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Def Leppard’s Phil Collen on ‘Drastic Symphonies’ LP + Admiration For Metallica – ‘Everybody Copied Them and Still Does’

On Tuesday night's Loudwire Nights (May 23), Def Leppard 's Phil Collen joined host Chuck Armstrong to discuss the band's latest album, the massive Drastic Symphonies .

Drastic Symphonies finds Def Leppard re-imagining the work of their career with the help and guidance of the Royal Philharmonic, with many of the songs undergoing, well, drastic changes.

When the idea of working closely with the Philharmonic was brought up to the band, Collen explained to Chuck that they were quickly interested, but with one important caveat: "We want to be totally involved. We don't want someone else doing their version or their intention of our music. We've been so guarded over our career. We said we'd do it if we can re-do things."

With that mentality, Collen said that things fell into place pretty quickly and the whole experience was seamless.

"Everything from the first moment we started getting the ideas together, everybody was on board and got the briefing, got the vibe. It was such a fun thing to do."

While the Royal Philharmonic helped re-imagine the songs, Def Leppard also contributed their own updates, too, all the while using some of their original tapes, which meant there are moments on Drastic Symphonies where fans might hear  Joe Elliott harmonizing with himself from a few decades ago .

"We are so much better than we were before," Collen admitted with an obvious smile on his face. "Literally, I practice every day. I sing every day. The band is better than it's ever been. I can't believe this is actually our singing—Joe is singing way better than he was in his 20s. We've kind of kept elevating it. We've raised the bar."

Collen wasn't just saying that to puff himself up; he has recognized that fans' reactions have changed and elevated over the years, too.

"We just did South America with Motley Crue . It was insane. Just nuts. The reaction—people crying and us, the best we've ever been. I keep saying probably the best five shows we've ever done in our career happened in the last nine months."

When Def Leppard and Metallica Crossed Paths in the '80s

As Collen talked about the evolution—and growth—of the band's sound over the decades, it led Chuck to thinking about the earliest days of Def Leppard when they were picked up as the first and for a moment, only, client of Q Prime Management, the same team that would eventually start to manage Metallica in the '80s.

"Peter Mensch, who was one of our managers, lived in London," Collen told Chuck. " Lars [Ulrich] would come by and see him. I loved what they were doing. I loved their approach to it. It was new. It was refreshing—and they still sound like that. They're an awesome band."

As Collen reflected on his admiration for Metallica, he kept his focus on Ulrich.

"I loved the way Lars approached it," he explained. "He was so passionate, I think he's one of the reasons they became that big. He would push them. He was really focused. Apart from being the drummer and a part of the band, he was the spearhead. James [Hetfield] writes the song, the band had the sound—and it was a monster sound—but he was the spokesman, if you'd like. I should tell Lars, I saw him recently, I haven't seen him in 20 years. I was very impressed with how he pushed the band forward like that. He had all this passion and enthusiasm, it was great. They are such a great band, this sound that is totally unique and everybody copied them and still does."

READ MORE:  Joe Elliott on Problem With Making 'Proper' Def Leppard Biopic

Surprisingly, Collen's appreciation for Ulrich and Metallica didn't have much to do with the thrash legends' love of British heavy metal.

"We are kind of huge fans of American music," he admitted. "We sing with American accents because we learned how to sing like that. That only dawned on me a few years ago—'How come I sing American?' It's because I learned everything from the Beach Boys , Stevie Wonder , Van Halen —everything was Americanized. Even the Stones , they learned from listening to Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, James Brown and stuff. So I can totally see why Metallica would kind of have that reciprocal thing, because all of a sudden, there are these British bands doing something ."

What Else Did Def Leppard's Phil Collen Discuss on  Loudwire Nights ?

• The biggest surprise on Drastic Symphonies came with their biggest song, "Pour Some Sugar on Me"
• What it was like losing some of the spotlight on his guitar work because of the involvement of the Royal Philharmonic
• How producer Mutt Lange continues to shape the band: "There's talent. There's hard work. And then there's Mutt."

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Phil Collen joined  Loudwire Nights on Tuesday, May 23; the show replays online here , and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app ; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station  and listen to interviews on-demand . Stream  Drastic Symponies   at this location and then  check out Def Leppard's full tour schedule .

Motley Crue + Def Leppard Play First 2023 Show (with Debut of John 5)

15 maligned '90s rock albums that deserve a second chance, more from loudwire.

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Def Leppard are a hard rock and heavy metal band, formed in Sheffield in the UK in 1977. They are considered to be part of the New Wave of the British Heavy Metal movement.

Def Leppard have had a mix up of members, since 1992 they have consisted of Rick Savage on bass guitar and backing vocals, Joe Elliott who is the lead vocalist, Rick Allen playing the drums, Phil Collen on the guitar, and Vivian Campbell also on the guitar. This is the band's longest-standing line-up.

The band's success came in the 80s when they released their debut album, "On Through the Night", which successfully reached the 'Top 15' in the UK. Despite this success, the band performed at Reading Festival where they were greeted with unhappy fans who pelted beer cans and bottles filled with urine at them on stage. This came after fans were angry that the band were conforming to please an American market, being disloyal to their local roots.

However, after their release of their second album in 1981, named "High 'n' Dry", they began to find their feet and get to grips with their own original sound. Impressively, Def Leppard's video for "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" became one of the first metal videos played on MTV in 1982. This success brought the band back to likeness in America where they then went on to tour, opening for Ozzy Osbourne and Blackfoot.

Their most successful album came in the form of "Hysteria", released in 1987 considered on of the most successful bands of the ‘New Wave of British Heavy Metal’ in the 80s in the UK.

Live reviews

In case you aren’t convinced about Def Leppard’s present-day pulling power, consider this; in both 2009 and 2011, they headlined Download Festival. In the world of hard rock, they remain titans more than thirty-five years after their formation in Sheffield; on their own tours, too, they frequent arenas, with a fervent cult fanbase. Things, admittedly, have slowed down on the studio front; their last record, Songs from the Sparkle Lounge was released back in 2008 and met with a tepid reception, although a new full-length is being promised for 2015. Onstage, though, it’s very much business as usual; an impressive light show incorporates giant screens with visuals behind the band, but otherwise it’s largely left to the musicianship to take centre stage. Joe Elliott’s vocals are holding up nicely, despite decades of relentless touring - he’s one of only two original members - whilst Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell are by no means shy of a solo. Perhaps the biggest attraction, though, remains Rick Allen behind the kit - surely the world’s finest one-armed drummer, having overcome the loss of his left arm in a car accident back in the eighties to earn the nickname - from Leppard fans - of The Thunder God, and not without reason.

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Prepared for a month to go see Def Leppard, Styx, and Tesla at the new Amway Center in Orlando Florida on January 30th at 7:00pm. Heading to the Concert, Me and my girlfriend got into a car accident on I-4 heading to Orlando. We however were not hurt. Thank the gods. We finally make to Orlando. Thinking that we were still going to get to see three of our favorite bands and enjoy the rest of our night. But we find out that the Concert has been canceled due to "illness". Man were we bummed out. It's truly sad that the Concert was canceled the night of the event. Common courtesy would have been for the Concert promoter to have issued a cancelation notice at least 24hrs prior to the Concert. For I believe that they knew that one of the band members was I'll way prior to the Concert. Now I find out that the Concert has been Postponed till January of 2017. Are these bands even going to be alive then? Hell, will I be? Only the gods know. I'm truly saddened that I didn't get to see the Concert of Concerts. And I hope to be alive next year so that I can try again to see three of my favorite bands. Whoever was sick I do hope that they recover from their illness soon and grow stronger over the next year. Respectfully, Heiden T Nordson.

