Rob Halford once said he devoured books. What books were Rob and Fight bassist Jay Jay reading in 1993? MuchMusic had this segment called “Between the Covers” with Erica Ehm, encouraging kids to read by talking to rock stars about books. It’s only 1:15 long but interesting regardless as there are so few interviews with Jay Jay.
Part Twenty-Six of the Def Leppard Review Series
CYBERNAUTS – Live (2001 Arachnophobia Records)
While fans awaited the return of Def Leppard with another new album to follow 1999’s Euphoria, Joe Elliott and Phil Collen released some recordings from their Cybernauts side-project, a fun David Bowie cover band.
But not just any cover band.
Cybernauts were formed as a tribute to the late Mick Ronson, featuring Spiders from Mars members Trevor Bolder, Mick Woodmansey, and Dick Decent. The liner notes are a little bit contradictory when it comes to specific recordings. One page in the booklet says the disc was recorded at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin, August 7 1997. On another page, Joe Elliott states that the album was “pulled together” from a five gig mini-tour. Dublin was the final date on that tour. 18 tracks, and almost 80 minutes of music comprise this live disc.
Without any preamble, we jump right into the rock and roll of “Watch that Man” from Aladdin Sane. Cybernauts are naturally a little more heavy handed but Leppard fans will love it. Things get punky with “Hang Onto Yourself”, full speed ahead, with Phil Collen whipping up some guitar magic to salute Ronson, while the original guys bang it out with bedevilling youthful energy. Massive hit “Changes” comes next, a little chunkier than the version you’re used to but still brilliant. Joe’s lead vocal has the Leppard sound, the Spiders’ backing vocals sound like Bowie. It’s a mash-up of two bands.
Acoustic guitars come out for “The Supermen”, but then Phil kicks in with the distortion. So far, an album highlight though purists might baulk at the heavier rock approach. It’s followed by an emphatic “Five Years”, with Joe doing an excellent job of the complex vocals. Bouncing from album to album, they do “Cracked Actor” next, a nice boogie. The familiar “Moonage Daydream” is welcome, and the keyboards recreate the lush backdrop authentically. Another album highlight with exceptional lead work by Phil.
A Mick Ronson solo cut called “Angel No. 9” from his second album Play Don’t Worry is rolled out next, with a wickedly tasty guitar lick. A brilliant selection, the backing vocals by the Spiders are quite sweet. “Jean Genie” is so familiar is almost skippable, but they pretty much had to play it — can’t blame them.
It’s pretty much non-stop classics from there on it. “Life on Mars” featuring Dick Decent on piano has a more delicate touch and they do a fine job of it. “The Man Who Sold the World” works well with the keyboards providing the backbone and Phil Collen doing his best Ronson. “Starman” is great fun; Joe is clearly enjoying himself.
“The Width of a Circle” is the long bomber, clocking in at almost 10 minutes. Progressive, guitar heavy and epic. After that exercise, “Ziggy Stardust” is rolled out, and always welcome. That guitar riff, the familiar melodies, they never tire. Of course, Leppard covered it a couple times but not as convincingly as this.
The Velvet Underground’s “White Light, White Heat”, which also appeared on Ronson’s second album, is a party. Backing vocals on this are awesome. Joe teases a “goodnight” at this point, but the tracklist on the back reveals three encores.
“Rock and Roll Suicide”, “Suffragette City” and Mott’s “All the Young Dudes” are a pretty good three-for-three. Encores that start slowly and laid back like “Rock and Roll Suicide” does are often like a mini-set unto themselves. “Suffragette City” blasts forth with punky energy and then “All the Young Dudes” is the anthem to end the party.
But that’s not it for the Cybernauts. In 2001 they did a Japanese tour, recorded some stuff in the studio, and released it. We’ll talk about that next time!
4/5 stars
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27. Cybernauts – The Further Adventures of the Cybernauts
Part Twenty-Five of the Def Leppard Review Series
DEF LEPPARD – Rarities 4 (CD Collection Volume 2 Disc 7) (2019)
These box sets are not easy monsters to review. It makes more sense to discuss the bonus tracks in context with the related studio albums. Regardless, Rarities 4 deserves a little extra attention. This is the disc that I had a little bit of personal involvement with.
Back in the years 2000-2001, before Def Leppard had an official standalone live album or box sets, the released 11 tracks worth of live material on their own website, for free. Unreleased and sourced from the Slang and Euphoria tours, these tracks were not just valuable but essential additions to your Def Leppard collections. Like many things that exist online only, they eventually disappeared. If you had them, you had them. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t.
The full 11 tracks were: “Two Steps Behind”, “Women”, “Demolition Man”, “When Love and Hate Collide”, “Action”, “Animal”, “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak/Switch 625”, “Miss You In A Heartbeat”, “Rock! Rock! (‘Til You Drop)”, “Goodbye” and “Paper Sun”.
