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Def-Leopard
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1994-10-02
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DEF LEPPARD
line up: Joe Elliot (vocals)
Steve Clark (guitar)
Phil Collen (guitar)
Rick Savage (bass)
Rick Allen (drums)
Def Leppard, from Sheffield, is in fact the imaginary child of singer Joe
Elliot, but the tangible root is the band Atomic Mass, in which Rick Savage
plays, together with Pete Willis (guitar) and Tony Kenning (drums). In 1977,
they ask Elliot to sing and his dream Deaf Leopard becomes true. Savage and
Elliot notice thar Willis isn't that good on lead guitar. So they get an extra
guitarplayer, Steve Clark. In 1978 Kenning is fired, due to lack of dedication.
However the band has planned to record an E.P. and they hire Frank Moon from
the Next Band. After the recordings, Moon leaves again and Rick Allen
(ex-Rampant) becomes the new drummer. Much to everyone's surprise, the E.P.
sells very good and they get a deal with Vertigo Records. The record company
first releases a single, "Hello America" and afterwards they record the first
album "On through the Night". The album has good songs and they play good, but
according to true metal fans, the sound is too clean, also due to the
background part-singing. In England, they get much criticism for facing too
much towards the American market. Nevertheless, everyone agrees that the band
is one of the leaders in 'The New Wave Of British Have Metal'. The second
album, "High and Dry" is produced by Mutt Lange. This album is more rough and a
lot harder than the previous, but nevertheless they don't sell much in their
own England, while they are getting enormously popular in the States.
Meanwhile, Elliot has problems with his voice and he has to take singing
lessons. Willis is often drunk and therefore fired, he's replaced by ex-Girl
guitarplayer Phil Collen. With the in '83 released "Pyromania", they made an
excellent album, in America even the second-best sold album of the year (nr.1
was Michael Jackson's "Thriller"). The record is first-class, thanks to the
inventive structured pop-metal and tight guitar-tracks. Thomas Dolby plays
keyboards on this album. For a moment, Def Leppard's popularity is in danger in
the U.S., when Elliot says some negative things about Mexicans in a thoughtless
moment. By means of a softening statement and a donation for a good cause, the
danger is gone again. When the group wants to record a new album, they have
another problem: Mr. Taxman is waiting for them at home in Britain, so they go
to Ireland. After this, Mutt Lange has no time to be their producer. They
choose Jim Steinman as an alternative, but this combination doesn't work. They
have been busy for a long time, and Mutt Lange has meanwhile some time to
produce the new album. The album is recorded in the Dutch (!)
Wisseloord-studio, but they get again a serious delay, because of the car
accident of Rick Allen on Dec. 31 in 1984. He looses his left arm, but remains
the drummer of Def Leppard. A drum-kit is designed in which Allen's feet can do
much of the job. At last, in '87 the next album "Hysteria" is released, a more
than good follow up on "Pyromania" and bringing back Def Leppard in the good
news by means of a line of hits and even better sales than the previous one.
Reasons enough for Def Leppard to go back to Wisseloord's and make recordings
for a new album...
albums: On through the Night (Vertigo '79)
High & Dry (Vertigo '81)
Pyromania (Vertigo '83)
Hysteria (Vertigo '87)
video: Hystoria
.