The compilations are coming fast and furious. First we had the UK greatest hits compilation called ‘Best of Def Leppard’ which came in a 1 CD and a 2 CD version. The U.S. did not get that release. Instead, about 6 months later, the States got a slightly different collection called ‘Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection’. This was released May 17, 2005 about 7 months later and went to #10 on the Billboard 200 chart selling over 1 million copies in the States alone. Canada bought about 200,000. So, it did well.
How does this one differ from “Best of”? Not by a whole lot. The biggest, noticeable difference is the artwork is really spruced up and more vibrant with the Union Jack used as background. Some of the pictures are the same and the liner notes I think are identical. This time, Disc 1 is identical to ‘Vault’ with the only change adding 2 songs. Disc 2 is pretty close to the same as well. There is a different New song. Instead of the cover of The Kink’s “Waterloo Sunset”, we get a Badfinger cover of “No Matter What”. We do get 18 tracks on Disc 2 instead of 17 with “Paper Sun” and “Mirror Mirror (Look Into My Eyes” being different. The dropped “Make Love Like A Man”, thankfully. And lastly, the track order is shaken up on Disc 2 as well. Let’s be realistic, they aren’t that different.
DISC 1:
The album opens with the biggest song of their career, “Pour Some Sugar on Me”. It was the third single off ‘Hysteria’ in the UK, but the fourth in the States. And it was do or die time for the band. They need to sell way more and this song did it for them. Yes, the song is about sex, but it is it the energy of the song that make this one so good. This is the ‘Historia’ Video Edit version which opens with “Love is a like a Bomb” and is actually longer then the album version.
Then with no mercy, we get “Photograph”. First…the song is NOT about Marilyn Monroe. The song is about an obsession with a woman and all you have of her is that photograph. The Marilyn Monroe part was added for the video to help tell the story. And it captures it perfectly. As the video shows that obsession going a little too far. The song was perfect in my book and the video was mesmerizing. The two together captured my attention like nothing ever had before and every time MTV showed, I turned up the volume!
Up to this point, Def Leppard really only had 1 greatest hits album and that was 1995’s ‘Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits 1980-1995’. Since that last compilation, they have released a couple more albums so it was time to update the Greatest Hits package and this time it is called ‘Best of Def Leppard’, easy enough. There is a single disc version which is basically the same tracks as the ‘Vault’. Well, close enough. They did remove two tracks and add two more recent ones then they added two more tracks on that one to give us 17 tracks instead of 15. And I am okay with the choices they made.
There is also a 2 CD set which is what I have. It came with a slip case (my copy doesn’t have that piece) and a second disc with more of a diverse selection. While the first mostly ignores the first albums (exception being “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak”), this adds a few more tracks plus gives us more of the newer albums. And even better a new song…well new to Def Leppard as it is a cover of The Kink’s song “Waterloo Sunset”. This was a preview of what was to come with the band’s next studio album ‘Yeah!’ which is a covers album. I like that second disc since it is the usual Leppard standards.
The CD came out on October 25, 2004 and it did sell 300,000 copies in the UK and went to #6 on the albums chart. It charted in other countries as well, but it didn’t chart in the U.S. as it was not officially released here in the States. That would come the next year with a new compilation called ‘Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection’ which we will review next week. Now, since this set is 34 songs over 2 CDs, this review could take awhile. I’ll get started.
DISC 1:
The album opens with the biggest song of their career, “Pour Some Sugar on Me”. It was the third single off ‘Hysteria’ in the UK, but the fourth in the States. And it was do or die time for the band. They need to sell way more and this song did it for them. Yes, the song is about sex, but it is it the energy of the song that make this one so good. This is the ‘Historia’ Video Edit version which opens with “Love is a like a Bomb” and is actually longer then the album version.
On June 21, 2019, Def Leppard released the second set in their four volume The Collection box set. There is a CD and a vinyl version of the set and my set is the vinyl version. It is 10 LPs and contains the albums, ‘Adrenalize’, ‘Retro Active’, ‘Slang’ and ‘Euphoria’. It also contains 2 Rarities collections called Volume 2 and Volume 3. Since we have already discussed the albums in this set, it is time to start with the rare tracks now and first up we did ‘Rarities Two’ of the set last week so I hope you enjoyed that one. This week, it is another 2 LP release and it is called ‘Rarities 3’. It also contains some rare tracks and rare live performances and like ‘Volume 2’, the songs are from the years surrounding these four albums.