Great gig altogether, I hadn't seen Def Leppard or Whitesnake for the better part of a decade and had high hopes walking into the venue.

These hopes were definitely met, as Whitesnake delivered a slimmed-down set compared to their usual festival slots, which worked miracles as there were no fillers heard throughout the whole slot. Having seen them a dozen times by now, and even considering we did not get the outdoors treatment in which they usually shine, I would rank this as one of the best times I've seen them.

Def Leppard being the main reason for my concert visit, they did exactly the same as Whitesnake and took it a step further. Next to a brilliant setlist, the crowd interaction was taken to another level by the whole band, fully capitalizing on the Irish love of singalongs. Not too many new songs, who in fairness stand as solid Leppard tunes, but just an all-round great set.

I was expecting a bit more from opening act Black Star Riders, not sure why the Lizzy classics didn't go down as well as I expected them to go, but saw a better reaction to the songs in foreign countries than I did in Dublin. Shame really, as this band deserves the recognition they have elsewhere.

Def Leppard, the Sheffield icons and pioneers of British new wave metal still command the same level of adoration and respect as they did during their heyday. Frequent festival headliners, they take their plethora of hits and pure rock personalities and obliterate any stage they are placed upon. From the deafening tones of 'Undefeated', the pyrotechnics explode and the guitar riffs rip through the air as the audience erupt in excitement.

Having drawn huge amounts of revellers to the main stage, the band gets to proving why they are so iconic and so adored on the rock circuit. All the favourites are there including 'Let's Get Rocked' and 'Animal' which receive massive cheers as the veteran rockers recreate these popular metal/rock anthems with a high level of proficiency.

You cannot argue about the sheer effort and intensity that the band performs with, a huge extended version of 'Rocket' keeps the crowd applauding at their sheer musicianship. The best is saved for last though as they perform an all blazing version of 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' to end a momentous show.

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Wow, Wow, Wow pretty much sums this up!

Best live performance i have ever seen from start to finish, a proper English rock band still going as strong as ever.

I would have happily paid double the price i did for the tickets! even the wife loved it despite being more into Norah Jones :-)

would highly recommend as these guys won't be around forever so for me to see a band that were/ have been playing before i was even born is an absolute honour and privilege.

20 thousand plus people, the atmosphere was electric with all walks of life present just shows how much impact their music has on all people.

These are proper musicians and the quality just shows.

If you get an opportunity to see these legends live then take it as this would be a regrettable decision.

AMAZING! INCREDIBLE! ICONIC! PROFESSIONAL! TOP CLASS! FANTASTIC! BRILLIANT! SUPERSTARS! and again AMAZING!!!

Def Leppard has been one of my most Favorite bands since I was a young adult, . . . many years ago. They never cease to putting on such an amazing show! I have followed them for years and I never miss them when they are here in San Diego. This particular show was great, as always. Yet, the sound at Petco Park just isn't set up for the music that Def Leppard, Journey, & Cheap Trick perform. It was very Echo-ing and just didn't sound as good as I know they sound elsewhere. I love Petco Park & I love Def Leppard, I just didn't like the sound last night! I will continue to see Def Leppard when they come no matter where they perform, . . . I LOVE Them and last night was no different! They were amazing! I will also continue to come to Petco, . . . if only to see the Padres perform. Petco Park is also amazing! I just hated the echo.

Missed these guys in concert in 1980's when they played at Orange County fairgrounds in Middletown, ny- been ABSOLUTELY DYING to see them since and finally got my chance at bethel woods! WHAT A KICKASS SHOW! Tesla and Styx were awesome , but Def Leppard ROCKED the stadium !!! Well worth the almost thirty years I had to wait.... Can't wait till they're back! Still my favorite band and hearing and seeing them live was a dream come true even from lawn seats! Couldn't get enough- new release coming this year! Come back soon , guys... NY LOVES DEF LEPPARD- you guys Seriously rocked through the ages!

Last night, a lifelong dream of mine was realized; I FIIIIINALLY got to see my all-time favorite '80s anthem rock band, Def Leppard! The venue was Taco Bell Arena on the Boise State University campus. Tesla and REO Speedwagon opened and equally rocked the crowd. As these bands are planning to continue touring, I urge everyone to try and see them before they eventually do retire. These great bands of the '70s and '80s are a treat and a privilege to still see, so don't let the opportunity pass you by. Vocally, they are all still on-point, I kid you not. Awesome showmanship!

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Def Leppard re-energized with new music, hit album and hard-rocking Stadium Tour

• Published: Jul. 10, 2022, 5:30 a.m.

Def Leppard performs Thursday, July 14, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland on a bill with Motley Crue, Poison, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Classless Act. (Photo: Kevin Nixon)

• Gary Graff, special to cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- More than two decades after releasing an album called “Euphoria,” Def Leppard is feeling renewed sense of elation these days. And with good reason.

The veteran British quintet -- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2018 -- publicly spent most of the pandemic pause in the past, with two retrospective box sets and a live album culled from concerts in Las Vegas and London. But the Leps were also quietly making a new album, “Diamond Star Halos,” recording remotely with co-producer Ronan McHugh tying things together. Its 14 tracks became 15 when guitarist Phil Collen came in last minute with the first single, “Kick,” and the set features guest appearances by Alison Krauss and longtime David Bowie pianist Mike Garson.

Released May 27, “Diamond Star Halos” gave Def Leppard its eighth Top 10 album on the Billboard 200, alongside the classics “Pyromania” and “Hysteria.” “Kick” and the subsequent single “Take What You Want,” meanwhile, joined the ranks of rock radio anthems such as “Photograph,” “Rock of Ages,” “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Armageddon It.” On top of that, the group has announced a band-written autobiography, “Definitely: The Official Story Of Def Leppard,” for fall and launched a Def Leppard x Rock And Roll Beauty cosmetics line.

Best of all for the band, of course, is being on the road again. Its Stadium Tour with Motley Crue, Poison and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts was twice delayed by the pandemic but finally got underway last month. It stops Thursday, July 14, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

As Collen, frontman Joe Elliott and bassist Rick Savage gather together on Zoom, they promise they’re not, er, foolin’ about this being one of the best times in the band’s 45 years together...

We’ve been waiting two years and The Stadium Tour is finally happening. Feels good?

Collen: Awesome. When we explain this tour to other people, they go, ‘What?! On the same night? The same bill?” Yeah, all of us -- Motley, Joan Jett, Poison, and people, it blows their mind. They really want this to come to other countries as well, so hopefully the better we do out there, the more we can keep it rolling. We want to go for at least three years if we can.

Elliott: Y’know, had we done the tour when we were supposed to (in 2020), we’d have been doing the tour with no new music. Now we’re doing it with a new album to promote, which puts a totally different slant on it. I think the fact we’re going out there refreshed and energized by new music that we can incorporate into the show, which we wouldn’t have been able to do in 2020, is going to make a huge difference in the way we present ourselves.

