Christmas is coming....

Hey everyone,

With the holidays fast approaching everything is busy busy busy. I bought the newest Bon Jovi CD, The Circle, shortly after it came out and I haven’t even took it out of the wrapper yet. I will be posting a review as soon as I do get the chance to give a listen or two all the way through.

I did get all my holiday shopping completed (just about) and decided that I owed myself a treat and purchased myself a new acoustic Seagull guitar. If there are any guitar experts out there feel free to let me know how they are. (no negative comment please because I have already made the investment – haha). I haven’t been finding the time to play and I plan on trying to change that so I made the purchase. I am far from a great player, but enjoy the quiet contentment I get from playing the guitar with myself or others.

In addition to my forthcoming thoughts on the new Bon Jovi disc I am attempting to put together a list of favorite rock and roll holiday songs. Hopefully, it will appear sometime over the weekend.

I decided to end today with something with a bit of holiday spirit. Here is one of my favorites, Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell, playing the holiday selection Merry Christmas Everyone. He’s a decent singer too. Enjoy!! Back soon!!

Finding Common Ground

Has anyone seen this one? I heard Def Leppard were doing the CMT program Crossroads and made a point to tune in and check it out. So what do you think of this? A quick search on the Internet and plenty of criticism can be from people accusing Def Leppard of simply looking for exposure by sponging off a new top selling young artist of today.

A little harsh I think. I think it’s good fun. It’s the first time I sat and watched the program Crossroads in its entirety. The Def Leppard songs sound great and I enjoyed watching the boys play and sing along with Taylor Swift’s numbers too. Everyone genuinely looked like they were having fun on stage and the merger really worked.

I was aware of the show Crossroads before now and some of the acts that have played together. But I wasn’t aware of the extensive list of acts to have performed on this program since 2002 until I looked it up on Wikipedia. Like MTV’s Unplugged, this is a neat idea for a show and one I should really tune into more often.

I am not really a big county music fan apart from a few artists so I really don’t follow what’s happening on CMT, but I think I will check their schedule for Crossroads more often. Who from the world of rock would you like to see make an appearance on this show, if anyone at all? The first person that comes to mind for me is Bruce Springsteen. How about push it a little more? Bring in a band like KISS, Aerosmith or The Who. Just a few quick names popping into my mind as I type.

So what are your thoughts on CMT’s Crossroads? Here's Def Leppard and Taylor Swift performing Photograph. Have a good one!!

Some Random Weekend Notes

My two passions come together in one. Def Leppard have teamed up with the NHL and will be playing a concert in Detroit as the Red Wings’ Stanley Cup championship banner is raised to the rafters at the team’s home opener. Hockey is also a favorite past time of mine, and Def Lepaard is one of my all time favorite bands. To add additional flavor to the event only one person from my native Newfoundland and Labrador have ever been on a Stanley Cup winning team. And that person is Dan Clearly of this current Detroit championship team. So it seems like an event I really should be at, but….I won’t.

Speaking of Def Leppard, I have been listening to their guitarist’s Phil Collen’s side project, Man Raze’s debut CD. A more detailed review is forthcoming.

I came so close to booking flights and tickets for a weekend in Boston that would have included a Celtics’ game on Friday night, a Bruins’ game on Saturday night, and more importantly an ACDC concert on Sunday night. The timing just wasn’t right, but now ACDC has suddenly moved to the top of the list of concerts I want to see. There are a lot of bands I would like to check out, but right now for the rock spectacle atmosphere there may be no better fit than ACDC.

Speaking of concerts I am less than a month away from seeing Alice Cooper perform live. I have never seen Cooper perform and I am hoping I am in for a treat. This one is titled the Psycho Drama Tour. I am wondering what type of antics and drama we will see unfold on stage. But I am keeping the promise to myself and I am not checking out detailed reviews or YouTube until after the show.

Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham has a new solo CD, titled Gift of Screws that has me intrigued. I have always like Buckingham and this effort is described as a return to rock. Watching Buckingham perform solo is impressive, especially his rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s Big Love from the Seven Wonders album. He does this alone with only an acoustic guitar and I’ve seen footage of it from a couple different concerts. It blew me away each time. Buckingham also confirmed in Rolling Stone that there were some talks of Sheryl Crowe joining Fleetwood Mac for a tour to take Christine McVie’s place. They decided against it saying that bringing someone in just to do McVie’s parts would reduce the band to a lounge act. I don’t know, over a long career most bands have to face lineup changes, just like any sports team or place of business. Crowe is an established artist and bringing her in would have made for an interesting mix and tour I think.

That’s all for now. Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. In my part of the world the weather is awesome today, so I think it’s time to get out and enjoy it before winter creeps in faster than I’d like think.

My Summer Soundtrack

One thing I love about music is the memories associated with it; a song or an album can instantly take you back to a certain time and place. Often when I hear a particular track I will instantly remember a certain time and what was going on in my life.

One of the funniest examples for me was during the holiday season. My friend and I were just teenagers and at the time really into Def Leppard’s Hysteria album, and during the break from school we were really stuck on the song Armageddon It. That season we listened to that song over and over to the point that we starting calling it a Christmas song. Now, over 20 years later, anytime I hear that song I think of the holidays. In fact, it stirs up more festive feelings in me than most traditional holiday music.

As this summer winds down I (I hate to say that), any of the songs below may remind me of the previous few months.

10. Take Me Home, Danko Jones. I wasn’t a big fan of the album it came from, Never Too Loud, but this song stuck with me a little. If I was ever on a short drive by myself, and wanted to listen to one or two songs, I often played this one.

9. Never Walk Away, Journey. This double CD set surprised me. The lead off track from the disc containing new songs in the set is another I may have played on short drives. Journey delivered on this release, a lot of the songs were fun summertime music.

8. Cheap Champagne, Sloan. This song comes from their album titled Parallel Play. It is a fun summer sounding album all round. This is one of my favorite tracks on it.

7. The Pretender, Foo Fighters. I was a little late getting the Foo Fighter’s latest release, Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace. This is one great album start to finish and throughout the summer I have listened to it a lot. The lead off song here is just the first of many great ones on the record.

6. Longest Days, John Mellencamp. This is another album that surprised me. I played the entire disc through many times over the last couple of months. When we were camping during those quiet moments at night when the kids were sleeping, it sounded great. This lead off track is one of my favorites on the album.

5. Go, Def Leppard. Finally, one of my long time favorite bands come back with a great album of original songs. And as fate would have it, Joe Elliot got sick back in April and had to reschedule Def Leppard’s Ottawa show for August. As luck would have it I was planning on visiting this city in that same month. The song Go is the lead off track, and apparently they added it their set list the night before I saw them. I love the track and was delighted to hear it live.

4. Summertime, Bon Jovi This one came along for me in the early summer phases. We have a tradition here at my home; every July 1st we celebrate Canada Day with great food, drinks and good times with 50 plus guests. I always make a mix of music for the event and this track was included. I recall standing in front of the BBQ, with the sun shining down, a cold beverage in hand while surrounded by many good friends and family as Jon Bon Jovi declared, “Feels something like summertime!” It was a near perfect moment.

3. Runnin Wild, Airbourne. This is one of many great songs from their album of the same name. I played this CD a lot in July, especially in my car. Be warned: This album may cause speeding!!

2. Straight to Hell, Great Big Sea. For readers who are not aware of Great Big Sea, they are a great Canadian traditional/folk/rock band. Their latest release Fortune's Favour is probably their most rockin' effort to date. The final track on it is a great rock song that tells the story of someone who makes a deal with the devil and exhanges their soul for a great life of partying first. It is humorous and a lot of fun, and it does rock. A full post on Great Big Sea is something I am planning on doing.

1. Vengeance is Mine, Alice Cooper. If Airbourne’s Running Wild was the album of July for me, then Alice Cooper’s Along Came a Spider was the album of August. I love this album and every song on it. Vengeance is Mine is the second track on it. Once I am listening to this one, I know I want to let it play through to the end, and often do.

What about you? What were you listening to this summer? Speaking of summer, enjoy the rest of it!

