Do We Really Need Another Best of Def Leppard?
By Harv

	Hello folks! First of all, I apologize to all of the visitors to my page who have been expecting updates. Life affords me very little time to edit and re-edit my page. However, I have decided to update today because I have something that I need to get off of my chest. Do we really need another "hits" cd? I've mulled this over for some time now and I've decided that we really don't and here's why.
	In 1995, Vault: Def Leppard's Greatest Hits was released to great fanfare in some countries and went virtually unnoticed in the USA. Being from Canada, I remember fondly Muchmusic playing the crap out of "When Love and Hate Collide" to the point that it peaked at number four on their countdown. In my opinion, if the Beatles had not released the first of their three anthologies, the video would have went to the top of the chart. This was in an era where "hair metal" was considered dead. Vault went number one and was the highest selling hits cd of that year. In the UK, Vault went platinum and the single, "When Love and Hate Collide" landed at number 2. The single was certified silver in the UK with 200,000 copies shipped. In many other countries, the single and the album achieved great success. (Check the gold and platinum section of this Website for further details.) However, for my brothers to the south, the USA (where I now reside), the cd managed a peak position of 15 and the single never even broke the top 40. For a long while Vault was only a gold cd, which was viewed as a failure after the success, that Bon Jovi, their label-mates and friends, had had just the previous year. However, good times were soon to come.
	VH1, the former music station (how sad is that?), helped Vault go from an "also-ran" catalogue title to a chart success overnight. Def Leppard's Behind The Music special increased the interest in Def Leppard and thusly their only hits package achieved platinum status a short time later. Every year since the debut and subsequent airing of Def Leppard specials (Storytellers, Def Leppard Story), Vault has sold, on average, 450,000 to 500,000 copies a year and is moving onto 4X Platinum status. Only Euphoria, their 1999 release, has truly certified gold with soundscan numbers nearing 600,000 copies sold. It is, in fact, the only post-Vault release to move those kinds of numbers. (Slang - 350,000 and X - 250,000) However, Vault with soon be a collector’s item since it is about to be replaced. Logical? Not to me.
	Now that we've had our little history lesson, here are the new facts. As stated above, Vault will be replaced by The Best of Def Leppard (internationally) and by Super Vault in North America. Before I go any further, the title "Super Vault" sucks. I will explain that fully in a moment. Originally, I was excited to hear that the label had renewed interest in the band. Early reports had a brand new package of tracks consisting of rarities, possible live tracks, b-sides, and the latest hits that the band had achieved. It was to be a two cd set which would attract the would-be Vault buyers and grab the loyal hardcore market as well. "BRILLIANT" to quote the Guinness Draft guys. However, all that soon crashed to earth like Limp Bizket's career when the official site announced, not only the pathetic name, but also the track listing.
	The name "Super Vault" would have been fine if it was indeed a two-cd set of rarities, et al. However, according to www.defleppard.com, it will be a one cd set with a limited edition two-cd version. The "new" cd appears to be Vault with one or two track changes or additions. The overlooked "Long Long Way To Go" from the X CD will be the "new" US single to kick off Super Vault. (Geez, I hate that name.) Hmmm, only two years too late on that one guys. Even the limited edition version only contains one new track; a cover of "Waterloo Sunset." The one CD version holds virtually no interest to anyone who already has Vault because it contains nothing new. The two cd version, which is slightly more interesting, would indeed grab a few more non-diehards because it contains their post-heyday radio hits ("Promises," "Work It Out," etc.) For the fan that has everything, there is nothing here. It's the same songs, in basically the same order, repackaged under a very misleading name. Do we need a one cd hits package that is really Vault in disguise? Hell no! (Thanks Stone Cold) What do we want? We want new material.
	The rumors of a covers cd brought a lot of mixed reaction, but it would have been "new." Even if they were covering someone else's work, it could have been interesting to hear how that would have been presented. A "Best of" cd sounds too much like another one of my favorites; Kiss. If you check out what Kiss has released since 1992, you'll see two albums of new material and numerous best ofs and hits packages. Def Leppard seems to be headed in that direction. Despite flopping like a fish out of water, X was new material. Some loved it, some hated it, some, like myself, enjoyed it for what it was. Slang and Euphoria, despite modest success, where still new songs to please or displease longtime fans. A "best of," which replaces a cd currently selling 4.500 - 5.000 copies per week, will only please people who believe that Def Leppard have retired. Personally, the idea of a covers cd was about as exciting as picking out socks, but it was still "new."
	The biggest reason, that Super Vault needs a large dose of kryptonite, is my darling wife, who might love the band more than me (just kidding dear), has no desire to buy this cd. If it was a two cd set, like they teased to us, we could each have a version for our individual cars. However, if they release the same version with a different cover, we could just copy the songs from the cds in our collection. She, like myself, wants something new, anything new, from a much beloved band. A two cd set, much like Michael Jackson's History (one of hits, one of new material), would have been truly cool. Alas, it is not meant to be it appears. To hear something "new" from the band, we'll have to continue trading for live shows or finding rare unheard nuggets.
	Furthermore, (I would have forgotten this point had I not cruised over to www.bestofdefleppard.com) do we need another best of DVD? They re-released their old videos on DVD format and included all their latest videos except those released post Euphoria. Therefore, for the old fan, you get to see "Now" and the new/old video "Long Long Way To Go." More great stuff from Island/Def Jam/Mercury/Polygram/Whoever the hell we are this week? Records. It is another blatant attempt to try to squeeze another precious dollar out of the long-time fan. If you want to do that, give me a live show from the X tour. You'll get my hard earned money that way. Trying to sell me stuff I already have is like trying to sell ice to the Inuit. (Eskimos for the non-PC crowd.)
	Finally, and I've decided it is finally since I have laundry to finish, give us something new. A new live DVD or a "best of" cd with new material is much more interesting. Old, unheard demos or recorded versions of the original 1978 and 1979 demos are an idea. Old song, re-recorded, with a new modern Def Leppard sound or twist. After Adrenalize, they did release a compilation album called Retro Active and it turned out to be a great release. Covers, old song, and new tracks all blended together to please virtually any Def Leppard fan's palate. Instead, we are getting Re-Vaulted which, however, is revolting to this long time fan.