Page 131 - Classic Rock - The Complete Story of Def Leppard 2019

paid homage to that part of our youth.” book, just art. Absolute artistic freedom to do
“I loved making this new record,” what we want. We’ve touched on our past with
Collen says. “Most liberating thing we’ve this new record, but we’ve also gone places we’ve
ever done. Because we didn’t have to never gone before. In the past we’d do stuff and go:
worry about dealing with a record label, ‘That sounds a bit too much like Led Zeppelin III.’
it just flowed. That’s why it’s so diverse. This time we were like: ‘So fucking what?’ We were
And at this point we’re better producers, name-checking every band and album we could
arrangers and songwriters than ever.” think of when we were making this one.”
Leppard’s last studio record was 2008’s Of course, the band are realistic about the
Songs From The Sparkle Lounge. And if the album’s chances.
music industry was on its last legs then, “If we’re what you’d call a non-chart botherer,
it’s rotting in a casket now. Many veteran then we’re in great company,” Elliott shrugs.
rock bands have since made the eye- “Think about it. Bowie, McCartney, the Stones, The
rolling claim that the album format is Who… when was the last time they bothered the
dead. Leppard themselves even felt that charts? Thirty years ago? I don’t know if anybody’s
way at the beginning of this project. gonna care about this record or not. But we’re
“Originally we were just going to do doing it for us. As selfish as that might sound,
a single, maybe three songs,” Elliott that’s the most important thing.”
explains. “But it was the emperor’s new “It was for the artistic expression, the love of
clothes. Everybody was saying the album making music,” Collen adds. “If you don’t do it for
was dead, and there were lots of people that reason, then you shouldn’t even be in a band.”
just putting out one song. And we were
kinda dying inside, man. You’re telling inutes later, the band hit the stage. They
I wanted to be a rock star. I still feel that way.” me there’s no place to put a bunch of new songs? do not play Let’s Go or anything else from
It’s true. Time and again, the band bring the I’ve got a whole headful of ’em. I’ll go crazy if Mthe new album, although they do
conversation back to the music, to their enduring I can’t get them out. So we all got together just promise to next time out. Instead they dig into
love for rock’n’roll, and how honoured they feel to to see what everybody their formidable arsenal
be a part of it. had, and two days later of super-hits,
we had twelve songs – “I’ve always wanted culminating in a near-
hich leads us, neatly, to their new skeletal versions – and delirious encore of
record. Def Leppard is their most diverse, by the end of the month to be a musician Photograph/Rock of Ages.
Weclectic collection of songs ever. Lead- we had an album. So we Not a moment of their
off single Let’s Go is prime, arena-baiting Leppard, a said: ‘Fuck them, fuck all more than I wanted stage time is wasted. It’s
towering heap of hooks and endless choruses sure these naysayers, we’re to be a rock star.” pure spectacle, from
to please the diehards. But the deeper you dig, the gonna make a record.’” start to finish. And aside
more interesting this album gets. And that’s by And not just any Vivian Campbell from the tender throats
design. record, either. Def Leppard and stiff knees, the band
“To me, this record is about not being afraid to is the record they’ve always wanted to make. are no worse for wear after thoroughly and utterly
tip my hat to the music that inspired me – to The “This is the first record we ever made without decimating the 12,000-strong audience. No one
Beatles and to Queen or the Rolling Stones,” says a record contract,” Elliott points out. “We paid went unrocked in that arena, and Leppard barely
drummer Rick Allen. “I tried to do my best John for it ourselves, and when we finished it we said: worked up a sweat. If you didn’t know any better, if
Bonham impersonations on this record, which I’ve ‘Okay, who wants it?’ It’s a luxury to be able to you weren’t close up enough to see the make-up
never really done before. So there was a real sense do that. But from an artistic point of view it was caking in the lines around their eyes, you’d think
of freedom that we could come up with songs that fantastic, because there was no clock, no cheque- this band was still in the prime of their career,

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