My Favorite Cover Songs

Some cover songs stay true to the original and some totally reinvent the song. There are some that are far better than the original and some are much worse. Here are ten that stood out to me.

10. Pour Some Sugar on Me, Cover by Emm Gryner. Original by Def Leppard. Emm Gryner is a Canadian signer-songwriter, but on her album Girl Versions she covers a variety of rock and heavy metal songs. Pour Some Sugar On Me never sounded so sexy as she slows it down and sings it accompanied by a piano. It is probably the most interesting and different cover on the list.

9. Like a Rolling Stone. Cover by the Rolling Stones. Original by Bob Dylan. It was fate that The Rolling Stones would eventually cover this song. Although I also love Bob Dylan’s original version of this classic, I also like how the Stones liven it up. Mick Jagger sings through the songs many lyrics very well.

8. Turn the Page. Cover by Metallica. Original by Bob Segar. Not too different than the original, but the guitars are more powerful. The song is about the frustrations from being on the road, and Metallica makes it sound angrier, as it should. I can feel the emotion more from this cover version.

7. Signs, Cover by Tesla. Original by Five Man Electrical Band. I have fond memories of this song and the album it came from, Five Man Acoustical Jam. I recall being a teenager playing this one often on my old acoustic guitar while everyone else sang along. I definitely liked Tesla’s version better than the original.

6. Rock On. Cover by Def Leppard. Original by David Essex. I don’t like the original version of this song. And I didn’t like Michael Damian’s version of this song in the 80’s. I shuddered when I heard Def Leppard were adding this one to their cover album. However, this version of the song finally won me over. About half way through the guitars hit loud and heavy and I think it finally sounds like it should. This song went over well and sounded fantastic at a recent Def Leppard concert I attended.

5. Smooth Criminal. Cover by Alien Ant Farm. Original by Michael Jackson. A Michael Jackson song never sounded so cool. I found this cover hard to resist and fun to listen to every time.

4. Whiskey in the Jar. Cover by Metallica. The original is an old Irish song but probably best known by Thin Lizzy who made it famous in the 70’s. Metallica’s version of this song is not overly heavy for them, but it is the heaviest version of the song I ever heard. Coming from the east coast of Canada, it is common to hear this song sung as a sea shanty, so I loved the change in pace with the heavy metal version.

3. The Zoo. Cover by Bruce Dickinson. Original by The Scorpions. These two versions are not overly different. Bruce Dickinson makes it sound fantastic. Come to think of it, he makes everything sound great. Have I ever mentioned I love Iron Maiden?

2. Boys of Summer. Cover by The Ataris. Original by Don Henley. I enjoyed Don Henley’s original version of this hit in the 80’s and remember it well when it came out. However, add some powerful guitar to suit my taste and I like this one even more than the original.

1. Hurt. Cover by Johnny Cash. Original by Nine Inch Nails. Occasionally, I like to step outside the world of rock. This Nine Inch Nails cover was truly haunting. The rest of the album, American IV: The Man Comes Around was great too.

You know I am sure there are many great covers over the years that I am forgetting. What are your favorites? Or what was worst cover version of a song you ever heard?

Concert Review, Def Leppard live in Ottawa, Ontario

Def Leppard performing at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario.

Ottawa, Ontario and a sold out capacity crowd at Scotiabank Place was the scene for this stop on Def Leppard’s current tour. A crowd of a reported 13 000 eagerly awaited for the lads as the crew put the final touches on Def Leappard’s stage after supporter Billy Idol finished his set. The stage had a catwalk on the front that extended through the first several rows and a large catwalk elevated behind with Rick Allen’s drums in the center. There were several mics placed around the set allowing the band to move all over the large stage, which they did energetically throughout the night.

