I'm a little older than you and my influences, especially back then, were bands and artists that were more "raw" and "real" sounding. Cream, Jeff Beck Group, Frampton, The Eagles, early ZZ Top, The Allmans - all bands that played their instruments at a high level and went for a "real" sound.

The 80's, with the SSL console and the Sony 48 track digital tape machine, along with the explosion off synthesizers and drum machines (not to mention Lexicon Digital reverbs and delays, the Yamaha SPX90 and so much more) changed it all.

In most cases, gone was the raw, real sound of Les Pauls & Marshall's along with a closely mic'd drum kit in favor of Rockman's, drum machines, an enormous use of digital delay, digital reverb and Eventide Harmonizers, not to mention the proliferation of 48 track digital tape machines and 96 channel SSL consoles, which lead to an astronomical amount of parts being recorded and stacked, which led to the "processed" sound of 80's music.

While I liked some of the rock bands of the early 80's, I didn't gel with most of it, especially the Synth Pop bands like OMD, Depeche Mode, Howard Jones, et al.

Def Leppard, to me, was an extension of that music, so I just didn't connect at the time.