Rock of Ages

The Zoo Crew is spinning "Rock of Ages" by Def Leppard from their iconic Pyromania album, and Zoo Freaks, this track has some wild stories behind it. The song’s unforgettable opening line, "Gunter glieben glauten globen," is pure gibberish, cooked up by producer Mutt Lange who was bored of counting in with "1, 2, 3, 4." Drummer Rick Allen shared in an interview that Lange, who speaks Dutch, tossed in the nonsense phrase to add some humor during recording sessions, and it stuck. There’s even a playful claim it means "running through the forest silently," but it’s just a fun studio moment that became legendary. Another quirky tidbit: during the guitar solo, backmasked vocals include cheeky phrases like "Fuck the Russians" and "Brezhnev’s got herpes," a rebellious nod to the Cold War era, as noted in the liner notes of Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection. The song’s title itself came from a happy accident when Joe Elliott found a hymn book left in the studio, open to the hymn "Rock of Ages," sparking the lyrical idea.

Adding to the song’s charm, the "Rock of Ages" video was shot at London’s Battersea Power Station on guitarist Phil Collen’s birthday, with the band also filming "Photograph" at the same spot on bassist Rick Savage’s birthday, as shared in a Def Leppard X post. The track also features secret guest vocalists dubbed "The Leppardettes," including Terry Wilson-Slesser, Rocky Newton, Pete Overend Watts, Chris Thompson, and Mutt Lange himself, providing those epic background harmonies. The band was stunned by Pyromania’s global success, with Phil Collen recalling in a post on X, “We were shocked at what happened with it. It just exploded.” This song, with its infectious hooks and MTV dominance, helped cement Pyromania as a cornerstone of the 1980s pop-metal movement.

Def Leppard kicked off their journey in Sheffield, England, in 1977, born from teenage friends Pete Willis, Rick Savage, and Joe Elliott forming a band initially called Atomic Mass. Inspired by the raw energy of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, they adopted the name Def Leppard after Elliott, then 14, doodled "Deaf Leopard" for a school art project, later tweaking the spelling to avoid punk band comparisons, as he explained in a 2022 American Songwriter interview. Drummer Tony Kenning and guitarist Steve Clark joined, but Kenning was soon replaced by a 15-year-old Rick Allen. Their first gig was a humble affair in a Sheffield spoon factory room, attended by just six people. Undeterred, they released their debut EP on their own Bludgeon Riffola label, catching the attention of Mercury Records, which led to their 1980 album On Through the Night. Their big break came with 1983’s Pyromania, propelled by heavy MTV rotation of singles like "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages," making them household names.

Zoo Freaks can stay connected with Def Leppard through their official Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts, where the band shares tour updates, behind-the-scenes content, and tributes to their legacy. Fans can also dive into dedicated spaces like the r/defleppard Reddit community, known as the Official Rock Brigade, with over 5,400 members discussing everything from Pyromania to the band’s 2022 album Diamond Star Halos. Another fan hub is the Def Leppard Fans Facebook group, where enthusiasts swap stories, memorabilia, and concert experiences. For deeper dives, check out fan-driven sites like Def Leppard Wiki for detailed band history and discography. Keep rocking with the Zoo Crew, and let’s keep those Pyromania vibes alive!