Thanks Ned, that was great!
Mr Veg & I listened to Hysteria on a recent car trip too, and we were both grinning & singing the whole way. There's a heck of a lot of fun at the heart of that album, for sure.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 3 September 2012 16:43 (eleven years ago) link
Hysteria's the best. Def my favorite track.
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 3 September 2012 16:44 (eleven years ago) link
"Hysteria," the song, is I think the one that cribs from "Every Breath You Take."
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 3 September 2012 16:45 (eleven years ago) link
There's a great bit in the Classic Albums documentary where Phil Collen talked how he, Steve Clark and Lange worked on breaking down all the guitar parts so it was much more textured than simply a straightforward riff ever would be, and I think "Hysteria" was the song used as an example. Certainly would make sense!
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 3 September 2012 16:45 (eleven years ago) link
I need to do "Animal" at karaoke soon. Thanks for the reminder.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 3 September 2012 16:46 (eleven years ago) link
xxpost -- "Message in a Bottle," actually! Collen specifically mentions that in the documentary as well!
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 3 September 2012 16:46 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah, now's a great time to point out that, if you're in any way partial to this record, you should watch the Classic Albums episode. It's fascinating.
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 3 September 2012 16:48 (eleven years ago) link
Hell, watch it even if you hate this record.
Yeah, I will say that "Hysteria" is the rare example of overproduction working in the album's favor.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 3 September 2012 16:51 (eleven years ago) link
is the classic albums special on youtube
― billstevejim, Monday, 3 September 2012 16:52 (eleven years ago) link
Naturally. Here's the first part:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAWm4Ihp43Q
There's also the bonus footage too.
You can stream the whole episode on Netflix as well.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 3 September 2012 16:54 (eleven years ago) link
The "over" in overproduction indicates that the process reached a point where no more production was necessary, but the band/producer carried on anyway. I disagree with this whole premise re: Hysteria. It's the most perfectly produced album ever made. Never under, never over. It's just right.
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 3 September 2012 16:54 (eleven years ago) link
I suppose it's a bit of a paradox, isn't it? If excess is the aesthetic goal than you really can't go over the top.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 3 September 2012 17:03 (eleven years ago) link
The dogs on this are "Excitable" and "Dont Shoot Shotgun". The rest is gold.
― Master of Treacle, Monday, 3 September 2012 17:06 (eleven years ago) link
I wonder how they would be viewed now if they had split when SC died.
― Master of Treacle, Monday, 3 September 2012 17:08 (eleven years ago) link
That's a good question. However, the thought of 5 or 6 Joe Elliott solo albums is scary.
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 3 September 2012 17:18 (eleven years ago) link
the part in the documentary where Phil Collen is showing their dueling guitar riffs, it's amazing how mathy it seems when taken apart.
― Poliopolice, Monday, 3 September 2012 17:39 (eleven years ago) link
I take guitar lessons, and my teacher is always impressed when I bring him something he considers through-composed, whether it's Def Leppard or Bedhead or Television, where the guitarists have put a lot of thought into how their parts fit together.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 3 September 2012 17:41 (eleven years ago) link
also, it's funny when they're talking about the making of "Rocket" and all the lyrical references they were making to the early 70s glam stuff ("Satellite of Love", "Jean Genie", "Killer Queen, etc)... These were references to things just 12-13 years earlier. If I were writing "Rocket" right now in 2012, and wanted to reference 20 things from 1999 or 2000, what would I mention?
― Poliopolice, Monday, 3 September 2012 17:47 (eleven years ago) link
N'Sync, Condi Rice, you know.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 3 September 2012 18:06 (eleven years ago) link
Y2K
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 3 September 2012 18:21 (eleven years ago) link
This would be me - been reading about the making of it in Greg Milner's Perfecting Sound Forever and am kind of intrigued. Actually that's not true, I've never heard the album in full, I just really dislike Def Leppard in general (though I'll grudgingly admit that 'Animal' is quite good apart from the chorus).
― Gavin, Leeds, Monday, 3 September 2012 18:24 (eleven years ago) link
the chorus is the ideal release for the pent-up energy!
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 3 September 2012 18:26 (eleven years ago) link
It's that one-note gang-shout bit, it just doesn't work for me at all in this context. I did actually watch the Classic Albums last night though and very much enjoyed it. Phil Collen demonstrating all the separate guitar parts was particularly interesting and they all seemed like genuinely nice, down-to-earth guys. Wished there was more soundboard stuff but I think that about every one of those documentaries. I still can't get behind the actual songs I'm afraid - I realised this is mainly down to Joe Elliot's voice, I just don't like his strained way of singing higher notes (and having it tracked a thousand times doesn't exactly help).
