“We have a whole new audience… it lets new fans know what we are all about” – hmv.com talks to Def Leppard
With 11 studio albums to their name over a career that spans more than four decades, Sheffield rock legends Def Leppard are hardly short of hits. But despite this, it has been a full 13 years since the band last released a Greatest Hits compilation, so today represents a bit of a bonanza for Def Leppard fans, with the band releasing not only a vinyl box set of 7″ singles from their 1987 masterpiece Hysteria, but also a brand new compilation entitled The Story So Far: The Best of Def Leppard.
The new compilation features a selection of the band’s finest tunes, as well as a couple of other surprises including a Depeche Mode cover and even the first Def Leppard Christmas song.
With both arriving in stores today we caught up with the band’s guitarist Phil Collen for a char about putting the album together…
It has been 13 years since you last released a Greatest Hits compilation, why did you decide that now was the right time for another?
“Because there are more fans out there. There are more people who don’t know who Def Leppard are – even 13 year-old kids who weren’t around when we released the last one! We have a whole new audience and it’s great to release old material in a new package because it lets new fans know what we are all about. Especially now all our music is now available digitally too.”
Closing out a banner 2018, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame® nominees Def Leppard released a brand new greatest hits collection entitled The Story So Far – The Best Of Def Leppard. It is available in multiple configurations: a 2-CD set comprised of 35 tracks, 1-CD comprised of 17 tracks, 2LP vinyl, and digital. Among a blockbuster tracklisting loaded with timeless smashes, all four versions feature three new songs, including the official recording of the band’s recent fan favorite Depeche Mode cover “Personal Jesus,” “Rock On (Remix),” and the original holiday song “We All Need Christmas.” As a bonus for collectors, the first pressing vinyl copies of The Story So Far feature an exclusive 7” single of “Personal Jesus” and “We All Need Christmas.” See full tacklisting below.
Additionally, Def Leppard is sharing a brand new Christmas single titled “We All Need Christmas”. A delicate acoustic ballad, the track proves fireside-ready with its uplifting, hopeful spirit and sense of seasonal soul.
Listen to “We All Need Christmas” HERE and stay on the lookout for the music video’s debut soon 🎄
Also releasing today, Hysteria: The Singles, a new limited edition, 10-disc vinyl box set featuring all of the 7” singles from the multi-platinum album Hysteria, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. Hysteria: The Singles features repressed versions of all eight 7-inch vinyl singles for Hysteria including their Top-5 hits “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Animal,” “Love Bites,” “Hysteria,” “Rocket” and “Armageddon It.” Two bonus singles, “Excitable”/”Run Riot” (Album Version) and “Love and Affection”/”Don’t Shoot The Shotgun” (Album Version), are only available in this box set.
Housed in a box with a lift-off lid, Hysteria: The Singles features new cover art is made up of all 10 of the single’s sleeves, including the special Spanish “Animal” single, plus a booklet with a full band discography and an introduction written by Joe Elliott.
Get Hysteria: The Singles vinyl singles box set HERE
Everything sets the stage for what promises to be an even bigger 2019. Be on the lookout for more from Def Leppard soon.
THE STORY SO FAR TRACKLISTING:
Disc 1
1. “Animal”
2. “Photograph”
3. “Pour Some Sugar On Me”
4. “Love Bites”
5. “Let’s Get Rocked”
6. “Armaggedon It”
7. “Foolin’”
8. “Two Steps Behind”
9. “Heaven Is”
10. “Rocket”
11. “Hysteria”
12. “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad”
13. “Make Love Like A Man”
14. “Action”
15. “When Love & Hate Collide”
16. “Rock of Ages”
17. “Personal Jesus”
Disc 2
1. “Let’s Go”
2. “Promises”
3. “Slang”
4. “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak”
5. “Rock On (Radio Remix)”
6. “Nine Lives” (feat. Tim McGraw)
7. “Work It Out”
8. “Stand Up”
9. “Dangerous”
10. “Now”
11. “Undefeated”
12. “Tonight”
13. “C’Mon C’Mon”
14. “Man Enough”
15. “No Matter What”
16. “All I Want Is Everything”
17. “It’s All About Believing”
18. “Kings Of The World”
HYSTERIA: THE SINGLES TRACKLISTING:
DISC ONE: Women / Tear It Down (US Version)
DISC TWO: Animal / I Wanna Be Your Hero (US Version)
DISC THREE: Hysteria / Ride in To the Sun (Int Version)
DISC FOUR: Pour Some Sugar on Me / Ring of Fire (US Version)
DISC FIVE: Love Bites / Billy’s Got A Gun (Live)(Int Version)
DISC SIX: Armageddon It / Release Me (Can Version)
DISC SEVEN: Rocket / Woman (Live) (US Version)
DISC EIGHT: Excitable / Run Riot (Album Version)
DISC NINE: Love and Affection / Don’t Shoot Shotgun (Album Version)
DISC TEN: Animal / Tear It Down (Spanish Artwork Version)
This weeks program features songs from JETHRO TULL, AC/DC, LONG JOHN LAUNDRY, THE STRUTS amongst others, as well as some stories from Joe!
