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Well, the band are obviously overlooked nowadays, but alot of people stil love their music, like me... Now they have a downloadable guitar hero song pack with three of their popular songs just released today.. And they're going to release their long-awaited tenth studio album pretty soon..

So I felt motivated to make this thread. Which Def Leppard song do you like best?

Here is my run-down on each song:

Bringin' On The Heartbreak
A great, classic early ballad... This helped popularize the then-young MTV and boosted sales for its album, High 'N' Dry.. I love the chorus, the solo, everything about it... A true iconic early song. Both videos (one with Pete Willis, and the other with Phil Collen) are great..

Photograph
Oh, YES. I just can't get enough out of this song! It's just so much fun to watch the video for it and it helped inspire the advent of hair metal in the mid-1980's... Even Pyromania sold well just because of this song in particular.. The video looks really good, the song is catchy, nothing to hate.. This one gets my vote.

Rock Of Ages
Another great shouter... The chorus almost reminds me of Kiss' God Of Thunder song... It's just that powerful, and who wouldn't like songs about burning things down? I also love the medievalish feel of the video.. Especially with the hooded monks and the really big swords... Almost reminded me of Dio's Holy Diver videos...

Foolin'
Ah, a rather calming song.. Very fun to play on guitar, and I love how everything flows out well during the song.

Too Late For Love
One of my favourite power ballads in rock history... This one has like two distinctive and unique guitar solos in between the verses... I love how this song doesn't drag on..

Animal
I also enjoyed this song.. Even if the band had adopted a more pop-ish sound, I don't care.. I love the bridge and chorus of this song..

Pour Some Sugar On Me
Honestly, one of my least favourite out of this list... I love the song, but they focused too much on the whole sex theme.. It's a fun pop song, but does not compare to their older songs..

Hysteria
This song is memorable as hell.. It's very romantic and heart-felt.. Another great addition to the Hysteria album.. I just love that guitar solo..

Love Bites
Yes, oh yes... This is definitely their best power ballad! Sadly it was their first and only #1 single on the mainstream rock charts.. The lyrics are inspiring just as emotional... Hating this song would be the biggest lie ever.

Rocket
A great anthem-feel tribute song to their rock heroes from the 60's and 70's.. I also enjoyed their promotional video for this song and the footages of other bands was pretty cool...



Post your opinions on as many songs as you'd like...

I acquired many of my musical tastes from relatives, including their song "Photograph". It's a great 80's tune, and yes, Def Leppard is overlooked because when people think 80's rock they say "Queen! AC/DC! KISS! [insert hair-metal band here]!" and I may say Def Leppard.

I'm not as big of a fan as you are, but there are some things to admire about the band, including their one-armed drummer. To recover from that and to still play stuff is pretty amazing.



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I say what I wanna say, I play how I wanna play.

Quote (Harlequin @ 24th April 2008 14:58)

I acquired many of my musical tastes from relatives, including their song "Photograph". It's a great 80's tune, and yes, Def Leppard is overlooked because when people think 80's rock they say "Queen! AC/DC! KISS! [insert hair-metal band here]!" and I may say Def Leppard.

I'm not as big of a fan as you are, but there are some things to admire about the band, including their one-armed drummer. To recover from that and to still play stuff is pretty amazing.

Yes indeed. Rick Allen is still one of the greatest drummers out there. You just gotta give props to the experienced musicians, and being able to drum with one arm and using only your left foot for a total of four pedals is very impressive.

The reason they became overlooked was because of their sound change from metal to pop since 1987.. Most Def Leppard fans stick to their two first original albums before they went commercial.. British metal is very sacred to me.

I voted Photograph. I'm honestly not a huge fan of Def Leppard but they have a few songs I like.

And I can truly say I despise Love Bites lol

hey guys

what has nine arms and sux


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DEF LEPPARD

I hate that people are impressed Rick Allen was/is able to play the drums with one foot and one hand. The friggin' drummer of Blink 182 is able to do it too, and so can anyone with a bit of practice, it's not hard. He's no where near the level of the real greats like John Bonham or Neil Peart.

Def Leppard is a terrible band.

Also, LOL@Mimic

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Okay, but there was a goat!

I'll give Def Leppard one thing - their song Photograph is better than the Nickelback song of the same name. There, I think I've run out of praise.

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They're not exactly one of my favorite bands, but i do really like love bites. im a big fan of ballads, when im in the mood. Photograph is also a good song.

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Quote (Dragon_Fire @ 24th April 2008 18:34)

I hate that people are impressed Rick Allen was/is able to play the drums with one foot and one hand. The friggin' drummer of Blink 182 is able to do it too, and so can anyone with a bit of practice, it's not hard. He's no where near the level of the real greats like John Bonham or Neil Peart.

