Exactly. "Late in the game" describes it perfectly for me too. I had already phased out of that kind of music when it came out. I LOVED Pyromania though. It's still a damn good album, actually. I actually had tickets to see that tour but I couldn't go because I got grounded for making a D in Biology. I remember the next day everyone came to school with those sleeveless British flag concert shirts. I was so jealous. I still remember being able to play the beginning of Rock of Ages (with the cowbell) being a barometer of whether or not you were a good drummer. Keep in mind, it was 1983 and we were in Jr High. Rick Allen is an inspiration to drummers/people everywhere. It's still amazing to me what he went through and how he eventually got back in the game. It also says a lot about the other guys in the band that they never gave up on him. Say what you want about Def Leppard, but you can't say they haven't paid their dues. They've earned all the money and fame the have, and then some.
Actually it was on the radio all the time when it came out. But since then it probably hasn't been, that's probably true. Hysteria for me. It's possible I've listened to it more than any other album ever. Love and Affection is a great song, probably my favorite on there right now. There's some other good songs that weren't hits, like Excitable, Gods of War (could do w/o all the dialogue in it though). The song I could never really get into is "Rocket".
How could you not get into that badass intro with the rocket and control room sound effects? "Guitar. Drums. LADIES!"
I would have to go with "Hysteria". The songs, and Mutt Lange's layered production make this one of the greatest hard rock records of the 80's. They released 7 successful singles and "Love And Affection" would have probably been the 8th hit. "Pyromania" had more of an AC/DC edge. It wasn't until its follow up that Def Leppard perfected their sound. Unfortunately every album they have released since has pailed in comparison to anything they recorded in the 80's. Everytime i hear they have a new album coming out i get my hopes up that its going to be a return to form and i'm usually disapointed.
