They used to sound like this?

[khabibissell]

I was browsing Youtube for older live vids of Def Leppard and found this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxWp_DLxoto

Cool performace. Though I was never really a fan, they did kick some ass on the first couple of records.

[Dave Simpson]

I was way into the NWOBHM scene when I was young lad and the first two Def Leppard albums where always getting played. They kind of lost me after High n' Dry. Too commercial for my taste. Still good music, but just a little too pop for me.

[Ralph E.]

Yep, that was when they were real (and good).

I remember watching an MTV show with them a few years back, and someone asked why they don't do any real old stuff anymore.

Joe Elliott was like "that was never really us, we just did it cause we had to to get where we are today. We'll aren't interested in playing that stuff anymore..."

I always thought he was an asshole, and well, he is...

[necrotechno]

Vivian Campbell really pissed me off when he was talking some shit about Dio. Something to the effect of, "I got tired of playing all that [makes devil horns] music." Asshole.

[Spivonious]

Cause baby I'm NOT...f f f f foolin

[DonP]

These idiots don't realize that it was the stuff back then that made them famous, and they can't regain that old glory. Back then they played from the heart. Now they play for their pocketbook.

Also notice the LP being used (for the whiners and pussys that say you can't shred on an LP or an LP is too heavy).

[missionguitars1]

Man...I remember being a HUGE NWOBHM fan back in the early 80's...and counting down the days to Pyromania...trekking out to Rasputin's in Pleasant Hill to pick up the new "record" with a couple of buddies who were also dying to hear it...trekking back home, dropping it on the turntable...and then collectively throwing up...

I might have been another 10 years until I could even THINK about listening to On Through the Night or High n Dry...like a bad tequila hangover....what a bunch of wanker sellouts....that "movie" about them on VH1 really kind of explains the whole plan of "Top 40 Or Else in the U.S." pretty well...the scene of their drummer standing in a random field with one arm left notwithstanding...

[toejam]

On Through The Night and High & Dry are their best albums. Pyromania was decent, but they went to shit after releasing Hysteria.

[Bengal]

High and Dry is thier best. On Through The Night was decent. Pyromania? Somewhat listenable but not really. Anything else? No thanks...

Def Leppard died when they kicked Pete Willis out of the band and got Phil. That's how I see it anyway...

[Number Of The Priest]

I'm a huge fan of every era of Def Leppard.

"Wasted" is an awesome NWOBHM-style song. A few months ago, there used to be a Youtube video of "Wasted" being played in 1999. I'm not kidding you here, it sounded AWESOME being played as recently as 1999 and actually I preferred it over the 1983 "Pyromania" era version posted here.

This particular 1999 video was removed from Youtube... I wish I saved it!! Damn! It was filmed in Japan during the "Euphoria" tour. Here's a video of "Animal" during the same show... Vivian Campbell falls flat on his ass in the middle of the song! http://youtube.com/watch?v=v0l6XQcNNaU

If there's ever a DVD released for that Japan show, I'd snap it up. "Wasted 1999" was awesome.

There was also the "Euphoria" era performance on VH1 Storytellers where one fan wanted to hear "Wasted". Phil started playing the intro riff and the band actually looked like they were all ready to dive right into the song but they cut it short! Damn!! The VH1 Storytellers concert was also removed from Youtube... probably violated copyrights or something... DOUBLE DAMN!!!

Ever heard of the band Seven Witches? Jack Frost is the guitarist. I have a CD of theirs, "Passage To The Other Side", that has their dark cover of "Wasted". MP3 sample: http://defleppard.snaggledworks.com/...s_-_wasted.mp3

EDIT - I think that Rockplast Metal Festival 1983 video clip was the same concert where a whole bunch of rock/metal bands played on two stages... I vaguely remember something about it from one of the Iron Maiden "Piece Of Mind" era concerts on their "Early Days" DVD. For some reason though, there's no high quality version of the Def Leppard segment that I can find anywhere... but holy crap can Joe ever scream in this era.

[Ralph E.]

Ever heard of the band Seven Witches? Jack Frost is the guitarist. I have a CD of theirs, "Passage To The Other Side", that has their dark cover of "Wasted". MP3 sample: http://defleppard.snaggledworks.com/...s_-_wasted.mp3

Ha, funny thing is I was in the studio hangin' with Jack when that record (and a few before it) was done.

I actually was one of the guys that did the "gang vocals" during the chorus for "Wasted" on the Witches cover!

Those were fun times.

p.s. James Riviera (who sang on that Witches record and with Helstar) is a super nice guy and an incredible singer. My wife and I were out hangin' with Jack, James, and a bunch of other people one night watching a cover band (guys Jack knew) and they asked Jack and James to come up a do a song. They covered "Diamonds & Rust" from Priest. James tore it up, he is flat out amazing live.

[Number Of The Priest]

LOL, you're not kidding! I just checked my CD sleeve and it says right there, "Gang vocals by Ralph and Ramon on Wasted".

They covered "Diamonds & Rust" from Priest. James tore it up, he is flat out amazing live.

I got a strong Rob Halford sort of vibe from James Rivera's voice. That guy can friggin' SING!

After some searching on the web, I finally found a high quality MP3 of "Wasted 1999" from the Japan concert. Vivian rips on the solo.

WTF, this song gets HEAVIER with age... Joe doesn't scream like he used to, but the guitars and drums are much more brutal and modern.

http://download306.mediafire.com/zqnbwzt2yjng/dtico2yxkby/07+-+wasted.mp3

[Ralph E.]

Yeah, Joe sounds real enthused introducing it...

and wow, Vivian does still know how to play guitar, nice to hear.

Ya know, not to sidetrack this thread, but i'm waiting for one of these "old" bands to just do an ass kickin' old school record from start to finish. I'm hearing the new Dokken might be that, but if i've heard it once, i've heard it 1000 times and no one ever delivers the goods.

[Number Of The Priest]

Yeah, Joe sounds real enthused introducing it...

They apparently hate playing their old songs.

That introduction wasn't part of the original Youtube video I saw. In the video, Joe actually REALLY gets into the song, doing his oldschool mid-air splits, pumping his fists in the air, etc.

Ya know, not to sidetrack this thread, but i'm waiting for one of these "old" bands to just do an ass kickin' old school record from start to finish. I'm hearing the new Dokken might be that, but if i've heard it once, i've heard it 1000 times and no one ever delivers the goods.

Doing a new album in the style of a classic from their discography, or re-recording old songs? I wouldn't mind either. Def Leppard attempted that with "Euphoria" and considers that album the third in a trilogy of Pyromania/Hysteria/Euphoria. I'm actually waiting for the tighter-than-ever Maiden to redo something like "The Number Of The Beast" in its entirety in the studio with a modern sound and production.

[DonP]

On Through The Night and High & Dry are their best albums. Pyromania was decent, but they went to shit after releasing Hysteria.

I agree with this.

High and Dry is thier best. On Through The Night was decent. Pyromania? Somewhat listenable but not really. Anything else? No thanks...

Def Leppard died when they kicked Pete Willis out of the band and got Phil. That's how I see it anyway...

And I agree with this.

I like Pyromania better than On Through The Night.

The thing i really like is the tone of their guitars. Classic Gibson into Marshall combo.