Kickstarting what promises to be yet another unforgettable summer, Def Leppard unveil a brand-new standalone single entitled “Just Like 73” featuring Tom Morello today. You can check it out below.
The song arrives on 7” vinyl on August 2, 2024 and will be available in a special color variant only through the band’s D2C store and in black at all retailers. Making a splash, BBC Radio 2 just world premiered the track as a “Global Exclusive” this morning.
Shop the best of Def Leppard’s discography on vinyl and more.
“Just Like 73” notably marks the first collaboration between the iconic rock titans and the legendary guitarist, sonic innovator, and co-founder of Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave. The single revolves around a classic Def Leppard stomp fueled by a robust stadium-size beat, thick riffing, and a signature chant, “Rock with me, just like 73!” Meanwhile, a knockout gang vocal gives way to a signature fret-scorching solo from Morello. The instantly recognizable whammy bar wheezes as he shreds at lightspeed into one last head-nodding hook.
Of the collaboration Joe Elliott shares, “It encapsulates a time that burned deep into our DNA. We wanted to celebrate that very important and glorious time.”
“When I saw David Bowie on TV between 1972 and 1973, everything I thought I knew about music went from black and white to vivid technicolor,” Phil Collen adds. “Our song ‘Just Like 73’ represents that awakening.”
“I had a blast rocking a solo on “Just Like 73,” says Tom Morello. “I played “Rock Of Ages” in my college cover band almost 40 years ago and here Def Leppard are still killing it in stadiums with a brand new tune that’s one of their best.”
Next up, Def Leppard will present a high-octane animated music video for “Just Like 73,” premiering on June 20, 2024 at 16:00 BST. It features the band (and Morello) like you’ve never seen them before.
Def Leppard return to the road on a massive co-headline stadium tour with Journey next month. They will be joined by special guests Heart, Cheap Trick, and Steve Miller Band on select dates. This run kicks off on July 6 in St. Louis, MO at Busch Stadium, canvases the continent, and concludes on September 8 in Denver, CO at Coors Field. Check out the full confirmed itinerary below.
Earlier this year, Def Leppard commemorated the 40th Anniversary of their iconic album Pyromania with a Deluxe Expanded Edition and full music and merchandise collection.
It earned widespread tastemaker praise. Stereogum sat down with frontman Joe Elliott for a coveted “We’ve Got A File On You” interview, going on to rave, “Pyromania was not only a triumphant pop album — it introduced a new way to record rock music, period, by having the band record to a drum machine’s click track (actual drums were recorded last), letting Lange and Def Leppard play around with arrangement.” Classic Rock awarded the Expanded Edition a rare “5-out-of-5 stars” and raved, “Pyromania still sounds stunning 40 years on.” Guitar World christened it “a masterpiece,” and Ultimate Classic Rock attested, “One thing that sticks out when listening to the band’s third album now is how epic each song sounds, thanks to the elaborate introductions that were constructed for many of the songs and other flourishes that were added in.”
Essential for collectors and newcomers alike, Pyromania Deluxe Expanded Edition comes with 4-CD’s consisting of the original album, a whole disc of unheard demos recently re-discovered by Joe Elliott while combing through the vaults, an unreleased demo “No You Can’t Do That” and two defining live shows from the era – from the LA Forum (USA) and Westfalen Halle in Dortmund (Germany). The Blu Ray contains an Atmos mix of the album (overseen by Giles Martin) as well as 5.1 / Stereo and instrumental mixes.
Also included are five promo videos from the time. The album also appears as a Half Speed Master for the first time. The book contains the history of the album written by Mojo and Classic Rock writer Paul Elliott (who has conducted new interviews with band members), as well as rare and unseen photos by noted photographer, and long time band collaborator, Ross Halfin.
Pre-order the vinyl edition of “Just Like 73”