Def Leppard is a terrible band.

Also, LOL@Mimic

The reason people are impressed with him is because he is the first and only well-known drummer to have lost an arm and still continue a musical career.. Even to this day, he tours with Def Leppard annually.

I admit, Neil Peart is one of the most technical drummers out there, but saying that there's nothing great about Rick Allen is just lame.

Of course any drummer can do one arm with some practice, but the difference between Rick Allen and the other drummers is that he is FORCED to drum with one arm, either he uses that arm or he doesn't drum at all.. He also has really quick reflexes with his legs on the pedals..

He's still trying to play everything that he used to play with his left arm.. To me, a great drummer is not only someone who has the "rhythm", but also the "heart" to continue on what they love doing. Because I hate people that judge musicians only on how influential and popular they are, not how good they sound or how they have a unique style..

That, in my opinion, is what makes him such a great drummer.. I don't care if he's no John Bonham or Tommy Lee, atleast he started recording with Def Leppard since he was just 15. Rick was always talented from the start..How many drummers started a career at that age? John Bonham started out at 16..

You're entitled to your own opinion whether you like Def Leppard or not.. I don't really care about what you or anyone else thinks..

I'm actually quite glad to stand out from other people's opinions. And also, MTV just wouldn't be MTV without Def Leppard taking a part on making it a phenomenal sucess... Even Photograph helped pave the way for "butt-rock" hair metal bands of the 80's... namely Guns 'N' Roses, Skid Row, and many others that many of you so desperately love.

I can admit it's admiralable that he kept playing. I just never got into Def Leppard. They aren't a bad band, just not my sound. They have a newer song that they played on the VH1 rock honors that was pretty cool though

Quote (Dragon_Fire @ 24th April 2008 23:34)

I hate that people are impressed Rick Allen was/is able to play the drums with one foot and one hand. The friggin' drummer of Blink 182 is able to do it too, and so can anyone with a bit of practice, it's not hard. He's no where near the level of the real greats like John Bonham or Neil Peart.

Def Leppard is a terrible band.

Also, LOL@Mimic

I had to use wikipedia to know what drummers you're talking about, so I've no idea how good/bad those drummers are. Despite my lack of knowledge, I do know that it takes guts to come back from an accident like that. Imagine having this great passion, being famous for it, then suddenly being disabled and can't do it the same way. Not only do you have to recover from the physical injuries that you receive, but you have to work really hard to get back to a point that's decent enough. And he managed to do that.

I'm not here to insult any other drummer or their passion for the instrument, but I think that it's not fair to compare a man with one arm to other men with two arms, considering the men with two arms will have the advantage in every single way.

Truly, I don't like hard rock type bands, but, musicians do what they do. Even if you hate them, they make money off of people who like them, and I guess that means that people like them for some reason. They're tolerable, and that is how I feel about Def Leppard.

(That joke brought me no laughter, and would not be funny even if it was said about a band I greatly dislike. Yeah, disabled jokes are not cool.)

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I say what I wanna say, I play how I wanna play.

Quote (NeoEx-Death @ 25th April 2008 19:29)

The reason people are impressed with him is because he is the first and only well-known drummer to have lost an arm and still continue a musical career.. Even to this day, he tours with Def Leppard annually.

I admit, Neil Peart is one of the most technical drummers out there, but saying that there's nothing great about Rick Allen is just lame.

Of course any drummer can do one arm with some practice, but the difference between Rick Allen and the other drummers is that he is FORCED to drum with one arm, either he uses that arm or he doesn't drum at all.. He also has really quick reflexes with his legs on the pedals..

He's still trying to play everything that he used to play with his left arm.. To me, a great drummer is not only someone who has the "rhythm", but also the "heart" to continue on what they love doing. Because I hate people that judge musicians only on how influential and popular they are, not how good they sound or how they have a unique style..

That, in my opinion, is what makes him such a great drummer.. I don't care if he's no John Bonham or Tommy Lee, atleast he started recording with Def Leppard since he was just 15. Rick was always talented from the start..How many drummers started a career at that age? John Bonham started out at 16..

You're entitled to your own opinion whether you like Def Leppard or not.. I don't really care about what you or anyone else thinks..

I'm actually quite glad to stand out from other people's opinions. And also, MTV just wouldn't be MTV without Def Leppard taking a part on making it a phenomenal sucess... Even Photograph helped pave the way for "butt-rock" hair metal bands of the 80's... namely Guns 'N' Roses, Skid Row, and many others that many of you so desperately love.

