Share

 
Announced last month, Def Leppard will play its multiplatinum 1987 album ‘Hysteria’ in its entirety for Viva Hysteria!, which will begin March 22 at The Joint at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The band’s stay follows Hard Rock residencies from Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses.
 
Vegas.com: What do you think it was about that album that continues to attract fans today?
 
(Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen) “Mutt Lange is a genius. He said we can do an ultimate rock album or we can do a rock version of ‘Thriller,’ where we have seven hit singles. But to do that, you have to put the extra effort in. The attitude when the album came out, a lot of people didn’t like it. They thought, oh this is too pop or they didn’t understand the crossover because it’s a perfect hybrid between rock and pop. If you look at Mutt Lange’s track record, his biggest successes are for example, Shania Twain. He definitely brought country to the masses. He successfully fused rock, pop music with country, and I never thought I’d see the day. I remember being in Japan and hearing Shana Twain when I was going up and down in an elevator. That for us, like I said, it was the perfect hybrid of pop and rock that was actually acceptable. A lot of rock fans didn’t like it at first, but by the end of that year everyone had the record. You couldn’t really escape the whole thing. It was pop music but done rock. We kicked our ass on it. It was very different from anything that had come before it actually.”
 
Has performing those songs changed for you over the years?
 
“I guess a little bit. ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ took on a whole life of its own, the stripper pole anthem if you like. Wherever you play that song every girl actually turns into a stripper, it’s really interesting. Again, that’s how that song became successful… So I guess all the songs take on something a little different after a few years… They’re not exactly like they were on the record. They certainly take on their own lives. It’s really interesting. It’s just wonderful to be part of one of those classic albums.”
 

80s Metal Trending

The Metallica man discusses all things lyric-writing during the latest Metallica Report podcast [...]

Slash released an album of blues and soul standards that no one was expecting, then took the show on the road to support community causes [...]

In a new interview with Nikki Blakk of San Francisco's 107.7 The Bone radio station, DEATH ANGEL and KERRY KING vocalist Mark Osegueda spoke about why DEATH ANGEL pulled out [...]

He says there is a "complete misconception" of what he's like to work with. Continue reading… [...]

In a recent interview with The Metal Summit, SKID ROW drummer Rob Hammersmith spoke about the band's ongoing search for a replacement for singer Erik Grönwall. Erik, who was SKID [...]

As a tribute to a recently deceased friend, Cooper led a celebrity campaign to restore the Hollywood landmark. Continue reading… [...]

Eric Peterson of TESTAMENT is featured in the latest episode of Gibson TV 's "Riff Lords", where your favorite guitar heroes and legends behind iconic riffs take you on a [...]

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY appears to have entered the studio to begin recording its long-awaited follow-up to 2018's "No Cross No Crown" album. Earlier today, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY took to social [...]

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Metallica Report", the podcast offering weekly insider updates on all things METALLICA, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield spoke about his perennial and [...]

Ride guitarist Andy Bell will release his third solo album pinball wanderer in February [...]

Rhino will unveil a very special David Lee Roth box set, "The Warner Recordings 1985-1994", on February 21, 2025. It includes the first five solo releases recorded by the Rock [...]

The Slayer guitarist reveals he’ll spend 20 minutes with Dave Mustaine but then “bolt just before anything gets uncomfortable” [...]

'It interests me and it takes work,' says Hetfield aspiring to 'paint a picture in just one sentence' like the singer-songwriter. Continue reading… [...]

During an appearance on the "Lipps Service With Scott Lipps" podcast, SLAYER's Kerry King reflected on his first time seeing METALLICA back in 1982. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): [...]

The mini-Slayer reunion is taken from To Cross Or To Burn, the second album by the Lombardos’ project Venamoris [...]

"Perverts might be the twisted sonic exorcism you’ve been waiting for" [...]

Praised by Brian May, feted by Eric Clapton and Dolly Parton, Grace Bowers is on the road to stardom – and she's still only 18 [...]

Stryper . The post Stryper clarify the “official” dates for their album releases first appeared on Sleaze Roxx. [...]

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans EXODUS are preparing to enter the studio to begin recording the follow-up to their 2021 album "Persona Non Grata". Earlier today, EXODUS shared [...]

MEGADETH and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE are among the confirmed artists for this year's edition of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, set to take place June 12-15, 2025 [...]

On Jan. 8, 1991, Def Leppard's Steve Clark died from an overdose. Continue reading… [...]

Kiss icon’s April-May road trip will now stop at 19 venues. Continue reading… [...]

Van Halen albums have it all: One of the most innovative guitarists of all time, your choice of rock star frontmen, and great tunes [...]