How Def Leppard OVERCAME The Odds & Persevered To Finish An 80s Rock Masterpiece | Professor of Rock
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- čas přidán 19. 08. 2021
- The unbelievable story of the 1987 blockbuster Hysteria by Def Leppard. How Joe Elliot, Steve Clark, Rick Savage, Rick Allen and Phil Collen created an album for the ages with Mutt Lange and the battle to finish a classic. With commentary by Joel Elliot
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No serenade, no fire brigade, just pyromania... The album that made Def Leppard a household name in
1983- selling over 10 million copies in America alone. Pyromania was the biggest selling album by a hard rock band in ’83, and fans couldn’t wait to hear what the band would come with next. Def Leppard was positioned to have even greater success for their 4th studio album, but they would have to battle through multiple setbacks, over a 3 year odyssey, that not only threatened the making of the follow up to Pyromania, but the very survival of the band.
The first complication the band had to deal with was losing their producer.They were eager to collaborate again with Pyromania producer Mutt Lange, but Mutt dropped out of the project after the pre-production sessions. Mutt was physically & mentally exhausted from working non-stop for years. The late Jim Steinman was brought in to replace Mutt. Steinman was most renowned for writing and arranging with Meat Loaf on the blockbuster album Bat Out of Hell.
Only Things didn’t click between Steinmen & Def Leppard. Steinman’s plan was to give the 4th album a ‘raw sound,’ but the band wanted a BIG, pristine production that had massive crossover potential. Like a Rock and roll version on Thriller.
After sacking Steinman, the band tried to self-produce the album with Mutt’s engineer Nigel Green, but the early sessions were futile, and the recording sessions were completely scrapped.
The next setback for Def Leppard was horrendous:
On New Year’s Eve, 1984, Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, whose bandmates affectionately hailed as the “Thundergod", was driving at a high speed down a country road in Sheffield, England, when he lost control of his Corvette on a sharp left curve.
The Stingray whipped around a sharp corner, and hit a brick wall, taking a lot of the bricks with it as the car skidded along the wall, flipped over, and finally landed on its roof.
Rick’s fiancé, Miriam Barendsen, was trapped in the passenger seat, and had to be cut free from the wreckage. She was badly bruised, and suffered from head injuries, but she was lucky it wasn’t much worse.Rick was thrown from the vehicle out of the sunroof- landing in a field on the other side of the brick wall.
His left arm had been ripped off at the shoulder. The specialists were able to reattach his arm, and for brief time, Rick’s condition looked hopeful, but the reattached arm became infected, and they had to amputate. Needless to say, the band was devastated by what had happened to their brother, and their top priority was helping him to recover. - Zábava
![Why Joe Elliott is trying to get other musicians into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame [extended]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wJDLuILvBO8/mqdefault.jpg)
Poll: With Hysteria in mind, what are you picks for the best blockbuster album where every single song was great?
Bat Out Of Hell
Slippery When Wet
Apetite For Destruction
Dark Side Of The Moon
Random Access Memories
1984
Rocks or Toys in the Attic
Boston First Stage
Purple Rain.
Boston.
Blockbuster albums of the 80's
Def Leppard- Pyromania
Bon Jovi- Slippery When Wet
Motley Crue- Dr. Feelgood
Tears for Fears- Songs from the Big Chair
Dio- Holy Diver
Yesterday I was wearing one of my DL tees and a man stopped me and told me the story of his 14 year old Grandson who lost an arm. He played some DL videos for him and now his Grandson is learning to play drums. It was a blessing to hear such a great story.
Awesome. Hope that young man becomes a fantastic drummer. 🙏
Rick Allen would probably help him he’s such a good guy.
Great story! Search here for (Rockcandy Live In Toronto 1988) featuring Buffalo Music Hall of Fame singer song writer Joie Anes! Phil Collen of DL joins the band for one song. Enjoy the show!!!!!
I was lucky enough to “play” a mock up of his original kit once. I put it in quotes because it was not easy. I give him so much credit for being able to pull it off and for the band mates who stuck by their brother. Hopefully we see that young man blowing us away someday.
I hope he doesn’t try to beat his wife the way Rick did.
This album always holds a special place in my collection and in my heart. As a Black person, it was this album and the guitar parts on it that Phil and Steve played that made me want to pick up a guitar, and back in 1988 when this album was at its peak, it was almost taboo for a guy like me to like rock music, especially a 14-year old kid in me at that time. I've been called many names: from Sellout to those I won't mention here. But I stayed with it, because I wanted to be Phil; and 33 years later, I can still play every part of every song on this album. Women was the first song I ever learned. Animal was the first song I ever learned how to play BY EAR. Picking up the tablature book a year or so later, I didn't realize how right I was on that song.
