For years, one of the biggest surprises in hard rock has been how little attention Phil Collen's side project MANRAZE has received. That's a mistake. While most fans know Collen exclusively through DEF LEPPARD, MANRAZE has consistently showcased a rawer, less polished side of his songwriting, and the newly released "Lock Stock & Barrel" five-CD box set is a reminder that this project deserves far more respect than it gets.
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The collection gathers the band's complete recorded output, including all three studio albums, rare tracks, demos, and previously hard-to-find material. For longtime followers of the group, it's the most comprehensive MANRAZE release ever assembled.
And here's the reality: many rock fans have spent decades complaining that modern bands lack personality while simultaneously overlooking projects exactly like this one.
MANRAZE was never designed to be DEF LEPPARD 2.0. That's precisely why it matters.
Featuring Collen alongside bassist-vocalist Simon Laffy and drummer Paul Cook of the SEX PISTOLS, the band blended hard rock, punk attitude, and alternative influences into something that stood apart from the arena-rock formula that made Collen famous.
That difference may actually explain why MANRAZE never achieved the audience it arguably deserved.
Why This Release Matters
- It's a complete career retrospective
- It highlights a side of Phil Collen many fans never explored
- It preserves material that has become increasingly difficult to find
- It reminds listeners that great music often exists outside the spotlight
In today's streaming era, where attention spans are shrinking and algorithms often dictate discovery, releases like this feel increasingly important. They serve as a reminder that some artists are still willing to take risks rather than endlessly recycle what worked before.
Will every DEF LEPPARD fan love MANRAZE? Probably not.
But dismissing it because it doesn't sound like "Pour Some Sugar On Me" misses the point entirely.
The most interesting artists often produce their best work when they're operating outside the expectations attached to their biggest bands. Collen's willingness to step outside the DEF LEPPARD machine and pursue something different is exactly why MANRAZE remains fascinating.
What Happens Next?
The big question is whether this box set finally introduces MANRAZE to the wider audience it never fully reached the first time around.
With renewed attention on legacy artists and collectors eagerly snapping up deluxe releases, the timing couldn't be better.
What do you think? Have rock fans unfairly overlooked MANRAZE all these years?
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POLL
Has MANRAZE been unfairly overlooked?
- YES — It's one of Phil Collen's most underrated achievements
- NO — There's a reason it never connected with most fans
- DEF LEPPARD is the only Phil Collen project that really matters