A few years ago, I was contacted about my Def Leppard live tracks. I was asked if I could provide the files, for use in a future box set. I said “Hell yeah!” Having a thank-you inside this set is one of my proudest moments. They didn’t use them all, but instead they even dug up some addition live tracks that had never been released before. For the record, the tracks from the original download collection that remain physically unreleased are: “Two Steps Behind” (San Antonio 2000), “Women” (Salem 2000), “Action” (London 1999), “Animal” (Nashville), and “Rock! Rock! (‘Til You Drop)” (Cardiff 2000). Instead for this they focused on special songs that were a little harder to find live versions of.
It’s really cool for something that once only existed as a file on your hard drive, to now sit as an officially pressed black vinyl record. Hearing the tracks in a way never before.
The live tracks are organized in batches. The first grouping comes from Montreal on the Slang tour in 1996. First is the epic medley of “Bringing On the Heartbreak” and the rare “Switch 625”. These are awesome versions. They have a raw, unpolished sound yet the band still nail all the vocals and guitar thrills. “Switch 625” is always a welcome track for its heaviness. This version is extra chunky. “Ladies and gentlemen, the best drummer in the world, Mr. Rick Allen!”
Then another rarity: the ballad “Miss You In A Heartbeat” acoustic with “Phillippe” Collen on lead vocals, but not before some shenanigans to the tune of “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”:
“Mama take this gin from me,
I can’t drink it anymore,
Where’s the sink, I gotta pee,
Looks like I’m checking into Betty Ford…”
It’s a delight to finally be able to share this version I’ve had for years with the world!
“Miss You In A Heartbeat” is always best in its fully electric version, but acoustically with Phil on vocals, it’s something special. Truly it sounds great live, stripped and with Phil’s rasp.
Def Leppard must have found the original tapes for this Montreal gig, because I didn’t supply them with “Work It Out” or “Deliver Me”, two rarely heard bangers from Slang. “Work It Out” was a single, a stuttery 90s construction that explored new territory for the British band. They had come a long way from their New Wave of British Heavy Metal roots and were still writing new kinds of songs. “Work It Out” has interesting guitars happening live, very different from the usual, but still Def Leppard. “Deliver Me” is dark, heavy and maybe not idea for a Def Leppard concert, hence its rarity. It’s cool to hear Leppard apply their vocal talents live to a song like this. There are hooks but not happy bouncy ones. This is more serious rocking.
This wraps up the live material from Montreal. The CD detours into some interesting studio B-sides before we return to live songs later on.
“When Saturday Comes” doesn’t feature every member of Def Leppard – just Joe, Phil and Sav, and written by Joe. This song and the instrumental “Jimmy’s Theme” are from the CD singles for “All I Want Is Everything” and a film called When Saturday Comes. As such, they’re a little different. Even it’s from the Slang era, “When Saturday Comes” has the bright anthemic singalong quality of a movie theme song. “When Saturday comes, nothin’ else matters to me!” Sounds like the good-time Leppard we remember regardless of the year.
“Jimmy’s Theme” on the other hand is a laid-back instrumental with a slightly bluesy feel.
Other B-sides from the “All I Want Is Everything” singles show up on a later box set, so fear not if you’re worried they left some out. Moving on to the Euphoria era, there’s a sudden sonic shift as the band returned to a polished production sound. “Burnout” (from one of the “Goodbye” CD singles) immediately sounds like the Leppard of Adrenalize. Whether that’s your preference or not, it’s a heavy tune that probably could have served a useful purpose in toughening up the Euphoria album. Some great guitar trickery on this one, and the return of the Leppard hook machine. “Immortal” (also from the “Goodbye” single) is more upbeat, but does have a certain B-side quality. Not bad, but something about it says “B-side”.
The singles for “Promises” had a couple cool B-sides as well. “Worlds Collide” has to be one of the heaviest Leppard songs to date. A solid pounder with a psychedelic bent, “Worlds Collide” proves Leppard hadn’t lost it. Even in the Euphoria era, which felt like a grasp at past glories, there’s cool stuff like this that rocks without repeating history.
Finally there is “I Am Your Child”, the original Japanese bonus track from Euphoria. It would have been nice to have it restored to the end of that album, because it really does make a fine coda. “I Am Your Child” is a truly great Leppard tune with a variety of light and dark parts, and a super chorus.
Missing B-side from the “Promises” single is the “Album Snippets” featuring a three minute medley of some of the album tracks. Not really necessary even for completists, but if you want it out you’ll have to buy the original single. The cover tune “Who Do You Love” from the “Goodbye” single will turn up on a future box set.
Back to my live tracks to close the set: “Demolition Man” from Denver in 1999 is so fast it sounds like they can barely keep up! A real rarity that doesn’t get live action anymore. Definitely a valuable inclusion, and a great listen due to the sheer energy of it.
