I got this album in grade 7 I think, and was mocked by the metal heads I hung with because it was too pop (“you should have bought the Fastway record!”). I was fascinated by the processed vocals and still like the album’s sound. I personally feel Lange took his approach too far but I love his work punching up the Boomtown Rats Fine Art record. I recently learned that he wrote Do You Believe in Love, my fav early 80s single. 💃
And I started listening to this album on the drive to work this morning. Have loved it since "creatively acquiring" the cassette from my older brother's room, time and time again.
This resonates big time!! That picture. I love it. I think we had somewhat similar childhoods, in terms of interests and maybe surroundings. Very cool storytelling.
Pyromania is easily my favorite Def Leppard record, and probably in my top 100 albums of all time, of any genre. I can put it on pretty much any time and enjoy it.
I grew up not really liking their earlier stuff, but the commercial hits like "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (number one for four weeks in a row!) hit my adolescent-ass pretty hard. But it wasn't until my 20s that I really started to appreciate this stuff, and appreciate it I did!
That's because you have impeccable taste, at least in this instance. It's hard to argue against its greatness. I also note that sophomore records are often the best by a band, but in this case it was their 3rd full length record when the mojo started coming together.
I must have worn that poor cassette out on many a road trip.
Seriously, I'll bet I've only listened to On Through The Night & High and Dry 5 times total; and that's me betting high. I'm not even 100% sure I've listened to both front to back?
This child of the 80s is swooning for this piece!! MTV was definitely the Def Leppard gateway for me in general and, more specifically, when Pyromania dropped (did we say dropped? No. We said "Was at Strawberry's Tapes and Records RIGHT NOW Mom, please, please drive us, PLEASSSEEE!!"). "Photograph" played in MTV perpetuity it seemed and I sat glassy-eyed trying to decode its mysteries (a murder? a starlet? a jewel heist? so much fog!). My brother had the album on cassette and we would just listen and flip over and over. I think Pyromania helped to cement the, as you say, Mutt Lange signature sound, which was not a bad thing. Everything SOUNDED like a hit, you know what I mean? It was a different kind of tight wall of sound, even on ballads that made the band a cut above Ratt or Cinderella. And probably why so many of the tunes are STILL banging all these years later. :)
The journey to the record store remains sacred and epic and I hope never truly goes away. Like being in a bookstore, there is nothing like that browsing, thumbing through bins and pulling out an album just for the cover art alone. Something transformative there-in all seriousness. And thanks about our Medium panel! I’m so happy you made it; Sarah, Simon, & Eric are the tops! I only wish we had more time...next one! 🤘🏼💥💗
Awesome post, Kevin. I feel ripped off being a little younger and the first tape I ever got was Adrenalize, I recall it being shitty compared to Hysteria and Pyromania. But, gonna go back and try and listen now. Didn't get pyromania until picking up on vinyl as an adult. Still a great record! Let's get, Let's get, Let's get, let's get rocked.
This is such a great piece Kevin, really took me back to my childhood!! I grew up listening to music on my dad’s stereo (Technics and Fisher components). I was quite young (late 70s early 80s) and absolutely over the moon when for Christmas that year I got my own integrated stereo by Lloyds, a company that I haven’t heard of since. Radio tuner, record player, cassette all in one?!? SCORE!!
And then in my mid teens, when I started working and making my own money I remember building a “proper” stereo with separate components (Kenwood) and everything! Sounded “okay” with the old Lloyds speakers. But the summer I was 16 I worked a job that required a bunch of overtime (like all night one weekend) and made more money than I ever thought possible. There was really only one thing to do with all that money - buy good speakers - and what did I end up with? Cerwin Vegas baby!! Damn those hit the spot (much to my parents’ chagrin)!!
On Def Leppard, I loved the music I heard from them on Pyromania/Hysteria but only really listened to the bigger hits and never had the albums.
1983 was the year I veered away from listening to country music and started embracing rock and the Top 40. Pyromania often played in the corner of the pool during swim practice in middle school and I absorbed it piecemeal. Didn't have my own copy until after Hysteria came out and I decided I should have the earlier one too (both on cassette). After reading this, I'll need to listen again. 40 years...wow.
Ha - that's a good comparison -- Soul Asylum. Though I did like DL's recent covers album. I will also argue that High n Dry is as good as Pyromania. Not sure I'm willing to go there with On Through the Night, though it does have two of my all-time favorite DL songs: "Rock Brigade" and "Wasted."
This album blew us away when it came out! I was 14 and in the senior-most bunk at the overnight camp I had been going to for several years. As the big men on camp(us), we dictated the music for the younger guys. "Pyromania" and "Dirty Deeds" were just about all we played that summer. I still get a charge out of pretty much every song on this album, especially my favorite "Too Late For Love".
Thank you! Agreed on the overproduction. I liked Hysteria, but mostly, I think, because all the girls in my class did. What can I say?
I got this album in grade 7 I think, and was mocked by the metal heads I hung with because it was too pop (“you should have bought the Fastway record!”). I was fascinated by the processed vocals and still like the album’s sound. I personally feel Lange took his approach too far but I love his work punching up the Boomtown Rats Fine Art record. I recently learned that he wrote Do You Believe in Love, my fav early 80s single. 💃
Fastway! That's a name I'll bet I haven't heard in 30 years. "Say What You Will" was one of the songs that was on early MTV a lot.
That's lovely
And I started listening to this album on the drive to work this morning. Have loved it since "creatively acquiring" the cassette from my older brother's room, time and time again.