Collen: We feel like we’re moving into a different league. There’s a lot of bands who have stopped touring, stopped performing or lost interest. There’s a lot bands who we have lots of respect for, but they’ve lost interest, and you can see it. We’re the complete opposite. We’re rarin’ to go. We’ve got this album, and we’re a really “live” live band, so we can’t wait to get out there and prove it.

All four of the main acts are from a similar era, or at least overlapping. Do you feel a sense of kinship with everybody?

Savage: It’s a brilliant package. It’s Motley Crue, the real guys. Same with Poison. Those are the guys that formed the bands, so you can’t get better than that. It’s genuine. It’s the biggest tour that Def Leppard will have done in our career, and after 40-years it’s just a fantastic achievement to be able to do that.

Elliott: And let’s not forget Joan Jett as well, who’s a complete ball of energy. We’ve basically been looking at this thing since it was announced as it’s like taking a festival on the road. It’s a four-band festival, and we’ve always been into the idea of everything we do being an event. We’ve toured with some amazing bands...but this is a big deal. All those three artists out there with us makes it a special tour.

You’ve had a few weeks with “Diamond Star Halos” being out in the world. How are you feeling about the way it’s been received?

Collen: It’s the best reaction we’ve ever had to anything off the bat. I remember when “Hysteria” came out (in 1987) it was a mixed bag. This has been 100 percent positive. It’s been, “Omigod, we’ve been waiting for something like this!” It’s amazing. We put a lot of work into it, so it’s nice to hear that response.

The recording was, in fact, done remotely because of the pandemic. How did you find that process?

Elliott: It was joyful to do. Everybody was at home, so you didn’t have to work on it constantly or be waiting around in a hotel room in a foreign country, waiting to do your bit. You could get on with doing other stuff, and when we were working, we could concentrate wholly on the record. It was a leisurely way of recording.

Collen: I think it’s the best thing we’ve ever done. There was so much more energy by not having to go to a studio or a situation where you’re always waiting while someone else is recording their part. That stops creative flow and expression. With this, everyone could do their thing; I’d be in California and Joe and Sav would be England and Ireland. I’d finish something, send it to Joe, he’d get it, put some stuff on it and we’d just be back and forth. I’d wake up in the morning and there’d be something in my inbox.

Savage: There was such a forward momentum by doing it this way. There was somebody working on the record any time of the day.

Collen: We definitely don’t want to go back to whatever that standard way was that we did before. This is so much better.

What do you know about “Diamond Star Halos” now that you didn’t, or could not have, while you were making it?

Collen: We know it’s a concept album, and I don’t mean like, say, “Aqualung” or “Quadrophenia” or anything like that. But there is a theme and a thread that runs through it, and we didn’t know that at first. It’s influenced by that era when we were all baptized in music, the very early ‘70s. As we were doing the record, it became apparent that era and that feeling was readily apparent on this album as well -- the vibe, the lyrics, the look, everything.

“Kick” was the last song in but the first single out. What’s the story behind that?

Elliott: Phil rang me up, and because there was no delivery date, there was no record deal yet, I said, “OK, send me an MP3. We’ve got to go band-wide with it,” and everybody loved it. It’s a stadium anthem, and we were about to go into stadiums so...“Yeah!”

Collen: It also represented where we were at as well. It’s got that glam rock feel, that hand-clap groove, big vocals. It was just a no-brainer. It was not only it’s got to be on the album, but it’s also got to be the first single.

Elliott: Sav was the first one to comment, “OMG. ‘Sugar,’ anyone?” He wasn’t comparing one song to the other. He was comparing the situation. Back in late ‘86 “Sugar” was the last song written for Hysteria. We were already done. It was an 11-track record, finished, and then the idea of “Sugar” came along, and it became arguably the most important song on the record, if not our entire career, eventually. So, with (“Kick”) it was like the same kind of feeling, that this could be a very important song for us, and it’s come right at the end when we weren’t expecting it. It’s a nice little gift, totally unplanned.

Since your last album in 2015 you’ve spent a lot of time immersed in Def Leppard’s past -- a greatest hits album, box sets, etc. What kind of perspective did that give you on the group’s history?

Elliott: Our true mission was always to follow on the tailcoats, if you like, of all our great British pop-rock that came out in the ‘70s. Bowie, Bolan, Mott, Queen, Slade, Sweet...that’s where our three-minute pop-rock songs like “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages” came from. We’re always getting roped into either the L.A. hair-metal scene or the (New Wave of British Heavy Metal), but it’s not like we’re channeling (Black) Sabbath all the time. We wanted to do the harmonies and the melodies. We’re happy to be called a hybrid of AC/DC and Queen.

It’s been 45 years since the band formed in Sheffield, 42 years since the first album. Back then did you know this was built to last like it has?

Elliott: I don’t think we expected to get as far as 1983. When we formed in ‘77, Led Zeppelin was still together, the Beatles were only seven years gone, the Stones were only 15 years old and the Who were maybe 13 years old or something like that. The only thing that had been around 20 years or so would’ve been a solo artist. And you don’t see headlines like, “Frank Sinatra Splits!,” y’know? So, it’s just been a forward momentum thing, and then someone tells you it’s been 45 years and you’re like, “Oh? Really?!”

Collen: Someone has to tell you about it. It’s not something where we go, “Oh, guess what? It’s gonna be 40!” or 45 or whatever. We’re so busy doing other things, so those things are surprising us that way. It’s kind of neat.

Elliott: We haven’t achieved what we set out to do, and it’s to be kind of what we’re doing now. This is exactly what we want, and this is the stuff we want to do -- an album like this, a tour like this, this frame of mind, all these things together. That’s what you want to achieve. Even with, like, massive albums, two Diamond award albums, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it’s still not enough.

So, what is it you still want?

Elliott: We’ve always said that what we’ve got to try and achieve before we kick it all in the head or we’re gone is to be bracketed among the greats -- Lennon-McCartney, Jagger-Richards, Ray Davies, Pete Townshend. We probably never will, but we’re never gonna stop trying. We’re not interested in trying to be some second division, “Oh, that’ll do” kind of thing. We’re just gonna try our best and keep going for it.

Savage: We’re also still excited as well. We’re excited to write new songs. We’re excited to record them. We’re always excited to go back on tour. We still have that very young enthusiasm that you have when you’re a teenager. Everything’s still great, and we still feel that we’ve got places to go that are valid and we can get better and bigger and just keep going.

Collen: The singing gets better, the playing gets better, the songwriting...it’s still growing in quite a vast, speedy way. That’s so exciting, so you don’t want to put the kibosh on it. You want to keep that going. The wheels are nowhere near falling off. They’re actually well-oiled -- and speeding up!

The Stadium Tour with Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Classless Act plays at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14 at FirstEnergy Stadium, 100 Alfred Lerner Way, Cleveland. Tickets available at livenation.com.

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The Stadium Tour: Def Leppard & Mötley Crüe, Poison, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

BIGGEST NORTH AMERICAN STADIUM TOUR OF 2022 KICKS OFF THIS JUNE

Over 1 million tickets already sold 5 new shows added, new dates on sale starting feb. 25 at 10 am local time on livenation.com.

After two summers of delays it is FINALLY happening!! The world’s most iconic and celebrated rock legends will hit the road together this summer for a coheadlining tour SO MASSIVE that it could only be held in North America’s biggest stadiums. THE STADIUM TOUR featuring, MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD with POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS will hit select cities in the U.S. and Canada where each band will bring their electrifying stage shows while promising to perform their stadium sized anthems. Produced by Live Nation, the summer tour is set to steamroll through North America starting June 2022.