The house lights faded and a large screen, which stretched the entire length of the set from behind the stage, worked through an impressive visual display of images from the band’s early career up to the current Songs from the Sparkle Lounge release. All the while a guitar solo played through until the images ceased, and after brief moment of silence, a spotlight fell on vocalist Joe Elliot, and he simply proclaimed - “guitars”. At that point a power chord from Phil Collin was struck and it was back to Joe to declare - “drums”. That cued Rick Allen and within moments the band were belting out the first number of the night, Rocket, from the Hysteria album. The large screen continued to flash between various visually appeasing images, as well as the boys themselves as they energetically moved around the stage. An extensive light show also ensued and continued throughout the night. The tone was pretty much set for the evening.

The band, as expected, gave the crowd what they wanted. All the well known numbers from Hysteria and Pyromania, their two most successful albums, were there. The band has been known for being steady on performing these songs over the years and continuingly giving the people what they want. However, I was hoping to also hear some tracks from their latest release, their best effort in years in my opinion. And they did not disappoint in this department either giving three tracks in total from the new album. First up was the current single from the new album, C’mon C’cmon. It was met with a decent response as Joe did manage to get the crowd singing along in parts of the chorus. Shortly after the band played the lead off track from the new disc, Go, which did not get a great response from the crowd. Perhaps the best received new song of the night was Bad Actress, their first encore number. It went over well and sounded great performed live. Notably missing was the first single from the new album, Nine Lives.

One of the highlights occured midway through the night when the band performed a brief acoustic set performing Two Steps Behind and Brining on the Heart Break. Another highlight for me was the performance of Switch 625. For those unfamiliar, this is a great rockin’ instrumental number from their second release, High and Dry. I always loved this track and it was awesome to hear it live.

The show did not disappoint, the band once again looked like they were having a great time on stage and they sounded fantastic. Joe’s vocals held up through the show. He did appear to have some trouble with the highs on some songs, but he sounded just fine on more. The most impressive of the night were guitarists Phil Collin and Vivian Campbell. Their playing was tight and they looked as cool as ever on stage.

My only two slight criticisms of the show were as follows. At times I felt the sound was a bit too heavy on the base. However, it was only slight, and did not take away from the performance for me. Secondly, although Joe Elliot displayed about as much energy as he had 20 years ago and was as impressive as ever on stage, he did not interact with crowd much in between numbers. Like my first Def Leppard concert in ’92, for the most it was one song after another. I always enjoy a story or two from the band in between the music. It creates a kind of personal connection with the artists that you cannot get from a recording.

The band has been known for the live performance over the years and on this night it was easy to why. A 30 to 40’ish year old crowd sang along, danced and cheered loudly through the night. It was a great performance and fantastic night all round.

Here was the setlist in order: Rocket, Animal, C’mon, C’mon, Foolin’, Make Love Like a Man, Go, Love Bites, Rock On, Two Steps Behind, Brining on the Heartbreak, Switch 625, Hysteria Armageddon It, Pour Some Sugar on Me, Rock of Ages. Two encore numbers were Bad Actress and Let’s Get Rocked.

Past Concert Experiences - Def Leppard, 1992

I’ll be seeing Def Leppard perform in a little over a week and will be reviewing that show right here of course. So I thought what a great time to reflect upon my first Def Leppard concert back in 1992. I have written about this show briefly before, but here’s a more thorough review, as well as my memory serves me.

I grew up with Def Leppard since the Pyromania days and I was pumped to have the chance to see my teenage idols perform live. They were towards the end of the tour supporting the Adrenalize album, and a huge crowd gathered for this outdoor concert. They were the headliners that evening for a show that also included April Wine, Ugly Kid Joe and Meat Loaf.

I was not overly interested in any of the other performers, but watched them all. Briefly, my thoughts on the supporting acts were as follows. April Wine did not put off a good performance and the sound left much to be desired. Ugly Kid Joe had a few moments and were mildly entertaining. I did have their America’s Least Wanted album, and thought it was ‘OK’ at best. ‘OK’ best described their set that night too. Next up was Meat Loaf. I am not, and never was, a fan of Meat Loaf’s music. However, for the 60 plus minutes he performed that evening, he was very entertaining. He displayed great stage presence, got the audience into it and sounded spot on. This was an outdoor concert, and during Meat Loaf’s set I politely edged my way forward. By the time the crew were setting up for Def Leppard there was nothing in front of me but the stage.

