Adrenalize

Untitled

Adrenalize is the fifth album by British hard rock band Def Leppard, released in 1992. The album was the first by the band following the 1991 death of guitarist Steve Clark. It was produced by Mike Shipley and Def Leppard, with Robert John "Mutt" Lange as executive producer.

Album History

At the end of the Hysteria world tour in October 1988, Def Leppard vowed to the press that their next album would not take another four years to be released, and quickly reconvened weeks later to start work. However, Steve Clark's alcoholism demons were taking a turn for the worse. Whereas touring had kept him sober onstage, offstage his condition was beginning to affect his work in the studio. In addition, Mutt Lange was unavailable to return as producer as he was working with Canadian rocker Bryan Adams on his Waking up the Neighbours album.

The band chose to produce the album themselves. Steve's problems did not help to advance progress and in fact, was starting to set them back. In late 1989, Clark would be found unconscious in a gutter in Minneapolis, MN. He was immediately sent to rehab, and band members (along with Lange) started attending confrontational therapy to attempt to shame him into defeating his addictions. In a desperate move to help their friend, guitar tech Malvin Mortimer would be assigned to keep a 24 hour watch on Clark.

None of this would prove to be fruitful, and in August 1990 the band granted Clark a six-month leave of absence. While it was hoped that this break would free him of any stresses, the band seemed resigned to the fact that they could no longer do anything for Clark.

On January 8, 1991, Steve Clark was found dead in his London home by his girlfriend Janie Dean. The coroner's report revealed that Clark had mixed alcohol with painkillers and anti-depressants that led to compression of the brain stem.

After a short period of uncertainty about the band's future, the remaining members decided to resume work on the album. Former Lange engineer Mike Shipley was hired as co-producer, while Lange maintained a minor role via phone calls and demos sent to him.

A search for Clark's replacement was held off until after the completion of the album, and recording sessions progressed quickly in the year that followed. On March 31, 1992, Adrenalize was released worldwide. While some reviews were favorable (Rolling Stone magazine awarded   it 4 out of 5 stars), many critics attacked the album for being formulaic and too similar to Hysteria.

Further complicating matters, Adrenalize came out right at the time when grunge and alternative rock bands were breaking into the mainstream at the expense of "glam/pop metal" bands. Nonetheless, Adrenalize debuted at Number One in both the UK and the US (quickly going triple platinum there). The album has sold over 7 million copies worldwide. The album was dedicated to the memory of Steve Clark.

Former Dio and Whitesnake guitarist Vivian Campbell, a longtime friend of the band's, was brought in as the newest member in April 1992.

Track listing

1. "Let's Get Rocked" (Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Savage, Mutt Lange) – 4:56
2. "Heaven Is" (Elliott, Collen, Steve Clark, Savage, Lange) – 3:37
3. "Make Love Like a Man" (Elliott, Collen, Clark, Lange) – 4:13
4. "Tonight" (Elliott, Collen, Clark, Savage, Lange) – 4:03
5. "White Lightning" (Elliott, Collen, Savage, Lange) – 7:03
6. "Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)" (Elliott, Collen, Clark, Lange) – 4:31
7. "Personal Property" (Elliott, Collen, Savage, Lange) – 4:20
8. "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad (Elliott, Collen, Lange) – 5:25
9. "I Wanna Touch U" (Elliott, Collen, Clark, Rick Allen, Lange) – 3:38
10. "Tear It Down" (Elliott, Collen, Clark, Lange) – 3:38

Some import versions of the album include some of the non-album B-Sides as bonus tracks.

Personnel

• Joe Elliott - lead vocals
• Phil Collen - guitar, backing vocals
• Rick Savage - bass, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
• Rick Allen - drums

Production

• Def Leppard - producer
• Mike Shipley - producer, engineer, mixing
• Robert John "Mutt" Lange - executive producer
• Pete Woodroffe - engineer, sequencing, programming
• Robert Scovill - assistant engineer
• Bob Ludwig - mastering
• Andie Airfix - art direction
• Pamela Springsteen - photography

Singles

• "Let's Get Rocked", March 1992
• "Make Love Like a Man", June 1992
• "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad", September 1992
• "Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)", December 1992 (US only)
• "Heaven Is", January 1993 (UK only)
• "Tonight", March 1993
• "I Wanna Touch U", June 1993 (radio only, Canada)