Regarding...Series

Episode 10: Where Does Love Go When It Dies (with Kelsey Van Halen)This week, your Regarding…Slang hosts Wolfie, Scotzo, podcasting overlord Corey, and Chaz are joined by Def Leppard devotee and Van Halen aficionado Kelsey Van Halen for a deep dive into one of Slang’s most polarizing ballads — “Where Does Love Go When It Dies.”Before the track spins, the crew swaps stories about Def Leppard’s touring stamina, the lost years of streaming rights, and the formative trauma of missing concerts on school nights. Kelsey recalls her early Def Leppard shows and the band’s impact on her musical coming-of-age, while Corey reminisces about awkward meet-and-greets and acoustic medleys in Vegas. Chaz and Wolfie debate the merits of earnest balladry versus arena-ready anthems, and Scott admits to playlist curation anxiety as the album winds down.The song itself? No punches are pulled. Harsh words like “crap on a cracker,” “atrocious,” and “emotionally vacant” fly as the panel laments the lack of hooks, the questionable lyrics, and the absence of Def Leppard’s usual energy. Comparisons to Bon Jovi and Kiss surface, but not as compliments. The crew debates the sincerity of the lyrics and the dangers of a ballad without bite. In the end, consensus quietly forms: but what's it gonna be??This episode features:🎤 Kelsey’s tales of David Lee "Hot Pants" encounters and front-row fashion statements🎸 Corey’s live Def Leppard anecdotes and a masterclass in Canadian candor🗑️ A group therapy session on the dangers of earnest lyrics and missing guitar solos🥃 Tangents on mandolins, open wounds, and the emotional spectrum between “nothing” and “disgust”By the end, the crew is buoyed by camaraderie, nostalgia, and the promise of more ballads ahead. When Def Leppard misses the mark, the boneless couch philosophers don’t hold back — but they’ll always come back for another round, hoping the next track brings the fire. Grab a plate of wings and your favorite Van Halen t-shirt, because Kelsey doesn't suffer weak-ass balladeers or broke-ass backstreet wannabes, come prepared to get arested and have it photo-documented for future fashion statements. Diamond Dave or F*&k Off!!

Episode 9: Blood Runs Cold (with Sean McGinity)This week, your Regarding…Slang hosts Wolfie, Scotzo, podcasting overlord Corey, and Chaz are joined by podcaster, musician, and boneless podcasting mainstay Sean McGinity as they explore one of Slang’s most haunting tracks — “Blood Runs Cold.”Before the needle drops, the crew reminisces about their Def Leppard origin stories, the formative power of B-sides, and the eternal debate: is Pyromania for the cool kids or just a gateway to leather pants and Union Jack tees? Sean shares how the album’s basslines hit differently on a new sound system, while Corey and Chaz debate whether “Blood Runs Cold” is Def Leppard at their most vulnerable or just a power ballad with extra atmosphere.The song itself? A bluesy, ethereal tribute to the late Steve Clark, with lyrics that cut deeper the more you know the backstory. The gang dissects Joe Elliott’s vocal performance, Phil Collen’s songwriting, and the emotional weight behind lines like “living is the best revenge.” Scott draws parallels to dreamy Connecticut jam bands, while Corey and Wolfie argue over the merits of the rough mix versus the album cut. Along the way, they debate who’s really singing those background harmonies, and whether Def Leppard’s signature sound needs more polish or more rawness.This episode features: 🎸 Sean McGinity’s tales from the Sean Geek and Fast Fret podcast, plus news of a secret Boneless Records project 🥁 A forensic listen to the guitar solo and the subtle piano touches 🗳️ Unanimous praise for a song that’s equal parts tribute and therapy session 🍗 Breaking news on boneless chicken recalls and KFC’s latest menu shakeups By the end, the crew is equal parts introspective and irreverent, just like Def Leppard channeling grief into melody. But one thing’s for sure: when the riffs are heartfelt and the harmonies are fragile, even the boneless couch philosophers get a little misty-eyed — and somewhere, a Def Leppard fan is crying.