While other bands were inclined to say that Def Leppard were cursed until this album broke, this album started a bit of my own little curse as well. I happened to get into Def Leppard 2 weeks after they toured through Omaha, Nebraska in 1987. At that time, Women and Animal were already out, and Hysteria was just released as a single. Subsequently, their next stop on that tour was Denver, where they filmed In the Round: In Your Face, which gave us the Pour Some Sugar On Me (version 2) and Armageddon It videos. I, like everyone else thought that if we missed the show, they'd be around again in another year or so......
.. 4 more singles later, ending with Rocket, then the MTV VMA Awards show being Steve Clark's last public appearance with the band, then everything happening with Steve, I didn't know if I'd ever get the chance to see them again. Then Adrenalize came out, 4 years later. My first ever live concert was Def Leppard: 7-Day Weekend Tour, July 1992. I've stuck with them through the downs they had in the 90s, their lowest during the X tour in the early 2000s, and to this day, because this band is a band that made and shaped my life.
Cheers. I owe my whole career as a working musician to the inspiration of this album.
Now that was an excellent story.
I absolutely love you story! I can relate to so many aspects of it.
Rural white kid from the sticks, wearing acid washed jeans with torn knees, a bandana tied to one leg, listening to DL while all my hick friends listened to country and made fun of me.
Brad, I love your story. I've long felt that entertainment(books, music, movies, TV shows) should be for EVERYBODY!!!!! It shouldn't be "black people are into this", "white people are into this", "Latinos this", on and on. I saw KISS at The Cajundome this past October 6, 2021. Largely white crowd, but I saw at least 3 black people there. It was so satisfying, like "They get it! Entertainment is colorless." I am into literally hundreds(if not a couple thousand) musical acts. Many genres, many races, rocker first and foremost. There's a saying that I've adopted recently, and it's served me well:" There are only 2 kinds of music, good and bad." As I like to say, "It rocks or it don't." "You can't like Digable Planets, you like Def Leppard." Well, I do. "You can't like Willie Nelson, you like Miles Davis." Well, I do. Point is, dig what you dig, and ROCK ON!!!!🤘 Btw, I caught Def Leppard once, "Seven Day Weekend", late '93. Ugly Kid Joe(who I've been a fan of since "Everything About You"), opened.
If you remember Living Colour as a band came out at this time and Veron Reid was like the next Jimi Hendrix. Most of the classic guitar and riffs comes from the delta Mississippi Louisiana blues. I never looked at color of a person's skin or thought this had anything to do with music or guitar. I have all the old blues records, Willie Dixon, I am the Blues is so freakin good and you got BB King, Howlin Wolf, John Lee Hooker and many more. I even loved the chezy guitar on the old Run DMC albums.
Rick Allen's come back, and the bands loyalty to him, are one of the greatest inspirational achievements in rock 'n' roll. I had that record and I still listen to it to this day.
Guy should have been in a disco band. Weakest link in Def Leppard..
@@journeyquest1 Who is Guy ? Was he their producer ?
I still have and play my original LP. Such a great album.
I was in college from 1986-90, this album was EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME.
God I love this album. A pop-rock masterpiece by Mutt Lange.
About time. At least with Def Leppard, I proclaim I am the professor of Rock or at least the doctor. Thank you the post was long overdue. They were the band for the people. Joe's voice caught the angst of many would-be lovers spurned by the class queens who now inhabit trailer parks dropping their 4th kid because they shacked with what was pretty and then eschewed those young men who had to grow into their handsome. Some would never find love but have to settle for a lifeless blonde, but every now and then there was that one...
Joe and the band were the kind of a love letter you wish you could write. The superpower of cool you wish you were. And it was not until many years later that I discovered they were real people too with all the trapping that comes with it, but with money, skills, and charm.
I cannot possibly express how important this album was to me growing up and still today. It is my indisputable "desert island" pick if I could only have one with me.
POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME,IN THE NAME OF LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amen
Me too!
There was a B-side from around that time called Desert Song, so yeah, definitely appropriate.
Without a doubt for sure
My favorite start to finish album of all time. There is no equal in hard rock.
Perseverance is the best word to describe Def Leppard 's journey. And talent doesn't hurt.
Ever see the made for TV movie, _Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story?_
Surprisingly good and gives a dramatic telling of what this video is about.
For me, this is the greatest rock album of all time. It was the first album I made a point to buy the day it came out. And despite having listened it hundreds of times, it never got old.
Hysteria is an all-time masterpiece. I still listen to it, almost daily actually. And to me, track #6, Armageddon It, is the ultimate Def Leppard song.
Yes to both those calls. Masterpieces in my view.
I'm off to go listen to them now :)
amazing melody on that, sounds really sophisticated but they wrote it as a joke
One of my favorites!
Hysteria for me.
Yes! Armageddon It 💯
"Women" is actually my favorite tune on the album, because of the stellar guitar work, especially that unexpected key change in the outro solo...it has a very 70's vibe to it.
with all due respect never liked "Women". "Animal" is my fav song on the album. But hey it's a matter of opinion either way.