It was just dark by the time Def Leppard hit the stage, which served well for the laser lights that danced through the air during the show. The band walked out and the first two notes of Rock Rock ‘Til You Drop (from Pyromania) were struck. A strobe light flashed in the darkness as Joe Elliot literally jumped up and down over and over again while the song’s intro was played. Once the stage was fully lit Joe grabbed the mic while wearing a plain white t-shit with the word ‘Slut’ right across it’s front.

Watching this concert was very similar to watching their ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’ and ‘Armageddon It’ concert videos. They looked and often acted the same. But if they were just going through the motions that night, you certainly couldn’t tell. The band had plenty of energy and fantastic stage presence. Base player Rick Savage seemed to do the most to connect with those of us in front, as he spent most of his time in between songs passing out high fives to us all. Joe did speak to the crowd on a few occasions throughout the show, but for the most it was one song after another.

The setlist that night was as follows. They opened with Rock Rock Til You Drop, Women was second, and Another Hit and Run (from High and Dry) was third. From here I can’t recall the exact order but they performed Rocket, Animal, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Armageddon It, Hysteria, Foolin’, Two Steps Behind, Make Love Like a Man, and Bringin’ on the Heartbreak. They closed the set with Do You Wanna Get Rocked? After a brief intermission they played two numbers for the encore, first Love Bites and then ended the night with Rock of Ages. The band sounded great as they performed all of these songs. One criticism the band has met over the years is that Joe Elliot’s vocals can be shaky at times. Not the case for this show, as good a singer as Joe can be, he was this evening. There was a lengthy ovation after the final number of the night.

I can’t say much negative about this concert. It would have been nice if they played a little longer, but it was an outdoor concert in the middle of a city and didn’t start until dark. Also, they didn’t play one of their signature songs from Pyromania, Photograph. Apparently, that song has found its way back into their set list. So how will Def Leppard 1992 compare to Def Leppard 2008? Stayed tuned, in less than two weeks I should have a full review of the new show posted.

Def Leppard and Poison Feud

There’s an interesting war of words playing out between Poison and Def Leppard. It always troubles me when bands start doing this, and it amazes me how fueled fans get over it all. All bands have a fan base and have something to offer those who enjoy listening to their music. I’ve always come from the school of thought just like what you like, and you shouldn’t have to defend it. Many of my metalhead friends can’t handle the fact that I love metal, but also listen to Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, etc. I always say why not?

On the Def Leppard website it is indicated that this is not a serious feud, but mostly friendly banter. I guess it’s all good publicity for those involved either way. If you want to check it out head on over to the Def Leppard website where they provide a decent summary and links to get all the details. Not being biased here either, at the time of writing this, I couldn’t find anything on the Poison website on the matter.

Entertainment Weekly and the 1980s

Entertainment Weekly recently published a copy of their popular magazine that revealed their choices for the “new classics”. The top 100 movies, albums, TV programs, and books in the last 25 years were ranked.

The choice for their number one classic album in the last quarter of a century was Prince’s Purple Rain. After some reflection, this was a decent selection. Prince is not normally of my personal taste, but I do respect the man’s musical ability. Purple Rain was also a strong album, a rockin’ album, and I admit to having owned the cassette. It is the only Prince album I have ever purchased.

However I write this entry to take exception to the lack of true 80’s hard rock on the list. For a time hard rock and hair bands reigned supreme and if you are going to pay tribute to the last 25 years, you should acknowledge all of the fads and phases. The only album I can find in the top 100 from this genre is Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction coming in at number 30. Definitely should be on this list, perhaps even higher.

I can understand this is a list of 100 albums from all musical genres over the last 25 years and must have been difficult to put together. But I thought a few more from the “hair band generation” should have been presented. What about Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet or one of the biggest selling albums of the time, Def Leppard’s Hysteria? The only heavy metal album I can find there is Metallica’s self titled 1991 release. What about an Iron Maiden or a Judas Priest entry? They were, and continue to be, highly influential metal acts. The complete list of Entertainment Weekly’s choices can be found here.

