Month: August 2024

Mercury Studios will release Def Leppard One Night Only Live at The Leadmill Sheffield May 19, 2023, on October 11, 2024.

Following a hugely successful Record Store Day release in April 2024, Def Leppard One Night Only Live at The Leadmill Sheffield May 19, 2023 will be available on CD, DVD+CD, Blu-ray+CD, Limited Edition 2 LP pressed on orange vinyl, Digital Audio and Digital Video. The Def Leppard store is offering copies of the CD with a signed card (limited to 100 copies), and a Live at The Leadmill shirt.

PRE-ORDER NOW!

On the eve of the band’s largest UK/ European run ever (including a sold-out night at Wembley Stadium) and on the heels of launching their critically acclaimed and chart-topping new album, “Drastic Symphonies” (recorded at the renowned Abbey Road), Def Leppard streamed a one-off live performance from the historic Sheffield venue, The Leadmill. This unique set was from one of the most intimate shows the band has played in the UK or Europe in over 35 years, giving their fans the chance to hear and see the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducted band up close performing an extraordinary stadium style set in a club setting.

Track Listing

Side A:

1. Action
2. Fire It Up
3. Let It Go

Side B:

1. Too Late For Love
2. Excitable
3. Mirror Mirror

Side C:

1. Slang
2. Kick
3. Bringin’ On The Heartbreak
4. Switch 625

Side D:

1. Hysteria
2. Pour Some Sugar On Me
3. Wasted

via Guitar World

In 1982, Phil Collen was appointed Def Leppard’s newest electric guitar player following the departure of Pete Willis. That same year, he was put straight to the test as the English rock icons set about recording their third studio album, Pyromania.

Widely considered one of Def Leppard’s finest albums, the diamond-certified LP is seen as a turning point in the band’s discography, and one that would allow them conquer the US. It has also been tipped by some as one of the greatest guitar albums of all time.

That is in part thanks to Collen and his starring guitar work, which can be heard in the form of blinding guitar solos on Photograph, Rock of Ages, and Stagefright.

Indeed, the lead effort that Collen contributed to Stagefright is one of the virtuoso’s most famous guitar solos – but it turns out it was also the first thing he ever recorded for Def Leppard. Not only that, he did it all in one take.

Discussing his standout guitar moments in Pyromania in the new issue of Guitarist, Collen recalls. “The first one I did was Stagefright. Mutt Lange, our producer, said, ‘Take this cassette home and see if you can come up with something for this song.’

“This was my first recording with the band and I literally plugged the [Ibanez] Destroyer straight into the Marshall. It was the only first take on the album. I just plugged in and that’s what came out. That was really exciting.”

Collen’s Stagefright turn is well-documented. In Definitely: The Official Story of Def Leppard (via MusicRadar), singer Joe Elliott recalled how it was at that exact moment that he and the rest of the band “felt like we’d found our Eddie Van Halen.”

via Forbes

Earlier this summer, Def Leppard returned with an exciting new single titled “Just Like 73.” The tune quickly rose the ranks on iTunes, and it reached a number of sales-focused charts after its first full tracking week had passed. The cut, released in June, began disappearing from rankings after it sold so well upon its arrival, but now it’s back in glorious fashion.

“Just Like 73” debuts on two charts in the U.K. this week, after it was made available to buy on physical formats in the country. Def Leppard’s latest immediately gives the band another ruler in their home country–and on more than one tally.

Def Leppard’s current single blasts in at No. 1 on both the Official Physical Singles and Official Vinyl Singles charts this week. The two rosters detail the bestselling songs in the U.K. on physical formats, with the latter including only those tracks that were made available to buy on wax.

GREETINGS MUSIC LOVERS – AND WELCOME BACK TO JOE ELLIOTT’S SONGS FROM THE VAULT SHOW ON SIRIUSXM’S DEEP TRACKS CHANNEL.

In the JULY 2024 hour’s show, Joe highlights and tells stories about some of his favourite songs and artists from his own personal collection.

July’s Show features music and stories from Aerosmith, Sparks, Sweet and more!

WHO: Def Leppard frontman, musician, and musicologist Joe Elliott

WHAT: Joe Elliott’s Songs from the Vault

WHERE: SiriusXM’s DeepTracks (Ch. 27)

WHEN: Show Schedule HERE

MORE:

In his youth, Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott was creatively influenced by the music of the late 60’s and early 70’s. From legendary acts like T. Rex, Mott The Hoople, David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and so many others. Each month, listen to Elliott play “Deep Tracks” from his personal music collection. Expect to hear songs from Joe’s vault and some of the stories behind them.

via Boston Herald

The kids wore Def Leppard t-shirts. The adults wore Journey shirts.

These fashion choices at Fenway Park on Monday night weren’t absolute, but they outline a clear trend.

Buried deep in a recent press release about the current Def Leppard tour, the band announced the “18-44 demographic that now represents 58% of their fanbase.” This claim seems both absurd and obvious.

The rock fans of 2024 don’t have a modern artist with Def Leppard vibes to latch on to so they have latched on to the actual Def Leppard. The group is fast approaching six billion streams in less than six years and the visceral proof was heard on Monday in the shouts of the kids in their shirts.

The Fenway show was basically a classic rock festival, a triple headlining bill of Lep, Journey and Steve Miller Band.

Steve Miller captured a couple generations with immortal rock ‘n’ roll nuggets. Go see him at a headlining gig next summer. He does his hits with reverence and joy. But he can’t capture the 18-44-year-olds at 6 p.m. on a Monday.

Thanks to “Don’t Stop Believin’,” everybody loves Journey. Well, everybody but the guys in the band as once again members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain are fighting in court while still sharing the stage. They can still play (see a scorching “Stone in Love”)  and singer Arnel Pineda’s story is as inspiring as his voice, charm, energy, and charisma — next to nobody can do “Separate Ways,” “Believin’,” “Any Way You Want It” as a back-to-back-to-back sprint like he does.

But Def Leppard dominated the night. On its diamond LPs of the ’80s, the band found a unique space by chasing perfection while having fun. In concert, that chase still glitters.

On a night when Joe Elliott apologized for his voice as he battled an upper respiratory infection, he mostly sounded great. Behind him, the band locked into place — guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, bassist Rick Savage, and drummer Rick Allen somehow kept time like a Swiss watch while swinging like a bar band.

There were lot of “somehows” to Def Leppard’s show.

“Foolin’” was heavy and somehow melodic. “Animal” had both a toughness and tightness. “Just Like ’73” managed to be a new song that could have been a “Hysteria” b-side. Fans of all ages get something from these delightful contrasts.

After nearly an hour of hits and deep cuts — the show spent a lot of time celebrating the 40th anniversary of “Pyromania” — Def Leppard closed with the triple shot of “Photograph,” “Hysteria,” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” The trifecta triangulated what makes Def Leppard so damn popular: perfect Top 40 hooks baked into hard rock swagger and glammy. Just ask the kids.

World renowned DJ Armand Van Helden kindly honored Def Leppard by creating a remix of “Photograph” to celebrate Pyromania’s 40th Anniversary. Listen Now: https://defleppard.lnk.to/DL-AVHEM