LP 1:
The first track is an alternate version of “When Love & Hate Collide” from ‘Vault’. This version is a stripped down version with only a piano and the string arrangement from Michael Kamen that was used on the original version. This one is a really beautiful piece as that orchestration is perfect. Joe’s vocals are so emotive and you can really feel those lyrics. Great version, might be my favorite.
Next up is the B-Side to the original “When Love & Hate Collide”. The song, “Can’t Keep Away From the Flame” was written by Joe Elliott & Phil Collen and is another wonderful acoustic track. The sound harkens back to that 70’s rock sound that influenced the band so much. Could you compare it to Zeppelin, I don’t know…maybe…they do in the liner notes. Whatever you want to say it sounds like, all I know is it sounds awesome.
I know, we’ve been doing a lot of Def Leppard Bootlegs from the Slang era, well, I do have a lot from that time. So bare with me for one more item. This time though, it is a Bootleg DVD so we get to actually the boys playing. This one was filmed down in Argentina back in 1997 and was actually recorded and played on Canada’s MuchMusic. How do I know that? Well, in the top left hand corner of the screen throughout the show is their logo. Yes, someone videotaped the show off their television and later transferred it to DVD.
When I googled the show, AI had this to say about it…Def Leppard performed at Cine Teatro Gran Rex in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 19, 1997, marking their first show in the city and country. The venue is located near the coast and east of the city center, and was built in an Art Deco style in July 1937...Couldn’t have said it better myself. If I’m not mistaken, the song “Photograph” from the show was not shown during the broadcast and sadly, as a result, that isn’t here on this DVD either. Heck, what did you expect, he/she recorded it straight from the broadcast.
The band at the time and still today is still Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Rick Allen, Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell. And they are all in fine form for this show. The setlist is basically identical to the Montreal Show I reviewed a couple weeks ago. The big differences being the Montreal Show had “Photograph”, “Another Hit & Run” as well as “Miss You In a Heartbeat” sung by Phil Collen. The Argentina show doesn’t “Photograph” but it does have, “Action” (which is great) and “Make Love Like a Man” (which is a horrible song). The DVD also has “When Love & Hate Collide” instead of “Miss You In a Heartbeat”, but I think I like Phil Singing “Miss You…” better. Everything else is spot on in same order as well.
Sometimes, when you buy a bootleg CD you have no idea what you are buying. This is one of those cases. I couldn’t find anything about the release other than the front cover. All it said was “Def Leppard – Live Bites” and it listed out a handful of classic Leppard songs. And it was cheap. Those two things were all I had to go on, so I bought it.
When I received the CD in the mail, It didn’t offer much else to it either. It did have a full track listing, but it was only 11 songs and from the looks of it, not a full live show…only pieces. There were two songs from ‘Slang’ and nothing later that told me it was from around 1997 at the very least. There was nothing in the booklet…ha! booklet…one sheet of paper…so not really a booklet…that gave me any indication of where these songs were recorded. The back of the CD had something that said the following…
Having sold over 65 million albums worldwide since their debut release in 1980 and proved themselves as one of rock music’s hardest working and consistently powerful live bands, Def Leppard remain one of only five rock groups who can claim two separate original 10 million-plus selling albums.
The band’s first show in this beautiful city since August 1992 for the Adrenalize Tour sees them at the Centre Molson in Montreal, Canada on September 15, 1996. A tour that ran from May 9th, 1996 through to April 27th, 1997 in support of their new album, at the time, ‘Slang’. No more ‘In the Round’, the band played on the traditional end stage set-up, but instead of 20,000 people, the place held anywhere from 5,000-9,000 people. No more massive shows, they were no doing a straight up rock show with less lights and less everything. A pure rock & roll show.
This show was broadcast on the radio in Montreal and southern Canada as well as across the U.S. And what we have here is a wonderful bootleg of that show across 2 CDs. A fun fact, a month later on October 23, 1996, the band would enter the Guinness Book of World Records for being the first band to play on three continents in a 24 hour period. That has nothing to do with this release, but figured why not throw that in for good measure. Back to the bootleg, this one sounds fantastic, there appear to be no errors in the track listing as far the titles are right, and the pictures are even of the era of the band. Finally, a bootleg with no mistakes.
Well, it was completely devoice of mistakes actually, the opening track “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” actually fades in part way through the song. I am guessing someone forgot to hit “record” on the tape deck. Otherwise, the only issue. The song sounds great, but man, they are playing it at warp speed. They then go into a track from ‘High & Dry’ that doesn’t get played enough, “Another Hit And Run”. The guitar work is sensational on this one and has a great solo. Then we get “Animal” and then the ballad “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” which for me is one of the better songs on ‘Adrenalize’.
