Listening to the Vinyl Lunch hour and Jackie Green shared the story that Mutt Lange, producer of Def Leppard’s Hysteria album, set out to make the metal version of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, in terms of cross-genre appeal, hooky hits, and making lots of cash.
I did not know this. It’s also about the time when I stopped listening to the band regularly. Their biggest hit, Pour Some Sugar on Me, is eye-rolling crassness that just killed it for me. And once my favorite band member Steve Clark passed away from an alcohol overdose, I was officially done.
Why? Am I being some pretentious music snob?
So I went back to the album that made me love them, High n' Dry, with Pete and before Phil. And Rick had both arms.
Let it Go. Aggressive guitars. Grit in the vocals. No gloss. Speaking of gloss, I was 12 when this came out, and spent most my babysitting money on Kissing Slicks rollerball lip gloss, designer jeans from K-Mart (snort), and cassettes. What a sight I must have been - Sassoon jeans, headband, velour v-neck tops, mastering the careful application of makeup in order to look killer but still be able to pass as natural under the watchful eye of Sister Gloria.
Hit and Run. It's got all the pop hooks, but with fantastically heavy guitars. I want to bang.
High n' Dry. One of the first MTV music videos, which was basically them playing on stage. Opening crunch very AC/DC. Singing about drinking, this is not a good look for them, knowing they kicked Pete out of the band for drinking and Steve would be dead within 10 years drinking himself to death. And I just showed my mom colors. I have not heard this song in years and I'm singing along word for word. I can't even remember what I had for breakfast.
Bringing on the Heartbreak. THIS. This, this, this, THIS is what got all the girls listening to them. We've got Stevie Nicks showing us how to be gypsies, then Joe is singing about pretty gypsies. Oh....!
Switch 625. Featured in the last season of Cobra Kai, and I about jumped out of my skin. Badass, Johnny Lawrence.
This is turning into a playlist... maybe I can refocus after I'm done. My blog, my rules.
You Got Me Runnin'. Chorus stronger than the lyrics, hooky as hell. Call and response. Boy, they had all the pieces even before Hysteria was a gleam in their eye.
Lady Strange. Honestly, I'm listening at work, and this one went in one ear and out the other.
On Through the Night. The song that should have been on the other album with the same title. Oh so very Queen of you. There's some really elegant moments in this song, something the hard driving rocker types would never say.
Mirror Mirror. A harder version of Bringing on the Heartbreak. Side two of the album weaker than one. Now I know why I dug Steve Clark, his guitar work on this is outstanding.
No No No. Oooooo, a little punky funky metal. This reminds me of Stone Cold Crazy. That's fast. I think I counted how many times he says no at the end of this song, I think it was 46. Stay tuned. Listening on YouTube, the new remaster cut it to 16! I feel jipped!
This album feels more genuine than their later career releases. The rawness is appealing. Their musicianship was evident.
I've started listening to Hysteria.
Woman. It's slick, it's hooky. Given the modifications needed to Rick's drum kit after his accident, it does sound more produced. Guitars not as aggressive, more poppy.
Rocket. I love this song, so what's my problem?
Animal. Oh, here we go. I had a roommate that sang this like she was eating men for breakfast. On my nerves.
Love Bites. Back to the roommate. The way she sang "biiiiiites." Shudder. So maybe my problem is a Sue Bee issue?
Pour Some Sugar on Me. No. Just no x 46.
Armageddon It. Meh? Maybe it's just overplayed. It's like they put all the hooks in a blender and played what came out. A pop metal milkshake.
Gods of War. Oh, this sounds more like the early days, that's heavy but with the signature Steve Clark melody. I can tie this back to the song Johnny's Got a Gun from Pyromania.
Don't Shoot Shotgun. Dude, I like this one too.
Run Riot. What's happening, this is a jam worthy of the early 80s. This would have fit right in on High n' Dry.
Hysteria. Overplayed. Next. No, wait this needs to be addressed. To my ear, the hits are hooky to the point of listener fatigue. It's like wedding cake. I love wedding cake. But if I have wedding cake every day, I will no longer love wedding cake. I need something more substantial.
Excitable. Oh I think I used to skip this one back in the day. No reason to buck tradition now.
Love and Affection. I think I used to love this song, but I don't understand why, 30 some odd years later. It's filler, sadly.
And that does it for me and Def Leppard for the year.
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