Episode 5: Gift of Flesh (with Josh Caldwell)This week, your Regarding…Slang hosts Wolfie, Scotzo, podcasting overlord Corey, and Chaz are joined by podcaster, musician, and self-described “boneless couch philosopher” Josh Caldwell as they crack open Slang’s most feral track — “Gift of Flesh.”Before the amps even warm up, the gang detours through Phil Collins tributes (and coconut oil stories you’ll never un-hear), heartfelt reflections on Chaz's fallen heroe Ace Frehley, and a debate over whether harmonies are a Def Leppard necessity or just one more thing to lose in the grunge fog. Josh and Corey call out the band for ditching their signature layered vocals, while Scott wonders if “Gift of Flesh” is what happens when Sheffield meets Seattle — and Wolfie swears it’s Foo Fighters before Foo Fighters knew who they were.The song itself? A muscular, riff-driven outburst that sounds like Adrenalize and Soundgarden got drunk together and woke up in a dive bar bathroom, with the Colour and the Shape all over their pants. Caldwell praises the raw guitar tone and the acoustic drum sound (“finally, something human”), while everyone else argues whether the vocals are gritty authenticity or just Joe Elliott forgetting he’s Joe Elliott. Somewhere in there, they discover a lost version called Black Train, debate whether Phil secretly sang lead, and compare the riff to Ozzy and Van Halen before things inevitably derail into stripper metaphors for commercial success.This episode features:🎸 Josh Caldwell’s tales of Phil Collins, G4 clinics, and awkward guitar god encounters🥁 A forensic listen to Rick Allen’s acoustic drum magic🗳️ A rare mostly-positive vote that proves miracles can happen when the riffs are good enough🛋️ The birth of Boneless Couching as an acceptable social engagement subjectBy the end, the crew’s equal parts nostalgic and punch-drunk, just like Def Leppard trying on flannel for the first and last time. But one thing’s for sure: if you’re comparing Def Leppard to the Foo Fighters, somewhere Kevin Brown’s already packing his bags for another cliff dive.

Episode 7 — Deliver Me (Def Leppard’s Slang)This week, the crew digs into “Deliver Me,” a dark, grungy detour in the Leppard catalogue — complete with Pearl Jam vibes, Alice Cooper echoes, and the unforgettable lyric debate over what exactly Joe Elliott tastes on his breath.Joining Chaz, Corey, Scott, and Wolfe is special guest Schatz, who rolls in from Rush Rash to lend his drummer’s ear and discover how Rick Allen’s acoustic kit changed everything. From dissecting Rick Savage’s bass tone to calling out blatant Jeremy rip-offs, the guys find equal parts grit and laughter in the murky middle of Slang.And hidden throughout the episode? Easter eggs and callbacks for true Regarding fans to catch.Special Bonus: a full-on Boys Night Out moment featuring wrestling themes, sing-alongs, and a spirited takedown of the Van Halen Record Store Day fiasco.Also:📨 Mailbag mayhem — Kevin Brown’s savage review and “Who Hurt Kevin?” theories🎧 The Dave & Dave Unchained shout-out that sent Chaz’s phone buzzing🤘 Unplanned detours into Balance, Poison, and the Boneless Network reveal

