- Pyromania (album)
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This article is about the album by Def Leppard. For other uses, see Pyromania (disambiguation).
Pyromania Studio album by Def Leppard Released 20 January 1983 Recorded January–November 1982 at Park Gates Studios, Battle, East Sussex, England, and Battery Studios, London Genre Heavy metal, hard rock, glam metal Length 44:57 Label Vertigo Producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange Def Leppard chronology High 'n' Dry
(1981)Pyromania
(1983)Hysteria
(1987)Singles from Pyromania - "Photograph"
Released: February 1983[1] - "Rock of Ages"
Released: May 1983[1] - "Foolin'"
Released: September 1983[1] - "Too Late for Love"
Released: November 1983[1]
Pyromania is the third studio album by British rock band Def Leppard, released on 20 January 1983. It featured new guitarist Phil Collen and was produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The album charted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and #18 on the UK Albums Chart.[2][3]
The album was partially recorded with original guitarist Pete Willis, whose rhythm guitar tracks appear on all songs. Midway through the recording sessions, Willis was fired for excessive alcohol abuse and replaced by Collen, who contributed guitar solos and other parts that had not yet been recorded by Willis. On the original LP release, Willis is visible in the background of the photograph of singer Joe Elliott, while Collen is given his own personal photo as the new full-time member of the group.
With its melodic hooks (and heavy MTV exposure) Pyromania became a massive success, and was the catalyst for the 1980s pop-metal movement.[4] The album has sold over 10 million copies in the US where it is certified Diamond.[5] Three songs from Pyromania, "Photograph", "Rock of Ages" and "Foolin'", became Top 40 singles in the US.[6] In 2004, the album ranked number 384 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[7] In 2006, Q magazine placed the album at number 35 in its list of "40 Best Albums of the '80s".[8]
A Deluxe Edition of Pyromania was released on 8 June 2009, featuring a digitally remastered version of the album, plus a live bonus CD. The complete, unedited concert was originally broadcast over FM radio. The live bonus CD, of their 11 September 1983 show at the L.A. Forum, is heavily edited.
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic link Robert Christgau (C) Rolling Stone link Sputnik Music link Thrash Hits link Contents
Track listing
Side one No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)" Steve Clark, Rick Savage, Mutt Lange, Joe Elliott 3:52 2. "Photograph" Clark, Pete Willis, Savage, Lange, Elliott 4:12 3. "Stagefright" Savage, Elliott, Lange 3:46 4. "Too Late for Love" Clark, Lange, Willis, Savage, Elliott 4:30 5. "Die Hard the Hunter" Lange, Clark, Savage, Elliott 6:17 Side two No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Foolin'" Clark, Lange, Elliott 4:32 2. "Rock of Ages" Clark, Lange, Elliott 4:09 3. "Comin' Under Fire" Lange, Clark, Willis, Elliott 4:20 4. "Action! Not Words" Lange, Clark, Elliott 3:49 5. "Billy's Got a Gun" Clark, Savage, Willis, Elliott, Lange 5:56 Deluxe Edition Bonus CD
Live – L.A. Forum 1983 No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)" Clark, Savage, Lange, Elliott 2. "Rock Brigade" Savage, Clark, Elliott 3. "High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night)" Elliott, Clark, Savage 4. "Another Hit and Run" Elliott, Savage 5. "Billy's Got a Gun" Clark, Savage, Willis, Elliott, Lange 6. "Mirror Mirror (Look into My Eyes)" Elliott, Clark, Savage 7. "Foolin'" Clark, Lange, Elliott 8. "Photograph" Clark, Willis, Savage, Lange, Elliott 9. "Rock of Ages" Clark, Lange, Elliott 10. "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" Elliott, Willis, Clark 11. "Switch 625" Clark 12. "Let It Go" Elliott, Willis, Clark 13. "Wasted" Clark, Elliott 14. "Stagefright" Savage, Elliott, Lange 15. "Travellin' Band (featuring Brian May)" John Fogerty Personnel
- Joe Elliott – lead vocals
- Steve Clark – guitars
- Phil Collen – guitars
- Rick Savage – bass
- Rick Allen – drums
- Pete Willis – rhythm guitars
- Additional musicians
- The Leppardettes – backing vocals
- John Kongos – Fairlight CMI programming
- Booker T. Boffin – keyboards (a.k.a. Thomas Dolby)
- Production
- Robert John "Mutt" Lange – producer
- Mike Shipley – engineer
- Brian "Chuck" New – assistant engineer (Battery Studios)
- Craig "Too Loud for Boys" Thomson – assistant engineer (Park Gate Studios)
- Additional personnel
- Bernard Gudynas – front cover illustration
- David Landslide – back cover photograph
- Andie Airfix – album sleeve concept and design
Certifications
Country Provider Certification
(sales thresholds)United States RIAA 10× Platinum Canada CRIA 7× Platinum United Kingdom BPI Silver See also
References
- (1983) Album notes for Pyromania by Def Leppard [Vinyl back cover]. London, England: Vertigo (VERS 2).
- ^ a b c d Senff, Mark. "Def Leppard Online Discography – 7" vinyl". Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20081208122045/http://www.defleppard-discography.com/results.asp?show=items&format=2. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
- ^ "Allmusic (Def Leppard charts and awards) Billboard albums". http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4062.
- ^ "Def Leppard chart stats". http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=398.
- ^ Pyromania: Def Leppard Allmusic. Retrieved 17 November 2011
- ^ "American album certifications – Def Leppard – Pyromania". RIAA. Retrieved 17 November 2011
- ^ Def Leppard: Chart History Billboard. Retrieved 17 November 2011
- ^ 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Pyromania - Def Leppard Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 November 2011
- ^ Q August 2006, Issue 241
Categories:- Def Leppard albums
- 1983 albums
- Mercury Records albums
- Vertigo Records albums
- Albums produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange
- Universal Deluxe Editions
- New Wave of British heavy metal albums
- Recording Industry Association of America Diamond Award albums
- "Photograph"
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