Due to fan demand, the tour is adding 5 all new stadium shows to the epic run. Tickets for the new dates will go on-sale to the general public beginning Friday, February 25 at 10 am local time at  www.LiveNation.com , check local listings for details. Def Leppard & Mötley Crüe VIP offerings for the 5 new shows will be available coinciding with the general onsale next Friday Feb. 25 at 10 am local time.

Citi is the official card of The Stadium Tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets for Indianapolis and Las Vegas shows beginning Tuesday, February 22 at 10 am local time until Thursday, February 24 at 10 pm local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit  www.citientertainment.com . For Toronto, Vancouver, and Edmonton shows American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, February 22 at 10 am local time until Thursday, February 24 at 10 pm local time. 

Following the huge success of their NETFLIX biopic THE DIRT, Mötley Crüe has seen a massive surge in new audience with fans around the world demanding the band tour again. This led to the band members reuniting and announcing that “Mötley Crüe is back” in 2019. While The Dirt caused a meteoric 350% increase in streams of Mötley Crüe’s music across all platforms and the younger 18-44 demographic now represents 64% of the band’s fanbase most of the new fans have never seen any of the band’s legendary live shows that Crüeheads have relished for 4 decades. In 2021, Mötley Crüe celebrated their 40th band anniversary, as well as the 40th birthday of their iconic debut album, TOO FAST FOR LOVE. The 35th anniversary of their GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS hit album is coming up on May 15. Mötley Crüe have sold over 100 million albums worldwide, achieving 7 platinum and multi-platinum albums, 9 Top 10 albums, 22 Top 40 Mainstream Rock hits, 6 Top 20 Pop singles and 3 GRAMMY nominations. The band have amassed close to 5 billion streams across digital platforms. They have over 15 million social media followers, a New York Times best-seller and a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. The band is ready to deliver an over the top stage show packed full of hit songs.

“It’s on!  We don’t think we’ve ever looked forward more to kicking off a tour than this one. We can’t wait to finally see all the fans across North America again. Get ready for a wild ride this summer!” Mötley Crüe said in a joint statement. 

ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES Def Leppard are one of the most important forces in rock music. In 2019, the icons closed out a sold-out worldwide tour including a North American stadium run & headlining the UK’s Download Festival to 90k screaming fans. Def Leppard’s star continues to rise and prevail. The band have amassed a staggering 5.5 billion streams since 2018, reaching a younger 18-44 demographic that now represents 58% of their fanbase. Additionally, the band have garnered an impressive 15 million followers across their social media platforms. Def Leppard also celebrates the landmark 45 th anniversary of their formation this year, marking 45 years of legendary rock ‘n’ roll history making. Def Leppard’s influential career crosses generations and includes 110 million records sold, numerous hit singles and ground-breaking multi-platinum albums—including two of the best-selling albums of all time, Pyromania and Hysteria, both of which are certified Diamond (10x platinum).

“On behalf of the band, we’re beyond thrilled that the stadium tour is finally happening this summer … it’s been a while coming and we can’t wait to get back on stage again & we can’t wait to see you in one of the many stadiums soon!” said Joe Elliott.

POISON will be bringing a rocking real and relevant no holds barred thunderous live show to the Stadium tour this summer with the all original lineup of Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall and Rikki Rockett. POISON will be unleashing an onslaught of hit after hit songs in its set. The humanitarian of the year, two years running, Michaels along with POISON is known to bring a unique style of passionate high energy, sincere gratitude and a positive attitude.  Michaels engages all the fans and makes it an absolute epic ride of true live music. Together With C.C.Deville on guitar, Bobby Dall on bass, and Rikki Rockett on drums POISON will rock the stadium with a chemistry that will bring a big summer mega party vibe and Michaels promises to give 1000 % on the stage as the hotter it gets the harder POISON promises to rock!!!

Poison’s Bret Michaels also added: “There are not enough words to thank the three generations of fans for making this such an exciting, record breaking, historical tour with the fastest sell outs in history at these stadiums.” 

Joan Jett grew up during a time when rock ‘n’ roll was off limits to girls and women, but as a teenager, she promptly blew the door to the boys’ club right off its hinges. After forming her band the Blackhearts in 1979, with whom Jett has become a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, she has had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including the classics “Bad Reputation,” “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “I Hate Myself For Loving You,” and “Crimson and Clover.” With a career that has spanned music, film, television, Broadway, and humanitarianism, Joan Jett remains a potent force and inspiration to generations of fans worldwide. As a producer, she has overseen seminal albums by Bikini Kill, and the Germs’ LA punk masterpiece ‘GI.’ Jett and Kenny Laguna (her longtime producer and music partner) co-founded Blackheart Records from the trunk of Kenny’s Cadillac after rejections from no less than 23 labels. 40 years later, Blackheart is a thriving entertainment company producing music, film and television, and continues to champion emerging bands. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts continue touring the globe with headlining shows alongside fellow rock legends like The Who, Green Day, Heart, and Foo Fighters. After two COVID-19 postponements, the group will return to the road in summer 2022 for The Stadium Tour with Def Leppard, Motley Crue and Poison. ‘Bad Reputation,’ a documentary about Jett’s life, premiered to critical acclaim at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is now available for streaming.

“We are so excited to be back out on the road! We missed doing what we love most and can’t wait to see the fans out there again!” said Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.

Emerging rock band Classless Act, signed to Better Noise Music, is set to open the tour. With the release of their single “Give It To Me” in 2021, the band has already received critical praise from the likes of rock media including SPIN, Loudwire, and more. Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee was an early follower of the band and is excited to have them join him and his bandmates on the road, saying, “I remember when we went out with Ozzy in 1984 and how it was an insane game changer!! We literally blew up after having that opportunity to play live in front of 20,000 people every f***ing night! Since then, we’ve always felt it was important to help new bands; whether it was Guns N Roses, Skid Row or so many others.  This summer we’re gonna help out Classless Act.”

THE STADIUM TOUR 2022 DATES: 

New Shows Highlighted

Thursday, June 16 Atlanta, GA Truist Park

Saturday, June 18 Miami, FL Hard Rock Stadium

Sunday,  June 19 Orlando, FL Camping World Stadium

Wednesday, June 22 Washington, DC Nationals Park

Friday, June 24 Queens, NY Citi Field

Saturday, June 25 Philadelphia, PA Citizens Bank Park

Tuesday, June 28 Charlotte, NC Bank of America Stadium

Thursday, June 30 Nashville, TN Nissan Stadium

Saturday, July 2 Jacksonville, FL TIAA Bank Field

Tuesday, July 5 St. Louis, MO Busch Stadium

Friday, July 8 Chicago, IL Wrigley Field

Sunday, July 10 Detroit, MI Comerica Park

Tuesday July 12 Hershey, PA Hersheypark Stadium

Thursday, July 14 Cleveland, OH FirstEnergy Stadium,

Home of the Cleveland Browns 

Friday, July 15 Cincinnati, OH Great American Ball Park

Sunday, July 17 Milwaukee, WI American Family Field

Tuesday, July 19 Kansas City, MO Kauffman Stadium

Thursday, July 21 Denver, CO Coors Field

Friday, August 5 Boston, MA Fenway Park

Saturday, August 6 Boston, MA Fenway Park

Monday, August 8 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre  

Wednesday, August 10 Orchard Park, NY Highmark Stadium

Friday, August 12 Pittsburgh, PA PNC Park

Sunday, August 14 Minneapolis, MN U.S. Bank Stadium

Tuesday, August 16 Indianapolis, IN Lucas Oil Stadium  

Friday, August 19 Houston, TX Minute Maid Park

Sunday, August 21 San Antonio, TX Alamodome

Monday, August 22 Arlington, TX Globe Life Field

Thursday, August 25 Glendale, AZ State Farm Stadium

Saturday, August 27 Inglewood, CA SoFi Stadium

Sunday, August 28 San Diego, CA Petco Park

Wednesday, August 31 Seattle, WA T-Mobile Park

Friday, September 2 Vancouver, BC BC Place 

Sunday, September 4 Edmonton, AB Commonwealth Stadium / Stade du Commonwealth 

Wednesday, September 7 San Francisco, CA Oracle Park

Friday, September 9 Las Vegas, NV Allegiant Stadium  

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Live Nation U.S. Concerts:

Monique Sowinski | [email protected] 

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Def Leppard/Journey and Steve Miller Band

The summer stadium tour.

• Date Aug. 25 , 2024
• Event Starts 6:00 PM
• Availability On Sale Now
• Parking Parking

Event Details

ABOUT JOURNEY  

Since the group’s formation in 1973,  JOURNEY  has earned 19 top 40 singles, 25 gold and platinum albums, and has sold over 100 million albums globally. Their  “Greatest Hits”  album is certified 15 times-platinum, making  JOURNEY  one of the few bands to ever have been diamond-certified, and their song  “Don’t Stop Believin'”  has been streamed over one billion times alone. 

JOURNEY  was inducted into the  Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame  in 2017, and 2018’s co-headlining tour with  DEF LEPPARD  was the band’s most successful tour to date, landing them in the Top 10 year-end touring chart with more than 1 million tickets sold, and earning them the prestigious  Billboard “Legends Of Live”  touring award. March 2019 saw the release of  “Escape & Frontiers Live In Japan” , a live DVD/CD set from their concert at the Budokan in Tokyo featuring the band’s first-ever performances of the albums  “Escape”  and  “Frontiers”  in their entirety.  JOURNEY  has also received a star on the  Hollywood Walk Of Fame  and were inducted into the  Hollywood Bowl Hall Of Fame . Additionally, the band is the subject of the award-winning documentary  “Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey”  about the band’s resurgence upon adding  Arnel Pineda  as lead singer after  JOURNEY  Founder,  Neal Schon  discovered the Philippines native on  YouTube . 

ABOUT DEF LEPPARD  

With more than 110 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards in the U.S., 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame® inductees Def Leppard – Joe Elliott (vocals), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick Savage (bass), Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums) — continue to be 

one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career the band has produced a series of classic ground-breaking albums that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group’s spectacular live shows and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading Def Leppard to be heralded as the world’s greatest live rock band. Def Leppard’s influential career includes numerous hit singles and ground-breaking multi-platinum albums—including two of the best-selling albums of all time, Pyromania and Hysteria, capturing the group’s legendary tracks, bringing together classic Leppard hits such as “Rock of Ages”, Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Foolin.” For the first time, in January 2018 Def Leppard debuted their full recording catalog worldwide via streaming and download platforms.

As they did with the original release of their records, Def Leppard dominated the worldwide charts again, which found their albums charting in the iTunes Top 10 in more than 30 countries, including Hysteria at #3 in the US, and #5 in the UK (36 years after the album had charted at No 1 in the Billboard charts). Def Leppard also had the #1, #2 and #3 records on the US catalog albums chart. The band have gone on to amass a staggering 5.5 billion streams since 2018, reaching a younger 18-44 demographic that now represents 58% of their fanbase. Additionally, the band have garnered an impressive 15 million followers across their social media platforms. In May 2022, Def Leppard released their twelfth studio album Diamond Star Halos. The album debuted at #1 on the Apple and Amazon Music charts. The album also scored a Top 10 debut on Billboard’s  Top 200 Albums  chart, marking the band’s eighth Top 10 album of their career, and garnered a #1 debut on Billboard’s  Hard Rock  chart. Diamond Star Halos had numerous Top 10 chart entries globally including a Top 5 debut in the UK. This has been followed by their 13 th  studio album “Drastic Symphonies” with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2023. The album charted at no 4 in the UK album charts – their highest UK chart entry in over 32 years. Following the close of their historic 2018 co-headline stadium and arena run in North America, Def Leppard sold more than 1,000,000 tickets, a massive feat in today’s touring world. Def Leppard & Mötley Crüe topped that number yet again with another sold out North American stadium run in 2022 selling over 1.3 million tickets. As always, the group continues pushing the boundaries with their electrifying live shows. 

ABOUT STEVE MILLER  

Steve Miller (Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals) has been a monumental presence on the American music scene for more than half a century. At the start of his career, Miller became a mainstay of the San Francisco music scene that upended American culture in the late 1960s. Beginning in the 1970s, Miller crafted a brand of pure pop that was polished, exciting, and irresistible that dominated radio in a way few artists have ever managed. Miller’s Greatest Hits 1974-78 is among the 25 best-selling albums of all time. He was inducted into the Rock In Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 and in 2022 was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Whether he and his band, are riding the top of the charts or traveling the endless blue highways of American music, one can hear them playing and singing with conviction and precision, passion, and eloquence, and making music that looks to the future, respects the past and is thrillingly alive in the present, and more than able to stand the test of time. 

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DEF LEPPARD & JOURNEY Announce Massive Summer 2024 Tour

Featuring Steve Miller Band, Heart, and Cheap Trick.

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Traffic information released for Def Leppard/Motley Crue and Metallica concerts at Highmark Stadium

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County Sheriff's Office has released traffic information for the two concerts set for Highmark Stadium this week.

Wednesday will be "The Stadium Tour" featuring Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.

Thursday will be Metallica with special guests Greta Van Fleet and Ice Nine Kills.

Below you can find the traffic information released by the sheriff's office.

Wednesday Abbott Road

• The section of Abbott Road in front of the stadium closes to north and southbound traffic at 1:00 p.m.;
• The road will remain closed until after the concert;
• Lots 2, 3, and Bus & Limo lots are accessible from Rte. 20a;
• Lots 4 and 6 are accessible from Rte. 20.

Route 20a (Big Tree Road)

• Shortly before the conclusion of the event, Rte. 20a from Fieldhouse Drive will be two-lane, one-way traffic headed eastbound. Vehicles west of Fieldhouse Dr. can only travel westbound.

Stadium Lots

• All stadium lots open at 2:00 p.m., and drivers are asked not to park on the shoulder of the roadways for pedestrian safety.

Thursday Abbott Road

• The section of Abbott Road in front of the stadium closes to north and southbound traffic at 3:00 p.m.;
• Shortly before the conclusion of the concert, Rte. 20a from Fieldhouse Drive will be two-lane, one-way traffic headed eastbound. Vehicles west of Fieldhouse Dr. can only travel westbound.
• All stadium lots open at 4:00 p.m., and drivers are asked not to park on the shoulder of the roadways for pedestrian safety.

The sheriff's office said the times are subject to change by the event promoters.