Yeah, it’s one of my favorite cuts from Hysteria. I like the solo from Run Riot the most.
Women is an extremely underated track. It exemplifies everything Def Leppard does better than any other band: massive vocals, awesome guitars riffs with just an unbelievable crescendo and ride out. Other than Gods of War, I can't think of a better Def Leppard song
Yes. Yes
Yes "Women" was always my favorite track. It had an interesting video with a comic book storyline.
My first concert. EVERY SINGLE SONG on Hysteria is great -- "Love and Affection" is a favorite of mine too. Def Leppard isn't capable of making a bad ballad.
Hysteria is a gorgeous ballad too. I think that's my favourite.
Love and affection 👍underrated...
A perfect 10
I've listen to Hysteria so many times and to me it has become like a concept album like the Wall or Marillion's Misplaced Childhood. So personally I just listen to the entire album straight through so like Love and Affection is the end of the album as Women is the start of it. Armageddon It was the end of side 1 on my old cassette tape and God's of War was the start of side 2. Most recordings or albums in this era were like 30 to 40 minutes. Hysteria was over an hour long. Pyromania was 44 minutes, High N Dry was 42 minutes. Pyromania was so big when I was a kid and you wanted more Def Leppard and I remember getting On Through the Night recording which I really liked. The sound and music changed through the albums. High and Dry being the heaviest and On Through the Night was just raw. Pyromania being the peak and Hysteria being the completion of the band and their greatest masterpiece. Adrenalize being ok and than they just sucked their after.
As a teenage girl in the 80's I loved the passion of a good power ballad and Love Bites had an undeniable allure to my soul and my imagination... it was so irresistibly cool!
I super under appreciated Def Leppard at the time. I totally took them for granted because that is exactly what I expected rock to sound like in the 80s. Here I am, crossed into a new millennium, and hell yeah, this is what rock should sound like. They are more brilliant then I ever gave them credit.
I was in 8th grade when Hysteria came out. I don't know how many times I listened to it using my Walkman as I rode my bicycle through my little country town. My niece, who is twelve years younger, is a huge Def Leppard fan. My eleven year old son is a huge Def Leppard fan. I've seen them live twice, and they deliver one of the greatest live shows. Hysteria is my favorite Def Leppard song. It never gets old to me. I can't imagine my musical journey without Def Leppard and especially this album.
One of the soundtracks of my life! Definitely kept me alive when I was in Baghdad! Rick Allen’s return was monumental! He definitely inspired me when I started playing drums. This band are among the kings of rock!!!
Phil Collen was one of my inspirations when i started playing guitar, and still is to this day. Rick's dedication to the music after losing his arm is also a huge inspiration as a musician. I will always love Def Leppard 🤘
Hysteria is one of the Greatest Albums of All-time. Simply great music. Can't wait for part two.
Rick Allen's comeback story after losing his arm is one of the greatest in rock and roll. My mom and I always enjoyed Def Leppard and their music videos when I was a kid, especially Armageddon It and Animal. Happy Friday Professor 😀
Happy Friday to you!
And that the band waited for him to recuperate and re-train on the drums - all class.
@@patricenz Deeeeeep respect for these guys. Keeping the family together after that tragedy. Integrity to the bone. And they still kick ass today,
@@bornagainbornagain6697 hell yeah, me too. I saw them in Auckland, New Zealand, about 12 years ago with Heart supporting. Amazing.
I was impressed Not only by Rick's determination to rock on, so to speak. BUT how the rest of the band stood by him throughout. Even though it meant no new
albums or tours through all 1985, 86 & the first half of 87. It would have been so easy for the rest of the band to just dismiss him ""Oh he lost his arm and can't
play"" Oh well sucks to be him, but we'll replace him". NO they never did. True friendship & humility. Rarely seen (at least in my knowledge) in rock history
My favorite fact about "Love Bites" was Phil Collen telling the story of how that song was a studio creation that they'd never all played together from start to finish, and when it hit #1 they had to take a couple of days off the tour to quickly hammer out a live arrangement and get it in the setlist. Always one of my favorite songs on the album though, so I'm glad they figured it out!
Remember when I first heard them play LoveBites live.... It almost sounds like a completely different song but it changes from day to day which one I prefer lol
One of the coolest rock stories told, is when Joe introduces Rick at his first show after his wreck.
Joe says the crowds shout actually felt like a hairdryer blowing on him. Long live rock n' roll!!!!!!!
The charges against Allen, 32, who lost his left arm in a 1984 auto accident, stemmed from an incident last June after he and his 35-year- old wife got off a plane, City Attorney Jim Hahn said. The couple began arguing over what she described to police as pain in her ears. Allen then allegedly grabbed his wife by the arm and pulled her into a ladies' room, choked her and slammed her head against a wall about four times, Hahn said. Allen was booked for spousal battery and released by Los Angles police, and later was allowed to enter a substance abuse counseling program in lieu of prosecution.