Three tracks from Tokyo in 1999 end this disc. “When Love and Hate Collide” has been heard a number of times in this box set, but this is the first fully electric live version in The CD Collection Volume 2. Joe’s voice has a touch of rasp which gives it a little more edge. Pretty great live version, justifying its inclusion over some of the other tracks. Finally it’s two rare Euphoria tracks: the epic “Paper Sun” and apt disc closer “Goodbye”. “Paper Sun” just lays waste to the land, as one of the tracks that really has serious weight. “Goodbye”, being a stock ballad, doesn’t have as much impact, but a live rarity it remains.
This brings us to the end of the The CD Collection Volume 2, the biggest most epic release I’ve ever had my name in. To have that honour is so cool, something I will always treasure. I don’t think Leppard needed my help with the Montreal tracks after all, but Denver and Tokyo sound like mine. I hope one day they find reason to release the rest of the 11 download-only live songs. Perhaps they’ll find the full tapes for Cardiff, Salem, San Antonio, London and Nashville. Perhaps not. Leppard are far from done issuing rarities.
The CD Collection Volume 2 is absolutely a valuable purchase for any Leppard fan looking to add the B-sides and EPs to their collections. It’s not 100% complete, but it does cover most of the bases. You’ll still want to track down a deluxe edition of Slang, and perhaps some CD singles if you have to have things like all the edit versions. You may have noticed that things like cover versions haven’t popped up too much; you’ll understand why when we get to The CD Collection Volume 3.
4/5 stars
Next though, Joe Elliott and Phil Collen blow off some steam in their Bowie cover band / Mick Ronson tribute, The Cybernauts. We’ll take a close look at two discs: Cybernauts Live and The Further Adventures of the Cybernauts before the Leppard story continues!
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26. Cybernauts – Live
STYX – The Same Stardust (2021 RSD EP)
Anecdote: I wasn’t able to get this Styx EP with seven exclusive tracks on Record Store Day, so I knew I would have to pay the “late tax”. I was surprised that pretty much every copy for sale on Discogs was coming from Russia. Given the current situation I didn’t want to risk having a record coming in from Russia. I found one from somewhere else (Estonia perhaps) and bit the bullet and ordered. Two days later I got an email saying, “We are relocating to Russia! We will mail your record from there!” I almost asked to cancel but decided to be patient, and it has finally arrived. In perfect shape. Whew.
To accompany their excellent new album Crash of the Crown, Styx released an EP with two exclusive studio bonus tracks, and five live. Not bad value for an EP when all of them are previously unreleased. The record is on beautiful, heavy transparent blue vinyl, is low on surface noise, and just sounds wonderful!
The title track “The Same Stardust” opens, and it’s a theme we often hear in science: we are all, every one of us, made of the same matter from a star that exploded billions of years ago. It’s a unifying theme, but not a wimpy song. A crescendo of drums leads us to an upbeat rocker with lead vocals by Lawrence Gowan. There’s a great little riff after the chorus, and Gowan’s lead vocal recalls the Beatles. “Walk away from hate!” he sings, reflecting the sentiments of the Fab Four. Tommy Shaw sings the powerful bridge and then rips into a melodically cool solo. Easily of album, or single quality.
The second exclusive studio song is called “Age of Entropia” and it is best described as progressive like Styx of old. Tommy sings this number with a gentle acoustic opening. It builds into a more robust construction in time, really sounding like only one band: Styx. Good song but less instant.
Side two contains the live material, and the side opener is a track as desirable as the unreleased studio songs, if not more: a new live version of “Mr. Roboto” from 2020! This often shunned hit has finally been recorded again in a live setting, now with Gowan on vocals. It’s been tuned down a bit, but it still thrills. As soon you hear that trademark keyboard opening, you can’t help but smile. Especially knowing how rarely it gets played live. We all miss Dennis DeYoung but it is clear that Tommy Shaw doesn’t really want to hear about him. Gowan does an admirable job, as do all the Styx vocalists, as there is a lot going on. He even adds some of his own flare. There’s a slightly harder edge on this “Mr. Roboto” and that’s just fine.
Another treat, at least to those in the know, is “Radio Silence” from the excellent album The Mission. One of the best tunes from that sci-fi concept album indeed, and the first live release of any song from it. So that’s special, even if Crash of the Crown may very well have topped The Mission. That’s subjective…but possible.
Classics follow, dominated by Tommy Shaw tuneage. “Man in the Wilderness” has the same vibe as the newer material, cut from the same cloth. The heavy solo section is jaw-droppingly cool with wicked wah-wah effects. James Young gets the spotlight on his heavy hitting “Miss America”. Always a welcome listen, his unique vocal stylings are necessary for the overall Styx sound. And that riff! Speaking of riffs, Tommy closes the disc with the legendary “Renegade”. Still classic, still awesome, still hard to resist the urge to shake it! And though it does sound tuned down, Tommy’s voice has an incredible timeless youth.
The Same Stardust is a damn near essential add-on to your Crash of the Crown album. It would have made an awesome bonus disc to a deluxe version of…oh, man. After what I paid for this, if they put The Same Stardust on a future deluxe edition of Crash of the Crown, I’ll be pissed!
4.5/5 stars
Part Twenty-Four of the Def Leppard Review Series
DEF LEPPARD – Rarities 3 (CD Collection Volume 2 Disc 6) (2019)
The rarities continue with the CD Collection Volume 2 and the Slang era. The Slang album cycle produced a number of rarities, including a bonus CD included in its first run. When this first run of CDs sold out, so did the bonus disc, a six-song set called Acoustic In Singapore. The whole tracklist is included in Rarities 3, in the right running order. These songs were recorded at the Hard Rock Cafe in Singapore on the autumn 1995 promo tour for Vault.
“Give it up for Def Leppard!” says the man. Opening with a bouncy “Armageddon It”, the band were really getting the hang of this acoustic thing. Comparing one acoustic version to another is a somewhat pointless affair so we’ll just say “it’s great”! With only acoustic instruments, Leppard are able to reproduce the upbeat party atmosphere of the immaculate original. Of course they do the same with the vocals, weaving an impressive live facsimile of the layered album.
“Two Steps Behind” is up again, a song we keep hearing over and over since its original 1992 B-side release. Good on Leppard for turning a throwaway into a perennial. The Hard Rock Cafe audience positively explodes to sing along the chorus. An interesting stripped version of “From the Inside” without the whistle and piano then stirs the cafe into silence. It’s not the kind of song you whoop and holler through. Phil’s solo is a blur of notes, but Vivian’s is more nuanced and chord-based.
A light “Animal” brings the mood back party. Take note of Rick Allen’s subtle creative cymbal use on this classic. Phil’s solo is another blaze of fast flying fingerwork – impressive but also perhaps a little abrasive. The new ballad “When Love and Hate Collide” is then rolled out, similar to the version recorded at the Wapantake club for the Video Archive release. The build up to the chorus pretty nice.
“Pour Some Sugar On Me” closes the acoustic set, a song that adapts well to the format. The party resumes and concludes on a suitably bombastic note. Amusingly, it seems to take the audience a second to realize what song they’re hearing. With that, the Acoustic In Singapore CD is out of the way and we’re off to other rarities.
The “Piano & Strings” version of “When Love and Hate Collide” is the song’s second appearance on this disc. It’s a pretty cool version, with little of the rock instrumentation left. Like the title says, it’s piano and strings (and minimal guitar), with the vocals of Def Leppard. This very rare mix comes from the “Slang” single with the “souvenir pack” – an envelope with a set of postcards.
A pretty awesome acoustic song called “Can’t Keep Away From the Flame” was on the same souvenir pack single. It’s not sad or ballady, just an upbeat and basic acoustic song. Guitars and vocals, no percussion. The only critique would be that the song is just too short!
The “Original Version” of the Slang song “Truth?” is next, as we go into tracks from the “Work It Out” CD singles. The songs for the Slang album went through a lot of experimentation before they took their final form. Some like “Truth?” are vastly different and it’s a matter of preference which you prefer. The original’s structure has elements that carried onto the album, but it’s a consistently heavy slam, and far less exotic. The final version is probably the greater artistic achievement, but the original is the headbanger.
“Move With Me Slowly” also came from the “Work It Out” singles, and the Japanese release of Slang itself. It’s long been a fan favourite, the kind of song that people say “should have been on the album”! It’s a buttery, bluesy and soulful song with not a hint of Leppard going in over their heads. The backing vocals are awesome, and the tune really swings when they start the engine. Had it been on Slang internationally, it might have satisfied the fans who wanted less experimental songs on the album.
Of note (and this is where things get hairy), as good as this CD Collection is for getting rarities together, if there’s one weakness it’s that there’s a lot more Slang material out there, including a “1st Draft” of “Move With Me Slowly”. This version is only available on the digital iTunes release of the 2014 Slang Deluxe Edition. There are undoubtedly reasons for this, but be aware. The “1st Draft” is very similar to the final version, but with Phil Collen (the songwriter) taking some of the lead vocals. Pretty cool — and worth the download — but sadly outside the purview of this review.
A lot of the Slang album can be characterised as songs brought in by individuals, and then radically changed by the band process. The last song on Rarities 3 is one of those: “Work It Out” as originally demoed by Vivian Campbell. Again this is taken from the “Work It Out” single B-sides. Viv had compared the bouncy pop demo to a Crowded House song, and you can hear that kind of quirkiness. That’s the word — quirky. The song is more or less the same — same lyrics, same melody — but radically different. And since it’s Viv’s demo, that’s him on lead vocals as well. A mini-treasure.