Without our further ado, here are my top 10 hard rock/heavy metal albums released in the 80’s. My list is different than Entertainment Weekly’s, in that it covers the 80’s only and it is strictly a personal top 10 list of favorites from that time.

10. Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi. Being a teenager at the time it was hard not to get into this. Still the most fun record they’re ever put out.
9. Open Up and Say Ahhh, Poison. This band doesn’t have a lot of strong albums, but this one plays start to finish as a great party record. And I partied to it often.
8. Permanent Vacation, Aerosmith. Successfully launched the band’s comeback and another great party album. One of the band’s strongest efforts too.
7. Appetite for Destruction, Guns N’ Roses. Gun’s N’ Roses exploded onto the scene while supporting this release. This is a fantastic hard rock album. For me, it was the only strong release the band ever put out, I did not embrace another G N’R record after this debut.
6. And Justice for All, Metallica. This is the one that turned me onto metal. I heard this and was immediately addicted. From here I went back and started listening to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and have been in love with metal ever since.
5. Road Apples, The Tragically Hip. No other band has a complete body of work that I thoroughly enjoy as much as the Hip’s (with the exception of Iron Maiden). Road Apples was the first for me and is still one of my favorites.
4. Pyromania, Def Leppard. If you’ve read some of my other posts you’ll know of my affection for Def Leppard. This is the one that got me hooked on the band and hard guitar driven rock.
3. Turbo, Judas Priest. They are Masters of Metal. After Metallica got me into the genre this album, as well as others by Priest, soon followed.
2. Number of the Beast, Iron Maiden. One of my all time favorite bands. Once I started listening to this album I wanted all the rest of their material. Like the Hip, this band also has a huge collection of work, all that I enjoy thoroughly.
1. Hysteria Def Leppard. The long wait between Pyromania and this record did not disappoint. The album did represent the transition from a hard rock band to more of a pop/rock sound. However, it was the CD of my youth and the one disc I have listened from start to finish more than any other.

I’ve just decided lists are hard to do, so I can appreciate Entertainment Weekly’s efforts even more. I am looking at my list above and I can’t believe that Motley Crue’s Shout at the Devil and Van Halen’s 1984 are not there. Difficult, but still fun, what are your favorites from that time?

Time to reflect on some concert experiences

I have seen a lot of concerts from small acts-small venues to larger names-larger arenas. As many that I have seen there are still more that I have not and still hope to get the opportunity. To me a rock concert is a special experience, almost holy in a way. After you have seen many concerts over the years, there are different reasons why some stand out over others. Maybe it’s a just an all time favorite artist, or a band that simply came out and rocked you, or just the opposite – one that stunk the place out. Although there are many I may eventually write about, here are just three that stood out to me for different reasons.

Platinum Blonde
I am sure this one is surprising you. Either you are saying a) your kidding??!!!? or b) who’s Platinum Blonde? Just in case you selected b, if you grew up in Canada the early 80s, you knew this band well. For a few years they were superstars and they were my first rock concert. This was the first time I was ever crammed into an arena with 10 000 other people and witnessed the big stage, the lights, the explosives and at the time, the stardom of the band. I often joke that it was a life changing experience for me. From that night on there was no turning back and I have been hooked on the experience ever since. As for Platinum Blonde, well, their star faded a few years later. However, I still say their first album, Standing in the Dark, is a great listen. It was produced by David Tickle, who also worked with Prince, The Police, Sheryl Crow and others. Unfortunately Platinum Blonde’s other efforts do not stand up. No matter what they were, or were not, the magic of that first concert will live on for me.

Def Leppard
As a teenager, I worshipped Def Leppard. I was immediately hooked on the sounds of Pyromania and shortly after had their first two releases, On Through the Night and High on Dry, in my possession. I had a bit of a wait for the next release, but it was well worth it when Hysteria finally hit the shelves. I didn’t get to see the band during any of their tours supporting these records, but when they hit the stage after the release of Andrenalize I got my chance. I was obviously very excited as I anticipated this show. Because I was such a big fan, it was one of those concerts where the band probably couldn’t have done anything wrong for me, I was just so glad to be seeing my teenage idols perform (front row too I may add). I am happy to say that they did not disappoint anyone in the audience that night. A lively crowd sang along to all their hits and the boys gave it everything they had. It is always special when you see anyone you have been such a big fan of for a long time, and even more special when the artist gives such a great performance. In less than a month I will be seeing Def Leppard in concert for the second time and it will no doubt be somewhat of a different experience for me. But I must admit the anticipation is building again to levels that it did first time around. Stay tuned for a review of the show.

