The Struts and (A Little) Def Leppard

The Struts have a new song out called "I Hate How Much I Want You" and Def Leppard's Joe Elliott and Phil Collen show up for a cameo. The song is very British. The accents are heavy, which I love! This song made me smile. The Struts will release Strange Days on October 16. Pre-order now.

Comments

[stu]

huge fan of these guys. i won tickets to see/meet them a couple years ago and they are a ton of fun.

[Him]

Catchy enough. Still trying to get into these guys, as several of my friends are quite the fans. I bet they put on a good show. Where did you see them, Stu? Take us there!!!

[stu]

i caught them at trees in dallas in 2016. sold out; 500 people; standing room only; packed in like sardines. the meet & greet was before the show and they seemed genuine and appreciative, even played a couple acoustic songs for us. when they went on stage some 4 hours later, the crowd was electric (something i don’t see at club shows much). everybody there was waiting for them (again, most club shows around here are 1/4 full of the [local] opening bands friends and leave before the headliner plays.) and when the music started it was like seeing your favorite band for the first time, just magical how into it the band and fans were. just been a while since i had witnessed people witnessing newness. spiller’s stage presence was excellent, like he was born to it. i know the band has it’s detractors, and i get those, but live i forgot about comparing these guys to all the things they sound like - and just enjoyed the moment. it may not be for everybody, but it may be worth a shot trying. of course now tickets are twice the price and they play bigger venues, so maybe the magic wore off. but maybe not.

[Kixchix]

I hear ya Stu. Saw The Struts 3 summers ago on an headlines gig while opening for Foo Fighters tour. Saw them at a beach side club in Hampton NH while I was vacationing in Maine. We knew from album one that they were fun. Boy did they deliver. There were only about 200 people there and we were treated to a young, hungry band relishing their 110 minutes instead of 40 opening for the Foos. It was a blast.

For me they shined up the grime on their facade too much. Too much Monkees and not enough Rolling Stones. This new tune started promising, then delves into their recent formula. Formulas only work when they work (AC/DC). These types of formulas are pink unicorns. They just happen and become formulas in retrospect.

Sadly this is rock in 2020.

Watch the video for Could’ve Been Me. That’s what I Long for

[Jeff]

Ehhh, as much as these guys are touted I just don't get it. They'd have fit in fine with the 90's music but not so much today.

[Metalboy!]

Great band! ... Had my chance to see ‘em multiple times when they first started touring in the states ...

Of course, I’m now kicking myself for missing them for all the reasons Stu indicated plus the less likelihood of seeing them for awhile do to the reason we all know.

On the topic of “Newness” Stu so adroitly raised, these guys and Greta Van Fleet sure are a breath of fresh air (along with a handful of others) even if that air has been breathed before by the likes of Queen and Zeppelin among the many great band who are obvious influences.

[Metalboy!]

And if this song is any indication, there’s even more reason to go see them once their back on tour ...

Anyone notice how much more cranked up the guitars are? ... This ROCKS way harder than their earlier stuff, ergo, much better, IMNHO! (In my NOT humble opinion!) ...

One nit, tho ...

Since these guys have no problem wearing their influences on their sleeves and stealing riffs and paraphrasing lyrics, wouldn’t the title of this track be better if it was, “I Hate How Much I Love You”? ...

It’s just a bit off this way. Reminds me of some of the near miss lyrics of so much of Cheap Trick’s later stuff that made it not ring true, the same problem I’m having with this track by The Struts.

It’s just a bit off.

Shame all that effort put into something that’s a bit off, hahaha!!!

p.s. What IS really is the phone call at the beginning!

[Bkallday]

Agreed Jeff, and their weak ass accents get on my nerves so gd bad. Sorry but I can have an opinion too.

[Him]

Thanks, Stu (and Kixchix), for sharing those memories. Like I said, I am trying to get into them. But your impressions square with what one of my friends said. It is always great when you get to see a band on the way up, hungry to prove something and getting something back from the fans, no matter how large or small the venue might be.