Page 56 - Classic Rock - The Complete Story of Def Leppard 2019

In 1983, Pyromania, the third album from NWOBHM chancers Def Leppard turned them
into superstars on fire overnight. British metal was taking on the world – and winning.

STORY: PAUL ELLIOTT PHOTOGRAPHY: ROSS HALFIN

t was the album that turned Def Leppard into superstars. rock record with the punch of AC/DC and the
A multi-platinum phenomenon so huge that only Michael twin-guitar cut-and-thrust of classic Thin Lizzy.
Jackson’s Thriller, the biggest-selling album of all time, prevented But as Joe Elliott admits: “That album didn’t do
it from reaching No.1 in America. It was a state-of-the-art what we all hoped it would. And touring the UK
masterpiece that reinvented arena rock in the 1980s, that drove was a complete waste of time. We were pulling in
its creators half mad in the search for perfection, and led Phil 400-500 people in 2000-seat theatres.”
Lynott to claim it as the reason why he split Thin Lizzy. Leppard finished touring High ‘N’ Dry by
Famously dubbed ‘arson-oriented rock’, Pyromania made Def supporting Judas Priest on the European leg of the
Leppard the biggest British rock export since Led Zeppelin. And latter’s Point Of Entry tour. Sandwiched between
for the band’s singer, Joe Elliott, a working-class lad from Priest and Teutonic headbangers Accept, Leppard
ISheffield, it was a boyhood fantasy come true. made little impact on the massed ranks of denim-
and-leather-clad metalheads. On December 12, in
Amsterdam, the tour ended on a miserable note.
“When I watched Marc Bolan on reached No.15 in the UK chart. The band’s passports were stolen from their tour
Top Of The Pops, I just wanted to be But within months of this bus, forcing Leppard to miss the last two shows
up on that same stage, covered in triumph the young band would in Germany. And Pete Willis, their diminutive,
glitter and wearing women’s discover just how tough the heavy-drinking guitarist, pulled a particularly
shoes,” Elliott recalls. “I dreamed music business really is. stupid stunt – and not for the first time – by letting
of being the singer in the biggest In August 1980 Leppard’s off a fire extinguisher in a hotel. The prank cost
rock’n’roll band in the world. appearance at the Reading Willis £275. Def Leppard returned to Britain
Pyromania made it happen.” Festival was met with a hail of exhausted and frustrated, bloodied but unbowed.
On a freezing night in the bottles. A cover story in Sounds “There’s no such thing as a lack of confidence
winter of 1978, 19-year-old Joe – written by Classic Rock’s Geoff when you’re 21 years old,” Elliott says.
Elliott was walking home through Barton and provocatively titled
Sheffield city centre after a night ‘Has the Leppard changed its EF LEPPARD and Mutt Lange were a
in the pub. He and three other members of Def spots?’ – had led many British rock fans to believe perfect fit. The band had thought so
Leppard – guitarists Steve Clark and Pete Willis that the band had sold out. The title of Leppard’s Deven before they’d heard Highway To
and bassist Rick ‘Sav’ Savage – were so broke that single, Hello America, didn’t help. Hell and Back In Black. They loved the late-70s
their last drink was a single pint of bitter with four One year later, Barton gave Leppard’s second new wave-era pop hits Mutt had produced: The
straws in it. As he came to the City Hall, Sheffield’s album, High ‘N’ Dry, a rave review. But the damage Motors’ Dancing The Night Away, City Boy’s 5.7.0.5.,
leading music venue, Joe pulled a piece of chalk had been done; in Britain the album peaked much the Boomtown Rats’ chart-topping post-punk
from his pocket and wrote on the wall beside the lower than On Through The Night, at No.26. anthem Rat Trap.
City Hall’s front doors: ‘DEF LEPPARD WILL As Barton proclaimed, High ‘N’ Dry was a huge With AC/DC’s Back In Black, Mutt proved that he
PLAY HERE IN 1980!’ leap forward for Def Leppard. Produced by Robert was the best hard rock producer in the business,
His prophecy came true. On April 10, 1980, Def John ‘Mutt’ Lange, the man who had worked on yet he was equally adept at the art of the pop
Leppard played a sold-out show at the City Hall, AC/DC’s Highway To Hell and Back In Black and single. Combining the two had always been Def
after their debut album On Through The Night Foreigner’s 4, High ‘N’ Dry was a blistering hard Leppard’s aim.
Leppard spent just three months in the studio
with Mutt making High ‘N’ Dry, but even in a
“THERE’S NO SUCH THING relatively short period they made significant
progress. “High ‘N’ Dry was a big improvement on
AS A LACK OF CONFIDENCE the first album,” Elliott says. “Songwriting,
performance, sound, production, everything. And
WHEN YOU’RE 21 YEARS with the third album, we wanted to make the
same kind of leap. We didn’t want to be making
High ‘N’ Dry II. We’d gone from one to three, so we
OLD.” – JOE ELLIOTT had to go from three to five, not three to four.”
Mutt Lange shared this vision. He told the

54 CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM