Def Leppard Scores Top Chart Slot... For Classical Music

Def Leppard continues to celebrate the success of their most recent release Drastic Symphonies. The album has reached the top of the classical crossover chart. It also reached the top classical spot, which is probably more significant for a non-traditional classical act. You have to wonder... will Drastic Symphonies earn a Grammy nomination?

Thanks for rocking Drastic Symphonies to the top of the Classical Charts!! 🤘👊💥 pic.twitter.com/NS8xlGXjGg

— Def Leppard (@DefLeppard) September 14, 2023

Is Drastic Symphonies the album that gets Def Leppard a Grammy nomination/award?
byu/RockinBob625 indefleppard

Def Leppard and Motley Crue On '60 Minutes Australia' Tomorrow

This is kind of a big deal: Def Leppard and Motley Crue will be on 60 Minutes (Australia) tomorrow night. 60 Minutes features are long-form journalism, so the piece should give some nice interviews and background info on the joint tour of both bands. The Australian news program started back in 1979 and has been a down-under news staple since then.

I'm sure the video will be available for worldwide distribution after the initial broadcast. Keep your eyes peeled.

Sunday Night on @60Minutes9 Australia 🇦🇺

What happens when two of the biggest - and loudest - bands of the 80s get together? Catch Def Leppard and @MotleyCrue on #60Mins, SUNDAY at 7PM.#DefLeppard #MotleyCrue pic.twitter.com/0n4ye9pE3t

— Def Leppard (@DefLeppard) July 28, 2023

Last In Line Announces Fall Tour

Last In Line will tour America this fall. The band is basically the original DIO lineup... without Ronnie James Dio of course. This makes Last In Line a super group now, featuring folks like Vivian Campbell and Vinny Appice. Of course, Vivian is also a guitarist for Def Leppard and when I saw the tour announcement yesterday, my first thought was... "How does he have the energy?"

Maybe these guys that tour relentlessly are super-human or something. All I know is I am usually exhausted by work and I'm not traveling from place to place and changing time zones constantly. My job isn't physical. I'm not in the heat.

Last In Line will tour in support of a new album called Jericho, which came out at the end of March. Clearly Last In Line couldn't tour because of Vivian's Def Leppard commitments, but the fall is fair game. Last In Line will also be part of the Rock Legends Cruise XI with Sammy Hagar and Bret Michaels in February 2024.

42 Years Of 'High n' Dry'

Well, if you want to feel ancient, I can help: Def Leppard's High N' Dry album is 42 years old. Of course the album features "Bringin' On The Heartbreak," a song that solidified the Brits as the real rock deal.

The new Def Leppard book DEFinitely has a little tidbit about the album cover for their debut On Through The Night and how the band had nothing to do with the creative concept at all. The label "took care of it" and the band wasn't pleased. From then on, the members of Def Leppard exerted creative control over their album covers and iconic art. The cover for High n' Dry was actually meant for Pink Floyd in the late 70s, but rejected by the prog legends. (The graphic designer of the cover was Storm Thorgerson. He also did the art for Dark Side of the Moon).

Def Leppard began their long partnership with the late designer Andie Airfix with the Pyromania album. 

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Sammy Hagar, Def Leppard To Get Stars On Hollywood Walk Of Fame

I'm pretty pumped for this: both Sammy Hagar and Def Leppard will finally get stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The news came from the Hollywood Walk officials yesterday during a livestreamed event. The video below of Sammy getting the news is pretty sweet.

I have to be honest: I thought both Hagar and the Leps already had their stars, so this honor is beyond overdue.

The ceremonies for both star unveilings have not been scheduled/announced yet.

Seriously, Get The New Def Leppard Book

I am having so much fun going through the new Def Leppard book. It's called Definitely: The Official Story of Def Leppard and it is a mix of coffee table and true story telling. There's interviews with everyone important to the Leps orbit and so many cool photos and early press clippings. I've already Googled some places mentioned about the band's early history in Sheffield, U.K.

It's really interesting to note that Joe Elliott hates being lumped in with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) and also "hair metal." He says the band is neither. To him, Def Leppard has always been Queen meets AC/DC. I guess I can see that.

I'm going back to reading (and icing my elbow!) now. Happy Sunday!

Sunday Spins: 'Drastic Symphonies'

I knew I was going to love Def Leppard's Drastic Symphonies as soon as it was announced. The collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was released May 19. I pre-ordered the vinyl as soon as it was announced.

The vinyl is a gatefold package comprised of two records. The package is currently selling for around $35 on Amazon.

I love symphonic renditions of classic rock so this is right up my alley. My favorite tracks are "Animal" and "When Love and Hate Collide." Other standouts are "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" and "Paper Sun." Slang happens to be one of my favorite Def Leppard albums so the addition of "Turn To Dust" on Drastic Symphonies is a big plus in my mind.

For the naysayers, it seems Def Leppard has yet another hit on their hands with this album because it has already reached number one on the Billboard classical crossover chart.

Drastic Symphonies hasn't left my turntable in a week, meaning so many other new records are still sitting in their cellophane wrappers. It makes me happy and that is all that matters.