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DEF LEPPARD Confirm THE EARLY YEARS 79-81 Box Set Release For March 2020

Def Leppard 2020. The Early Years 79-81

Def Leppard have today confirmed The Early Years 79-81 box set details which will be released in March 2020.

Amazon had listed the box set in mid November along with reissues of 'On Through The Night' and 'High 'n' Dry with a release date of 20th March 2020, a date which is now confirmed.

The Early Years 79-81 five disc box set has now been full announced including all details and the full tracklisting.

New remastered versions of 'On Through The Night' and 'High 'n' Dry' are included with the box set and as standalone CD and Vinyl releases.

As mentioned by Joe in January 2018 and more recently in September of this year, the Oxford, England show is included and released for the first time. The tracklisting has also revealed the correct full setlist for this show which had the extra encore song 'Ride Into The Sun' added on.

The recording of this show was mentioned in the 1987 'Animal Instinct' biography but was never released or properly mixed until 2018. It was taped at the New theatre during the band's debut UK headline tour featuring the Steve Clark and Pete Willis guitar duo.

The cover artwork features a live photo taken on 24th August 1980 in Reading, England at the Reading Festival.

Disc 4 features the unreleased 1979 versions of 'Rock Brigade' and 'Glad I'm Alive' - a song which has never been released before.

Disc 5 is even more interesting with many BBC recordings included from radio sessions and the official recordings from the Reading Festival radio special. This includes 'Medicine Man'.

This box set celebrates the 40th anniversary of the UK release of the 'On Through The Night' album in 1980. The band's debut featuring the single 'Hello America' and the live classic 'Wasted'.

Additionally coloured vinyl versions of the first two albums are also being released. Blue for OTTN and red for 'High 'n' Dry'.


Visit the Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans.

Visit the Album News section for more news on new music (based on band member quotes).


Def Leppard 2020.


Def Leppard - The Early Years 79-81 (Limited Edition) Box Set

  • Catalogue Number (CD) - 6731408
  • Number Of Discs - Five
  • Record Company - UMC-Mercury
  • Release Date - 20th March 2020

Def Leppard 2020.


Order 'On Through The Night' Online

  • Catalogue Number (CD) - 7779325
  • Catalogue Number (Vinyl) - 0800722
  • Record Company - UMC-Mercury
  • Release Date - 20th March 2020

Def Leppard 2020.


Order 'High 'n' Dry' Online

  • Catalogue Number (CD) - 7779319
  • Catalogue Number (Vinyl) - 0803068
  • Record Company - UMC-Mercury
  • Release Date - 20th March 2020

Def Leppard The Early Years 79-81 Disc 1 - On Through The Night

  • 01 - Rock Brigade
  • 02 - Hello America
  • 03 - Sorrow Is A Woman
  • 04 - It Could Be You
  • 05 - Satellite
  • 06 - When The Walls Came Tumbling Down
  • 07 - Wasted
  • 08 - Rocks Off
  • 09 - It Don't Matter
  • 10 - Answer To The Master
  • 11 - Overture

On Through The Night reissued on vinyl and CD with remastered audio.

Def Leppard The Early Years 79-81 Disc 2 - High 'n' Dry

  • 01 - Let It Go
  • 02 - Another Hit And Run
  • 03 - High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night)
  • 04 - Bringin' On The Heartbreak
  • 05 - Switch 625
  • 06 - You Got Me Runnin'
  • 07 - Lady Strange
  • 08 - On Through The Night
  • 09 - Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)
  • 10 - NO NO NO

High 'n' Dry reissued on vinyl and CD with remastered audio.

Def Leppard The Early Years 79-81 Disc 3 - When The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Live in Oxford: 26/04/1980

  • 01 - When The Walls Came Tumblin' Down
  • 02 - It Could Be You
  • 03 - Rock Brigade
  • 04 - Satellite
  • 05 - Medicine Man
  • 06 - Answer To The Master
  • 07 - When The Rain Falls
  • 08 - Sorrow Is A Woman
  • 09 - Good Morning Freedom
  • 10 - It Don't Matter
  • 11 - Overture
  • 12 - Lady Strange
  • 13 - Getcha Rocks Off
  • 14 - Hello America
  • 15 - Wasted
  • 16 - Ride Into The Sun

A live show featuring Steve Clark and Pete Willis recorded at the New Theatre on 20th April 1980. Previously unreleased.

