Joe Elliott on the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert

This weekend only, our good friends at Queen are streaming the Freddie Mercury tribute concert for free on YouTube to raise money for the WHO’s work against the coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.facebook.com/defleppard/videos/2805371043019248/

Click HERE to stream the show and hear Def Leppard members talk about performing at the show.

Today in Def Leppard History: Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert

Exactly 28 years ago today, Def Leppard joined Queen, Brian May, and many great musicians to honor Freddie Mercury at Wembley Stadium in 1992.
 
Joe’s personal highlight: “contributing backing vocals (along with Phil Collen) on “All The Young Dudes”. The remaining members of Queen, David Bowie, Ian Hunter & Mick Ronson all playing on the same song !!! outside of anything I’ve done with D.L., it’s absolutely my most favourite on stage musical moment EVER !!! ….. and for that & everything else you ever did, Freddie Mercury, I thank you !!”
Check out Viv’s take on the event HERE

25 Years Ago – Freddie Mercury Tribute (A Concert For Life)

On this day in 1992, DEF LEPPARD performed at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert “A Concert For Life” held at Wembley Stadium in London England.

Below is a special message from Joe regarding this concert and HERE are some of Joe’s personal photos form the event!

“I remember it like it was yesterday..

I got a call from Brian saying Roger was organising a tribute gig for Freddie and would we consider getting involved.  I thought about it for 2 seconds and said, “er, yes !” … then I mentioned it to the band!! …. The truth is, it was a no brainer … We all loved Queen, we’d been asked by the band themselves not some 3rd party organiser …. Of course, we’d all rather have not had to do it, we’d have all preferred Freddie to still be with us.

The actual day was a blur, hanging out with so many people!! .. Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson (it turned out to be the last live performance he would ever do), Elton, Robert Plant, G’n’R, Cindy Crawford !! even Elizabeth Taylor & Liza Minelli !!! … It was a nervy performance truth be told , technical problems with Rick’s kit, Viv’s 1st real performance with us (we’d played a warm up show in a tiny club in Dublin 3 days earlier), 75,000 rock fans in Wembley Stadium & I heard possibly a BILLION watching on TV !!! no pressure then …..

We were fortunate enough to have a current hit single with “Lets Get Rocked”, so with that, our first ever UK hit “Animal” and  with Brain May graciously accepting the offer to join us for a 3 way guitar blitz on “Now I’m Here” we did our bit … Looking back, we were the only British band on the bill, so it was nice to be there & be so well accepted by Queen’s fans & play our tribute to someone who was a major influence on DL in the first place ….

Another personal highlight was contributing backing vocals (along with Phil Collen) on “All The Young Dudes”.  The remaining members of Queen, David Bowie, Ian Hunter & Mick Ronson all playing on the same song !!! outside of anything I’ve done with D.L., it’s absolutely my most favourite on stage musical moment EVER !!! ….. and for that & everything else you ever did, Freddie Mercury, I thank you !!” – Joe Elliott

Available now on DVD & Blu-Ray and digital formats!
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