.

I'm not sure the rock charts are always the best indicator, especially since Pour Some Sugar On Me fared the worst of the seven singles there.

bosk1 · « **Reply #583 on:** May 18, 2015, 05:15:57 PM »

Fair enough. I'm just saying that I think "flopped" is a bit of an overstatement.

Funny that it didn't do so well too. From the first time I ever heard it up until now, it has been my favorite song on the album. And it was one of the first guitar solos I ever learned to play note for note. Hysteria was strange and a bit of a shock after the first three albums. When I heard Women, I thought "Yeah, these guys are BACK!" But then the rest of the album was a bit of a shock. I didn't hate it. But other than Women and Gods of War, I didn't latch onto the other songs either. It was definitely a slow grower. But I came to love it before too long.

KevShmev · « **Reply #584 on:** May 18, 2015, 05:25:46 PM »

I actually liked Women a lot at first, more than most apparently, but over time it kind of fell by the wayside for me. I never even consider putting it on my 80s playlist, which is pretty massive.

Rocket and Animal are the only two from this album that are on it (Gods of War isn't cause my 80s playlist is primarily songs that were known; no deep cuts).

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #585 on:** May 18, 2015, 05:30:46 PM »

Quote from: TAC on May 18, 2015, 04:05:34 PM

also like Love And Affection. Kind of wimpy but it moves along pretty well.

Did you ever see the video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1W6-ErrHls

bosk1 · « **Reply #586 on:** May 18, 2015, 05:36:22 PM »

And just because this is DTF, and Kowtow hasn't posted yet, my Def Lep album ranking:

1. Pyromania
2. High 'n' Dry
3. Hysteria
4. Retroactive
5. Euphoria
...don't care. I mean, I liked a few others, like the first album and Sparkle Lounge, but if I never heard any of the others besides my top 5, I would be fine. I thought Viva Hysteria was a terrific live package because it featured a lot of the best of High 'n' Dry, all of Hysteria, and lots of rarities from the other albums that just don't get much play.

bl5150 · « **Reply #587 on:** May 18, 2015, 05:45:28 PM »

Hey Hef...........happy to quote TAC referring to Def Leppard songs as "kind of wimpy" but not happy with me calling Chicago and Doobie Bros "sorta wimpy"?

I'm pretty certain that the first Def Leppard that hit our radios was Animal and then Love Bites broke big later. I really enjoyed this album at the time but a year or two later I worked my way back to Pyromania and High'n'Dry and that's when I really became a big fan.

Hysteria is a great album , but missed my Top Ten for 1987. Pyro made my Top 10 of all time.

TAC · « **Reply #588 on:** May 18, 2015, 05:57:04 PM »

In 1981, I was ready to be a Def Leppard and Rush fan for life. Both bands deserted me in the 80's.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #589 on:** May 18, 2015, 06:23:57 PM »

Like a lost kid in the mall food court.

TempusVox · « **Reply #590 on:** May 18, 2015, 08:42:20 PM »

I thought this album was pretty good, but as time went on I started to believe it was over produced and definitely overplayed. I heard songs from this album so often on the radio, I began to hate most of them. Definitely liked earlier efforts even more.

hefdaddy42 · « **Reply #591 on:** May 19, 2015, 06:28:59 AM »

Quote from: bl5150 on May 18, 2015, 05:45:28 PM

Hey Hef...........happy to quote TAC referring to Def Leppard songs as "kind of wimpy" but not happy with me calling Chicago and Doobie Bros "sorta wimpy"?

To be fair, he referenced one song as wimpy, not a band.

bl5150 · « **Reply #592 on:** May 19, 2015, 06:41:54 AM »

Okay...........

KevShmev · « **Reply #593 on:** May 19, 2015, 04:35:44 PM »

I've never really been able to get into Marillion, even though I tried like hell, but I can see why Misplaced Childhood is so revered; it's a very well done album. But for whatever reason, their sound comes across as too cold to me at times, and this album has that vibe at times. I do like songs like "Bitter Suite" and "Heart of Lothian," and "Kayleigh" is pretty catchy. Overall, I can turn this on and enjoy most of it, but it just doesn't grab me like it does so many. I think it kind of gets the overrated treatment because there were so few memorable prog albums in the mid 80s, but I will still give it its due by featuring it in this thread.

Phoenix87x · « **Reply #594 on:** May 19, 2015, 04:37:35 PM »

Misplaced Childhood is in my top 5 favorite albums of all time. It brings me to tears and its beautiful beyond words.

News: Welcome back, Mike Portnoy!

Author Topic: 80s Classic Albums (Featuring: King Crimson) (Read 117579 times)

Calvin6s