Sorry about the past couple of days. Things are messy here right now, so it will be spotty for awhile as to what music videos I can get around to writing about instead of simply spotlighting them. However, I am really determined to keep this going everyday regardless of whether I have time to write anything. Today is one of those days that I can write something.

The Internet tells me today is International Day of People with Disability. Or to put it another way, it is time I did a post on a Def Leppard music video. Specifically a Def Leppard song off of the Hysteria album. This really isn’t a spotlight on the music video, but I will briefly talk about it.

The music video is by director Wayne Isham and cinematographer Marc Reshovsky (he shot Teen Witch, Red Rock West, and Trevor) remaking Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer for Def Leppard. After Def Leppard didn’t like the original music video Russell Mulcahy made for them, they made this music video. I guess Def Leppard didn’t like redoing Madhouse by Antrax with the wrecking ball on loan from the set of Balls To The Wall by Accept. Darn it! Now I am going to have to feature that version tomorrow. Sorry The Bangles, you’ll have to wait one more day. Oh, and yes, I really am pretty sure they remade Livin’ On A Prayer here. That music video was also directed by Wayne Isham and shot by Marc Reshovsky. They shot it at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, CO in February 1988.

The real reason I am spotlighting this music video today is for drummer Rick Allen. He was in a car accident on December 31st of 1984 that caused him to lose his left arm. After some initial doubts, they did a little engineering and figured out a way he could continue drumming for the band. The name of the album Hysteria was thought up by Allen as a reference to the car accident. Rick Allen continues to get around today doing work with groups like the Raven Drum Foundation and One Hand Drum Company. He has been quoted as saying:

“What I’ve experienced through losing my arm, I wouldn’t change. The human spirit is so strong”

I don’t really have anything else to say except the obvious. Recently, computer security expert Taylor Swift performed the song with Def Leppard.

I love that she basically stepped into the background about the whole thing to let Def Leppard shine. It’s not as awesome as when Madonna refused to perform for her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction, but had The Stooges do it for her. Still, I like it. If you really want a good shot of the work they did to allow Allen to continuing drumming, then I highly recommend watching it. It also did her a service seeing as she is a good musician, but without the kind of voice needed to pull off the original. If she wanted to do a straight cover, then she would need to rework it a bit to make it fit. I hope she doesn’t though. I prefer her to use her star-power to introduce younger fans to older bands that they should be aware of, such as Def Leppard.

Enjoy!