85: Def Leppard – Pyromania

Admit it: you like Def Leppard's Pyromania (1983) as much as everybody else in the world. Yes their newer stuff is embarrassing and they can't pull off the old stuff like they did the first time. However, Pyromania was that one defining moment some bands have where they have relevance. They created a sound that ushered in a new era of rock, the one we now refer to collectively has hair rock.

Pyromania is as playable today as it was in the 80s, even if you play it in your rusting 2000 Ford Focus instead of, say, your freshly tuned up and restored 1976 Camaro. I can also attest to the album being enjoyable if you no longer have feathered hair or any hair for that matter.

There's a lot of power in Pyromania. My favorite tracks happen to be "Action Not Words" and "Foolin'". But I will turn up the radio for "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages". Unlike other rock that suffers from severe overplay, the songs of Pyromania never bore me like the songs from other DL albums like Hysteria or Adrenalize.

Personal Note: I did see Def Leppard in Dallas at Reunion Arena in 1987 on their Hysteria (a.k.a. "hey our drummer my have one arm but he can still play) Tour. Tesla opened up for them and, while Def Leppard was good, Tesla ruled.

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Tagged as: 100 Days 100 Albums, DefLeppard, Music, School of Rock, Self Absorbed Clap Trap