"Creatively acquiring" Lol.
This resonates big time!! That picture. I love it. I think we had somewhat similar childhoods, in terms of interests and maybe surroundings. Very cool storytelling.
Thank you! I think we did too.
Pyromania is easily my favorite Def Leppard record, and probably in my top 100 albums of all time, of any genre. I can put it on pretty much any time and enjoy it.
I grew up not really liking their earlier stuff, but the commercial hits like "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (number one for four weeks in a row!) hit my adolescent-ass pretty hard. But it wasn't until my 20s that I really started to appreciate this stuff, and appreciate it I did!
Pyromania is far and away my favorite from them.
That's because you have impeccable taste, at least in this instance. It's hard to argue against its greatness. I also note that sophomore records are often the best by a band, but in this case it was their 3rd full length record when the mojo started coming together.
I must have worn that poor cassette out on many a road trip.
I'll take it! :)
Seriously, I'll bet I've only listened to On Through The Night & High and Dry 5 times total; and that's me betting high. I'm not even 100% sure I've listened to both front to back?
Kevin, I am presently listening to "On Through the Night" on Pandora. I'll make it through!
But... it's no Pyromania. :(
This child of the 80s is swooning for this piece!! MTV was definitely the Def Leppard gateway for me in general and, more specifically, when Pyromania dropped (did we say dropped? No. We said "Was at Strawberry's Tapes and Records RIGHT NOW Mom, please, please drive us, PLEASSSEEE!!"). "Photograph" played in MTV perpetuity it seemed and I sat glassy-eyed trying to decode its mysteries (a murder? a starlet? a jewel heist? so much fog!). My brother had the album on cassette and we would just listen and flip over and over. I think Pyromania helped to cement the, as you say, Mutt Lange signature sound, which was not a bad thing. Everything SOUNDED like a hit, you know what I mean? It was a different kind of tight wall of sound, even on ballads that made the band a cut above Ratt or Cinderella. And probably why so many of the tunes are STILL banging all these years later. :)
I know /exactly/ what you mean; both sound-wise, and having to get to a record store "right now!".
Waaaay off topic, but while I'm here; I really enjoyed your Medium Day session w/Eric, Simon & Sarah.
The journey to the record store remains sacred and epic and I hope never truly goes away. Like being in a bookstore, there is nothing like that browsing, thumbing through bins and pulling out an album just for the cover art alone. Something transformative there-in all seriousness. And thanks about our Medium panel! I’m so happy you made it; Sarah, Simon, & Eric are the tops! I only wish we had more time...next one! 🤘🏼💥💗
As it looks like one can't attach images to a comment, I've restacked with some bonus content 👍🏻
I'm on it!
Def Leppard’s “Photograph” puts Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph”, Nickleback’s “Photograph”, and Ringo Starr’s “Photograph” all to shame
Haha. Yes!
I'll take Ringo's version 7 out of 10 times. Gotta defend the greatest drummer in rock. (And no I'm not talking about Rick Allen.)
Awesome post, Kevin. I feel ripped off being a little younger and the first tape I ever got was Adrenalize, I recall it being shitty compared to Hysteria and Pyromania. But, gonna go back and try and listen now. Didn't get pyromania until picking up on vinyl as an adult. Still a great record! Let's get, Let's get, Let's get, let's get rocked.
Thank you!
This is such a great piece Kevin, really took me back to my childhood!! I grew up listening to music on my dad’s stereo (Technics and Fisher components). I was quite young (late 70s early 80s) and absolutely over the moon when for Christmas that year I got my own integrated stereo by Lloyds, a company that I haven’t heard of since. Radio tuner, record player, cassette all in one?!? SCORE!!
And then in my mid teens, when I started working and making my own money I remember building a “proper” stereo with separate components (Kenwood) and everything! Sounded “okay” with the old Lloyds speakers. But the summer I was 16 I worked a job that required a bunch of overtime (like all night one weekend) and made more money than I ever thought possible. There was really only one thing to do with all that money - buy good speakers - and what did I end up with? Cerwin Vegas baby!! Damn those hit the spot (much to my parents’ chagrin)!!
On Def Leppard, I loved the music I heard from them on Pyromania/Hysteria but only really listened to the bigger hits and never had the albums.
Thank you, Mark! Those Cerwin Vegas; man, they were something else.
Great piece, Kevin.
1983 was the year I veered away from listening to country music and started embracing rock and the Top 40. Pyromania often played in the corner of the pool during swim practice in middle school and I absorbed it piecemeal. Didn't have my own copy until after Hysteria came out and I decided I should have the earlier one too (both on cassette). After reading this, I'll need to listen again. 40 years...wow.
Thank you! Time flies, doesn't it?
On Through the Night and High n Dry hold up equally as well. After that it’s horrible. Haven’t seen a band nose dive like that since Soul Asylum!
Ha - that's a good comparison -- Soul Asylum. Though I did like DL's recent covers album. I will also argue that High n Dry is as good as Pyromania. Not sure I'm willing to go there with On Through the Night, though it does have two of my all-time favorite DL songs: "Rock Brigade" and "Wasted."
This album blew us away when it came out! I was 14 and in the senior-most bunk at the overnight camp I had been going to for several years. As the big men on camp(us), we dictated the music for the younger guys. "Pyromania" and "Dirty Deeds" were just about all we played that summer. I still get a charge out of pretty much every song on this album, especially my favorite "Too Late For Love".