Radio show time is Saturdays at 6pm (GMT) / 1pm (EST) and repeated on Tuesday nights @ 9pm (GMT) / 4pm (EST).
For those in the U.K. tune into Joe’s weekly radio show on PlanetRock.com.
For those listening outside the U.K. listen live from this site HERE. Please not this Surf.com internet site may not work in some countries. As a quick fix, please download a VPN application and set it to the UK territory. Then download the Planet Rock app and boom, it works!
Def Leppard have a string of upcoming releases this month. The group have assembled a brand new greatest hits collection entitled The Story So Far – The Best Of, available in stores and online November 30. It is available in multiple configurations: a 2-CD set comprised of 35 tracks, 1-CD comprised of 17 tracks, 2LP vinyl, and digital. The group is also set to release Hysteria: The Singles, a new limited edition, 10-disc vinyl box set featuring all of the 7” singles from their eponymous multi-platinum album Hysteria, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. See full tracklisting below.
“Animal”
“Photograph”
“Pour Some Sugar On Me”
“Love Bites”
“Let’s Get Rocked”
“Armaggedon It”
“Foolin’”
“Two Steps Behind”
“Heaven Is”
“Rocket”
“Hysteria”
“Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad”
“Make Love Like A Man”
“Action”
“When Love & Hate Collide”
“Rock of Ages”
“Personal Jesus”
Disc 2
“Let’s Go”
“Promises”
“Slang”
“Bringin’ On The Heartbreak”
“Rock On (Radio Remix)”
“Nine Lives” (feat. Tim McGraw)
“Work It Out”
“Stand Up”
“Dangerous”
“Now”
“Undefeated”
“Tonight”
“C’Mon C’Mon”
“Man Enough”
“No Matter What”
“All I Want Is Everything”
“It’s All About Believing”
“Kings Of The World”
HYSTERIA: THE SINGLES TRACKLISTING:
DISC ONE: Women / Tear It Down (US Version) DISC TWO: Animal / I Wanna Be Your Hero (US Version) DISC THREE: Hysteria / Ride in To the Sun (Int Version) DISC FOUR: Pour Some Sugar on Me / Ring of Fire (US Version) DISC FIVE: Love Bites / Billy’s Got A Gun (Live)(Int Version) DISC SIX: Armageddon It / Release Me (Can Version) DISC SEVEN: Rocket / Woman (Live) (US Version) DISC EIGHT: Excitable / Run Riot (Album Version) DISC NINE: Love and Affection / Don’t Shoot Shotgun (Album Version) DISC TEN: Animal / Tear It Down (Spanish Artwork Version)
Last chance to save on new holiday merch! Get free standard shipping when you spend $40: https://bit.ly/2Q7q7qY
Offer ends tonight at midnight. International customers receive equivalent of US standard shipping.
This weeks program features songs from THE KINKS, SEX PISTOLS, THE CARS, YES amongst others, as well as some stories from Joe!
Radio show time is Saturdays at 6pm (GMT) / 1pm (EST) and repeated on Tuesday nights @ 9pm (GMT) / 4pm (EST).
For those in the U.K. tune into Joe’s weekly radio show on PlanetRock.com.
For those listening outside the U.K. listen live from this site HERE. Please not this Surf.com internet site may not work in some countries. As a quick fix, please download a VPN application and set it to the UK territory. Then download the Planet Rock app and boom, it works!
Want to be in our music video? Sing or lipsync our new Christmas song and submit your video at WeAllNeedChristmas.com 🎄It can be the whole song or just a few of your favorite lines!