I was introduced to Def Leppard's music with their blockbuster album Pyromania in 1983. Any artist would consider themselves lucky to have one masterpiece during their career. Def Leppard wound up achieving 2 masterpiece albums with Pyromania and Hysteria. A great accomplishment.
High n dry was a masterpiece. But since I know more about def leppard than any person alive, I can honestly say that slang is there top achievement.
Stopped after Adrenalize. But for me, High and Dry and Pyromania are flawless albums.
This is my number one no holds barred album from my youth. I literally wore out the cassette more than five times and have bought it a dozen times on vinyl, cassette, cd, Gold Cd(masterdisk), and every reissue. It’s a perfect album
When "Armageddon It" came out, I used to drive my parents crazy going around the house singing "are you getting it?"
they wrote it as a joke "are you getting it?" - you got that, I didn't I just got the melodic side of it, beautiful
I remember driving back from Heathrow Airport on the morning Hysteria came out, diverting into London to find an Our Price record store & buying it cassette. It got played everyday, I loved it 😈😈😈
To this day, this album has remained one of my favorite rock albums ever. I remember getting a copy from a friend of mine on cassette. His parents bought him an original cassette when they went to Miami on vacation in 87 (where I'm from music like this wasn't sold in stores). I listened to it at his house an asked him to make me a copy.. Played it everyday! In 1991 I was on a schooltrip to England for 2 days.. and I went into a music shop to get a genuine Hysteria cassette, because my old copy was just worn out. When CD's became a thing I bought one as well. This is one of those albums where you can NOT listen to just one song... You put it one and you play the entire album! One of THE greatest bands in rock music. Period.
One of the greatest underdog stories ever in the history of music, a bunch of lads from Sheffield scoring back to back diamond albums in the US. I have to say Animal is my favourite but this album is full of bangers
What can I say? This album is THE soundtrack of my coming of age. I turned 16 and got my license the summer of its release, are you kidding me? I first heard "Animal", and the world was alright with me. Its all I listened to for maybe a year. Now, 34 years later, it remains a personal time machine as long as I dont play it too often. ...Buckle up, crank it up, and ride off alone at night down the back country roads, and Im 16 again. Instantly transported back to the feeling of the world, the moment, the smell of her hair, the sound of my car,, the fears, the wild eyed, young mans hopes and dreams. Its the best feeling.
They were the soundtrack to my life. I still have every album, CD and even saved my well worn out Cassettes. I was so lucky to have auto reverse in my first new car, white 1985 Honda Civic SI. That was a good time.
Ha ha! I love it.
My Hysteria memory was collecting the Singles!! After collecting all the singles I framed them up in a picture as each piece was a puzzle to the Hysteria artwork of the Album Cover. I thought that was clever and cool!!
Who on here didn't owe this album, monster album with hooks everywhere, definitely a top album of it's era. Still sounds fresh today, great review professor!
"Love Bites"...the first slow dance song I ever danced to...homecoming senior year '88! The album was amazing..."Animal" or "Hysteria" are my favs.
I was stationed in Wildflecken, Germany when this album came out. Maybe you'll get into this a little on the second video, but the one thing that stood up to me beyond the incredible songs was the phenomenal production. This was an absolute masterpiece of song and album crafting. It had no equal in its day for this genre. In fact, I haven't heard anything that compares to it since. It's been over 30 years now. I consider this one of the greatest rock albums ever made if not the greatest.
Absolutely, agree!
I was in Bremerhaven when this was released. Got my copy at the PX…..
I was stationed in Wildflecken HHC 1/68 when this album came out. Great album!
Dude,I was stationed in geissen,not too far from you.when this came out too.588th maint co,3rd supcom
I couldn't agree with you more, it's amazing! 👍
In the words of the late great macho man randy Savage "OH YEAH"
Pyromania and Hysteria are my two favourite albums of all time.
Thanks professor. 🙏🏻👊
The perseverance of Rick Allen was amazing. I listened to Pyromania when a softball teammate/good friend played it for me. I was in 9th and she was in 12th....we and her boyfriend would drive around listening to it. Stellar album and then the other shoe dropped with Hysteria.....love at first bite 😁. Cudos to the band for keeping on and making this awesome album 💗
Saw them live about 5 Years ago and they still Rock. One of 80's Icon Bands.
Probably the ultimate genre-bending, genre-crossing album. I don't think any other album since will live on like this. Also, this band can still REALLY play. They're such a tight unit. Just watch any recent live performance (such as their Rock Hall of Fame induction) to see what I mean.
I love every song on that album Hysteria and can listen to that whole album without skipping a track. I love Pyromania too great songs on that too.
3:00 "The Thunder God" Seems just perfect for Rick. Everytime I find a kid to introduce this band to, I make them notice how awesome the drums are, even before letting them know he did it with only one arm. They are usually impressed and enthusiastic, when I show them about the accident, their mind is blown.
