”The Many Faces Of” are a series of infamous, occasionally odd, but always interesting import box-set triple-disc tribute compilations – all official releases. This time out, the guests of honor are multi-platinum British hard rock legends DEF LEPPARD.
Into ”The Many Faces Of DEF LEPPARD” box, Disc 1 is a “family tree” collection of songs by bands and projects featuring Def Leppard members past and present. Disc 2 consists of fourteen Def Leppard covers by well known musicians and Lepp Tribute Acts, some really well done. Finally Disc 3 is a cool collection of other NWOBHM bands that Def Leppard may have rubbed shoulders with back in the day, like the always-welcome Saxon, Tokyo Blade, early Alcatrazz, Tygers Of Pan Tang, and more.
On CD 1, guitarist Pete Willis, who left the band during the recording of ‘Pyromania’, figures heavily on this disc, first on two tracks from his post-Lep combo Roadhouse, and two more from Gogmagog, a short-lived band that featured Willis, former Iron Maiden frontman Paul DiAnno, and future Maiden guitarist Janick Gers.
Roadhouse’s “All Join Hands” and “Tower of Love” aren’t very far removed from Leppard’s standard brand of slick, melodic hard rock, and Gogmagog’s “I Will Be There” and “Living in a F**king Time Warp” are entertaining slabs of ’80s commercial metal.
Elsewhere on Disc 1, you get two songs from Leppard guitarist Phil Collen’s side band, Man Raze. “Over My Dead Body” and “Turn It Up” are both good hard rockers with an unexpectedly heavy edge to them.
Collen’s guitar partner, Vivian Campbell, appears on the schmaltzy single “Doin’ Fine,” from an obscure collaboration with legendary drummer Carmine Appice. The strange pop rock track “On A Lonely Road” by The Frog & The Rick Vito Band (who?) apparently features Joe Elliott on vocals.
The first disc closes out with “Roll Me Over” by the obscure early 70s rock combo Hocus, which featured future Leppard and AC/DC mega producer Mutt Lange on bass.
On CD2 we find the cover versions. Among these there’s Mystic Force’s excellent rip through “Wasted,” which provides some much needed heavy metal muscle, and a rockin’ rendition of “On Through The Night” by the late Randy Castillo (Ozzy / Motley Crue), Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns), Erik Turner & Jerry Dixon (Warrant), and Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt).
Richard Kendrick and Derrick LeFevre are part of Def Leppard Tribute bands, and both do fine versions of Foolin’ and Bringing On The Heartbreak.
Daniel Flores (Find Me, First Signal) does an organic, melodic rock take on Lepp’s classic ‘Hysteria’.
Over the years, Def Leppard has tried their best to downplay their part in the late ’70s New Wave Of British Heavy Metal scene, but early in their career the young band regularly shared stages with the likes of Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne, so they can never completely distance themselves from their metal roots.
Disc 3 is a cool collection of other NWOBHM bands that Def Leppard may have rubbed shoulders with back in the day, like the always-welcome Saxon (“Solid Ball Of Rock”), Tokyo Blade (“Tough Guys Tumble”), and Alcatrazz (“General Hospital”).
Hawkwind’s original version of “Motorhead” seems like an odd choice for inclusion here, not only because they pre-date the NWOBHM, but they were never really “metal” either (and besides, Lemmy probably would’ve dismissed the Leps as “poncey hairdressers”). Many people only ever heard Motorhead’s version of the track, so it’s cool to have it here, complete with saxophone and violin solos!
It’s a very good selection of NWOBHM, including Witchfynde’s “Give ‘Em Hell”, Paul DiAnno’s “Remember Tomorrow” & “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and Stratus’ “Even If It Takes”.
”The Many Faces Of DEF LEPPARD” may look odd and some kind of a mixed bag, but if you dig deep enough there’s cool, obscure goodies included that make it worth the cheap price. The NWOBHM compilation (CD3) is very good, and most of the “Family Tree” cuts on Disc 1 are fine listens as well. The “tribute” portion (CD2) in the middle of the sandwich could definitely have used more firepower, however.
Def Leppard fans and collectors of British hard rock / metal memorabilia should get at least a few kicks from this release.
Highly Recommended
Disc 1
1. Roadhouse - All Join Hands
2. Gomagog - I Will Be There
3. Carmine Appice - Doin' Fine
4. The Frog - On A Lonely Road
5. Man Raze - Over My Dead Body
6. Gomagog - Living In A F**king Time Warp
7. Roadhouse - Tower Of Love
8. Man Raze - Turn It Up
9. Dumb Blondes - Strange Love
10. Hocus - Roll Me Over
Disc 2
11. Lee Thompson, Johnny Dee, Richard Kendrick, Marko Pukkila, Howie Simon - Pour Some Sugar On Me
12. Daniel Flores - Hysteria
13. Wicked Garden - Let It Go
14. Chris Poland, Joe Viers, Richard Kendrick - Rock Rock Til You Drop
15. Derrick LeFevre - Bringing On The Heartbreak
16. Randy Castillo, Tracii Guns, Erik Turner, Jerry Dixon, Paul Shortino - On Through The Night
17. Straightjacket Smile - Photograph
18. Mystic Force - Wasted
19. Pyromania - Let's Get Rocked
20. Santagata - Too Late For Love
21. Last Pharoh - When Love & Hate Collide
22. Leaving Eden - Rock Of Ages
23. Richard Kendrick - Foolin'
24. Chris Heaven - Two Steps Behind
Disc 3
25. Saxon - Solid Ball Of Rock
26. Paul Di'Anno - Murders In The Rue Morgue
27. Tokyo Blade - Tough Guys Tumble
28. Alcatrazz - General Hospital
29. Tygers Of Pan Tang - Are You There?
30. Witchfynde - Give 'Em Hell
31. Hawkwind - Motorhead
32. Ace Lane - Never The Same
33. Stratus - Even If It Takes
34. Paul Di'Anno - Remember Tomorrow
35. Girlschool - Take It All Away
36. Micky Moody, Bernie Marsden, Chuck Wright, Eric Singer, Chris Catena - Sweet Talker
37. Chris Catena, Glenn Hughes, Tony Franklin, Bruce Kulick - Freak Tonight
VA – Many Faces Of Def Leppard 2020, 3 CD
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