The year 1987 wasn't the best year for hard rock and metal. There were definite standouts and the releases from Guns -n- Roses, Anthrax, King Diamond, Kreator and Celtic Frost are some of the top ones that come to mind. However there were some highly overrated albums that came out that year as well. Two in particular as they came from artists who had bot given some of the best hard rock releases in the first half of the decade. Only this time around both bands had lost their edge and they were more gloss than rock. Both of these albums still bother me to this day because they both should have been much better. Let's toss these sewage bombs out there and see which one stinks less. It is...

Def Leppard-Hysteria

vs.


Motley Crue-Girls, girls, girls

***When I do veteran bands I replace the originality/production category with the disappointment factor.

Vocals

Vince Neil against Joe Elliot in one turned out to be the tightest of the five categories. Neither guy is giving their best performance on these albums nor are they giving bad performances. Vince Neil actually sounds slightly better than he did on Theater of pain as a whole. Joe Elliot is decent too, but all the choruses lead much of the vocals to just sound the same from song to song. Neither guys was giving their all, but by the end of the albums I think Vince was slightly better.
Point to Motley Crue

Guitars

It's Mick Mars versus Steve Clark and Phil Collen. Mick Mars comes across as being even more repetitive on this album than on the Crue previous releases. I don't know it they thought that it made heavier or if they just ran out of ideas. Either way it doesn't help the album. The Def Leppard duo should have been slapped for losing the hooks they so easily pulled off on the previous albums. They hide behind slick production here, but they don't bore me quite as fast as Mick Mars does.

Point to Def Leppard

Rhythm section

We have Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee taking on Rik Savage and Rick Allen. If the slick production tones down the guitars than it practically makes the bass non-existent on both albums. Rick Allen's drum beats are basic and the sound is loud, but not really engaging. Tommy Lee is one of the best hard rock drummers of all time, but this wasn't his best work primarily because it's so basic and the production robs it of some of what could have been. Still there are moments where you hear Lee's mastery of rhythms come through.

Point to Motley Crue

The disappointment factor

Motley Crue were following up Theater of pain which was a very average album. The band were insisting that Girls, Girls, Girls this was to be a return to their heavier style (they lied). Still I don't think that my expectations were that high for the Crue at this point due to the fact that Theater of pain wasn't that good. Still it had been a commercial success so deep down I didn't think they were going to become much heavier. Def Leppard were following up a far better album in Pyromania. They were also coming back after a four year gap and Rick Allen's accident. Still most people believed they were going to get back to form this time around. Then they push out this fluffed up piece of polished pop that sounds as sickening today as it did twenty-two years ago.

Point to Motley Crue

Who rocks more

If the bands rocked at all when they recorded these songs then the production certainly managed to suck the life out of what little might have actually been there. Def Leppard probably hit a song or two that's better than anything on the Motley Crue album, but they also have a couple that are even worse than anything that the Crue clunk out on their album. I don't think either band rocks nearly enough to please me or to really be that much better than their opponent in this category. So let's call it a...

Tie

The Crue take it 3-1-1 in a fairly close battle. Neither of these have albums have gotten any better over the years and both bands should be ashamed of themselves for putting out this gunk. Motley Crue tried to look and talk tough. Instead they sound tired and limp. Del Leppard thought that giving a long crappy album would be better than turning out a normal length crappy album. They were wrong and we all had to suffer hearing their lifeless songs on the radio over and over as well. I have given both of these albums chances over the years and the most I have gotten out it is nauseous. Here's hoping that my ears don't have to be assaulted by these two poor excuse for albums for some time.