When Def Leppard’s Hysteria came out in the summer of 1987, I bought it at the Record Bar at Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville, NC.
On Saturdays, my brothers and I would trek the short, mile walk to what seemed like the center of the universe. No sidewalks or cross walks made the trip treacherous at times. In Boy Scouts, we learned to always walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.
In the 80’s, the mall was the place to be: $5 for a matinee movie ticket (with large popcorn), $5 for a lengthy visit to the quarter arcade, $10 could buy a tape at the Record Bar. Cassette tapes were king.
As an 11 year-old, the columns upon columns of retail cassette displays seemed towering. The sales clerks had rolling ladders to retrieve tapes in high positions.
One Saturday night in the summer of 87, I remember seeing the premiere of the new Def Leppard video, “Women” from their forthcoming album Hysteria. At the time, I was into skateboarding, comic books, and music. The video, featuring all three interests, was aimed right at me.
Leppard’s new look was a sophisticated glam—not nearly as cheesy as their contemporaries, but still cleaned up a bit from the Pyromania days.
The next trip to the mall was bountiful: a matinee showing of Police Academy 4, 20 plays of Double Dragon, and a copy of Hysteria.
Us three Garrigan boys shared a Walkman. On this day, I was the only one interested in using it. As we walked, my brothers were deep in conversation. Perhaps Jay and Joe were discussing the leitmotifs of the Police Academy sequel. I often reminisce over Hightower’s chanting “Yama Yama Yama Yaaama.” When I think about it though, the portable tape player was low on batteries.
On the walk home, I listened to Hysteria for the first time. “Women” was an excellent lead off song for the record. I didn’t expect more from the album. Although, if you’ve ever heard Hysteria, you know it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
The first side is unstoppable. These six songs could easily be the first side on a greatest hits album. As an eleven year old, hearing it for the first time, there was a feeling of disbelief, as if, this can’t possibly get any better. And, it did—with each song. It took about a half hour to walk home. “Armageddon It” wrapped as we walked in the door.
Later that night, I explored the second side of the album. I preferred the first side to the second. But, the title track is and always will be the best moment on the album for me. “Hysteria,” the song, is easily one of the best songs from the 80’s. It’s pure magic.
This morning, 25 years later, as I listened to “Rocket” on the elliptical machine, I felt a sense of pleased nostalgia. Hysteria, as an album, holds up today as a classic—it has aged very well.
It’s too bad there aren’t as many malls as there used to be. There are no tape stores anymore. I haven’t found a decent arcade in years.
-
creative102 liked this
-
dictionaryde2 liked this
-
70tiesthatbind liked this
-
debraarnold liked this
-
mikegarriganmusic posted this