We are now in the mid 90’s and the rock bands from the 80’s were basically gone. Ok, they were still around, but they were not cool. Those bands were try going darker, heavier and try to match the grunge scene and the style of rock that was going on at the time. Def Leppard were no different as far as not being cool anymore (except I still thought they were). Thankfully though, they did not follow the other bands and go heavier and grungier. No, instead they went in a direction no one saw coming. They experimented with new sounds, new instruments and delivered an album that was like nothing you’ve ever heard from them. They tried something entirely new.
The result of the new sound was ‘Slang’. It was a darker album for sure, but not grunge dark. Lyrically dark. The band members were not having the best of times around then. Joe Elliott and Rick Allen had both been arrested for spousal abuse (not to each other, they weren’t married to each other). Rick Savage was suffering from Bells Palsey and the death of his dad. And Phil Collen was going through a divorce. All of that impacted the writing of this album.
Another thing that impacted the album was that there was no more Mutt Lange. He wasn’t involved at all. However, we did get the impact of Vivian Campbell as this was his first studio album he had made with the band since he joined. I think that helped change things up as well. The band ended up producing the album themselves with Pete Woodroffe. They also recorded the album completely different. No more Lange style of one instrument, one note at a time. This time around, they recorded it together. A novel concept.
It was released on May 14, 1996 and it did not do well at all. Well, it did go Gold, but it didn’t go Platinum. It only went to #14 on the Billboard albums chart. They did release 4 singles but no Top 40 tracks anymore. Nope. Times had changed. However, it doesn’t mean that this album was not good…not in the slightest.
The opening track, “Truth?”, was blatantly obvious that this was not the same band. A darker, more foreboding sound. Very experimental as the band show no signs of their old self and that is why this song is a stellar choice to open the album. It says, hold on to your hat…this is going to be different. It’s heavy drumbeats and very progressive guitar work are exceptional an unlike anything else they’ve done. When I first heard this back in 1996 my initial reaction was…WHAT???? But it quickly turned in to “HELL YES!!”.
The next track, “Turn to Dust”, was an even bigger departure. With the band’s use of a sarangi in the opening of the song, you get a South Asian folk flair. There is a Beatles tone to it and even a Bowie shout-out so the boys haven’t completely abandoned their roots. The chorus is a little heavy and totally killer. It isn’t anthemic, but it is catchy and even better then the opening track.
The first single and title track, “Slang” is one of two songs that might be considered more of their older sound, but still nothing like anything else they’ve done up to this point. You could possibly dance to this one too. Heck, even Joe raps a little on this one. WTF??? Yeah, that was my first impression as well. But, I love it. They are keeping us on our toes with this one. A song about phone sex too…huh!!!
“All I Want is Everything” is up next and it slows things down. A ballad that is nothing like the well-polished ballads of the past. It is dark, foreboding and the guitar tone is gritty and morose. The chorus has a great melody and is quite brilliant. It took me awhile to get in to this song, but I think I’m finally there. I had always wondered why so many people liked this one as at first I didn’t. I put the headphones on and really listened to it and started to hear things I’d never noticed before, certain notes and textures, and eventually I found the song to be one of the finer moments on the album.
One of the more fun songs on the album is the rocker “Work It Out”. Vivian Campbell’s first major contribution to the band and it is a homerun. It has a more industrial sound, it is heavier and that bass at time from Sav is so freaking funky. And some of the best bass work, bar none, on the album. I gravitated to this one immediately and might be one of my favorite tracks on the album…if not THE favorite track.
“Breathe a Sigh” gives us another ballad and this one is another departure for the band. There are some R&B moments with those verses both musically and even how Joe delivers those lyrics. It is soft, subtle and tantalizing. The chorus is old-school Lep with those lush vocal harmonies that would make the boy bands jealous. It really shines amongst the darker material on the album.
Then we get the first misstep for me with “Deliver Me”. I do not like Joe’s singing on it at all. The song is a rocker though so it has that going for it. Joe’s vocals are deeper, grittier and maybe it is too far the other way from Lep, but it does nothing for me. The chorus does pick up and make things better, but the slow, droning verses kill it for me.