I don't judge musicians based on how influential they are, and music certainly is not a popularity content: I judge musicians based on actual skill. Even with his other arm, he wasn't anything special. Def Leppard isn't at all known as a "drum band" and I'm going to be blunt? Him having one arm is probably the only reason they've had so much lasting attention over the years. Apart from Love Bites, their entire musical catalogue is forgettable at best. No, people feel sorry for the drummer who lost his arm and admire his strength of character for getting back on the horse and learning to play all over again. I won't knock that, it's certainly a positive message for people. Beyond that, though? I'm fairly sure most people don't even know who Rick Allen is these days and in another decade or so, I don't think anyone really is going to remember Def Leppard. It doesn't matter when you start recording, in fact, most people start their musical careers at a young age. That doesn't mean that they were signed and famous by that point and it certainly says nothing at all about his skill. In truth, if you're generic you'll pretty much tend to stay that way. Rick Allen's only defining, unique trait is that he's a one armed drummer. Otherwise? He has no recognizable sound, no real skill or technique. He's a gimmick at best, I'm afraid to say.

Really, if you didn't care about what anyone else thinks, you wouldn't have posted this thread specifically asking for what everyone else's opinion on the subject was.

For the record, Skid Row is pretty bad too and despite Axl and Slash's appearance during the 80's, Guns n Roses certainly was not hair metal.

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Quote (Dragon_Fire @ 26th April 2008 02:44)

I don't judge musicians based on how influential they are, and music certainly is not a popularity content: I judge musicians based on actual skill. Even with his other arm, he wasn't anything special. Def Leppard isn't at all known as a "drum band" and I'm going to be blunt?

Rick Allen's drumming style not being anything special is just an opinion, as much as opinion it is that his style is something special.. If you don't like him, that's fine.. But it's ridiculous to ram on people just because they don't drum the way you usually see others drum. I think Rick's drumming is excellent.. Like I said, it's just opinion. I'm not trying to make you like him, but I certainly wished you learned to appreciate him.

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Him having one arm is probably the only reason they've had so much lasting attention over the years.

I have to call you on that.. They didn't become popular just because of Rick's car accident.. The band made its worldwide success because they accumulated their power to release the album Hysteria, which was concepted of a "hard rock Thriller". It's because of their chart-topping singles and their world tours that they became remembered and respected..

They also are the only band to have made it in the Guiness Book of World Records for playing in three countries from three continents in one day (from Morocco to England to Canada).. That's another thing that makes them so interesting..

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Beyond that, though? I'm fairly sure most people don't even know who Rick Allen is these days and in another decade or so, I don't think anyone really is going to remember Def Leppard.

That's only because you people choose certain artists and bands to still listen to and leave all others in the dust.. And many of those forgotten were/are great bands.. If people talk about any band that doesn't have to do with Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N' Roses, or Van Halen, others wouldn't know what the hell you're talking about.. I just hate that, but atleast those kinds of bands recieve more morons for fans than the forgotten bands.

And I also blame it all on rap (which isn't technically music), emo music, pop, alternative, punk, etc..

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It doesn't matter when you start recording, in fact, most people start their musical careers at a young age. That doesn't mean that they were signed and famous by that point and it certainly says nothing at all about his skill. In truth, if you're generic you'll pretty much tend to stay that way. Rick Allen's only defining, unique trait is that he's a one armed drummer. Otherwise? He has no recognizable sound, no real skill or technique. He's a gimmick at best, I'm afraid to say.

I still think that is a load of crap.. You obviously just never really cared to study his style or technique.. So what if he doesn't do so many of those flashy drum solos that you are so used to hearing from other drummers?

Rick is great in his own way.. And like I said, it's all opinion... He sounds great, and that's all I'll ever need right there.. I'm not spoiled at all because I just really don't care how fast or distinctive the more well-known drummers are... Contesting or comparing drummers to other drummers is stupid.

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Really, if you didn't care about what anyone else thinks, you wouldn't have posted this thread specifically asking for what everyone else's opinion on the subject was.

I posted it so people would post their opinions on the bands' songs, not their members.

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despite Axl and Slash's appearance during the 80's, Guns n Roses certainly was not hair metal.

Um, yes they are.. Just because they don't wear make-up does not mean they're not hair metal.. Axl sounds very glam when he sings, and Slash is a mediocre guitarist. There is absolutely NOTHING about Guns N' Roses that can ever be considered "hard rock" or "heavy metal"... They're just a bunch of pretty american boys with cheap little sex songs.. If sex is not part of hair metal, then I don't know WHAT is.