I still have my vintage hysteria tshirt and 45’s. All the 45 sleeves when put together create the album cover. Pretty much all that Mutt touches turns to gold. You should do a series on mutt’s greatest produced rock albums.
Hysteria is one of the 25 albums that I consider to be a masterpiece.
Would love to know the other 24.
@@charlesedward5047 lol. I'd have it in my top 5 for sure. Along with pyromania, and the two oasis albums definitely maybe, and what's the story.
The hiatus forced on the band by Rick’s accident enabled the Cars to get Mutt Lange for Heartbeat City.
Also a great album.
This album was so much more than “Pour some sugar…” although admittedly I loved that track, too. Agree that it takes 2 episodes to do _Hysteria_ justice.
This is my favourite album of all time. I played it to death throughout my high school days and holidays. It really holds a special place in my heart. I still play it now, usually on Fridays to kick off that great end of week buzz.
One of my favourite Def Leppard moments which you can find on CZcams is during the live performance of the track Die Hard The Hunter on the In The Round In Your Face tour in 1988. At around 3 minutes and 26 seconds into the song kicks off one of the most amazing duo guitar performances between Steve Clark and Phil Collen. It still blows my mind to this day, it just sounds so damned cool!
So much respect for Def Leppard. Rick lost his arm and they stuck with him. Awesome band, great music and incredible live. Long Live Def Leppard. Thanks Professor.
You nailed it Professor, I always thought Adam Ant had that Burundi drum sound on "Goody Two Shoes"... and Rick's perseverance and determination is AMAZING!
For years other bands thought Def Leppard was cursed and refused to tour with them.
The adrenalize "an evening with Def Leppard " tour didnt have any other acts other than just def leppard. That was awesome!!!!
I remember when "Women" was world premiered on MTV and the title was misspelled as "Woman". By this time I had seen Def Leppard live 3 times. The band is gonna do a Livestream celebrating the 40th anniversary of "High 'n Dry" on their website August 28th. Some of my best memories as a teenager and early 20s have this band's music as part of the soundtrack in my life. "Animal" is DEFinitely the best track on "Hysteria".
Hysteria was the only album I listened to so much on tape that I wore out my copy and had to buy a second one.
I wore out several copies. It was so long that it would stretch the tape after so much use.
I blew out my stereo listening to Pyromania 😂
I believe 4 copies for me. Maybe 5 actually...
I remember pimping out DL to friends when High and Dry came out. Not everyone had MTV so most didn't know about "Bringin' on the Heartbreak".
Def Leppard High and Dry and Pyromania were among the very first cassette tapes I ever bought! I still remember hearing them through my cassette player.
I lost interest in them after Pyromania and moved onto harder music. Hysteria was just too fluffy and meh for me. But I'll still crank tunes from Pyromania when they come up on my playlists.
I can't even discuss this Masterpiece. It would go on forever. I would love to hear a 5.1 Surround with this.
I can remember when this album came out, it was so big, every man and his dog had a copy!
I remember seeing animal on top of the pops. I was hooked instantly after that. That weekend my auntie and grandmother took me to town (Sheffield) and into our price records to buy the single. My auntie then bought me the album for Christmas. I was only eight years old at the time, and they blew my mind.
I know the purists hate Hysteria, but I think it's the best thing since sliced bread.
I love all the tracks on Hysteria, but my absolute favourites are animal, rocket, gods of war, and Hysteria. 🤟
I remember seeing that episode of TOTP when i was 8 too and it blowing me away, although i saved up for the album instead of buying the single. Probably from Our Price.
I was 12 in Wales, I remember "the circus comes to town" bit on tv. loved it got the album, still sounds fresh
@@mutantdog. poor old our price. Think they've been gone long time now.
I still watch that performance on TOTP. it's on CZcams. 👍
@@DomTheTA it's pure rock-pop perfection. One of the best intros to a song ever. The whole album is a production masterpiece.
This was my first concert I went to and it did not disappoint. Loved this album, never failed to get me out of my funk.
At age 15, this was the first full album (on cassette tape) that I ever bought and I got it at our local grocery store. My dad looked at me and said, "Are you really gonna buy that trash?" I said, "Yes" and it ended up helping to shape my musical taste. Def Leppard remains my favorite band and is one that I especially cling to since 'it wasn't my dad's music'. Many, many happy memories literally wearing that tape out on my walkman. Between this album and the Beastie Boys, I fell asleep so many nights (secretly) listening to them. Years later, I found out that my mom used to take my headphones off me in my sleep when she checked on me. Many thanks to Joe and the boys for the hours and hours of happiness they provided.
Great Production by Mutt Lange & mixing by Mike Shipley salvaged this album.
Sure it helped but the songs are great regardless.
Salvaged? Wtf?!
Ship was Mutt’s guy, man. Absolute LEGEND of mixing. His mixes were absolutely out of this world.
Just the greatest Rock album of the 80's Hysteria played the cassette to death back then when aged 13 years old still played very much to this day this album 👍👍👍 roll on part 2
I blew out my stereo in the car playing Pyromania so many times
One of my favorite bands of all time - thank you so much for doing DL finally!0
I was military in 1988 when I head Hysteria ( the song ). I saw the video in MTV, I had no idea Def Leppard even sang it. I fell in love with the song INSTANTLY! Snuck to the PX, bought a Walkman, Hysteria and the magazine Hit Parade for the lyrics for the song! My # 1 favorite song by the band!
I first found Def Leppard the yr I graduated high school (80) when I went down to Milwaukee for some concert. The High and Dry Album. No one knew who they were, and I was a fan ever sence. I remember listening to the radio, trying to sleep after work, when I heard about Ricks accident, and I just cried. I was in Nursing, and I knew how bad that had to be for him, and the band. I remember seeing them for the first time in July 83, still to this day, it was one of the top best concerts I ever have seen! I remember Steve leaning back while playing...his hair was just touching the stage, and it seemed like he stayed that way forever! Oh, and the heart break when I first heard he passed away. Oh, it still breaks my heart (still makes me tear up while writing this). Def Leppard, are my soul, they are like family to me, and I raised my three girls on their music (my youngest who is 25) just got me the whole group in Funko dolls lol. I wake up earlier then Megan and she always hears me playing their music when she wakes up. Anything that shows anything about them, I watch over and over again, it inspires me still to this day, because, I too am now crippled due to a work injury that has, well, ruined me. BUT! Due to Rick and the guys, they keep me going. Id give anything to see them in concert one more time before I depart this world, I dont see that really happening from a wheel chair though, but, they will always be my inspiration, and my soul.
Still love this album to this day. Great band loved them then and still do today.
Love this Album Series. Of course especially with records that are close to my heart. Keep up the great work. I assume GnR Appetite could/should be one of the next? Hysteria is the blueprint for melodic guitar fills that catch you hard.
It's amazing that this album is over 30 years old and, after countless listens, never gets actually old. There really is some kind of magic going on here that's hard to pin down. You can list all the things that make it great, but it transcends all that. I think what matters most is the mix of riff and melody. The riffs make you start listening, and the melodies make you stay. This album isn't written, it's composed. And it shares that certain magic duality with Boston's first album: If you play it quietly, you can play it on your desk at work; but if you crank it up and shake the windows, it will rock your ass off. Thanks Prof for teeing up this timeless rock n' roll masterpiece.
Was stationed in Germany when this was released. It was my first CD purchase and it came with a small insert that told the story of how much of a struggle the band hand endured before and during the making of the album. Wish I still had it. I had a friend that copied onto a tape since I hadn't purchased a CD player yet. Great album and memories.
Christmas of '87, I rush down stairs and grab my stocking when my parents say it's okay to. What are the first two things I pull out? Two Christmas wrapped rectangles roughly the shape of music cassettes. I unwrap the first one, it's Guns 'N' Roses' "Appetite for Destruction". I unwrap the second, it's Def Leppard's "Hysteria". That made for a good day for that 14 year old and I think my parents regretted it! That was all that was heard throughout the house the rest of the day!
Appetite For Destruction was also a banger! I loved it and still do!
You're folks indulged you in the right way. True appreciation of music in a young person shows intellect, empathy and a mature cultural pallet.
And "rocking it out" is good exercise. Lol
Def Leppard is my all time favorite!! I’ve seen them four times and every time they have been amazing. They don’t disappoint. Looking forward to the rest of this interview!! Thanks Professor!
❤️💜💚
I was sitting with my horn in hand getting ready to play for the HS pep rally. But before the official start, we always had music playing on CD. I’d never heard of Def Leppard at this point. Then Pour Some Sugar came on. I’d never heard anything so amazing in my life! I instantly became a Def Leppard fan for life.
Myself, my wife, and sister in law spent an hour jamming out to Def Leppard CZcams concert videos on our new home theater system just last night… thoroughly enjoying every minute of it.
Timeless sound. And now our kids and our nieces enjoy Def Leppard. Hysteria was an incredible album that has stood the test of time.
I bought this on cassette when I was still in high school. Now here I am, 50 next year, and I still listen to this album more than any other. A masterpiece and no album has sounded as good as it before or after. Thanks for this, a really good and interesting overview!! All those songs are awesome but my personal favourite is Don't Shoot Shotgun 😃
My all time favorite Album. Hysteria I wore out so many cassettes of this album. As usual man you hit it out of the park! Love Def Leppard. Your breakdown of the album is amazing. My dad saw them on this tour. I wish I could've went. But I have seen them live on December 18 1992. On the seven day weekend tour. Blew me away! I even have the Animal instinct book. Can't wait for part 2!!
