1983 - January: Def Leppard “Pyromania”

All right.  I got something to say...It's better to burn out than fade away!

Def Leppard would go from a popular band to the stratosphere of rock music with their third album, Pyromania.  The band lineup for this album would be front man Joe Elliott, Rick Savage on bass, Rick Allen on drums, Steve Clark on Guitar, Pete Willis on rhythm guitar, and newcomer Phil Collen on guitar.   There's an explanation for why the lineup seems a bit guitar-heavy.  While the album was being recorded Pete Willis was fired for "excessive alcohol abuse."  Phil Collen was brought in as a replacement.  However, Willis' rhythm guitar work was used throughout the album.

The band was originally called Atomic Mass when they started in 1977.  Elliott proposed the name Deaf Leopard, and then-drummer Tony Kenning suggested changing the spelling to Def Leppard.  Just before they started recording at the end of 1978, Kenning left the band.  He was replaced by Rick Allen.  The entire band was young - Elliott was only 18 when they formed - but Allen was only 15 when he joined!

The band began becoming more popular with their second album, High 'n' Dry, which was produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange.  Mutt Lange would also produce Pyromania and Hysteria, which were the killer albums for the group.

Pyromania is a bit of a transition album, as the songs ranged from hard rocking numbers to more popular MTV-oriented rock.  The big hits were staples in the MTV rotation, with "Rock of Ages," and the bit hit "Photograph," which knocked Michael Jackson's "Beat it " off the number 1 "most requested video on MTV.  But every song on the album is a good one.  We're featuring some of the deeper cuts to give you a sense of how awesome this album is beyond the big hits we know so well.

 

 

Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) This is the lead track on the album, and received air play on rock-oriented radio despite not being released as a single.  It's a pretty straightforward rock anthem.  It was originally titled "Medicine Man" according to Wikipedia, and had different lyrics.  "So grab a little heat and come along with me, 'cause your mama don't mind what your mama don't see."

Stagefright This is a deeper cut that was the opening song for their Hysteria tour.  It was also a song about picking up groupies at the concert.  Def Leppard was legendary for their "activity" with groupies during breaks and solos at the concert.

Die Hard the Hunter Here is a rare song with a deeper meaning.  This deep cut is about war and post-traumatic stress disorder.  It talks about a returning soldier who can't leave the war behind.  "You got no enemy, no front line.  The only battle's in the back of your mind.  You don't know how to change from bad to good.  You brought the war to your neighborhood."

Foolin' This track is their third single from the album, and chronicles a love gone bad.  "On and on we rode the storm.  The flame has died and the fire has gone.  Oh, this empty bed is a night alone.  I realized that long ago."

 

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main Theme from the television series The A-Team Here is Mr. T's big television role after Rocky III.  I love it when a plan comes together! 

 

STAFF PICKS:

Don't Tell Me You Love Me  by Night Ranger Wayne kicks off the staff picks with this hit from Night Ranger's debut album "Dawn Patrol."  This has a straightforward rock style with a good balance between dual guitars and keyboards to create a wall of sound. Their first five albums sold over 2 million  

Even Now by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band Rob brings us the second hit from Seger's album "The Distance."  Many musicians were used on this album including the Mussel Shoals Rhythm Section, Glenn Frey, and Bonnie Raitt.  Seger worked with the Eagles on their song "Heartache Tonight."

Sexual Healing  by Marvin Gaye Brian's staff pick takes the pace down with this iconic ballad - one of the first songs to use the Roland TR808 drum machine.  The song was inspired by a visit from author David Ritz, and an observation that Gaye needed to break away from pornography - he needed sexual healing!  Ritz wrote the song. 

Atomic Dog by George Clinton Bruce cranks up the funk with the last Parliament Funkadelic song to reach number ` on the US R&B Chart.  Clinton was still "feeling pretty good" from a night of heavy partying and composed most of the song spontaneously - with David Spradley and Garry Shider standing on either side of him to keep him steady at the microphone.  "nothin' but the dog in me!"

 

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Epilogue (Resolution) by Triumph Classically trained Rik Emmett would have at least one instrumental on Triumph albums, and this one finishes their sixth album "Never Surrender."

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