Episode 6: Breathe a SighThis week, your Regarding…Slang crew — Wolfie, Scotzo, podcasting overlord Corey, and Chaz — are joined by Darren Paltrowitz and Duane Hoffman as they take a long, sometimes painful look at Def Leppard’s third single from Slang: “Breathe a Sigh.”The song itself? Joe Elliott goes full falsetto crooner over a groove that sounds more R&B than Daryl Hall going to his "special place". Some of us hear a tender ballad, others hear the band wandering into karaoke night at the wrong pub. Just to make things messier, we spin the rough mix — and suddenly the track takes a turn for demo hell, raising questions about what the band (and producer Pete Woodroffe, whose résumé gets its own hilarious breakdown) thought they were chasing...clearly they were trying to tickle Kevin Brown's berries.This episode features:🎤 Chaz trying to defend Joe’s vocal tightrope walk while the rest of us squirm🍗 Duane’s live taste test of pumpkin-spice wings, because apparently Slang isn’t weird enough already📀 A blow-by-blow of the rough mix vs. album cut, and whether either version actually lands🧾 The Pete Woodroffe résumé conversation you didn’t know you needed (boy bands and girl groups pay attention!)🤔 The inevitable debate: hidden gem or bathroom break?Hidden throughout: off-mic laughs, tangents about mullets and Spotify bots, and a few moments where even we admit Def Leppard may have reached too far.Special Bonus: A detour into Boys Night Out — a digression that adds yet another layer of WTF to the Slang era.

Episode 5: Work It OutThis week, your Regarding…Slang hosts Wolfie, Scotzo, podcasting overlord Corey, and Chaz welcome back Van Halen expert David "Loud Dave" Criblez from the Dave and Dave Unclained podcast, as they tackle Def Leppard's second single from Slang: "Work It Out."It's straight into why this Vivian Campbell-penned track might be Def Leppard's most commercial underrated gem—or at least the one song that proves Joe Elliott doesn't need to hit the stratosphere to sound great.The song itself? Written entirely by Vivian Campbell, it sits perfectly in Joe's lower register and strips away the signature Mutt Lange production sheen for something that feels like you're watching the band rehearse. It's got industrial touches without going full Nine Inch Nails, a 40-second instrumental section that lets the music breathe, and lyrics about actually working through relationship problems instead of just rocking out or walking the effin dog or taking out the trash...This episode features:🎸 David's passionate breakdown of why this is Joe Elliott channeling his inner Iggy Pop🤔 The eternal Def Leppard dilemma: half experimental songs, half playing it safe, like Joe's mullet "business up front, party in the back"🗳️ The revelation that this was Chaz's only Def Leppard song to make his wedding playlist🎵 Bonus tracks: Vivian's original Dublin demo🎵 🎵 B-side "Move With Me Slowly"—a Stones-flavored jam that sounds like five guys who actually know how to play their instrumentsHidden throughout: Mullet references, Michael Anthony's "flag on the back of his head" hair, and the growing realization that when Def Leppard strips away the candy coating, they're capable of so much more than their hit formula suggests.Special Bonus: The episode includes "Move With Me Slowly," a track so effortlessly cool and Stones-influenced that it becomes everyone's new favorite Def Leppard song by episode's end. It's proof that sometimes the best music happens when a band just plugs in and jams. Pay attention, Kevin Brown.

Episode 3: SlangThis week, your Regarding… Slang hosts Wolfie, Scotzo, podcasting overlord Corey, and Chaz are joined by Middle-Earth's own, podcaster Kevin Brown — a man who openly loathes Joe Elliott’s voice — as they take on the funky, polarizing, and utterly un-Leppard title track: “Slang.”But before we get to the track, there’s a winding path through podcasting mission statements, Chaz’s questionable decision-making as a Def Leppard evangelist, Kevin’s blunt assessments of Joe’s pipes, and the age-old question: What the hell is wrong with Chaz for trying to sell a hater on one of if not the weirdest song this band ever released?The song itself? It’s got Rick Allen on a full acoustic kit for the first time since his accident, guitars that pop and snap instead of roar, and lyrics that may or may not be about phone sex. The band thought it was a bold lead single. The fans? Well…This episode features:🎸 The song’s origins - a Phil Collen/Joe Elliott bass groove with a “Billie Jean” feel, aiming for a band-in-a-room vibe rather than Mutt Lange’s polished assembly line.🥁 Rick Allen’s return to acoustic drums – and why it changed the song’s feel completely🤔 The ongoing mystery - what the hell is “slang” in this context? Phone sex? Throwaway lyric? 🗳️ A unanimous Fade Away vote – proving that even if it’s funky, it’s not for everyoneAs the Regarding… crew digs into “Slang,” they wrestle with its identity: a noble experiment, a funky misfire, or just Def Leppard having a mid-90s identity crisis? And more importantly — can Raw Joe make Kevin Brown flinch a little less? With more wank than Spanked, it's Corey's go-to to stroke his...desire for a Leppard sound he finds familiar, like a creepy Uncle's hand on your knee...he just doesn't want to get his hand's dirty. Join us for an utter cluster-cluck of a listen. Yeti-Yeti-Yeti-Yeti-YoThe Show Three guys who are various stages of Def Leppard fans, and a guy who’s just heard the hits (maybe...some of them.) Join the guys over a plate of Buffalo Chicken Wings as they give Def Leppard’s 1996 album Slang and honest listen and try to figure out just what the hell “Slang” means anyways. Is it too late for love or can we work it out to find a way to get Slang the love and affection it deserves? Listen as we listen so you don’t have to, and discover for yourself.  Proudly sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcastle.ai⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourstringmedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, not by ⁠⁠Romney's Everest Kendal Mints⁠⁠ or Buffalo Chicken Wings in general. Do you like Def Leppard? We like Def Leppard. Yep.

