Def Leppard - Songs From The Sparkle Lounge

Night of the Living Thread.

spectrefate wrote:

Right now, I'm watching a DL bootleg from 1983 on DVD from their Rockapalast date that year. They sure sound pretty metal to me. Joe had such a strong voice and Steve Clark was so much the soul of the band at that time, IMO.

Is that where they play "Medicine Man," the early version of "Rock Rock (Till You Drop)?"

No, it is dated 83 but it has to be 84. The tracklist is Rock Rock, Billy's Got A, Foolin, Rock of Ages and Let It Go.

spectrefate wrote:

No, it is dated 83 but it has to be 84. The tracklist is Rock Rock, Billy's Got A, Foolin, Rock of Ages and Let It Go.

Yeah, maybe. There's not many boots from the early 80s. The most common is the Reading Festival where they play "Medicine Man."



I have that show on an old cassette tape I bought from a bootlegger at the Brockton Fair back in the 80s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0dHLI-XS1k

1979. Steve's rainbow tights are pretty metal, if you ask me. And those ruffled shirts...awesome.

Here's the bootleg I was referring to earlier. Not the best quality, but an awesome document, methinks.

http://rapidshare.de/files/39564493/Def.Leppard.-.Rockpalast.1983_by_DarkBattM14.mpg.html

I see ...Sparkle Lounge is starting to pop-up in the used bins already. I still ain't getting it though.

WOW !!!! The thread that would not die indeed, I enjoyed reading all the different opinions on Def Leppard, not just Sparkle Lounge Lp. I actually like " Sparkle Lounge', for some reason everytime I pick up a Def Leppard cd I am always expecting to be disappointed, maybe it is because I read advance reviews which are always negative and state how they have turned their backs on their formative metal roots, but I always ending liking their albums, I think " Sparkle Lounge" is a good not great Def Leppard album, I can't imagine them ever coming close to writing songs like their first two albums, but I am glad they made a solid rock album with plenty of pop hooks, at this point in their career I couldn't ask for anything more. I am glad to see that it did as well as it did.

The thread that would not die is RESURRECTED!!!

I just received a copy of this album. First spin...I'm not sure. I'm having a hard time even calling this rock. It's very pop oriented.

Did you expect anything less than "pop oriented"?

My final verdict, after much back and forth, is that I hate this album...

S wrote:

My final verdict, after much back and forth, is that I hate this album...

I'm with you. There is just nothing on here for a rock or metal fan to like. This is just pure pop dribble. My review is written. I really did attempt to like this album. I gave it plenty of spins before finally writing a review.

I hate Sparkle Lounge...one of their worst offerings. However I love sLang & Euphora of the post Hysteria albums.

I must be a bigger fanboy of Def Leppard then I suspected, I actually liked the album. No they never go back to the days of 'High n Dry' ( too bad) or even 'Pyromania' but I still liked the album.

I like it ok and isn't the real question: is it good pop? Cheap Trick do a lot of pop music and since DL claim bands like Sweet are their inspiration wouldn't this fit?

I started liking "Love" a lot, it has a Stairway To Heaven meets Queen feel to it.

"Go" is also a catchy tune, but "Come On, Come On" practically drove me over the edge and on a drinking binge.

Just saw their episode of btm remastered I think I want Yeah I love their Bowie cover

I like this one from Yeah!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouCjVCIA6gU&feature=related

Yeah is a great album. It was basically the soundtrack of that summer for me and my fiancee.

Quote :

Yeah is a great album.

That's the last album I've heard (and liked) since RetroActive. I thought they did a nice job both in the selection as well as the execution of the songs they chose to cover.

If I like it it would be my first probobly since Adrenelized

Addy wrote:

If I like it it would be my first probobly since Adrenelized

I remember thinking Adrenelized wasn't too bad, but I've never bothered upgrading from tape. Haven't heard that one in a long, long time, but I'm familair with the singles.

Adrenelized was one of the very first CDs i ever bought

ultmetal wrote:

S wrote:

My final verdict, after much back and forth, is that I hate this album...

I'm with you. There is just nothing on here for a rock or metal fan to like. This is just pure pop dribble. My review is written. I really did attempt to like this album. I gave it plenty of spins before finally writing a review.

The only difference between what DL is attempting and what Bon Jovi are attempting is that Bon Jovi is having more success with it. They've both become such watered-down drivel that I can hardly stand it. But, they make more money than me so more power to them.

I think X has much better songs, better hooks, better everything than Songs From...

The thing is, I don't know why DL keeps making new albums. Bon Jovi chases trends and it works for them and they capitalize on it and stay relevant to the times (like Aerosmith did, good or bad)...although since Crush I think each album has steadily sold less and less.

DL keeps trying to to what Bon Jovi and Aerosmith managed to do...and they keep failing miserably. At this point, I seriously doubt there can be any artistic satisfaction for DL turning out stuff like "C'Mon C'Mon". I mean, they've had their fluff lyrics at times but that takes the cake. Slang...IMO...was the bands last great record...and that followed the boring Adrenalize...the others have had some OK songs on them (for my taste) but as a solid front to back listen, Slang was the last glimpse of greatness from them.

IMO, they need to stop trying to have their big platinum resurgence and just do a farewell tour and break up...but what do I know?