Salutations™!!
This is one of those “to make you feel old posts.” This past Thursday, when I was posting the review of the latest Eugeology entry, I totally forgot the mention that it was the 30th anniversary of Def Leppard’s Hysteria album. Yeah, take that in, again… 30 years.
©Mercury Records/UMe
The album was #464 on the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums of All Time. Here’s what I wrote when I reviewed it:
I was 17 going on 18 when this album came out. My high school years were summed up around that time. The entire first side (thinking of the cassette copy I wore out) was awesome with the screaming guitar of “Women” to the processed drums of “Rocket” to the bright sounds of “Animal” and the dark torture of “Love Bites” and the saccharine-flavor of “Pour Some Sugar On Me” to the clever play on words of “Armageddon It.” Side one of this album by the “World’s Most Cursed Band” really did rock my 17-year old behind! “Gods of War” had one of the coolest, yet simplest basslines of my youth. The title track was the best thing on Side Two for me. Side One plus two songs on Side Two makes a damn fine album. The rest of the songs are ok, but nothing that knocks me over. DUG IT!
It was a great time in my life. Innocent. I loved the album, at least side one. I wore that out. I also wore out the CD. Now, I own it on vinyl as well. This was Def Leppard for me. Yeah, I get Pyromania and all that, but it doesn’t move me like this one did. High and Dry was okay, but it was a little rough for me. I have never made any bones about my favor of slick production over raw and rough production. Robert “Mutt” Lange slicked this up like nobody’s business. And, remember, Rick Allen had already lost his arm and yet he pulled this performance off with flying colors. Yes, the drums are processed and they’re electronic but at that time, it was all they could really do. Yes, it was
Yes, the drums are processed and they’re electronic but at that time, it was all they could really do. Yes, it was heavy on the synths and keyboards, but I love that stuff, too. Seven singles from the album were released. “Women” was the first for the US. It only made it to #80 on the Billboard Hot 100. Then, “Animal” which made it to #19 on that chart. The title track was up next and made it to #10. The album’s (and the band’s) biggest hit ever came next: “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” Oddly enough, even though “Sugar” has the distinction of being the band’s biggest name song, it only made it to #2. The sad anti-ballad “Love Bites” was next and that rode the “sugar wave” all the way to #1; the band’s only #1 in their career, thus far. Still riding the high, “Armageddon It” made it to #3 and then “Rocket” to #12.
It has sold over 25 million copies and is certified 12x Platinum (diamond level), according to the RIAA. It is about #23 on the all-time album sales in the USA. It lasted a long time on the charts as a whole and it seemed it wasn’t going away. It wasn’t, I suppose. I was quite okay with that.
I’d never say it was a favorite of mine, overall, but I will say it’s my favorite Def Leppard album. Happy 30th to you, my high school friend. See you in another 30 (and before).
Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!
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“In the beginning, God made the land. Then He made the water and creatures, then He made Man. He was born with a passion, love and hate. A restless spirit with a need for a mate. But there was something that was missing, something lost. So he came with the answer, here’s what it cost: One part love, one part wild, one part lady, one part child. I give you: Women.” – “Women” (Elliott, Savage, Collen, Clark, Lange)
