Def Leppard EP
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Def Leppard EP | ||
 |
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| EP by Def Leppard | ||
| Released | 1979 | |
| Recorded | Nov. 1978 | |
| Genre | Hard Rock | |
| Length | Unknown | |
| Label | Bludgeon-Riffola | |
| Producer(s) | Def Leppard | |
| Def Leppard chronology | ||
|---|---|---|
| Def Leppard EP (1979) |
On through the Night (1980) |
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Bludgeon-Riffola SRTS-78-CUS-232 (UK, 1979 – red label, picture sleeve)
Bludgeon-Riffola MSB-001 (UK, 1979 – yellow label)
Vertigo/Phonogram 6059-240 (UK, 1979)
Bludgeon-Riffola MSB-001 (UK, 1987 – white label, picture sleeve)
Recorded at Fairview Studios, Hull, in November 1978. Produced by Def Leppard. Engineered by Roy Neave and Keith Herd. Mixed by Nick Cartwright. Artwork by Dave Jeffery. Photography by John Wood. 100 copies included lyric sheet inserts that Joe had photocopied during his lunch-break at work. Additionally, he and his Mum glued the 1,000 sleeves together. The double-sided insert has the lyrics to “Ride Into The Sun” and “Getcha Rocks Off” on one side. Lyrics for “Overture” are on the other side along with individual sketches of the band members by Dave Jeffrey. A credit for the band’s “Mixer Man Mr. Nick Cartwright” was also included because his name was erronously left off the credits on the picture sleeve rear cover.
In a November 22 letter to Geoff Barton, reprinted in Raw magazine in 1993, Joe suggested that the three songs had already been recorded for the EP (“recently recorded”), putting the long-held November 25/6 session date in doubt. Since the 22nd was a Wednesday it would seem logical that Joe would already have a mix tape from the recording session that he would be able to circulate. This makes it seem more likely that the Leppard recording session took place the prior weekend, on November 18/9. Whichever the accurate recording date the band’s session began early Saturday morning and ended at 3:45pm the following day.
Without Tony Kenning, the band needed a drummer for the session, so Frank Noon was borrowed from “The Next Band” for the weekend. According to Joe, the EP cost £148.50 to record, money which he had borrowed from his father. This provided an initial print run of 1,000 copies that the band would use in a concerted effort to get noticed. If the plan failed, then according to Rick, “We just thought that it would be cool just to have something that you could at least save for future years, and show your grand-kids one day” (“Vault” promo CD interview).
Released in January 1979, the single was sold for £1 and shows and handed out to anyone who could help gain the band exposure. The first pressing had sold-out by the summer, helped by radio play. Joe jumped on stage at Sheffield University during a John Peel DJ session to hand-deliver a copy of the EP. John obliged by playing the single on his BBC Radio 1 show and the single eventually made it to #84 on the BBC singles charts. As a result the mission was a success and the band started generating press.
The initial pressing was sold-out by the Summer of 1979, so the band's first managers had the EP reissued with the yellow label and no picture sleeve. Once signed to Vertigo, the single was issued again, with "Ride Into The Sun" and "Getcha Rocks Off" being swapped around because the latter had become more popular.
Two of the songs - "Getcha Rocks Off" and "Overture" - were re-recorded for Def Leppard's first LP, though on the LP "Getcha Rocks Off" is titled "Rocks Off". "Ride Into The Sun" was discarded until a new version was recorded in 1987 as a B-side to the "Hysteria" single. A version later appeared on the band's Retroactive LP, but it has additional overdubs and an piano intro performed by Ian Hunter.
[edit] Track listing
- Ride Into The Sun [2:44] Rick Savage / Joe Elliott
- Getcha Rocks Off [3:28] Rick Savage / Joe Elliott / Steve Clark / Pete Willis
- Overture [7:22] Rick Savage / Joe Elliott / Steve Clark / Pete Willis
[edit] Line up
- Joe Elliott: Lead Vocals
- Pete Willis: Guitar
- Steve Clark: Guitar
- Rick Savage: Bass
- Frank Noon: Drums
| Def Leppard |
| Joe Elliott | Vivian Campbell | Phil Collen | Rick Savage | Rick Allen |
| Steve Clark | Pete Willis | Tony Kenning | Frank Noon |
| Discography |
|---|
| Studio Albums: On Through The Night | High 'n' Dry | Pyromania | Hysteria | Adrenalize | Retro Active | Slang | Euphoria | X | Yeah! |
| Compilations and extended plays: Def Leppard EP | First Strike | Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980-1995) | Best of Def Leppard | Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection |
| Singles: Bringin' on the Heartbreak | Rock of Ages | Animal | Pour Some Sugar on Me | Love Bites | Armageddon It | Rocket | Let's Get Rocked |
| Concert Tours |
| Early Tours 1978/79 | On Through The Night World Tour | High 'n' Dry World Tour | Pyromania World Tour | Hysteria World Tour | Seven Day Weekend Tour | Slang Tour | Euphoria World Tour 1999-2001 | X World Tour 2002/2003 | Rock Of Ages Tour 2005 | YEAH! Tour 2006 |
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