Journey and Def Leppard have been on a co-headlining trek all summer, and the second leg of the outing, which spanned from July 1 to July 28 and reported 17 shows, has now topped Billboard’s Hot Tours list.
According to Billboard, in the reported period the tour grossed $30,384,259, with the two bands playing in venues ranging from 8,500-seat arenas to 45,000-capacity baseball parks. The largest show was a sold-out date at Denver’s Coors Field on July 21.
This weeks program features songs from RICKY WARWICK, ELTON JOHN, THE CLASH, JOE WALSH amongst others, as well as some stories from Joe!
Radio show time is Saturdays at 6pm (GMT) / 1pm (EST) and repeated on Tuesday nights @ 9pm (GMT) / 4pm (EST).
For those in the U.K. tune into Joe’s weekly radio show on PlanetRock.com.
For those listening outside the U.K. listen live from this site HERE. Please not this Surf.com internet site may not work in some countries. As a quick fix, please download a VPN application and set it to the UK territory. Then download the Planet Rock app and boom, it works!
DEF LEPPARD’S JOE ELLIOTT RELEASES TOUCHING VIDEO TRIBUTE TO FRIEND, LEGENDARY GUITARIST MICK RONSON ON ANNIVERSARY OF DAVID BOWIE’S CLASSIC “JOHN, I’M ONLY DANCING” VIDEO
Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott has released a touching video tribute to his friend and early guitar hero, the late, great legendary musician Mick Ronson. Filmed in the midst of his band’s recent arena tour, the video opens with a film projector projecting cinematic footage of Elliott performing Ronson’s ballad “This Is For You” on acoustic guitar in various locations on the road as archival photos and vintage black and white footage shows Ronson performing solo and with long time musical partner David Bowie. As Elliott sings the lyrics, “This is for you! How are you doing? It’s been a while/Where have you been? What have you seen? And did you smile?/Like I’m Supposed to do/Like I remember you,” the song takes on new meaning as the love letter to a long-lost lover turns into a musical conversation between two old friends. “I had an opportunity on a day off on tour to shoot a video…it just seemed rude not to!, “ says Elliott. “This video is my gift to the memory of Mick Ronson who gave me so much in my youth and then later on when we got to know each other.”
WATCH NOW
The video was unveiled on the 46th anniversary (8/25/72) of the filming of David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars’ shadowy and subversive video for “John, I’m Only Dancing.” Directed by iconic rock photographer Mick Rock, the video featuring Bowie and the band in their best glam attire and androgynous dancers, was banned by “Top of the Pops” in the UK and was never released in America as it was deemed too risqué by the record label.
Elliott recorded “This Is For You” exclusively for the soundtrack for the documentary Beside Bowie: The Mick Ronson Story, which was released in June via UMe following last year’s successful theatrical run and the DVD/Blu-ray releases. The acoustic guitar and piano ballad, penned by Laurie Heath of the New Seekers, was included on Ronson’s 1975 album Play Don’t Worry. Elliott’s rendition is especially poignant as it features the late Dick Decent’s last-ever performance on the piano. Decent was a frequent Def Leppard collaborator and played with Elliott in Cybernauts, their Bowie cover band, formed as a tribute to Ronson.
The first official career retrospective compilation for the guitar virtuoso, known affectionately as “Ronno,” includes highlights from Ronson’s solo records alongside material from his key collaborations with Bowie, Elton John, Ian Hunter, Michael Chapman and Queen. Purchase Beside Bowie: The Mick Ronson Story on CD/vinyl/digital now: https://Besidebowie.lnk.to/CD-Digital
Elliott first became a fan of Ronson’s as an adolescent entranced by Bowie’s breakthrough album Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. “I just wanted to give something back, because I was the kid that when I was 12 years old, staring at the inside sleeve of ‘Ziggy Stardust,’ four squares of Bowie and the Spiders, I would be staring at Mick as much as I was staring at Bowie – it was the Jagger-Richards thing. It was Page-Plant; it was Perry-Tyler,” Elliott told Salon earlier this year about recording the song.
Elliott and Ronson developed a friendship after meeting in the early ‘80s which lasted until Ronson’s death in 1993 from cancer. Elliott helped Ronson record his final record and sang on two tracks. After Ronson passed, Elliott finished the album for him and Heaven And Hull was posthumously released in 1994.
Despite his production and guitar work with Lou Reed, Morrissey, Ian Hunter and Mott The Hoople, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and many others, it is Ronson’s dynamic support, contribution, and co-creation of the expansive and multi-faceted career of Bowie and in fact that era of music, that the film and the soundtrack exposes. Featuring exclusive narration by Bowie and exclusive contributions by Rick Wakeman, Joe Elliott, Roger Taylor, Ian Hunter, Angie Bowie and many more, the career-spanning documentary Beside Bowie: The Mick Ronson Story, produced and directed by Jon Brewer, is a tribute to an uncomplicated man who achieved the pinnacle of success in the music industry as well as the rarefied respect from his contemporaries for his production and guitar skills.
“Spent a lovely morning at the Porsche Track Experience at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham AL. Thanks to the whole team for having me, had a wonderful day. Cheers!” – Vivian Campbell
Featuring the greatest rock from across the decades to brand new releases, Johnnie from BBC2 will curate an hour of the best rock ever heard on Radio 2. Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott reveals his ultimate Rock God, plus we reach ‘J’ in Johnnie’s A-Z of Rock.
I’m saddened by the passing of one of the best vocal talents this planet was blessed to have heard…. NO ONE could touch her for feel, delivery & passion. Unbeknown to a lot of us, she influenced countless “rock” singers throughout her lifetime, so indirectly we all owe her a huge debt of gratitude. Thank you Aretha, for all the wonderful moments you have given us for the last half century or so, you will NEVER be forgotten. RIP The Queen of R&B & soul. – Joe
Her Voice… Her Commitment to Human Rights… R.I.P. Aretha Franklin… you are Loved by All – Rick Allen
On this day in Def Leppard history, August 16 1986, Def Leppard took the stage for the Monsters of Rock Festival at Castle Donington. Rick Allen returned to the stage for the first time since the accident with an unforgettable performance. Warlock kicked off the night followed by Bad News, Motörhead, Def Leppard, Scorpions and Ozzy Osbourne.
A night before Def Leppard played Fenway Park in Boston, frontman Joe Elliott got to get a feel for the stage when Billy Joel invited him out for a duet.
Towards the end of his set, Joel introduced Elliott, who received a thunderous greeting from the stadium audience. The two singers and Joel’s band immediately launched into the opening bars of Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me.”
You can see video of the surprise collaboration above.
Elliott later returned to sing “You May Be Right” with Joel at the end of the encore. Via iheartradio
