036: Def Leppard - Hysteria (1987)
Once one of the biggest bands in the world, Def Leppard is now a bit of a joke among “serious” rock fans. But do they deserve that? Amanda thinks not, and does her best to convince Rich, Mike, and Phil that Hysteria is a truly excellent album. Even if you’re not on board with Mutt Lange’s super-shiny production, this is a terrific bunch of songs, and very much worth any music fan’s time. Yes, even “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” Especially “Pour Some Sugar On Me.”
Miscellany
We mentioned that the guys in the band all had very supportive parents. In fact, toward the end of the Pyromania tour, the whole band flew their parents out to California to join the tour for a couple of weeks, so they could see what their kids had been working on all that time.
Apparently “Women” was Def Leppard’s attempt to write a pro-women song. We are skeptical about whether they were successful.
The “Women of Doom” t-shirt is available on eBay! Amanda still wants one. Definitely not this one, though.
Mike gave us an excellent explanation of the Fairlight synthesizer back in our Kate Bush episode.
During “Love Bites,” Mike referenced a commercial for Monster Ballads, a compilation that was advertised a lot in the ‘90s, the same way Pure Moods was. It does not actually include any Def Leppard songs, but it does have Boston’s classic “Amanda.”
As Amanda mentioned, she live-tweeted Hysteria last year, and some of the things she said there are very different from what she said in the episode! It’s interesting how opinions can change when you’re listening closely to something you’ve known for decades.
After we recorded this episode, Mike realized that the end of “Gods of War” is an obvious homage to the Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).”
The mud shark rumor is about Led Zeppelin, not Def Leppard. It is vile and only partially true.
Other links
Live: In the Round, In Your Face (YouTube)
Def Leppard: Behind the Music (YouTube)
An audio engineer reacts to “Photograph” (YouTube)
The Hysteria Files with Phil Collen (YouTube)
Pour Some Godzilla On Me (YouTube)
This commercial that John likes (YouTube)
Adrenalized: Life, Def Leppard, and Beyond (Amazon affiliate link)
It’s time for a critical reappraisal of Def Leppard, whether you like it or not (Salon)
John’s complete review of Civilization Phaze III (John McFerrin Music Reviews)
Discord & Rhyme’s Hysteria playlist (Spotify)
Discord & Rhyme Roll Call
Amanda Rodgers (host)
Phil Maddox (moderator)
Rich Bunnell
Mike DeFabio
John McFerrin (guest appearance)
Hysteria tracklist
Women
Rocket
Animal
Love Bites
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Armageddon It
Gods of War
Don’t Shoot Shotgun
Run Riot
Hysteria
Excitable
Love and Affection
Other clips used
Def Leppard:
Photograph
Rock of Ages
Others:
Todd Rundgren - You Need Your Head
Limozeen - Because, It’s Midnite
The Drummers of Burundi - Live at Real World
Animal - Wipe Out
Heart - Nothin’ At All
Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax
King Crimson - Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 2
Pink Floyd - Goodbye Blue Sky
David Bowie - Heroes
Badfinger - Day After Day
Cream - White Room
The Cars - Drive
Iron Maiden - Aces High
Judas Priest - You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Songs we mentioned but didn’t clip
Def Leppard:
Getcha Rocks Off
No Matter What
Others:
The Moody Blues - Your Wildest Dreams
Yes - Into the Lens
Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks
The Barbarians - Moulty
Richard Marx - Hold On to the Nights
Richard Marx - Endless Summer Nights
Spinal Tap - Rock and Roll Creation
R.E.M. - Drive
King Crimson - Starless
Lou Reed - Satellite of Love
Charlie Erickson, Joel Hodgson, and Josh Weinstein - Love Theme from Mystery Science Theater 3000
Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
Joni Mitchell - The Jungle Line
The Moody Blues - Don’t You Feel Small
Paula Cole - Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?
Smashing Pumpkins - Rocket
Billy Joel - We Didn’t Start the Fire
The Moody Blues - Higher and Higher
Shania Twain - You’re Still the One
Pearl Jam - Animal
Poison - Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Dave Matthews Band - Lover Lay Down
Mr. Big - To Be with You
Nazareth - Love Hurts
J. Geils Band - Love Stinks
Yahoo - Mordida de Amor
Judas Priest - Love Bites
Bon Jovi - Livin’ on a Prayer
Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
Prince and the Revolution - When Doves Cry
Hall and Oates - I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)
Run-DMC - Walk This Way
Queen - We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions
T. Rex - Bang a Gong (Get It On)
Led Zeppelin - D’yer Mak’er
The Clash - White Riot
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Bob Dylan - Masters of War
Badfinger - No Matter What
Prince and the Revolution - Computer Blue
The Romantics - Talking in Your Sleep
The Fixx - One Thing Leads to Another
Outkast - So Fresh, So Clean
Pink Floyd - Summer ‘68
The Bloodhound Gang - The Bad Touch
Joan Armatrading - Love and Affection
Michael Jackson - The Lady in My Life
Janet Jackson - Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)
Iron Maiden - Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Band/album personnel
Joe Elliott - lead vocals, backing vocals
Steve Clark - guitars, backing vocals
Phil Collen - guitars, backing vocals
Rick Savage - bass guitar, backing vocals
Rick Allen - drums, backing vocals
Robert John “Mutt” Lange - production, backing vocals, lamination
Credits
“Discord & Rhyme (theme),” composed by the Other Leading Brand, contains elements of:
Amon Düül II - Dehypnotized Toothpaste
The Dukes of Stratosphear - What in the World?? ...
Faith No More - Midlife Crisis
Herbie Hancock - Hornets
Kraftwerk - Autobahn
Talking Heads - Seen and Not Seen
Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On Me (this episode only)
You can buy or stream Hysteria and other albums by Def Leppard at the usual suspects such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Amazon [affiliate link]. Follow Discord & Rhyme on Twitter @DiscordPod for news, updates, and other random stuff. Special thanks to Rich Bunnell for editing and Mike DeFabio, The Other Leading Brand, for production. See you next album, and be ever wonderful.