Compilations 7-Def Leppard

[SAT-I need more room!!]

Only two compilations by this group. They did have a collection called Retroactive, but this was not a Greatest Hits, but rather a collection of B sides and oddities.

Their first Greatest Hits was Vault which was released when they were kindof at a crossroads. Their most recent album, Adrenalize had some hits, but nowhere near the level of their earlier smashes. So they put out this one disc collection and included a new song.

It certainly is a good one disc collection, with all three biggies from Pyromania, 6 of the 7 singles from Hysteria, the 2 biggest from Adrenalize, Bringin' on the Heartbreak and 2 from Retroactive. Overall, it touches on everything. Arguements can be made that Women from Hysteria (a song that did not crack the Top 40) should be on there, or the popular Too Late For Love, not to mention the other singles from Adrenalize. Plus diehards would want something from their debut, despite having no hits. But this is a good collection from someone who wants the basics. (I remember the new song getting made fun of for sounding like it belonged on "Lite" format stations.)

Well, most of those arguements I mentioned above were taken care of after they released 3 more studio albums. They came out with the 2 disc Rock of Ages. Improvements-added Women, added 4 more Pyro cuts (including Too Late), 5 more from High-n-Dry (including Switch 625 that Bringin' fades into), 2 more from Adrenalize and threw in 2 from the debut. On top of that, it added 5 songs from their next three albums (including Paper Sun & Promises which has the old Leppard sound!). Complaints could be no Me & My Wine which had a video in the early MTV days and the other two singles from Adrenalize.

So basically, if you just want the basic hits that most people know, the single disc is the set to get. But if you want to investigate more but don't want individual albums (some would say several of their albums are essential) the 2 disc set is the way to go.

[Pete70s]

Vault was a good collection at the time. 1995 was not a good time for Def Leppard to release anything, really. People were still not ready to re-embrace the 80's yet. It has what any mainstream fan would want, but the rock fans who supported them from the beginning didn't get much out of this comp.

As a big fan of their first three albums, I thought "Hysteria" was OK, but I HATED "Adrenalize". Never owned "Slang" or "Euphoria", but LOVED "Work It Out" and "Paper Sun"! Getting them both on the double CD made it worth getting.

I never thought much of "Me And My Wine". It just seemed like a bonus to get more "High N' Dry" sales after the success of "Pyromania". I can do fine without it. But I've gotta give them props for including "Bringing On The Heartbreak/Switch 625" together on the double CD. The only way I'll listen to it!

I like a lot of album cuts like "Run Riot", "Lady Strange" and "Comin' Under Fire", but I also realize that you can't have everything. There still has to be some reason to buy the full albums!

Real hardcore fans would want to have the three tracks from their initial ep, "Getcha Rocks Off", "Ride Into The Sun" and "Overture". I don't think the latter two have ever been released commercially in the U.S., but "Getcha Rocks Off" appeared on a (now out of print) NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) compilation that Lars Ulrich compiled in the early 90's. Maybe someday they'll put out a Def Leppard box set, they're certainly worthy of one!

[Ken]

I've enjoyed Def Leppard's music very much over the years. Pyromania was a HUGE album in my High School, everybody seemed to own a copy either on vinyl or cassette. I still remember watching the video of "Foolin" on "Friday Night Videos. "

When "Vault" was released in 1995, I was a very happy man, I bought my copy shortly after it was released. As a single disc collection, IMHO it's a winner, you can't go wrong!


Rock of Ages - The Definitive Collection - This is a terrific collection, no doubt about it, and I thought it was great that they decided to include "No Matter What" the boys did an excellent job on the track.

[55dodger]

I got both The Vault (used) & Rock of Ages (library find). I think I'm pretty covered on Def Leppard. Not really crazy enough about them to get individual CDs, although I do have two albums on vinyl.

[Dawn]

I thought about getting Rock of Ages when it was released, but never did. I like their music, but my taste tends to lean very heavily toward their early albums - On Through the Night, High 'n' Dry, and Pyromania.

Like Ken, I remember Pyro was a "must-have" album at my high school.

[dave910]

I went out and purchased Vault a few years ago. Then I borrowed the Rock of Ages two disc collection from the library. Rock of Ages is reasonably priced for a double disc collection and the one I'd recommend.

I agree with Pete that while "Me and My Wine" was a decent song when I was 13, but the song hasn't aged well with me.