Pearl Jam
The night I saw Pearl Jam play all the stars aligned to make another truly magical experience. I have never been in an arena where you could sense such a high level of anticipation and excitement from the audience while waiting for the band. The place was obviously full of people who felt the same way about Pearl Jam as I did about Def Leppard. As I sat and waited, I wondered why type of set list the band might play. I had my own dream set list for the concert, but had no idea what to expect. When the lights went down, and after the loudest ovation I ever heard from a crowd occurred, the band broke into one song after another that I wanted to hear. After the first 10 or 12 songs, the band had me hooked, and did play some material I wasn’t overly familiar with. But as I said, I was hooked by then and into the show. The crowd tremendously continued to show their appreciation and enthusiasm. Later in the show, they played more familiar material, some cover songs, and Eddie Vedder entertained us with some funny antidotes and stories. Also the in total length of the show was not quite three hours, but close. An awesome night all round!

As always feel free to send along some of yours. What was your favorite concert? What was your worst?

Songs from the Sparkle Lounge and other Def Leppard thoughts

For years now Def Leppard fans have been waiting for “the album”, as in a return the pop/rock melodies and harmonies that made them for a while, arguably the biggest band in the world. Songs from the Sparkle Lounge may be it, or as close to it as fans will ever get. In many cases bands that have sold as many albums as Def Leppard, have at least one or two albums that defined them, and although they have created strong material since, have never fully matched those signature recordings. In Def Leppard’s case fans will never get another Hysteria or Pyromania, but Songs from the Sparkle Lounge offers a collection of melody drive rock songs that will surely have some lasting stay in your CD player, IPOD or MP3 player.

The album starts with one of the stronger tracks, Go and then leads in the commercial pop driven sounds of the first single, Nine Lives, featuring country recording artist Tim Mcgraw. From here the album offers the second single and another catchy tune called C’mon, C’mon. This album certainly won’t give us 7 singles as Hysteria did, but after track three I continued to find a collection of songs that I liked more and more with each listen. Many of them have catchy choruses, Def Leppard harmonies, and an odd sound bite here and there as we heard on some tracks back in the Hysteria days (Rocket, Love Bites, Gods of War). This album gives us just one ballad, a song called Love. After many listens through the Sparkle Lounge, this is the one track that doesn’t work for me, and I now find myself skipping that one track only. The song does go into some interesting directions, almost epic in places. I’ve heard it compared to Queen and the similarities are definitely there. But whatever reason for me, it is my least favourite.

Another strong point from this latest Def Leppard offering is as I am listening, I can hear the band performing these songs live and really selling them. I hope on their current tour they offer a few tracks from the Sparkle Lounge, because many of these songs would definitely lend themselves well to a concert performance. One thing Def Leppard always had going for them is the ability to put off a great live show. I’ve only had the opportunity to see them once back on the Seven Day Weekend Tour, supporting the Adrenalize album. But from reviews I have read over the years, even some of the band’s critics have a difficult time knocking their live show.

Def Leppard have put out some decent albums in the past few years. I thought X was decent, and Yeah, although all covers, was an awesome listen. Excluding Yeah from the list, and ranking Def Leppard albums comprised of original material, I place Songs from the Sparkle Lounge in 4th in my list of favorites as follows: Hysteria, Pyromania (very close second), High and Dry, Songs from the Sparkle Lounge. As a grade I give Songs from the Sparkle Lounge a strong B+.

I will be getting the opportunity to see Def Leppard live again later this summer and will post my thoughts on the show here. That same show will also feature Billy Idol as the supporting act, another who I am very curious to see perform and will also offer my opinions for you all.