The year is close to a quarter gone, and I am well underway on my 2026 “Voyage of Vinyl.” So, what’s spinning this time? A band near and dear to my heart, that I’ve been a fan of for most of my teenage and adult life. First discovered among my brother’s stash of records, I discovered the “Hysteria” album in the late 1980’s. It sounded like garbage – just a wall of noise. By the time I made it to Animal about 10 minutes in, my head felt like someone drove a nail through it. The music and lyrics were interesting enough that I got the CD, which sounded much better and revealed the intricate, layered, melodic, metal/pop fusion, feel-good, manicured rock sound that millions of people fell in love with all through the 80’s and 90’s. It’s a 62-minute album, and vinyl sound quality goes way down hill when you try to put more than about 20 minutes worth of music on one side. A record with 30 minutes worth of content on one side just is not going to sound good, no matter who it is. They just weren’t a vinyl band for me – though they were discovered by me on vinyl, they weren’t really appreciated until I got my hands on their CDs.
(That’s why modern day 2017 vinyl reissues are on two records with about 15 minutes worth on music on one side). It wasn’t the vinyl issue of that album that made it one of the most legendary rock albums ever made, but the CD. #SorryNotSorry
Other than interesting music, the 80’s were a bore that I really wouldn’t care to visit again if I had one of those time machine cars. I can assure the younger visitors that you didn’t miss anything in the 80’s. Sorry, McFly, but 1985 really blew. Now, in the 90’s, yes you missed a lot. But, the 80’s were drab and boring.
In any case, I later discovered an older album entitled “High and Dry,” and how can you not listen to it when it’s a CD with a guy that’s diving into a pool with no water in it?
Time went on, and in my 20’s, I had the privilege seeing them 3 different times, on 3 different tours, in 3 distinctly different venues, one time of which was in 2005 at the Community America Ball Park (don’t ask why a band would do a tour through America’s minor league ball parks, I don’t know) in Kansas City, Kansas where I ended up meeting both Vivian Campbell before the show and Joe Elliott after. Both gentlemen are super nice guys. Unfortunately, I was not carrying anything with me that they could sign, but oh well. If I had known I’d end up making my way to the front row of a general admission show and I’d have chance meetings with the band, maybe I’d have carried the CD with me. Although, there were people there with really old original records getting them signed. Alas, I’m afraid any evidence of the encounter with either individual will forever remain anecdotal.
I have been writing up used records up to this point, but being on this journey through vinyl that I am, I wanted to get a handful of new records. And so, this record was purchased direct from defleppard.com – a live album that was recorded in 2023 at a small club in England.
You read that right – on limited edition orange vinyl. I’ve seen a few records in my life, but never orange.
So, what’s this record (actually these two records, see above) actually sound like? It’s extraordinarily well done. Of all the times I’ve seen this band, “Mirror, Mirror” has never been in their setlist, but it was here. The records were mastered by engineers that had a real reverence for the vinyl format, that understand what it can do, and understand how it can be used to represent high-definition digital audio, and it shows. The sound quality is immaculate and the stereo separation gives it a three-dimensional quality that is very immersive on headphones. In a word, it sounds live. When you have earphones on, it’s how they really sound. Their setlist was very well mixed with two songs from their “Diamond Star Halos” album and a nice shuffling of older songs. They try hard not to fall into the same trap that older bands tend to fall into where all they do is old stuff and seem oblivious to the fact that their audience might want to hear some new material. As a fan, I really appreciate that. Any time I’ve seen them, they always reach a point where they say “here’s a song from this new album we’ve got coming out.” If your band doesn’t have new material, then your band should not be traveling, playing, or charging audiences money to come see you and purchase your merchandise.
As a whole, it’s a good recording to experience as a vinyl record. Off on one of my weird tangents again, I still say to you all the same thing – shoot photos, not each other!
Adventures of a Photo Nerd 