Def Leppard The Early Years 79-81 Disc 4 - Too Many Jitterbugs: B-Sides And Rarities

  • 01 - Ride into The Sun - The Def Leppard EP
  • 02 - Getcha Rocks Off - The Def Leppard EP
  • 03 - The Overture - The Def Leppard EP
  • 04 - Wasted - Single (1979)
  • 05 - Hello America - Single (1979)
  • 06 - Rock Brigade - Unreleased Nick Tauber produced version (1979)
  • 07 - Glad I'm Alive - Unreleased Nick Tauber produced version (1979)
  • 08 - Good Morning Freedom - Single (1980 B-Side)
  • 09 - Let It Go - Single Edit (1981)
  • 10 - Switch 625 - Single Edit (1981)
  • 11 - Bringin' On the Heartbreak - Single Edit (1981)
  • 12 - Me and My Wine - Original Version (1981)
  • 13 - Bringin' On the Heartbreak - Remix (1984)
  • 14 - Me and My Wine - Remix (1984)

The versions of 'Rock Brigade' and 'Glad I'm Alive' are released for the first time. Although RB is available on the iTunes video. The 1979 single versions of 'Wasted' and 'Hello America' were recorded at the same session in September 1979.

The rare single edits are also included. There were originally two edits of 'Let It Go', one called 'Short' and one called 'Long' - both shorter than the album version.

Tracks 9, 10, 11 and 12 have never previously been released on CD alongside the unreleased songs 6 and 7.



Def Leppard The Early Years 79-81 Disc 5 - Raw: Early BBC Recordings

  • 01 - Glad I'm Alive (Andy Peebles Session - (7th June 1979)
  • 02 - Sorrow Is A Woman (Andy Peebles Session - (7th June 1979)
  • 03 - Wasted (Andy Peebles Session - (7th June 1979)
  • 04 - Answer to The Master (Andy Peebles Session - (7th June 1979)
  • 05 - Satellite (Friday Rock Show Session - (3rd October 1979)
  • 06 - Rock Brigade (Friday Rock Show Session - (3rd October 1979)
  • 07 - Wasted (Friday Rock Show Session - (3rd October 1979)
  • 08 - Good Morning Freedom (Friday Rock Show Session - (3rd October 1979)
  • 09 - Satellite / When the Walls Came Tumbling Down (Live at the Reading Festival - 24th August 1980)
  • 10 - Medicine Man (Live at the Reading Festival - 24th August 1980)
  • 11 - The Overture (Live at the Reading Festival - 24th August 1980)
  • 12 - Lady Strange (Live at the Reading Festival - 24th August 1980)
  • 13 - Getcha Rocks Off (Live at the Reading Festival - 24th August 1980)

Radio sessions and live tracks released officially for the first time. All originally broadcast by BBC Radio 1. Sadly the August 1979 Paris Theatre show recording is not included.


Def Leppard 2020.

Def Leppard - On Through The Night Blue Vinyl

  • Side A
  • 01 - Rock Brigade
  • 02 - Hello America
  • 03 - Sorrow Is A Woman
  • 04 - It Could Be You
  • 05 - Satellite
  • 06 - When The Walls Came Tumbling Down
  • Side B
  • 07 - Wasted
  • 08 - Rocks Off
  • 09 - It Don't Matter
  • 10 - Answer To The Master
  • 11 - Overture
  • Catalogue Number - 77793264
  • Record Company - UMC-Mercury
  • Release Date - 20th March 2020

On Through The Night reissued on blue vinyl with remastered audio.

Def Leppard 2020.

