Bryce Jordan Center show preview
There are few bands that exemplified the 1980's the way Def Leppard did. Their combination of pop and metal had its finger on the pulse of 80's record buyers. The high-tech sound they pursued on their albums helped define pop-music recording techniques of 1980's. They were also one of the first bands to take advantage of the possibilities of MTV by creating a string of videos that played up their good looks and youthful appeal to help sell their records. As a result, they became internationally successful and their sound and style set the tone for many future pop/metal acts.
Def Leppard got their start in the English town of Sheffield in 1977. They united over a mutual love of bands like T-Rex and Mott The Hoople and began to write songs that fused hard-rock riffs to pop-music hooks. The group made a successful independent EP, which brought them to the attention of a record company. They released "On Through The Night" as they began to build a fan base in both the U.K. and the U.S. through touring. Their second album, "High and Dry", became a Top-40 hit thanks to MTV's frequently playing the video for "Bringing On The Heartache."