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Def Leppard Tour History Fan Archive.
Def Leppard Album Pyromania Released 33 Years Ago Today

Wednesday, 20th January 2016





Pyromania 1983.

Def Leppard released their third studio album 'Pyromania' in the USA/Canada 33 years ago on this day in 1983.

The album was initially released in the USA and Canada before being issued in the rest of the world in February.

'Pyromania' would go on to sell over 10 million copies in the USA alone and reach Number 2 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. It was only kept off the top spot by Michael's Jackson's 'Thriller' - still the biggest selling album of all time.

Three singles were released in the US which would give the band three massive hits. 'Photograph' reached number 12 followed by 'Rock Of Ages' (16) and 'Foolin'' (28).

The band also made their US TV debut on the prestigious 'American Bandstand' presented by the late Dick Clark.

'Pyromania' Album Title Origin - Joe Elliott 1992 Quote

"Pyromania got titled Pyromania because a guy called Craig Thomson, who was an engineer on it accused us of being PYROMANIACS because we were having such a bad time trying to get the Marshalls to sound good on the Pyromania album."

"At one stage Steve and Mutt suggested we should take them into the garden and burn them. Craig piped up in a brilliant broad Scottish accent."

"Arck you're awl just a bunch of Pyromaniacs! - and hence it became Pyromania. That is where that album name came from, pure accident. That is outside input of a sort but on a definite inside trait and definitely not 'I've got an idea for the album' sort of thing."

Def Leppard 1983.
Def Leppard 1983

Joe Elliott - 'Pyromania' Postcards from 'Work It Out' Single 1996

"Goodbye Pete Willis, hello Phil Collen."

"We decided to try and do something that no other rock band had tried before - blueprint "Sgt. Pepper" (but a bit heavier)."

"A period of time when we allowed our Pop sensibility to come to the fore...and guess what? Our first major success...huge in the U.S....but nowhere else."






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