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Def Leppard / The World Tour 2023

Tour Dates / Setlists / Photos / Reviews / Video

A guide to Def Leppard's 2023 tour with Mötley Crüe with detailed show information.

fan contributions

• SUBMIT - Reviews / Photos
• Start Date - 18th February 2023.
• End Date - 18th August 2023.
• Promoted Album - Drastic Symphonies
• Promoted Album - Diamond Star Halos
• Total Shows Played - 45.
• Main Tour Shows - 40.
• One-Off Shows - 5.
• Countries Played - 25.
• Tour Legs - 4.
• View more info

Leg One - USA/Mexico/South America

The first leg with 7 shows played in Mexico/South America from 18th February to 11th March and four intimate shows in the USA.

Leg Two - UK/Ireland/Europe

The second leg with 21 shows played in UK, Ireland, Europe from 22nd May to 6th July plus one club show.

Leg Three - USA

The third leg with 7 shows played in the USA from 5th to 18th August.

Leg Four - Japan/Australia

The third leg with 5 shows played in Japan and Australia from 3rd to 14th November.

tour information

Details of the 2023 tour with quotes from band members. The band's first shows in the UK/Europe since 2019 and first in Mexico/South America since 2017.

Joe Elliott (2022)

“After finally getting back on the road and having a monumental summer tour in the US and Canada this year, we’re beyond thrilled to be bringing this massive stadium tour to major cities all over the world, and kicking off Europe in Sheffield where it all started for us 45 years ago. We’re looking forward to seeing you out there, somewhere soon!”

Mötley Crüe (2022)

“We had an incredible time playing The Stadium Tour in North America this summer and we truly can’t wait to take the show around the globe with The WORLD Tour in 2023. Crüeheads in Latin America and Europe: Get ready! We’re coming for you next and can’t wait to finally see all of you out there again next year!”

band members

• Joe Elliott - Lead Vocals.
• Rick Savage - Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals.
• Phil Collen - Guitars/Backing Vocals.
• Vivian Campbell - Guitars/Backing Vocals.
• Rick Allen - Drums.

co-headliners

• Mötley Crüe - All Shows

main support acts

• Mammoth WVH (UK/Ireland)
• Europe (Switzerland)
• Alice Cooper (USA)

DEF LEPPARD Announce The World Tour 2023 In UK/Ireland/Europe/South America

Def Leppard and Motley Crue have just announced The World Tour 2023 tour dates for 2023 including a UK stadium leg.

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Def Leppard on the ‘Melodic Mayhem’ of ‘Pyromania’ & Why Taylor Swift Is ‘Bigger Than the Beatles and the Stones Combined’

The classic album's 40th anniversary edition is out now.

By Joe Lynch

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Def Leppard ’s first two albums vaulted five boys from working-class Sheffield, England to the vanguard of the new wave of British heavy metal. On 1983’s Pyromania , the quintet set their sights even higher. “There’s no point in trying to appeal to half the population,” bassist Rick Savage tells Billboard . “Why not appeal to 100% of the population?”

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Trending on billboard.

The album’s blockbuster success — which also eventually included a diamond RIAA certification for over 10 million units shipped — paved the way for the pop-metal crossover of bands like Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses and Poison, and set Def Lep up for a long, fruitful career. In 2022, the still-active band became only the third group to notch a top 10 album on the Billboard 200 in every decade since the ‘80s.

Ahead of the 40th anniversary edition of Pyromania (out April 26), Savage and frontman Joe Elliott hopped on a Zoom call with Billboard to pull back the curtain on the making of the classic — as well as share thoughts on a former CMT Crossroads collaborator who has since become the biggest pop star in the world.

Pyromania had the same producer, Mutt Lange, as the album that came out before it, High ‘n’ Dry . Even so, that one feels a bit rawer compared to Pyromania . Was it a conscious decision to give the album a cleaner production?

Joe Elliott: Yeah, that’s a good way of putting it. The obvious observations for those two records is that High ‘n’ Dry sounds like a band playing live and Pyromania sounds like a band in the studio — à la Pink Floyd, à la the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper — that sat down to craft some songs. They’re not just, “Okay, hit the record button and play it live.” That’s what High ‘n’ Dry sounds like — even though it actually wasn’t, because we did that in bits and bobs. But it has that impression.

Technology was starting to change. Recording studios in 1981 were pretty much the same as they were in 1979. Recording studios in 1982, ’83, there’s new bits of equipment coming in on a daily basis that can do things: synthesizers, drum machines. Drum machines were a big part of the music industry, with The Human League and New Order. We were using this kind of stuff, but most rock bands weren’t. And the great thing about having Mutt on your side is he’d be very enthusiastic about saying, “Well, why not? Why can’t a rock band…” and then fill in whatever phrase you want. It would be like [why can’t a rock band] “use that technology that these arty pop bands are using within the field of rock and see where it gets you”? We didn’t want to make High ‘n’ Dry 2 .

I was looking through the Billboard archives, and an article from 1984 postulated that a lot of Def Leppard’s appeal was connected to youth. Other metal acts at the time – Ozzy, Motörhead, whatever – were in their thirties, but you guys were a bit younger and maybe more attractive to girls. Is that something you were aware of back in the day?

We want to appeal to as many people as we can. There’s no point in trying to appeal to half the population — why not appeal to 100% of the population? All of a sudden, from Pyromania onwards, so many women and girls came to our shows. And it’s just testament to the actual songs, because they’re the things that get people first interested, and then everything else follows from that.

Elliott : We are a weird band in that respect, because we’ve always wanted to be honest with people. When you are five kids from Sheffield and you want to get up on stage and play rock music, there’s an oomph to it. It’s got a feeling that I don’t think — with the greatest respect to, say, the Human League, when we opened for them one night in their embryonic stage, they’re behind plexiglass sheets with keyboards. It doesn’t really have that Townshend windmill factor to it. It’s always fun to play the rock stuff, you know, “Highway to Hell” or “Tie Your Mother Down.”

But honestly, when we were in the factory rehearsing before we even played our first gig, we’d be talking about music way different than what we were playing. Me and Sav instantly bonded over the fact that we loved Kate Bush. Or the first two Peter Gabriel albums, which we were listening to way more than Motörhead. I don’t think Motörhead ever sat up a rehearsal room and had a discussion about “Wuthering Heights,” whereas we would. We always wanted it to be a glam rock, power guitar thing: Bowie, Slade, Sweet, Queen. That’s the fun element.

Savage : I don’t think so. It kind of happened in reverse. We weren’t really trying to market anything or become influenced by the latest media thing. We just got picked up from it, and we were fortunate in that respect. Before Pyromania was released, we knew that videos were coming to the fore. MTV was getting more and more popular, so it was just an obvious thing to do. We made two videos, one for “Photograph” and one for “Rock of Ages.” That was done in December of ’82, the album didn’t come out till early ‘83.

Elliott : Yeah, there’s no doubt that when we were making the album, the last thing on our mind was worrying about, “Oh, we got to make videos.” The one that really started to get a bit of traction was “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak.” In London, we’d start receiving the odd phone call from management in New York saying, “Oh, yeah, they played ‘Bringin’ on the Heartbreak’ 40 times on MTV last week.” “Okay, interesting.” Then you three weeks later you get another message saying that High ‘n’ Dry started selling again. Three weeks later, you get another message: “Bloody hell, it’s selling 50,000 a week.” By the end of the year, we’re getting this message that it’s gone gold, so we know that this is not going gold because the radio — it’s gone gold because of MTV. We were just getting little messages as we’re [making] the [ Pyromania ] album. It’s like a mosquito in your ear, like, “Yeah, okay, fine.”

