Euphoria (Def Leppard album)
Encyclopedia
Euphoria is the seventh studio album
by British
hard rock
band Def Leppard
, released in 1999. The album marked a return to their signature sound made famous by the band in the 1980s. It was produced by the band with Pete Woodroffe.The album charted at #11 on The Billboard 200 and #11 on the UK Albums Chart
.
, the band was initially unsure of which direction to take for their next release, upon reconvening in April 1998.
The band would enlist the aid of former producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange for four days in a more limited role. Three songs were co-written with Lange, who lent background vocals (as he had on other albums): "It's Only Love", "All Night" and "Promises".
A song first recorded by Vivian Campbell
's side band Clock
, "To Be Alive", received a Leppard makeover. For the first time since 1981's High 'n' Dry
, an instrumental was included (Phil Collen's "Disintegrate"). This instrumental was known before as "Spanish Sky", a ballad that evolved into this track.
1996 Formula One
racing champion Damon Hill
, a neighbour of Rick Savage
, would contribute a guitar solo to the track "Demolition Man".
In its first week of release, Euphoria sold over 98,000 units in the US and just missed the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, reaching #11. First single "Promises" topped Billboards Mainstream Rock chart in June 1999, a spot the band had not held in six years.
Euphoria would later be certified gold in the US, Canada and Japan. The album-supporting tour stretched from May 1999 to September 2000.
Upon the album's ten year anniversary in June 2009, The Record Review noted that "the band has yet to match it with any release since (despite the stiff competition of 2002’s X) and it still stands between leaders Hysteria and Pyromania as the band’s best album."
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, released in 1999. The album marked a return to their signature sound made famous by the band in the 1980s. It was produced by the band with Pete Woodroffe.The album charted at #11 on The Billboard 200 and #11 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
.
Overview
Following SlangSlang (album)
- Certifications :-Personnel:* Rick Allen – drums, percussion* Vivian Campbell – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, dulcimer, vocals* Phil Collen – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, mandolin, vocals...
, the band was initially unsure of which direction to take for their next release, upon reconvening in April 1998.
The band would enlist the aid of former producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange for four days in a more limited role. Three songs were co-written with Lange, who lent background vocals (as he had on other albums): "It's Only Love", "All Night" and "Promises".
A song first recorded by Vivian Campbell
Vivian Campbell
Vivian Patrick Campbell is a Northern Irish rock guitarist who is a member of Def Leppard and was, from May 2010 to November 2011, a member of Thin Lizzy. Prior to joining Def Leppard in April 1992, he had been a member of Whitesnake, Sweet Savage, Trinity, Riverdogs, and Shadow King...
's side band Clock
Clock (band)
Clock is a band featuring Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell and P.J. Smith, who sang backing vocals on Def Leppard's cover of the Sweet song "Action" on Def Leppard's Retro Active album....
, "To Be Alive", received a Leppard makeover. For the first time since 1981's High 'n' Dry
High 'n' Dry
High 'n' Dry is the second studio album by British heavy metal band Def Leppard, released on 11 July 1981. Its title song, "High 'n' Dry ", ranked number 33 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs. High 'n' Dry was Pete Willis' last full time album with Def Leppard...
, an instrumental was included (Phil Collen's "Disintegrate"). This instrumental was known before as "Spanish Sky", a ballad that evolved into this track.
1996 Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racing champion Damon Hill
Damon Hill
Damon Graham Devereux Hill OBE is a retired British racing driver. In 1996 Hill won the Formula One World Championship. As the son of the late Graham Hill, he is the only son of a world champion to win the title...
, a neighbour of Rick Savage
Rick Savage
Richard "Rick" Savage is the bassist and one of the founding members of the English rock band, Def Leppard. He is called "Sav" to avoid confusion between him and the other Rick in the band, drummer Rick Allen. He and lead vocalist, Joe Elliot, are the only remaining original members of the band...
, would contribute a guitar solo to the track "Demolition Man".
In its first week of release, Euphoria sold over 98,000 units in the US and just missed the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, reaching #11. First single "Promises" topped Billboards Mainstream Rock chart in June 1999, a spot the band had not held in six years.
Euphoria would later be certified gold in the US, Canada and Japan. The album-supporting tour stretched from May 1999 to September 2000.
Upon the album's ten year anniversary in June 2009, The Record Review noted that "the band has yet to match it with any release since (despite the stiff competition of 2002’s X) and it still stands between leaders Hysteria and Pyromania as the band’s best album."
Track listing
- *Unmixed and found on the "Humanary Stew: A Tribute To Alice Cooper" album. Unmixed because Joe didn't like the way it sounded on "Humanary Stew".
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|---|
| United States | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Gold |
| Canada | CRIA Music Canada Music Canada was a Canadian music television miniseries which aired approximately monthly on CBC Television from 1966 to 1967.-Premise:This series featured various special productions of music and dance, from classical to modern styles.-Scheduling:... |
Gold |
Personnel
- Joe ElliottJoe ElliottJoseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott Jr is an English singer-songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the British rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of David Bowie cover band, the Cybernauts and the Mott the Hoople cover band, Down...
– lead vocals - Phil CollenPhil CollenPhilip Kenneth "Phil" Collen is the co-lead guitarist and one of the backing vocalists for English rock band Def Leppard. He joined the band in 1982 following the departure of Pete Willis.-Early years:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals - Vivian CampbellVivian CampbellVivian Patrick Campbell is a Northern Irish rock guitarist who is a member of Def Leppard and was, from May 2010 to November 2011, a member of Thin Lizzy. Prior to joining Def Leppard in April 1992, he had been a member of Whitesnake, Sweet Savage, Trinity, Riverdogs, and Shadow King...
– guitar, backing vocals - Rick "Sav" SavageRick SavageRichard "Rick" Savage is the bassist and one of the founding members of the English rock band, Def Leppard. He is called "Sav" to avoid confusion between him and the other Rick in the band, drummer Rick Allen. He and lead vocalist, Joe Elliot, are the only remaining original members of the band...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Rick AllenRick Allen (drummer)Richard John Cyril "Rick" Allen is the drummer for the English hard rock band Def Leppard. He is famous for overcoming the complete amputation of his left arm and continuing to play with the band, which subsequently went on to its greatest popular success worldwide...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional musicians
- Ciaran McGoldrick, Gary Sullivan, Ricky WarwickRicky WarwickRicky Warwick is possibly best known as the frontman for the Scottish band The Almighty. Starting out as a rhythm guitarist in New Model Army, Ricky formed The Almighty in 1988. Warwick was the lead vocalist and played guitar in various formats of the band. In 1996 he left The Almighty...
– hey's and claps on "Back in Your Face" - Mutt Lange – additional vocals on "Promises" and "All Night", additional guitar on "All Night"
- Damon "Demon" HillDamon HillDamon Graham Devereux Hill OBE is a retired British racing driver. In 1996 Hill won the Formula One World Championship. As the son of the late Graham Hill, he is the only son of a world champion to win the title...
– end guitar solo on "Demolition Man"
Production
- Pete Woodroffe – producer, engineer, mixing
- Def Leppard – producer
- Ger McDonnell – engineer
- Ronan McHugh – engineer
- Tom Stanley – mix assistant
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
- Andie Airfix – artwork
- Andy Earl – photography