Drastic Symphonies

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That's the album's only outright dud. The rest simply brings different flavors to the tunes, often using the orchestral ambience to replace the Sturm und Drang Def Leppard usually creates with guitar tones, drones and sustains. Some - such as Slang's Middle Eastern-leaning "Turn to Dust," Diamond Star Halos' already orchestrated "Goodbye (For Good This Time)" and "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" - are fairly faithful recreations, the RPO adding a cushy richness. The strings substitute for guitar solos in several songs, including "Hysteria" and a huge-sounding "Paper Sun" from Euphoria, while "Animal" gets a new opening with Elliott singing over string accompaniment. But it kind of made sense that Kings Of The World which was one of the new songs on Mirrorball fro about 2011 I think it was. Then I watched “Bank Of Dave” on Netflix. The last scene is Leppard belting some tunes out and you think: man these boys are alright you know. As they’ve proved, yet again by playing a gig to stop a venue in their hometown closing. Def Leppard members Joe Elliott and Phil Collen were interviewed on 11th May and mentioned the new Drastic Symphonies album and new song versions. The more finished they are when they hear them. The more chance that they're gonna go OK cool that's fine."

Def Leppard released a teaser video featuring band members promoting Drastic Symphonies (and the “Animal” Director’s Cut music video release): Some of the songs – “Hysteria” and “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak,” in particular – seem like obvious choices to get the orchestral treatment. How did you decide which songs worked? So there's so many vocals sonically we've got this and it works so well with strings and an orchestra. Dialling down the guitars and drums was a natural part of this process, to which all parties agreed without fuss.And Love from 2008's Sparkle Lounge made it into the song collection as well because they're very symphonic songs."

So you’re listening to “Drastic Symphonies” and you’ve gone through “Turn To Dust” (from one of those favourite records) and your notes say things you expected them to, like “cinematic” as “epic as Game Of Thrones” and you’ve done “Paper Sun” and remembered how good a chorus it had, but then there comes the acid test. Looking through all of the photos and memorabilia and old tour posters in the "DEFinitely" book is a reminder that the band has weathered so much tragedy. Does it pain you to relive the loss of Steve Clark? Well Bringin' On The Heartbreak is one of the few songs on the album that we didn't really mess with the And you always see a guitarist not quite sing the last two words of a line 'cause he can't be arsed to." And I think you have to if you're gonna use an orchestra. You may as well get the best version of yourself."

Def Leppard’s ‘Drastic Symphonies’ track-listing:

When they were doing it we were just blown away”, he added. “Couldn’t have been any better. And it does give it a different dimension.” We had to be over the whole career. I mean we didn't touch On Through The Night. I suppose we could have done Overture. Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen says, “When the offer of doing an orchestral album with the RPO was suggested we were honoured. But we didn’t just want an orchestra plonked over our previous recordings. Not expecting the OK cool. Oh alright. Total reset 2020 thank you that was good. And once we'd got them that far it's like Even the new Diamond Star Halos material gets a polish; both Angels (Can’t Help…) and Goodbye (For Good…) being prime selections. The nylon guitar on the latter right at home with the orchestra, evoking images of a Mediterranean vista. Not quite in the ‘essential’ but more obvious selections that fit the spec. And making sure the whole Leppard spectrum is n’t ignored, Bringing On The Heartbreak from the early days is prime orchestra fodder although much more interesting is Switch 625 – often given enough ‘swing’ to rename it Swing 625. In the latest guise, it comes over as a potential new Bond or Tom Cruise/Mission Impossible theme.