You just got to love this channel! I was listening to some hits from 1985 yesterday and it made me think of the Professor of Rock.
On another note, I wish I could record my son trying to sing "Pour Some Sugar on Me". I love when he does it and I think others would too.
You should do it!
Do it
@@wendyokoopa7048 I might have to do it.
I remember my Mom putting on the Vinyl for this when I was like, 4 y/o. They have been my Favourite Band through my whole life, even though I'm big into Rap and R&B. I was always in awe of Rick's Armless performance on a Live Stage (Still am) Probably too late now, but would have LOVED to see these Guys Live!
I was introduced to Hysteria and Def Leppard by my little brother. He got a copy on cd and played it over and over. I was hammered with it into submission 😁
I am now a bigger Def Leppard fan than my little brother. The fact that the album was recorded in the Wisseloord studios in Holland was a nice bonus, giving it a bit of a Dutch touch.
I was born in the 80's, but was too young to be aware of the album when it came out, but the songs are unavoidable to hear over time. when I was in college in the early 2000's, I did a deep dive into the band already being well aware of them doing photograph and pour some sugar, since they are a bit overplayed. however, when I heard Animal and Armageddon it, it was a feeling of nostalgia. They were songs that I had come across as a kid hearing them in my environment like in the background, but not consciously enough to where I cataloged it in my mind. it was buried in my subconscious. when it was released from my subconscious as a young adult, boy was it a great feeling. Armageddon it is probably my favorite song now. but I really like the pyromania album a lot too.
Hysteria, and Pyromania before it, were the soundtrack of my early adult years. I was young Navy wife with little kids, and those two albums got played to death. Both albums are absolute masterpieces, in my opinion. Can't wait for part 2!
Def Leppard was my very first favorite band. Steve Clark was also the first guitarist I ever really took notice of. I had a concert poster of Def Leppard from the Hysteria era on my bedroom wall for the longest time. I was just in awe of those guys, especially Steve. His overall look, style, and guitar playing always fascinated me. I truly believe Steve is the reason I have such a fondness for guitar and long hair! I will always miss that guy... But yeah, Hysteria is a fantastic album and to this day it remains my favorite from Def Leppard. I will always and forever love this band. They have my respect, appreciation, and gratitude for the rest of my days.
I was staying with my aunt and uncle during (college) Christmas Break in1984. My cousins were huge Def Leppard fans (I lost count of the number of times they forced me to listen to "Foolin'"). They were devastated when they heard of Rick Allen's accident. I came to appreciate the band when I learned of their loyalty and Rick Allen's resilience.
First album i bought as a kid, i must have been 8 at the time and oblivious to the meaning of many tracks on there. Still holds up as one of my favourite albums to this day and surely the pinnacle of 80s production.
Great episode Professor! I've always been amazed at what Def Leppard overcame! Rick Allen is truly amazing to carry on! And I'm really grateful the rest of the band stood behind him and helped him to carry on! Awesome group! Thanks for sharing Professor!
Def Leppard is the best, hands down! I love them. And after40+ yrs they still sound GREAT!!! I had always wanted to go to one of their concerts, but I got married and life got in the way of those plans with kids. But my now grown sons bought me tickets for my 51st Birthday and I got to see them, FINALLY, in Aug. of 2018 in Birmingham, Alabama and let me tell you, Def Leppard transported me back to my teens and early 20's that night. It was such a magical experience and it ended way too soon. And my sons surprised me with tickets again last year, but unfortunately, they cancelled because of covid and I was so heartbroken. Please come back to Birmingham!!!
I was 16 when Hysteria was released. My buddy told me “You gotta hear this!” and cranked “Pour Some Sugar On Me” in his Thunderbird. I was blown away! To this day, it’s my #1 favorite album of all time. Cassettes, CD’s, MP3’s, streaming… I bet I’ve bought this album 20 times. I love the entire thing, but “Animal” and “Hysteria” are my favorite tracks. Crank them up, put the windows down in my 392, and cruise!
Rocking my Def Leppard t-shirt today as well!!!!
HUGE production! So many harmony tracks and effects. Best clean chorus guitars! Right up there with Whitesnake.
I think the clean stuff was all done with a Tom Scholz Rockman.
Such a great album!!! Def Leppard was my favorite from the moment I bought their 45 of Rock of Ages that had a purple tint when you held it to the light. Loved their videos too.
My first concert, I was 7th grade!!...It was 1993-1994 at Def Leppard in Tulsa OK. My wiser big brother took me to see them and my ears "ringed" for a couple days after seeing them! I sat in class that week and thought, it was worth it!! I knew that was bad and i never regretted my brother taking me... Since then i have seen them twice and my brother has seen them 4-5 times!! Great Memories great music...Being a youngster indulged into Def Leppard I remember the entire town playing their albums and songs...every car had windows down and blasting Def Leppard!!!