― Gavin, Leeds, Tuesday, 4 September 2012 11:18 (eleven years ago) link
Got real Prince of Darkness "This is not a dream..." speech vibes off this pic of Ann Romney, in relationship to the Hysteria album cover.
http://cdn04.cdnwp.thefrisky.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/06/Ann-Romney-Mitt-Romney-beach-walk-400x470.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCcLNwU9ps4/T3-oxPk5QTI/AAAAAAAAENc/Q70lyPibd5o/s320/Def+Leppard+Hysteria.jpg
― how's life, Tuesday, 4 September 2012 11:34 (eleven years ago) link
You are receiving this album in order to alter the events you are seeing.
― how's life, Tuesday, 4 September 2012 11:36 (eleven years ago) link
what's with that horrible cover, anyway? imagine what it could have sold if the cover wasn't so atrocious!
― Poliopolice, Wednesday, 5 September 2012 15:45 (eleven years ago) link
GASP
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 5 September 2012 15:51 (eleven years ago) link
in 1988, my older brother's best friend had three favorite bands: Def Leppard, the Replacements, and U2.
― Poliopolice, Wednesday, 5 September 2012 16:24 (eleven years ago) link
I was into all those bands in 1988. Doesn't seem weird imo.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 5 September 2012 16:26 (eleven years ago) link
I was going to say, that seems pitchpoint perfect.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 5 September 2012 16:28 (eleven years ago) link
yeah that seems pretty otm
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 5 September 2012 16:32 (eleven years ago) link
it's the replacements that confuse me.
― Poliopolice, Wednesday, 5 September 2012 16:44 (eleven years ago) link
Doesn't confuse me at all, they were getting greater attention then anyway.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 5 September 2012 16:48 (eleven years ago) link
Then Play Long says if it takes four years, hell, it's worth it: http://nobilliards.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/def-leppard-hysteria.html
― agincourtgirl, Tuesday, 28 October 2014 10:51 (nine years ago) link
I don't think there'll ever be a day when I'm not bowled over by how intricate the fucking production on this album is.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Sunday, 19 July 2015 23:36 (eight years ago) link
My fave recent thing about this - Elliott's high pitched backing vocals complimenting the main last chorus of "Gods Of War"
― Master of Treacle, Monday, 20 July 2015 00:12 (eight years ago) link
The outro of 'Gods Of War' sounds absolutely amazing on headphones.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Monday, 20 July 2015 00:33 (eight years ago) link
Collen's work on "Animal" is so great. Such great tone and melodic as fuck
― calstars, Saturday, 12 March 2016 01:35 (eight years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/LtzLrQc.jpg
― calstars, Saturday, 12 March 2016 01:43 (eight years ago) link
"Richard John Cyril "Rick" Allen (born 1 November 1963) is an English drummer who has played for the hard rock band Def Leppard since 1978. He overcame THE AMPUTATION OF HIS LEFT ARM in 1985 and continued to play with the band"
― calstars, Saturday, 12 March 2016 02:05 (eight years ago) link
DO YOU TAKE SUGARONE LUMP OR TWO
― calstars, Sunday, 21 August 2016 00:24 (seven years ago) link
:D
― Flamenco Drop (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 21 August 2016 01:11 (seven years ago) link
LUMPS? RE: Pete Puma; oh, three or four...
candy-ass record; loved High 'n' Dry when i was 13, less-so for Pyro when i was 14. Down-hill since. The only thing i liked about Def Lep was akin to the first time i was inside a true Brit automobile: Curious. I'd easy pay twelve bucks to see them in a bowling alley show, but i just know that, even at 12 bones, i'd still be disappointed for the absence of tracks from their early, "Range Rover-type" days....
Check it: just like Dick Dale trying to surf a dust wave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Neuoqmqt1HE
...and lest we forget the 2-handed rummer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHNBxd4LnDs
― bodacious ignoramus, Saturday, 3 September 2016 08:17 (seven years ago) link
want to like this album.. just sounds like bad xtian rock or something to me. i admire the hugeness of "pour some sugar on me" but it's no "i love rock and roll"
― brimstead, Saturday, 3 September 2016 08:40 (seven years ago) link
fascinated with how they recorded the drums LAST
I just assumed a lot of the drums were sequenced, programmed or overdubbed in whatever order. Same thing for ABC's (much earlier) Lexicon of Love, which was a drum machine selectively doubled/replaced by real drums. Dave Grohl in Queens of the Stone Age recorded the drums and cymbals separately.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 3 September 2016 13:51 (seven years ago) link
Really interesting posthumous interview with Mike Shipley about mixing this and Pyromania in the latest Tape Op: http://tapeop.com/interviews/118/mike-shipley/
― My Body's Made of Crushed Little Evening Stars (Sund4r), Monday, 27 March 2017 21:16 (seven years ago) link
"Mutt's whole thing was, ‘Kids these days don't want to hear honky little snare drums. They're all out watching Star Wars and having visual experiences, so let's make records like that. Rather than going the natural route, let's make something larger than life!'"
Nothing could be more accurate.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 27 March 2017 21:26 (seven years ago) link
I was gonna say, he certainly achieved that!
― Coolio Iglesias (Turrican), Monday, 27 March 2017 21:28 (seven years ago) link