Rarities 3, clocking in at a comfortable 45 minutes, is a solid listen with only one drawback of too much love and hate colliding, fer cripes sake. I suppose such things are inevitable; a no-win scenario.
4.5/5 stars
One more disc of rarities to go, before we detour with Joe Elliott on a cybernautic adventure. The next disc is the most special to me, as it’s the one that includes some of my own personal contributions to a box set that has my name in the thank-yous. It includes more of the Slang demos, but be aware of the list below, all exclusive to the Slang deluxe:
The above tracks aside, Rarities 4 (and eventually the third box set) will get us caught up to complete all the rarities up to Euphoria.
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25. Rarities 4
…and the Cybernauts!
PYRAMIDS ON MARS – Cosmic Angels (2022)
Release date: May 31 2022
There are, at minimum, two special things about Cosmic Angels by Pyramids On Mars:
Entirely instrumental, Cosmic Angels is an enjoyable, atmospheric album that passes in no time flat. In the real world, it’s 44 minutes of music, but if you close your eyes it goes by in a flash.
The easiest influence to point out on one listen is Joe Satriani. There’s something here about the tone and chords on “Interstellar” that scream “Satch”, but it’s not all about the playing. There’s a balance to the instruments and an inviting vibe. Kevin Estrella does have his own ideas here, and they are a delight to listen to as the song grows and evolves. Multiple influences abound, and varied ones at that. Estrella thanks a number of them inside: from Rush, Queen, Devin Townsend and Peter Steele, all the way down to Bach and Vivaldi. Some of the Rush influence comes out on the second track, “Phonix From the Ashes”, which you can hear in the arrangement and bass line.
We could go on and on about influences, but it makes more sense to just listen for yourself and let the album unfold. In essence: if you like the kind of progressive instrumental rock that guys like Satriani create, then Pyramids On Mars should appeal to you. Your brain is already wired to get it. There’s also a futuristic, science fiction element to the album. There are songs about aliens and UFOs, and you get this impression even without lyrics. Some melodies are inspired by the violin, others by dolphin song.
Highlights: the cosmic “Interstellar”. The rhythmic and lethal “On Dragon’s Wings”. The complex and challenging “Luftpanzer (Air Tanks)”. The heartfelt tribute “Echoes of Peter Steele”. The spacey and relaxing “Arcturian Sunset”.
Check out Kevin Estrella at PyramidsOnMars.com and support the artist!
3.5/5 stars
ALICE COOPER ’80 – Flush the Fashion (1980 Warner, Japanese CD)
The early 80s were a tough time for the Coop. His previous record, From the Inside, was written about getting clean in the loony bin. Staying clean wasn’t easy and so we enter the “lost years”: the records Alice doesn’t remember making due to being blackout drunk. Flush the Fashion is a divisive album, with some fans loving its straight-ahead new wave direction, while others despaired Alice’s temporary abandonment of rock. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. It was the 80s and if that wasn’t obvious by the “ALICE COOPER ’80” title at the top, it definitely was clear by the keyboards and programming. Roy Thomas Baker of Queen and The Cars fame produced.
With song titles ripped from the National Enquirer, Flush the Fashion contains a number of short, fast, punky new wave songs beginning with “Talk Talk” at barely two minutes long. You will either love this tough nut of a guitar-driver, or you will be indifferent to it for being light on hooks and brittle in sound.
“Clones (We’re All)”, which was written by outsider David Carron, is the clear album highlight. It was later covered by Smashing Pumpkins on the B-side to “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”, and has seen action in Alice’s live set occasionally over the years. This fun, keyboard-heavy new wave song really nails the 80s sound Alice was going for. Programmed beats, a bouncy keyboard, catchy words and you have a keeper. It went Top 40 and evokes a smile and maybe even a little bit of fist pounding.
The ballad “Pain” is the second in a pair of keepers. A piano-based mourner with a powerful pound, “Pain” possesses tremendous appeal. Alice’s interesting lyrics provide a number of metaphors for your own internal pain. “The loudest one laughing at the saddest wake,” for example, and “the lump on your head when you step on a rake.” Not overly serious, but suiting the character of Alice the masochist. There’s a simply wonderful dual guitar harmony in the middle that is worth rewinding several times on its own.
“Clones” and “Pain” together are seven solid minutes of Alice that you simply cannot help but sing along to. The songs will burrow into your mind until they are a permanent part of your grey matter. They are the proverbial keepers. The same cannot be said for the rest of the album, which defies memorability at almost every turn. Fortunately, all these songs are short.
