Wasted... Def Leppard's

lost single sleeve

The Summer of 1979 and something was stirring in Sheffield

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This is a story of what might have been. An alternative reality. A record sleeve prepared by two young fans of a young rock band by the name of Def Leppard whose self-financed debut EP had taken the music press and then the fans by storm.

It starts in June of 1979 not long after Margaret Thatcher had been elected to be Britain's first woman Prime Minister. Notts Forest had won the European Cup. The Electric Light Orchestra and Supertramp were the dominant rock acts, although Van Halen II was the album to buy.

Def Leppard were preparing a follow up to their first record on their own label, Bludgeon Riffola. The EP had gone into a second pressing and the pressure was on to get another single out. There was a real possibility the band might be signed by a major label, but true to the punk spirit that had inspired them to release the EP, the plan was to get something out anyway. If the majors wanted a piece they knew what to do.

Of course the band were signed by Phonogram after they had picked up the EP for a third pressing. Two fans of the band had been brought in to work on sleeve artwork. One was young photographer and mate of Rick Savage's from British Rail Steve Drury, who would later make his name in the pages of Melody Maker and Sounds. The other was an art student from Barnsley who years later would surface as a record sleeve designer in London, working for the likes of Wolfhounds and McCarthy as well as bands such as Simply Red.

The reasons why the artwork wasn't used by Phonogram are not known. Clearly the label felt that the cheap two-colour approach was not sophisticated enough for a band soon to be supporting AC/DC and Sammy Hagar in huge venues. Maybe the Leopard illustration was out of step. Certainly the logo chosen for the bands first album "On Through The Night" would be used for two decades. The rest is history.

We just thought you'd like to see what the band were up to before they made the big time in these rare photos and sketches. Its clear that the band were heading for the top with or without the help of the big money record deal.

Oh Yes, this is what they used...