REISSUE: Def Leppard – Hysteria (30th Anniversary)

In 1987, I was 8 years old and Def Leppard was all over MTV, filling arenas and dominating the radio. My younger brother and I both had our own cassettes of their blockbuster, pop-metal masterpiece, Hysteria.  (I also somehow convinced my parents to let me slice holes in my jeans like Joe Elliot’s and wear them to school!) Def Leppard’s 12-times platinum fourth album, produced by Robert “Mutt” Lange was led by seven mega-hit singles, "Love Bites", "Pour Some Sugar on Me", "Hysteria", "Armageddon It", "Animal", "Rocket", and "Women".  Not since Michael Jackson’s Thriller, had one artist been able to chart as many major hits from one album.  The aptly-titled Hysteria was and is inescapable.      

To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of Hysteria, Def Leppard in conjunction with Bludgeon Riffola/Mercury/Ume, has recently released a newly-remastered 2-LP reissue of the album on vinyl that comes in a limited orange colorway or in standard black.  Vocalist Joe Elliott acted as executive producer of the remastering sessions that were completed by the band’s long-time sound engineer Ronan McHugh. Additionally, the 5-CD/2-DVD Super Deluxe Edition includes the newly remastered original album, various b-sides (including fan favorite “Ring Of Fire”) and remixed versions of the album tracks as well as the first ever audio appearance of the ‘In the Round’ concert film.  The 2 DVDs contain the Classic Albums documentary, as well as their BBC Top Of The Pops appearances and the promo videos from the era.  To top it off, 4 books are included that contain rare and previously unreleased photos of the band and ephemera from the era including backstage passes, an in-depth history of the album written by Mojo and classic Rock writer Paul Elliott and an intriguing track-by-track oral history from the band members themselves.  After 30 years, this album remains a classic and will still be considered one in another 30 years!    

For more info or to order: http://www.defleppard.com

Watch “Armageddon It” here: