Drastic Symphonies

Product Information

We decided to create something special where we would have something classic but present it in a brand-new way that would involve making everything work in the context of ‘Drastic Symphonies’. Recording new parts, remixing previous sounds, taking some of our instruments out so the orchestra could breathe and literally making a new album. It was an amazingly inspirational process culminating in the live recording of the RPO at Abbey Road studios in London. An absolute team effort that took a good part of a year.

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?It was on a covers album she’d made. She did Song 2 by Blur in a way that’s barely recognisable. She even did Crazy Train by Ozzy on a piano! When we heard her version of Sugar we were all blown away. It really worked as an arrangement. So I asked her if she fancied doing her version of Sugar with us. And it was easy to orchestrate because of the way she did it.” Def Leppard released a teaser video featuring band members promoting Drastic Symphonies (and the “Animal” Director’s Cut music video release): Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" (Japanese SHM-CD, Blu-ray Audio, vinyl and digital editions only) Yeah. It's maybe ten, fifteen seconds long. When we originally recorded it was massively longer. But it was just a bit

Ultratop.be – Def Leppard with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Drastic Symphonies" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 May 2023. 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.” It’s been over 30 years (since he died). Hardly a day goes by when his name doesn’t come up or you see him in a photo to approve legacy artwork. He’s always there. My dad died in 2012 and he’s always there too. I think about Steve a lot, but it doesn’t pain me. I don’t like dwelling on it too long because in my mind, I find it disrespectful to Viv (Campbell). We’re for sure a better band musically and vocally since Viv joined and that’s no slight on Steve. In a perfect world, Steve might not be in the band anymore, but he’d be alive. Yeah a lot of that is we have to give am awful lot of credit on these songs to Mutt Lange because he was." I think it was suggested by our record company,” he admits. “And record companies being record companies, they just wanted our greatest hits with strings on. But once the seeds had been sown, it really started taking off in true Def Leppard style. You throw yourself into it a hundred per cent.”But Steve was completely on board. And when Phil came in he was like well yeah that makes total sense 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? Well Bringin' On The Heartbreak is one of the few songs on the album that we didn't really mess with the

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. To celebrate the release of Drastic Symphonies and the forthcoming show at Bramall Lane, Def Leppard will be doing an in-store signing at HMV in their hometown of Sheffield.” That's why if you get certain songs and you've got guitars until the end of it. They're the bombastic ones And I think you have to if you're gonna use an orchestra. You may as well get the best version of yourself." Using an orchestra on songs (not least The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) lends an epic, film-like quality to the music. ‘Angels (Can’t Help You Now)’, ‘Bringin’ On The Heartache’, ‘Switch 625’ and all slip into that territory with ease. Def Leppard has always loved a good ballad, so for ‘Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad’ it hits perfectly with a little added grandiose.But we were always leaning that way with that song. It had, it wasn't really like Procession by Queen off Queen II, You know when you hear it properly on FM radio where they don't fade at the end and you get the whole piano slide guitar bit." There is more laughter from Sav when he admits that working with musicians of such a high calibre was at times humbling. Well it was a kind of a no-brainer really for many different reasons. But first of all I was kind of insistent that

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 as soon as those three words get spoken everybody eyes light up and goes can you imagine, because listen to it You know the Operas not over till the fat lady sings or whatever. If we're allowed to use that word any more now.Part greatest hits and part live performance, Def Leppard haS collaborated with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to deliver Drastic Symphonies. The album sees The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra record arrangements over some of Def Leppard’s biggest hits, along with featuring new vocal and guitar arrangements to enhance the orchestral performance. Strangely, but to great effect, this sees lead singer Joe Elliot duetting with his younger self for an album that slightly misses the mark. I did a duet with myself from 40 years ago. It’s the most bizarre thing I’ve ever done. But it was great fun. The timing and the phrasing came to me instantly — it’s like it never left my DNA — but it was one of the strangest things I’ve ever done.”