Phil and Eddie Trunk talk all things Rock Hall of Fame!
Tag: 2018
Joe Elliott On Rock Hall Induction – Rolling Stone Magazine Interview
DEF LEPPARD TO BE INDUCTED INTO ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME
It’s official, DEF LEPPARD are 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR FANS FOR MAKING US #1 IN THE FAN VOTE AND TO THE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME COMMITTEE
The band will be inducted into the 2019 Performer Category alongside The Cure, Janet Jackson, Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, Roxy Music and The Zombies. Presented by Klipsch Audio, the 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame® Induction Ceremony will take place on March 29, 2019 in Brooklyn, NY at Barclays Center. Presented by Klipsch Audio, the 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame® Induction Ceremony will take place on March 29, 2019 in Brooklyn, NY at Barclays Center.
About the induction, Def Leppard said:
Joe Elliott, “First of all, a massive thanks to all our fans & past inductees who voted for us. Congratulations to all our fellow inductees, we stand alongside some amazing artists, past & present. What an absolute honour.”
Phil Collen, “We started 2018 off at the Royal Albert Hall and to now cap it all off with a nod into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is brilliant.”
Rick Savage, “Being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame puts Def Leppard in a class of peers that we’ve always appreciated and admired. We’re looking forward to the ceremony.”
Vivian Campbell, “Coming into Def Leppard after stints with other bands, it was immediately apparent to me that Leppard had ambition far beyond most. As a fan from the early years, I’d heard that ambition in the music, blending genres to craft the unique Leppard sound. After 26 years as the new guy, I can assure you that the work ethic and the collective focus of this band is just as strong to this day.”
Rick Allen, “What an honor for Def Leppard to be included in this year’s induction with so many other talented and deserving artists.”
Def Leppard join a long list of legends to receive this coveted honor, in addition to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the impressive “Class of 2019.” With sales eclipsing 100 million albums and a reputation as one of rock’s most enduring and influential bands, this represents yet another massive milestone for the legendary British rock icons.
Following the close of their historic 2018 co-headline stadium and arena run in North America, Def Leppard sold a staggering 1,000,000 tickets and the tour grossed over $100,000,000.00, a massive feat in today’s touring world. The band are currently in the UK performing their iconic album Hysteria to sold out arenas. As always, the group keep pushing forward with their electrifying live shows that have transcended the test of time.
Right now, the band has its sights set on a massive 2019 with major announcements on the horizon.
Mirrorball (Live & More) Album Certified Gold
Mirrorball (Live & More) album has been certified Gold by the RIAA. Released in 2011, “Mirror Ball” included a 50-minute DVD that contained live performances and intimate backstage footage of the band captured on the road. A special limited vinyl edition was also made available.
“Mirror Ball” featured a mix of live DEF LEPPARD classics (recorded throughout the “Songs From The Sparkle Lounge” tour), three brand new studio songs and the aforementioned bonus DVD. “Mirror Ball” featured rock classics such as “Animal”, “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, “Photograph”, “Nine Lives” and “Rock Of Ages”. The album also brought together three brand new studio tracks — “Undefeated”, “Kings Of The World” and “It’s All About Believin'” — taking their place with ease within this classic setlist.
“When we decided to do [the live album], it just got said, I don’t know by who, ‘Why don’t we chuck a couple of new songs on the end?’ ” frontman Joe Elliott told Billboard. “And that two became three, and in fairness it could’ve been four if we’d just had a little bit more time.”
Elliott composed “Undefeated”, which he described to Billboard as “a very QUEEN-type vocal thing. It even features piano and stuff.” Guitarist Phil Collen’s “It’s All About Believin'”was “a pop-rock song,” while bassist Rick Savage’s “Kings Of The World” was “a big, epic, rock anthem — kind of ‘We Will Rock You’ with guitars, if you like.”
“They’re all very different to each other,” Elliott added. “They don’t sound specifically like any previous DEF LEPPARD songs, but they sound like DEF LEPPARD songs. They have to have our identity on them, otherwise they might as well be Tom Waits or R.E.M. We have a signature sound that we’re not scared of anymore.”
Photo by Kevin Nixon shot at the Los Angeles Forum on October 7, 2018 prior to the last date on the North American tour w/ Journey
THANK YOU NORTH AMERICA!
After two final sold out Los Angles, CA concerts at The Forum, DEF LEPPARD has wrapped up their 60 date North American Tour w/ Journey. THANK YOU to all the fans for the continued support! Photos by Kevin Nixon
Joe Elliott Releases New Tribute Video “This Is For You” For Mick Ronson
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.
SOUNDTRACK
CD/digital: https://Besidebowie.lnk.to/CD-Digital or
Vinyl: https://Besidebowie.lnk.to/Vinyl
Limited Edition Red Vinyl: https://UMe.lnk.to/BesideBowieRedVinyl
FILM
Blu-ray: https://Besidebowie.lnk.to/Blu-Ray
DVD: https://Besidebowie.lnk.to/DVD
Happy Birthday Vivian!
Wishing a very happy birthday to Vivian Campbell today!
40 years today…
“WOW It’s 40 years today since we played our first ever gig at Westfield school in Sheffield! Holy crap !! Our 50 minute set was all originals until we encored with Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak” !!!!
We were paid approx. £5 from a teacher and we also smuggled beer in via the bass drum case to calm our nerves..
Steve’s amp was also on “standby” when we first went on so when he threw the big opening Pete Townsend windmill at the top off the set, nothing came out !!! …. whoops !!! …” – Joe
Honolulu, Hawaii – Concert Announced (Hysteria & more..)
Just announced, only North American performance of Hysteria + more concert announced in Honolulu, Hawaii at the Blaisdell Center on October 20th.
Rock Brigade presale starts tomorrow April 24th 10am local on defleppardrockbrigade.com
General tickets go on sale 27 April 10 am hst
Happy Birthday Steve Clark / From The Archives “Rockpop In Concert“
In honor of Steve Clark’s Birthday today (born 23 April), we present to you from the archives, Def Leppard performing on the German TV show “Rockpop In Concert“ broadcast by ZDF network on 4th February, 1984. This restored & remastered performance was originally shot on 18 December 1983 in Dortmund, Germany at the Rock Pop Festival. This unique and rare performance on the cult show „Rockpop In Concert“ was one of the last dates of the band’s “Pyromania World Tour“.