On Record Store Day, August 29, 2020, I was able to pick up a few albums and one of the ones on my list this time around was a Def Leppard release of the live performance of their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on March 29, 2019. For a band that once said, live albums were for bands that couldn’t come up with anything else, they have now put out a bunch of live material since those words years ago. I’m not complaining, just saying.

As you know if you follow this site, I buy anything and everything Def Leppard and I figured this is a nice piece for the collection as it is a special moment in the band’s history. This band that I like so much was voted in to the 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!! That means…well…it really means nothing, but still a cool honor for the guys. A little more validation that they are a great band so screw you haters out there that think differently!!! I will unfriend you and delete you because that is how Facecrack works right!!

Def Leppard has a released a few cool things on Record Store Day over the last fews years and this is something else that is a little out of the ordinary. The vinyl was really only a 5 song E.P. and four of the songs are the band’s most popular and you’ve heard so many times that it is okay if you don’t hear them again, but they aren’t the reason I wanted this. It is the final song on here that is the gem, the reason for buying. It is the song “All the Young Dudes” by Mott the Hoople and written by David Bowie. What is cool about this song, well it is performed by Def Leppard, but the lead singer is Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople and then you also have Brian May on guitar, Rod Argent (The Zombies/Argent) on Keyboards, Colin Blunstone (The Zombies), Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), Stevie Van Zandt (Bruce Springsteen) and Susanna Hoff (The Bangles) on backing vocals. It is quite an impressive line-up and a most enjoyable listening experience.

The show is the full set and I don’t think it was touched up too much. Joe’s vocals are a little rough at times and it sounds raw and very much live. They are classic songs like “Hysteria”, “Rock of Ages”, “Photograph” and “Pour Some Sugar On Me”. If you had to sum up the band in four songs, most people would pick these so no surprises here. The “All the Young Dudes” is no surprise either as Joe is very forthcoming with his love for and how he was inspired by Mott the Hoople (and Ian) and if you listen to Def Leppard you can hear those 70’s glam influences. Plus Joe’s band Down N Outz does mostly covers from this era also.

I guess I have to rate this as this is an album review. It is a cool piece for sure as it is a part of the band’s history and the show is a lot of fun. When they only have 5 songs to do, it is hard to screw that up for a band as seasoned as Def Leppard. I like the fact that is basically untouched (or seems that way) and the group performance with the band and some of their friends and heroes at the end is extra special. I will give it an overall 4.0 out of 5.0 Stars. It is a must have for fans and really no one else as if you just want the bands hits, go find another live album. or a greatest hits album. For me, I will take this and add it to the ever growing Def Leppard collection with pride.