DEF LEPPARD To Release The Early Years 79-81 Box Set
By
Larry Petro,
News Monkey
Friday, January 31, 2020 @ 10:43 AM
Featuring Previously Unreleased Music; Marks 40th Anniversary Of Debut Album
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Legendary British rock ‘n’ roll icons and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame® inductees DEF LEPPARD are set to release The Early Years 79-81 box set, representing the band’s first two albums, On Through The Night (1980) and High ‘N’ Dry (1981) via UMe/Virgin. The box set was executive produced by lead singer Joe Elliott and mastered by the band’s long serving sound engineer Ronan McHugh.
Joe Elliott says of the box set, “Well the fans asked, and we listened! Really excited to have our early years reworked with a load of rare material including the newly unearthed Live at the Oxford New Theatre, recorded on the 1980 UK tour …. It’s been a trip putting this box set together and I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as we did working on it!”
The 5-CD deluxe set consists of the original albums remastered, B-sides, rarities and re-mix versions, Radio One sessions, Live from Reading and the first ever appearance of an unreleased and newly mixed show from Oxford in 1980. These remasters have been highly anticipated, and much requested, by DEF LEPPARD fans globally.
The album also features an instant grat track, the sought-after Nick Tauber produced version of “Rock Brigade”. The song was originally intended as a single but was never released. Today, 40 years later, the track is finally released to the fans. Listen to the track BELOW.
The band’s debut album, On Through The Night was released in 1980 and immediately put the rock world on notice. The album charted at #15 in the UK and #51 in the U.S. It featured many of the band’s live favorites, including some updated versions of early singles, and was certified platinum in 1989. High ‘N’ Dry, which was released in 1981, charted at #26 in the UK and #38 in the U.S., further cementing the band’s status.
The Early Years 79-81 box set includes a history of the band’s first two albums, written by Mojo and Classic Rock writer Paul Elliott (no relation), featuring personal insights from the band on the making and releasing of these early records, as well as rare pictures of the band and photos of memorabilia from the era.
Both albums have been remastered and available as a 1-CD version, 1 LP black vinyl, and limited-edition colored vinyl.
2020 will see DEF LEPPARD tour the U.S. with MOTLEY CRUE (with support from POISON and KOAN JETT) - one of the most anticipated tours of the year. For U.S. tour dates please go to www.defleppard.com.
The Early Years 79-81 box set formats and track listing below
The Early Years 79-81 5CD Boxset
CD ONE: ON THROUGH THE NIGHT - RE-MASTERED
"Rock Brigade"
"Hello America"
"Sorrow Is A Woman"
"It Could Be You"
"Satellite"
"When the Walls Came Tumbling Down"
"Wasted"
"Rocks Off"
"It Don't Matter"
"Answer to The Master"
"Overture"
CD TWO: HIGH ‘N’ DRY – RE-MASTERED
"Let It Go"
"Another Hit and Run"
"High N Dry (Saturday Night)"
"Bringin' On the Heartache"
"Switch 625"
"You Got Me Runnin'"
"Lady Strange"
"On Through the Night"
"Mirror Mirror (Look into My Eyes)"
"No No No"
CD THREE: WHEN THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN – LIVE IN OXFORD 26/04/1980
"When the Walls Came Tumbling Down"
"It Could Be You"
"Rock Brigade"
"Satellite"
"Medicine Man"
"Answer to the Master"
"When the Rain Falls"
"Sorrow Is a Woman"
"Good Morning Freedom"
"Don't Matter to Me"
"Overture"
"Lady Strange"
"GetchaRocks Off"
"Hello America"
"Wasted"
"Ride into The Sun"
CD FOUR: TOO MANY JITTERBUGS - B-SIDES AND RARITIES
"Ride into The Sun" - The Def Leppard EP
"Getcha Rocks Off" - The Def Leppard EP
"The Overture" - The Def Leppard EP
"Wasted" -Single
"Hello America" - Single
"Rock Brigade" - Unreleased Nick Tauber produced version
"Glad I'm Alive" - Unreleased Nick Tauber produced version
HIGH ‘N’ DRY – RE-MASTERED (1CD)