As you were saying about youth, because we were all 21, 22 years old, when somebody says, “You got to spend a day in Battersea Power Station shooting videos,” you go, “Great.” We learned after the fact that a lot of seasoned bands from the ‘70s were reluctant to do them, which is why a lot of videos by bands from the ‘70s that were presented in the ‘80s were crap. I think the only band that really grasped the nettle when they came back with a resurgence was Aerosmith. Really, they did a brilliant job with videos. But lots of other bands were like, “I don’t see why we’re having to do this.” We were the next generation, and started to realize, “This is almost as important as making the record.”

Speaking of TV and “Photograph,” fast forward about 25 years. You’re on CMT Crossroads with a very young Taylor Swift singing that song. Did you ever think, “This person is going to become the biggest pop star in the world?”

Savage : She was pretty big then, to be honest. It was unbelievable that somebody had such youth, but almost like an old head on young shoulders when she came to songwriting. It was actually quite eye-opening. It was great fun; it was a bit of a laugh. She’s quite popular now, isn’t she? But trust me, she was pretty popular then as well. I mean, not to the level she’s at now, obviously — but within the country scene she was as big as they came. It was a really great experience working with her and the band. She had a great band back then as well.

What impressed me the most was that when we got to the table of like, which songs we’re going to do, she wanted to do a lot of [ Songs From the ] Sparkle Lounge . I’m thinking, “She’s heard that song?” And then “Two Steps Behind” got pulled out, which wasn’t going to be suggested, but she says, “I want to do that one.”

It’s all very logical and all very organic. It really was. I got to sing “Love Story,” bits from the perspective of a guy. She was really enthusiastic and obviously a big fan. And we became fans of her. I think we’d all be lying if we said we knew she was going to become as big as she has because she’s actually become bigger than anything that’s ever been before. She’s probably bigger than The Beatles and The Stones combined, for her generation of fans. I’ll probably get lynched by some 75-year-old reading this, but it’s all relative.

Today it’s all about the streaming numbers and all that kind of stuff. There’s been a lot of massively successful bands, but she’s taken success to a level that is unheard of. It’s absolutely mad. It’s success beyond anything that anybody could have ever dreamed of, probably her herself. I’ve seen the Eras film and it’s astonishing what she’s done. I hope she works with us again one day. [ Laughs. ]

I’ve read that “Rock of Ages” has a back-masked message of “F—k the Russians” on it. I wanted to ask if that was true, and if so, what inspired that.

Savage : [ Laughs. ]

Savage : The song is so sparse and open. We needed cues as guitar players as to when we’re going to come in because we didn’t have a vocal at the time. It was very easy to get lost in, because we’re just playing it to a drum machine. A lot of the stuff was there as cues to when the next part was coming up, of which “ gunter gleiben glauchen globen ” was one of them. It was much like saying, “1-2-3-4, here comes the bridge” sort of thing. So yeah, there was a load of stuff going down on that particular song, just to keep us interested.

Elliott : Yeah, absolutely. Like you said, this was born out of cabin fever, because this was the first time that we’d been in a studio doing 22-hour days, six days, maybe seven days a week and we’re probably into month six or seven so you start to go a bit ’round the bend. You start doing crazy stuff. People always mock rock bands for being silly, but I’ve read so many articles about what you might call sophisticated artists doing stuff just as stupid because they had cabin fever. The Beatles, Clapton, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, just doing goofy s–t in the studio because it relieves the tension, relieves the boredom.

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More From Forbes

Def leppard’s joe elliott on the legacy of ‘pyromania’ 40 years later.

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Def Leppard (v.l. Phil Collen, Rick Allen, Joe Elliot, Rick Savage, Steve Clark) on 01.12.1983 in ... [+] Dortmund. (Photo by Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Following the release of their 1980 debut LP On Through the Night , the British hard rock group Def Leppard was gradually building their following that continued with their sophomore record, 1981's High 'n' Dry , which marked their first and crucial collaboration with producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange. So when it came time to make their third album in 1982, the quintet from Sheffield, England, had a game plan.

“Mutt hasn't seen us for seven or eight months,” Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott recalled in 2023, “because you make the record, you go out and tour, and he goes off and does his work for other people. And then you see him again and it became like a thing in the first couple of days where we were listening to ideas for songs.

“He may have asked the question [to us]: ‘Do you wanna make High ‘n’ Dry 2 or do you wanna make a record that nobody else has ever made?’” Elliott added about Lange. “He said, ‘We're not gonna make High ‘n’ Dry 2 –we're gonna make an album that no one else has ever made.'”

Released in 1983, the resulting work, Pyromania , became Def Leppard's breakthrough record in the States where it peaked at number two on the Billboard album chart (it has since sold 10 million copies in the U.S.). At a time when British synthpop and Michael Jackson's Thriller were the rages, Pyromania brought hard rock back to the pop chart buoyed by the now-classic tracks “Rock of Ages,” “Foolin’” and “Photograph.” As Rolling Ston e's David Fricke wrote in the liner notes for the 2009 reissue of the album: “...the symphonic dynamics of Lange’s production, his pioneering use of new sampling and electronic-processing technologies and the band’s precocious invention as writers and players made Pyromania a truly rare thing: a heavy-metal album for everybody.”

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“Sometimes it stands in the shadow of Hysteria [Def Leppard’s 1987 blockbuster album],” Elliott said of Pyromania . “But my God, Pyromania was an insane breakthrough. It was only kept off the top by Thriller , the biggest record of all time.”

To mark the 40th anniversary of Pyromania , the band re-released the album last Friday as a 4-CD/1 Blu-ray collection that also contains previously unreleased demos and rough mixes from the recording sessions; two live concert performances recorded in Germany and Los Angeles; and the official videos for the singles. Its release comes as Def Leppard is about to embark on a summer tour with Journey beginning in July.

In a 2023 interview promoting the band memoir Definitely , Elliott spoke about the new Pyromania box that he executive produced. “It's been long in the making and will be a very, very special thing,” he said back then. “We said, 'Look on, if we're gonna do this, we're not just gonna put that out as a 12-inch box. It's got to have some other stuff.'”

At the time of its recording, Pyromania was the first Def Leppard album to feature new guitarist Phil Collen, who replaced Pete Willis and joined co-founders Elliott, guitarist Steve Clark, bassist Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen. In addition to his production work on the album, Lange also co-wrote all of Pyromania ’s songs and sort of became an unofficial sixth member of the band.

“Mutt Lange had done fantastic records before we went into the studio in ‘82,” Elliott said, “having done [AC/DC's] Back in Black and Highway to Hell , Foreigner's 4. ..he did the Boomtown Rats, City Boy and all these great unknown bands in the 70s, and then he was writing songs for Huey Lewis. He was just the guy to go to. Someone like him with the belief in us to do something like that, you're just 10 feet tall. It's like, ‘We can do this.’”

In contrast to their hard-rock guitar-driven contemporaries, Def Leppard and Lange embraced the latest state-of-the-art technology more aligned with the pop and electronic music acts of the times. Especially under Lange's purview, Pyromania was painstakingly built to the very last sonic detail.

