Awesome. That's for the demos. I am looking forward to this thread.

So those demos above are in fact those from the First Strike album. Not sure how I never noticed that. Haha.

Anyway, I'll leave them up there until I cover First Strike, then I'll delete them and upload a full zip of the album.

Good thread so far dude.

You are very thorough. You'll have to do more of these threads.

I tried downloading the 1978 demos, but I got through one, and it said my downloading maxium limit was over. How do I download them all?

Boy, this is gonna take a long time. Haha. Gotta re-up my Rapidshare account, and then I'll do the EP tomorrow or the next day.

Someone prod me from time to time if I seem to have forgotten this thread.

Geez, 3 weeks in and we haven't even hit the first full album yet. We should get to Hysteria by Christmas. You certainly are thorough, Eye.

Eyesore is taking long between posts to coincide with Lep's lenghty period between albums.

Yeah, yeah. I forgot. Not surprising.

So anyway, let me try to kick this thing off for real. The Def Leppard EP, 1979.


(Click the image to download the EP)

This EP started it all. Released in 1979, in a 1,000-copy print run (100 copies included a lyric sheet) with a red label (photo). The first pressing sold out quick, so a quick 15,000-copy second pressing, sans sleeve, was produced, then a third time when they signed a record deal. This is the yellow-label version. The track order was changed on the third pressing and, in my opinion, it's the better track order. Later, after Hysteria was released, another edition was put out with a white label and the picture sleeve. The white-label version is easy to come by.

Anyway, the original EP starts off with "Ride Into The Sun," a cool song but not very representative of the band's sound. It's a more poppy, radio-friendly kind of 70s rock tune (probably why, out of all the early songs, they chose to re-recorded this one for Retro Active). An odd choice, really, considering some of the other songs they had at the time, like "Wasted," for instance. That, plus the second track, would have packed quite a one-two punch, you know.

That second A-side track is "Getcha Rocks Off," clearly the song that should have been the opening track (and was, on the third pressing). The song kicks ass! It's just that kind of tune, you know, and I imagine this one is the song that really made people stop and listen.

The B-side on all versions consists of "The Overture" (later known simply as "Overture"). Like I mentioned before; this is one of my favorite Lep tunes. It's just a killer track. Some slight lead variations this version, but its largely the same as the later version. I love the bass when the song kicks in on these old versions. Too bad they changed that on On Through The Night, even though that one is far superior.

Pretty cool story behind this one. The band were supposedly ready to pack it in if they couldn't get any sort of exposure with the EP, content with a cool little EP they could show to family and friends over the years. Makes you wonder if they'd have done that or not. Who knows.

Not sure what else to say. If you can find the red-label version, you're a lucky man. It's hard as hell to come by these days for cheap money. Last one I saw on eBay went for over $2,000. This one had the lyric sheet, though. Wish I had that version! Damn.

Anyway, click the image for the download and dig it.

I have this on vinyl. This was when Def Leppard were really becoming a great band. The UFO and Thin Lizzy influences were so obvious, but Lep had a sound that was newer. This was the NWOBHM. It's a shame that down the road the band would deny ever being part of this historical metal movement.

I have never heard the EP, I have only read about it, so it is good to finally hear the EP.

Great review and overview of the EP, and also I think that Eyesore and ULT are very lucky to own a copy of the original EP, I have never even seen one. let only alone had the opportunity to own my own copy.

Great review!!! I have never heard it before and always wanted to!!! Downloading it now and looking forward to listening to it!!!!!!

I've only seen any version of this other then the white label, once and I thought it was too expensive at $50.

I love the cover. Phonographs + cats = totally MEHTUL.

wow, this thread really died quickly.....

somebody oughta restart it.

Hello? Mcfly? Anybody there?

Yeah, I was kidding you. Hope you can carry on soon.

Ill chime in when we get into Pyromania