First released on October 5, 1993, Retro Active arrived in the wake of the Yorkshire rockers’ storming fifth album, Adrenalize. Yet, while that landmark, multi-platinum release included perennial fan favorites “Let’s Get Rocked” and “Make Love Like A Man,” it was pieced together slowly while Leppard struggled to come to terms with the death of their friend and founding guitarist, Steve Clark.
Recruiting talented ex-Dio/Whitesnake guitarist Vivian Campbell to replace their fallen comrade, the group embarked on a world tour in support of Adrenalize, during which time vocalist Joe Elliott hit upon the idea of releasing an album of rarities and new songs – partly to offer the fans something special and also to help the band achieve closure after Clark’s passing.
Elliott also came up with the title, Retro Active, and the project gained further momentum early in 1993 when the producers of the action-fantasy movie Last Action Hero asked the band to provide a new song for the soundtrack. Due to touring commitments, Leppard supplied an acoustic version of their 1992 B-side “Two Steps Behind,” to which conductor Michael Kamen added a discreet string arrangement, turning the track into one of the band’s signature soaring ballads.