“Leather Boots” isn’t a great song, but it is at least a fun twangy rocker. Similarly, “Aspirin Damage” is fun if forgettable. Regardless of the music, Alice’s lyrics always offer some interesting twist or perspective. There’s probably something autobiographical happening in the back of his mind here too.
That’s side one in a nutshell, under 14 minutes of music. Side two is over and out in under 15. These are short songs! “Nuclear Infected” has some unremarkable guitar crunch. “Grim Facts” is cooler. This steadfast stomper has a certain Cars-like vibe courtesy of Baker. “Model Citizen” leans a bit more into a punky direction, until the chorus which is kitschy Alice with lush backing vocals while Alice does his sinister speak-sing. For a more traditional Alice song, there’s “Dance Yourself to Death”, which would probably be a third keeper if you were willing to extend it that honour. No new wave trappings here, just traditional rock like the Alice Cooper Band of old. It just…it doesn’t stick. It’s notable for being one of those good second-last tunes though. The final song is “Headlines”, which has a variety of different sections and tempos, and one cool riff.
Another listener could probably make a case for a solid 3.5/5 star album. Others will enjoy isolated moments, but will struggle through. Which are you?
3/5 stars
Part Twenty-Three of the Def Leppard Review Series
DEF LEPPARD – Rarities 2 (CD Collection Volume 2 Disc 5) (2019)
Quick explanations first:
“Hey, what’s with this Rarities 2? You didn’t review Rarities 1!” This is true! Def Leppard Rarities 1 is in the first volume CD Collection box set. For this review series, I opted to go with The Early Years box set to cover a lot of those albums and rarities. Between that set and the Hysteria super deluxe box set that I reviewed in great detail back in 2017, I have written about all the rarities up to this point. Though packaged together in one sleeve in this box set, we will tackle the Rarities series one disc at a time.
We open with the earliest tracks: two demos with Steve Clark on guitar. “Tonight” is brilliant, with the thick opening layered harmonies intact right from the demo stage (would not surprise me if they used the demo intro for the final track). The quieter acoustic arrangement of the opening is very different from the more standard album cut. It kicks in hard during the chorus, which is a cool aspect of this arrangement. The chorus really slams on this version.
Steve’s final Def Leppard appearance was also the final guitar solo he ever recorded (and likely played). It’s the demo for “When Love and Hate Collide”, the overly soft ballad from 1995’s Vault. What a solo, too! He was on to something, with its big Hysteria-esque hooks. The demo overall is much rougher (programmed drums) but also harder edged. Joe’s more screamy, the last vestiges of the old style still hanging on.
The Acoustic Hippies From Hell — yes, that is how Def Leppard & Hothouse Flowers billed themselves on the B-side of the “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” single — are next with the original track “From the Inside”. This is the original version from the single, slightly different from the one on Retro-Active. Please welcome Vivian Campbell on the second guitar solo slot! With tin whistle, mandolin and grand piano it’s a very different kind of song for the guys in Leppard. Lyrically it’s even darker than their previous work like “White Lightning” or “When the Walls Came Tumbling Down”. This time the subject matter is addition, but with a twist of the perspective. The lyrics are the drug speaking to the user.
You may recall the Acoustic Hippies From Hell cut three songs together, including covers of “Little Wing” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”. We used to wonder why they weren’t included here on this CD. Those further two B-sides were held back for a covers disc in the next box set. We’ll get to them when we get to that set!
Def Leppard’s first acoustic song was “Two Steps Behind” from the “Make Love Like A Man” single. Here is the original track from that B-side, unadorned with strings or electric guitars like the ones on Retro-Active. If you recall, Michael Kamen dubbed some strings over this one for the Last Action Hero soundtrack, and “Two Steps Behind” became an A-side hit in its own right.
Joe Elliot’s screamin’ hot 1987 demo of “She’s Too Tough” is up next. Why a 1987 song? Because its first release was on the B-side of “Heaven Is” in 1993. (That single also had live versions of “Women” and “Let’s Get Rocked”. “Elected” is on a live covers disc later on in this series, and “Let’s Get Rocked” will be discussed shortly.) “She’s Too Tough” was covered by Helix on their Wild in the Streets album in 1987. While Brian Vollmer does an admirable job of the lead vocal, Leppard’s recording is hands down the better of the two, even though it is just a demo.
Another demo: Phil Collen’s impeccably arranged “Miss You in a Heartbeat” is all but complete except for the vocals. Phil did the lead on his own demo versions, and not a bad job of it. Paul Rodgers used “Miss You in a Heartbeat” for his 1991 album with Kenney Jones called The Law. It’s cool hearing Phil do his own lesser-known version. “Miss You in a Heartbeat”, once a B-side like “Two Steps Behind”, was eventually released as its own single too. That’s where Phil’s demo was original taken from, though it is mislabelled as “Acoustic, Acoustic Version”. Nope – just Phil’s demo, same as this one here.
