13 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD Release First iTunes Single ROCK ON In UK
Rock On 2006
Def Leppard released their first iTunes only single Rock On on this day in 2006 in the UK.
The first single to be released in the UK from the 'YEAH!' covers album.
The song was originally recorded by UK singer David Essex in 1973 becoming a Number 2 hit in the UK in the same year. And reaching Number 9 on the Billboard charts in March 1974.
Def Leppard's version was recorded in early 2004 in Dublin, Ireland and played live during the 2005 Rock Of Ages tour.
This was to be the band's first ever digital only single released on iTunes.
The UK iTunes single featured a unique cover using an inner sleeve promo photo from the album.
Technically this was the band's first ever official iTunes release alongside the main album and the US only bonus track 'How Does It Feel'. One of a handful of songs that were only ever released on iTunes.
That song, two bonus tracks from 2008 and eight bonus tracks from the 2014 Slang Deluxe Edition are now no longer available. Following the digital/streaming deal in January 2018 they may yet be re-added.
Visit the Album News section for more news on new music (based on band member quotes).
Joe Elliott - 2May 2006 Quote
"This song blew my mind as a kid...I'd never heard of David Essex, but this is one of those songs that defies logic...He didn't really rock, but this did!!. Even today, in America, you can still hear it sandwiched between the mighty Zep and Skynyrd on rock stations across the country. We did it on stage on the Rock Of Ages tour in 2005 and it confirmed all our beliefs that we'd done something pretty special."
Phil Collen - August 2006 Quote
"Joe thought of that one. We got together and decided that we wanted to do an album of covers but we didn’t want to just choose hit songs. "Rock On" was a massive hit but it had never been done like this before. When we were kids we liked that song. Back then there was no real distinction between rock music and pop music - it was either great or it was crap. It was fun to dust that one off and do a rock version of the song."
Rick Savage - 2June 2006 Quote
"The end section is just absolute, typical Def Leppard guitars and vocals, just sort of putting our little feel on it. It made it sound like a Def Leppard song. And we even played it live on the last tour. By the end of the tour, it ended up being one of the highlights of the show because everybody kind of knew the song anyway and it was like we'd transformed it and given it our own identity."
Buy 'CD/Vinyl Collection: Volume 2' Online
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- Def Leppard - Rock On Single Section
- Def Leppard - YEAH! Album Section
- Related News - 14th May 2018
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