“There's all this digital stuff coming out – 'Oh, what does that do?'” Elliott said. “We were intrigued to incorporate it into the standard rock and roll sound. All this new stuff that was the domain of bands like the Human League, Joy Division, New Order—they were using drum machine sounds. It was starting to become a thing, so why not? We wanted to make a record that people would hear and go, 'What the hell is that?' We had the riffs and we started to put the pieces together and built them into songs.”

“These things take time,” Elliott later added, “because you spend hours and hours getting the sound that you’re recording. You’d come back the next day and go, 'Does it work?' And so you do it again. That's what we did. We were forever reinventing every song. every section of every song if needed to be done. If we got it right the first time, then we got it right. But a lot of the time, we'd be like, 'No, it’s not right.'”

Elliott said the band’s lyric writing was evolving with an emphasis on more drama and less predictability for Pyromania : “They were more stories like “Billy's Got a Gun” or “Die Hard the Hunter.” The longingness of someone in “Photograph,” the “let's celebrate/we’re at a gig” type song in “Rock of Ages” or “Rock! Rock! (Til You Drop).” We were starting to develop.”

In addition to the dramatic 'Foolin'” and the celebratory “Rock of Ages” (with its memorable "Gunter glieben glauten globen” intro), “Photograph,” with its power riffs and killer hooks, became Def Leppard’s biggest song up to that point. On the origin of that track’s title, Elliott said: “I think we were just singing ( sings the riff ), and I think it might be Mutt who went ‘photograph.’ We went, ‘That’ll do, that’s good, photograph. Let's just use that as the hook for the chorus.’ I was the one that suggested, ‘Let's make it about the ultimate woman you can't have because she's no longer around.’ I felt like I had this epiphany, brilliant idea.”

Elliott brought in the lyrics of “Photograph” after the band worked on the music. “It was born out of the fact that I got a Shawshank Redemption sort of hole in my bathroom wall that I covered up with a poster of Marilyn Monroe,” he explained. “The previous tenant must've got angry and punched a hole through, and I covered it up with this picture of Marilyn Monroe, which I saw every day when I went to the bathroom. And I remember saying, ‘What about something like Marilyn Monroe?’ It could have been Jayne Mansfield – it didn't matter. It was that kind of iconic beauty: 'die young, stay pretty.' So Marilyn became like a focal point.‘

“It was that poster that made me suggest the idea,” he continued, “so we just worked on that: ‘Gotta photograph, picture of.’ It was that whole longing thing. The lyrics are great. More importantly, the songwriting arrangement is just great. It jumps like a lot of great rock songs jump, but it's just got an extra little bit magic to it, which was really great melodies, good attitude.”

Although driven by good-old-fashioned guitar rock that borrowed from glam and metal (cases in point included the blistering “Stagefright,” the haunting power ballad “Too Late for Love,” and the meaty “Coming Under Fire”), Pyromania made use of synthesizers. And a little-known fact: Thomas Dolby of “She Blinded Me With Science” fame guested as a keyboard player on Pyromania under the pseudonym of Booker T. Boffin. “Tom Dolby was like, ‘I don't want a credit. I don't want people to know I'm working with a band like you,’” Elliott remembered. “As soon as he said that, we told everybody. We’re paying him money, take the credit. Mutt admired his work so he came along and he did a fantastic job.”

The emphasis on technology and sleek production techniques complementing their hard rock sound reflected Def Leppard’s desire to push the boundaries. “We did things that most other bands don’t do,” said Elliot. “[People would say,] ‘That's the domain of the Human League. They're the enemy.’ We never saw them as the enemy. We saw it as different. Some of that stuff was great —[the League’s] “Don't You Want Me,” Thompson Twins. All those bands that were doing stuff like that, and then later on it would be Frankie Goes to Hollywood with [producer] Trevor Horn. [He] brought it to Yes and totally changed Yes from the prog rock band doing “Yours Is No Disgrace to “Owner of a Lonely Heart”—they sounded like a completely different band.

“That's what we wanted: we wanted that freedom to do that. We were getting there. Pyromania was like the learning curve to get there so that we had the freedom to do it on every record since if we wanted to – we have the knowledge because we learned how to do it.”

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK: Def Leppard performing in concert in Rochester, New York. (Photo by mICHAEL ... [+] Montfort/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

A year-long world tour followed the massive critical and commercial success of Pyromania. Afterward, it took Def Leppard four years to make and release Hysteria —a long and tortured process that has since become part of band lore. That record generated more hits (including “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” the title song, “Animal” and “Love Bites”) and elevated Def Leppard as one of the biggest acts on the planet by the end of the 1980s. But it was Pyromania that made it all possible.

“ Pyromania set that all up for us,” Elliott reflected, “and the work that we put into that record was very important for the rest of our career because Mutt allowed us the freedom to be who we were. But at the same time, it gave us the discipline that we needed to not just waffle around too much. People joked it took nine months to make [ Pyromania ]. These days, to make a record in nine months is like rapid fire.

“When we heard it, we thought we made a great record. But it's not up to us, isn’t it? We've done our bit. It's up to the rest of the world after that.”

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DEF LEPPARD AND JOURNEY ANNOUNCE SUMMER STADIUM TOUR 2024 WITH STEVE MILLER BAND, HEART AND CHEAP TRICK

Rock brigade pre-sale tue. dec 12 tickets on sale fri. dec 15.

Def Leppard and Journey are teaming up for the Summer Stadium Tour 2024 with Steve Miller Band, Heart, and Cheap Trick! The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Icons are once again coming together for a night of hits.

Rock Brigade Concert Club members will get exclusive first access to pre-sale tickets and VIP Packages starting Tuesday, December 12 at 10am local time. 

Visit  DefLeppardRockBrigade.com  to sign-up and claim your tickets.

Def Leppard VIP Packages Include: • A Premium Ticket • Individual Photo with Def Leppard • Exclusive Merchandise • And More!

General tickets for all dates will go on sale Fri. December 15 at 10am local time.

2024 TOUR DATES July 6 – St. Louis, MO (Busch Stadium)^ July 10 – Orlando, FL (Camping World Stadium)^ July 13 – Atlanta, GA (Truist Park)* July 15 – Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field)* July 18 – Detroit, MI (Comerica Park)* July 20 – Nashville, TN (Nissan Stadium)* July 23 – Philadelphia, PA (Citizens Bank Park)* July 25 – Hershey, PA (Hersheypark Stadium)* July 27 – Pittsburgh, PA (PNC Park)* July 30 – Cleveland, OH (Progressive Field)+ August 2 – Toronto, ON (Rogers Centre)+ August 5 – Boston, MA (Fenway Park)+ August 7 – Flushing, NY (Citi Field)* August 12 – Arlington, TX (Globe Life Field)* August 14 – Houston, TX (Minute Maid Park)* August 16 – San Antonio, TX (Alamodome)* August 19 – Minneapolis, MN (Target Field)* August 23 – Phoenix, AZ (Chase Field)* August 25 – Los Angeles, CA (SoFi Stadium)* August 28 – San Francisco, CA (Oracle Park)* August 30 – San Diego, CA (Petco Park)* September 4 – Seattle, WA (T-Mobile Park)^ September 8 – Denver, CO (Coors Field)^ *with Steve Miller Band ^with Cheap Trick +with Heart

Register for General Pre-sale on Tue. December 12 (11am) at https://defleppardjourney2024.com/