Taking Sides: Pete Willis vs. Phil Collen (or pre-Pyromania Def Leppard vs. post-Pyromania Def Leppard)

Since I only like the first 3 Leppard albums, and since, if memory serves, Willis played on Pyromania altho Collen was credited as one of the bandmembers, my choice is obvious.

Before Lep, Phil Collen played in Girl, right? I've never heard 'em.

Seems to me that by the time of Hysteria, they were "beyond" mere riffs altogether. Which was interesting in theory.

Before Lep, Phil Collen played in Girl, right? I've never heard 'em.

I don't think they were big. In the Def Leppard movie, Collen remarks that 'they're going nowhere,' or something to that effect.

Girl had at least one hit single & were on "Top of the Pops" at least once.

I just picked up High and Dry for a dollar, and man -- that thing smokes Pyromania and Hysteria, and I really love both of those albums. I had never heard it before, and it's pretty awesome all the way through. It certainly may have something to do with the overplayed nature of the singles from the latter two albums, but I'm loving this record.

hm. The wikipedia entry on Pete Willis says that his chord progressions are complex and unusual, which is intriguing. Let us know how the first two stand up over repeated listens.

somehow i never got into pyromania. it sounds cheesy and cheap-- neither pop metal nor rock.