Def Leppard To Release ‘The Early Years 79 – 81’ Box Set In March
The new collection includes remastered editions of the band’s first two albums, ‘On Through The Night’ and ‘High N’ Dry’ along with a wealth of rarities.
On 20 March, Def Leppard will release The Early Years 79-81 box set – the definitive collection of the band’s early music – on UMC/Virgin.
The Early Years 79-81 box set represents the band’s first two albums, On Through The Night (1980) and High ‘N’ Dry (1981), and has been prepared in conjunction with singer Joe Elliott who has acted as executive producer on the set. The mastering has been done by the band’s long serving sound engineer Ronan McHugh.
This deluxe set comes with 5-CDs consisting of the original album 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 the much sought-after, Nick Tauber produced version of ‘Rock Brigade’, which was originally pencilled in as a single for the UK but was never released at the time.
Joe Elliott says, “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! ”
On Through The Night, the band’s debut album, was released in 1980 and immediately put the rock world on notice. The band were destined for big things with the album charting at No. 15 in the UK and No. 51 in the US. Produced by Tom Allom (Judas Priest, Black Sabbath), it featured many of the band’s live favourites and some updated versions of early singles. The album achieved platinum status in 1989.
High ‘N’ Dry, the first of Def Leppard’s albums to be produced by Robert ‘Mutt’ Lange, was released in 1981. It reached No. 26 in the UK charts and No. 38 in the US, further cementing the bands 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 those early records as well as rare photos and memorabilia. Both albums have been remastered and will be available as a standard CD, on black vinyl, and limited edition coloured vinyl.
The Early Years 79-81 is out on 20 March. Scroll down to read the full tracklist and buy it here.
The Early Years 79-81’ 5CD:
CD1: 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’
CD2: 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’
CD3: 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 4: 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
‘Good Morning Freedom’ – Single
‘Let It Go’ – Single Edit
‘Switch 625’ – Single Edit
‘Bringin’ On the Heartbreak’ – Single Edit
‘Me and My Wine’ – Original Version
‘Bringin’ On the Heartbreak’ – Remix
‘Me and My Wine’ – Remix
CD5: Raw – Early BBC Recordings
‘Glad I’m Alive’ (Andy Peebles Session – 07/06/1979)
‘Sorrow Is A Woman’ (Andy Peebles Session – 07/06/1979)
‘Wasted’ (Andy Peebles Session – 07/06/1979)
‘Answer to The Master’ (Andy Peebles Session – 07/06/1979)
‘Satellite’ (Friday Rock Show Session – 03/10/1979)
‘Rock Brigade’ (Friday Rock Show Session – 03/10/1979)
‘Wasted’ (Friday Rock Show Session – 03/10/1979)
‘Good Morning Freedom’ (Friday Rock Show Session – 03/10/1979)
‘Satellite / When the Walls Came Tumbling Down’ (Live at the Reading Festival – 24/08/1980)
‘Medicine Man’ (Live at the Reading Festival – 24/08/1980)
‘The Overture’ (Live at the Reading Festival – 24/08/1980)
‘Lady Strange’ (Live at the Reading Festival – 24/08/1980)
‘Getcha Rocks Off’ (Live at the Reading Festival – 24/08/1980)
UK English