Def Leppard - High 'n' Dry Red Vinyl

  • Side A
  • 01 - Let It Go
  • 02 - Another Hit And Run
  • 03 - High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night)
  • 04 - Bringin' On The Heartbreak
  • 05 - Switch 625
  • Side B
  • 06 - You Got Me Runnin'
  • 07 - Lady Strange
  • 08 - On Through The Night
  • 09 - Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)
  • 10 - NO NO NO
  • Catalogue Number - 77793202
  • Record Company - UMC-Mercury
  • Release Date - 20th March 2020

High 'n' Dry reissued on red vinyl with remastered audio.

Def Leppard 2020.

Def Leppard The Early Years 79-81 - News Quotes

‘The Early Years 79-81’ boxset 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 an instant grat track, the much sought-after Nick Tauber produced version of ‘Rock Brigade’, which was originally pencilled as a single for the UK but was never released at the time. Today, 40 years on, the track receives its first release.

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 boxset 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 #15 in the UK and #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 #26 in the UK charts and #38 in the US, further cementing the bands status.

‘The Early Years 79-81’ boxset 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 on 1CD version, black vinyl, and limited edition coloured vinyl.


Def Leppard The Early Years 79-81 - News Quotes

On 20th March 2020, legendary British rock ‘n’ roll icons and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Def Leppard will release ‘The Early Years 79-81’ Boxset - the definitive collection of the band’s early music - on UMC/Virgin.

‘The Early Years 79-81’ boxset 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.


SiriusXM/Trunk Nation - Joe Elliott 25th September 2019 Interview Quotes

40th Anniversaries Of OTTN/HIGH 'N' DRY

"You can't see my eyebrows on the radio. Well, thinking about it. We've thought about it you see you've gotta plan these things ahead. We've thought about this about a year and a half ago. And there's gonna be a celebratory release. I don't know how much of this I can say right now I might be breaking protocol."

"But I will say this much. There's a...as a companion piece to On Through The Night there is a brand new just mixed live performance from the Oxford Theatre in 1980 from that tour. Which has never been heard. And it is what it is. It's warts and all. It is what it is. It's us live in 1980. You can't really, you know, we were discussing off mic weren't we about lip synching or overdubbing. You can't expect a 59 year old me to go in and clean up a 20 year old vocal. You know what I mean so it is what it is."

"But I tell you this much the band. As I said in the liner notes when you peer through the curtain of uncertainty that my voice was back in those days there is a fantastic band on stage. And Rick, the two armed Rick Allen with Sav was some rhythm section to considering he was 16 years old and Sav was 17 I think, maybe 18. And Pete and Steve were 17 and 18 years old. It was some band. You know and when you hear it it's spectacular."

"The album was about 42 minutes so when you're on stage it's about 45. So given an intro tape and a bit of talking in between that was pretty much it. We didn't even necessarily play all the album on stage. We played most of it I think."

BUILD Series - Joe Elliott January 2018 Interview Quote

Old Music/Archive Songs?

"I'm sure there's more than we've discovered but we did discover a few little bits and bobs. There's a lot of things that aren't up yet that will come out. We've found a live recording in Oxford at the New Theatre on the British tour. The On through The Night tour. Which we'd totally forgotten about. So we're having it all transferred from. the tapes's all flaky. So we're having it transferred to digital so we can get it mixed and see what it sounds like. I think it'll be good to put out kinds of a live recording that's got Pete Willis and Steve Clark on it because it's just an era that's not been really covered much other than on two records. So that'll be interesting for the fans I suppose."


Related News - JOE ELLIOTT Confirms DEF LEPPARD's Box Set Will Include Rare 1980 Songs

Related News - JOE ELLIOTT Says DEF LEPPARD Happy To Celebrate ON THROUGH THE NIGHT Album

Related News - DEF LEPPARD Early Years Box Update/Record Store Day/2020 Vision Video Reissues

Related News - DEF LEPPARD EARLY YEARS Five Disc Box Set Listed By Retail Sites

Related News - DEF LEPPARD ON THROUGH THE NIGHT/HIGH 'N' DRY CD/Vinyl Reissues Due In Feb 2020

Related News - DEF LEPPARD's The Story So Far...The Best Of Album Re-Enters USA Charts


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