Sound Check Pyro-Mania
posted by on July 5 at 13:14 PM
We’ve got Def Leppard’s Joe Elliot on Lineout today to talk about pyrotechnics.
Certain types of songs and shows are enhanced by fire and explosions. There is no getting around it. Blowing shit up takes a show to another dimension. Safety and know how are more than important. People die and die quickly when pyro goes wrong. Still, the primal gravitation to flame wells deep in the psyche of us all.
There are fireballs, shells, mines, cakes, and candles, which use flash powder, flash paper, gun cotton, and black powder (gunpowder). Small metal particles of titanium, magnesium, steel or zirconium help give color and shape.
The use of explosions, flashes, smoke, flames or other propellant driven effects on-stage is known as proximate pyrotechnics. Proximate because it’s near an audience. Special licensing must be obtained from local authorities to legally prepare and use proximate pyrotechnics.
Def Leppard was a band that fired it up. They are one of only six rock bands that had two albums sell over ten million copies each in the U.S. The others are The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Eagles, and Van Halen. And it’s all because of pyrotechnics.
I sort of interviewed Joe Elliot and got his pyro thoughts:
Why do you think concert goers are so drawn to fire and flame?
Joe: All right
I got something to say
Yeah, it’s better to burn out
Yeah, than fade away
All right
Ow, Gonna start a fire
C’mon
Do you think it’s because fire gives us life through warmth and light? Is there anything we should do about it?
Rise up! gather round
Rock this place to the ground
Burn it up let’s go for broke
Watch the night go up in smoke
Rock on! Rock on!
When you say ‘Rock on’, is that like the rocks that early hominid cavemen used for their firepits 3,500,000 years ago? Or rock as man’s first tool?
Drive me crazier, no serenade
No fire brigade, just Pyromania
What do you want? What do you want?
I want rock’n’roll, yes I do
Long live rock’n’roll
What’s the best way to make fire? Do you take the rock and hit it against another rock?
Oh let’s go, let’s strike a light
We’re gonna blow like dynamite
I don’t care if it takes all night
Gonna set this town alight
We got the power, got the glory
Just say you need it and if you need it
Say yeah!
Ok, “Yeah!” There I said it. I feel much better. I feel like I understand a little more about the relationship of human and fire and music. What if I feel like I like fire a little too much? Like I might have a problem with it?
Heh heh heh heh
Now listen to me
I’m Burnin’, Burnin’, I got the fever
I know for sure, there ain’t no cure
So feel it, don’t fight it, go with the flow
Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme one more for the road
We’re gonna burn this damn place down
Down to the ground
Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh
"Drive me crazier"
All these years, I had no idea what that lyric was.
My first concert was Def Leppard opening for Billy Squier at the Colesium in '83. We cut out of school early, waited in a massive line till the doors opened... then planted our asses in the nose-bleed seats. Like I said, it was my first concert, I didn't know what I was doing.
Saw them a few years ago at the speedway on the Monroe fair grounds and they fucking rocked. None of that omnipresent wash of synth they became known for, just five dudes bangin out old-fashioned guitar-based rock. And the drummer killed.
I have heard the same thing, of their more recent shows. Recenter? I just made up a word, their recenter shows. That they rocked.
I saw one of the Hysteria shows in Atlanta - 1988? It was in the round. I still can't believe the guy has 1 arm, count it - 1 arm, and still plays the drums. Pretty resilent dude.
And no sequencers or anything. Sure, he's got some pedals that trigger some digitally beefed-up sounds, but it was all live. Dude's a really good drummer.
A friend of mine had a friend, a girl, that he, the Def Leppard drummer had picked up after a show. He asked if she wanted to come on tour with them and she accepted. She was totally in love with him. After 3 shows he ditched her in whatever city they were in. I think he left her money for an airplane ticket though.
There must be Pyromania on the brain this week...
http://www.threeimaginarygirls.com/node/5818
Electric Six must have studied this chapter on rock success very deeply. Although I guess it's all about the application. (Electric Six, unfortunately, are hardly raking in Def Leppard record sale numbers.)
You must have stood to close to the flames, the reason those bands sold so many copies was because they are great bands, period. No one who first heard their music thought gee I wonder if they have great pyrotechnics. Get your head out of the smoke.
You and the flames may become one by the next day of independence. Great bands, hot guitar, that's why they called 'em smoking...
Tante
# 7, smoke some crack and get nude.
WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU WANT? IT'S A PYROMAAAANIA, COME ON!!!
trent, when are you going to do an homage to eddie? he made pyrotechnics look like child's play. come to think of it, i think you already did.
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Ironic, was just after Ian Hunter show, hanging w/ Steve Holly. When Joe Elliot joined the gang, he was drunk as a skunk, but still had the mullet.
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