Episode 2: Turn to DustThis week, your Regarding...Slang hosts Wolfie, Scotzo, podcasting overlord Corey, and Chaz are joined by podcaster, author, composer, and honorary CMPU sex symbol Scott Haskin, as they take on Slang’s second track proper: “Turn to Dust.”But before we get to the track, there’s a detour through podcasting lore and technical BS, Wolfie's famous Westport "blue parties", screenplays about Jaws, birthday tributes to Kevin Brown, and the legal limitations of sentence...rape(?) - we're against it - in rock lyrics. It’s Season 4. You knew what this was when you signed on...The song itself? Phil Collen-penned and India-inspired, “Turn to Dust” opens with sampled sitars and actual recorded rain, and was meant to signal a major creative pivot for the band. But did Joe Elliott’s unusually raw vocal delivery do the material justice? Did the lyrics carry the weight of the subject matter—or get lost in the fog of metaphors and Mutt Lang-less production? And what’s with the line that literally every lyric site claims says “Sentence rape me”? The panel tries to make sense of it, even as they struggle to stay focused, stay sober, or stay on topic.This episode features:✍️ A thorough discussion of lyric intent vs. vocal execution🎤 Rare demo vocals from Phil Collen himself—prompting existential questions like, “Is Phil aping Joe, or is this just how Phil sings everything?”🥁 A serious technical breakdown of Rick Allen’s drumming—electronic triggers, sample layers, and the true definition of “ghost notes”🎂 A savage musical birthday roast for Kevin Brown, who responded to Truth? with a review so scathing it deserved its own diss track🗳️ A split Burnout vs. Fade Away vote that forces the guys to ask: is a cool vibe enough to save a song from its own confused message?As the Regarding... team tries to uncover meaning in the madness, they find themselves wrestling not just with the track—but with the larger question of whether Slang was a noble reinvention or simply the sound of a band drifting into irrelevance. Is “Turn to Dust” a forgotten gem, a noble misfire, or a glorified B-side?Join us as we fight over vocals, defend lyrical nonsense, and realize just how hard it is to agree on anything this season. One thing’s clear: this album may be divisive, but it’s never dull. Especially with Corey around.The ShowThree guys who are various stages of Def Leppard fans, and a guy who’s just heard the hits (maybe...some of them.) Join the guys over a plate of Buffalo Chicken Wings as they give Def Leppard’s 1996 album Slang and honest listen and try to figure out just what the hell “Slang” means anyways. Is it too late for love or can we work it out to find a way to get Slang the love and affection it deserves? Listen as we listen so you don’t have to, and discover for yourself. Proudly sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcastle.ai⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fourstringmedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, not by ⁠Romney's Everest Kendal Mints⁠ or Buffalo Chicken Wings in general. Do you like Def Leppard? We like Def Leppard.