The band goes all heavy metal on us with “Gift of Flesh”. The heaviest song the band has done in years and definitely the heaviest on this album. It feels almost apocalyptic, there is an urgency to it and there is something we haven’t talked about at all on this album…a guitar solo. The best one on the album (or at least the most memorable one at least). This song is slamming from start to finish and can I get a Hell Yeah!!!…I can’t hear you!!!
Then the album ends with not 1, not 2, but 3 ballads in a row. Wow! Talk about changing things up. But don’t expect to be bored, not by any stretch of the imagination. It kicks off with “Blood Runs Cold” which could possibly be on of the most haunting songs the band has ever done. Musically, it is ethereal, so much so that it could break if you touched it. Joe delivers the lyrics so emotionally and you can feel the sadness, the pain and the heartache. My favorite ballad on the album.
“Where Does Love Go When It Dies” sees the band get all philosophical with this acoustic beauty. It is about as old-school as they get, but yet it still feels different and more sophisticated. Joe does it again lyrically and vocally and gives us another brilliant track and this one will make you stop and think. You can’t say that too many times with their songs.
Then we get the final song and most epic on the album, “Pearl of Euphoria”. It opens with a killer bass line (Sav does it again). Elliott’s vocals are deliberate, darker and deeper in tone. It has a similar modern tone like “Truth?” and yet there is a 70’s tone a la Zeppelin. It has that otherworldly lyrical content you expect from Zeppelin. The guitar playing is exquisite and some of the finest on the album. There are so many great things about this one I don’t know where to begin. What a way to go out.
Track Listing:
Truth? – Keeper
Turn to Dust – Keeper
Slang – Keeper
All I Want Is Everything – Keeper
Work It Out – Keeper
Breathe a Sigh – Keeper
Deliver Me – Delete
Gift of Flesh – Keeper
Blood Runs Cold – Keeper
Where Does Love Go When It Dies – Keeper
Pearl of Euphoria – Keeper
Track Score is 10 out of 11 Tracks or 91%. This is one of the most surprising albums the band has ever put out. It took me a couple listens to get it back in the day, but when I did, I was all in. A very dark album versus everything else in the catalog and fit with the darkness of the 90’s music that was out, but it was nothing like the 90’s music at the time. It was its own animal or beast. Def Leppard stretched their legs with this one. They experimented, tried new things and some people might not get it, but those of us that do are given a masterpiece. Now, it isn’t as good as their earlier albums, but it might be one of the best they’ve done since ‘Hysteria’, even to this day. My Overall Score is a 4.5 out of 5.0 Stars. I pull this out more than any other album except the first four. I can’t recommend this one enough.
NEXT UP: DEF LEPPARD – ‘MONTREAL: THE CLASSIC 1996 BROADCAST – (BOOTLEG CD)
In 1988, Def Leppard was flying high. They were at the top of their game, MTV was blasting all their videos all day long. Now was a perfect time to compile all their music videos together in one place and sell it to the buying hungry public on VHS. The video was called ‘Historia’ and it was released on July 5, 1988 and went on to sell over 200,000 copies in the U.S. alone making it a double platinum release. Back in the day, I bought this up on VHS the day it came out. Ran home, popped it in and sat back and enjoyed all the videos of the band from the ‘On Through the Night’ album up to ‘Hysteria’. It was 17 videos of pure Leppard magic. Oops, it was 18 videos actually on the VHS tape because “Love Bites” was added as a bonus and not listed.
Then in 2001, in the DVD era, Def Leppard released ‘Historia’ again except this time as a 2 video set and released with ‘In the Round, In Your Face’ live concert. And if that wasn’t enough, they updated with 5 more videos from the album ‘Slang’ and ‘Euphoria’. And of course, I went and bought this as well. The bad news is, I don’t have the VHS tape anymore as I didn’t think I’d need it anymore which I don’t, but would still be cool to have in the collection though.
The video kicks off with the some old timey style silent film like music and a some openings notes about the videos. Then it goes in to the only video from ‘On Through the Night’ with the video for “Hello America”. It was full of special video effects and why was the drum set out front??? Man, they all looked so young. Really great to see this early promotional video from Top of the Pops. Then we get three more promotional videos all from ‘High & Dry’. We get “Let It Go”, “High & Dry” and “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak (Version 1 with Pete Willis)”. All three were shot on the same day and done with live performances. I remember when I first saw these videos I thought they were the coolest as they looked so cool up there on the stage rocking out. And we get the first glimpse of the Union Jack shorts Rick Allen would help make famous.
2 Loud 2 Old Music 