When Axl and I were in the throes of puberty, the videos from Def Leppard’s first post-Steve Clark album Adrenalize absolutely dominated the MTV airwaves. The irony of the animatronic “Let’s Get Rocked” video being a spoof of the Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing” was completely lost on us, but we still thought it was a pretty awesome video. “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” was in a dead heat with GN’R's “November Rain” all summer long for the coveted #1 most requested video spot, and I felt that it spoke specifically to me in my tween love-crush angst (“Gosh, yes, I HAVE needed someone so bad!! How does Joe Elliott KNOW??”). Other songs such as “Make Love Like a Man” got my love pump in a tizzy, and “Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)” was an inspiration to talk to the hot girl in my Social Studies class. Thankfully for the Leppard, Clark wrote most of the tunes on Adrenalize before he passed away; subsequent efforts wouldn’t even come close without Clarke’s keen ear for song structure and hooks.

-VN

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