Def Leppard - Hysteria

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Eagle Vision
Catalog Number: 30019
Format: DVD
Total Time: 100:00:00

Hysteria was a monster rock album for Def Leppard.They were the first group to combine the elements of metal with two guitarists to create accessible melodic songs. By doing this in their own unique way, they created a worldwide audience that could immediately relate to their energy and style.

Watching a DVD of this type was a first time experience for me. To see how an album goes through the recording process from start to finish is quite interesting. Well, you don't actually get to see it happen, members of the group break it down behind the mixing board so you can hear the different parts that were recorded for each song and then how it sounded when it was complete. Just about every level of management with band has interview time to tell their story about what happened behind the scenes with the blockbuster album that took four years to make. Joe Elliot gets down to brass tacks and talks about everything that was happening with the group on a personal and professional level, and he explains things in a clear and intellectual way that lets you get a realistic look behind all the success and bright lights. Phil Collen breaks down many of the guitar parts by plugging in, playing, and then explaining the layers of each song, as does Vivian Campbell. Rick Allen talks about his accident and the different situations that the group was in while recording.

The acoustic versions of "Hysteria" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me" reveal a softer and rarely seen aspect of the group, and even though the songs are in their stripped down versions they sound just as wonderful. I really like what Joe said about how they were a tight group and that he never considered himself a leader because he was the front man, it was just five guys coming together to make great music. They were unusual in that they all could sing, thus their harmonies were fabulous along with Elliot's powerful vocals and stage presence. They certainly carved a niche for themselves in rock music and this fabulous portrait of the group on DVD gives you an understanding of how and why they did it so successfully.

If you always wanted to get inside the collective head of a band this is the kind of entertainment you will love. The Classic Album series from Eagle Rock Entertainment offers a wide range of this type of music alternative. I found this as fascinating as anything that I have ever enjoyed.

[Though Vivian Campbell appears in the bonus segments, the guitarist on the album is the late Steve Clark, who died in January 1991 - ed.]

Tracklisting:
Introduction / Animal / Hysteria / Rocket / Love Bites / Pour Some Sugar On Me

Bonus material: Initial Recordings of "Animal" / Rick Gets Hysterical / "Hysteria" (acoustic) / Drumming - Return To The Status Quo / The Album According To Joe / Sugar Stripped Down / "Pour Some Sugar On Me" (acoustic) / Guitars, Guitars, Guitars / Windmill II And The Gods Of War / Mutt's Vocals In The Mix / The Album Is Finally Released

Musicians:
Steve Clark - guitars, vocals
Phil Collen - guitars, vocals
Rick Savage - Bass, vocals
Rick Allen - drums, vocals
Joe Elliott - lead vocals
Vivian Campbell - guitars, vocals (bonus segments)

Discography:
On Through The Night (1980)
High 'N' Dry (1981)
Pyromania (1983)
Hysteria (1987)
Adrenalize (1992)
Retroactive (1993)
Vault (1995)
Slang (1996)
Euphoria (1999)
X (2002)
Best Of (2004)
Rock Of Ages - The Definitive Collection (2005)
Yeah! (2006)
Songs From The Sparkle Lounge (2008)
Greatest Hits (2009)

Historia (VHS) (1988)
In The Round (VHS) (1989)
Visualize (DVD) (1993)
Video Archive (DVD) (1995)
Best Of (DVD) (2004)
Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection (DVD) (2005)
Classic: Hysteria (DVD) (2006)

Genre: Melodic Metal

Origin UK

Added: December 2nd 2002
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.defleppard.com
Hits: 2376
Language: english