Here are my all time favorite Def Leppard hits top 10 list with some Honorable Mentions as well. As always mention your favorites below if they’re not on my list. Here it goes!
10 - Let’s Get Rocked
9 - Foolin’
8 - Bringing on the Heartbreak
7 - Rock of Ages
6 - Hysteria
5 - Love Bites
4 - Armageddon It
3 - Photograph
2 - Animal
1 - Pour Some Sugar on Me
Honorable Mentions:
Two Steps Behind, Rocket, Women, Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad, Stand Up (Kick Love into Motion), When Love and Hate Collide
The only one you left out from my list is Switch 625
For me at least, Hysteria is the perfect song to listen to at dusk/nighttime that lets your mind drift... Also all the small guitar parts like around 35 seconds in make it that much better.
It's a haunting song for sure.
No doubt, for me the best song on the album and of all their others as well.
The live version of Hysteria from the Denver concert is the best. The opening is fantastic.
Have to agree hysteria is my favorite on the album.
It's perfect for a night time drive on the highway. The album itself is perfect for it. I listen to it almost every night on my way to work!
I bought this tape the day it came out, when I was 14. Those 4 years between Pyromania and Hysteria might as well have been a lifetime to me in those years. The entire album struck me as an instant classic that late summer of 1987. I have the music videos from Hysteria saved on my phone and I watch them while I work out to this day. A timeless piece of art, and grateful to everyone involved with Def Leppard for creating Hysteria. Probably my single most listened-to and favorite album of all time, from beginning to end.
A fantastic album . As big as def Leppard are , I believe they deserve more credibility and respect. No other band has hooks like them, guitar work is insane .
I thought this would be split into two volumes lol. It definitely is too good a album to do it in one.👍
"Armageddon It" low key is the best track on the album. :-)
Cool. Animal and Hysteria are mine. Thanks for watching.
The tracks on this album were EPIC! I recall getting the cassette and I kid you not I played it so much I wore the cassette out. I cannot believe Woman did not fair better and would be curious how it has done in streaming. This definitely deserves #1 in our hearts treatment Professor of Rock. Whenever I wanted a killer driving song I would play Woman. Such a cool track in an album of EPIC ones.
I can never get enough behind the scenes on Hysteria. Another outstanding post…. Looking forward to part two. I think this proves: 1) you learn a lot from trying something that doesn’t work… forces creativity 2) Mutt is a genius… whether you like all of his catalog or not 3) the discipline to craft “single worthy” songs and not pepper in filler tracks can pay off in dividends. I was entering high school when this album was released…it was a part of my entire 4 years….and beyond. I defy anyone to not chant “hey” during the intro to Pour Some Sugar On Me.
In a way this was the high point of 80s hair metal-type rock that ruled the airwaves at that time. In just a couple of years all that slick production would get covered in grunge.
That's very true.
@@ProfessorofRock eh, we got about another 4-5 good years of party metal after this before grunge came along and killed the party.
My freshman year in college was 87. I was in a metal band. By the time I graduated in 91, there was a definite sea change in the music scene that was almost palpable,
In the top 5 best albums of the 80s
I agree. Amazing record.
Fond memories of watching Brooke dance at The Fritz in Bellflower CA with a drink in my hand. The magic of combining LOVE BITES with her amazing dancing was like a short trip into paradise. LOVE BITES will forever bring back memories of hanging out with her and going out to dinner just laughing and enjoying her company.
First unforgettable taste of the sound Album Hysteria was me 12 years old standing on a cross walk, a black mustang approaching playing loud the song Hysteria.. just completely caught my attention.. that fine exquisite rocking sound.. remember it like it was yesterday.. it remained in my childhood memory bank ever sense.. next thing I remember riding my bike to the local music store and buying the tape.. the attendant said it was loaded with great songs on both sides... so I got home and listened on my walkman.. it was mind-blowing.. every sound.. so countless times, day and night I played that tape.. it was my first def leppard experience and immediately became my favorite band... 34 years later and it just doesn't get old for me..🤘
I once heard that "Hysteria" was so expensive to record that 5 million copies had to be sold in order to break even.
Yep, recording wasn’t cheap in those days, and all the delays made it way over budget. Until “Pour Some Sugar” hit big, the band was still in the red!
They also had to buy out the original producers contract to get Mutt back in as well.
What an album!
Every track is stellar.
The single, "Hysteria" is far and above my all-time favorite song. Never get tired of hearing it, never will.
There's everything to love about Def Leppard, but I think what attracted me the most were their vocal harmonies, The Thunder God's drumming, and the guitar licks & riffs.
I'm so glad the guys didn't give up on Rick. A after his accident. His perseverance and tenacity are admirable and inspiring! I'm equally glad that I had the opportunity to see Steve Clark on stage with his brothers in 1988 before his tragic and devastating death. He was amazing, IMO!
If you've saved all the ticket stubs from concerts you've seen for keepsakes, then you need to subscribe to this channel!