Two awesome acoustic versions from the “Tonight” CD single are next in a row. The acoustic version of “Tonight” itself could surpass the album version. It just had vibe. Loads of vibe. Fabulous guitar solo. Then Collen’s “S.M.C.” (named for Steven Maynard Clark) features just he and Vivian on acoustic guitar. It’s a very brief, often forgotten instrumental in a neo-classical style. This is its first re-issue since the original single. Play it for your friends and ask them to guess who it is. (They won’t be able to.)
This CD closes on the four tracks from the rare EP In the Clubs…In Your Face, recording in Bonn Germany. Four solid hits: “Hysteria”, “Photograph”, “Sugar”, and the aforementioned live version of “Let’s Get Rocked”. The club crowd is obviously pumped! “Hysteria” sounds awesome; “Photograph” is as strong as ever. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Let’s Get Rocked” are sort of two of a kind live, a little clunkier but the crowd sure loves ’em. The new song is a happily received as the old.
This disc makes for a solid listen. Hits in alternate, lesser heard versions are sure to be pleasers. The tunes that aren’t hits are all solid themselves. Although it’s a little disappointing when you scan the track listing and realize such-and-such a B-side is missing, the folks in Leppard know what they are doing. They’ve re-organized this material to sit next to like material later in the series, and it’ll all be coming up in due time…and perhaps in a more enjoyable track listing too. We’ll just have to hear how it goes disc by disc! Rarities 2 is a lot of fun and a great (almost) hour on its own.
5/5 stars
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24. Rarities 3
RECORD STORE TALES #985:
Do You Know How Quickly a Pair of Glasses Melt in a Fire?
The trip up to the lake was blissful. I picked up my dad, loaded the car, and hit the road to short-sleeve weather and zero traffic. You could see for kilometers ahead with no cars in sight. Blissful. With 2 terabytes of music on the hard drive, I selected a folder called “Tee Bone Tunes” by Tee Bone Erickson. Songs my dad knew from the show. But it was just background noise as we discussed every subject under the sun for a solid two hours. After the Tee Bone songs, I played John Williams’ soundtrack to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which was awesome and brought back lots of good memories.
“The pen, Henry! The pen is mightier than the sword!” I quoted, in my best Denholm Elliott impression.
We discussed Indiana Jones and Back to the Future. “Only the first and third movies,” we said of both series.
We spotted a wild turkey on the way and noticed a few new businesses. Every year is different, I reminded myself. You never knew what new things you would see, or how the beach would change from year to year.
This year, the beach is covered with stones.
“Good,” says my dad. “It’ll keep the Sooners away.” Hopefully, anyway.
We opened up the cottage in record time. No snags, no hitches. Got the water going, the hot water tank a-boiling, and the cable and internet were both running perfectly. I installed four new phones to replace the dying ones that should have been replaced last year. Four new phones…there used to be no phones! Phones used to be considered a hindrance to the relaxation at the cottage. Now you wouldn’t be without one. Landline, cell phone, and laptop computer are now the norm.
After getting the barbecue out of the shed and setting up it, the next step was to burn all the brush that had fallen over the winter. It was a windy winter and this was evident by the amount of fallen branches, needles and bark. My dad got out the leaf blower while I swept. The plan was to burn up all the scrub, so I got out some cardboard and started a fire.
The fire grew large and hot very quickly, gobbling up the now-dry wood and needles.
I can see the next moments in slow motion.
To preface, I will admit that my glasses, which I need to drive and do basically anything, have grown loose. I kept putting off getting them adjusted. “I could live with it for now,” I would reason to myself as an excuse to not go to the mall.
Well I no longer have to live with it. In one smooth, liquid motion, my glasses fell off just as I was throwing an armful of brush into the fire.
I searched the ground frantically, hoping they just hit the dirt. My dad joined me, both sweeping and searching. Giving up hope, I began to dig through the fire. I found nothing there either. I searched the ground again, still nothing. I can’t drive without my glasses. Hell I can’t watch TV without my glasses. I can barely use the computer without them.
We kept looking. I called Jen to see if she could find my spare pair at home. I knew a couple places to look. No luck. I dug through the ashes of the fire, spreading them out on the patio stones. Nothing! And then I saw it. A thin stick that was too undamaged to be wood. I reached down to find one remaining scorched arm to my glasses. The lenses and assorted plastic had melted away. That was all I could find in the detritus of what had been up to this point an awesome day.
I went to go sulk on the couch a while, tired from the search and miserable that I would have to spend the next day or two unable to see clearly. Then I thought, “You know, I haven’t looked inside the glove box in a long time. I don’t remember what’s in there.”
