Month: October 2023

Def Leppard – ‘When the Walls Came Tumbling Down (April 26, 1980)’ (2020) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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Def Leppard never wanted to release live albums. At least that is what I remember them saying years and years ago. Was it something like “a band only releases live albums when they’ve run out of ideas”. Don’t quote me on that, that is something I swear I heard them say a very long time ago. And for 31 years, Def Leppard never officially released a live album. A live video, yes. But never an album until around 2011 with ‘Mirrorball’. And it would be another 9 years before we ever got a live show from their Early Years! But thanks to the box set ‘The Early Years’, we finally had a live show from 1980. It doesn’t get much earlier than that for them. It was recorded at New Theatre in Oxford on April 26, 1980. The show is completely unedited and as is (so they say) and I would believe it.

But it wasn’t my first early show of Def Leppard. I have a bootleg from a show at BBC’s Paris Theatre, London, England, 22nd August 1979 and some recorded at the Reading Festival, Reading, England, 24th August 1980 and it was called “Live at the Top”. That was my first taste of early Lep and what a taste it was. This show is even better and sees a hungry, raw Def Leppard giving it their all. There are four historical pieces on here as we get a liver version of Good Morning Freedom which the band had never released, an early version of Lady Strange from an album that hadn’t come out yet and two songs that would wind up completely different when they were finally released on two different albums. The show was first released in that box set, then they decided to release a vinyl of the show as well which I have both versions as you can see in the last picture.

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Cheap Trick – ‘Love to Rock’ (1988) – Album Review (the Cheap Trick Collection Series)

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Back in the 80’s, record companies would put out compilations on cassette only. They weren’t really official band releases, but the labels did it anyway. While I was at a record show, I found this tape by Cheap Trick that I had never seen before. It was a CBS Special Product and it was only available on cassette. It is called “Love to Rock” and it is a short compilation of Cheap Trick songs from 1977 up to the 80’s. This was released back in 1988 and I am sure was to capitalize on the band’s new popularity with their new hit “The Flame”, which isn’t on here by the way.

For fun, let’s go through the track list and see what they gave us. Not a bade tracklist, but might not be one I would’ve chosen, but what I do know, I’m not a suit at a record company that has no idea what the buying public really wants.

Side One kicks off with “I Want You To Want Me” from the 1977 album ‘In Color’. The first single and one of their most well-known songs is up next. “I Want You To Want Me” did nothing as a single and didn’t chart, not until it was released as a single off Budokan and we will talk about that in a couple reviews. This version doesn’t have the energy as the live version, but doesn’t mean it isn’t good. The song is a real treat as it is so playful and a finger-snapping good time. There is a some cool guitar picking with almost a country twang and a piano interlude that is fast and frenzied. The song might like the power of the live version, but you can’t deny its whimsical stylings.

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Bon Jovi – “I Believe” (1993) – 7″ Single (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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The first track on the album, ‘Keep the Faith’ was “I Believe” which was also the fifth single and released in the UK Where it went to #11. The song was written solely by Jon Bon Jovi and was released on September 20, 1993. The single is not the album track, but the single mix down by Bob Clearmountain thus the name Clearmountain Mix. The B-Side of this UK version of the single is a live version of the song. So, both versions on here are not really album tracks.

The song is about hope. Believing in yourself to fulfill your hopes and dreams. The main protagonist is disillusioned by the world, but yet they still have things they want to do and accomplish. They need to look from within to find the power to still believe in themselves. A pretty great, positive message. Jon really pushes himself on this song and album to be a better songwriter and I think he succeeds.

SIDE 1:

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My Sunday Song – “Long Way to Neverland” by Headstones

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For My Sunday Song #380, we are to the final song of 10 song set of Deke’s Choices. This time around we are tackling “Long Way to Neverland” by Headstones. Headstones are yet another Canadian band out of Kingston and they have a major punk influence. The song is off their 2013 album ‘Love + Fury’ and was written by the band. The song was the 2nd single off the album and went to #6 on the Canadian Rock/Alt chart.

The song was written by the band which consist of Hugh Dillon, Trent Carr, Tim White and Dale Harrison. The lyrics to “Long Way to Neverland” are rather confusing to me. The lyrics are introspective while at the same time it is giving you the power. Basically, I get out of it that it wants to give you the power to be yourself, to stay true to oneself. Don’t give in to pressures by either your peers or by society. Remain strong when confronted by those that don’t agree with you. “To Thine Own Self Be True” or something like that. But I could be way off base here because he also is sitting there getting stoned and just ignoring everything.

There is a Lou Reed vibe to the opening as lead singer, Hugh Dillon, speaks it more in that Lou Reed style. It is really cool. The guitars have a grunge edge to them and the harmonica really adds a punch to it. The song has a ton of attitude and bite and I am really digging the dangerous feel to it. A band I had never heard of before this, but damn I’m glad I know it now. In under 3 minutes waste no time in making you feel it and want to re-live the experience over and over. A brilliant piece of music.

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