Quote (NeoEx-Death @ 26th April 2008 14:26)

And I also blame it all on rap (which isn't technically music), emo music, pop, alternative, punk, etc...

Right around here is the point where I decided to completely ignore your musical opinions from here on out. While liking Def Leppard and disliking the Beatles are both permissible opinions (a preference or dislike for a particular band doesn't always characterize a person's entire range of musical tastes), a blanket statement like that is just plain ignorant and closed-minded.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
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Wow, NED. For someone pretending to be a fan of music, you certainly like to talk out of your ass. I'm overwhelmed with the urge to shut down your argument in a point by point fashion, but I just don't have that sort of time or patience.

Rick Allen's drumming style not being at all special is not my "opinion", it's fact. Take it from someone who studies music extensively, who actually know something about the theory and technique. You might enjoy the way he plays his drums and THAT is question of personal taste. In regards to actual ability however, he is *quite* lacking, even if you don't compare him to other drummers and base it solely on what he does. You might not need to have a lot of fancy drum solos, complicated fills or off-time changes for a drummer to be considered "good", sometimes simple *can* be better, it's just not the case for Rick Allen.

If I never cared to study his technique, then I wouldn't be bothering to argue with you. Despite what you may think, I've watched Rick Allen play, I've listened to their music and I can say with absolute certainty that it's really nothing noteworthy.

If you bothered to read what I said, it was that their *lasting* success is due to his injury, not the reason they became successful in the first place. That means, simply, that if he hadn't become a one armed drummer and a sob story, everyone would've forgotten about them a lot quicker than they should have. Chart topping singles doesn't mean much, frankly. I mean, look at all the one hit wonders who have "topped charts" in their time and then went on to fade from existence entirely. Hysteria was, despite your opinion of it, not that distinguished of an album.

Again, you enjoy talking out of your ass, don't you? Blaming the general public's taste in music for a band's gradual fade from the limelight? Oh, of course it's the fault of emo and rap music that Def Leppard is a terribly insignificant band and for the life of them, could not keep up with the times or write music which would appeal to anyone except for the fans they might've already made who lingered from the 80's. The fact is that Guns n Roses, Ozzy Osbourne and such have done much more with their careers, have written much more relevant music and had that much more of an impact because of their ability to appeal to everyone. Of course, that doesn't mean those bands are the only ones who gain any sort of recognition: there are tons of classic bands who recieve the same sort of recognition simply because they created music that merited it.

Rap music, pop and emo have nothing to do with anything in this conversation and hiding behind the fact that other genres have become more mainstream than hair metal is a ridiculous defense. There are plenty of bands who are still enjoying success despite these other genres and certainly have not been forgotten as a result.

Finally, in regards to Guns n Roses/Slash: They are absolutely not a hair metal act. Despite having written a ballad or two, they are considered famous for their combination of punk style chord use and speed while mixing it in with aspects of rock. If anything, they were never nor did they ever try to be "metal". I hate to break it to you, but rock n roll in general is about two things: Sex and Drugs. It's been that way forever and that is not limited to hair metal. Led Zeppelin sung about sex, Rolling Stones, Ramones, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath sung about sex, hell, Buddy Holly and Elvis wrote about sex. For the record, someone who refuses to recognize rap as a music style has absolutely no place trying to distinguish what is or isn't hard rock.

Also: Slash is a mediocre guitarist? Well, he is not on the scale of, say, Jimmy Page, but he certainly is one of the most influential guitarists to come out of the 80's behind Randy Rhoads, and Eddy Van Halen. His style of mixing flashy metal harmonics with bluesy rock licks was both innovative for his time, standing him apart from the other guitarists, but his sound itself was quite distinct: it was much brighter than the typical 80's rock guitar tone. When other guitarists of that time focused on sweeping and tapping, blisteringly fast arpeggios and rather repetitive patterns, Slash went to the classic roots, paying homage to blues solo and the less is more approach. It was just as flashy, but it was unique. You can, to this day, hear a guitar tone and style and recognize it instantly as Slash.





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Okay, but there was a goat!

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You can, to this day, hear a guitar tone and style and recognize it instantly as Slash.

I must strongly agree with that. The first time I heard Velvet Revolver, without even knowing who it was I knew it was Slash.

And it is comforting to know that I'm not the only one who thinks Rick Allen was mediocre

Whenever I hear 'Pour Some Sugar on Me', I always think of my cousins' weddings as they were in high school during the 80s and that song is always played the loudest. As for my favorite Def Leppard tune, I like 'Bringin' on the Heartbreak' and 'Photograph'. They are not my favorite band by any means, but I love their music asnd the drummer is one of the best.

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