First Strike is a bootleg of Def Leppard. The album contains seven demo recordings. The majority of the record is comprised of five demo recordings of songs that would all be revisited and rerecorded, in sometimes very different versions, for their first album On Through the Night. The first and last song (Heat Street and Glad I'm Alive), have never been released anywhere else. These demos were recorded in 1978 and 1979. Former managers Frank Stuart-Brown and Pete Martin released the album without the band's consent in 1984. The band took the two to court to remove the album from the marketplace, as they were unhappy with the recordings, and the judge ruled in favour of the band. Even from the beginning, First Strike was questionable whether it was an official release or not, due to it being released against the band's wishes, much like Bob Dylan's Dylan album. However, since the court case, First Strike has never been considered part of Def Leppard's official discography and has been deleted.
Track listing
- Heat Street 2:53
- Answer to the Master 3:24
- See the Lights 3:38
- When the Walls Come Tumbling Down 3:48
- Wasted 3:30
- Sorrow is a Woman 3:38
- Glad I'm Alive 4:09
Credits
Def Leppard
- Joe Elliott - lead vocals
- Pete Willis - lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
- Steve Clark - lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
- Rick Savage - bass, backing vocals
- Rick Allen - drums