I went out to the car and emptied the glove box, and there it was: an old hardshell glasses case. Joy! I couldn’t even remember my old glasses. But there they were, and they would do for now. I could see!
But I was severely rattled by this near miss, and had to chill out. My dad and I went into town to have lunch and see what was open. I realized that I had not been in downtown Kincardine for two and a half years. In fact there were many things I did this weekend that I have not done in two and a half years.
It was my first time inside a Boston Pizza and the old Fincher’s Leisure World since before the pandemic. I missed Leisure World. For decades it was our main spot for model kits, art supplies, toys, games, books and magazines. On this occasion I bought a Lego Star Wars Dagobah diorama for my sister as a surprise gift. She’s recovering from a severe concussion and I thought she’d enjoy it. Which she did!
It was nice to see Boston Pizza still there, and Fincher’s as reliable as ever. My dad and I had a great lunch and an enjoyable afternoon out. We headed back to the lake to meet up with Dr. Kathryn and my mom who arrived separately.
After a little more organising and relaxing, my dad and I headed back home. We decided to go home a slightly different way, and we saw one of the weirdest sights we’d ever seen in cottage country. And we’ve seen gaggles of wild turkeys. On a stretch of road in the middle of farmtown, we saw a castle. A brand new castle, with two turrets and a full-on stone rampart. The imposing wall of rock could have housed a dozen archers! Somebody had obviously decided to build their home in the shape of a castle and I daresay, they did it. They really did it. The windows may be glass and the driveway may be asphalt, but that there be a castle. I’ll have to stop and take a picture next time.
The drive home was accompanied by the music of Jon Lord, with his Concerto for Group and Orchestra, featuring Bruce Dickinson singing the second movement. That was some cool, lively music. I was dead tired at this point but the music and conversation kept us going. After this, I selected Johnny Cash’s American III: Solitary Man. Another great album, this one with the outstanding Neil Diamond title track, and a cool rendition of “I Won’t Back Down” with Tom Petty.
We made it home safe and sound, and we celebrated with some Chinese food. New glasses this week. I wonder what they’ll look like? We’ll see soon enough — pun intended!
Cottage season starts today! In celebration, we take a look at how packing music for a road trip has changed, even in just the last five years.
RECORD STORE TALES #984: 2 Terabytes of Road Trip
Because music goes so well with the road, I’ve written a huge chunk of stories on the subject. Heck, we even made a list of Top 5 Road Trip Singalong scenes from movies. What I have come to realize now is that the days of painstakingly selecting music for the road are over. For good. Never coming back. And I’m fine with that.
Without music, driving is often a mind-numbing experience. A good soundtrack alleviates a lot of the irritation. As kids, we were fortunate enough to go to the cottage in the summer. All we had to do was make it through a two hour drive in the back seat. For entertainment, that required these three minimal things:
Today, trying to read a book in the back seat of a car makes me road sick, and I don’t even own a Walkman anymore. Fortunately, now I am also the driver. That gives me access to the car stereo. I don’t know what the rules are where you come from, but around these parts, it’s “driver picks the tunes”. Aside from that one year that the speaker in the driver’s side door of my old Plymouth Sundance died, music has never sounded better in the car than when I’m behind the wheel.
With those years far behind me, I realize now that the biggest change to road tripping today is that I no longer spend hours choosing the music. I just load it all on a 2T hard drive and plug it in. As long as I own it and ripped it to the PC, then it comes with me everywhere. Every song I ever loved (and many that I don’t!) are with me at all times.
Before the advent of this wonderful technology, I would spend many hours packing for trips. Enough clothes plus some extra? Check. All the necessary toiletries? Yes. Reading material? Of course. Phone and charger? Can’t forget that stuff. But then I would spend an hour or more combing through my CD collection, picking all the music that would be with me for the next several days. Albums and mix CDs would be packed in a little portable CD carrier that I had. What you picked was what you had to listen to — no going back, so choose wisely!
The passengers, if any, would have to be considered. I don’t purposely play bands that people hate. But ultimately, I was choosing music to entertain myself, the driver. What the others liked or tolerated was of secondary concern. If Judas Priest had a new album out, damn right I would be packing the new Judas Priest. Point being, I have spent many painstaking hours choosing music to bring on the road with me. The limits were how many would fit in my CD carrier and whatever else I had to travel with. I would have to add an hour to my prep time, just for the music.
The dawn of the USB drive made things a lot easier, but still, storage space was very limited. And no matter how big the drives got, they were never big enough. I was still spending hours copying and pasting albums to the drive. Removing them when I realized I didn’t have room. Having to pick and choose through the Deep Purple live albums so as not to overload the drive with Purple and give some other bands a chance. Hours spent!
I don’t think I have ever properly appreciated the time that the 2T portable hard drive has given back to me. That one huge step that every road trip required — gone completely. More time to actually sit and enjoy my music!
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