''The Early Years 79–81'' is a five-disc

box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...

by the English rock group

Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), a ...

, released by UMC on 20 March 2020. The set includes remastered versions of the band's first two studio albums: ''

On Through the Night ''On Through the Night'' is the debut studio album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released on 14 March 1980. The album was produced by Tom Allom. It charted at No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 51 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album ...

'' (originally released in 1980) and ''

High 'n' Dry ''High 'n' Dry'' is the second studio album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released on July 6, 1981. ''High 'n' Dry'' was Pete Willis' last full-time album with Def Leppard. It charted at No. 38 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 26 on t ...

'' (originally released in 1981), plus songs from the band's 1979 EP, a complete live concert recording from 1980, and a variety of

B-sides The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

, studio outtakes, and

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering th ...

appearances from the band's formative period between 1979 and 1981.

Background

In late 2019, Def Leppard announced the impending release of a collection of material from their formative years, to include the first ever official live recordings featuring guitarist

Pete Willis Peter Andrew Willis (born 16 February 1960) is an English musician, songwriter and guitarist, best known as a founding member of the band Def Leppard. He co-wrote many tracks and played guitar on the band's first three albums: ''On Through the ...

, who left the band in 1982. The release coincided with the 40th anniversary of their debut album ''

''. The box set collects material from the period in which Def Leppard was considered a leading band in the

New Wave of British Heavy Metal The new wave of British heavy metal (commonly abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a nationwide musical movement that started in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Journalist Geoff Barton coined the term i ...

. The collection was curated by singer

Joe Elliott Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott (born 1 August 1959) is an English–Irish rock singer, best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of the hard rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of the David Bowie tribute ba ...

, with remastering overseen by the band's longtime sound engineer Ronan McHugh. The physical release includes a history written by ''

Classic Rock Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, primar ...

'' writer Paul Elliott plus personal messages from the band, rare photos, and memorabilia. The 1980 live set was recorded at the New Theatre in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, and had never before been released. Included among the early songs recorded live in 1980 are "When the Rain Falls", which was later re-written as "

Let It Go "Let It Go" is a song from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney's 2013 computer-animated feature film ''Frozen (2013 film), Frozen'', whose music and lyrics were composed by husband-and-wife songwriting team Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert L ...

" for the ''High 'n' Dry'' album, and "Medicine Man" which became "

Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)" is a track by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their 1983 album, ''Pyromania''. An edited version was released as a single in Mexico that same year. History The history of "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)" predate ...

" on the band's 1983 album ''

Pyromania Pyromania is an impulse control disorder in which individuals repeatedly fail to resist impulses to deliberately start fires, to relieve some tension or for instant gratification. The term ''pyromania'' comes from the Greek word (''pyr'', 'fi ...

''. The live recordings were not edited in any fashion. Also included are remixes of "

Bringin' On the Heartbreak "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" is a power ballad originally recorded by English rock band Def Leppard. It was the second single from their 1981 album ''High 'n' Dry''. The song was written by three of the band's members: Steve Clark, Pete Willis ...

" and "Me and My Wine" that were added to a 1984 reissue of ''High 'n' Dry,'' and an early version of "Rock Brigade" produced by

Nick Tauber Nick Tauber is a British record producer best known for his work with Thin Lizzy, Toyah and Marillion in the 1970s and 1980s. Nick Tauber continues to manage, produce, and consult with acts/artists/and producers. In the late 1990s, Tauber was in ...

that was intended as a British single but never released.

Reception

According to

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, "''The Early Years 79–81'' set captures Def Leppard as they burst onto the scene and quickly refined their sound into something millions of people couldn't get enough of," and that the box set is "interesting enough historically, and it's definitely worth it to true Def Lep devotees." ''Spectrum Culture'' called the box set "an effective introduction to the uninitiated, charting the giddy origins from which the Sheffield stalwarts rocketed to stadium-conquering heights," and "a compulsory addition to the collection of any seasoned Def Leppard follower."

Track listing

Personnel

– lead vocals *

Steve Clark ''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen Notable people with the name include: steve jops * Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people * Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people * Steve ...

– lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals *

Rick Savage Richard Savage (born 2 December 1960) is an English musician best known for being the bass guitarist and one of the founding members of the English rock band Def Leppard. Savage and lead singer Joe Elliott are the only two remaining original ...

– bass, backing vocals * Rick Allen – drums *

Frank Noon Frank Noon (born 25 December 1959 in London) is a British drummer who played with the bands Def Leppard and Roadhouse. Career Frank Noon was a member of the trio The Next Band before, during, and after the time he was in Def Leppard, and pl ...

– drums on 1979 EP tracks

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Early Years 79-81, The Def Leppard compilation albums Def Leppard live albums 2020 compilation albums 2020 live albums BBC Radio recordings Virgin EMI Records albums