Page 7 - Classic Rock - The Complete Story of Def Leppard 2019

“The Leps cavort

around the stage with

wild abandon, belying

their tender years.”

Ready, set, go: the youthful
Def Leppard onstage in
Sheffield in 1979.

Kicking off with the punchy Glad I’m Alive, the heavy metal songs,” Joe Elliott says, announcing The rest of the set passes by in a flash: Beyond
Leps cavort around the stage with wild abandon, the masterful When The Walls Came Tumbling Down. The Temple, Sorrow Is A Woman, Emerald (out-
belying their tender years by exuding confidence This leads into Answer To The Master, which in turn Lizzying the original once again), Heat Street, Good
and professionalism. acts as a scene-setter for the evening’s highlight, Morning Freedom, ending with my second- favourite
A superbly executed cover of Bob Seger’s Rosalie Overture. So much stronger than the EP version, the number of the set, Wasted (“I thought you might
(made famous by Thin Lizzy, natch) follows, and song is given the full-on magnum-opus treatment. like that one,” says Joe Elliott afterwards, “it
before you have time to catch your breath Ride Into Indeed, its words – ‘The sun, the moon, the darkened reminds me of Kiss”) and returning to play Getcha
The Sun erupts from the PA, the hoary old ‘driving sky/The morning dew reflecting in my eye/The rising mist, Rocks Off as the encore.
at high speed’ lyrical chestnut sounding fresh and the dampened earth/They’re just reminders of what life’s Def Leppard leave the stage for the final time. Joe
alive once more: ‘It’s such an easy feelin’ with the wind in worth’ – recall the bleak optimism of Rush’s classic Elliott’s mum comes over to me with a glum face
my hair/I’m burnin’ up the rubber and I don’t really care/ 2112. Of the Leps’ future pop-rockin’ direction, and says: “I don’t know how you stood the noise.”
Cos I’m riding into the sun.’ there is not a sign. You’ve probably gathered that But at the same time you couldn’t help but notice
“This next song is about destruction, like all by now. the twinkle of excitement in her eyes.

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